Cheika’s OS plan to build Wallabies depth

http://ift.tt/25zTuV4 Wallabies squad bolter Leroy Houston was just one of at least 60 overseas-based players who coach Michael Cheika says can be targeted to return to build depth in Australian rugby. By Cheika’s estimation there are over 120 Australians playing rugby in Europe and Japan – and more than half of those, he believes, are “easily” […]

“Cheik’s got smoke and mirrors everywhere”: Eddie Jones

http://ift.tt/22wNmrm England coach Eddie Jones has fired a barb at Michael Cheika before boarding his flight to Australia, accusing the Wallabies coach of playing mind games ahead of the three-Test series. Jones and the English squad land in Brisbane early on Thursday morning, ahead of the series opener at Suncorp Stadium on June 11. The chirpy […]

State of Origin weather: Pitch conditions for Game 1

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If you’re looking for the weather and how it’s going to affect the footy, rest assured Sydney dawned sunny on the day of Game 1 of the 2016 State of Origin series, after a few showers the preceding day. The forecast for this evening is for some showers, with the chance of precipitation hovering around […]

Help name a Pro Rugby franchise

http://ift.tt/1sZUyAi Fellow Roarers, lend me your eyes. For I have a request to make of you good folk. Can you help in naming the new Pro Rugby franchises? Now, before I start I will admit I have a vested interest. I happen to have had a couple of my submissions shortlisted and may or may not […]

Sonny Bill headed to Blues, sticking with rugby until 2019

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In a coup for New Zealand’s bottom-placed Super Rugby side, the Blues have announced the signing of dual international Sonny Bill Williams through until the end of 2019. The Auckland-based side had something of an inside running on SBW’s signature, the two-time World Cup winner wanting to live near family based in New Zealand’s largest […]

“The guy’s working on himself to be better”: Cheika defends Karmichael

http://ift.tt/1WvpvIx Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has launched an impassioned defence of Karmichael Hunt, saying sticking by the code-hopper through his drugs controversy last year was the right thing to do. Hunt stands to become a dual international if, as expected, he makes his Australia debut in the series opener against England at Suncorp Stadium on June […]

Women leading Australian rugby on and off the field

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It’s no secret women are leading the way in Australian rugby in 2016. On the field they’ve just won their first sevens rugby world series, while the Super Rugby sides are working out who to send to the slaughter in the first round of playoffs. Off the field, women are leading the way more than […]

How will 39 become 30, then 23 for Michael Cheika?

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So now the ‘big family hug’ of 39 potential Wallaby players has been announced. It’s a nice option for Michael Cheika. It gives notice to those on the outlying reaches of his selection radar, and it allows him to see how they act both on and off the field in camp. It’s as much a […]

Something isn’t right in Buenos Aires

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I was probably only one of maybe a few hundred spectators that took an interest in the Jaguares versus Kings game last weekend. Having adopted the Jaguares as my second team I was left disappointed to say the least. I’m sure tipsters weren’t all that impressed by the result either, the Jags should have put […]

Sonny Bill Williams’ likely playing destination for 2017 and beyond is….

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Sonny Bill Williams will reveal his future plans with New Zealand Rugby on Wednesday, with a new three-year Blues deal the hot favourite among his options. The 30-year-old duel-international is believed to be favouring a move to Auckland, joining former All Black and Blues head coach Tana Umaga until 2019. The contract will also see […]

Curry and Thompson get hot to book Warriors NBA finals date with Cavaliers

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The Golden State Warriors have put on a shooting clinic in Game 7 against Oklahoma City to book a spot in the NBA finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Down as many as 13 points in the second quarter of the series decider, Golden State aces Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson both managed to find their […]

10 Nations Rugby is back for 2016: Rugby’s most prized hypothetical trophy

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It’s that time of year again when the 10 Nations International Rugby Championship starts to ramp up. With the well established and highly regarded Six Nations tournament again joining its fixtures with its younger better cousin, the 10 Nations seems to have fallen a little off the radar so far this year. However with the […]

Wallabies embracing high expectations against England

http://ift.tt/25uVGtq The last time the Wallabies set up camp on the Sunshine Coast, they were a team in flux. But a year on and skipper Stephen Moore says they have to be ready to live up to higher expectations as they prepare for a three-Test home series against an improved England side steered by the wily […]

Eddie Jones back wayward England kicker

http://ift.tt/1RGjlNR Eddie Jones is facing extra heat in his choice of five eighth to face the Wallabies after George Ford missed six of seven shots at goal in England’s 27-13 win over Wales. England coach Jones condemned booing that greeted Ford’s wayward kicking in Sunday’s Test at Twickenham and launched a strong defence of the 23-year-old […]

Horwill thrilled to be back with Wallabies

http://ift.tt/1RGiMDM Former Wallabies skipper James Horwill was honeymooning in Mykonos, convinced his Test days were over when a shock call from Michael Cheika revived his international career. Left shattered after his exclusion from last year’s World Cup squad, Horwill is back in green and gold and appears to be a good chance of a starting berth […]

Hunt tips Izzy to torch England

http://ift.tt/1XJMqix Statistics show why Karmichael Hunt believes Wallabies superstar Israel Folau can wreck international defences from his new position in the centres. Folau had his best game since switching from fullback mid-season when he scorched the high-flying Chiefs with a two-try performance for the Waratahs that suggests he’ll present huge problems for England there in next […]

The Lions: Worthy African finalists

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Amid all the talk over the weekend around the finals format, and particularly how the 2016 format gives the South African teams a rails run, one little detail was consistently overlooked. The Lions will earn a playoffs spot on pure performance, not charity. And further, they will take some beating. Second on the Super Rugby […]

Cheika will surely mix up his selections against England

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With the debate around the selections for the upcoming Wallabies Test series against England, it’s a good time to review Michael Cheika’s selection strategies from 2015. First, let’s look at the forwards. During the first two games of the Rugby Championship against South Africa and Argentina, Cheika’s preferred approach for forward play emphasised big ball […]

A monster Wallaby side to take on the Poms

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The Aussie Test series against the Poms draws nearer and nearer by the second, and the thought of putting 50 on these tea-drinking, Queen-hailing pansies is mouth-watering. After a promising World Cup campaign, the time has come for a new era, a new generation, a new guard, of golden Wallabies. Locking down the No.1 jersey […]

What’s TJ Perenara done to upset the All Black selectors?

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The most notable aspect of the 32-man All Blacks squad named this morning to face Wales was what was missing – a third halfback. It appears the No.9 back-up back-up has been sacrificed to accommodate pint-sized fullback whizz kid Damian McKenzie, getting his first All Black call-up as the third custodian, behind vice captain Ben […]

The 2016 Super Rugby finals system is designed for an African winner

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‘Folau! Folau! Israel Folau!’ What a match he played to ignite the NSW Waratahs to a resounding, emphatic, vibrant (pick your enthusiastic adjective) 45-25 victory over the Chiefs at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night. You could hear the roar of the 18,175 crowd all over the eastern suburbs of Sydney as the Waratahs, inspired by […]

The Wrap: Super Rugby hits pause button just as things hot up

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Round 14 of Super Rugby always shaped as a transition point from routine, week to week play, into that critical zone where individual matches can define a season; and so it proved, particularly for fans in Wellington, Sydney and Pretoria. A shame then, that just as this soup has deliciously come to the boil, it […]

Coetzee names 31-man Springboks squad to take on Ireland

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There are nine uncapped players in Allister Coetzee’s Spingboks squad, named to take on Ireland in a three-Test series in June. Garth April, Ruan Combrinck, Faf de Klerk, Nic Groom, Steven Kitshoff, Jaco Kriel, Bongi Mbonambi, Sikhumbuzo Notshe and Scarra Ntubeni are the new additions to the squad of 31. Springboks squad named to play […]

Aussie women’s sevens side win world title

http://ift.tt/1X5miAe The Australian women’s sevens rugby team have clinched the country’s first-ever world series title after a win over Spain. The Pearls only required the quarter-final win at the season-ending tournament in Clermont-Ferrand to ensure enough points to be declared overall champions. That came to fruition thanks to their 35-0 thrashing of the Spaniards. Chloe Dalton […]

Harris to miss Wallabies over hamstring

http://ift.tt/1X5ndk3 Mike Harris’ return to the Wallabies fold appears over before it even begins after he suffered a hamstring tear in the Melbourne Rebels’ Super Rugby win over the Western Force. The utility back was set to fly to Queensland straight after Sunday’s match to go into camp with the Australian squad but instead is staying […]

Reds’ Goromaru set for Toulon move

http://ift.tt/1X5mOOu Japan fullback Ayumu Goromaru, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury this month, has reached an agreement on a switch to French club Toulon from the Queensland Reds, Japanese media reported on Sunday. The 30-year-old, who impressed during the Rugby World Cup, signed a lucrative deal with the Reds last year but has seen limited playing […]

Highlights: Melbourne Rebels take win over Western Force 27-22

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In front of 8,823 people the Rebels have defeated the Force 27-22 in Melbourne. RE-LIVE ALL THE ACTION IN OUR LIVE BLOG Both sides lacked imagination in the first half, thankfully the pace picked up in the second. Mike Harris spoiled his great week – after being named in Michael Cheika’s Wallabies squad, he busted […]

Rebels vs Force: Super Rugby live scores, blog

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The Melbourne Rebels host the Western Force in a rare Sunday afternoon fixture at AAMI Park, to close out Super Rugby’s Round 13. Catch all of the live scores and play action from 4:05pm AEST on The Roar. While the Rebels still have a mathematical chance of claiming a finals wildcard spot, in reality both […]

Highlights: Saracens beat Exeter to win Premiership

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Holders Saracens became the first English club to do the European/domestic double since Wasps in 2004 when they withstood a battling second-half Exeter fightback to win the Premiership final 28-20 at Twickenham on Saturday. Saracens, crowned European champions two weeks ago, looked in total control when they led 23-6 at halftime after tries by Duncan […]

All Blacks name squad to face Wales, six uncapped players included

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There are six new faces in the All Blacks squad named this morning for New Zealand’s upcoming June series against Wales. Elliot Dixon, Liam Squire, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Ardie Savea, Damian McKenzie and Seta Tamanivalu are the uncapped newcomers named in the 32-man squad. There may potentially be a seventh in Tom Franklin who has been […]

Pocock confirms move to Panasonic Wild Knights on three-year deal

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David Pocock will join the Panasonic Wild Knights – the three-time reigning champions of the Japan National Rugby Union competition, Top League – on a three year-deal, beginning in December 2016 after the Wallabies’ spring tour. The deal will then see Pocock take a six month sabbatical from the sport from February 2017 until he […]