Wednesday’s rugby news has Cheika trying for the underdog tag, the Brumbies starting contract talks already, the 122kg challenge for the Tahs and positive signs for Fijian rugby.
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Cheika content with underdog tag
Waratahs coach Michael Cheika has embraced any favouritism towards the Crusaders, saying that he understood that many were doubtful that the NSW franchise could overcome their dismal historical record against the New Zealand side. “Everyone thought we’d fall over at some stage,” he said, adding, “We’ll just go out there and play as we have all season, the best we possibly can.”
As expected, with no injury concerns to come out of the semi-final win over the Brumbies, Cheika has named an unchanged starting lineup. However, he has named Wallabies wing Peter Betham on an extended 10-man bench for Cam Crawford, with two players to be omitted prior to kick-off.
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Larkham commits to injured stars
Despite playing just five games in two seasons, the Brumbies will soon start negotiations with injured Wallabies captain David Pocock, seeking to keep him with the ACT franchise beyond the World Cup. The team will also start negotiations with Wallabies Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander and Pat McCabe, who are all off-contract at the end of the 2015 campaign.
“They could probably earn double the money overseas, but the character they have is that they are passionate about playing here,” Stephen Larkham said. The Brumbies coach also emphasised that despite Pocock’s unlucky season ending injuries, the Test flanker was still hungry and a major asset to the team. [/one_half]
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Tahs brace for Nadolo
The Waratahs will have to contend with one of the breakout stars of this Super Rugby season, massive 122kg winger Nemani Nadolo in this weekend’s final. The Crusaders winger, discarded by the Waratahs four years ago for being too slow, has scored 11 tries this season.
Nadolo revealed that his difficult split from the NSW squad in 2010 helped build his game as he was forced to toughen up and develop his work ethic during club stints in France, England and Japan. Michael Chieka’s advise for his defence was simply “put your hiking boots on and try and get in there and hang on.” [/one_half]
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Fiji install new figurehead
Fiji Rugby Union have established Radrodro Tabualevu as the game’s new chief executive. Tabualevu has already pledged to develop a winning culture within Fijian rugby, which he described as “the pulse of the nation.”
One issue of immediate concern for Fijian administrators is the competing growing popularity of rugby league and an emerging Australian football culture. “There is certainly competition for our limited talent pool so indeed rugby has to step up to maintain its leading position in the sporting field in Fiji,” Tabualevu said. [/one_half]
