Friday’s rugby news has Hunt switching positions, Sio re-signing, McCalman back from Japan and the UK defending tackle-rugby.
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Hunt moving to centre
Karmichael Hunt’s Wallabies hopes may become clearer after being switched to inside centre for Queensland in Saturday night’s encounter with the Western Force at Lang Park. “This season give us more of an indication (of his best spot),” Test coach Michael Cheika has said. “Each week he’s just getting better because he’s learning the game.”
The positional changes come after Henry Taefu was ruled out for six to eight weeks because of a high ankle sprain he sustained during the Reds’ 30-10 loss to the Waratahs. Meanwhile, Japan’s World Cup hero Ayumu Goromaru has earned a starting debut for the Reds as Hunt’s move vacated the fullback jersey.
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Sio extends Brumbies contract
Wallabies loose-head prop Scott Sio has re-signed with the ARU on a new three-year deal. The contract will see Sio remain in Australia until at least the end of 2019 Rugby World Cup, while the 24-year-old has also recommitted his long-term future to the Brumbies.
Sio, who has played 16 Tests for the Wallabies since his debut in 2013, said he was thrilled to have sorted out his future. “Since I first moved here from Sydney, I’ve always felt like the culture and the playing group was something special,” Sio said. “Knowing that Allan (Alaalatoa) and I be working together trying to improve each other’s game until the end of 2019 is fantastic.”
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McCalman rejoins Force
Wallabies No.8 Ben McCalman will make a surprise early return to Super Rugby when he lines up on the bench for the Western Force against the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. McCalman joined Force training last week after a stint with Japanese champions Panasonic Wild Knights that came on the back of a tough World Cup campaign.
He was expected to make his first Super Rugby appearance of the year in next week’s clash with the Brumbies but now replaces Chris Alcock on the bench after he was ruled out for 10 weeks with a knee injury.
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Ford defending school rugby
George Ford, the England fly-half, has rejected calls from 73 doctors and academics for a ban on tackling in rugby union matches played in UK and Irish schools. Ford, who is the smallest player in the England starting Six Nations team, insists that tackling is a fundamental part of the game and that rugby is a “very safe” game because of the improvement in grassroots coaching.
“Rugby has a lot of core values that are great. For kids especially: being part of a team, team spirit, coming together and playing a contact sport,” Ford said, emphasing that the experience of playing bigger opponents forced him to develop better tackling technique and all-round skills.
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