Thursday’s rugby news has Australia accepting Championship challenge, the IRB awards, Cheika scouting young stars and the European breakaway competition struggling for ideas.
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Link unfazed by tough 2014 schedule
For the third year in a row, Australia will begin the Rugby Championship with back-to-back matches against the world champion All-Blacks. But coach Ewen McKenzie says there’s no point making excuses for the tough draw, maintaining that with the improvement exhibited on the Spring Tour, and a number of Tests against France in June, the Wallabies should be in the ideal shape to break their current hoodoo.
‘It’s not daunting, it’s a really good challenge for us,’ McKenzie said. ‘We didn’t get it right (this year) but each time we played New Zealand we closed the gap so we’ll look forward to that.’ Link’s side will also hopefully be boosted by the return of Kurtley Beale, David Pocock, Wycliff Palu and Scott Higginbotham all back from injury – with the Super Rugby season to start in February. [/one_half]
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Kieran Read wins player of the year
All Blacks captain Kieran Read has been named the IRB’s World Player of the Year. ‘His talent, work ethic and attitude make him an extremely valuable player for New Zealand and a formidable opponent for everyone else,’ IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said. ‘Winning this award reflects a magnificent contribution to our game during 2013.’ It was the sixth time in 13 years that a New Zealander has picked up the IRB’s top award, and the 28-year old now joins team-mate winners Richie McCaw (three) and Dan Carter (two).
New Zealand also predictably picked up the team of the year award while Steve Hansen was named coach of the year. Other nominees for the Player of the Year award were Welsh fullback Leigh Halfpenny, young South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth, Italy captain Sergio Parisse and All Black team-mate Ben Smith. [/one_half]
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Cheika scouting young talent
Waratahs coach Michael Cheika has commended the ARU’s introduction of a national under-20s tournament, introducing a new NSW Colts outfit to buid the next crop of Super Rugby talent. The Waratahs coaching staff have been working closely with chief scout Tim Kelaher, as well as keeping regular contact with school teams and junior colts.
The clear pathway to the Waratahs will seek to build a professional work-ethic amongst youngsters, while also spicing up competition for senior positions. ‘Having the Colts eyeing off a goal of playing with the Waratahs is sure to have some of the senior players looking over their shoulders,’ Cheika said. [/one_half]
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English clubs now struggling
England’s leading clubs have met this week to try to formulate an alternative competition to the Heineken Cup in the wake of their French counterparts announcing their re-commitment to the traditional European competition. The clubs seemed united in their breakaway, despite the recent French backflip, proposing an expanded Premiership, a world club championship and enhanced Anglo-Welsh tournament.
The new Heineken tournament has been valued at £40 million, with the French to receive £20 million and the Rabo-Direct Pro12 clubs to split the remaining £20 million as part of an equal split between the two leagues. That would result in the Welsh regions each receiving £1.25 million, whereas they had been guaranteed £2 million in the Rugby Champions’ Cup. This difference might cement Welsh involvement, as teams struggle to secure their star players. [/one_half]
