Wednesday’s Rugby News sees Super Rugby Covid contingencies, a ‘Vintage Reds XV’ v Tongan Invitational side charity game announced for 15 February, Louis Lynagh joining Pommy squad for Jocks game and some basic laws clarifications for casual viewers.
Super Rugby Covid disruption
SRuper Rugby News reports that the Western Force will base themselves on Australia’s East Coast for the opening rounds of the inaugural season of Super Rugby Pacific due to ongoing border restrictions in Western Australia. “Border Force” (thanks Habitual Offender), the Brumbies and Waratahs have agreed to swap home and away fixtures in the early rounds of the competition to allow the season to proceed with minimal disruptions.
The Force home fixture against the Brumbies originally scheduled for Round 1 will now be played in Canberra, with the Force instead hosting the Brumbies in Round 6. Their home fixture against the Waratahs, originally scheduled for Round 4, will now be played in NSW, with the Force instead hosting the Tahs in Round 9.
The Force will seek to retain their home match against the Reds in Round 3, with the venue for this match to be confirmed. The Force will continue to work with the Western Australian government to host the match in Perth, however, venues on the east coast are also being explored.
Stuff dot co dot enzid reports that WA Rugby boss Tony Lewis has warned that “rugby will die” in the west if his side can’t play some games at home this season. “The West Australian rugby public is in a honeymoon phase with rugby again and if we don’t get seven home games, then rugby will die over here,” Lewis said. A spokesperson for the East Coast conspiracy to keep the Force down replied “Muhahaha!” when contacted by G&GR for comment. The Force rejoined Super Rugby in 2020 but spent the season in the east, returning home to play seven games at home, including wins over the Waratahs and Reds, last year.
Updated early fixtures are:
Round 1 – Brumbies v Western Force, GIO Stadium Canberra, 2:00pm, Sunday 20 February
Round 3 – Western Force v Queensland Reds, TBC
Round 4 – NSW Waratahs v Western Force, Leichhardt Oval, 2:00pm, Sunday 13 March
Round 6 – Western Force v Brumbies, HBF Park Perth, 7:00pm, Friday 25 March
Round 9 – Western Force v NSW Waratahs, HBF Park Perth, 5:45pm, Saturday 16 April
The SMH reports that New Zealand Rugby is expected to announce the formation of a tournament bubble in Queenstown, where the five New Zealand sides and new entrants Moana Pasifika will be based, to keep the competition alive under current “red” settings.
A bubble in Queenstown should allow them to play the first half of the competition but with international arrivals still heavily restricted and no clear timeline on reopening, the crossover fixtures set for April onwards look at long odds to take place.
The situation has prompted hushed talks of moving the crossover games and three-week finals series to Australia to ensure the competition can proceed with integrity while also meeting its broadcast commitments.
Tonga volcano relief curtain-raiser 5pm 15 Feb @ Suncorp
Nine reports that Queensland rugby legends will come out of retirement in a stirring effort to help tsunami-ravaged Tonga.
A ‘Vintage Reds XV’ will play a Tongan Invitational side in a charity match at Suncorp Stadium as a curtain raiser to Queensland’s Super Rugby Pacific opener against the Melbourne Rebels on February 15.
Drew Mitchell, James Horwill, Scott Higginbotham and David Croft are among the former Test stars in the Vintage Reds side while George Smith, Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri will feature for the Tongan team coached by Toutai Kefu.
“It means a great deal to me, my family and my community to get the opportunity to raise some funds for our people,” Kefu said.
“Our country has been devastated by this disaster, so every cent we can raise counts.”
“We’ve got some great players strapping on the boots for both teams and it’s going to be a great spectacle with some great rugby played.”
The 40 minute match will be made up of two 20 minute halves. All public donations will be directed towards the Tongan recovery effort.
Rugby.com.au reports that Taniela Tupou endured an emotional four-day wait before discovering whether his mum and extended family had all escaped the fallout from the volcanic eruption in Tonga.
Tupou revealed for the first time today how the communication blackout with the stricken Pacific island nation had kept him on edge until he could speak directly with his mother Loisi.
“It’s hard when you are here in Australia and your family is back in Tonga. Everything happened and you couldn’t talk to them for four or five days.”
“My (late) father’s small island of Nomuka…gone, no more houses.”
“People heard a big noise like a machine gun, then the tide went out and came back in again.”
“My mum’s village outside Nuku’alofa is OK. The ash from the volcano is thick on the roof, everywhere. You need to wear a mask but it could be worse.”
Louis Lynagh joins England Squad
Embed from Getty ImagesSeven reports that Louis Lynagh is back in with a chance of making his debut for England after being added to their squad as cover for their opening match against Scotland in the Six Nations.
Lynagh, son of former Wallabies World Cup winner Michael Lynagh, was drafted in to Eddie Jones’ squad on Sunday after another setback for England with Joe Marchant testing positive for COVID-19.
Lynagh has also sparked interest from both Australia and Italy – he is eligible for the Azzurri because his mother is Italian – but England appear to be in the driver’s seat in this international race.
Law clarifications for casual viewers
Embed from Getty ImagesRugbyPass has published this handy guide to clarifying rugby laws for casual-but-vocal viewers.
“Why is lineout ball never thrown down the middle?”
Because it isn’t required to be. The ball has to be thrown into the gap, but not necessarily right down the middle.
“Why doesn’t he make them put the ball in the middle of the scrum?”
Because for the last few years that hasn’t been a requirement.
The scrum-half that throws the ball in must align his/her left shoulder with the point where the front rowers’ shoulders meet.
Assuming the No9 bends directly forward and releases the ball in a straight line (at 90 degrees to the line of his shoulders) it will then be half the width of his/her body closer to his own front row than it is to the opposition.
“You can’t be offside in the in-goal area”
Yes you can – for open play. For example, if a player knocks on deep in his/her own in-goal and a teammate in front of this point plays the ball he/she is offside.
And should a player kick from deep in his/her own in-goal area, any teammates in front of him/her who chase the kick are offside.
However, scrums, lineouts, rucks and mauls cannot take place in goal therefore offside lines relating to these also do not exist.
Hence, when a tackle takes place very close to the try-line and the defending side subsequently forms a ruck in which the ball ends up on the line or in goal there is nothing to stop an attacking player running around the side of the ruck and diving on it to score a try. Perhaps Sir Ruchie thought he was in-goal all those times?
[The above is from a Six Nations context. Any referees or equally popular experts are welcome to update us about any Southern differences and/or make corrections in the comments section]
