Author: Yowie

Today’s rugby news has women’s Sevens, Wallaby injuries, player movements to the Tahs (for a change) and a Welsh big unit.Superlatives run out for Aussie women’s SevensYou’ll know the results by Wednesday morning. I’m not maniac enough to stay up until midnight and 3:45am for the Aust v Snow Mexicans semi-final and the gold medal match respectively, so here’s an extract from Brittany Mitchell’s ESPN piece on Charlotte Caslick:Eight years ago, Charlotte Caslick created a moment that changed Australian rugby forever.Flying across the pitch in cover defence and smashing United States flyer Victoria Folayan into touch, saving a try in…

It’s not Hoss. You’ll cope. Hoss is currently assisting Newcastle police with their enquiries after a spate of incidents where (allegedly) street performer mimes have been pushed to the ground and kicked a few times before the assailant ran off laughing. Hoss used his one phone call to update the writer and whinge about all the “salad-dodging fat b@stards” the cops had rounded up to stand near him in the identity parade. Hoss will be back next week if his GoFundMe page reaches its bail amount goal. Aussie men’s sevens top Pool B and into Olympic quarterfinals (5am Friday)The ABC…

With so many games it’d be easy to forget that other rugby stuff goes on. Today’s news sees Victoria look at building the base, Australian women’s 15s needing an urgent boost, more recruitment traffic heading from the Tahs, a South African drug lab (the ok kind) and some Georgian scrummaging.Having eliminated all other options, Victorian Rugby turns to grassroots. The Guardian reports that the game in the latte-sipping, morally-and-artistically-superior State is shifting its focus.The closure of the Rebels this year alongside a sorry sequence of reported financial irregularities and political infighting has left local rugby in the doghouse. “The only…

Today’s Rugby News has English line-up changes, more law-change chat, a Wallaby coach being useful and a good bloke to non-selected players just to mix things up, Dunedin ticket sales and some constructive feedback for SBW. Karl will be back next week after he generously agreed to swap weeks so I could attend the South-East Queensland Dolphin Waxer’s Association annual convention. Joe Marler and Will Stuart added to Pommy squad v NZPravda and AAP report that Props Joe Marler and Will Stuart are the only changes to Saturday’s side which beat genius-coached Japan 52-17 in Tokyo, replacing “Commodore” Bevan Rodd…

With the southern hemisphere test season and Olympic sevens about to start, there’s an abundance of rugby news on a Wednesday for a change. Here’s today’s selection. Slipper cleared to returnNathan “I can change my name to Nick if the podcast needs a gimmick” Williamson reports that Wallabies prop James Slipper has shrugged off any concerns around his calf injury as he begins his quest to break the record as the most-capped Wallaby.Slipper missed the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season with the strain picked up during the round 14 clash with the Rebels. “The calf is going well,…

They can’t all be great tag lines. With the Reds out and therefore Super Rugby finished, Wednesday’s Rugby News looks at the Aus U20 and Wales squads named, plus some All Black doom and gloom (oh dear, how sad, never mind).Six debutants selected to Australian Under 20s Pravda reports that Australia Under 20 head coach Nathan Grey has named six fresh faces in his 30-man squad to contest the upcoming World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa.Australia face Georgia, Ireland and Italy in Pool B and Grey has made sweeping changes in a bid to improve last year’s fifth-placed finish…

Wednesday’s Rugby News sees talk of Sevens superstars moving to fifteens, Tupou cleared, NZ political fractures, a SA coach playing the technicality card and some cheap-shot footage. Caslick & chums consider moving to 15-player gameBrittany Mitchell of ESPN reports that Australian women’s Sevens co-captain Charlotte Caslick as well as several of her teammates have expressed interest in moving into the 15-player game to bolster the Wallaroos for Rugby World Cup 2025 in England.Caslick has previously expressed her desire to switch formats when she re-signed with Rugby Australia in 2022, after she witnessed the Wallaroos’ performance at the 2021 World Cup…

Wednesday’s Rugby News sees law changes, soft treatment for star players, NZ captaincy speculation and South America seen as the solution for both the injury-ravaged Tahs and certain types after VE Day 1945. Makes you think, doesn’t it.World Rugby law changes for faster game stir conspiracy theoriesThe SMH reports that a range of fan friendly law changes, trials and studies were approved by the World Rugby executive this week. Following Super Rugby’s lead to eradicate kick-tennis, the Dupont law offside loophole has been shut, and the dangerous crocodile roll clean out has also been banned.The most significant law change was…

Today’s rugby news has late big hits, Wallaroos named, RA finances, possible career moves and pain in Spain. Samipeni Finau – any later and he’d be pregnantAs noted by Brisney Spears on Monday, on the weekend Tahs fly-half Tane Edmed was flattened by Chiefs flanker Samipeni Finau, continuing the latter’s run of borderline tackles on players just after they have passed the ball.Nine reports that Stephen Hoiles has eased back from his initial criticism. “I’m now sitting on the fence of, yeah, he got it right, but certainly he’ll get it wrong at some stage,” said Hoiles.Morgan Turinui said “I’m…

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 JapanStuff 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 and Hurricanes flanker Ben Herring, already has a high profile recruit on his books with gaol…

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 GamesSee all team news in Happy’s Thursday News.Women – Friday 12 April 5:05 pm AEST – NSW…

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 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 Guardian reports that the New Zealander helped prepare the All Blacks pack for more…

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 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 local players. However, that came…

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……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 action in a 10-page…

….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 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 before quickly falling…

…of a CadillacNumber one with a bullet, I’m a power packMy 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’ WallabiesRugbyPass 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 but one of the remaining 10 Tests that year. Holloway, now 31, played at…

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:(the full game on Stan is well worth a watch too)With 4:30…

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 overlordsThe 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, and commercial…

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 clashLachlan 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 – available on Stan).Conversely, Wales are yet to win at WXV1 after heavy defeats to Canada (42-22) and New Zealand (70-7).Wallaroos centre Georgina Friedrichs – who impressed against France and started last year’s RWC…