Wednesday’s Rugby News features Cheika telling the truth about Dan Cole, Elliot Daly suspended, possible maybe new signings for Toulon, and Charlotte Caslick gettin’ greedy.
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Criminal Coles
Michael Cheika has brought the broadside to England, telling anyone who would listen that England prop Dan Cole scrummages illegally. These comments come after Eddie Jones, as reported yesterday, said he’d like to talk about the Wallabies scrum tactics.
“[Jones] was having a crack and he wants to talk about our scrum because we’re cheating, I think an important thing to note is he’s got to look at his own players. Because they are the ones [with] a prop with a yellow card,” Cheika said, reports the Guardian.
“That same prop’s been infringing the law since his career started probably, if not all of this year. It will be up to the referee as to who he believes; if he wants to be influenced by the other chap, that we are the ones scrumming illegally when they are the guys who have the yellow card against them, then it is really up to him.
“All we do is scrum square and try to get as much weight as possible. It is very obvious from the clips, if you want to watch them instead of the all vitriol, they will tell you the story.”
Cheika also chimed in on Jones’ request to have a referee meeting with Jaco Peyper.
“How can I refuse an invitation like that?” Cheika said. “It is funny how your tune changes. In the summer when we asked for those meetings, he was blowing up and he stormed out of one.”
(GAGR’s produced many articles over Coles and his scrumming – you can check out one from the June series and one from the Wales – England World Cup game).
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Daly Done
English centre/winger Elliot Daly has been given a three-week suspension after being red-carded against the Pumas on the weekend.
Team-player Daly was sent off only four minutes into the match, after he tackled Argentina’s Leonardo Senatore in the air.
“Having viewed video footage of the incident, listened to evidence and representations from and on behalf of the player, and reviewed all of the other evidence, the Disciplinary Committee found that Mr Daly had acted recklessly and that the offending merited a mid-range entry point based on World Rugby’s scale of seriousness, which carries a six-week playing suspension,” said a statement issued by World Rugby.
“The Disciplinary Committee further found that there were no aggravating factors and that there were a number of mitigating factors (including Mr Daly’s acknowledgement of wrongdoing, expression of remorse to the injured player and his good conduct at the hearing) such that his playing suspension be reduced by three weeks.”
Either Marland Yarde or Semesa Rokoduguni will come in for Daly. In other squad news, Billy Vunipola will also not be featuring after injuring his knee on the weekend.
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Toulon Signing Everyone
French club Toulon are hogging attention again, after rumours and half-truths about future recruits have been swirling in the air again.
News that Parramatta Eels star Semi Radradra – who showed how much of an upstanding bloke he is by a) getting pinged for domestic violence and then b) not showing up for court – has signed for Toulon may not be exactly new, but today rugby.com.au are saying that his agent is denying reports that the Fijian has signed for the club.
While Toulon are claiming they’ve signed the former Fiji u20s and rugby sevens representative, but George Christodoulou (Radradra’s agent) has said that ain’t true.
“A pre-contract, let alone a final contract, hasn’t even been issued to us. Nothing has been signed. Yes, the offer on the table is a good one, which is for 2018, but nothing has been signed,” he said.
There are also reports saying that Toulon are interested in Israel Dagg and Malakai Fekitoa. Both players reportedly (so says the NZ Herald) met with Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal in a hotel in France, but nothing firm has come out yet.
Dagg faces competition from a host of players, including Ben Smith, for the All Blacks fullback spot, while Malakai Fekitoa is seen as the pre-eminent choice for the black 13 jersey.
If both players were to go to France, it would not only see a better shot at Bledisloe for the good guys, but it might also be the hairline fracture that cracks the All Blacks in two. One can hope, anyway.
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Caslick Greedy 4 Gold
Charlotte Caslick might have won an Olympic gold medal, a Women’s Sevens Series title and the Women’s Sevens Player of the Year award in the past 12 months, but she still wants more more more!
“We’re definitely going into next season hoping to win back-to-back world series,” Caslick told World Rugby in a bumper interview, published in anticipation of the first round of the World Sevens Series, which begins this weekend in Dubai.
“The New Zealand girls have done it before so we want to prove that we can do it as well. Walshy (head coach Tim Walsh) has been talking to us a lot about staying on top of everything and showing that we’ve got a lot of character by being able to back up what we’ve done this year.
“It does put a little bit of pressure on us. Everyone will be chasing us just like when New Zealand were winning all the series. They were the benchmark and we were always trying to chase them.
“For sure people will be out there trying to beat us, but that will just make us better (as individuals) and hopefully make our game better as well.”
Caslick also touched on what it’s like to be looked up to.
“I guess it’s a little bit surreal (that girls now look up to me),” said Caslick. “Five years ago that was probably like me trying to be like my sporting heroes. I had so many idols growing up, so it’s a bit surreal to be someone else’s now.
“I just hope that I can keep playing well and keep inspiring people to get involved because I honestly do love it (rugby) so much.”
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