Monday’s rugby news packs no surprises. The first round of Super Rugby has been run and won. The Brumbies are licking their wounds. The Waratahs are trying to figure out how to fit 137 Wallabies into their backline. And we round things out with a look at how our NH friends are travelling.
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SUPER RUGBY OPENING WEEKEND
If your significant other doesn’t like rugby, I hope you spoiled them on Thursday given Friday saw the start of the latest 5-month long season of SUPER rugby get underway.
Seven matches across five countries reflects the truly international flavour of the competition – although with four of the matches between Australia and New Zealand there’s very much a trans-Tasman feel to it.
To the matches!!
It started off over the ditch with last year’s quarter-final losers, the Chiefs hosting last year’s quarter-final losers, the Highlanders. It was the Otagoites who got the win 30-27 but not without “controversy”. Replacement centre Sio Tomkinson lasted all of five minutes before being red-carded.
To the nation’s capital and again the away team got up. GAGR’s own Canberra-based scribe has penned this review for you all.
Saturday saw two tales of utter heartbreak. A late missed penalty saw the ‘Canes beat the ‘Tahs and a similar chance gone begging saw the Blues extend their losing streak against NZ teams at the hands of the Crusaders. Check out our highlights/lowlights package from Brookvale.
In Singapore, the Sunwolves got out to an early, unlikely and short-lived lead before the Sharks got into gear and ran away, 45-10.
The highveld was the scene for the only successful home team this weekend, the Bulls were 40-3 winners over the Stormers. (Incidentally, last year’s split opening round resulted in only one away team winning).
Chronologically last, but by no means least, the Jaguars hosted the Lions who continued on their 2018 form by winning 25-16.
Sully has kindly pulled together some video highlights in one handy location.
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BRUMBIES BATTERED
It’s been a less than ideal start to the season for Brumbies.
Yes, the season is only one week old. Yes, they got beaten by a solitary try by the star-studded Rebels. Yes, rugby is a contact sport and injuries are inevitable.
But you could forgive the ACT team for staring with disdain at their mounting injury toll.
Henry Speight left the field after 44minutes and concerns are he won’t recover from the hip injury in time to take the field this weekend when they host the Chiefs.
David Pocock copped an early head knock, failed the subsequent head injury assessment and will not take the field this weekend. With 9-test Wallaby Pete Samu in the squad coach Dan McKellar was impressed with how the loss of the talismanic Pocock was covered, “They were outstanding, Pete is always a threat defensively whether it be on the ground or in a tackle. He had a couple of turnovers and he carried well and showed a really good turn of speed there,” he said.
The player facing the longest hiatus is winger Toni Pulu. Scans revealed fractures to his cheekbones and around the eye socket but it won’t be until he goes under the knife today that the full extent of his injuries are known.
McKellar described himself as “shattered”, (probably not the word to use) but did sympathise with his new recruit, “(he) just can’t take a trick. We’ll see how he goes, he’s been such a great addition to the club. He’s really popular in the group, has a lot of experience and knowledge,” said the coach, more carefully choosing his words.
At a minimum, Pulu will be facing 6 weeks out.
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FOLAU ON THE MOVE
If three codes and two states didn’t provide enough moving around Israel Folau has announced he’s comfortable being shifted around again.
To his credit, this move is purely for the benefit of his coach and team. (the author makes no assertation behind Folau’s reason to shift from NRL to AFL and then rugby, just saying it’s not like he’s getting paid extra to play wing)
Kurtley Beale returns to the fray after his rest and now the Daryl Gibson needs to potentially sort out how to fit in Hunt, Beale and Folau into inside centre and fullback. One solution is to move Folau onto the wing, allowing Hunt to remain at 12 and for Beale to come in at 15.
For Folau, if it’s what’s the coach wants then he’s up for it, “I have made it clear in the past that fullback is my preferred position but obviously the team comes first,” he said.
“You have strike players like KB and Karmichael, and if the coach decides he wants them both on the paddock at the same time and if that means for myself shifting over to the wing, I would be more than happy to do that”
Hunt’s exodus from the Reds saw an on-field reunion for he and Folau who played rugby league together for Brisbane and Queensland.
The latter expressed his excitement for having his old team mate around his new club, “I have known K for a long time now, obviously going way back playing together at the Broncos and in Origin together,”
“It’s great to have him in the team, the boys are loving him and his contribution so far has been great”
Green and Gold will keep you up to date with team announcements as the come to hand.
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AROUND THE WORLD
While Six Nations took a weekend off the northern hemisphere’s club rugby competitions continued unabated.
In England, the premiership is just past halfway and two teams are stamping their authority on the competition.
Tied on 52 points, 14 points clear, are Saracens and Exeter. Saracens pulled alongside the Chiefs after defeating Leicester and Exeter missed their chance to maintain their solo lead atop the table after going down to the (now) 4th placed Gloucester.
A quick look through the roster of all the top teams reveals the number of Aussies involved and one has to wonder what impact the movement of players has on both our playing stocks and the quality of competition afforded to player vying for English test spots? Further to this, Harlequins (feat. James Horwill) sit in third.
Elsewhere in Europe, the “locals” aren’t faring so well.
Discarded Super Rugby sides the Cheetahs and the Kings sit in 6th and 7th place in their respective Pro 14 conferences.
Scott Fardy’s Leinster are heading Conference B and top the table overall having only dropped 2 games out of 15 so far this year.
The USA are coming off a successful international season in 15s last year and their local professional-ish comp is well into its second season. However, with its odd draw, some teams have played four matches, others only one.
NOLA Gold, (New Orleans) won their first three games and despite losing to New York over the weekend they remain in first place.
San Diego sit second, one game and eight points behind and third through seventh see some teams having played one game while others three but only a four-point spread across the four teams.
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