Monday’s rugby news has the Super Rugby final confirmed, Drew Mitchell’s homecoming, Europe not for everyone and All Blacks squad named for the Rugby Championship.
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Final Confirmed
The Super Rugby final has been confirmed with the Lions taking on the Hurricanes this weekend in Wellington.
It will be the second year in a row where the Super Rugby final has been held in Wellington.
The Lions knocked out last year’s Super Rugby winners the Highlanders 42-30 in Johannesburg in front of 51,000 fans.
The Lions were without captain Warren Whiteley but still got the job done thanks to 22 points and a masterful performance from flyhalf Elton Jantjies.
A similarly excellent performance from Hurricanes flyhalf Beauden Barrett saw the Hurricanes outclass the Chiefs 25-9.
Regardless of the result this weekend, a new Super Rugby team will win the title.
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Mitchell’s Homecoming
Drew Mitchell has admitted he thought his Wallabies call up for the World Cup was a one time fling but is glad to be back with the Wallabies once again.
“In all honesty, I thought I was only going to do it through the World Cup,” he said.
“Cheik came to France and spoke to all the boys individually and said, ‘if I were to call on you, would you want to come back?’
“I told him I thought it would just be the World Cup but I enjoyed the feel around the group and the direction we were heading, so I’d definitely be keen (to come back again).
“Once you establish that then it’s a matter of going forward with all the complexities with the decision and the move.”
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Europe Not for Everyone
Adam Ashley-Cooper has revealed that not everyone is suited to living and playing rugby in Europe but he has enjoyed the change.
“For me personally been a positive experience but I’m in a different position than everyone else,” he said.
“Some guys are struggling but off and on the field for me I felt it was a good time to make the change and that change alone has been very refreshing.”
Sekope Kepu was playing with Adam Ashley-Cooper in Bordeaux before moving back home for family reasons.
“It was a difficult position for him I think at the end of the day his family found it hard to settle in and he had to make a decision,” he said.
“I would’ve loved for him to stay, he was playing really good football and I think Bordeaux were really happy with him but it didn’t work out and that’s the way it goes.”
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All Blacks Squad
Sonny Bill Williams has been included in the All Blacks squad for the Rugby Championship.
Williams could line up for the All Blacks on August 20 – less than a week after the Olympics concludes.
Damian McKenzie, Seta Tamanivalu, Anton Lienert-Brown, Steven Luatua, Melani Nanai and Matt Todd will join the squad for this weekend’s training camp.
Squad: Dane Coles,Codie Taylor, Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Owen Franks, Joe Moody, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano, Patrick Tuipulotu, Samuel Whitelock, Sam Cane, Elliot Dixon, Jerome Kaino, Kieran Read (c), Ardie Savea, Liam Squire, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Cruden, Lima Sopoaga, Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, George Moala, Sonny Bill Williams, Israel Dagg, Waisake Naholo, Julian Savea, Ben Smith.
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