Author: Zeb Holmes
Tuesday’s rugby news has some praise for Link, Woodward defecting, Mike Phillips with a brand new club and the English injury woes. [one_half last=”no”] Link provides RWC platform Leading Wallabies have come out in support of the team’s cultural change, seen to be laying the platform for 2015 World Cup success. Despite some early jitters following the hiring of Ewen McKenzie, four consecutive wins to cap off the tour of Europe has appeased fans and players alike. ‘From where we were to where we are has been a really important step,’ new captain Ben Mowen said. Link has made some…
Monday’s rugby news has the Wallabies win-streak validating Link’s style, Gatland criticising the refs, Cooper aiming high and a surprise winner in Dubai. [one_half last=”no”] McKenzie praises the ‘Wallaby way’ Ewen McKenzie believes that Australia’s victory over Wales has vindicated his style of play, proving that running rugby can triumph over world-class opposition. Saturday’s 30-26 win was predicated on expansive backline play, with Link hoping that the victory would inspire a mood of optimism throughout Australian rugby. ‘We just have to keep at it,’ McKenzie said, insisting that the team are still far from the finished article. ‘We’ve improved and…
Friday’s rugby news has a tough talking McKenzie, overseas blow-ins once again shunned, an inside look at the Deans dismissal and another turn for European rugby. [one_half last=”no”] Link looks to retain dominance Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has come out with some stern words for Welsh counterpart Warren Gatland, who recently claimed that the Six Nations champions have been treating their previous November clashes as ‘friendlies.’ McKenzie has tried to get inside Welsh heads by citing their dismal record of one win from 22 Tests against the three Southern Hemisphere heavyweights since 2008, adding, ‘This year they’ve decided it’s suddenly…
Thursday’s rugby news has the Welsh team announced, Australia’s ominous world cup schedule, an All Black veteran retiring and some bookmaker charity for heartbroken Irish fans. [one_half last=”no”] Gatland names Lions-rich team Welsh coach Warren Gatland has named his starting team to play the Wallabies this weekend, featuring 10 British and Irish Lions. The announcement confirms the return of imposing winger Alex Cuthbert from injury for his first Test of the tour, combining with George North and Leigh Halfpenny to reunite the dangerous Lions back three. Notably missing from the team though are centres Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies, as…
Wednesday’s rugby news has Hibbard’s trash talk, third-tier developments, McKenzie’s vision for Wallaby culture and the IRB possibly moving the Test season. [one_half last=”no”] Wales talk up physicality Welsh hooker Richard Hibbard has said that his team will ‘batter’ the Wallabies, employing the same physicality that enabled the British and Irish Lions to run away with their 41-16 third Test victory. ‘We were physical, we battered them for 60 minutes and that was the end of it, they couldn’t survive after that,’ Hibbard said. ‘We have to bring that ferocity again.’ The starting Lions team for the series-deciding win featured…
Tuesday’s rugby news has a refreshed Wallabies side, Welsh fitness updates, mind games from coaches and McCaw praising his team’s self-belief. [one_half last=”no”] Return of ‘refreshed’ Wallabies Former Wallabies captain James Horwill has said that the controversial suspension of six players for drinking ‘inappropriate’ levels in the lead up to the Ireland match will have a positive effect on the team’s performance against Wales. Having served their one match ban against Scotland, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Nick Cummins, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson and Liam Gill are all available for Saturday’s match. Horwill believes that the health of the returning players will be a…
Monday’s rugby news has Link’s reaction to the Wallabies’ win, Gatland confident of a Welsh victory, Kurtley seen on the drink and the All Blacks making history. [one_half last=”no”] McKenzie praises team unity Ewen Mckenzie’s Wallabies have overcome the sacking of six influential squad members to defeat Scotland 21-15, a feat which Link has lauded as a demonstration of the team’s mental toughness. ‘We went through a list of things that told us how hard it was going to be, so to be able to overcome and maintain this little run of wins was the most important thing,’ he said,…
Friday’s rugby news has more McKenzie suspension talk, a drastically altered Wallabies side, a late change to the Scottish team and a Fijian IRB appeal. [one_half last=”no”] Eight changes to Wallabies A nightmare week for the Wallabies has necessitated sweeping changes to the side to play Scotland on Saturday. Six Wallabies have received a one-match ban for their breach of team protocols, outside centre Tevita Kuridrani has been suspended for five weeks and starting inside centre Matt Toomua is out with a hamstring injury. Australia has been forced to make eight changes, including four to the starting line-up. Although the starting forwards…
Thursday’s rugby news has Kuridrani and Toomua both missing the rest of the Wallaby tour, Horwill supporting McKenzie’s suspensions and the Scottish team ready for battle [one_half last=”no”] Toomua sent home with injury The Wallabies have experienced another major blow to their backline, with in-form playmaker Matt Toomua suffering a hamstring strain at training which will see him miss the Wallabies’ remaining two matches. This ruins any chance for Australian backline continuity, adding to the recent losses of suspended outside centre Tevita Kuridrani, as well as incumbent wingers Adam Ashley-Cooper and Nick Cummins. Coach Ewen McKenzie is now left with…
Wednesday’s rugby news has Ewen McKenzie defending his suspensions, a counterargument from Mrs Ashley-Cooper, Australian IRB Hall of Fame inductees and the Six Nations refusing concussion tests. [one_half last=”no”] Link further explains sanctions Ewen McKenzie has staunchly defended his sanctions against 15 Wallabies out drinking on the Tuesday before the Ireland match. ‘This business is about making sacrifices,’ McKenzie emphasised. ‘It’s not about going on a Contiki tour of countries.’ McKenzie has now set a formal midnight curfew for the rest of European tour and alcohol won’t be allowed at the upcoming team dinners. This hard-line approach is designed to…
Tuesday’s rugby news has all the fallout from Link’s suspensions, the Scots looking for improvement and some All Black injuries. [one_half last=”no”] Link suspends six Wallabies Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has sensationally dropped six players for the upcoming Test against Scotland for staying out late and drinking in Dublin last week. Among those stood down for the Murrayfield match are Nick Cummins, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson and Liam Gill, while Paddy Ryan will serve his ban next week in Cardiff because the Wallabies are required to have four props. Nine more squad members received disciplinary warnings for breaking sanctions.…
Monday’s rugby news has the strong Wallaby scrum, missing outside centres, Australia looking for three in a row and a concussion assessment by the IRB. [one_half last=”no”] Wallaby scrum silences critics Wallaby coach Ewen McKenzie was ecstatic with the performance of the Australian scrum during the team’s convincing four try victory against Ireland. ‘Everyone lambasts our scrum – I’ve been reading about it all week … It’s just a matter of opinion, people get hysterical,’ he said following the match. The Australian scrum won penalties at key times, while providing a strong attacking platform throughout the game, most evident in…
Friday’s rugby news has the Wallaby and Irish line-ups, Larkham’s selection policies and the Rebels unconcerned with missing superstars. [one_half last=”no”] Wallabies change three for Ireland The Wallabies have made three adjustments to their starting line-up for this weekend, most notably replacing struggling tighthead Ben Alexander with Sekope Kepu. Coach Ewen Mckenzie has said that Alexander was rested on medical advice. Starting for the first time since a forgettable performance during the 38-12 loss to South Africa, the 125kg Kepu is rated Australia’s best technical scrummager and may have caught up with Alexander, whose contributions around the ground have recently…
Thursday’s rugby news has Horwill opening up, Irish praise for building Wallabies, Stephen Moore looking to change perceptions and another nail for the Heineken Cup coffin. [one_half last=”no”] Horwill wants captaincy back Deposed Wallabies skipper James Horwill has opened up about his axing two weeks ago, asserting that he was surprised, disappointed and would love to regain the captaincy from Ben Mowen. But the 45 Test second-rower also understood that his form was lacking and that the blow had helped him improve his game. With the Wallabies’ dismal record of late, Horwill felt he was guilty of paying too much…
Wednesday’s rugby news has the Irish parading their strengths, some Brumby contract dramas, more Welsh stars leaving the country and the French Heineken Cup efforts. [one_half last=”no”] Irish to target Wallaby line-out Irish forwards coach John Plumtree is confident that his team, led by Lions legend Paul O’Connell and 6ft 11in lock Devin Toner, can disrupt Australia’s line-out, stifling our first phase attack. While conceding that Australia will be a step-up in competition, Plumtree praised his team’s 100% line-out success rate against Samoa while emphasising the defensive capabilities of Toner. Another area of perceived weakness is the inexperienced Australian centre…
Tuesday’s rugby news has more scrum talk, an Irish star in doubt, Benji Marshall thriving at the Blues and Wales ‘expecting’ to beat us. [one_half last=”no”] More scrum praise for Wallabies Legendary former Irish hooker Keith Wood has proved an unlikely source of encouragement for the Australian scrum, emphasising that the new laws have encouraged a renewed determination at set-piece time. ‘I have always thought Australia was trying to get away from scrummaging, that they didn’t want to do it too much,’ Wood said. But the 63-Test former captain saw that the new ‘soft engagement rules,’ which reduced the importance…
Monday’s rugby news has the coaches discussing the Ireland fixture, the Aussie scrum applauded, Michael Lynagh defending Deans and the WRU paying substantially for a match. [one_half last=”no”] Wallabies look to Ireland Following their convincing 50-20 win over Italy in Turin, the Wallabies have immediately begun to look towards this weekend’s match against Ireland. While praising his team’s composure under pressure after an early 10-0 deficit, coach Ewen McKenzie also added, ‘I won’t feel like things are back on track until we’ve started to string a bunch of wins together.’ The Irish team are also calling for a lift in…
Friday’s rugby news has the shock move of Simmons to 6, Link complaining to the IRB, Timani’s French plans and some international line-up changes. [one_half last=”no”] Simmons named at blindside Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has announced the surprise selection of Rob Simmons at blindside flanker for the first time in this weekend’s match against Italy. In the only change to the starting side that lost to England last week, Simmons comes into the side as an injury replacement for Scott Fardy. The Wallabies will now have four specialist lineout jumpers, with James Horwill and Sitaleki Timani in the second row, with Simmons…
Thursday’s rugby news has Robinson still disappointed, O’Connor in talks with Toulon, the Italians talking upset and Cheika hyping the Waratahs’ chances. [one_half last=”no”] Robinson still hurt by axing Benn Robinson remains bitterly disappointed that he is no longer Australia’s starting loose-head prop after being an early casualty of Ewen McKenzie’s Test coaching reign. The Waratahs prop had been a consistent starter since 2006, lodging 59 Tests in that time and although he has been recalled to the Wallabies bench for the last four international matches, he has said that he will not be satisfied until he regains his position.…
Wednesday’s rugby news has Ewen Mckenzie considering some big name changes, Warren Gatland still bitter and the Pumas trying to maintain order. [one_half last=”no”] Horwill under more pressure A week after losing the Wallabies captaincy, James Horwill could be demoted to a bench position for this weekend’s match against Italy. Although he put in an improved performance against England, Horwill’s spot is under immense pressure with the return of Rob Simmons from a knee injury. Simmons is thought to be a safe selection bet due to his importance in the lineout, leaving McKenzie the choice between Sitaleki Timani and Horwill. Coach…