VIDEO: Simon Shaw story gives glimpse into French rugby's obsession with huge athletes

He just did what everyone does when there is contact near the head …front rowers acting everywhere with shoulder leg “injuries”

RugbyPass' Top 50 Women's Players: Coming Soon!

Chris929 1 hour ago

I have read a few womens lists over the years and usually the womens rugby media makes them as inclusive as possible-so instead of being the actual best-they will have as many players from as many countries as possible. There are also certain players the media are obsessed with-illona maher,natasha hunt for example-who will no doubt be high up even though their actual international form in the 15 a side game should not rank them highly. Maher has done nothing to warrant being in the top 50 for 15 a side besides a huge media profile and Hunt has gone missing in all englands big games recently and is one of the weak links in the england side right now.

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PS 1 hour ago

Many Springboks fans are saying same thing about the Lions

No you don’t need to. I had forgotten what I had written. What I put was wrong and inflammatory and I can understand you must have been annoyed.

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Mark 2 hours ago

Alan Gilpin addresses furore over clearout call at World Rugby event in Sydney

This whole debate, once again highlights how the game has been ruined by the constant overreach of TMOs, and the paralysis by analysis that kills every game as a spectacle.

The moment that the game decided that it woukd be better by being micromanaged by a bloke in a portacabin in the car park, was the moment it lost its soul.

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Dominic1947mcnamara@gmail.com 2 hours ago

Tizzano was cheating! Instead of focusing on the ball, he was standing on Ryan’s foot and even grinding his boot. This foul act caused him to be unbalanced, so Morgan’s hit knocked him out.

Nothing wrong with Morgan’s hit. A lot wrong with Tizzano’s behaviour!

Lions tour Aussie takes: The Suaalii decision and the Finn Russell factor

JH 2 hours ago

I'm happy to let JAS continue to play 13 because I believe the ceiling if a partnership with Ikitau is higher than any other combination the wallabies have, but if you move him it should be to the wing. Having him on the bench is a waste and he is able to be put to good use out on the wing while still learning by doing.

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CB 2 hours ago

The feat Owen Farrell achieved with Lions series that no man has in pro era

If Borthwick picks Farrell England's chances at the next World Cup will be gone. As the comments say the Smiths are the future. Farrell has no pace.

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YeowNotEven 2 hours ago

Eight All Blacks released to play opening round of NPC

The Silverlake deal was supposed to give NZR access to marketing and selling expertise apparently.

Instead, it’s another year of who-even-knows-the-NPC-is-far-kin-on. No hype, nothing.

Crazy they pulled out the NPC players from club finals too lol

Eight All Blacks released to play opening round of NPC

JH 3 hours ago

The NZR is so obsessed with Super Rugby, that the NPC is treated like the red-headed stepchild they’d rather do without.

Their treatment of anything below Super Rugby, and their stubbornness around overseas player selection (even if it’s something like Aussies policy) is what’s really hurt the lower levels, and that filters upwards.

We lose players to other counties because those nations know they can ‘project player’ them because of the NZR policy, and the players moving into Super and AB levels are coming from a relatively poor NPC, in terms of player quality at least. Everyone could benefit from all the ABs being released to play, especially those who would learn and improve from playing alongside or against them.

Yes, the constant taking of talent by Japan and the NH doesn’t help, but the NZR is playing a large part in making sure the top of the house is ‘strong’, while neglecting the foundation it’s built on. Eventually the house starts to topple, as it’s slowly been doing for years now.

YeowNotEven 3 hours ago

Tried to milk a penalty, didn’t work.

Harsh luck, bruv. Better acting next time.

Eight All Blacks released to play opening round of NPC

YeowNotEven 3 hours ago

Brand protection comes before picking up our sacks and putting faith in our systems to produce the players to step up if there were injuries.

Or is NZR scared of the lack of depth being exposed?

Maybe the effect of dwindling player numbers is starting to show itself.

Less people playing the game means the players rising to the top aren’t as good as the equivalents 10-15 years ago.

We don’t have the cattle in NZ anymore.

All Blacks update reveals which injured stars can make Springboks blockbuster

SK 3 hours ago

Williams, Sititi and the Barretts coming back is all good news for the All Blacks. Lets hope they are all fit come the game against the Boks

pc 3 hours ago

Ruck was yet to form. Learn the rules. Way I see it, his head below hips illegally and the cleanout was off feet illegally. These two acts resulted in contact to the neck. Since two illegally acts occur simultaneously you cant call one over other. Then moves to was their foul play in that contact and answer is not evident. Great work by the ref. Nailed the decision.

All Blacks update reveals which injured stars can make Springboks blockbuster

PB 3 hours ago

Yeah! That said we have handled him before. We now have bigger props too. The contest will be epic at scrumtime.

Many Springboks fans are saying same thing about the Lions

HS 3 hours ago

Is this the same Springbok side that has a 30% win record in Australia over the past decade? Cure your passport fever boys before running your mouth

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CP 4 hours ago

All Blacks update reveals which injured stars can make Springboks blockbuster

For me as a Bok supporter Lomax is the biggest ABs setback.

The forgotten art of the drop goal - and how it's making a comeback

YeowNotEven 4 hours ago

As a game breaker or a Hail Mary I don’t mind a drop goal.

But nothing kills a game dead like a team using drop goals as points accumulation. Very rarely does that happen though.

Eight All Blacks released to play opening round of NPC

JH 4 hours ago

They should be releasing all of them back to the NPC. Most of them seem to pick up more injuries during training than actually playing matches anyway. When did NZ become so scared of injuries that out comes the cottonwool the moment the NPC comes into view. If anything, injuries to established players have been a blessing in disguise in recent years, finally giving young players a chance to shine where veterans have been skating by on reputation and test cap numbers.

So, these 8 are the outer-fringe players who will probably hardly see any rugby in black for the rest of the season or are about to be replaced by returning players.

Meanwhile, some like Billy Proctor, if selected for the nest Test won’t have played for 5-6 weeks at all. And then if they look rusty (which they will be) it’ll be those not in the protected ‘leadership group’ that will pay the selection price if things turn pear shaped.

All Blacks update reveals which injured stars can make Springboks blockbuster

GP 4 hours ago

Would be great to have Crusaders prop, Tamaiti Williams back for when they face South Africa. He has had a huge year for the Crusaders. One of the best props around. He has years ahead of him too.