Thursday’s Rugby News has Folau banned, Rebels and Tahs name their squads, Rugby’s presence in Western Sydney and an International Captain Retires with another one Returning.
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FOLAU BANNED
Israel Folau has been banned for one match following his citing for contact in the air during the third Irish test.
Folau was yellow carded and later cited for making contact with Irish captain Peter O’Mahony when he was in the air. O’Mahony was stretchered off after he landed awkwardly.
The citing commissioner, New Zealand’s Michael O’Leary, said Folau had “placed his left hand on O’Mahony’s chest”, which had pulled the flanker “over and he toppled to the ground.” Via ESPN
Folau and Rugby Australia are expected to appeal the decision that will be heard on either Thursday or Friday morning. If he is successful he would be able to play against the Melbourne Rebels.
The ban puts increased pressure on the jumper, who can’t pull out once they have left the ground, but doesn’t acknowledge the risks associated with the one-man lift and the responsibility of the lifter to bring the player down safely, not dropping them. As someone who was lifted in lineouts, coaches always said that the lifters had to bring you down, not drop you, so the same rules should apply to the one-man lift.
The decision to card and cite Izzy has brought out a lot of opinions regarding the rules and the officiating around matches. Once again players and coaches are calling for consistency over the rules. Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said that there is so much grey and interpretation of the laws that he doesn’t see how the referees can clarify it.
Bernard Foley had a few thoughts but they seem to echo most people in Rugby “I think probably the inconsistency of it is the frustrating thing,” Foley said.
Irish coach Joe Schmit raised the point about grabbing players in the air, even in fair contests, stating there is always a risk in aerial contest.
“Once a player is up and he’s lifted and you do grab him — whether you win the ball or not — you’re running the risk.
“That’s the nature of the game these days.
“I know the reason is well founded because we want player safety as best as we can get it, but at the same time we’ve got to keep that competitive element as much as we can.”
Dane Haylett-Petty is concerned that teams will use the one-man lift to remove the contest or milk penalties unless something is sorted out. (via Rugby.com.au)
“I think they’re probably encouraging teams to do that if they’re going to protect them so heavily,” he said.
“Every single one of those Izzy’s got an eye for the ball, it’s a fair contest, they’re at the same level, and then any sort of contact, you saw, he fell heavily, so it doesn’t take much at all.”
This will be an issue that probably won’t stop with Folau’s appeal.
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NO CAPTAINS, NO WORRIES?
Friday night footy is back.
In a must win game for the Melbourne Rebels and the NSW Waratahs on Friday night, both teams will be short their captains. Both teams are looking for a win to secure a spot in the finals.
Waratahs captain Michael Hooper suffered a hamstring injury after he was cleaned out of a ruck 17 minutes into the Wallabies third test against Ireland on Saturday night. Rebels captain Adam Coleman came off at the 45thminute with an adductor strain suffered when he was caught under a maul.
Hooper is expected to miss four weeks according to Waratahs assistant coach Simon Cron. Speaking to the media Cron had this to say.
“Our physios are working with the Wallabies physios around the time frames and from what I understand … at this stage I’d say four weeks.
“We’d hope to have him back in our finals series. It’s very early. They will keep working through it.”
Melbourne Rebels coach David Wessels expects that Coleman will be cleared to play against the Queensland Reds the following weekend.
The Waratah’s have named Will Miller to start at No.7, with Vice Captain Bernard Foley taking the captains role. The Tah’s have named Israel Folau at Fullback hoping to have his suspension overturned, with Bryce Hegarty to come in should it stand. Ned Hannigan comes back into the starting team at Blind Side, and Wallabies Hooker Tolu Latu will be on the bench.
Geoff Parling comes into the second row for the Rebels in replace of Coleman and Tom English will captain the side. Ben Daly will get his first start for the Rebels, and Nathan Charles has replaced Jordan Uelese on the bench.
The Rebels host the Waratahs at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Friday night.
The Rebels Squad
1. Ben Daley 2. Anaru Rangi 3. Sam Talakai 4. Matt Philip 5. Geoff Parling (v/c) 6. Angus Cottrell 7. Colby Fainga’a 8. Amanaki Mafi 9. Michael Ruru 10. Reece Hodge 11. Marika Koroibete 12. Billy Meakes 13. Tom English (capt.) 14. Jack Maddocks 15. Dane Haylett-Petty Reserves 16. Nathan Charles 17. Fereti Sa’aga 18. Jermaine Ainsley 19. Ross Haylett-Petty 20. Lopeti Timani 21. Harrison Goddard 22. Jack Debreczeni 23. Sefa Naivalu
The Waratahs Squad
1. Tom Robertson 2. Damien Fitzpatrick 3. Sekope Kepu 4. Jed Holloway 5. Rob Simmons (v/c) 6. Ned Hanigan 7. Will Miller 8. Michael Wells 9. Nick Phipps 10. Bernard Foley (capt.) 11. Taqele Naiyaravoro 12. Kurtley Beale 13. Curtis Rona 14. Cam Clark 15. Israel Folau Reserves 16. Tolu Latu 17. Harry Johnson-Holmes 18. Paddy Ryan 19. Tom Staniforth 20. Brad Wilkin 21. Jake Gordon 22. Bryce Hegarty 23. Alex Newsome
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WESTERN SYDNEY SHOWS UP FOR LEAGUE
On Saturday night when the Wallabies took on the Irish in front of a sell out crowd at Allianz Stadium, another International match was played in Sydney to a packed house. It just wasn’t a game of Union.
Tonga played Samoa in a Pacific nations Rugby League match at Campbelltown Stadium in front of a crowd of 17,802 spectators. The crowd was treated to some fast paced league, with Tonga finishing strong with a 38-22 victory.
This match did not garner large amounts of media attention but the crowd numbers are something to look at. No Australian Super Rugby match has had those numbers in attendance.
This match occurred in the same year that Penrith are removed from the Shute Shield and the Greater Sydney Rams were dropped from the NRC. Which raises the question, what is NSWRU and RA’s plan for Western Sydney? Give it to the NRL and AFL?
Not even two years ago, Sydney Rugby Union boss David Begg floated the idea that a Super Rugby team would work in Western Sydney. He believed the cross-town rivalry between East and West Sydney (like the AFL and Soccer) would be great for the game. Former Waratahs, Force and Rugby Union Players’ Association boss Greg Harris even suggested moving the Western Force from WA to become the Western Sydney Force. (via SMH.com)
Over the years there has been talk of a Super Rugby team in Western Sydney but lately all that Rugby Australia appears to be doing is culling teams rather than put money into the area. Why does it feel like Rugby Union in Western Sydney has been abandoned?
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ONE CAPTAIN RETIRES ANOTHER RETURNS
South Africa’s most capped Super Rugby player Adriaan Straus has announced he will retirefrom all forms of Rugby at the end of the 2018 season.
The former Springbok captain has played 156 Super matches so far, including 97 for the Cheetahs, and will finish his career with the Bulls.
“It hasn’t been an easy decision, but one that I’ve been thinking about for a while now,” he said.
“It is however time for me to enter into the next phase of my life and focus on a few new ventures.”
Straus holds 66 Springbok caps and captained them in 2016 before he retired from International Rugby.
As one captain retires another returns to the game, with All Black captain Kieran Read set to make his return for the Crusaders.
Read hasn’t played top level Rugby in 7 months after he received spinal surgery in December, putting an end to his European tour. Not that the All Blacks or the Crusaders appear to be missing him.
The All Blacks skipper played the first 40 minutes for Counties Manukau on Wednesday in a pre-season provincial match at Manurewa Rugby Club, south of Auckland. Hopefully some bloke in New Zealand is celebrating he got to lay a tackle on the All Black captain.
Read is hopefully he will lead the All Black in the Rugby Championships, assuming he can finish strong with the Crusaders.
“Today really was just to go out and get a bit of contact, take a few hits, make some tackles and really just enjoy the game,” he said.
“It is going to be a step up going back to Super Rugby and it’s up to the coaches to decide how they want to use me.”
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