Wednesday’s Rugby News sees talk of Sevens superstars moving to fifteens, Tupou cleared, NZ political fractures, a SA coach playing the technicality card and some cheap-shot footage.
Caslick & chums consider moving to 15-player game
Brittany Mitchell of ESPN reports that Australian women’s Sevens co-captain Charlotte Caslick as well as several of her teammates have expressed interest in moving into the 15-player game to bolster the Wallaroos for Rugby World Cup 2025 in England.
Caslick has previously expressed her desire to switch formats when she re-signed with Rugby Australia in 2022, after she witnessed the Wallaroos’ performance at the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand (played in 2022). However, ESPN reports, interest from players such as Teagan and Maddi Levi as well as Demi Hayes, has ruffled feathers inside the Wallaroos camp.
Caslick and the Levi sisters wouldn’t be the first Sevens players to put their hand up for Wallaroos selection with teammates Sharni Smale (nee Williams), Bienne Terita and former Aussie Sevens captain Shannon Parry part of the Wallaroos squad that was knocked out in the quarterfinals at the 2021 World Cup.
It’s good news for Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp, who has suffered a poor start to her Australian coaching tenure after the Wallaroos failed to register a single win in the Pacific Four series, including a 67-19 thrashing to the Black Ferns on Saturday afternoon. However, the impressive Sevens players won’t provide coverage in the positions most needed.
Beaten by Canada, the United States and New Zealand, the Wallaroos have been relegated to WXV2 status where they’ll compete against Italy and Scotland with a third opponent to be determined. They failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup with their final opportunity coming later this year during the WXV2 tournament in Cape Town.
The Wallaroos’ next game is a one-off clash with Fiji in July. The return clash with the Black Ferns follows a week later.
Tupou cleared by Judiciary
Nathan “I’m in a documentary” Williamson reports that Melbourne Rebels prop Taniela Tupou has escaped with a warning after his dangerous cleanout during the Rebels-Brumbies game on Friday night.
The SANZAAR Judiciary Committee cited Tupou after the latter launched himself into ACT lock Darcy Swain during the 53-17 Rebels defeat. The buffet-fan wasn’t sanctioned on the field for the incident.
Tupou had his case heard on Monday, with the prop facing a potential three-match ban for his actions. However, the Judicial Committee found the foul play did not breach the red card threshold after review of the footage showed no contact with the head.
“Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including from the player and submissions from his legal representative, Harry ‘Subaru’ Forrester, the Foul Play Review Committee found the foul play did not reach the red card threshold,” they ruled. “In light of the above, the citing was dismissed with a warning sanction imposed on the player for the offence which will remain on the player’s record.”
It clears the 28-year-old to play on Saturday against the Fijian Drua and next week’s finals season.
Rebels flyhalf Carter Gordon is also expected back in the side after his concussion in their narrow defeat to the Chiefs. Gordon passed the on-field test and returned to the field but registered symptoms after the game.
NZ Rugby turmoil ahead of pivotal vote
Rugby365 reports that New Zealand Rugby will hold a crucial vote on Thursday over who runs the game in the country. Top players could split from the governing body if they don’t get their way.
Months of bubbling discord are set to reach a head at NZR’s special general meeting in the famous multi-storey building with running water in Wellington. Powerbrokers will vote for one of two proposals about a new leadership structure for the national governing body. NZR and the professional players’ union are backing a proposal of far-reaching changes, primarily that the nine-strong board all be independently elected. That was a key point among the recommendations set out in a stinging independent review of the game’s governance last year.
However, the influential 26 provincial unions from New Zealand rugby’s amateur heartlands have tabled their own proposal. They agree some change is needed at the top, but want to keep their current powers to decide three places on the nine-strong board.
Ahead of the vote, the players’ association upped the stakes by threatening to break away from New Zealand Rugby and instead form their own rebel body to govern professional rugby if the provincial unions get their way. If neither proposal reaches the two-thirds threshold needed from the 90 votes, there will be stalemate and ongoing rancour.
All Blacks great John Kirwan, part of the side which won the 1987 World Cup, worries that the infighting at the top could drive fans away. “The saddest thing for me is people don’t give an [expletive]* any more because they’re just sick of it,” he told radio station Newstalk ZB.
Richie McCaw joined the debate from the side and called on all stakeholders to look beyond themselves. “I would urge people that make the decision to not just think about their own patches, but to step above that and think what is right for New Zealand rugby in the long term,” McCaw told the New Zealand Herald.
[* what expletive is prefaced with “an”? Nobody has ever given “an f*ck”, even if they are trying to sound posh. Answers in the comments please.]
Jacques Nienaber up to old South African tricks that annoy Gatland
Eloise’ favourite paper Wales Online reports that Leinster coach (and former head coach of South Africa) Jacques Nienaber exploited a loophole in the rules during Saturday’s Champions Cup defeat by Toulouse, straight from the Rassie Book of Grubbery.
After Rassie’s waterboy efforts in the 2021 Lions tour, World Rugby issued a new law which stated that “water carriers cannot be a director of rugby or head coach”. Clearly, Nienaber knows the ins and outs of said law, because his title of “senior coach” isn’t covered by the above and therefore he’s allowed to carry the drinks.
The South African came on to the pitch and held a lengthy discussion with officials, who appeared to take umbrage (hello Eddie!) with him kneeling on the touchline. However, it was decided that he was allowed to stay. In the second half, Nienaber appeared to gather the Leinster players in for a huddle and a team talk.
Despite Nienaber’s best efforts, though, Leinster were pipped after extra time, with Toulouse running out 31-22 winners.
Cheap-shot on ref during Namibian club game
PlanetRugby reports (and has a video of) a shocking incident during a Namibian club game at the weekend when a player attacked the referee.
During a match between Grootfontein and Reho Falcons, the official appeared to be reaching for a card when he was ‘tackled’ from about ten metres out. Fortunately, the referee got straight back to his feet, but it was nevertheless a grubby act which led to the clash being called off.
