Mako Vunipola misses England's match against Ireland as the prop flies back to Tonga for 'family reasons'

I’ll get my dirty trench-coat and trilby!

NB 10 minutes ago

UBB do have some weaknesses in D and in the tigh five which I think Munster will be well able to exploit. Whether they can stop UBB scoring is another matter ofc!

If they go as well up front as they did v LAR, I reckon they can win.

'We offered him a three-year deal': Hurricanes priced out of U20 star

Cantab 1 hour ago

Sad to see young talent siphoned off by other countries.

1 Go to comments

Head high tackle 1 hour ago

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

I dont think they should have a 3rd test each year but if it was all about money I see better options around staging it. Personally I think NZR dont see Bledisloe matches as the catch it once was. I know I got sick of the “Play3 win 3” or the Play 3 but winner decided after 2” scenario, but maybe if Aus becomes a top 4-5 nation it could be doable again.

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Head high tackle 1 hour ago

I actually like that the WA Govt put in those caveats so the money went to local development. Id definately like to see more of that in TEST match negotiations. It just didnt make it all that appealling to NZR tho I guess.

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Head high tackle 1 hour ago

Ireland were also very much on the rise back then too tbh. Not so much anymore as they seem to be fading.

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Head high tackle 1 hour ago

I actually really like that WA wants the money put into Rugby development. Its a better longterm concept than for RA and NZR to just share the total amount but of course it also has to be worth the efforts and distractions for both teams. TBH Perth is not a good place to play for NZ viewing times. They are 5 hrs behind NZ so a 6pm kickoff is 11pm in NZ. 1 AM finish.

Teams have a bye every year so it could be a “BYE” weekend except of course for the players selected in the test teams.

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Head high tackle 1 hour ago

The 12mil is the whole turnover inc the WA govt bit that RA was calling grass roots funding rather than part of the match day profits. That could well have been part of WA’s conditions tho and its a great idea, but if NZR dont share in that then it drastically reduced the match day funds for sharing.

Rugby down under could have hit high gear with Anzac Tests

Head high tackle 1 hour ago

I have no interest in watching another Bledisloe match Spew. 1 thing I heard tho is that WA Govt was offerring over $30mil in grants and grass root funding to the NRL to bring the BEARS there and the NRL says it aint enough.

Ed the Duck 1 hour ago

No team can rise to an occasion like Munster, I recall their first game against Glasgow just after Axel’s untimely demise and even the All Blacks would have been pummelled that day! That said, there’s a reason why every team that has beaten the ABs in RWC before the final has gone on to lose their next match and while TB is a quality operator, I reckon the UBB attack will have Munster on the back foot for large parts of this. Similar to Saints earlier in the group match. Defence lead Nankivell is still suspended (under appeal this week I think!) and with LBB coming back I see UBB with too much here. Either way it will be a great game!

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

But any half decent journo makes a living between the lines 😉

Matt Faessler: ‘To be involved in a home World Cup would be just next level’

Brett McKay 3 hours ago

Their lineout is of concern Cantab, certainly. Two lost v CHI last week, NINE lost v FOR at home the week before. Sort that out and they’ll remove a lot of that vulnerability..

2 Go to comments

NB 3 hours ago

It’s a real tough pack with huge ball-carrying potential if Taniela finds his mojo again.

NB 3 hours ago

I’ll keep monitoring it for sure JD.

NB 3 hours ago

Hi Harry.

LAR-Munster was great wasn’t it? Piece on that later this week. Jean Kleyn makes big diff!

The Reds obv have to set up their maul off lineout, and that didn’t work v the Force. It functioned ok v the Chiefs but the maul was stifled instead! Cannot have one without the other and that’s the besetting problem for the Reds atm.

NB 3 hours ago

I felt there was big change when Lynagh replaced HMP, and not for the better…

NB 3 hours ago

Intelligence is the most important aspect of warfare Ed!

NB 3 hours ago

There was plenty of stuff GP didn’t want revealed atm JD!

NB 3 hours ago

I don’t know whether Gregor was in the frame of not ED. Faz seems pretty confident with Ireland appointments everywhere, and I suspect the squad selection will follow the same theme.

NB 3 hours ago

I liked what I saw from Munster Ed and I’d back them to to make a strong showing v. UBB. Topic of later article this week!

Having Kleyn back behind Oli Jager makes huge diff to set-piece while releasing Tadhg Berine to play the 4/6 hybrid role he is so good at.

That pack will really test UBB.