What to watch in men’s rugby: League One final rematch in Japan

The inches the Brumbies must win to buck the trend of semi-final crash outs

GM 31 minutes ago

Mind you, throw in McWreight and maybe Jeremy Williams and that’s the Wallabies pack.

The inches the Brumbies must win to buck the trend of semi-final crash outs

GM 47 minutes ago

Nice column. I’d dispute that the Chiefs are better man for man - I’d take the Brums front row (although Samisoni would be great off the bench), Frost (particularly in the absence of Lord) and I’d play Hooper at 6 and Bobby V at 8 - leaves only Vai’i and Jacobson in the composite pack! Lonegan’s box kicks were spot-on last week, unlike Ratima’s and you could surely make good arguments for Lolesio, Ikitau and Wright over the Chiefs alternatives. Will the Chiefs be any better than the Canes at stopping the Brums’ rolling maul? Will they be better at the breakdown than Kirtifi and co, who got zilch last week?

Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

Anendra Singh 59 minutes ago

As a Kiwi, I totally agree. The SRP doesn’t prepare the participating nations for the test arena. It needs to be better. Having 11 teams is awkward as it is.

Maybe a promotion/relegation format after inviting franchise teams from Japan and USA/Canada.

Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

Anendra Singh 1 hour ago

Even the Chiefs v Blues had one side of the ground with yawning empty seats. The trick is for venues to pack the side of the stadia where TV cameras are angle as well as behind the posts for conversions/PGs to create an apperance of a sellout.

SRP turnouts have been pretty poor for some seasons now. Yes, perhaps a relative improvement in 2025 but still not humming.

Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

BA 1 hour ago

Here is my left field idea and I reckon it’s a not a bad one…Hong Kong surely there must be a rich cat over there who would be willing to pay a team of mercenaries big bucks already has a rugby culture…let a few ABs go there keep a heap of people from going North Pacific boys and so on in same comp less games than up North but higher level than Japan ( love that League btw) wat u reckon? U could give them a great name and playing gear Nike Asia Pacific ..

The inches the Brumbies must win to buck the trend of semi-final crash outs

BA 1 hour ago

Brumbies got some big athletes Hooper looks like way bigger than 2 years ago, Bobby V I’m taking him for a Anzac combined team anyday

Mick Cleary: 'Bath have made all the running but Leicester are not there to make up numbers.'

BA 1 hour ago

I reckon all the comps URC Prem Super Top 14 Champions cup all been good had their moments having them now, here in little old NZ population 6 million and poor old Aussie being 3rd ranked by a distance in the oval ball sports we would like to say thank u for any support interest shown we need it down here, reckon Prem does too and URC is bit 50/50 Top 14 Japan on their own buzz and good on them ..but we all need to be strong so our one true love international rugby is strong and filled with gun players everywhere

Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

Anendra Singh 1 hour ago

I wrote posts on this on two rugby union FB platforms on June 9 (NZ time). I took it further to not only label this QF a “dead rubber” but also if the two sides had manufactured a win, with the Blues taking a raincheck on paying back the Chiefs in a future season, when a bottle neck arises.

Speculation? Indeed, but worth it to inject some credibility in SRP. With flagging interest in what has been a weak SRP, there needs to be some meaningful discussions around what needs to be done to make SRP a platform to select ABs/Wallabies from.

Now, I had reactions of “conspiracy theories” but it basically questions the motive of a repechage “Lucky Loser” facet because it only opens the playoffs to manipulation. It’s called the knockout stage for a reason. You snooze; you lose. No sweeteners required.

The only reason organisers opted for the Top 6 is for a revenue-gathering exercise but, it seems, it has backfired. The 8 qualifying format was a joke, akin to the Blues losing so many games and still making the playoffs. That smacks of the previous seasons’ dilemma.

It’s also worth noting some pool games were questionable because elite teams had done their homework on what boxes to tick for wins and which ones to forfeit. For example, Chiefs and Tahs had not performed in Lautoka against Fijian Drua on what is perceived to be a hostile pitch. Tahs had rested all Wallabies and marquee players.

The only option to retain integrity in SRP is to make to a Top 4. Cut your losses to win back the fans’ faith.

Blues should feast on the Crusaders with Beauden Barrett's cool head

BA 2 hours ago

Agree Brumbies quality Chiefs are quality Saders are quality Blues are quality and R.I.P my beloved Canes are quality any of these 5 teams could win this comp legit apologies to Reds and rest not quite there yet ..no clear standout any of the games reckon will come down to what happens on day, I like Finau btw but yea Bobby V is the man

Blues should feast on the Crusaders with Beauden Barrett's cool head

BA 2 hours ago

I think the Blues as a whole are too physical to wilt under the pressure Saders forwards minus one The mighty Tanaiti big out for them Blues def got more physical presence than Saders ..Reihana and Hotham will need more of an armchair ride by the low numbers than Beaudie will …both teams could easily. An el each other out and Beaudie might throw some rocks but sooner or later against any opponents he produces pure diamonds

‘Lucky losers’ Chiefs bolstered by return of All Blacks duo for semi

BA 2 hours ago

I think the major factor in the game was Blues had all the ball all territory down the stretch and are a good enough team to be able to stay in the game and then control it at the end if we talking missing players jeez blues had Ofa Darry Perofeta Saufoa( much love to the brutha) Cam Christie ( looks a gun) all teams down players ..

2 Go to comments

thewizard 3 hours ago

Blues should feast on the Crusaders with Beauden Barrett's cool head

Barrett no longer does things that lose his side games??? I can’t ever remember that happening. Whatever you’re popping is stuffing your head. What will lose this game for the Blues is the incessant and stupid boxkicks from Christie.

The Reds' 'whimpering' exit shows Super Rugby scrums still matter

Rugby 101 - Ed Pye 3 hours ago

Nick, I havent looked closely at him, but what is Hooper’s set piece ability like? He certainly has the loose game and his wiki says hes 122kg (which I struggle to believe), but what is his lineout win % and scrum win % as a lock?

Is there a height risk for the lineout there? Someone like Frost is 3 inches taller.

Also would you be selecting a 6-2 bench for the Aussies just to be more physical?

This would be my 8+6 at the moment

1. Bell / Slipper

2. Pollard / Asiata

3. Alaalatoa / Tupou

4. Skelton / Frost

5. Hooper

6. Valetini

7. McReight / Tizzano

8. Wilson / Gleeson

I think Brial is another good shout at this point.

145 Go to comments

GM 3 hours ago

Blues should feast on the Crusaders with Beauden Barrett's cool head

Brave man! The Blues/Crusaders may be a coin toss, but a 20 point win for the Chiefs over the Brumbies? Man for man, the Brumbies front up - I’d have their front row over the Chiefs, at least one of their locks, Bobby V over Finau any day, or shift Hooper to No 6 and play BV at 8. The Lonegan/Lolosio combo is a match for Ratima/McKenzie, (Lonegan’s kicking was the best last week) and you’d have to have Ikitau and Tom Wright ahead of the Rona and Stephenson, wouldn’t you? What odds a Blue/Burmbies final at Canberra? That’d be rough justice for Reece’s knock on that deprived the Brumbies of a home semi.

RWC 1991 documentary 'The Founding Four' launches crowd funding campaign

CN 4 hours ago

I think there was a stage production of this story a few years ago. I hope this does get the funding, particularly with Nick Heath behind it, very few men do as much as him in advocating women’s rugby domestically and internationally. Thank you Nick

1 Go to comments

JB 5 hours ago

Blues should feast on the Crusaders with Beauden Barrett's cool head

Possibly one of the most ill informed articles I’ve read in some time. BB has been below average again this year and has continued his aimless kicking routine that Bidwell seems to rate. It’s no surprise that Clarke and Talea have barely been sighted as BB hardly passes. Rehaina has contributed more this season in only 5 games that BB all year. Saturday will see BB once again kick the ball away and wilt under the pressure of the Crusader forwards.