Wednesday’s Rugby News: Samu Kerevi says he’s becoming a lot better, new signings for the Reds, Brumbies and Force, fans want rid of Allister Coetzee, and Wallabies up to 3rd.
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Kerevi getting better
Samu Kerevi says he’s really beginning to feel the effects of coaches Stephen Larkham and Mick Byrne, rugby.com.au reports.
“Bernie’s [Stephen Larkham] just made things a bit easier for me in the backline, basically just telling me to run hard,” Kerevi said.
“Mick’s been working on our skills, that speed of ball and transferring the ball into space – that’s something I’m trying to add into my game. I know I attract a lot of defenders so my offload game, I’m just trying to make it a bit better and a bit cleaner.”
“It goes back to the boys at training – especially Tevita, he’s been pushing me whether it’s in the gym or on the field, I’ve got a great relationship with him. We’ll keep pushing each other for that 13 spot and hopefully we’re making that centre spot a bit better.”
Kerevi, who scored a double against Argentina on Saturday, also piped up positively about the Wallabies defence: “Sticking to our defensive structure really made me proud, especially with 14 men (for 20 minutes when Coleman and Michael Hooper were sin-binned for collar-shoulder grabs),” he told News Ltd.
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Higginbotham A Red
Fox Sports reports that the Queensland Reds have “stamped themselves as a genuine Super Rugby threat” with the addition of Scott Higginbotham to their playing ranks for next season.
Higginbotham, who played for the Reds between 2008 and 2012, before playing with the Rebels for three years, currently brings in the dollars playing for NEC Green Rockets in Japan.
The 30-year-old would presumably start in a Reds backrow alongside Hendrik Tui and Leroy Houston, and joins Houston, Quade Cooper, Stephen Moore, and Lachlan Maranta (formerly of the Brisbane Broncos) as new Reds signings for the 2017 season. Fox Sports further reports that a whopping 13 of the 38 squad members for next season will be new (or slightly new) faces.
In other Super news, the Brumbies have confirmed the signing of former Western Force squaddie and Mormon missionary Robbie Abel for next season. Abel, a hooker, was part of the Brumbies Extended Playing Squad (EPS) last year and turned out for all of five minutes, but is now tied down a one-year contract for realsies.
The Force have also got news of their own, signing up backrower Richard Hardwick on a one-year deal. Hardwick, a Perth local, was part of the Force’s EPS too.
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Bad News Boks
Stuff.co.nz reports that there’s a petition going around, demanding the removal of coach Allister Coetzee and his staff from their positions with the Springboks. The petition also asks for the removal of the controversial racial quota imposed by the South African government.
You can check out the petition for yourself over here, and maybe even sign it yourself for some giggles. In short, it reads:
“With this message, we the South African rugby community, both black and white, stand together and demand the replacement of the current South African coaching group. It is clear that the selection process was racially biased and the best candidates were not selected, we call for an immediate intervention to replace both Allister Coetzee and Mzwandile Stick.
“Furthermore we call for a stop to all forms of racial discrimination in South African rugby, known as ‘quotas’.”
It then gets a bit weird, saying that the solution to the Boks woes is to sign Jake White and Nick Mallet up again. “We would throw so much money at Jake White and Nick Mallet that they cannot resist the offer,” the plea reads.
Coetzee, who has only been in charge of South Africa since Heyneke Meyer was let go post-World Cup, has guided the Springboks to four wins in nine games, including a loss to Ireland at home, a loss to Argentina away, and a 52-17 shellacking from the All Blacks in South Africa.
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Wallabies 3rd
World Rugby has released the latest round of rankings, and Michael Cheika’s charges have clambered over South Africa to become 3rd in the world, only about 4 ranking points behind England.
New Zealand are still first, where they have been since 2009, with 96.57 points (7 more than England). That makes sense, since they’ve won two World Cups since and are currently on a world record-equaling 17 match unbeaten run. In fact the Kiwis actually gained points, moving up by 0.27
Meanwhile, Argentina have conspired to drop two places to 9th, below France and Scotland. This is despite Argentina giving a good account of themselves in the Rugby Championship, while the French and Scottish national sides remained inactive during their respective club seasons. It also proves the eternal point that world rankings are silly, unless Australia is doing well.
The full rankings can checked out over here, and the top 10 can be found below.
1. New Zealand (96.57 points). 2. England (89.49). 3. Australia (85.33), 4. South Africa (84.85), 5. Wales (82.49), 6. Ireland (81.67), 7. France (80.75), 8. Scotland (80.44), 9. Argentina (80.31), 10. Fiji (75.49)
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