Author: Yowie

Today’s rugby news sees Ian Foster head off to Toyota Verblitz, experimentation for the women’s game, a Jordie Barrett Irish sabbatical, Jake White shows his class and create some *ahem* contrast, and David Pocock has come here to chew bubblegum and kick arse, and is all out of bubblegum. Former NZ coach Ian Foster to be big in Japan A cheerful Sam Cane and Ian Foster at a post-match press conference Stuff reports that Ian Foster will take charge at Japanese club side Toyota Verblitz later this year in preparation for the 2024/2025 season. Foster, who will replace former Highlanders…

Hoss had to hand over the Friday’s Rugby News keys due to a medical emergency. Not to worry. At the time of writing, Hoss is lying on his belly in the recovery ward, texting me his game tips after a successful extraction. Let this be a warning for any of us tempted to change a bathroom light bulb by standing on a rickety chair while kitchen condiment bottles are on the floor. I hope the experience hasn’t permanently put you off Worcestershire sauce, mate. Weekend Games See all team news in Happy’s Thursday News. Women – Friday 12 April 5:05…

No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that two stood against many. That’s what’s important. Valour pleases you, Cron… so grant me one request. Grant me revenge. And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you! Wallabies go for Mike Cron level scrum precision Macron – the closest image in our picture library to Mike Cron The Wallabies coaching team will be increased by one Mike Cron (0.001 millimetres), the former All Blacks assistant coach and renowned “scrum doctor”. The…

Wednesday’s rugby news sees Joe Schmidt give away some selection clues (maybe), more Rebels drama, the judiciary resembling Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Total Recall woman disguise (“Two weeks”) for Owen Franks, and Stephen Hoiles getting excited early for the Reds. Schmidt, talking about selections Joe Schmidt and Tim Horan Nine reports that newly-appointed Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt is prioritising Super Rugby Pacific players over Aussies playing overseas, despite Schmidt’s carefully-worded answer not giving much away. Speaking at the announcement of tickets going on sale for the British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia, Schmidt said his priority was on…

After a cracking Super Round and before we get stuck into round 3 predictions, it’s time to deal with the weeds the easy way and not be a sook about carcinogens. Rebels give RA 5:00pm Wednesday deadline… Carter Gordon …and also require wheelbarrows in which to carry their enormous testicles. The SMH reports that the board of the Melbourne Rebels has set a deadline of 5:00pm Wednesday 6 March for Rugby Australia to express its willingness to meet to resolve financial differences and the future of the besieged rugby club. The Rebels board informed RA of the proposed course of…

….pation. Super Rugby 2024 kicks off this Friday with relative unknowns, the Chiefs and Crusaders, starting the build-up to Saturday night’s epic collision between the dastardly Waratahs and the heroic Reds. Until then, we’ll just have to put up with Wednesday’s Rugby News. Kiss to unleash Harry Wilson Harry Wilson RugbyPass and AAP report that coach Les Kiss has given his Queensland Reds permission to push their limits in a move he thinks will set Harry Wilson free again. No.8 Wilson was a walk-up Wallabies pick in his first season of Super Rugby in 2020, playing 10 of 11 Tests…

…of a CadillacNumber one with a bullet, I’m a power pack My bail conditions backing-off to allow use of the internet couldn’t have come at a better time for the first Wednesday’s Rugby News of 2024: Jed Holloway opens up about Eddie Jones’ Wallabies [Jed Holloway sets off as Liam Gill appeals for an obstruction] RugbyPass reports on Jed Holloway’s thoughts on the Eddie Jones stint. Holloway was a Wallabies regular under former coach Dave Rennie. The New South Welshman (but good bloke, notwithstanding) debuted against the Pumas in 2022 and started at either blindside flanker or lock in all…

The Australian women have won the Dubai Sevens for the fourth time at that tournament venue, ending New Zealand’s world-record 41-match unbeaten streak. Despite the Aussies chalking-up 21 wins in a row prior to kick-off, New Zealand went into the final as favourites, having won four out of five of the previous encounters between the two teams. New Zealand kicked-off to the Australians, which turned out to be a mistake thanks to Bienne Teria stepping New Zealand’s Tenika Willison and scoring within 20 seconds. Check it out early in the highlights video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caO0lLOBL84 (the full game on Stan is well worth…

Wednesday’s Rugby News sees the latest on national alignment, the NRL preparing their chequebook and lasso, New Zealand moving on from the RWC final just fine, and the Australian preliminary Under 20s squad named. Waratahs welcome new insect overlords The Guardian reports that New South Wales has become the first state member union to formally commit to Rugby Australia’s plan to align the sport across the country. The agreement to centralise means the operations of the Waratahs’ professional entities will be passed on to RA from 1 January 2024. RA will take over the Waratahs’ high performance operations, assets, liabilities,…

No, it’s not Hoss today. You’ll cope. The big man’s had a tough time this week, as he explained to this writer over the phone: “I was minding my own business in the garage putting a ‘Magic Happens’ sticker on the back window of my Kia Niro when I saw a scary spider. Mrs Hoss heard my cry for help and took the spider away with a glass and a postcard, but I was still so distressed I couldn’t make it to the Hunter Valley Friends of Friends Association memorial for Chandler. I can’t do any rugby news this week…

Today’s rugby news sees the Wallaroos as favourites (over-dogs?) against Welsh, speculation on the next Wallaby coach, World Cup referee abuse and pure class from South Africa. Wallaroos take favourites tag ahead of Wales clash [Sydney 7s 2018 Australian Women Alcia Quirk & Georgina Friedrichs – yes I know the Wallaroos are not Sevens – it’s a picture featuring the quoted player. No need to write in] Lachlan Grey at Pravda reports that, after last week’s 29-20 win over France, the Wallaroos are favourites in the game against Wales this Friday 3 November at Auckland’s Mount Smart Stadium (5pm AEDT…

The much-maligned bronze playoff served up a more entertaining spectacle than the England-South Africa semi-final (which, admittedly, isn’t saying much). The Match England kick off. At 1:22 Argentina are isolated at the breakdown and Tom Curry secured a turnover after a tough week in the spotlight. Farrell kicks 3 points. At 7 minutes, just outside the Argentina 22 metre line, Farrell passes to Marcus Smith, to Ben Earl for a great try to England. Farrell converts. Score 0:10 to the Soap-Dodgers. After a kicking duel Argentina run the ball out of their 22 eventually. At 11:30 Nic Berry gives an…

Like Subarus built after 2021, this Wednesday’s Rugby News is an EJ-free zone. We check in on the Springboks, Cheika pointing the “stubborn” stick, Wallaroos prep against England and wag the finger in Grub Watch. Rassie talks green stuff The Guardian reports on the remarkable number of HIA-related substitutions in the second half of Monday morning’s victory over the goose-botherers. South Africa’s director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus, says he and his coaching team called for multiple head injury assessments during the second half of Sunday’s quarter-final triumph against France because “there is life after rugby” and they’re serious about prioritising…

Today’s news sees commentary on Tier Two challenges, Marika Koroibete hanging up the rocket boots, Fiji’s Josua Tuisova playing under the weight of terrible news and an “own goal” in Scottish club rugby. Smaller rugby nations doing it tougher at World Cup Former USA player Will Hooley writes about the deck stacked against second-tier teams in this column for the Guardian. Edited extract below: While most of the attention is focused on who will make it through to the knockout stages in France, some smaller nations still have their eyes set on a golden ticket of their own: automatic qualification…

The Match 8:08 Scotland 12 (Cameron Redpath) shoots out of the line and sheds a defender. Scotland 7 (Hamish Webster) scores near the corner to open the bar tab for the Jocks. Conversion successful. Score 7:nil. 15:50 Scotland maul. 14 (Darcy Graham with the platinum blonde haircut) passes to 9 (Ali Price) for a try near the posts. Score 14:nil. 19:45 Scotland with possession & under advantage. 14 (Darcy Graham) cuts through the middle and scores near the posts. G&GR game notes say “Man of the Match?”. We called it early and correctly. Easy conversion successful 14 Score 21:nil. This…

The Match First Half Georgia came into this match as formidable veterans with a brutal scrum. Portugal had never won a Rugby World Cup game or beaten Georgia. At 1:12 Georgian winger Akaki Tabutsadze opens the scoring with a cracking TRY off the back of some keep-the-ball-alive play. ჩვენ აქ არ ვართ ობობებთან სექსით is Georgian for “We’re not here to f*ck spiders” Successful conversion by Tedo Abzhandadze. 7-0 to Georgia. Frustrating scrum-half behaviour defies national and language boundaries at 6:30 when Georgian No. 9 Gela Aprasidze causes a push and shove session (and a penalty against Georgia) by deliberately…

Wednesday’s rugby news has an explanation for all the away strips, the Wallaroos squad announcement, opinions on more World Cup teams and Joe Marler in peak media form. Funky ‘away’ jerseys aid colourblind fans Opening Match – France v All Blacks The ABC reports on the reasoning behind “away” kits prevailing even when there is no clear colour clash. World Rugby says an estimated 300 million people live with some form of colour vision deficiency (CVD), which means they are unable to see or differentiate certain colour combinations — including World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont. September 2021, World Rugby…

They say you have two writing stints with Green & Gold Rugby. Once on the way up and…um. Anyway it’s good to be back. All Blacks “weakest in history” according to former French international 2007 was a good year for rugby Rugbypass reports the hard-hitting fact that the 2023 All Blacks are the “weakest in history”, at least according to former French international Olivier Magne ahead of the Kiwi v Frog Rugby World Cup opener in Paris on Friday night (05:15 AEST Saturday 9 Sept). Magne, who was a part of the famous 1999 side that upset New Zealand in the semi-final…

Today’s rugby news the stuff indicated above and detailed below. Also, Karl will have no choice but to agree that today’s edition is literally the ultimate RDU Wednesday news. World Cup squads and viewing times/channels PERGINE VALSUGANA, ITALY – JUNE 20: A detailed view of the official match ball of the 2023 Rugby World Cup during Italy Traning Camp – Day Two on June 20, 2023 in Pergine Valsugana, Italy. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Federugby via Getty Images) Nathan Williamson has published the full lists of World Cup team squads. See the link. It’s too long to paste here and we…

Wednesday’s news has a Wallabies injury update, a return to the finest traditions of South African rugby, Drua players make up 54.5454 (recurring) percent of Fiji World Cup squad and this week’s episode of UK Soccer Grub Watch. “I’ve had worse” – Kerevi to start World Cup despite probable broken hand DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND – AUGUST 05: Damian McKenzie of New Zealand, Samu Kerevi of Australia and Beauden Barrett of New Zealand look on following The Rugby Championship & Bledisloe Cup match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australia Wallabies at Forsyth Barr Stadium on August 05, 2023…