Wednesday’s Rugby News sees Beale circling the Tahs for 2023, Welsh hard-case Jamie Roberts join the Tahs for 2022, 39-year-old Matt Giteau to play on in 2022 for the Los Angeles Giltinis and two Super Rugby pre-season matches axed due to Covid.
Beale eyes 2023 Waratahs season
Pravda reports that Waratahs coach Darren Coleman is hopeful Kurtley Beale will return to the club from France, but says it won’t happen until 2023.
Reports out of France indicated Beale would not extend his Racing 92 deal, preferring instead to return to the Waratahs, who lost all 13 games last season.
Coleman, who apparently goes “way back” with the 33-year-old Beale, told reporters on Tuesday that “the deal is really close … but (there’s) no chance he’ll be here for 2022 for Super Rugby”.
Coleman said Beale planned to finish his season in France before returning to Australia ahead of the 2023 campaign.
Coleman also said Wallabies captain Michael Hooper would miss the beginning of the Super Rugby Pacific season, which kicks off on February 18.
Hooper is still recovering from a foot injury that saw him miss the final Test of their Spring Tour. Coleman is confident Hooper’s return will be “early” in the season.
Wales/Lion Jamie Roberts to join Tahs for 2022
GAGR’s own Nathan Williamson reports that Wales and British and Irish Lions International Jamie Roberts is joining the Waratahs on a one-year injury cover contract, noting the loss of centres in Joey Walton and Mosese Tuipulotu.
Roberts made his International debut in 2008 and has played for Wales 94 times and made three Lions Test appearances between 2009-2013.
He played an integral role in two Rugby World Cup campaigns (2011 & 2015) as well as three Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams. Roberts has been playing for Newport Dragons in the United Rugby Championship after stints with Harlequins, Bath and the Stormers.
Roberts has been granted an early release from Welsh club Dragons to join the Waratahs on compassionate grounds.
Roberts’ Australian partner Nicole Ramson is expecting their second child in March and moved back to Sydney a few weeks ago.
The Waratahs play their first trial match of 2022 against the Brumbies on Saturday in Bowral.
39 year-old Giteau not finished yet
Embed from Getty ImagesNine reports that 103-Test Wallabies great Matt Giteau has ditched retirement plans and will play on in 2022 for the Los Angeles Giltinis in the United States.
Giteau guided the Giltinis to a Major League Rugby title last year. He was named man-of-the-match when the Giltinis beat Rugby ATL 31-17 in the Major League Rugby final last August at the LA Memorial Coliseum.
The playmaker said both the rugby and life experience in LA had convinced him that he wanted more and could play on at 39.
“The 2021 season with the Giltinis was such a really positive experience, both in terms of the rugby and my young family living in Los Angeles,” Giteau said.
Giteau’s fitness work in his Australian home city of Canberra had him in good shape when he arrived for his first session with the Giltinis last Thursday. Presumably the lack of distractions helped.
“Retaining 80 per cent of the [2021] squad is a good feat in itself. Just turning up to training and feeling that familiarity with the boys has been excellent,” Giteau said.
“I’m under no illusions about my age. Tas Smith, our new halfback, was born a year before I made my Test debut in 2002.”
“My body feels great but there’s a lot of hard work for everyone ahead.”
First-year head coach Stephen Hoiles has taken the pink sparkly reins from new Waratahs boss Darren Coleman. The Giltinis season kicks off on February 27 against the New England Free Jacks.
Two Super Rugby pre-season matches axed due to Covid
Embed from Getty Images[Breaking news – Moana Pacifika coach Tana Umaga looks even scarier now than when he was playing]
The more Covid goes on, the less I like it. Rugbypass reports that two Super Rugby trial matches have been cancelled.
Western Force v Fijian Drua in Ballina, New South Wales has been axed due to updated border restrictions for Western Australia.
Force chief executive Tony Lewis expressed his disappointment that his side’s clash against the Drua won’t go ahead as planned.
“The recent announcement regarding the movement in and out of Western Australia is something we have no control over and we will not be putting our players and their families in a position of uncertainty around returning home.“
“We are continuing to work closely with the government to ensure we deliver seven home games this season and gain further clarity on the situation.”
Likewise New Zealand’s nationwide move into its red light Covid setting has resulted in the cancellation of The Highlanders’ February 11 clash against Moana Pasifika in Queenstown.
Previously the Crusaders (who? must be one of the new teams) announced its pre-season clash against the Hurricanes would be relocated from Blenheim to Christchurch and would be played behind closed doors.
Super Rugby Pacific pre-season fixtures
Saturday, 29 January – Waratahs vs. Brumbies, Bowral
Friday, 4 February – Moana Pasifika vs. Chiefs, Auckland. Crusaders vs. Highlanders, Oamaru
Saturday, 5 February – Waratahs vs. West Harbour, Hunter Wildfires, Western Sydney Two Blues, Eric Tweedale Stadium, Parramatta. Hurricanes vs. Blues, Takapuna. Queensland Reds vs. Western Force, Ballymore Stadium
Thursday, February 10 – Melbourne Rebels vs. Fijian Drua, Melbourne
Friday, 11 February – Blues vs. Chiefs, Te Puke. Crusaders vs. Hurricanes, Christchurch
Saturday, 12 February – Queensland Reds vs. Waratahs, Roma
