Wednesday’s rugby news has Pyle heading to France, proposed changes to tackling rules, Folau back and injury woes for the Blues.
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Pyle leaving Rebels
After working his way into Wallaby contention as a standout for the Rebels over the past two seasons, second-rower High Pyle will leave Super Rugby at the end of the season to take up a lucrative two-year deal playing in France. Pyle is only 24, and has left the door open for a future run at the international stage but the loss of the talented and improving second-rower is disappointing for the Wallabies and Rebels.
Melbourne skipper Scott Higginbotham lamented the loss, but conceded that the financial benefits in Europe are becoming hard to pass up. ‘It’s about personal preference and where you are in your life,’ he said. ‘You’ve got to make the most of your time in the game.’ [/one_half]
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Calls for rule change
In the wake of the absolutely tragic diagnosis of Newcastle Knights player Alex McKinnon, Australia’s peak sports medicine body has called for a ban on lift and spear tackles in all football codes. Sport Medicine Australia chief executive Nello Marino said that while McKinnon’s injury was a rarity as the worst case scenario, lifting tackles still placed players at unnecessarily high risks of serious head or spine injuries.
‘The only way we are going to see less of these types of terrible accidents will be to make safety the priority when making rules or considering rule changes – a ban on the lift tackle reflects this,’ he said. Marino characterised the contentious tackles quite broadly as any where a player’s legs are lifted from the ground and their body inverted. [/one_half]
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Folau back for Tahs
Star fullback Israel Folau is almost certain to return for the Waratahs this week after missing the team’s disappointing thumping at the hands of the Sharks last Sunday. As long as he suffers no setbacks from his lingering throat injury, Folau will be given the all-clear to play the Stormers on Sunday.
Despite characterising Folau as a definite game-changer, Waratahs coach Michael Cheika emphasised the need for the team to work harder at the breakdown, saying, ‘I still think he would have had limited opportunities last week because our attacking ruck wasn’t what it should be.’ Cheika has delayed naming his final team with a few niggling injuries coming out of last week’s physical encounter. [/one_half]
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Kaino to lead Blues
Jerome Kaino will likely captain the Blues in just his third game back from Japan, according to coach Sir John Kirwan. The Auckland coach admitted that the team was struggling immensely with injuries, with regular skipper Luke Braid feeling the effects of a shoulder stinger and likely to come off the bench. With Keven Mealamu still out with a calf strain, Kaino loos like he will take leadership duties.
The team will also have to try to overcome the recent injuries to lock Tom Donnelly, ruled out with a calf injury, No.8 Peter Saili (foot) and centre Jackson Willison (knee) both struggling with niggles. [/one_half]
