Thursdays Rugby News sees Sio re-signs, Rodda to captain the Reds, No more Super for Pocock and a new Mens Sevens recruit.
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SIO RE-SIGNS
Wallabies and Brumbies prop Scott Sio has signed a new contract extension that will keep in Australian Rugby until the end 0f 2022.
The 27 year old has been a first choice pick for the Wallabies for the past four years, picking up 55 tests so far.
Sio debuted for the Brumbies in 2012, and the Wallabies a year later, and now wanted to pay it back by showing loyalty. With many big name players leaving the Brumbies at the end of the season, Sio wanted to stick around to be apart of the coming changes.
“I’m super excited to re-sign. I’ve obviously been at the club for a long time and I’ve seen a lot of what we’re trying to grow. It’s really cool to be part of the youth’s next progression as well. I’ve seen that Noah Lolesio and Len Ikitau have re-signed too so it’s great to be part of their journey as well.” Sio said to the media.
“It’s a special town. I’ve spent eight years of my life in Canberra and you get pretty close with the fans, and I really appreciate that so I’m looking forward to a couple more years.
“Winning the World Cup with the Wallabies is the goal this year so we need to recognise the steps to get there. We just had a camp in Brisbane and it was great to get the vibe and what we want to do moving forward,” Sio said.
Wallabies Coach Michael Cheika backs Sio’s commitment to the team and is confident that he has even more in the tank to give.
“I’m really pleased for Scott and for Australian Rugby that he’s committed long term. He’s already given so much to each of the teams he plays in but he’s still got plenty left to give.
“One thing that stands out with Scott is his commitment to the cause. He’s always committed to being a better person, a better player and contributing to a better team,” Cheika said.
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar has welcomed the contract extension.
“He’s been here a long time now, Scotty, 2012 was his first season and he’s developed into a world-class loosehead prop,” McKellar said.
“He’s performing well currently and it’s great to have him locked in for the next few years.
“He’s a powerful bloke with the football, which is something that’s really understated and he’s starting to understand how damaging he can be in attack and defence and obviously his scrum and maul work has always been quality.”
McKellar even spoke out Sio’s maturity around the possibility of James Slipper coming down to Canberra, a rival for his starting spot.
“I think his attitude’s been exceptional,” McKellar said.
“The first time I spoke to him about the possibility of Slips coming here, he said: ‘whatever’s best for the team, whatever’s best for the club’, he understood the benefits for him and Slips with managing their load and minutes and he’s really developed into a good leader, Scotty.
“So I’m really pleased with his attitude because it’d be really easy for someone to go the other way and not be happy about it. But he’s really bought into it.
“They’re good mates and understand each other’s role well and one starts the game and one finishes it.”
The Brumbies have been blessed with arguably the best front row in Australia, with an option off the bench. With Sio and Allan Alaalatoa locked down for the next few years the Brumbies and the Wallabies front row future looks very bright.
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CAPTAIN RODDA
Reds Captain Samu Kerevi has played in every match for the Reds this season and left fans wondering how and why he had avoided the mandatory Wallabies resting period and when it would happen.
According to rugby.com.au, Keveri was meant to be benched during the Sharks game, but was kept in to try and keep the Reds finals hopes alive. Now that they have played back to back conference matches, the time to rest Kerevi seemed appropriated
Kerevi will miss out this weeks match against the Chiefs in Hamilton, making way for young lock Izack Rodda to take up the call as Captain.
Assistant coach Jim Mackay said Rodda was honoured to receive the captaincy.
“He won’t be doing anything different in the game but he’s a leader in the team as one of our nominated senior leaders anyway, so he was the obvious choice to step up there,” Mackay said.
“It’s a great responsibility for him and he’ll own that and do a great job.
“He has grown and he’s a senior player within the group.
“I think that he’ll do a terrific job for us and it’s a great experience for him as well.”
There have been three changes to the starting line up that narrowly lost to the Waratahs last week.
Harry Hoopert will start in the front row, with Duncan Paia’aua to replace Kerevi at inside centre and Seb Wileman will finally make his Super Rugby debut at outside centre replacing Chris Feauai-Sautia who is out with a knee injury.
The Reds have also made several changes to their bench, with Feao Fotuaika, Teti Tela and Adam Korczyk recalled to the 23.
Scrumhalf Scott Maloua and outside back Liam McNamara are in line to make their Queensland debuts off the bench.
Mackay told the media that the changes to the 23 weren’t a reaction to last weeks loss, more that injuries have forced the changes, with every player having earned his spot in the squad.
“We picked up a bit of damage last week with injuries, especially in the centres. Chris (Feauai-Sautia) picked up a bit of a knee knock which is not serious and he failed a fitness test.” Mackay said.
“And Samu, through the arrangement with Rugby Australia, this is one of the weeks that was selected to have a rest week.
“He’s played a lot of minutes and a lot of rugby.
“It’s an opportunity for Duncan (Paia’aua) to come on to the park and show people what he can do and we know he’s a very good player.”
“(Regardless of the player), they’re going to bring energy and enthusiasm, they know our systems and I’m really looking forward to the game and how they go as well.”
“Whoever plays for Queensland, every game is so special and it’s a really good opportunity for the team to go over to the Chiefs,” Mackay added.
“We won there last in 2013, so we’re going over there to get the job done.
1. Harry Hoopert 2. Alex Mafi 3. Taniela Tupou 4. Izack Rodda 5. Angus Blyth 6. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto 7. Liam Wright 8. Angus Scott-Young 9. Tate McDermott 10. Bryce Hegarty 11. Sefa Naivalu 12. Duncan Paia’aua 13. Seb Wileman 14. Jock Campbell 15. Matt McGahan
Reserves
16. Brandon Paenga-Amosa 17. Feao Fotuaika 18. Ruan Smith 19. Adam Korczyk 20. Scott Higginbotham 21. Scott Malolua 22. Teti Tela 23. Liam McNamara
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NO MORE SUPER FOR POCOCK
With rumours of David Pocock retiring or leaving Australian Rugby post World Cup, he may have played his last match of Super Rugby.
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar has said Pocock’s season could be over, with a decision to be made in the coming days.
Pocock had play 138 minutes of Rugby in just three rounds of the season after being plagued with a calf injury that he picked up in preseason at Wallabies fitness camp.
Despite hopes he could make a return after the bye, he will once again miss out on taking the field for the Brumbies when they host the Bulls in Canberra this weekend.
“The Wallabies medical staff and Brumbies medical staff will have a chat over the next few days and we’ll come to some sort of clarity there as to where he heads over the next two weeks,” McKellar said.
“There’s things we’ve got to look at to see whether he plays Super Rugby or whether we now put his attention towards the World Cup.”
Pocock comes out of contract at the end of the season but is expected to head overseas or retire due to injuries.
The Brumbies have done well despite losing Pocock as they look to secure their spot on top of the Australian Conference.
There are some big names returning from injury this week with Rory Arnold returning into the starting lineup, Rob Valentini has been named on the bench and Locky McCaffrey making’s return through club rugby.
McKellar has opted for a 6-2 split to counter act a strong Bulls forward pack but knows just how deadly their backs can be with Handre Pollard and Rosko Speckman.
“We’re expecting physicality … scrum, maul, big men running hard, nice and direct. There will be no surprises there in terms of what they bring,” McKellar said.
“But the Bulls have a little bit more footy in their game this year. They’re a little bit more dangerous off the cuff and have players who can change a game very quickly.
“(Rosko) Speckman is dangerous, so we’ve got to make sure that we limit his opportunities and surround him with bodies when he’s got the ball.
“(Handre) Pollard is a real threat with ball in hand and discipline has been spoken about because he’ll have you down 15-0 before you know it, (kicking penalties) from 50 or 60 metres out.”
“So we’ve got to keep (referee) Jaco (Peyper) on side.”
Brumbies Side to face the Bulls
1. Scott Sio 2. Folau Fainga’a 3. Allan Alaalatoa 4. Rory Arnold 5. Sam Carter 6. Tom Cusack 7. Jahrome Brown 8. Pete Samu 9. Joe Powell 10. Christian Lealiifano 11. Toni Pulu 12. Irae Simone 13. Tevita Kuridrani 14. Henry Speight 15. Tom Banks
Reserves
16. Connal Mcinerney 17. James Slipper 18. Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin 19. Darcy Swain 20. Murray Douglas 21. Rob Valetini 22. Ryan Lonergan 23. Tom Wright
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QUADZILLA SIGNED WITH MENS SEVENS
Trae Williams may have been one of the fastest sprinters for Australia, but now he’s given up sprinting to try his hand at Rugby Sevens after signing a deal with Rugby Australia.
Back in 2014, Williams cam in third in the 100m at the Youth Olympics, and last year clocked in at 10.10 seconds at the Commonwealth Games national trials for 100m.
But now he has been recruited by Aussie men’s sevens coach Tim Walsh and assistant Stephen Hoiles, as they looked for an outside the box option for genuine speed in their squad.
Williams isn’t that far out of the box though, having played both rugby and league as a schoolboy and trialled with the Under 20s programs of the Cowboys and the Broncos in 2014 and 2015.
It was his rugby history that caught the eye of Stephen Hoiles who reached out to the sprinter. Williams believes the opportunity was “too good to pass up.”
“It was definitely a big decision. I obviously grew up playing league and then through high school played rugby so I have always had that passion for it. And it’s an Olympic sport as well,” Williams said.
“So to have that opportunity to go to the Olympics and play rugby is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I had to take it.
“I had a very good chance of making it to the Olympics in the 100m and the 4x100m, but it came down to what I wanted to do, and I have a passion for rugby.
“Steve (Hoiles) just rang me up and offered me the chance to come play for the sevens team. I obviously had a chat with my family and my friends and they said “do what your heart tells you”. So I took the opportunity and I can’t wait.
“The guys are a good bunch of guys and a good team, so hopefully I can be another extra piece of the puzzle to help achieve some great things.”
Tim Walsh said that Williams is in excellent condition to convert across to Sevens, in particular with a rugby back ground, as the Mens team look to replicate the speed the USA has in Perry Baker and Carlin Isles as well as Ellia Green.
“Trae is an exciting athlete to be joining the Qantas Australian Men’s Sevens program and we are looking forward to getting him into the program. “We’ve identified that a key area we need to improve on is adding more speed to our squad and Trae is the combination of speed and physical ability.
“Physically he is excellent condition to convert into Sevens and what he will potentially offer us in terms of speed out wide will add to what we offer on the World stage.
“Players with sprinting backgrounds have made excellent converts to the game such as the USA’s Perry Baker and Carlin Isles as well as our very own Ellia Green and we believe Trae’s transfer will be just as successful.
“He’s been a talented Rugby and Rugby League player in the past and I know he is looking forward to throwing himself into Sevens and mixing it with some of the best athletes in the world.”
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