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Premiership Rugby and English cricket will join football's social media boycott to tackle abuse and discrimination. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/56915338 https://therugbystore.com.au/social-media-boycott-premiership-rugby-english-cricket-joins-football-in-move-to-tackle-abuse/

Wasps lock Joe Launchbury is ruled out of this summer's British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa with a knee injury. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56902862 https://therugbystore.com.au/joe-launchbury-wasps-lock-to-miss-british-and-irish-lions-tour-with-knee-injury/

I hate to say I told you so, but this is how I summarised the Western Force’s Super Rugby 2021 prospects last December: “The Force should certainly be strong enough to win at least 50 per cent of their games in 2021, and that may be enough to slingshot them into local play-off contention.” That comment formed part of an article which suggested the addition of ex-Reds second row Izack Rodda as part of the Force’s ongoing trawl for new talent. “From this point of view, the best Christmas gift Sampson could receive would be the news that Izack Rodda wants to return to Australia – more precisely, to Western Australia.” Rodda duly signed with the Force in March. There is no doubt whatsoever that the quality of the recruitment drive in Western Australia has surpassed all of its peers in the country, despite the loss of ace Argentine hooker Julián Montoya to the Leicester Tigers on the eve of the tournament. The Force badly needed to find some speed and finishing ability in the back th...

The weekend of rugby is over, so you know what that means: it’s time to get in some questions for this week’s instalment of Coach’s Corner. If you haven’t come across the column yet, it’s the weekly article where, each Friday, our resident rugby analyst Nick Bishop answers your queries about what’s happening on the field. Miss the latest issue of Coach’s Corner? Don’t worry, you can catch up right here! The last round before the Super Rugby AU finals served up plenty of drama, with the Force snatching a famous win against the previously undefeated Reds to book their place in the post-season and the Rebels finishing their season on a high by beating the winless Tahs. Over in New Zealand, Damian McKenzie came to the fore with yet another clutch, game-winning kick, before the Crusaders booked a home final by comfortably dealing with the Blues. That leaves a qualifying final in Canberra between the Brumbies and Force this weekend, while the Saders will put their feet up during Round 1...

England prop Shaunagh Brown explains why it is an honour to play in and win such a physical Women's Six Nations final against France. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56871532 https://therugbystore.com.au/why-it-is-an-honour-to-win-such-a-physical-womens-six-nations-final/

The Anzac Day round is always one filled with poignancy, and despite a young bugle boy struggling to hit the right notes in Christchurch, there were moving ceremonies held at all four matches across the weekend. The only shame was that we weren’t blessed with a trans-Tasman match up; a situation that, depending on how events play out, will be rectified for next year’s round. Not that anyone in Perth cared a jot, with the Force upsetting the previously unbeaten Reds, 30-27 to storm into the preliminary final next week, against the Brumbies. Reds’ captain Liam Wright said straight after his side’s loss that “the Force deserve a lot of respect”, and he was clearly telling the truth. Any side, under the pressure of playing for its first ever finals spot, seemingly down and out midway through the first half, having to battle through thirty minutes with 14 men, that is able to come back and score the winning try in the final minutes, is made of special stuff. But the question that shoul...

Thomas Young scores two tries on his 100th Wasps appearance to help his side beat 14-man Bath in a Premiership thriller. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56836947 https://therugbystore.com.au/premiership-wasps-39-29-bath-thomas-young-scores-twice-in-wasps-win/

Melbourne captain Matt To’omua says sacking coach Dave Wessels after the Rebels failed to make the Super Rugby AU finals isn’t the solution to the club’s woes. Wessels has mounted a passionate defence for Melbourne’s failure to reach the Super Rugby AU finals and boldly declared the Rebels can win the trans-Tasman version of the competition. The Rebels ultimately missed the three-team playoff series by one competition point after beating the winless NSW Waratahs 36-25 in Saturday night’s ‘dead rubber’ in Sydney. Wessels rued four last-minute losses and pointed out that the Rebels played almost the entire eight-round competition without up to a dozen leading players, including Wallabies stars Reece Hodge, skipper Dane Haylett-Petty and Isi Naisarani. “We lost four games on the last kick of the game after the hooter,” Wessels said. “We could be sitting here with a totally different story. “We’ve also gone through the season without nine or ten of our most experienced players. “So ...

Head coach Simon Middleton hails his England side after they win a bruising encounter against France to claim a third successive Women's Six Nations. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56871396 https://therugbystore.com.au/womens-six-nations-england-show-winning-character-but-need-plan-b-for-world-cup/

England's Maro Itoje is backed to lead the British and Irish Lions against South Africa this summer by the man who captained the last two tours. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56832630 https://therugbystore.com.au/british-and-irish-lions-maro-itoje-backed-by-sam-warburton-to-captain-2021-side/

It is an exciting time for rugby in New Zealand and Australia. A brand spanking new Trans-Tasman competition kicks off on May 14, with a quarantine-free air bridge underwriting it. That marks the beginning of a new era of co-operation between the two countries. All the politicking and backbiting shed by the collapse of the old Super Rugby now seems to be just a dim memory, if the idyllic pictures of New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson and then-RA interim boss Rob Clarke walking together on Manly beach last November are to be believed. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Super Rugby Trans-Tasman not only fills a yawning gap in the rugby calendars of both nations, it looks to offer a solid foundation for the future of the Antipodean game in the tier between provincial and Test rugby. The recent announcement of the inclusion of two Pasifika teams in 2022 reinforces the sense that, at long last, something real and sustainable is happening in the administration of the game in the s...

In 2015 Los Jaguares were the first professional Argentinian club team to join Super Rugby. In their four short years they experienced a meteoric rise from 13th in their inaugural season to runners-up in their last. They were popular among fans and were welcomed by all. In 2020 the fans could only watch as COVID-19 hammered the final nail into the Super Rugby coffin. Los Jaguares, lost and without an invite from the other SANZAAR nations, found themselves playing in the Super Liga Americana de Rugby (SLAR), replacing the Ceibos from Cordoba. The South American competition ensures Los Jaguares are no longer the sole professional team on the continent. Los Jaguares now find themselves competing with the Cafeteros Pros from Colombia, the Cobras from Brazil, Olimpia Lions from Paraguay, Penarol in Uruguay and Selknam from Chile. The competition is the child of Sudamerica Rugby, which is hoping to expand and grow the game while giving the athletes a chance to become professionals in thei...

Eddie Jones is backed to continue as England head coach after a review into the team's disappointing fifth-place finish in the Six Nations. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56819737 https://therugbystore.com.au/eddie-jones-england-coach-gets-rfu-backing-after-review/

Though the two-way travel bubble is now officially open between Australia and New Zealand, we’re still a few weeks away from Super Rugby Trans-Tasman beginning in earnest, and to some extent this competition remains firmly in the ‘I’ll believe it when I see them running out” category. Even just four weeks out from the first round of the competition, it feels like the prefix ‘proposed’ is still required. There are far fewer reasons for it not to go ahead now, yet it still feels like it wouldn’t take much for it to be quickly to swept into the too-hard basket. As we know, the proposed Super Round, originally pencilled in for Round 3 of the cross-over competition, already resides in said basket, after the game simply ran out of time to get such a mammoth event up. But despite the fluidity that still sits around what professional rugby on either side of the Tasman looks like in just a month’s time, plans for next year are surging ahead regardless. New Zealand Rugby took great delight ...

Former England wing Ugo Monye hopes that as chair of a new RFU advisory group he can help everyone feel rugby "is a game for them". Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56709956 https://therugbystore.com.au/ugo-monye-hopes-new-rfu-group-can-help-everyone-feel-rugby-is-for-them/

Ben Spencer converts late try to give Bath a 21-20 win over Leicester and keep alive their hopes of a top-four finish. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56762441 https://therugbystore.com.au/premiership-bath-21-20-leicester-tigers-will-muir-brace-of-tries-secures-victory/

TJ Perenara has hit the news recently with his potential move from rugby union to the Sydney Roosters in the NRL. While a fantastic halfback in union, he has somewhat become surplus to requirements for the All Blacks with incumbent Aaron Smith getting the regular start over him and newcomer Folau Fakatava making his way through the ranks. This has left TJ at a crossroads in his career. Currently in Japan, playing for the Red Hurricanes on sabbatical. He had intended to return to New Zealand to take up a new contract with the Hurricanes and All Blacks and continue to push Aaron Smith for starting halfback honours. However, his plans seem to have come awry with the form of Smith and Fakatava, leading many to believe he may be on the outside looking in and publicly stating whether New Zealand Rugby should invest the money in a player who while not over the hill, is coming into the twilight of his career. Jumping all over this turmoil, the Sydney Roosters have reportedly made an offer ...

Captain Manuela Furlan scored a hat-trick as Italy cruised to victory over Scotland in their Women's Six Nations clash in Glasgow. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56786547 https://therugbystore.com.au/scotland-20-41-italy-visitors-cruise-to-victory-in-womens-six-nations/

Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has confirmed the side are in talks to bring All Blacks star TJ Perenara to the NRL club to help solve their injury crisis. Speaking after the Roosters’ loss to Melbourne on Friday night, Robinson said the club were interested in the Kiwi ace, after Perenara’s manager revealed this week the parties were negotiating. “We’ve talked, but it’s preliminary at this stage,” Robinson said. “That got it out there pretty quickly – we’ve had talks and we’ll see where it gets to.” Asked whether he believed Perenara, who has 69 New Zealand Test caps but has never played rugby league, could make a quick transition, Robinson said such talk was premature. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s be happy with the report of discussions, but let’s not get too far ahead – how’s he going to play in the first game and all that. “We’ll take it step by step.” Robinson said former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, who now works...

Alex Mitchell and Ollie Sleightholme score two tries apiece as Northampton beat London Irish to move into the Premiership's top four. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56761124 https://therugbystore.com.au/premiership-northampton-saints-44-26-london-irish-six-try-saints-move-into-top-four/

Another season, another competition, and another set of law changes for the newly formed Rainbow Cup involving teams from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and (hopefully) South Africa. The only constant change in the game of rugby union seems to be the various and differing set of laws being introduced with each new season, all in the name of making the game more attractive. However, these continuous law changes haven’t done much good, except for making the game even more complicated to follow as a spectator and participate in as a player and referee. World Rugby’s infatuation with constant law changes season after season is becoming a continual burden on the game. With each season that passes, there is constant tinkering and meddling of rugby’s laws by the officials running the game. Some have had the desired impact of making the game more free-flowing. What is being touted is the red-card replacement after 20 minutes for the Rainbow Cup, which I fully agree with. It makes for an...

Teams in the inaugural Rainbow Cup will be able to replace dismissed players under trial laws being brought in for the tournament. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56763899 https://rugby-store-temp.securedsite.cloud/red-card-replacements-for-new-rainbow-cup/

Former Wallabies forward Scott Fardy has announced his retirement from rugby union. Currently playing with Leinster after joining the Irish club in 2017, the 36-year-old will hang up the boots at the end of the current European season. Fardy was capped 39 times by the Wallabies between 2013 and 2016 and was an integral part of the 2015 World Cup squad, forming a potent back-row combination with David Pocock and Michael Hooper en route to the final at Twickenham. But it took him a long time to establish himself in the professional game. It wasn’t until 2012 when, aged 28, he made his Super Rugby debut for the Brumbies, and he would go on to make 97 appearances for the side. Since moving to Leinster, Fardy has enjoyed considerable success, winning the Champions Cup once and PRO14 four times. Related Coach’s Corner Issue 8: Why are the Reds such good finishers? Rugby “I’ve loved every minute of this adven...

How good is golden point?! The panel deliberated during the week, and overwhelmingly, two favourite moments from last weekend’s mad run of extra time and heart-stopping finishes emerged. The first is that moment of panic that sets in with teams as they try to do something, anything to get into position for a drop goal, only to not quite get there and still try and kick that drop-goal anywhere. And the second is that moment of panic when, shortly after kick-off in a period of extra time, a captain realises he’s just given up the wind. In sudden death. So golden point is good, but it makes us wonder, will we get a game with golden try extra time in Australia? Could it be this week? LAST WEEK: Geoff 3; Harry, Dan, and The Crowd 2; Brett and Digger 1. OVERALL: Harry, Dan and Geoff 23; The Crowd 21, Brett 19, Digger 18. Geoff TIPS: BLUES, CRUSADERS, FORCE, BRUMBIES If we call last weekend’s New Zealand results what they really were – draws – then only three points separated the side...

Some England players may miss out on the British and Irish Lions tour because of poor form but there will be more Scots than in 2017, says Warren Gatland. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56731932 https://rugby-store-temp.securedsite.cloud/british-and-irish-lions-2021-english-may-miss-out-but-more-scots-on-trip-hints-gatland/