Author: Nick Wasiliev

Kicking off our previews of the Kiwi conferences, it seems appropriate to start with last years winners, the Hurricanes. The men in black and gold will be aiming to become the fifth team in Super Rugby history (and fourth Kiwi team), to win back-to-back championships. The Hurricanes hail out of New Zealand’s beautiful capital, Windy Wellington. Until last year’s grand final, the Hurricanes had the rather depressing honour of being the only Kiwi team that had never won a Super Rugby title. But, last year on a rainy night in at the Cake Tin, they took down fellow foundation battlers,…

This week we look at all things Brisbane Tens, as well as a quick round up of the Aussie preseason matches. AUSSIES STRUGGLED IN ‘RUGBY HEAVEN’ Well, it was indeed a tournament to savour at the Brisbane Tens this weekend, with some electric rugby being served up to the rugby punters over two stinking hot days. For the fans, it was a chance to see a new exciting brand of rugby, while for the players and coaches (especially from the Australian and New Zealand franchises), it served as a handy hit out to blow away many of the…

So, here comes the fun part  – the culmination of my special look at the structure of Super Rugby. The current system is complicated, demanding on players, and an unattractive product. So what is a viable option? Well, a good place to start is looking at the other options that have been proposed. The most notable was this video released in 2014 (when the current restructuring was announced) by FutureOfSuperRugby.com, a group based in New Zealand. This is located in the link below: Now, obviously there are several issues with this video, mostly notably the idea that the Kings…

Part II (Proposed Idea put forward by SANZAAR) Following from my article yesterday we come to the complicated bit. Many fans have talked about numerous ideas, from reverting back to the round robin nature of Super 14, to returning to the three conference structure with more derby matches, to cutting South Africa out of the competition entirely, to taking the format back to Super 12. SANZAAR are planning to meet in February of this year before the start of the season to determine changes to the format, with most of the talks focused on recommendations made by consultants group Accenture,…

Super Rugby is very much in a quandary, if 2016 is anything to go by. The ratings were down, the overall attendance was down, and many felt like the competition had lost its way. With those issues came a whole lot of fan backlash, calling for the cutting of teams, changes to conferences systems, and accusations that SANZAAR is more focused on the money than the rugby. I’ll be clear right out the gate: I get why SANZAAR is doing what they are doing. The Northern Hemisphere teams are cashed up, and in the last few years has emerged as…

Australian rugby, we need to talk. 2016 was an absolute shocker. The team struggled. The media was ruthless. The fans called for the heads of the coach and players. Club rugby is in open revolt. And, no matter where you looked, everyone seemed to think that the game is dying in this country. Well, enough is enough! It’s time for a bit of perspective. In the greater scheme of things, was this year REALLY that bad? I know some may roll their eyes at that question, but seriously think about it for a minute. We are currently sitting in third…

In a match that more than lived up to the hype and showcased everything good about NRC (and Australian) rugby, Perth Spirit claimed the NRC trophy for 2016 against NSW Country Eagles, winning 20-16 at Scully Park in Tamworth. In a gripping arm-wrestle from start to finish, the Spirit produced one of the most impressive defensive efforts ever seen in the competition’s history (or, for that matter, in any match I have seen), which proved the difference between the sides. The Build-Up: There was an aura to this game. Finals footy? In the country? That sure raised an eyebrow or…

The Tuesday Top 5 this week sees Fiji joining the NRC, a recap of all the semi-final action and a call to arms for a big crowd down in Tamworth come Saturday night. Fiji Warriors to Officially join the NRC in 2017. It has been an exciting few days for the NRC. It all started on Friday when it was formally announced by the ARU that Fiji will officially join the competition next year, bringing the number of teams back to nine for 2017. This came in the wake of the Pacific Island Pride round in the NRC the week…

The NSW Country Eagles have all but clinched the Minor Premiership while securing the Horan-Little Shield and Ben Robinson Bell, scraping out a 44-40 victory against the Rams in a thrilling contest at Concord Oval. Arriving at the ground, fans were treated to a great islander-flavoured atmosphere. Once again, the Rams management had done a wonderful job with organising and running the day. It was a real celebration of Pacific pride, with stalls, dancers and even a Pacific Fashion show the highlight of the pre-game entertainment. They had drawn a great crowd too. The hill was packed and the western stand…

In a performance that all but guarantees their maiden semi-finals berth, the Sydney Rays put on a dominant display, running out 58-14 winners over a shell-shocked Vikings side. The win is the Rays highest point scoring margin in their history, and sends moves them to within one point of the Country Eagles, with the Vikings facing the real possibility of losing their place in the Top 4. The Match The sun was shining, wind was up and the stage was set for a cracker of a game at Rat Park. The Rays had never beaten the Vikings and the last…

With the Rugby Championship in its second break, the NRC once again takes centre stage for our Tuesday Top 5. And my god, can this competition get any more fascinating? With only two rounds left to go in the regular season, any of you who still haven’t been to see a game for whatever reason are seriously missing out, because this competition is delivering every week! NSW teams clean sweep the competition for the first time ever! For those following the NRC in NSW, this was the best round in NRC history, with records tumbling at every encounter. Starting with…

The Western Sydney Rams shook the monkey off their back and claimed a thrilling 52-46 win eight minutes after the final siren to snatch victory from QLD Country, in a match that is officially regarded as the greatest comeback in NRC history. Well, talk about leaving it till the last minute… The Match And to think, those were the two teams at the bottom of the ladder!? Well, many in the Horned Army will be smiling tonight, but for 75 minutes of that game, they certainly were not. The Rams had drawn a big crowd to Concord Oval with the Pacific…

With Orange’s Endeavour Oval unplayable due to bad weather, NSW Country moved their match to Concord Oval, and overcame a determined Perth Spirit 48-24 in the first ever double header in NRC history. The win all but guarantees Country’s final position, while the Spirit may face a more challenging final’s route if Melbourne prevail tomorrow in Canberra. The Match Concord Oval was buzzing with a charming club rugby atmosphere as a crowd of well over 2,000 (my estimate) lined themselves up on the hill and on the main stand. The first half of the match was a seesawing affair, with the…

Well, with (mercifully) no Rugby Championship on this week, the Buildcorp NRC takes centre stage for the Top 5. And boy, do we have a lot to talk about! The NSW Teams are delivering BIG TIME! I’m going to be honest here, as a New South Welshman. For the last two years, we watched our teams struggle to compete against the likes of the Rising, Canberra and Brisbane. For the state that produces more players for Aussie rugby than any other, it was (dare I say), extremely frustrating. But while I for one predicted a much closer season this year,…

The Macquarie University Sydney Rays have started off their season securing their first ever win against cross town rivals Western Sydney Rams.  The 50-30 victory also equals the Rays highest ever points score in an NRC match and sends an ominous warning to other teams in the competition. The Build-Up: The sun was shining on a picturesque North Sydney Oval, with conditions perfect for running rugby and not a cloud in sight. Arriving at the group an hour before kick-off, I was struck with the great atmosphere the oval had. The admin at the Rays did a great job showing…

We are just days out from the first round, and it’s fair to say that there seems to be a bit more attention around the NRC than in previous years. While that may be in part due to fans trying to look for anything to watch other than the Wallabies, it is also difficult to deny the anticipation that comes when the squads are looking stronger, the franchises are better organised and there is a bit more of an air of excitement around what will happen come Saturday, when the first game kicks off in the West. In 2014 the competition was…

While some may be writing off the Sydney Rays, this team has the potential to be the big improvers of the NRC this year. Having teams like the Sydney Rays in the competition is why the NRC is so important. The Rays are real battlers, with most of their talent stemming from the heartlands of club rugby. They are a side who, despite mixed success, have already started to build a great culture with the backing of the club rugby community on the Northern Beaches. With one of the most exciting backlines in the game and their never-say-die attitude that…

It is one of the biggest struggles in our game today. With the likes of AFL, League and even Football enjoying wide coverage on both Free-To-Air (FTA) television and Fox Sports, why is it that union does not enjoy the same luxury? With the Super Rugby season and club rugby now behind us and the Rugby Championship and NRC approaching, this major quandary is only becoming more and more relevant. Many fans point the finger at the ARU and Fox Sports, but let’s consider that for a moment. Foxtel is one of the ARU’s major sources of income, and vital…

With the final of the Shute Shield finishing Saturday and Northern Suburbs breaking a 41-year drought to take the title, those in NSW will soon turn their attention to the Rugby Championship and (hopefully) the NRC. However, for many New South Wales rugby followers of the NRC, one glaring problem is hard to ignore: once again, the historic lack of support from the Waratahs and the NSWRU for the competition. It’s no secret to many that the lack of support has been an underlying problem, further adding to the challenges of these NSW teams who come up against extremely competitive outfits…

This has been an awful year for Australian rugby. The ARU and club rugby have a rocky relationship to say the least. At Super Rugby level, only one Australian team limped into the playoffs by default, with the rest outplayed by our Kiwi counterparts. And that doesn’t even include off-field dramas. Then the Wallabies have come crashing back to earth from a successful Rugby World Cup campaign (despite losing the final), humbled by a well-coached and well-led English side high on confidence from their Six Nations success. All this in among the bad press around players heading to France, ARU mismanagement…