MONDAY’S RUGBY NEWS
Monday’s rugby news has all the latest results from the professional, underage and professional-ish rugby around the country meanwhile the ‘Tahs have a few selection issues as they set off for the republic.
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Super Rugby Round 11
What a time to be a Reds fan. For the second week in a row we’ve survived the weekend without a loss! Feels like they’re really building some momentum up in here in the Sunshine State.
Over in Christchurch, things weren’t so peachy for Lions. Facing their vanquishers from last and the previous year’s finals and both the Lions’ losing streak against the Crusaders and the Crusaders winning streak against all-comers continued as the locals ran away with it 36-10.
The Friday night big scores continued in Tokyo where the Sunwolves were thrashed by the Highlanders. From 33-0 at half time things didn’t get any better with the Kiwi side running out 52-0 winners. The Sunwolves have the dishonour of registering this season’s first duck.
An all-Kiwi affair got Saturday’s action underway. The high-flying Hurricanes made short work of the lowly Chiefs, the former doing it easy on their way to a 47-19 win.
Parramatta’s fancy new Bankwest stadium was the latest joint to host a Waratah fixture as the lads in gold blue faced off against the Sharks. From even Stevens at the break things went to pieces for the home side, a red card and subsequent yellow card proved too much for the ‘Tahs to overcome as they went down, 23-15.
The Stormers and Bulls went head to head at Newlands. The Stormers had all the running in the first half but penalties kept the Bulls in it. From 14-9 at the half the lead changed twice more and there was even a try after the siren to add to the excitement. In the end, the Cape Towners got the W, 24-23.
There was a post in my social media feed along the lines of “jeez it’s hard to be a Brumbies fan” and it’s a sentiment well worth echoing. Their match in Buenos Aires was dominated by fumbling attack, missed opportunities and a second half that only saw one penalty goal apiece as the scoring. The Jaguares might too frustrate their fans but at least they did enough to win the match 20-15.
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Under 20’s Crush It
The under 20 Oceania comp got underway over the weekend.
It was New Zealand proving way too strong for Fiji as they got their campaign started with a 53-7 trouncing of their Pacific neighbours.
It was Australia against Japan later that evening. The Aussies, led by Super Rugby-capped Fraser McReight (chipping in with two tries of his own) blew away the Baby Blossoms 62-14.
Despite the Super Rugby experience, the breakaway still spoke like a Gold Coast Titan making references to “stoke” and giving credit to Japan, speaking to rugby.com.au he said,
“Any time you win a Test match for your country it’s a great feeling, especially when you end up with a score line like that.
“It’s a huge stoked feeling in the gut and we can’t wait for Tuesday.
“Credit to Japan, we said all week we had to respect them and we knew what they were capable of.
“They came out firing but our defence was really good and our attack was good.”
Continuing on, McReight seemed to put the league/Point Break phrase book away as he talked about the challenges (in Fiji on Tuesday and then New Zealand on Saturday)
“I know the first half was quite tight and from what I heard Fiji really stuck it to New Zealand.
“And that’s good for us because we won’t go and think that they’re an easy beat.
“We wouldn’t anyway but it’s really important that we stick to our game plans, review our game and just move forward.”
You can catch the Aussies taking on Fiji (5.00pm Tuesday) and finally, New Zealand (7.00pm Saturday) across rugby.com.au and Facebook, or if you’re around the Goldy you could pop on down to Bond uni and get your heckle on.
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Premier Grade Results
Round 5 of QLD prems rugby saw many a team welcome back their Super Rugby players as the Reds took a week off with the bye.
Sunnybank went down to Brothers, 8-17.
Norths knocked off UQ 36-26.
Easts just fell short to Souths 24-26.
And GPS took the title of “best in the west” beating Wests 35-19.
In Shute Shield action it went as follows.
Norths defeated Manly 22-15.
Warringah were too strong for Gordon 25-13.
University went down at home to Eastwood 21-27.
And the Waratah-Sharks curtain raiser West Harbour plundered Western Sydney 41-15.
In Victoria the Dewar Shield finally got underway.
Melbourne belted Morabbin 69-0.
Box Hill overpowered Powerhouse 53-5.
Try as the might, Endeavour hills lost to Harlequins 49-5.
And the students of Melbourne Uni outsmarted Foot(e)scray 50-5.
It was heritage round in the ACT for round 4 of the Jon I Dent Cup.
Gungahlin dispatched Queanbeyan 32-19.
Wests were dethroned by the Royals -27-29.
Uni-Norths fell to Tuggeranong 22-27.
South Australia’s Coopers Premiership also got their season started.
Port Adelaide had the wood over, err, Woodville 33-27.
Souths absolutely embarrassed Elizabeth 79-0
Adelaide Uni got over Barossa 20-19
Onkaparinga lost at home to Old Collegians 24-32
And Brighton beat Burnside 31-22
WA’s FMG Premier Grade round 4 went as follows.
Wests topped the Associates 29-16.
Curtin uni were thumped 76-8 by Kalamunda.
Pamyra snuck past Cottesloe 22-15.
Nedlands crushed ARKs 54-21.
UWA were too strong for Southern Lions 40-21.
Wanneroo eased past Bayswater 47-15.
And Perth’s Filth (Joondalup Brothers) scraped by the Cavaliers 29-28.
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Tah Tour Squad
The Waratahs’ squad has departed for the republic and they’ve been forced into a few changes. Gun loosie Jack Dempsey is nursing a back injury, rake (and also gun loosie, dude’s a beast over the ball!) Tolu Latu has a dud calf, and fellow front-rower Rory O’Connor’s ribs still need time to recoup.
The trio are joined by Jed Holloway, who is facing a SANZAAR judiciary tonight after his red card against the Sharks. Seems the team is resigned to Holloway being rubbed out for a few games given the blatant nature of his offence. (author asks, anyone got an example of a similar offence and what suspension SANZAAR handed down?)
It’s not all bad news though. Ned Hanigan and Will Miller both boarded the plane after missing game time with injury, and test-capped prop Tom Robertson is set to come straight back into the fray, having recovered from his knee reconstruction that he underwent after rupturing his ACL during a training session in Argentina last October.
The full squad is
Adam Ashley Cooper
Alex Newsome
Andrew Tuala
Bernard Foley
Cam Clark
Chris Talakai
Cody Walker
Curtis Rona
Damien Fitzpatrick
Harry Johnson Holmes
Hugh Sinclair
Jake Gordon
Karmichael Hunt
Kurtley Beale
Lachlan Swinton
Lalakai Foketi
Mack Mason
Michael Hooper
Michael Wells
Ned Hanigan
Nick Phipps
Rob Simmons
Ryan McCauley
Sekope Kepu
Tom Robertson
Tom Staniforth
Will Miller
The ‘Tahs face the Bulls and then the Lions.
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