Author: Brent Craig

Five rounds in and the New Zealand Conference is developing into a three-way scrap between the Crusaders on 21 points, the Chiefs on 19, and the Hurricanes on 15, with the latter two having a game in hand. The Blues remain in the official Top Eight with 11 points and the Highlanders on nine are ahead of every Australian side other than the Brumbies. Over in the Africa Group the Stormers remain unbeaten and with 17 points have opened a significant lead over the Cheetahs (9) in the Africa 1 Conference. Africa 2 is considerably tighter with only the Kings…

This year the Foreign Exchange has had a bit of a makeover. So here is round one’s instalment with reports on featured games and and an overview on of the remaining games. ROUND 1 AS IT HAPPENED Highlanders v Chiefs The Chiefs have opened their season with a win, downing the Highlanders 24-15 in a thriller in Dunedin. The Highlanders dominated the opening exchanges and scored first through a Lima Sopoaga penalty but it was the Chiefs who scored the first try, winger James Lowe latching onto a wayward Aaron Smith pass 45m out and powering to the line after 10 minutes.…

The Highlanders were eliminated in the semi finals last year, but can the 2015 champions return to the winners circle in 2017? 2016 – Pipped at the post Needing a last-round bonus point win to secure top spot in the New Zealand Conference and overall Super Rugby standings, the Highlanders fell just short, scoring only two of the required three tries more than the Chiefs that day, in winning 25-15. That resulted in an away quarter-final in Canberra (despite finishing with 52 table points to their hosts 43) which they duly won—and an away semi-final in Johannesburg, which proved a…

Can a new coach, but largely the same players, build on a promising but unsuccessful 2016 to end a nine-year title drought? 2016 – Opportunity lost Heading into the June recess the Crusaders sat atop the New Zealand Conference, the Australasian Group, and the overall Super Rugby points table. A month later their campaign was in ruins. Losses to the Chiefs in Round 15 and Hurricanes in Round 17 saw them fall to seventh overall, earning them a quarter-final trip to Johannesburg where the final-bound Lions were far too good. Embed from Getty Images New Crusaders’ head coach Scott Robertson…

A jaded-looking All Blacks have held off a brave French XV to secure a 24-19 win in Paris. First Half Penalised from the kick-off, the All Blacks were forced to defend early on and emerged unscathed thanks to two Matt Todd steals and a relieving penalty. From the resulting lineout a Beauden Barrett kick-pass found Julian Savea on the left wing, who fed Israel Dagg running an inside line for the opening try. Barrett converted for 7-0 after seven minutes. Embed from Getty Images A Virimi Vakatawa break had France hot on attack again, but Camille Lopez was bundled out…

France get a chance to avenge last year’s RWC quarter final humiliation when they host New Zealand at Stade de France on Sunday morning Australian time. Recent form and head-to-head France being inconsistent is such a cliche, but the fact is that under Guy Noves they’ve been… inconsistent. Having opened their Six Nations campaign with two narrow wins, they lost their remaining three matches; shared the June series with Argentina (albeit the team that lost the first match was under strength due to it clashing with the Top 14 Final); and in November have thumped Samoa and lost narrowly to…

Just a week ago the All Blacks had never lost to Ireland but don’t expect Italy to complete a quinella of sorts when the teams meet at Stadio Olimpico Sunday morning Australian time. The form The All Blacks’ record winning streak was famously brought to an end in Chicago last week but that’s the sole blemish to date on their 2016 record and they remain comfortably atop the World Rugby rankings. Italy had a miserable Six Nations, losing all five matches with a two point loss to France in week one arguably the high point of their campaign. Coming on…

MITRE 10 CUP CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL IN DUNEDIN NORTH HARBOUR 17-14 OTAGO North Harbour will return to New Zealand rugby’s top flight courtesy of a last-minute drop goal from 5/8 Bryn Gatland. As in last week’s semi final, Harbour were on the wrong side of almost every match stat but unlike last week they trailed early, Otago wing Fa’asiu Fuatai scoring on the left wing in just the second minute after featuring on the right wing earlier in the movement. Harbour were reduced to 14 men at the 14 minute mark after flanker Glenn Preston collapsed a maul. In his absence…

MITRE 10 CUP CHAMPIONSHIP – SEMI FINAL 1 IN DUNEDIN OTAGO 27-20 BAY OF PLENTY Otago’s better all-round game and tenacious defence proved too much for Bay of Plenty’s grinding forward play in this absorbing contest. Bay of Plenty scored first through a penalty to 5/8 Dan Hollinshead before Otago lock Tom Franklin barged over for the opening try. Otago centre Matt Faddes then made a damaging run that set up flanker Naulia Dawai for their second five-pointer. Both tries were converted by 5/8 Fletcher Smith. Hollinshead added a second penalty to reduce Otago’s half time lead to 14-6. The…

History will be made at Eden Park on Saturday night. Either the All Blacks will acheive their 18th consecutive victory to establish a new record for a Tier 1 nation, or the Wallabies will become the first visiting team to win on New Zealand soil since 2009 and at Eden Park since 1994. Australia last won at Eden Park in 1986 and it’s been 15 years and 18 matches since they last won at any New Zealand venue. FORM As mentioned above the All Blacks are unbeaten in their last 17 outings. Add to that their last 36 at Eden…

With just one week remaining in the regular season, Canterbury will be top seed in the Premiership semi finals with Taranaki and two of Counties Manukau, Auckland, Tasman and Waikato rounding out the final four. In the Championship Otago, Wellington and Manawatu have booked their places in the semi finals and will be joined by either Bay of Plenty or North Harbour. Full standings here  Week eight’s action: Manawatu 50-28 Wellington Manawatu racked up their highest-ever score against Wellington in this eight try to four rout. The half time score of 17-7 gave no hint as to the carnage that…

Canterbury (26 points), Taranaki (25), Counties Manukau (24) and Auckland (22) have jumped clear of Waikato and Tasman (both 18) at the top of the Premiership, albeit the latter two have a game in hand. In the Championship Otago (29) and Wellington (23) are all but assured of semi final berths with Manawatu (15) and North Harbour (14) looking likely to join them. Full standings can be found here Week six as it happened Southland 20-16 Bay of Plenty As is the case so often this season, Southland overcame a 3-13 half time deficit to run out winners. The Bay…

At the mid-point of the competition Canterbury and Taranaki look certain to make the Premiership semi finals. Any two of Auckland, Waikato, Counties-Manukau and perhaps even Tasman could join them. Hawkes Bay, promoted last year, seem certain to be relegated. Otago are runaway leaders in the Championship with only Southland and Northland out of the running for a semi final berth. Full standings here It was Counties-Manukau and Taranaki’s double-up Round, and it played out like this: Taranaki 30-29 Counties-Manukau Counties fought back from a 7-20 half time deficit and outscored Taranaki four tries to three, but a missed post-siren…

All Blacks 41+ – +Springboks 13 The All Blacks overwhelmed the Springboks in Christchurch with a six-try bonus point victory that secured The Rugby Championship for 2016 with two rounds to spare. First half The All Blacks spent the opening ten minutes in the Springbok half and mounted some promising raids, each of which ended in disappointment. Referee Angus Gardner was making a point dishing out early penalties and Beauden Barrett got the scoring underway by squeezing a ball inside the post from a relatively easy position. On just their second visit to the All Blacks 22 a series of…

Will the Springboks’ famous fighting spirit in adversity be enough to overcome the rampant All Blacks when these most traditional of foes meet again in Christchurch on Saturday evening? The form New Zealand have already retained the Bledisloe Cup 42-8 in Sydney and 29-9 in Wellington; backed this up by dispatching Argentina 57-22 last week in Hamilton; are unbeaten in their last 14 outings, and in 43 at home since 2009; and are now unbackable favourites to win The Rugby Championship at the mid-point of the competition. South Africa, on the other hand, are one from three in the Championship…

The need for everyone to complete their ten-match regular season in a nine week window means that in each round from here on two teams will have to back up from Wednesday night on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon. Here’s how week three played out. Otago 33-28 Northland A depleted Otago (five forwards out with concussions of varying degree) were made to work far harder for their third maximum-points victory than for the previous two. Northland fought right to wing Jone Macilai’s 79th-minute try, but remain winless in 14 matches since the penultimate Round in 2014. Full match report here…

The Mitre 10 Cup, New Zealand’s domestic rugby showpiece, got under way Thursday night. Here’s what happened. Note: In last week’s preview I stated that there would be two referees; six point tries and two point conversions, penalties and drop goals; and amended Laws 15 and 16. I based that on what appeared on the official Mitre 10 Cup website but in the event there was just the one ref and the familiar five-three-three-two scoring system applied. The experimental tackle and breakdown laws are in effect, however. North Harbour 20-17 Counties Manukau An entertaining season opener saw an enterprising Harbour…

The 41st edition of New Zealand’s domestic rugby showpiece gets under way Thursday night. There’s a new sponsor, some experimental laws, and as always a heap of new faces determined to be the next big thing in New Zealand if not World rugby. Mitre 10 will sponsor both the 14-team professional Mitre 10 Cup, and the 12-team amateur Heartland Championship that starts 27 August. I’ll outline that competition next week. The Cup will again be played in seven-team Premiership and Championship divisions. Teams will play everyone else in their division, plus four teams from the other division. The winner of…

The Highlanders will have to overcome the effects of altitude and a punishing travel schedule as well as the challenges presented by the in-form Lions when the two meet at Ellis Park late Saturday night AEST. FORM Both sides won eleven matches during the regular season and of course recorded quarter final victories last week, but in vastly different manners. The Lions shot out to a 15-0 first-quarter lead against the Crusaders, weathered such comeback as was mounted, and came home with a wet sail to prevail 42-25 at home. Embed from Getty Images The Highlanders, meanwhile, ground out a…

The Lions have swept into the semi finals in style with a six tries to three, 42-25 victory over the Crusaders at Ellis Park overnight and will now host the Highlanders in the semi finals next week. Embed from Getty Images First Half Going into the match one wondered if the Lions would stick to their winning formula or revert to what we’re more used to seeing from South African sides. It took roughly 60 seconds for that question to be answered, wing Courtnall Skosan scoring from a break near the half way mark, outrunning Israel Dagg for the corner.…