Author: Lee Grant

Round 2 of the NSW GPS was held yesterday and  the winning teams were Riverview, Newington and Scots over Joeys, Kings and Shore, respectively. Newington is putting down its marker early in 2013: it is undefeated and looking ominous.  Scots has also won both of its games and, after a small sample,  looks to be the strongest challenger to New in 2013 – as it was in 2012.  Joeys and Riverview have each had a win and a loss,  and Kings and Shore are yet to win a game. Riverview v Joeys by “thefencesitter” Riverview 38 – Joeys…

Australia bounced back from their tepid display against Ireland but although they had a commanding second half, and kept NZ scoreless, the Kiwis defended well and won the game 14 -10. The match First half Although they looked sharper than against Ireland, Australia could not exit from their half early in the game to cause damage in NZ territory, and were forced to infringe. After 16 minutes Kiwi flyhalf Simon Hickey had already kicked three penalty goals, for a 9-0 scoreline. In hindsight that period was the winning of the match for them. NZ scored their single try when Oz…

Many CHS players put forward a convincing argument for NSW Schools’ selection at the Cranbrook School yesterday when the 1st XV beat CAS 25-10 and the 2nd XV ran neck and neck before going down 26-33. 1st XV  —  CHS 25 – CAS 10 The scoring CAS had most of the play in the first half but their faulty ball work and sketchy combining with each other spoiled a lot of chances. In contrast CHS took the few opportunities they had when they broke out occasionally. Rambunctious 8. Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco (Endeavour SHS) created possibilities with bruising runs and 11.…

Australia scored two tries to one in their opening game of of the Junior World Championships at Vannes but Ireland deserved their 19-15 win. The key moment happened at 76 minutes when Australia was driving a maul from a lineout near the Ireland goal line going for the winning try, but Australian lock Senio Toleafoa was yellow carded for foul play. The scoring At 24 minutes Ireland pierced a soft Aussie defensive midfield and winger Rory Scholes dotted down in the corner too easily. Inside centre Tom Daly slotted a difficult goal from touch and, having kicked an earlier penalty,…

This week only Australian teams are playing Super Rugby.  The Brumbies play the Rebels in Canberra, and the Force play the Waratahs in Perth.  The Reds play the Lions, and all the Kiwi and SAffer teams have byes. Brumbies v Rebels The Brumbies have to win this game as they are only four points ahead of the Reds, who get four points from their second bye. They have to play without five of their Wallabies whereas the Reds are not affected by losing such players. It’s the luck of the draw. The Brumbies will be wanting to press claims…

CAS Rugby Match reports for Knox vs Cranbrook and Trinity vs Barker

The NSW GPS competition kicked off yesterday.  This year six teams will play home and away games over ten weekends in the 1st XV and 2nd XV competitions. In Round 1, Newington, Scots and Joeys claimed victory against Riverview, Kings and Shore, respectively, In the 1st XV competition. Joeys 20 — Shore 15 Joeys and Shore had a ding-dong battle in the opening round of the GPS 1st XV competition but Joeys managed to break a deadlock at the end to beat a courageous Shore XV. With six minutes to go a flying winger hared down the right hand…

After Round 15 Australian Super Rugby teams had played 19 matches against New Zealand teams for a success rate of 59%, but having completed their 20 matches against South African opponents in 2013, they succeeded in just 38% of them. This meant that they had a success rate of 47% against foreign teams. ¹ Crusaders v Waratahs The loss last week to NZ Conference leaders, the Chiefs, was a hammer blow to the Crusaders because they are now ten points behind them. They can make up four points if they beat them in Round 19 and more if they…

The Australian Under 20 team flies out today and will head to Vannes, in Brittany, on the Atlantic coast of France. But they’re not on a holiday in the medieval, walled town: the Under 20 teams from New Zealand, Ireland and Fiji will also be there because that’s where all the Pool B games of the 2013 IRB Junior World Championships will be played.  The young Aussies could manage only eighth place last year and are not favoured to get first place in 2013, but they will definitely be in the race. It’s going to be a tough pool for…

After Round 14 Australian Super Rugby teams had played 15 matches against New Zealand teams for a success rate of 53%, but in their 19 matches against South African opponents they were winning just 39% of them. This means that Aussie teams had a record of 46% against foreign sides.¹ This weekend there are two games against Kiwi teams and one against a SAffer team; there is one Aussie derby match also. Rebels v. Waratahs In Round 14 the Rebels beat a South African side for the first time in twelve attempts, and without their stars James O’Connor and Kurtley…

At the end of Round 13, Australian teams had played 15 games against New Zealand teams to be 8–7, but in their 16 games against South African teams they were only 6.5–9.5. This adds up to a record of 14.5–16.5 against foreign teams — or 47%. There had also been 13 Aussie derby games played. There will be three games against SAffer teams this weekend and one derby game. Rebels v. Stormers Like the Force, the Rebels won’t mind another close game; so long as they win one for a change, and in front of their home crowd. Their coaches…

At the end of Round 12, Australian teams had played 13 games against New Zealand teams to be 8-5, but in their 14 games against South African teams they were only 4.5-9.5. This adds up to a record of 12.5-14.5 against foreign teams — or 46%. There had also been 13 Aussie derby games played. There will be two games against Kiwi teams and two against SAffer teams this weekend. Chiefs v. Force Nothing much has changed for the Chiefs because the Blues and Crusaders, below them in the NZ Conference, both won in Round 12 and have lost…

Barker College thrashed Knox Grammar School 38-3 in the opening round of of the 2013 Associated Schools competition and got some sweet revenge: Knox had spoiled an undefeated season in the last game of 2012. The Play It was a Gala Day at the Knox school but there was no fun for the Knox crowd as they watched their team score just one penalty goal whilst the Barker machine scored five tries plus sundries. Most of the tries had a similar method to them. Though not a big pack, the Barker forwards attracted too many defenders towards them,…

The British and Irish squad of 37 players has been chosen by coach Warren Gatland and his fellow selectors, and although there are some surprise choices, all the tourists are top players and most of them are in good form. But here is my list of five players to be feared on tour, from different units in the team. Paul O’Connell Second rower O’Connell is an icon of Munster and Ireland rugby, but has been injured a lot in recent years. His ability to tour with the Lions was questioned when he missed the start of the 2012-13 season with…

 At the end of Round 11 Australian teams had played eleven games against New Zealand teams to be 8-3, but in their 13 games against South African teams they were only 3.5-9.5. This adds up to a record of 11.5-12.5 against foreign teams. There had also been twelve Aussie derby games played. There will be two games against Kiwi teams, one against a SAffer team, and one Australian derby this weekend. Rebels v. Chiefs The Rebels will want to make amends to their fans for their poor performance against the Kings in their last home game in Round 9. Thanks…

The Super Rugby season has had its oranges and is now into its second half.  There are some strong teams in the competition but no one team stands out as the likely winner.  In the Australian Conference it looks like a race between the Brumbies and the Reds with the roughies, the Tahs, struggling to in keep in contact. At the end of Round 10 Australian teams had played nine games against New Zealand teams to be 7-2, but in their twelve games against South African teams they were only 3.5-8.5. This adds up to a record of 10.5-10.5 against…

Lee Grant reviews the Waratahs vs Chiefs match at the SFS

At the end of Round 9 Australian teams had played seven games against New Zealand teams to be 6-1, but in their twelve games against South African teams they were only 3.5-8.5.  This adds up to a record of 9.5-9.5 against foreign teams. There had also been ten Aussie derby games played. There will be two games against Kiwi teams and one Australian derby this weekend. Hurricanes v. Western Force The Hurricanes have to get back to form after playing poorly in Round 9 and being overtaken by the Blues in the race to head the NZ Conference. For…

At the end of Round 8 Australian teams had played four games against New Zealand teams to be 3-1, but in their 11 games against South African teams they were only 3.5-7.5. There had also been ten Aussie derby games played. There will be three games against Kiwi teams and one against a SAffer team this weekend. Highlanders v. Brumbies After a season of heartbreak and no wins, the Clan will be running out of excuses and variations for their skipper’s post-match interviews. It’s another must-win game for them. Since spanking the Sharks in the first half in Durban…

The Hurricanes scored three tries in a twelve-minute spell in the second half and deserved their 41-29 victory in Wellington and the bonus point that went with it.  In the wet conditions both teams played some breathless, attractive rugby, often end-to-end, and the game ended in a gallant effort by the Waratahs to score a try in the corner that would have earned them two bonus points. But it wasn’t to be.   The Match The Waratahs shot themselves in the foot several times in the game and the Hurricanes used good thinking and great skill to take advantage and…