Friday’s rugby news has the Brumbies naming an unchanged side, the NRC draw released, England to tour Australia and Collins remembered in funeral service.
[one_half last=”no”]
Brumbies Name Unchanged Side
The Brumbies have named an unchanged side to face the Stormers in this weekend’s qualifying final.
David Pocock will start despite suffering a concussion last week whilst Matt Toomua remains on the bench.
The Brumbies are preparing for another physical game against the Stormers, to whom they lost 25-24 at Newlands in May.
“It was test match intensity and that’s what’s required to beat the Stormers,” said Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham.
“They’ve got a very big forward pack so the biggest lesson for us is understanding that physicality will be a massive part of this game.”
[/one_half] [one_half last=”yes”]
NRC Draw Released
The Australian Rugby Union have announced the schedule for the 2015 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship.
The second season of the Buildcorp NRC will run for 11 weeks from 20 August to 1 November.
Round one of the competition will feature a re-match of the 2014 NRC grand final where Brisbane City will host Perth Spirit at Ballymore Stadium on Thursday, 20 August which will be broadcast Live on Fox Sports.
The competition will once again visit regional areas such as Tamworth, Newcastle, Bathurst, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Frankston, Morwell and Geelong.
Click here for the full 2015 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship draw.
[/one_half] [one_half last=”no”]
England to Tour Australia
England will tour Australia next year for a three test series to be held in June.
The test matches are expected to be played at Allianz Stadium and, for the first time, AAMI park rather than ANZ Stadium and Etihad Stadium.
This is a sign that the Australian Rugby Union have decided to embrace hosting test matches at intimate, square stadiums in favour of large, circular stadiums.
The Bledisloe Cup, however, will still be held at ANZ Stadium.
[/one_half] [one_half last=”yes”]
Collins Remembered
Former All Black Jerry Collins has been remembered at a funeral service in Porirua.
Richie McCaw, Steve Hansen, Dan Carter, Tana Umaga, Ma’a Nonu, Jonah Lomu, Conrad Smith and many others came to speak and pay their respects.
Umaga, who was also Collins’ cousin, spoke fondly of him.
“You didn’t need to muck around with Jerry — he liked it direct. He didn’t like this airy-fairy stuff and that’s what I respected about him.
“If he liked you, you knew it. If he didn’t, you knew that too … Jerry loved the game — it’s what he did. He didn’t pick it — it picked him.”
[/one_half]
