Author: Lee Grant

It was lucky 13 for Italy in Florence, because after losing their first twelve games against South Africa they won the next one. The crowd was ecstatic as were the players and new head coach Conor O’Shea. By contrast the Springboks were in despair after losing their sixth game of the last seven. First half The Boks looked good early though. They turned down an easy three points and went for a lineout drive and although that went amiss they did better with the second attempt: the ball was moved wide and Habana scored when the defence couldn’t number…

South Africa lost their their first game in ten years against England last weekend but should have no such trouble against Italy in Florence. The form Italy They were expecting a blacklash from the All Blacks and they got it though it was probably more the case of fringe players trying to catch the eye of the Kiwi coach to consider their promotion to the top team, and they played out of their skins. The Azzurri lacked skills and organisation; new coach Conor O’Shea will have to perform a minor miracle in this game, and others, to get any respectable…

The Wallabies caravan moved on to Paris and after a another cliffhanger against Scotland, would have been glad to get out of town with their Grand Slam hopes intact. The form France Under new coach Guy Noves they won their first two games in Six Nations this year but by a total margin of only three points. They lost the remainder, and their first test of their summer tour of Argentina, but thrashed Los Pumas in the second. They’ve have three weeks together now and were impressive trouncing the tough Samoans last Saturday in their first test match of the…

The All Blacks bounced back from their disappointment in Chicago by trouncing Italy 68-10 in front of a near sell-out game in Rome. Sometimes their forwards set up play by attracting too many defenders and providing space out wide, but at other times it was enough for the piggies to run through the opposition and score themselves. First half The All Blacks showed no interest in running the ball in their half and were content to chase long kicks and duly retrieve the ball in Italy real estate. Then they ran it and when they were pressed, short passes beat…

England may not have won a match against the Springboks since 2006, losing eleven and drawing one since then, but they will be favourites to take this one out at Twickenham on Saturday. Both teams replaced their coaches after the 2015 Rugby World Cup [RWC]; one team prospered and the other one didn’t. The form England New head coach, Eddie Jones, has been like a breath of fresh air for the Roses, who won their first Grand Slam in Six Nations since 2003 under him, and then “white-washed” the Wallabies 3-0 away from home. He has implanted belief, and challenged…

The never-give-up BMW Australian Schoolboys team did their country proud today coming back from 3-22 down at half time to tie the match before the young Kiwis came again to win 32-22 at Auckland Grammar School. Despite the Aussies scoring three tries to two, NZ Schools deserved their win, as they were able to convert into points their two-thirds possession, and the same share of play in the Aussie half. . . First half Both sides showed a willingness to run with the ball but the NZ lads cast a sinister shadow over the Aussie set pieces and had the…

The BMW Australian Schoolboys team were beaten today by the New Zealand Schools Barbarians 17-28 in unfamiliar conditions at Mt. Albert Grammar School. Intrepid Green & Gold reporter “The Honey Badger” was on hand once more to give his report on the match. . . Mt Albert Grammar School has a picturesque, state-of-the-art sporting ground and facilities. The ground was in fair condition for the match following earlier rain, though it was heavy by Aussie standards, and the weather was overcast with showers. It had a grandstand behind the posts on the Western end which was full, and a large…

The BMW Australian Schools were behind at half-time but staged a magnificent comeback in the second half to beat Fiji Schools 39-17 at Sacred Heart College in Auckland. Green and Gold’s own “The Honey Badger” reports the following from Auckland: . . After rain during the night conditions were humid and warm in Auckland but fortunately the the rain stayed away for the match. Sacred Heart College has large playing fields and although the surface was a bit soft after the rain, and the grass a big long by our standards, the match pitch was in good condition. First half…

After being down 21 points just after half-time the the Tongan Schools Under 18 team got to within seven of the BMW Australian Schools Barbarians before the Aussies ran out winners 38-26 at Newington yesterday. . . After a week in a training camp at home the Tongan team arrived in Sydney and beat NSW Catholic Combined Colleges at TG Millner 45-8, and a Combined High Schools team at Newcastle 32-12. The Aussie team had a three day camp last week and gave a good account of themselves given the short time they had together. The Newington connection It was…

The Unique Nature of Australian Schools Rugby – Part II In the first installment of his paper on The Unique Nature of Australian Schools Rugby, the President of the Australian Schools Rugby Union, Br Bob Wallace cfc, A.M., outlined the unique setting of Schools Rugby in Australia and compared it to the situation in other countries. He went on on to give a situation report of school rugby domestically, and compared it to the profile of School Rugby in New Zealand. . . In Part II he profiles the School rugby systems of other Tier 1 countries and outlines what…

Earlier in the year we decided to discuss what Schools’ rugby means to the sport in this country, and what to do about the future. We planned to publish the report during this week, since the international schools’ matches start next Saturday at Newington. But in doing some research on the matter we came across an enlightening paper by Br. RJ (Bob) Wallace, who has been the long-term President of the Australian Schools’ Rugby Union [ASRU]. There is nobody more suited to giving an overview and some suggestions for the future, than Bob. It was written in April last year…

We thought it appropriate to add some special awards to the main CAS season review. Although all the players were concerned most about contributing to the performance of their team, we thought there were lads who deserved special mention . . 2016 CAS Awards CAS Team of the Year Player of the Year – James Armstrong (Knox). Most Valuable Player – Liam Rasch (Trinity) Rising Star – Luca Moretti (Waverley) 2016 CAS XV – Team of the Year Here is the Green & Gold Rugby CAS Team of the Year based on play for their school in the…

We thought it appropriate to add some special awards to the main GPS season review. Although all the players were concerned most about contributing to the performance of their team, we thought there were some that deserved special mention—and there were some special tries scored, and a special game, worthy of comment. . . 2016 GPS Season Highlights Player of the Year – Matthew McTaggart (Joeys). Most Valuable Player – Charlie Jeavons-Fellows (Scots) Rising Star – Triston Reilly (Joeys) Match of the Year – Riverview v Joeys , Rd.6 Try of the Year – Dylan Dowling (Joeys) – Newington v…

The GPS competition seems to get better and better every year and in 2016 it was a cracker. It was hard to pick a winner pre-season because the heavyweights of recent years, Scots and Newington, did not look so formidable on paper. Trial matches did not provide many clues to the pundits either. As for the players: there didn’t seem to be as many outright favourites for rep matches as in previous years; so no GPS team had a stable of thoroughbreds to give them a short price from the bookies. . . The doubt was well-founded: some roughies got…

The two leading teams just had to keeping winning today against lower ranked schools to ensure their joint premiership. It seemed like a CAS fizzer but there was a marvellous game at Cranbrook that kept the pulses going one more time. But in all of the games most of the boys this were playing together for the last time and they wanted to finish as winners. . . Cranbrook+ v +Trinity by “oldandslow” On a gorgeous afternoon in Bellevue Hill the healthy crowd enjoyed one of the most exciting games in the CAS competition this year, and…

In a sense it was a pity not to have the Championship decided in the last week of the season, though Scot’s fans wouldn’t agree. But Round 10 had some interest: it produced a miracle comeback that had spectators of either side at Stanmore wondering “how on earth did they do that?” . . Newington+ v +Joeys by “Armchair Selector” I am not sure if I witnessed one of the best displays of attacking Rugby or one of the worst displays of defence. What I do know is that I witnessed one of the greatest finishes to a…

With two rounds to go Scots could lose their lead on the NSW GPS ladder if they lost; but if they won they were assured of at least being Joint Champions. And if they won and Kings lost at home to Riverview, they would be outright Champions. . . Scots+ v +Joeys by “Armchair Selector” Having secured ten wins in a row against Joeys earlier in the season, Scots were going for eleven, and a chance for an unassailable lead to win the AAGPS title—provided they secured victory today in heavy conditions. First half Two minutes after the…

The CAS season was coming down to the wire and after the drama the week before it when Waverley beat Knox to draw level on the ladder, it was a matter of those two not stumbling to become joint Champions with one round to go. . . Trinity+ v +Knox by “An Observer” Trinity were always going to be psyched up to play Knox at home. Redemption for the first round humiliation was required!     On the other hand Knox were licking their wounds after losing their first game in two seasons the previous weekend – and honour needed to be…

The game of the season was played at “Death Valley” (Queens Park”) where Waverley hosted undefeated Knox. If Knox won, the Championship would be theirs, in effect, and only the Fat Lady would be needed to make it official. Elsewhere four teams were competing for the pride of themselves, their team mates and their schools. . . Waverley+ v +Knox by “Anonymous Al” The build-up was intense; the stakes were high and the match lived up to all expectations, at Death Valley. First half It was a big match and both teams got off to a nervous start, particularly…

Scots were one win ahead of Kings and the Championship was theirs to lose. Kings would have to beat a resurgent Joeys team at Hunters Hill to keep in touch, and one-time outright leader, Riverview, would have to get back on the horse at Shore after three losses in a row. But there were surprises all over Sydney. . . Newington+ v +Scots    by “Crackerjack” A magnificent ‘Back to Newington Day’ crowd filled their Stanmore amphitheater, providing all the atmospherics for the keenly anticipated re-match of recent Premiership heavy-weights. First half Scots had the better of the opening…