Tag: Rugby

Ospreys wing and Wales Sevens’ all-time leading try-scorer Luke Morgan and Leicester‘s Jonah Holmes have both been included in Wales’ squad.

Morgan, who has scored four tries in five matches for his region this season, and back-three player Holmes, who scored 10 tries in 11 games for the Tigers last season, will link up with the squad when they meet next Monday, October 22.

Wales welcome back eight British & Irish Lions to the squad which recorded three test victories against South Africa and Argentina in the summer.

Scarlets duo Rob Evans and Wyn Jones feature with Nicky Smith as the loosehead options for Wales with Ken Owens returning to the squad alongside Elliot Dee and Ryan Elias as the hookers.

Leon Brown, who made his international debut last autumn, returns to the squad and is named along with Tomas Francis, Samson Lee and Dillon Lewis who all toured with Wales in the summer.

Captain Alun Wyn Jones returns as does Jake Ball who hasn’t featured for Wales since the 2017 Under Armour series due to injury. Adam Beard, Bradley Davies and Cory Hill are the other second-rows named.

In the back-row co-captain from the summer tour Ellis Jenkins, debutant in Argentina Aaron Wainwright and Dragons number eight Ross Moriarty are joined by Lions duo Dan Lydiate and Justin Tipuric.

Aled Davies, Gareth Davies and Tomos Williams, who all featured in the USA and Argentina in June are named as the scrum-halves with Dan Biggar returning to the squad alongside Gareth Anscombe and Rhys Patchell as the fly-half options.

Lion Jonathan Davies returns from injury to feature alongside Tyler Morgan, Hadleigh Parkes and Owen Watkin.

The back-three options see the return of Leigh Halfpenny and Liam Williams alongside summer tourists Josh Adams, Steff Evans and George North as well as the uncapped duo of Morgan and Holmes.

“This autumn is the start of a 12-month countdown to the Rugby World Cup and it is a huge opportunity for the players,” said Wales head coach Warren Gatland.

“The players who performed and represented Wales so well in the summer deserve the opportunity again and we are really pleased with the depth we have built across the squad.

“We have added in a lot of experience with eight British & Irish Lions coming into the squad so there is a lot of competition for places.

“Some experienced players have missed out, the message to them is the door isn’t closed looking long term, its just a reflection of where we are depth wise and the opportunity to look at other players.

“A further eight players haven’t been selected due to injury, dependent on their recovery they could be called in at a later date.

“The two uncapped players in Luke and Jonah are both form, back-three players and we are looking forward to seeing them in this environment and seeing what they can do.”

A number of players who are currently recovering from injury have not been included in the squad but will continue to be monitored and could be called into the squad during the series dependant on their recovery, fitness and performances.

Wales squad for November

Forwards (20): Rob Evans, Wyn Jones, Nicky Smith, Elliot Dee, Ryan Elias, Ken Owens, Leon Brown, Tomas Francis, Samson Lee, Dillon Lewis, Jake Ball, Adam Beard, Bradley Davies, Cory Hill, Alun Wyn Jones (c), Ellis Jenkins, Dan Lydiate, Ross Moriarty, Justin Tipuric, Aaron Wainwright

Backs (17): Aled Davies, Gareth Davies, Tomos Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Dan Biggar, Rhys Patchell, Jonathan Davies, Tyler Morgan, Hadleigh Parkes, Owen Watkin, Josh Adams, Steffan Evans, Leigh Halfpenny, Jonah Holmes, Luke Morgan, George North, Liam Williams

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Maori All Blacks head coach Clayton McMillan has selected a 27-strong squad that includes hooker Robbie Abel for the tour of USA and South America.

There are nine new faces in the squad; Abel, locks Isaia Walker-Leawere and giant Pari Pari Parkinson (who stands at 2.04cm), loose forwards Hoani Matenga, Billy Harmon and Mitchell Karpik, fly-half Joshua Ioane, midfielder Matthew Landsown and outside back Jonah Lowe.

Five players in Japan with the All Blacks will later join the Maori All Blacks tour for the South American leg. They are prop Tyrel Lomax, lock Jackson Hemopo, scrum-half Bryn Hall, midfielder Matt Proctor and winger Nehe Milner-Skudder.

The Maori All Blacks will travel with 28 players to Chicago, including Canterbury’s Caleb Makene who will return to New Zealand after the USA match.

McMillan said the departure of some experienced players offshore, and dual duties with the All Blacks, created an opportunity for several new faces.

“We’re looking at almost 10 debutants which you would expect after some players have moved on,” he told the All Blacks website.

“Some of these debutants have had incredibly strong seasons with their provinces in Mitre 10 Cup, and their Super Rugby clubs, so we are excited to see what they will bring on this tour.

“Josh Ioane was with the Highlanders, and with Otago he demonstrates he is at the forefront of all the action, including playing an integral role in Otago’s successful Ranfurly Shield challenge, and, like Otere (Black) who has been strong for Manawatu, he is very accurate with his goalkicking.

“Pari Pari has to be the tallest lock running around in New Zealand rugby at the moment and he’s been a stand out for Tasman.

“We’ve got a great mix in the loose forwards – including the experienced Reed Prinsep and Akira Ioane who will bring explosive power to the loose forward mix. Along with the new guys (Hoani Matenga, Billy Harmon and Mitchell Karpik) they’re a young group but they’ve got some physicality.”

McMillan said they were looking forward to Chicago, the second time the Maori All Blacks have played there, but the coach’s first taste of USA rugby.

“We’re expecting USA to be our toughest game on tour although I have no doubt Brazil and Chile will be challenging for their own reasons. Rugby has been growing in all three countries, so there is an element of the unknown which is always hard to predict.

“It’s also nice to know that we will be with the Black Ferns. I’m sure it will be a nicer experience for everyone and having the two teams staying in the same hotel will help to create some positive energy.”

With several players still with their teams in the Mitre 10 Cup Finals, the Maori All Blacks squad will assemble gradually next week with players joining the squad as they are released from provincial duties.

The squad is assembling next week in the Bay of Plenty before their departure from Auckland International Airport next Sunday, October 28.

Maori All Blacks squad:

Forwards: Chris Eves, Tyrel Lomax, Ben May, Marcel Renata, Ross Wright, Robbie Abel, Ash Dixon (c), Jackson Hemopo, Pari Pari Parkinson, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Billy Harmon, Akira Ioane, Mitchell Karpik, Hoani Matenga, Reed Prinsep

Backs: Bryn Hall, Jonathan Ruru, Brad Weber, Otere Black, Joshua Ioane, Matthew Lansdown, Matt Proctor, Rob Thompson, Teihorangi Walden, Jonah Lowe, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Shaun Stevenson

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The Brumbies have added young prop Vunipola Fifita to their 2019 Super Rugby squad, completing their 39-man roster for the new season which will begin on Friday, February 15 against the Rebels at GIO Stadium.

The dynamic front-rower earned his opportunity following an exemplary 2018 National Rugby Championship (NRC) with the Canberra Vikings. With excellent handling skills, Fifita has the size and the physique to cause issues to opposition defences both in the scrum and in the loose.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Vunipola Fifita to the Brumbies squad,” head coach Dan McKellar commented.

“Vunipola has been in good form in the NRC and has shown his ability both at set-piece and in the general play. He brings good physicality on both sides of the ball and has shown potential.

“As a young prop there’s still plenty to learn in what is a demanding position, but we feel he has the tools to succeed at the Super Rugby level and he will be good addition to our front-row stocks.”

Despite being Auckland-born, Fifita has been capped for both Australian Schools and the Junior Wallabies and put those skills to good use throughout the NRC season having been an ever-present in the Vikings squad throughout the competition to date.

Moving to Canberra from Sydney, where he was a product of Newington College, Fifita has taken the challenges thrown to him in his stride and is set for a solid career should his progression continue at the current pace. Firstly though, he’ll be keen to settle into the professional environment and continue to learn the trade.

“I am extremely happy to have been given the opportunity to sign for the Brumbies and I am looking forward to linking up with the club for pre-season,” Fifita said upon signing his deal.

“The Brumbies are a very well respected club and have a great tradition of bringing through young players and giving them an opportunity.

“There are some outstanding props at the club with loads of Super Rugby experience and I intend to train hard and learn from them all in order to further my professional career.”

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The Reds back-row has been bolstered by flanker Adam Korczyk putting pen to paper to remain at Ballymore next season.

Korczyk has signed a one-year deal in Queensland and follows Samu Kerevi, Izack Rodda, JP Smith, Filipo Daugunu, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Aidan Toua and Alex Mafi, who have all re-committed to the Reds in the past month.

Korczyk established himself as a regular member of the Reds matchday 23 during the 2018 Super Rugby season and currently has 26 Queensland caps to his name after being handed a Reds contract in 2015.

His signature complements the Reds already-strong back-row alongside fellow loose forwards Scott Higginbotham, Caleb Timu, Liam Wright and Angus Scott-Young. Like fellow Red Lukhan Tui, Korczyk has the ability to play in the second-row, or the back-row.

After standout performances in 2017, Korczyk was named in the Wallabies 33-man squad for the opening two Bledisloe Cup Tests of the Rugby Championship in that year.

The 23 year-old continues to develop not only as a player, but a leader after being handed the captaincy of the McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City in this year’s National Rugby Championship (NRC).

2018 was his fifth-straight season with Brisbane City where he played every game and included scoring a try over rivals Bond University Queensland Country in their Round Five derby victory at Wests.

Korczyk said he was excited to remain at the Reds and continue his development under head coach Brad Thorn.

“I love Queensland, I love playing for Queensland and for me staying in Queensland was the best option for my Rugby career progression,” said Korczyk.

“It’s a competitive environment we have here at the Reds – especially in the back-row group with guys like Scott Higginbotham, Liam Wright, Caleb Timu and Angus Scott-Young and it’s just going to make me better.

“Being under Brad this season was great and with the additions of Jim McKay and Peter Ryan to the coaching staff I think it’s exciting and we’ve got a good playing group so it’ll be good to see where we go next year,” Korczyk added.

Reds head coach Thorn said: “Adam’s a good team man and a hard working member of our squad. He gives us options in the back-row and second-row, is developing as a footballer and has room for further growth.”

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Scotland lock Richie Gray will miss the November internationals and part of the Six Nations after he was ruled out for four months with a back injury.

It is a recurrence of an injury that Gray had surgery on last summer which has meant he has only played 60 minutes of rugby for his Top 14 side Toulouse this season.

Toulouse club boss Ugo Mola confirmed that the 29-year-old would miss “around four months” of action as he undergoes surgery for the same problem.

It is a massive blow for Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend ahead of the upcoming November internationals against Wales, Fiji, South Africa and Argentina.

Townsend names his squad on Wednesday and is already without full-back Stuart Hogg, tighthead prop Zander Fagerson as well as Glasgow lock duo Tim Swinson and Scott Cummings.

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Head Coach Gregor Townsend named three uncapped players in a 40-man Scotland squad for their 2018 November internationals on Wednesday.

Scotland will face Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, November 3 and contest the ‘Doddie Weir Cup’, as both teams honour the former Scotland and British & Irish Lions player diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

A host of commercial, community and corporate activity will take place around the Test to help raise awareness for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation to the thousands in attendance and millions more watching the live broadcast.

Scotland will then return home to Murrayfield for three home Tests against Fiji, South Africa and Argentina on the consecutive Saturdays that follow (10, 17 and 24 November), all of which are on target for capacity crowds, with South Africa sold out and Fiji and Argentina close behind.

“We now begin the last 12 months of our preparations for Rugby World Cup 2019 with four Test matches in four weeks, a similar challenge to the one we’ll face in Japan,” said Townsend.

“We’ve named a 40-man group for this campaign, which highlights the quality of player that is now available to us and the competition for places.

“It also enables us to welcome more players into our training environment and hopefully give a few more players a taste of Test match rugby.

“It’s going to be an exciting year for the squad but our primary focus is fixed on performing well against Wales – familiar opponents who have already recorded a win against us this year.”

Scotland’s uncapped trio are Scarlets back-row Blade Thomson, Exeter Chiefs lock Sam Skinner and Glasgow Warriors centre Sam Johnson.

Thomson and Skinner are eligible for the national team through family connections, Thomson through his paternal grandfather, Robert, from Wishaw, while Skinner’s father, Peter, is from Ayr.

Skinner, 23, was first involved in the then Scottish Exiles (now Scottish Qualified) programme as a teenager, while at Taunton Titans, before he joined the Chiefs in the 2014/15 season.

He was then selected for England U20 – and faced many of his Scotland contemporaries in the age-grade Six Nations – before becoming an increasingly prominent part of the Exeter squad that won the Premiership title for the first time in 2017 and finished as runners-up in last year’s final.

Thomson, 27, arrived in west Wales from Super Rugby side the Hurricanes, having represented New Zealand U20 and the Maori All Blacks, and has been a stand-out performer for the Llanelli side in his debut PRO14 season.

Johnson, 25, is eligible for Scotland on residency grounds, having joined Glasgow Warriors in the summer of 2015.

The Australian-born centre has been a popular figure at the Scotstoun club, making 40 appearances since his arrival and voted last year’s Players’ Player of the Season by his peers.

The squad also welcomes the return of several seasoned campaigners who missed the summer tour either through injury or a summer of scheduled rest, which sees the likes of Alex Dunbar, Jonny Gray, Huw Jones, Greig Laidlaw, Sean Maitland, Willem Nel, Gordon Reid, Finn Russell, Tommy Seymour, Ryan Wilson and Hamish Watson all back in the squad.

The selection also marks the return of centre Matt Scott and scrum-half Henry Pyrgos, who last featured in a Scotland shirt in the side’s 2017 wins over Australia in Sydney in June and Edinburgh last November, respectively.

Townsend added: “We had a productive summer tour in which a number of players made their first outing for their country.

“A lot of those players have continued to perform well for their clubs and have merited re-selection in a strong group.

“We also welcome Blade and both Sams into the squad. We are looking forward to working with them and getting our squad back together for the first time since the summer.

“It will be a very challenging series, with the Wales Test providing a very tough contest before three huge matches at BT Murrayfield later that month.”

Townsend has also invited Edinburgh back-row Luke Crosbie and wing Darcy Graham to train with the squad.

Scotland squad

Forwards (22): Alex Allan, Simon Berghan, Magnus Bradbury, Fraser Brown, Allan Dell, David Denton, Matt Fagerson, Ross Ford, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Rob Harley, Murray McCallum, Stuart McInally, Willem Nel, Gordon Reid, Jamie Ritchie, Sam Skinner, Blade Thomson, Ben Toolis, George Turner, Hamish Watson, Ryan Wilson

Backs (18): Alex Dunbar, Dougie Fife, Chris Harris, Adam Hastings, George Horne, Pete Horne, Sam Johnson, Huw Jones, Lee Jones, Blair Kinghorn, Greig Laidlaw, Sean Maitland, Byron McGuigan, Ali Price, Henry Pyrgos, Finn Russell, Matt Scott, Tommy Seymour

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Saracens centre Alex Lozowski will be available for England‘s November internationals after being given a two-week ban for one of two separate incidents.

Lozowski was cited by match citing commissioner Tom Lowry for committing “an act of foul play by entering a ruck dangerously” without binding to another player in the 15th minute of Saracens’ 13-3 Champions Cup victory over Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun on Saturday, which is in contravention of Law 9.20.

The 25-year-old was also alleged to have committed a dangerous tackle on Glasgow full-back Ruaridh Jackson in the 33rd minute, in contravention of Law 9.13.

In respect of the citing complaint concerning the alleged dangerous tackle, the committee heard additional evidence by phone from Jackson and subsequently decided to dismiss the complaint on the basis that Lozowski had not committed an act of foul play.

In respect of the citing complaint concerning the incident at the ruck, the committee upheld the complaint as it determined that Lozowski had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card. It found that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby’s sanctions and two weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

Lozowski is free to play on Monday October 29. Both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

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La Rochelle forward Lopeti Timani will be sidelined for six months after rupturing knee ligaments in their 82-21 Challenge Cup thrashing of Enisei-STM.

The Tongan-born Wallaby forward sustained the injury in the Challenge Cup encounter in Krasnoyarsk and the Top 14 club confirmed the injury upon the team’s return from Siberia.

Timani has 12 Wallabies caps to his name and will be looking to recover as quickly as possible so as to work his way back into contention for the Rugby World Cup next year.

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Experienced Super Rugby trainer Phil Healey has been named to join the Blues with coaches Tana Umaga, Tom Coventry and Leon MacDonald.

Healey, former Chiefs strength and conditioning coach and currently at Glasgow Warriors in Scotland, will join the Blues for the next two years to lead the club’s strength and conditioning programme.

Healey was head strength and conditioning coach at the Chiefs for nine years and a key part of their two Super Rugby titles along with reaching the play-offs five times. He has spent two years with Dave Rennie at Glasgow Warriors and will return to New Zealand with his family before the start of the 2019 pre-season.

Blues General Manager High Performance, Tony Hanks believes Healey will be an important contributor in the quality support group at the Blues.

“Phil played a significant role in the rise of Chiefs rugby over the last decade and was widely praised for their physical preparedness which will be an absolute key component under the new format for Super Rugby next season. He and his family wanted to return home and put his name in the hat for the role,” he said.

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Wallabies fly-half Bernard Foley has put pen to paper to re-commit to Rugby Australia and the Waratahs until the end of 2019.

Fresh from leading the Wallabies to their biggest comeback in Test history against Argentina, the 29-year-old has rebuffed offers from overseas to pursue World Cup glory in Japan next year.

A veteran of 64 Tests, Foley is the fourth-highest points scorer (593) in Wallabies history and only sits behind Australian Rugby legends Matt Giteau (698 points), Matt Burke (878) and Michael Lynagh (911).

Wallabies fly-half Foley said: “I’m really happy to re-sign and now focus on pushing ahead to focus on what’s a really big season next year.

“The World Cup is obviously a major carrot and I’ve got a lot of belief in this group that if we continue to work hard and focus on improving every day, then we can push deep into the competition.

“Right now though, I’m just concentrating on a really important run of games coming up. We can’t rest on our laurels and there’s a lot of hunger in the squad to keep improving.

“I’m fully invested in rugby in Australia, at both a national and International level. I feel there is a bit of unfinished business especially after going close at the last World Cup.

“I believe this team has all the ingredients and I’m excited to be part of making it happen,” Foley said.

Well I’m not unemployed in 2019! Big years ahead for @qantaswallabies and @NSWWaratahs. But first, let’s finish off 2018 with a bang!

— Bernard Foley (@bernardfoley) October 17, 2018

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said: “I’m very happy that Bernard has signed on but I don’t believe this will be his final year in Australian rugby.

“He has set himself a big challenge by going from year-to-year and I’m sure he’ll meet it.

“I know he wants to play to his absolute potential and lead the current group into what is a big 2019 with the World Cup just around the corner. It’s also really important to him to leave a legacy for the next crop and inspire young Australians to wear the gold jersey.”

Foley has starred at all levels of the game in Australia, having won a Commonwealth Games Silver medal for Rugby Sevens at the Delhi Games in 2010 before being named the 2011 Australian Sevens Player of the Year.

Recognition in the 15-man game followed soon after as he made his Shute Shield debut for Sydney University in 2011 before earning his first NSW Waratahs cap later that year against the Blues in Auckland.

The fly-half led the Waratahs to their maiden Super Rugby title in 2014 before cementing his spot as the Wallabies first-choice number 10 in their charge to the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final.

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