Wednesday’s Rugby News has the Wallabies bigging themselves up, a new Saracens signing, Latham news, and updated rankings.
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WBs Can B Best
Bernard Foley and Nathan Grey reckon the Wallabies can world champs. That’s nice.
“We’ve seen it this year in spurts and that’s what I mean – if we can play those games consistently every week, I’m sure this team has the ability to compete with those sides and get back to where we want to be,” Foley said to rugby.com.au.
Grey pegged his two cents in, saying “We’ve got the players to do it.”
“Exposing some younger guys to that next level is something that we did on this trip and the Wallaby XV against the Baabaas was a great example of that, mixing some old heads with some new guys and seeing how they respond at that next level.
“Super Rugby, with the five franchises, exposes a lot more players to that next level. The more you can expose those players to those step ups in intensity and performance only going to hold Australian rugby in good stead.”
Foley, who has only had one month of from rugby in the past 12 months, added that he’s looking forward to a well-deserved rest.
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Skelton A Saracen
Will Skelton has signed for English club Saracens, reports Planet Rugby. Haters out there, cool your jets – it’s only a short-term deal over the summer.
Slammin’ Skelton will join the team immediately, after the ARU and the Waratahs gave the deal a big thumbs up. Saracens have been looking for a second-rower since Alistair Hargreaves retired.
“We’re delighted to be able to bring a player of Will’s calibre into the group,” said Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall. Oi, you, in the back, stop chortling.
“He is an immensely talented rugby player with vast experience for a 24-year old tight-five forward. It’s no secret that we have been running low on a few bodies in the second-row department but we made it very clear that we wouldn’t compromise on quality when looking to add to our squad.
In Will, we have a player who will certainly have an important role to play in our group over the next few months.”
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Latham At Ten
Chris Latham, 62, has been signed by the Queensland Reds to be their marquee or wildcard signing at the coming rugby extravaganza, the Brisbane 10s.
Latham, who hails from the town of Narrabri which is definitely in NSW and not Queensland, is a Reds legend who hasn’t done the famous Red Koala since at least the 1880s or something. It’s been so long that it’s hard to remember when.
“It is of utmost happiness that I wish to announce my pleasure at the privilege afforded to me to become yet again a part of the Queensland representative rugby union football ensemble,” spake Mr Latham to the Daily Telegraph. “One does not have the faintest ability to measure how much one will long for the fraternal camaraderie found in the changing quarters, once one has retired. I can assure you, that sensation is most immense.”
In other news, Latham wants the similarly-named Stephen Larkham to turn out for the Brumbies. It is thought that the Waratahs are looking to Lote Tuqiri for their wildcard spot.
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New Rankings
With the November internationals wrapping up, World Rugby has announced the latest international rankings.
The last five weeks of action was the last opportunity for Southern Hemisphere nations to improve their standings before the draw in May 2017. Oddly enough, Northern Hemisphere nations are afforded the Six Nations to right their boats. Huh.
So remember when the Wallabies had England and Wales in their group last time round? That’s because World Rugby splits the top four teams, and the next best four (#5-#8) after that, and then #9-#12, into three separate pots. Wales were ranked 9th at the time of the last draw.
There hasn’t been a whole lot of movement, except Ireland have notably replaced South Africa has the fourth-best team. This presumably means there could be a group with NZ, South Africa, and Argentina, but we all know New Zealand will get something like France, Georgia and Equatorial Guinea again.
- New Zealand =
- England =
- Australia =
- Ireland +2
- Wales =
- South Africa -2
- Scotland +1
- France -1
- Argentina =
- Fiji =
- Japan +1
- Georgia -1
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