Tag: Rugby

Scotland are sweating on the fitness of back-row Magnus Bradbury after he underwent a scan on Monday for a suspected dislocated shoulder.

The 23-year-old was forced off the field in the first-half of Edinburgh‘s 40-14 Champions Cup victory over Toulon on Saturday.

Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill said on Monday Bradbury would go for the scan later in the day but he feared the player would be sidelined for a while.

“There’s a fear that he’s a had a slight dislocation in that shoulder – yet to be confirmed, but it’s likely to be weeks rather than days,” said Cockerill.

“Best case it’s a few weeks, worst case a few months. But until we have sight of the scans and a proper opinion, we won’t know.”

Bradbury has played in four Tests for Scotland, after making his international debut in 2016 and he won his last cap in the 44-15 victory over Argentina in Resistencia in June.

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The match officials for this weekend’s action have been confirmed, with Romain Poite refereeing the Wallabies versus All Blacks clash in Japan.

Bledisloe Cup

New Zealand vs Australia
@ Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

PRO14

Southern Kings vs Scarlets
@ Madibaz Stadium
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: TBC
TMO: TBC

Ulster vs Dragons
@ Kingspan Stadium
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant referees: John Carvill (Ireland), TBC
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)

Zebre vs Edinburgh
@ Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Sean Gallagher (Ireland), TBC
TMO: TBC

Ospreys vs Connacht
@ Morganstone Brewery Field
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: TBC
TMO: TBC

Benetton vs Leinster
@ Stadio Monigo
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant referees: TBC
TMO: TBC

Munster vs Glasgow Warriors
@ Thomond Park
Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)
Assistant referees: Chris Busby (Ireland), TBC
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)

Cheetahs vs Cardiff Blues
@ Free State Stadium
Referee: Lloyd Linton (Scotland)
Assistant referees: TBC
TMO: TBC

Top 14

Clermont vs Castres
@ Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
Assistant referees: Adrien Descottes, Sébastien Hebert
TMO: Éric Gauzins

Racing 92 vs Pau
@ Paris La Défense Arena
Referee: Tual Trainini
Assistant referees: François Bouzac, Jean-Claude Labarbe
TMO: Cédric Marchat

Perpignan vs Toulouse
@ Stade Aimé Giral
Referee: Thomas Charabas
Assistant referees: Julien Castaignède, Patrick Pechambert
TMO: Ludovic Sclafer

Agen vs Grenoble
@ Stade Armandie
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz
Assistant referees: Luc Ramos, Arnaud Blondel
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure

Stade Français vs Montpellier
@ Stade Jean Bouin
Referee: Jérôme Garcès
Assistant referees: Ludovic Cayre, Thierry Guilloton
TMO: Denis Grenouillet

Bordeaux-Bègles vs Lyon
@ Stade Chaban-Delmas
Referee: Vincent Blasco Baque
Assistant referees: Maxime Chalon, Jean-Luc Rebollal
TMO: Éric Gonthier

Toulon vs La Rochelle
@ Stade Mayol
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère
Assistant referees: Jonathan Dufort, Frédéric Chazal
TMO: Patrick Dellac

Mitre 10 Cup Final

Auckland vs Canterbury
@ Eden Park
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant referees: Cam Stone, Jamie Bell
TMO: Jonathan Paterson

Currie Cup Final

Western Province vs Sharks
@ Newlands
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs, Cwengile Jadezweni
TMO: Shaun Veldsman

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Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) CEO Philip Browne feels his country can still win trophies if their coach, Joe Schmidt, decides to move on after the World Cup.

Browne admits it would be “great” if Schmidt stays on in his position after next year’s global showpiece in Japan but said he is confident his organisation have the structures to move forward if Schmidt decides to leave.

“The reality is no one can be indispensable,” he told Sky Sports.

Schmidt has coached Ireland to three Six Nations crowns, including a Grand Slam title earlier this year.

The 53-year-old New Zealander’s current deal with the IRFU expires at the end of the World Cup and he is set to make an announcement about his future plans at the end of the upcoming end-of-year internationals.

Browne outlined the IRFU’s strategic vision for the coming seasons. In the next five years, the IRFU want to win at least two more Six Nations tournaments, be amongst the top three in World Rugby’s rankings consistently and secure a place in a World Cup semi-final, either at the 2019 or 2023 tournaments.

“I think Joe has said he will have a better idea as to where he’s at after the autumn internationals, so I would imagine by the end of the year we’ll be in a position where we know what his plans are,” added Browne.

Browne said the IRFU had not received any approaches from other countries or clubs interested in securing Schmidt’s services.

“My father, in his wisdom, used to say ‘the graveyards are full of people who thought they were indispensable’,” he said.

“The reality is the plan can’t be built around one person, it has to be built around systems, processes and structures.

“The reality is nobody can be indispensable. Having said that, it would be great if Joe stays. Equally, if he goes, we have to deal with it and the best way to deal with it is making sure we have a set of systems and processes in place that are effectively robust and aren’t dependent – we can’t be dependent – on one individual and that’s the reality.

“It’s the reality in most walks of life. Anyone can get run over by a bus and you have to move on, so the reality is discussions are happening with Joe so hopefully, as he has indicated himself, once the November internationals are over and done with he’ll have some time to think about what he’s doing.”

IRFU performance director David Nucifora echoed the Brown’s confidence and said continuity would be achieved if Schmidt left.

“A lot of the success is down to Joe, he’s driven a lot of really good things in the Irish game, not just in the national team,” said Nucifora.

“But part of his strength is to make sure he’s built a team that can carry those things on, carry them forward. Any good programme has to be sustainable and a lot of work we do is about that, it’s about being sustainable.

“And you know regardless of whether Joe decides to stay or go he’ll be the first one to tell you he’d be confident we’ve built something sustainable and we’ll be continuing to focus on that.”

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France have been dealt a blow ahead of the November internationals with the news that Bernard le Roux and Wesley Fofana have been ruled out with injury.

Racing 92 loose forward Le Roux sustained a fractured cheekbone in the 44-12 Champions Cup win over Ulster on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Clermont centre Fofana is struggling to shake off a thigh injury in time for the Tests against South Africa, Argentina and Fiji.

Les Bleus head coach Jacques Brunel has called up Toulouse back Yoann Huget and Lyon forward Felix Lambey as their replacements.

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Reds head coach Brad Thorn has announced his squad for the 2019 Super Rugby season.

In total, 27 players have been retained from Queensland’s 2018 squad, including Wallabies duo Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Scott Higginbotham, plus Bond University Queensland Country’s Harry Hoopert, Harry Hockings, Liam Wright, Tate McDermott and their captain Duncan Paia’aua.

17 players re-signed ahead of the 2019 season, including Wallabies representatives Taniela Tupou, Izack Rodda, Lukhan Tui, Caleb Timu and Samu Kerevi, in addition to Queensland Country stars Angus Blyth, Angus Scott-Young, James Tuttle, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Filipo Daugunu and Jordan Petaia.

Twins JP and Ruan Smith, plus their McInnes Wilson Lawyers Brisbane City team-mates Adam Korczyk and Moses Sorovi also re-signed in 2018, as well as Alex Mafi and Aidan Toua.

There’s also three new signings, all of whom have been selected from Queensland’s National Rugby Championship (NRC) teams, including 2018 Grand Finalist Queensland Country pairing Efi Ma’afu and Harry Wilson.

St.George Queensland Reds head coach Brad Thorn said: “We’ve managed to keep a fairly consistent squad for 2019. We’ve retained roughly 90 percent of the players we had last year, who have continually played with each other in both Super Rugby and in the NRC.

“A handful have been rewarded for their hunger and hard work during 2018. After coming through our Queensland Pathway we are pleased to see them get their opportunity and be a part of our Reds squad.

“The squad will be supported by an excellent coaching staff here at Ballymore and we’re excited for the challenge ahead in 2019,” said Thorn.

As announced earlier this month, Thorn will work alongside two new Assistant Coaches in 2019 following the return of Jim McKay as the Reds Attack Coach, plus the appointment of Peter Ryan as Defence Coach. While Tony McGahan will lead the Reds Academy as Head Coach, along with Paul Carozza in a newly created role as the Head of Talent Management to ensure the continued development of elite Rugby talent in Queensland.

Reds fans should also keep an eye out for further player announcements prior to the 2019 season, including a handful of Queensland Pathway products who will be handed Developing Squad contracts.

Reds 2019 Super Rugby squad:

Forwards: Harry Hoopert, JP Smith, Ruan Smith, Taniela Tupou, Efi Ma’afu, Alex Mafi, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Angus Blyth, Harry Hockings, Izack Rodda, Lukhan Tui, Scott Higginbotham, Adam Korczyk, Angus Scott-Young, Caleb Timu, Harry Wilson, Liam Wright

Backs: Tate McDermott, Moses Sorovi, James Tuttle, Hamish Stewart, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Samu Kerevi, Duncan Paia’aua, Filipo Daugunu, Will Eadie, Karmichael Hunt, Izaia Perese, Jordan Petaia, Aidan Toua

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Memories of a Bledisloe Cup loss to Australia in last year’s dead rubber are a factor for the All Blacks as they prepare for this year’s third outing in the series on neutral turf in Yokohama on Saturday.

All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock said a 3-0 whitewash of Australia was something the world champions were attempting to do.

“It’s been a couple of weeks since we played them last and both teams have probably improved from where we were at the start of the year,” he told the All Blacks’ official website.

Since playing Australia in the first two games of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand had taken some lessons from subsequent matches, especially the Wellington loss to South Africa.

“We had a really good review and we’ve taken some things that are hopefully going to grow our game,” said Whitelock.

Hooker Codie Taylor said they were expecting a typically combative approach from the Wallabies.

“They may have lost some games in the Rugby Championship but whenever they play us you can tell they really back themselves to beat us and it’s our challenge to go out there this week knowing that we’ve played them twice and been successful in those games to do it again in the third one,” he said.

“Last year we didn’t nail it and that’s what happened, we lost so that’s our challenge and we’re just looking forward to getting stuck into them again.”

Whitelock said he would be making some decisions after the northern tour on his prospective playing future post the Rugby World Cup.

He had been to Japan previously through promotions and playing with New Zealand Universities so he understood how rugby operated there but he was concentrating on playing in Japan first with the All Blacks.

“It’s a massive week this week; we all know what happened last year so I’m excited for this week ahead,” he said.

Taylor said after two weeks off he was feeling good after what had been a long season for all the side through both their Super Rugby and Rugby Championship seasons. All the players had come back together excited about the northern tour.

“It’s a great opportunity for us as a team to see where we’re at in terms of playing some northern hemisphere teams,” he said.

One of the lessons of their last experience playing a Test at a neutral venue, the 2016 loss to Ireland in Chicago, had been to avoid distractions and Taylor said they had arrived early in Japan but on Sunday they had switched into normal Test mode.

“Today it definitely feels like that, we’re ready to face an Aussie team that will be up for the challenge,” he added.

Taylor said it was noticeable from the amount of energy brought by players who had been out for long periods with injuries like front-rowers Dane Coles, Joe Moody and Nepo Laulala how much they were enjoying being back.

“They’re players that have got a lot of experience and they can add something to the squad and that’s going to be much needed this week and against Japan and going on to Ireland and England, experience is definitely going to be needed for those games,” he said.

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Alex Lozowski will miss England’s opening end-of-year international with South Africa after the end date of his suspension was recalculated.

The Saracens utility back was suspended for two weeks, after he was found guilty of dangerous play at a ruck, as sanction for an offence that took place in the Premiership champions’ Champions Cup triumph over Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun on October 13.

Lozowski was initially going to miss Saracens’ Champions Cup match with Lyon – which was played on Saturday – and the Premiership encounter against Leicester this Saturday before becoming available on October 29.

However, after his selection in England head coach Eddie Jones’ squad for the a training camp in Portugal, European Professional Club Rugby’s independent disciplinary review adjusted which matches would be included in the 25-year-old’s suspension.

“Had the player not received a sanction, he would not in the normal course of events have been expected to play in the match against Leicester,” an EPCR statement read.

“It was concluded that in the context of Lozowski’s suspension, Saracens’ match against Leicester should not be regarded as one the player would have been expected to play in on account of his England selection.”

This means Lozowski has been ruled out of England’s clash with the Springboks at Twickenham on Saturday, November 3 which means he will only be available for the Test against New Zealand a week later.

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Wallabies star Israel Folau has committed to a new four-year deal with Rugby Australia and the Waratahs that will keep him in rugby until 2022.

Despite a season of controversy and offers to go overseas, Folau is understood to have pushed for a long-term deal in Australia, and Rugby Australia and the New South Wales Waratahs agreed despite a four-year extension taking him through to 34.

According to Rugby Australia’s official website, the deal is yet to be publicly unveiled but it is a matter of when, not if.

Signing through to the end of 2022 still leaves Folau a year shy of the Rugby World Cup in France but it will tally up ten seasons of rugby in Australia, and almost certainly end any potential for him to resume playing rugby league.

Folau’s future in rugby looked rocky at times this year after he posted a series of controversial homophobic tweets.

The 29-year-old was brought into the Rugby Australia offices in April and cautioned over his social media use by Rugby Australia (Rugby AU) boss Raelene Castle and New South Wales Rugby CEO Andrew Hore.

Folau said at the time the storm didn’t affect his views on staying in Australian rugby and ultimately it hasn’t prevented him from being a wanted commodity in the sport either.

“No, absolutely not. It’s nothing personal,” he said.

“At the end of the day, you’re an adult, you’ve got to clear those things up and you’ve got to look at what are the main things out of it.

“You can’t hold grudges, you can’t take anything personally. I’ve been fine with how everything’s rolled out the last month.”

Castle also expressed support for Folau’s future in the sport amid that controversy.

“We’re in a negotiation with Israel to extend and we’d really like him to stay in rugby, that’s hugely important to us,” she said at the time.

“He’s a great player, he’s delivered some great outcomes for us and he’s been a really strong role model in the Pasifika community and we would like to see that he stays in rugby but we also know that he’s an athlete that is in demand and there’s going to be other people looking to try and move him.

“So, we’ll certainly be putting our best foot forward to make sure he stays in rugby.”

Folau’s new deal is the longest he has had in rugby and follows a string of longer-term deals being struck by Rugby AU in recent months.

Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper signed a five-year deal back in August to keep him in Australia through to 2023 and prop Allan Alaalatoa is also close to securing a four-year contract extension with one year left on his current contract.

Flyhalf Bernard Foley is the exception to that rule, having signed on for just one more year last week.

Folau is currently in Japan with the Wallabies ahead of the Bledisloe Test against the All Blacks in Yokohama.

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Wasps scrum-half Joe Simpson has admitted his shock at the potential move of team-mate Christian Wade to the NFL from the Premiership side.

Simpson, talking to Planet Rugby following the club’s 35-all draw with Bath in the Champions Cup, revealed he was rocked by the Wade story.

“It took everyone by shock,” he said. “Obviously we don’t know the full details so we wait to see what happens but all I can say is I love Wadey, he’s my brother and I’ve known him since he was 18. I’ve got immense respect for him and whatever happens we’ll be staying friends.”

Like Wade, Simpson has won one England cap, the scrum-half having since endured a difficult few campaigns at Wasps as he struggled for minutes.

He was however excellent against Bath over the weekend, scoring one try and setting up an incredible four others in a showing that caught the eye. On his personal performance, Simpson admitted he was delighted and now wants to put recent frustrations behind him in the upcoming months.

“It has been a frustrating couple of years. I feel like I haven’t done myself justice and there’s been a few things that have been working against me. But it’s about controlling the controllables. I can only control my emotional state,” the 30-year-old Wasps veteran explained.

“I felt like I deserved more of a chance than I’ve been given and I found that extremely frustrating so it’s been pleasing to get two good performances (against Leinster and Bath) under my belt. I think I did myself justice. I just want to play rugby, enjoy myself, and play the highest standard of rugby possible with my friends. Over the last couple of years, for whatever reason, my form hasn’t been at that level.”

Simpson is doing that alongside a new fly-half this season following the departure of Danny Cipriani, with Lima Sopoaga now the number 10. When asked to discuss the differences between the English maestro and former All Black, the scrum-half urged patience with Sopoaga’s game.

“Cips is a bit more abusive I guess,” he said jokingly. “If you look at the amount of training sessions Lima has had, you can’t have so few and come in (at a new club) and really take control with players’ running lines and so on. It’s going to take a while for him to bed in and we know that. When you’re changing 10s and nines it takes a while to settle. It’s going to be a period of change. We’re learning from him.”

He added: “They are two contrasting 10s, slightly different in the way they approach a game and slightly different in the way they play the game, so it is about us adapting to Lima and him adapting to us and that is going to take some time. I think that this block of taking a step back and relaxing (during the opening rounds of the Premiership Rugby Cup) but also working hard will get us singing off the same hymn sheet.”

Quotes from Sam Meade

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It’s the third Bledisloe Cup match of 2018 on Saturday with New Zealand hosting Australia in Yokohama in our standout match.

The All Blacks have secured the trophy for 16th year in a row after victories in the first two encounters in Sydney and Auckland.

However, they will not underestimate the Wallabies, who will be determined to repeat last year’s heroics where they beat the world champions in a dead rubber in Brisbane.

Elsewhere, there are a full round of matches in the PRO14 and Top 14 while the Currie Cup and Mitre 10 Cup Finals will also be contested.

BLEDISLOE CUP

New Zealand v Australia

Preview: New Zealand will be hoping to win their third successive match of the year against Australia when the countries meet in Yokohama on Saturday.

Prediction: New Zealand’s dominance in this fixture is set to continue and they will prove too strong for Australia. New Zealand to win by 15 points.

PRO14

Southern Kings v Scarlets: Scarlets by 10
Zebre v Edinburgh: Edinburgh by 6
Ulster v Dragons: Ulster by 7
Ospreys v Connacht: Ospreys by 4
Cheetahs v Cardiff Blues: Cardiff Blues by 5
Munster v Glasgow Warriors: Munster by 3
Benetton Rugby v Leinster: Leinster by 12

TOP 14

Agen v Grenoble: Agen by 4
Bordeaux Bègles v Lyon: Lyon by 3
Clermont v Castres: Clermont by 7
Stade Français v Montpellier: Stade Français by 6
Perpignan v Toulouse: Toulouse by 10
Racing 92 v Pau: Racing 92 by 9
Toulon v La Rochelle: La Rochelle by 5

CURRIE CUP FINAL

Preview: The Sharks will be looking for revenge when they face Western Province at Newlands on Saturday in a repeat of last year’s Currie Cup Final.

Prediction: The home side will not have it all their own way but should still get the job done. Western Province to win by eight!

MITRE 10 CUP FINAL

Auckland v Canterbury: Canterbury by 4

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