AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE Waratahs (1st) Team Base: Sydney, Australia Home Stadium: Allianz Stadium Coach: Darryl Gibson Captain: Michael Hooper (Flanker) 2016 Position (Division/Overall): 2nd/10th Key Players Gained: Sekope Kepu (Prop), Damien Fitzpatrick (Hooker), Michael Wells (Flanker), Irae Simone (Centre), Cameron Clarke (Fullback) Key Players Lost: Tatafu Polota-Nau (Hooker), Benn Robinson (Prop), Dave Dennis (Lock), Wycliff Palu (Number 8), …
RUGBY
Super Rugby Preview 2017 – New Zealand Conference
On February 23, the 22nd edition of Super Rugby kicks off in Melbourne with a match between the Rebels and the Blues. For seven months, the Hurricanes have been able to bask in the glory of being Super Rugby Champions after comprehensively winning the title last season. In 2016, 142 matches were played and a …
England vs Australia – Preview
Just over a year ago, the final four places at a northern hemisphere-based (England) Rugby World Cup were taken up by New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Argentina. Last weekend, South Africa lost to Wales, Australia lost to Ireland and Argentina lost to England and New Zealand could only manage a five-point victory over the …
End of Year Internationals – Week 4 Preview
This week we reach the final complement of matches of the ‘autumn’ international series, with just the one match to be played next weekend between the old foes, England and Australia. Ireland have announced themselves as genuine contenders moving forwards, England are on an impressive unbeaten run and New Zealand continue to dominate world rugby. …
End of Year Internationals – Week 3 Preview
The end of year international Test matches have been a joy to watch so far, despite being televised at absurd hours for Australian and New Zealand fans. Last weekend, a second-string All Blacks outfit trounced Italy before England kept their unbeaten 2016 record in check with a comfortable win over the hapless Springboks. The Wallabies …
End of Year Internationals – Week 2 Preview
The end-of-year Internationals are back in full swing after a fascinating weekend that has just gone. The story of the weekend without doubt, was Ireland triumphing over New Zealand for the first time in 111 years in Chicago to extend the year of upsets (Hawks, Sharks, Cubs, Leicester, Trump etc.). The Wallabies were clinical in …
EOY Internationals – Week 1 Preview
The southern hemisphere provincial season has concluded with only the ‘autumn’ collection of matches remaining in what has been a fascinating season of rugby. The top 10 of world rugby are all in action over the coming weeks with the USA to kick it off on Saturday morning with a match against the high-flying New …
Bledisloe Cup 3 + NRC Final + Currie Cup Final Preview
The southern hemisphere international Test season concludes on Saturday when New Zealand host Australia in Auckland. Directly after the match from Eden Park, the third season of the National Rugby Championship (NRC) in Australia concludes with a fascinating matchup between the New South Wales Country Eagles and the Perth Spirit in Tamworth. The weekend finishes …
Rugby Championship 2016 – Week 6 Preview
The Rugby Championship returns for the final weekend of the 2016 edition of the competition. This year’s tournament has made for some interesting viewing, however, the advantage that New Zealand has over their counterparts seems almost insurmountable at this point. Last weekend at Loftus in Pretoria, the Springboks scraped their way to a tryless victory …
Rugby Championship 2016 – Week 5 Preview
The Rugby Championship returns to TV screens this weekend with the penultimate round of the competition. During week four, the All Blacks continued their impressive run of 15 victories with a win over the Springboks in Christchurch and the Wallabies secured a comfortable victory over the Pumas in Perth. As a result, New Zealand were …