Month: March 2019

Check out the highlights from the recent Mitre 10 Cup action, starting with North Harbour’s Round One win over Northland in Albany.

---

The All Blacks will be without both centre Ryan Crotty and wing Rieko Ioane for the second Bledisloe Cup clash at Eden Park next weekend.

Crotty suffered a concussion while Ioane tore a hamstring during Saturday’s 38-13 Rugby Championship victory over the Wallabies in Sydney.

Therefore changes are set to be made to New Zealand‘s backline, with coach Steve Hansen revealing they are waiting on Vince Aso’s fitness.

“The guy we are pretty keen on is Aso, we are trying to get an update on his about how his wrist is,” he told reporters following their victory.

New Zealand aren’t alone in struggling with injury concerns, however, as Australia will be without Israel Folau next weekend, a blow Hansen believes they can bounce back from.

“We’d be silly to think they haven’t got another player who’s going to step in and wear the jersey with pride and urgency,” he said.

“Their backs are against the wall. They’re going to improve. Teams that get beaten learn better than those that win and are hungrier than those that win.”

---

Namibia have qualified for Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan after beating Kenya 53-28 in Windhoek to win the Rugby Africa Gold Cup on Saturday.

They join world champions New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and the Repechage winner in Pool B for what will be their sixth-successive tournament.

Kenya’s dream of qualifying for their first Rugby World Cup is not over, but they now face the prospect of taking on Canada, Hong Kong and Germany in November’s round-robin Repechage competition in Marseille for the final place.

Kenya had only beaten Namibia twice in 10 matches with their last victory coming in 2016, but driven by an opportunity to make history, the team ranked 28th in the World Rugby rankings played their part in a highly-entertaining and high-scoring match.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “Congratulations to Namibia on winning the Rugby Africa Gold Cup to secure a place at Rugby World Cup 2019. They were impressive throughout the competition and are deserved champions.

“We look forward to welcoming the Namibia team and their fans to Japan for what promises to be a very special and ground-breaking Rugby World Cup – the first in Asia.

“The qualification process is almost over, but Kenya’s journey continues as they deservedly secure a place in November’s Repechage in Marseille, and I would like to wish them, Canada, Hong Kong and Germany all the best for what promises to be an exciting tournament.”

---

South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus believes his side must be more consistent after their bonus-point 34-21 win over Argentina in Durban.

Braces from Aphiwe Dyantyi and Makazole Mapimpi and one each for Lukhanyo Am and Faf de Klerk saw the Springboks seal a comfortable victory.

However, while Erasmus did take pleasure in how his troops bounced back after the break, he was not overly pleased with his side’s performance.

“The only positive was the first 30 minutes in the second-half; it was the only decent rugby we played,” the coach told SA Rugby’s website.

“I was expecting that we wouldn’t produce a completely fluent display, but the first-half was worse than I thought. Thankfully Siya (Kolisi) and the boys picked it up after the break.

“We lost a few line-outs that were crucial and there were some technical errors but for all of that it was a dominant performance, but it wasn’t the crispest performance. Technically and tactically we weren’t on par.”

He added: “The line-outs we lost in their 22 were a problem – we were down there five times and we didn’t capitalise in the first half. That was the most frustrating thing.

“But you have to look at the positive – there is some gelling to be done in this team but as long as the effort is there it will come and we saw good effort.”

Changes are expected to be made to the Springbok side for the reverse fixture in Mendoza next weekend, with Erasmus revealing his plans.

“They know what we’re about now and we’ll make a few changes to the team – four of five changes – as we’re expecting a massive physical onslaught; they are fuming,” he said.

“They have always been tough there – but we got five points out of this game; not the most beautiful and perfect game but we’re well in it. Going there I don’t think we have the luxury of experimenting.”

---

Scottish Rugby has announced that an agreement has been reached with Ulster and the IRFU to allow Dan McFarland to begin working on Monday.

McFarland, who joined the Scotland coaching team from Glasgow Warriors in 2017, was announced as Ulster head coach in April but was contractually obliged to remain in post for a nine-month notice period (ending in January), having originally signed a deal to the summer of 2019.

The governing body and PRO14 side have, however, reached a mutual agreement on terms to allow him to take up his new role immediately.

McFarland’s replacement, Danny Wilson, started work with the Scotland coaching team earlier this month, bringing eight-years’ elite-level coaching experience in the PRO14 (steering Cardiff to Challenge Cup glory earlier this year) and Wales U20, a side he guided to a third and second-place finish in the 2012 and 2013 Junior World Championships.

Follow us on Twitter @PlanetRugby and like our Facebook page. 

---

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has admitted that the concussions suffered by centre Ryan Crotty is a concern to him and his team.

Crotty was forced off the field early during the All Blacks’ 38-13 Bledisloe Cup victory over Sydney on Saturday after an accidental clash of heads with midfield partner Jack Goodhue.

That was Crotty’s sixth concussion in the last 18 months and there are worries in the All Black camp around the 29-year-old.

Crotty will miss the rematch with the Wallabies in Auckland on Saturday although medical checks after the match in Sydney suggested he will be fine to play in the Rugby Championship later on.

“It concerns us, definitely,” Hansen told Stuff of Crotty’s concussion issues.

“He’s already seen a specialist and they’ve given him the all-clear. From our understanding as long as you fully recover and don’t go back when you’re not fully recovered, then you’re OK.

“He was just unlucky last night. It was freaky – friendly fire from Jack straight in the face. It would have knocked most of us out.”

Crotty’s All Blacks team-mate, openside flanker Sam Cane was more circumspect when giving his opinion on the matter.

“It’s not nice to see,” he said of Crotty’s head knock.

“It’s just a tough injury. Everything else has a time-frame but there’s just so much unknown with head knocks and it seems like you can be only one away, if it’s the wrong one, from it being then end of it.

“I’ve seen that with a few mates. It certainly helps you appreciate every week and every game you have and realising how fickle it can be.”

Cane also praised the actions of Wallaby back-row David Pocock, who immediately went to Crotty’s aid after he was knocked out, instead of chasing play.

“It speaks pretty highly of his character and the type of guy he is if he’s willing to put the battle to one side in that moment and put the player’s welfare first,” added Cane, who has also had concussion issues in the past.

“So, thank you David.”

Follow us on Twitter @PlanetRugby and like our Facebook page. 

---

A third-straight Sydney Bledisloe Cup bungle was a performance which the Wallabies were “not proud of”, according to second-row Adam Coleman.

The 38-13 loss was tough viewing in the second-half – a 6-5 half time lead quickly turning into another All Blacks rout as the Wallabies’ set-piece crumbled in front of their eyes.

Having set up camp on Waiheke Island – a 30-minute ferry ride from Auckland’s CBD – the Wallabies now have an Everest-sized mountain to climb if they are to snatch the Bledisloe back from the Kiwis.

Australia haven’t beaten New Zealand at Eden Park since 1986 and the All Blacks are undefeated through their last 41 starts at the ground.

If that number ticks over to 42 on Saturday the Bledisloe will stay across the ditch for another year.

Rather than being daunted by the task ahead of them, Coleman said the grim history would be a motivating factor for the team.

“I have a lot of confidence in our boys,” he told the Australian Rugby Union’s official website.

“What a challenge – to come to Eden Park and respond – I think it’s a great challenge and great motivation for the squad.

“I don’t think they need motivation but it’s a good challenge.”

Coleman dismissed any notion the Australians would benefit from playing the All Blacks later in the Rugby Championship – when they have really hit top gear in recent years – with the team eager to reverse another Sydney performance packed with moments they would rather forget.

“I think it’s a good opportunity to respond,” he said.

“We got beat but I look at it as a positive that we get to play them again and turn around a performance that we’re not really proud of, to be honest.

“We let down people on our home turf and it hurts.

“It’s something we’re not proud of but I think there is a great opportunity on Saturday to turn it around.”

Coleman was calling the shots at line-out time and the Australians lost seven of their own throws on Saturday – killing any and all attacking momentum at critical junctures.

“They mixed things up in that area,” he explained, looking to fix that problem.

“They had a shift/peel play when they first came into the attacking 22 and really changed the picture.

“Defensively I think our boys had made improvement in that area but it’s just disappointing from our attack perspective.

“We were really turning (the ball) over and relieving pressure which, in turn, didn’t give our team the opportunity to attack.”

The turnovers from both set-piece and general play were the killer blow, according to Wallabies back Dane Haylett-Petty.

“When you look at the structured and unstructured defence we were actually really good, but we got killed on turnovers,” he said.

“Four or five tries. It was the main area of the game where we let ourselves down.

“Against other teams they’re probably not going to capitalise on all those opportunities but the All Blacks definitely do and we can’t afford to open the door and give them those opportunities.”

Fix those key areas and the result may have been different on Saturday but for now all eyes are on Eden Park.

“We know we’re good enough, we were good enough for 39 minutes in the game and we’ve got to be able to do it for 80 minutes,” added Haylett-Petty.

“It’s going to take a very good performance but we’ve got a very good team, a lot of quality, experienced players and very good coaches.

“If we stick to what we do well, we’ll do well.”

Follow us on Twitter @PlanetRugby and like our Facebook page. 

---

With the dust having settled on Round One of the Rugby Championship, we’ve gone through the action to pick the best players from the weekend.

New Zealand unsurprisingly dominate the XV following their superb second-half display against Australia, which saw them claim a 38-13 victory. South Africa have five representatives after defeating Argentina 34-21, while Los Pumas have one player in the side.

Rugby Championship: Team of the Week

15 Ben Smith (New Zealand): Steve Hansen’s men struggled for fluency in the opening half on Saturday but the full-back was the player to spark the All Blacks to life. His half-break led to Aaron Smith’s try and it was the momentum the three-time world champions needed as they dominated the second period. Smith went on to run for 92 metres in total and make five clean breaks, showing why he was preferred to the talented Jordie Barrett.

14 Waisake Naholo (New Zealand): Like Smith, Naholo failed to show his quality until the first try when he brilliantly offloaded to Kieran Read, who duly fed scrum-half Smith. After that, the right wing outshone last year’s find of the season Rieko Ioane. Naholo scored two tries, made 126 metres and beat a remarkable 13 defenders as the All Blacks scythed through the hosts’ defence with regularity. Elsewhere, Makazole Mapimpi impressed for South Africa but it was an easy decision to include the Highlanders man in the XV.

13 Jack Goodhue (New Zealand): It rather typifies the strength of New Zealand rugby and the system which is in place that an inexperienced player can already look so adept at the highest level. In just his second cap, Goodhue touched down early in the second period, latching onto Ioane’s run and pass, while the centre – like Naholo – made 126 metres in total. Despite the presence of Sonny Bill Williams, the Crusaders back has surely cemented his position in the starting line-up for the foreseeable future.

12 Anton Lienert-Brown (New Zealand): New Zealand received a blow early in the match when Ryan Crotty was forced off but the Chiefs centre more than made up for his absence. Although Kurtley Beale tried his best for Australia and instigated Jack Maddocks’ try, and Andre Esterhuizen provided plenty of physicality for the Springboks, Lienert-Brown’s consistency sees him take the slot ahead of those two.

11 Aphiwe Dyantyi (South Africa): A tough call between the Springbok and his opposite number on Saturday, Ramiro Moyano, but we’ve gone for the South African, who touched down for a couple of crucial scores. Dyantyi almost played second fiddle to S’busiso Nkosi during the June series against England, with the Sharks player the more impressive of the two over those three Test matches, but his injury has seen Dyantyi step up.

10 Beauden Barrett (New Zealand): Pressure eased and how. Richie Mo’unga’s Super Rugby form had put some heat on Barrett going into this Rugby Championship campaign but he did not let that affect him in Sydney. The fly-half was superb with his game management, distributing and running game throughout against the Wallabies, showing top footballing skills for his try to boot. Barrett also set up two tries to cap a strong day.

9 Faf de Klerk (South Africa): Aaron Smith impressed for New Zealand in a try-scoring performance but once again De Klerk was the heartbeat of the Springboks. Despite Handre Pollard struggling at 10, the scrum-half still managed to take the game by the scruff of the neck with an authoritative showing at the base. One try and a whopping three assists sees him walk into this jersey as he continues to impress in green and gold.

8 Kieran Read (New Zealand): Only special players return from injury and slot right back into international rugby like they’ve never been away. While Read did make his comeback recently in Super Rugby, he’s hit the ground running in impressive style and was on song again over the weekend. He set up his team’s first try and was his usual busy self in both the tight and loose, looking back to his imperious best.

7 Francois Louw (South Africa): Such a complete player who combines the grunt with subtle touches around the field, Louw was in solid form against Argentina in Durban. Moving forward it looks like Louw alongside Siya Kolisi could be the answer heading into RWC 2019 as both in tandem with either Duane Vermeulen or Warren Whiteley would be a fearsome back-row. The Bath men gets in ahead of busy All Black Sam Cane.

6 Pablo Matera (Argentina): Marked his 50th Test for Los Pumas with a try in a typically hard-working display. The set-piece was an issue for Argentina so it says a great deal about Matera’s work around the field that he sneaks in ahead of impressive Wallaby flank Lukhan Tui here.

5 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa): After a nine-month spell on the sidelines, the hardman of South African rugby showed Springbok rugby supporters what they’ve been missing with a polished display in his side’s win over Argentina in Durban. It was hard to believe that Etzebeth played his first match of the year as he delivered an impressive 80-minute shift. Etzebeth gained 48 metres on attack from 14 runs and beat three defenders. Also did well in the line-outs and caught the eye on defence with 10 tackles.

4 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand): Another seasoned second-row who returned to the Test arena with a bang, Retallick was arguably the player of the opening round after a brilliant all-round performance in the All Blacks’ triumph over the Wallabies in Sydney. Made a big impact on attack with 63 metres gained from 11 carries with two defenders beaten and a clean break which resulted in a well-taken try after selling Bernard Foley an outrageous dummy. Retallick was also busy on defence making seven hits.

3 Owen Franks (New Zealand): The All Blacks pack’s scrummaging was excellent in Sydney and Franks was at the forefront of that effort as he anchored the set-piece superbly. The 99-Test veteran also cleaned out the rucks with great intent and put his body on the line on defence and eventually made eight tackles. Comes in ahead of Springbok Frans Malherbe.

2 Malcolm Marx (South Africa): This was a difficult one as Codie Taylor also impressed for the All Blacks but Marx gets the nod after a solid performance at the coalface of the Springboks’ forward effort in Durban. Marx was his usual busy self with ball in hand and his physicality at close quarters was particularly impressive. Also did his bit on defence making five tackles.

1 Joe Moody (New Zealand): The All Black scrum was a thing of beauty at the weekend and Moody deserves special praise as he was at his dominant best in that facet of play. Got the better of his direct opponent, Sekope Kepu, and when the Wallaby was forced off the field through injury, Moody dished out similar treatment to debutant Jermaine Ainsley. Like his front-row partner Franks, Moody also did well defensively and finished with seven hits.

---

Click:ecommerce web design

New Springbok fly-half Damian Willemse admitted that his Test debut in Saturday’s win against Argentina in Durban had come as a surprise to him.

The 20-year-old was a shock selection in the Springbok Rugby Championship squad and although Bok coach Rassie Erasmus said he hoped to introduce Willemse at full-back from the replacements bench, he eventually came on at fly-half with Handre Pollard shifting to inside centre.

Willemse’s debut came with 20 minutes left in that Test and he threw a poor pass which resulted in an Argentina try and also kicked the ball out on the full which put his side under pressure when the match was evenly balanced.

Despite his shaky start in the Test arena, Willemse was delighted that he got an opportunity at the highest level.

“I didn’t think I would be sitting here at the age of 20, even though I always believed I could,” he told Sport24 after the match.

“Sitting here tonight there are mixed emotions. I’m really happy that we got the result and it is a massive honour and privilege to wear the Springbok jersey.

“There are a lot of Springboks that came and went and that is not part of my plan. We want to be great Springboks. There is a plan and we’re working really hard towards that.”

When asked about his error in judgement with his horror pass, Willemse displayed the maturity which has helped him cement his place as the Stormers’ first choice fly-half in 2018.

“I think always for young guys it’s important to work hard and learn,” he added.

“That’s what I’m trying to do … take it all in and throw it into one basket, shake it up and see what we come up with. You need a mature fly-half, you need a good quarterback and I think that maturity is very important.

“I’m just going to stay in the moment and look to work on my mistakes.”

---

Hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau has defended under-fire Wallabies coach Michael Cheika in the wake of yet another Bledisloe Cup loss to New Zealand last weekend, saying the players need to take responsibility.

Cheika has come in for criticism in the past few days after his side’s second-half collapse, which left their hopes of extinguishing 16 years of Bledisloe heartache hanging by a thread.

But senior Wallabies in the form of Polota-Nau and Adam Coleman have rallied behind their boss, whom they believe is still the best man to take the team forward with the 2019 World Cup in Japan on the horizon.

“He’s definitely the best man for the job,” Polota-Nau told Sky Sports.

“It’s more about how we take that blueprint and put it out there on the field.

“At the end of the day we’re the guys out there on the field and only we can control what the plays are at hand.”

Lock Adam Coleman echoed the words of his team-mate as the Wallabies prepare for the second Test at Eden Park on Saturday.

“We’ve got full confidence in this coaching staff and we back them 100 percent,” Coleman said.

“There has never ever been a question about that so I don’t know where that has come from.”

Polota-Nau added on the tough prospect of winning at the Auckland venue: “(We) don’t even consider what they call the hoodoo of Eden Park.

“I’ve played there quite a few times and managed to win only once – in 2009 with the Waratahs – but we have to make sure we use that one opportunity and reminisce on the good times.

“My biggest motivator is to win again at Eden Park.”

---