Mondays Rugby News sees The final round of the NRC, Liam Gill wants to come home, Lukhan Tui extends his break and English and Clark commit.
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FINAL HOME AND AWAY NRC
It has been a cracking season of NRC rugby with some entertaining, fast paced, high scoring and close matches in what was a highly competitive season.
The final weekend was no different.
It was a battle of the country teams when the NSW Country Eagles hosted Queensland Country in Tamworth. The match couldn’t have been closer at half time with scores level, but a second half blitz from Queensland saw them blow the score out 45-21. Don’t forget to read what Andrew had to say about the match.
Then there was the Western Force against the Fijian Drua in a challenge for the minor Premiership. A late surge from the Force wasn’t enough to get the win with the final scores being 33-28. Despite a bonus point the Force dropped to 3rdon the ladder. Here is Graham’s review of the match.
The Melbourne Rising played host to the Sydney Rays, with both teams playing for pride more than anything. A competitive first half saw the visitors up by 7 at the break, but that all changed with an onslaught of tries from the Melbourne men to see them run away with it 55-21. The loss to the Sydney Rays is the first time a team has gone winless throughout an NRC season. Mr Wobbly had his thoughts on the match.
Brisbane City and Canberra Vikings were playing for their season in their clash on Sunday afternoon. It was a slippery affair in prime rugby conditions up at Easts Rugby club in Brisbane with the Vikings taking the narrow victory 13-10. Check out Ben’s review of the match.
The Drua will host the Vikings in Fiji on Saturday for the first match of the finals and Queensland Country will take on the Force on the Gold Coast.
Given the success that the Drua have found in the NRC and the impact it is having on Fijian Rugby, it is possible to see another Pacific Island team join the competition.
Ben Whittaker, Rugby Australia’s High Performance Boss confirmed that there were early talks to bring either Samoa or Tonga in to the NRC. (Via SMH)
“We’ve had inquiries from World Rugby and clearly the other two nations they are keen to promote are Tonga and Samoa,” Whitaker said. “Fiji was a good three-and-a-half years in the making so it does take a bit of time to get things in order but that is a discussion that’s commenced.”
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FAMILY FIRST FOR TUI
Reds and Wallabies player Lukhan Tui confirmed over the weekend that he would not be going on the Spring Tour with the Wallabies, instead staying with his family as that deal with the loss of their father.
Tui stood down from rugby after the loss to Argentina on the Gold Coast the week of his step-father passing. The whole affair was marred even more when a drunken fan started an altercation with Tui.
Tui informed the Wallabies of his desire to take the rest of the year off to be with his family, and though they respect his decision, Wallabies coach Michael Cheikasaid the door to return to the tour would remain open if Tui changed his mind.
Tui did state he would be back for the next year with the Reds and hopes to make it back into the Gold jersey.
In an emotional post on social media, Tui broke the news to rugby fans, saying it was the easiest decision during the hardest period of his life.
“I’ve always been & forever will be #FamilyOverEveything, hence the choices I’ve made,” Tui posted.
“Stepping away from the game of rugby for the remainder of the year is a decision that is for my siblings and for my Mum. Rugby will always be there & at the end of the day it is only just a game.
“Because there’s honestly no atmosphere, experience, money or jersey that could ever separate me from doing what I love and that’s looking after my family.
“This is also to show my younger siblings that Family is truely above everything and setting an example for them to follow.
“This isn’t about putting myself last, it’s about putting them first which has always been the case. 1 month ago my family and I lost our Dad. He raised my siblings & I to be the people we are today and set the perfect example that we live by.
“He made my dream of playing rugby come true and taught me how to be a man and further to that a family man.
“This is something I’m humbled by and will forever be grateful for.
“I have a young family and I’m now the man of out home, I have self-expectations and a role to play that not many people can relate to or ever understand.
“My purpose in life has always been to make my family proud and to ensure that they are safe.
“Rugby is only a game and my family is everything to me.
“In saying that, I’ll be back next year to continue playing ruby for my Dad, Qld and hopefully for Australia again.
“Until then I will be contributing to helping finish what my dad started.
“I LOVE YOU DAD”.
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GILL WANTS TO COME HOME
It would appear that Liam Gill is the latest Aussie abroad to have an interest in coming back to Australia in 2019 in an effort to make a World Cup bid, after RUGBY.COM.AU claimed that Gill’s management reached out to the Super clubs.
A spot on the roster isn’t the only thing that Gill’s camp are looking for, with money being the reason he left, and it would have to be the reason he came back.
Currently Gill is earning $500,000 a season, (half of what Michael Hooper will make next season), and with Hooper and David Pocock on the RA books, it would appear that what ever money Gill earns will have to come from his Super Club.
This isn’t unheard of for Gill though; given when he left Australia his salary was paid in full by the QRU.
It is an interesting move for Gill, given the depths Australia currently has in its back row, and with Hooper at the Waratahs, Pocock at the Brumbies and the Rebels not likely to have much wiggle room in their salary cap, it would appear the only option for Gill would be to return to Queensland.
Currently Queensland don’t have a large amount to spare in the salary cap, but the moving on of James Slipper to the Brumbies could help open the door. If the Reds can move on other exiled players Karmichael Hunt and Quade Cooper it would definitely free up the money to bring Gill home.
On the Quade Cooper front, he is still tipped to join the Rebels for the 2019 season, with RUGBY.COM.AU stating that the Rebels, Reds and Rugby Australia are all keen to make this deal happen.
Nick McArdle reported on Kick and Chase a few weeks back that the deal for Coopers services in Melbourne would be announced soon, which could coincide with the end of the NRC season for Brisbane City.
Stay tuned Rugby fans.
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ENGLISH AND CLARK STAY THE COURSE
Melbourne Rebels Tom English and NSW Waratahs Cameron Clark have both resigned with their respective clubs for the 2019 seasons.
Both players had strong seasons in 2018 and are looking forward to a much-improved 2019 season.
English joined the Rebels in 2012 on an extended playing contract and now sits as the 2nd most capped Rebels player. Despite there being some strong competition for a spot in the Rebels back line Club Captain English held his own and even captained the side during Adam Coleman’s injury.
“I learnt some time ago that a Club isn’t defined by the four walls surrounding it. What defines a great Club, like ours, is the people within these four walls,” said English.
“This year the personnel we have on and off the field are exceptional and we are all working towards something special.’
“Being here for as long as I have and having experiencing mixed levels of success in that time, I can honestly sense we have really elevated our expectations. We’re challenging ourselves more than ever and we’re exceptionally committed to doing our members proud.
“We have made some really exciting signings. Retaining guys like Marika and Angus Cottrell plus new recruits like Matt Toomua and Isi Naisarani will only strengthen our squad even further,” said English.
Cameron Clark made the switch from Sevens to XVs in 2017 and continues to work hard to earn as starting spot in the Waratahs competitive back line. He has racked up 23 matches in the blue jersey and has been praised by his coach for his outstanding work eithic.
“That is one of the reasons I want to continue playing rugby in NSW. The environment creates healthy competition for positions, and it drives us to prove ourselves to the coaches and compete for those starting positions,” Clark said.
“I am enjoying being part of this group, love pulling on the sky blue jersey and I’m thankful for the opportunity to stay with a team I grew up supporting,”
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