Author: Nic Darveniza

Green and Gold Rugby is proud to present our fully comprehensive wrap of the weekend’s four games of Queensland GPS First XV Rugby. It was a week for road-trips as Nudgee College and The Southport travelled to Toowoomba and Ipswich Grammar respectively, both returning home with tight wins. Nic Darveniza covered GAGR’s Game of the Round, Southport’s 36-34 win over Ipswich, below. Forum users Bahog and Thommo79 posted their takes on the Nudgee v TGS slugfest below. Back in Brisbane, BBC kicked off their 2016 campaign with a physical 41-6 win over strugglers, Brisbane Grammar. ChekMate covers the match below. Gregory Terrace were the only team to defend…

Throughout the week Green and Gold Rugby have interviewed most of the competition’s head coaches, and the consensus reached is that 2016 will be the closest season of GPS First XV Rugby in memory. Never before have the weaker GPS Schools been so close to the traditional super-teams. A stunning seven teams are in the running to win the lot. The Southport School are 2016’s clear favourites after dominant trial form.  TSS are a mostly unknown quality – but coaches know that they’ll be the hardest to beat in 2016. The perennially strong Nudgee College are also without National representatives,…

Super Rugby Power Rankings In case you missed our first Power Rankings last week, Green and Gold Rugby have wheeled out our calculators to explore form in Super Rugby at a level deeper than the wins vs losses column. Piggybacking off the work of ESPN analyst John Hollinger, our team of crack sports scientists have implemented a formula to find where teams really belong on the ladder. A number of big results has seen a major shuffle of the Rankings, including one incredible leap to the top. POWER RANKING FORMULA = (((Strength Of Schedule-0.5)/0.037)*0.67) + (((SOSL5-0.5)/0.037)*0.33) + 100 + (0.67*(MARG+(((ROAD-HOME)*3.5)/(GAMES))) + (0.33*(MARGL5+(((ROADx-HOMEL5)*3.5)/(10)))) Terms of reference:…

Super Rugby Power Rankings With two New Zealand teams dominating water-cooler discussions of Super Rugby’s strongest teams, Green and Gold Rugby have wheeled out our calculators to find out just how the team’s rank with our first Power Rankings of the year. Piggybacking off the work of NBA analyst John Hollinger, we’ve crunched the numbers to provide a different perspective for those sick of pundit’s gut feelings and general impressions. Hollinger’s formula for calculating Power Rankings, detailed below, is best explained by the man himself. Embed from Getty Images “One of my goals was to create a system that told us more…

Fiji 34 defeated Australia 5 Fiji were at their unstoppable best en route to a 34-5 smashing of Australia in the Hong Kong Sevens Cup Semi-Final. Australia didn’t get a look in as the power, pace and skill of the Fijians blasted home five tries and even a penalty goal in a dominant victory. James Stannard crossed for Australia’s only try early in the second half. Head coach Andy Friend spoke to media post-match. “I thought we were really good this morning, but we didn’t do the simple things you need to do to beat Fiji,” Friend said. “We didn’t dominate the…

If you missed Green and Gold Rugby’s coverage of Day One of the Hong Kong Sevens 2016, follow this link: http://bit.ly/25QAOxG USA 22 defeated Australia 7 Australia have fallen to the USA 22-7 in a Pool-deciding clash at the 2016 Hong Kong Sevens. The Australians scored first before conceding 22-unanswered points to an American side that well and truly had their measure. The press defence that brought so much success to the Aussie Sevens proved the key to their own undoing as the US crossed for three tries out wide. Head coach Andy Friend said that while he expected the fifth-placed…

Australia defeat Argentina 28-0 Australia were in control from start to finish as they put Argentina to the sword, 28-0, to open 2016’s Hong Kong Sevens campaign. Australia, while not strictly clinical, were calm, cool and collected in both attack and defence. Two tries either side of half-time and a resolute display of scrambling defence were enough to outclass Argentina. Former Wallabies winger Nick Cummins made his Rugby Sevens return late in the second, going close to scoring a hat-trick but falling agonisingly short with each effort. Forward Sam Myers played down the side’s performance when speaking with Green and Gold Rugby…

Cup Quarter-Final: Australia 17 defeated England 12 Australia are through to a Cup Semi-Final match-up with South Africa after beating England in an extra time Quarter-Final thriller, 17-12. Battling against the midday Sydney heat as well as the whistle of referee Craig Joubert, Australia’s Henry Hutchinson scored two tries including the match-winner in the fourth minute of extra time. Australia’s forwards were exceptional through the 18-minute match, as were backs Lewis Holland and Cam Clark. 33-year-old veteran James Stannard addressed the penalty count post-match with Green and Gold Rugby. “It was a pretty stop-start game and we saw a lot of penalties,”…

Game One: Australia 24 defeated Portugal 8 Australia have opened their Sydney Sevens campaign with a 24-7 victory over Portugal in Pool A. Cam Clark, Australian Men’s Sevens Player of the Year for 2014 and 2015, clinched the victory with a hat-trick in a man of the match performance. Clark scored his first mid-way through the first half, crossing on the right wing. With seconds remaining in the half Clark was in again, pushing Australia’s lead to 14-0 with a second successful conversion. Despite the scoreline Australia had started slowly, lacking the cohesion displayed by other sides thus far in…

The Australian Schoolboys were defeated by a tactical masterclass from their New Zealand counterparts 32-8 at Ballymore Stadium. The late withdrawal of New Zealand captain Peter Umaga-Jensen did little to stem the attacking flow of the visiting team, outscoring the Australians four tries to one. New Zealand took a note from Samoa’s playbook earlier in the week by testing Australia’s back three with a barrage of threatening kicks. The tactic worked wonders as the side piled on two tries either side of half time, holding the Australian Schoolboys winless in Trans-Tasman tests since 2012. “I thought the (New Zealand)…

GPS Rugby 2015 rolls on through another week of fixtures. While four realistic contenders entered Round Four, only two were left undefeated while BBC exited the race for a long-overdue premiership. Churchie may have blown their chances in a nail-biter at home, pitted against the top team of GPS Rugby’s ‘second tier’. Nudgee were spectacular in their win, while Southport took care of business against Ipswich Grammar. The battle of the potential ‘spooners was won by Brisbane State High over Brisbane Grammar School 19-17 in final play. [pic] St. Joseph’s Nudgee College have shaken off the early rust and found their…

The ARU have unveiled the latest weapon in their arsenal to turn back the tide of the Wallabies exodus to cashed-up clubs in Europe and Japan in the form of an updated foreign selection policy. The landmark ruling states that: “Effective immediately, overseas-based players will now be eligible for Qantas Wallabies selection if they have played more than 60 Tests for Australia and have held a professional contract with Australian Rugby for at least seven years. Pulver added that:  “players returning to Australia from overseas who make a two-year commitment to an Australian Super Rugby Club will also be eligible to represent…

Welcome to Green and Gold Rugby’s live coverage of the 2015 Hong Kong Sevens Finals. This is your place to be for the latest news from Australia’s Finals Campaign at the World’s most famous Sevens tournament. Australia qualified for the Cup Quarter-Finals by beating Scotland and Portugal in Pool B, finishing second to New Zealand. A Cup Quarter-Final loss to South Africa 7-5 set the Australians on a collision course with England in the Plate Semi. A good win against our arch-rivals saw Australia progress to a thrilling Plate Final win over USA 21-17. Thanks for following our coverage of the Hong Kong Sevens 2015.…

Welcome to Green and Gold Rugby’s live coverage of the Hong Kong Sevens 2015. This is your place to be for the latest news from Australia’s Day Two Campaign at the World’s most famous Sevens tournament. Australia have qualified for the Cup Quarter-Finals after beating Scotland and Portugal, but falling to New Zealand. Australia will play South Africa tomorrow morning. You can follow their progress live from Hong Kong Stadium right here on Green and Gold Rugby. Match Report: New Zealand def. Australia 14-5 Nic Darveniza Australia have fallen in their Pool B showdown with New Zealand 14-5 at the Hong Kong Sevens.…

The Qantas Australian Mens Sevens teams continue their battle for Olympic qualification in the World Rugby Sevens Series flagship event this weekend at the Hong Kong Sevens. At the conclusion of 2015’s World Series, Rugby Seven’s top four teams will earn automatic qualification to the 2016 Olympic Games. Australia currently occupy that vital fourth place with a minuscule 3-point buffer separating them from fifth placed England. Disappointing early knock-outs for the Thunderbolts in Wellington and Las Vegas in February have allowed perennial favourites South Africa, New Zealand and Fiji to build commanding leads after five competition rounds. Needless to say, the key…

As the clock strikes zero on the Australian Rugby Season 2014, another opportunity to establish ascendency over our Northern Hemisphere rivals and World Cup Hosts has slipped through our fingers. The tied worst Spring Tour ever for the Wallabies culminated in another heartbreaking loss, this time at the hands of the Old Enemy 26-17.  A brilliantly sunny day at the home of Rugby had those fans making the trip over to Twickenham excited for the spectacle of another timeless clash, and they weren’t to be disappointed. A minutes applause for Australian batsman Phillip Hughes, who passed away earlier this week in…

Despite dropping to fifth in the World Rugby rankings, many commentators in Australian Rugby are still feeling positive about the Wallabies, but I disagree. When you lose tight games against New Zealand, and then South Africa, and then Argentina, and then France, and then Ireland, something is wrong. When you’ve only scored 2 second half tries in 6 tests, something is wrong. It’s systemic, institutional, and it’s not going away. The burning desire to put opposition teams to the sword, that killer instinct that was so prevalent in the Waratahs this year is missing from the Wallabies. At 1:30 am on Sunday morning,…

Please find below a brief scoring summary of this morning’s test match between Ireland and Australia, with an update to come in a few hours Ireland have beaten the Wallabies 26-23 in a thriller on Lansdowne Road early on Sunday morning. After racing to a 17 point lead against the run of play within the opening 15 minutes, the Irish let the Wallabies back into the game with weak defence and suspect commitment. A tight second half saw Australia’s bench throw everything they had at the Irish to no effect, in the end going down by the narrowest of marings I’ve never…

The Wallabies suffered the first loss of the Michael Cheika era to the French last weekend, slipping to fourth on the IRB World Rankings. Ireland rose in the Wallabies place, but to the victor go the spoils: the winner of this match should end the day as the third ranked team in the world. #125411248 / gettyimages.com – Tommy Bowe chased down by James O’Connor at RWC2011 It will prove no easy feat. The Irish rugby team are the best they have ever been in the professional era. Guided by World Rugby Player of the Year candidate Jonathan Sexton at flyhalf, Ireland powered through their…

Australia’s Day One campaign at the Gold Coast Sevens 2014 yielded some good results against Portugal and Scotland, but let in four first half tries against the form team of the competition in Fiji. Finishing second in Pool C, Australia secured a tough matchup against South Africa. Gold Coast 7s 2014 Match 5: Argentina With New Zealand obliterating Wales in the Plate semi-final, Australia knew that progression would see them play one of the toughest matches of the tournament as New Zealand hit their straps. After leading by 12 with a  minute to go Australia shut up shop, allowing Argentina to score two tries…