Monday’s Rugby News sees the Wallabies Squad named, rumours around the Reds, a Super Rugby triumph and the Aussie Steelers on a recruitment drive.
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Wallabies Squad named
After Friday nights trial match, Michael Cheika has finally named his squad for the upcoming Rugby Championship.
England-based stars Tatafu Polota-Nau and soon to be Melbourne Rebel Matt Toomua were named, along with six uncapped players in Australia’s extended 36-man training squad.
Both Tatafu Polota-Nau give Cheika some much needed depth in both the hooking and playmaking stocks, something Australia has been lacking over the last few years.
Outstanding young prospect Jordan Petaia was one of the six rookies named in Cheika’s squad on Sunday after lighting up Leichhardt Oval on Friday night in a dazzling trial display.
Petaia is only 18 years of age and this time last year was tearing it up for Brisbane State High School and his rise to stardom has been swift.
It remains to be seen whether his selection will help him continue his development or hinder it with many suggesting that it could be too early.
However Petaia has handled every step up so far, so it will be interesting to see how he takes on this one.
Billy Meakes also add cover to the midfield after injuries ruled out regulars Tevita Kuridrani and Samu Kerevi.
The other rookies include Tom Banks, who had a great finish to his season, Folau Faingaa, the young Brumbies hooker, Jack Maddocks, the electric fullback and Jermaine Ainsley, the Rebels front rower.
All of these rookies bar Petaia and Ainsley have been previously included in Wallabies squads and will be familiar with the systems in place.
The squad will be cut down after the camp in Cessnock this week with the Wallabies to then have a fan day in Blacktown next Sunday.
As usual, the All Blacks opener in Sydney doubles as the first game of the annual Bledisloe Cup series contested between the nations.
It’s a fairly stable squad, bar the midfield, so Cheika will be expecting team cohesion to rise again, something that has lacked under his reign due to the high amount of debutants he has selected.
I have a good feeling about the upcoming Tests (touchwood). I feel as though the Wallabies can smell All Black blood and are ready to pounce.
Training squad:
Forwards – Jermaine Ainsley*, Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Folau Faingaa*, Ned Hanigan, Michael Hooper (captain), Sekope Kepu, Tolu Latu, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Izack Rodda, Pete Samu, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, Caleb Timu, Lukhan Tui, Taniela Tupou.
Backs – Tom Banks*, Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Marika Koroibete, Jack Maddocks*, Billy Meakes*, Sefa Naivalu, Jordan Petaia*, Nick Phipps, Joe Powell, Curtis Rona, Matt Toomua.
* denotes uncapped player
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Thorn in the side
All does not seem well at Ballymore (hasn’t seemed well since 2011 really) as rumours continue to swirl over the futures of many of the Reds big name stars.
Added to the thought of star players leaving, the Israel Folau train is reaching its station and that’s in Sydney with the Wallaby now set to sign and extension with the Waratahs, according to rugby.com.au
Supposedly Folau’s camp are fighting for a four year extension and that remains a the main issue with Rugby Australia (is it really?) but either way, Tahs fans can rest easy – for now.
The Reds however, have even bigger concern.
The latest rumour to hit the ground is that Lukhan Tui is unhappy in Brisbane and wants to return to Sydney with his family and join the Waratahs to ply his trade.
It’s understood the Reds are reluctant to let the 21 year old walk away from a contract he is locked into until the end of 2020.
It would be a huge loss for Queensland after giving Tui and opportunity and probably only see the rewards for developing him in 2-3 years time.
Funny that’s when he’s off contract huh?
Outside back Izaia Perese is in a similar boat with the Brisbane Broncos circling the young gun – though he will be free to walk at the end of next season.
The noise around him is that he has already signed a contract with Brisbane for 2020, and will see out his deal with the Reds before shifting his kit over to Red hill.
Perese was heavily recruited by the Broncos when he was contracted to the Cowboys as a kid, even before his killer schoolboy days at Churchie. It’s understood Perese has grown frustrated this year after a partial ACL tear cruelled his season.
This would be another huge loss for Queensland Rugby after spending money, time and effort to get Perese and to give him his shot.
But when things aren’t going to plan, players want to leave.
That apparently includes Samu Kerevi, who has been silent around his future and the supposed undercut deal the Reds have offered him for 2019 and beyond.
The Brumbies are circling the star centre but Queensland are quietly confident they will retain the 24-year-old in what would be a huge loss for the Franchise, not just on a rugby front, but on a community and PR basis too.
Massive off season coming up for Thorn.
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Insanse ‘Saders
The Crusaders sealed back to back Super Rugby titles after keeping the Lions in the cage for a second straight year, coming up trumps with a 37-18 victory.
A year after travelling to Johannesburg to become the first team to cross the Indian Ocean and take the title, the Crusaders sealed their first at home since Robbie Deans’ side defeated the Waratahs in 2008.
The victory was the Crusaders 21st straight finals win in Christchurch.
Like, who even does that?
The poor Lions fell for their 3rd consecutive grand final loss after previously losing to the Hurricanes and the Crusaders.
Elton Jantjies continued his big match struggles with a patchy performance.
On the other side of the coin was Richie Mo’unga, the Crusaders playmaker who has dominated, and I mean dominated Super Rugby for two years.
Mo’unga was the star of the show and claimed man of the match honours.
The victory was also the perfect send off for Wallaby Peter Samu, who will join the Brumbies in 2019. Yay.
In winning, Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock paid tribute to his coach and hip hop dance legend, Scott Robertson, who became the first person to win back to back titles as a coach (2017-2018) and a player (1998-2000) as well as the 100000th coach who thinks he’s cool but isn’t.
According to news.com.au, Whitelock had this to say following the match.
“Razor really pulled back the training and the boys freshened up,”
“We knew that we just had to come down here in front of our family and friends.”
“It’s amazing when the fans come out.”
“Thanks to the Lions. You guys were absolutely outstanding.”
“Three years in a row in the final — well deserved.”
Lions captain Warren Whiteley said his team could be proud of their effort, which they should be, despite coming up short again.
“Obviously gutted,” Whiteley said.
“A bit emotional, to be honest.”
“But just immensely proud of each and every individual.”
“Credit must go to the Crusaders.”
“To Sam and his team they were unbelievable.”
“Everything that we threw at them they stopped. We tried everything.”
“Threw the kitchen sink at them and they deserved this win.”
A fitting end to the season where the Crusaders were by far, far and away the best team in the Competition.
Congratulations.
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McKinnon Signing?
Changing pace, Australia’s men’s wheelchair rugby team, who are the reigning Paralympic and world champions, have made a huge cross code offer to sign former Newcastle Knights back-rower Alex McKinnon according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Andrew Edmondson, 28, one of the star players who claimed gold at the Paralympics in Rio in 2016, says he has been trying to lure McKinnon across to rugby.
Edmonson is praising McKinnon and is keen for them to join sides.
“He would be so good at it,” Edmondson said ahead of the world championships, which is currently being held at Sydney Olympic Park.
“He’s got the perfect function for it, being a professional athlete before he had his accident. It would be great for the profile of our sport. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to get him into a rugby chair yet. Hopefully, one day, he will have a crack.”
McKinnon says “you would never say never” but seems content with the way his life is currently, with rehab, public speaking and foxsports appearances filling the time when he’s not with his wife Teigan, who is expecting their first child.
“To be honest, playing wheelchair rugby is something people ask me about at every presentation I do,” said McKinnon, who suffered a serious spinal injury four years ago while playing for the Knights in an NRL match against Melbourne.
“Throughout my rugby league career, I was quite selfish with the amount of time and dedication I had to put in because of how good I wanted to be. That’s all I could see in the world. Even my rehab, it was all about me.”
“Since my injury, I’ve challenged myself to look beyond those realms. Down the track, I’d love to focus on something. I’m not sure if wheelchair rugby is that. I’d probably like to coach rugby league. But I’ve got a good balance going on now.”
Edmondson’s life has also gone down a different path to what he was expecting.
On Friday afternoon 15 years ago he went down to Coogee Beach for a leisurely swim, caught a wave in the famous beach’s shore break, and broke his neck. He was left a quadriplegic after breaking his C4 and C5 vertebrae.
“I’d been to that beach thousands of times before,” Edmondson said. “I was just bodysurfing and went head first into the sandbank and that was it. There are probably at least four to eight major spinal injuries on Australian beaches a year. I’ve been mentoring a guy who broke his neck at the same beach, in the same area on a Friday afternoon.”
Until that moment, Edmondson life goal had been to one day become a Wallaby. He had just accepted a rugby scholarship to attend Scots.
“I was a nutcase back in the day,” Edmondson said. “Just an aggressive young sportsman. My dad would take me to Wallabies games and it was my dream to play for my country. I do now – but it’s just a different sport.”
When Edmondson was in hospital days after his accident, his grandmother, Judy McMaster, looked him in the eye and told him he would one day represent Australia at the Paralympics.
In 2016, the 86-year-old grandmother from Narrabri, who had never left the country before, sat in the stands in Rio as the Steelers claimed the gold medal.
An inspirational story as we hear a string of horrible news regarding young kids serious neck injuries.
As the reigning Paralympic gold medallists, Australia expect some fierce competition at these world champs.
“The US are the team to beat,” he said. “Every time we play against them, it’s close. Japan have really stepped up. So has Great Britain.”
The Steelers are attempted to defend their world title against 11 other nations this week. After that, Edmondson might try to convince McKinnon one last time to cross codes.
“He was one guy I wanted to reach out to after he had his accident,” Edmondson said. “Being so high profile, and with his injury being so high profile, it was tough to get in contact with him. But I eventually got in contact and told him my story.”
Both of have incredible stories.
Go the Steelers!
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