Author: Lee Grant

The CAS competition could be virtually decided in Round 7 with three matches to go. Knox, the 2015 Champions, and 2016 leaders, should remain unbeaten against lowly Barker, and the result between Cranbrook and Aloys would not signify in the Championship race. The key match of the day would be at “Death Valley” (Queens Park), where second-placed Waverley were hosting a good Trinity side. Should Waverley lose, both teams would likely be two wins behind the leaders with three matches remaining—and it would be odds-on that the Henry Plume Shield would stay at Knox. Waverley would probably have different…

There were only four matches remaining in the NSW GPS after the mid-season break and three teams were contending for the chocolates. At the other end of the scale Shore were desperate to get their first win of the season especially after their agonising loss on the bell to Scots last time out. Joeys and Newington had only two wins each but could at least aim for the bronze by beating Shore and Riverview respectively. Riverview wasn’t going to lie down though, after having their own heartbreak before the holidays in one of the games of the year, against Joeys.…

The scenario for the two Aussie teams still in the hunt to qualify for the quarter-finals was simple, but the foreign exchanges were more convoluted, especially in the NZ conference which had four teams eligible – and three would have to travel next week. Who would play at home and who would play overseas, and where? And the Lions’ coach gambled starting a team of scrubbers in Buenos Aires against Los Jaguares. Would his gamble to rest his best players pay off so the Lions could retain their overall Super Rugby standings lead and the benefits that flowed from…

Welcome to Round 16 of Foreign Exchanges which are short reports of Super Rugby matches that don’t involve Aussies teams – and it’s just as well after last weekend. It’s getting down to the wire and the Bulls and Sharks had to keep winning because they were in a dance of death with each other. Lions 57+ – +Kings 21 by Dru Spork A try (van Rensburg) in the first 90 seconds foreshadowed what was to come. The Kings responded (turnover after a messy Lions 5-metre scrum) with halfback Hall scampering through a ruck to score. The Lions…

The NSW II team won the 2016 Sebel Australian Schools Championships at Riverview yesterday defeating the higher-ranked NSW I side. It was an outstanding performance which may have confounded some spectators, but not those who had attended every game in the tournament. It was one of those weeks. There was another fine display in the play-off for third spot in which both teams lifted to unexpected heights and produced a thrilling ending. . . NSW Twos 22+ – +NSW Ones 5 by “Not in Straight” (assisted by “Zara”) First half From the outset it appeared that  only one team had…

There was drama on the third day of the Division I matches in the 2016 Sebel Australian School Championships at Riverview and that’s not counting the melodramatic weather conditions. The rain poured down in cycles throughout the day which wet both the ground and the hardy spectators. The muddy field tested the lads in a different way. The Australian Schools’ selectors had a fair idea of who could perform on a dry track; so they were pleased, just quietly, to see who could play tight when they had to. The real drama was the contest in the two pools: the…

The Queensland teams fought back on the second day of the Division I matches in the 2016 Sebel Australian School Championships, winning both matches in improved performances. But the two NSW teams remained undefeated as they shaded Combined States and Victoria at key moments. . . NSW I 31+ – +Combined States 27 by “redblack” A dominant first-half display by NSW I enabled them to beat Combined States 31 -24 but they had to fight hard to keep the lead later on. It took ten minutes for NSW to get on the scoreboard after being held up twice over the…

Day 1 of the 2016 Sebel Australian School Championships started at Riverview yesterday and some cracking rugby was played. The second game was a stunning upset and the third promised to be another until the last play of the game. ‘ NSW II 57+ – +Western Australia 24 by “Covered” NSW asserted their authority from the start and after mounting sustained pressure 14 Rixon scored. They were controlling possession well when Rixon took a short pass from 9 Jordan 15 metres out to score again. Speedster Rixon was at it again when he raced clear to find fullback McTaggart backing…

Welcome to to Round 15 of Foreign Exchanges which keeps track of Super Rugby games not involving Aussies teams. It’s getting down to the wire in all Conferences and two games we covered were of top importance. Super Rugby came to Fiji for the first time as the Chiefs elected to play a home game in Suva, against the Crusaders. The Chiefs had stumbled in Sydney last time out, but could overtake the Super Rugby leaders with a good win. But the Crusaders had won ten of their last eleven. The Lions were looking like the top dog South African…

This was the last weekend of the inbound test matches of the non-Aussie Rugby Championship teams and the final inspection of players before the tournament starts on August 20th. Wales had been competitive in the first half of both games but wilted in the second half: partly because they couldn’t cope with 80 minutes of the pace of play of the All Blacks and partly because their bench did not compare with that of the home team. Ireland was 16 points ahead at half-time last week but wilted at altitude in Johannesburg. They would welcome playing the decider at a…

The final trial prior to the selection of two NSW Schools’ teams to compete in the Australian Schools Rugby Union Championships was held at Curagul Oval yesterday. The Teams from the CAS, GPS, ISA, AICES and CCC school associations strutted their stuff in front of NSW selectors, and also national selectors who would be choosing a Combined States side. Here are the games – in reverse order. . GPS I 28+ – +CHS I 7 by Lee Grant The main game, in the late afternoon, was played in freezing conditions and the teams were locked together in a tight contest…

The CAS and GPS had their annual showdown at Shore’s home ground at Northbridge yesterday. At stake were spots in the two NSW teams who will compete in the National Schools Championships starting on Monday, 4th of July. CAS won an exciting game in the Second XV curtain-raiser, but the GPS Firsts ran away with a win in the main trial. . . GPS Ist XV 46+ – +CAS 1st XV 17 GPS put on a dominant 36-0 second half to finish all over the CAS, who had no answer to the class of the GPS’ backs. Conditions were windy…

The test matches of the non-Aussie Rugby Championship teams were closer than expected last weekend and the notable result was when Ireland beat the Springboks for the first time in South Africa. Wales led the All Blacks at half time and were just four points behind with 13 minutes to go before the Kiwi bench took charge. Could they do “an Ireland” in the second test? Argentina made heavy work against a modest Azzurri side last Saturday; how would they perform against a scratch France side famous for pulling results out of a hat when least expected? New Zealand+…

It was going to be another Saturday of chasing unbeaten Knox or not losing ground to them; Cranbrook was unlikely to upset them playing away; so the other contenders had to keep winning and wait for their return match with them. Waverley had lost only to Knox, and with their expansive backs were fancied to beat brave Aloys, who were yet to win a game. Trinity, who had won three out of five, were expected to win at home against Barker, using their big forwards. mind you: Barker kept them honest in the opening round of the season. Trinity+ v…

This was the first weekend of the return round in a season that was the closest for years. The three top teams: Scots, Riverview and King’s, had lost only one of their first five matches—to one of the others. None of them wanted to lose this weekend to one of the three bottom feeders, Newington, Joeys and Shore, who had only three wins amongst them in 15 games. Scots+ v +Shore by “former flanker” The Scots and Shore crowds are deathly silent. Two minutes are showing on the stopped clock. Scots’ flyhalf Nic Shannon is lining up…

All the Rugby Championship teams were in action in test matches yesterday and the ones that didn’t wear gold jerseys were expected to beat their visitors. It made sense: Wales had never beaten the All Blacks in NZ in eight attempts, nor even at home since 1953. Ireland had lost all seven games they had played in South Africa and Italy were so bad in Six Nations this year that there was talk of kicking them out of the competition—whereas Argentina were semi-finalists in the Rugby World Cup. New Zealand+ v +Wales by Lee Grant Despite the favouritism of…

Apart from the Wallabies there will be three other Rugby Championship teams hosting Six Nations sides this month. New Zealand will play three tests against Wales; South Africa three against Ireland; and Argentina one against Italy and two against France. Test matches in the year after a Rugby World Cup [RWC] are some of the most interesting ones, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. Many experienced players elect to play in Europe, or retire, and watching their replacements make their mark is compelling. But there is a more serious side to the June tests: they are part of a ranking…

The weather was the most significant factor in Round 5 of the Sydney GPS competition. Frequent rain squalls from the north-east lashed the fields at Hunters Hill, Northbridge and Bellevue Hill; the secret to winning was to handle the conditions better than the other team did. The fixtures ended the first half of the competition but already the table was split in two. The big match was at Bellevue Hill where Scots, with only one loss to date, was hosting undefeated Riverview. Joeys v Newington by “Lee Grant” First half Joeys had a gale behind them but they got a…

 It was another CAS round of trying to stop Knox or not lose ground to them. Trinity had lost only one of their three games and were considered a slight chance against Knox.  Waverley, who would be cheering them on, had gone down to Knox last week but had couldn’t afford to slip further behind.  They had a tricky game against Cranbrook who had been causing some cheek after a rough start. Aloys were hosting Barker – neither had won a game yet and barring a draw one would be grinning afterwards. Barker v Aloys   by “rod skellet” …

The biggest game of the year  was going to be King’s at Riverview.  Neither team looked like world-beaters but both were undefeated. Meantime Scots, with one loss, wanted to keep in touch with the leaders, against Joeys, who had to get on the bike after two losses. And at Stanmore, win-less Newington and Shore were to  do the dance of the desperates. Barring draws, one team was to have their first win, and another, their first loss. Joeys v Scots     by “Armchair Selector” Scots had won the last nine encounters in a row against Joeys. Was this…