Tag: Rugby

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Reds centre Samu Kerevi has put pen to paper to ensure he remains at Ballymore after signing a new one-year deal.

It further strengthens Queensland’s squad for 2019 following Izack Rodda, JP Smith, Filipo Daugunu, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Aidan Toua and Alex Mafi all re-signing with the Reds last week.

In his fifth season with the side, Kerevi played his 50th match for the Reds in Round Eight this year and continues to develop as one of Super Rugby’s most potent attacking threats.

Kerevi has scored 105 points (21 tries) in 58 matches for the Reds and has crossed for five tries during his 21-Test career with the Wallabies.

The 24 year-old said there’s no place he’d rather be than at Ballymore.

“I’m excited to stay in Queensland for one more year, my family was a big factor in staying,” said Kerevi.

“The young boys coming through the club is what keeps me at the Reds. I see the potential – not long ago I was in their shoes so to have one more year with them will be special.

“Brad (Thorn) has been awesome in changing the culture and mentality of not just the team but also the organisation. In saying that, in any successful team there’s always room for improvement.

“The World Cup is next year and that’s pretty special for any Rugby player. It’s the biggest stage in World Rugby and that was another driver for me.

“First thing is first and that’s getting back to fitness and playing well for my club and hopefully being picked to represent Australia through the year and into the World Cup.

“Right now my goal is to hopefully make the back-end of the NRC, or even the Club 7’s Series but that all depends on how my rehab goes,” Kerevi added.

Reds head coach Brad Thorn said he was pleased Kerevi will remain in Queensland.

“He has developed into a leader amongst the group and is highly respected within our squad,” said Thorn.

“Samu has made a home for himself here at Ballymore and has developed through the Queensland Pathway into the player he is today.

“He continues to work hard on his game and I am excited for what the future holds for him at the Queensland Reds,” Thorn added.

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The Pumas have made two changes in personnel ahead of their Currie Cup meeting with the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Friday.

Up front Morgan Naudé comes in for Kwezi Mona at loosehead prop while Jeandré Rudolph is brought in at number eight for the fixture. Rudolph’s inclusion in the back-row means Willie Engelbrecht will shift to the flank where he joins the busy Marnus Schoeman.

The Pumas’ backline is retained from the group that lost 39-29 to the Blue Bulls as they look to pick up only their second win of the season.

Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Morné Joubert, 13 Neil Maritz, 12 Ryan Nell, 11 Ruwellyn Isbel, 10 Christopher Smith, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Jeandré Rudolph, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Hugo Kloppers (c), 4 Le Roux Roets, 3 Andrew Beerwinkel, 2 Marko Janse van Rensburg, 1 Morgan Naudé
Replacements: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Cameron Lindsay, 19 Francois Kleinhans, 20 Abrie Griesel, 21 Kobus Marais, 22 Henko Marais

Date: Friday, September 21
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 17:00 local (16:00 BST, 15:00 GMT)
Referee: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant referees: Ben Crouse, Jaco Kotze
Television match official: Lourens van der Merwe

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Glasgow Warriors assistant coach Kenny Murray has confirmed that lock Brian Alainu’uese is in talks with Top 14 giants Toulon over a possible move.

Alainu’uese joined from New Zealand Super Rugby franchise the Chiefs in 2016, quickly establishing himself as a fans’ favourite for his physically confrontational style. With his contract expiring at the end of the season, a move to France could all but end any ambitions the 27-year-old may have had of representing Scotland.

“He is not on trial (at Toulon),” Murray told the Scotsman in Cape Town, where Glasgow are gearing up for the second match of their South African tour against Kings on Saturday.

“He is injured and has not played for a while. He is out of contract next season. He will be looking at different options but we are still in discussion with him.

“The main priority at the moment is to get him back on the pitch. He’s been out for a lengthy period of time, which is obviously difficult for us with (locks) Tim Swinson and Kiran McDonald also injured.”

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It is one year until the Rugby World Cup kicks off in Japan. Relive last year’s final here as New Zealand made it back-to-back titles in England with this impressive victory over Australia.

Video credit: World Rugby

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The Wallabies are facing a back-row crisis with the latest news that Pete Samu will miss the remainder of the Rugby Championship.

Samu hyper-extended his knee in the 23-19 defeat to Argentina on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

The 26-year-old had scans on his knee in Canberra after returning to the Brumbies at their base for the first time, with the results revealing he would be sidelined for at least a month.

After fellow loose forward Lukhan Tui said he was unlikely to play for the Wallabies again this year so as to spend time with his family in the wake of losing his step-father last week, news of Samu’s withdrawal from the squad leaves an even bigger hole in the back-row.

As things stand, Ned Hanigan and Caleb Timu appear to be in a two-horse race to join Michael Hooper and David Pocock in the loose trio for the Wallabies’ next match against South Africa at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on September 29.

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England head coach Eddie Jones has selected 36 players to assemble in Bristol for their latest training camp, including Manu Tuilagi.

Leicester Tigers centre Tuilagi is named in the training squad for the first time in over a year having last played for England during the 2016 Six Nations.

Danny Care (Harlequins), George Kruis (Saracens), Zach Mercer (Bath) and Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs) all return to the squad for the first time this season.

Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks) is included having last played international rugby in 2014, while uncapped wing duo Nathan Earle (Harlequins) and Joe Cokanasiga (Bath) are also called up.

There is however no spot for form Gloucester fly-half Danny Cipriani, who Jones believes is his third or fourth choice number 10.

“The training camp in Bristol is our last opportunity to get the squad together before the Quilter Internationals so it is vital we put down some parameters, particularly with John Mitchell coming in as defence coach,” said Jones.

“We’ll implement a slightly different defence philosophy building on the great work Paul Gustard has done to keep advancing our defence. It’s a great opportunity for the players to work with John and for the team to keep evolving.

“It’s a chance to get the players thinking about England and the way we want to play for England and the way we want to beat South Africa. These players have the opportunity to press their chances for selection ahead of the first Test so they will have to be enthusiastic and ready to give their best.”

Ahead of the Quilter Internationals in November an England squad will be named on 18 October before they fly to Portugal on 24 October to begin their final preparations for the four-Test series.

England will play South Africa (3 November), New Zealand (10 November), Japan (17 November) and Australia (24 November) at Twickenham Stadium, 3pm kick-off (BST).

Earlier this week, Mitchell was confirmed as England’s new defence coach until the end of the Rugby World Cup 2019 and Scott Wisemantel will continue as attack coach for the Quilter Internationals.

England training squad

Forwards: Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby), Michael Rhodes (Saracens), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Nick Schonert (Worcester Warriors), Brad Shields (Wasps), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs), Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)

Backs: Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Nathan Earle (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Dan Robson (Wasps), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

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Toulon centre Mathieu Bastareaud has been handed a five-week ban for his forearm hit on Castres forward Christophe Samson a fortnight ago.

France captain Bastareaud was red-carded in the closing stages of Toulon’s 28-27 win over Castres on September 9 following the offence.

Bastareaud, who appeared to have been a changed man during France’s June tour of New Zealand, even being rewarded with the armband, has come in for heavy criticism for the hit that some even went as far as saying bordered on assault.

The duration of the suspension is of course positive news for France as he will not miss their November internationals. However, he will miss Toulon’s opening match of the Champions Cup, against Newcastle Falcons at Stade Mayol on October 14.

Hot-headed Bastareaud sees red!

Toulon captain, Mathieu Bastareaud, received a red card for this forearm hit on Christophe Samson. A ban surely awaits the France international…#Top14 #RCTvCAS pic.twitter.com/OZD7YC2JHq

— Sky Sports Rugby (@SkySportsRugby) September 9, 2018

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Japan head coach Jamie Joseph will stand down from his role as Sunwolves boss in order to focus on the World Cup next year.

The announcement came on Thursday as Japan marked a year to go before the Brave Blossoms tackle Russia in the tournament’s opening game.

Although he won’t be coaching the Sunwolves next year, Joseph will be directly involved in naming his successor.

“I won’t be coaching the Sunwolves next year, but I will be involved in appointing the coaches,” the former All Black told Kyodo Times.

“Next year we need to be peaking in September, certainly not February when the Super Rugby competition starts.

“You can expect a number of our players will not be participating at the start of the Super Rugby competition with the Sunwolves, but they will start a bit later in the season.”

It will be the fourth appointment at the Sunwolves in four seasons since starting their Super Rugby journey.

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Western Province have been boosted by the inclusion of five Springboks for their Currie Cup encounter with Griquas at Newlands on Saturday.

Bongi Mbonambi, Wilco Louw, Sikhumbuzo Notshe and Damian Willemse have all been released from the Springbok squad and are joined in the starting line-up by a fit-again JJ Engelbrecht as Western Province look for their fourth straight victory of the season.

Mbonambi and Louw join Ali Vermaak in the front-row, with Caylib Oosthuizen, Scarra Ntubeni and Michael Kumbirai on the replacements bench.

Salmaan Moerat partners captain Chris van Zyl in the second-row, while Notshe links up with Kobus van Dyk and Juarno Augustus in the loose trio.

There are three changes to the backline, with scrum-half Herschel Jantjies making his first start of the season, Engelbrecht on the left wing and Willemse at full-back.

Justin Phillips, Dan du Plessis and Dillyn Leyds will provide backline cover.

Western Province: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 JJ Engelbrecht, 10 Josh Stander, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Kobus van Dyk, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Chris van Zyl (c), 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ali Vermaak
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Justin Phillips, 21 Dan du Plessis, 22 Dillyn Leyds

Date: Saturday, September 22
Venue: Newlands
Kick-off: 19:30 local (18:30 BST, 17:30 GMT)
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Jaco Pretorius, Ruhan Meiring
Television match official: Joey Klaaste-Salmans

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17 Springbok players will meet in Port Elizabeth on Friday when they will start their preparations for the final two Tests of the Rugby Championship.

Those games come next Saturday, 29 September against Australia in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, and a week later against New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

Rassie Erasmus, SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, confirmed that the squad will be further bolstered on Saturday when a number of other players have concluded their provincial duty in the Currie Cup.

“We are still keeping an eye on a number of players who we would like to involve in the coming weeks, but we would first like to see them get through their provincial matches this weekend,” said Erasmus.

It was also confirmed that Damian De Allende (centre), Lukhanyo Am (centre) and Makazole Mapimpi (wing) will not feature in the two home Tests after they were ruled out due to injury.

Furthermore, Willie le Roux (full-back) and Francois Louw (loose forward) have returned to their English clubs after the pair featured in the Springboks’ four tournament matches to date. They will not feature in the two home Tests.

“The players had a brief break after returning from New Zealand and I’m sure they will return fresh and energised for the last two matches,” added Erasmus.

“While we lost a couple of players to injury, we are looking forward to possibly welcoming back some others who have been playing for their provinces and recovered from injury. The two home matches will give us more time to work together as a group, to build on continuity and increase our depth.”

Springbok training squad:

Forwards (10): Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert, Tendai Mtawarira, RG Snyman, Warren Whiteley

Backs (7): Faf de Klerk, Aphiwe Dyantyi, André Esterhuizen, Elton Jantjies, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Handré Pollard

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