Tuesday’s rugby news has some gossip from the Dublin suspensions, Dennis healthy, Butler ready for sevens battle and Ireland trying to close out the Six nations.
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Mowen fending off rumours
Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has emphatically denied the rumours that Ben Mowen dobbed in his teammates over the drinking session in Dublin. 15 Wallabies were reprimanded for drinking and breaking curfew during last November’s tour but Link has emphasised, ‘No player dobbed in any other play in Dublin or anywhere else, I can’t make it any more clear than that.’
But players have apparently expressed their anger privately over the role that certain players had to play in the mass punishment. Reports emerged that Mowen and Brumbies teammate Stephen Moore would be players of focus for the Tahs this Saturday. [/one_half]
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Dennis fit for Brumbies match
Waratahs skipper Dave Dennis has declared himself fit for the match against the Brumbies, having recovered from a knee injury sustained against the Force in round 1. After a week-off, Dennis has said that he is ‘100 per cent ready’ for this weekend’s match, adding, ‘It was just a bit of bone bruising and I could have played against the Reds.’
Meanwhile, in-form teammate Kurtley Beale has talked down his assumed push for the Wallabies 12 jersey, emphasising that he is still trying to adapt to the position at the Super Rugby level. ‘My focus is purely on the Waratahs,’ Beale said. ‘The Wallabies, I’m not really thinking about it at all.’ [/one_half]
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Fardy backs Butler in 7s battle
As injured flanker David Pocock made his first visit to training since Monday’s knee reconstruction, blindside Scott Fardy has backed the Brumbies’ new no.7 Jarrad Butler in Saturday night’s clash with his opposite number Michael Hooper. Fardy said that it was business as usual, backing Butler to take on the incumbent Wallaby openside at the breakdown. ‘We’ve signed Jarrad because he’s a quality player and he’s proven that in the first three games by playing good footy,’ Fardy said.
Ben Alexander added that the Brumbies will make use of every player at the ruck battle, asserting, ‘The way we play, it’s never been about the seven at the breakdown.’ [/one_half]
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Luck of the Irish
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt will be hoping to take advantage of their tournament leading points differential to come out Six Nations Champions after Saturday’s series-deciding games. Ireland (81) head for Paris on Saturday in a three-way battle with England (32) and France (3). On three of the last four occasions where points difference has been the deciding factor in determining the tournament winner, Ireland have lost out.
Schmidt is also now employing the services of sports psychologist Enda McNulty to help the team shrug off ‘superstition’ and claim the title. Ireland’s last victory in Paris came in 2000, but Schmidt maintains that the team is focused and undeterred by this recent history. [/one_half]
