Ireland
New Zealand media have dubbed the 2013 All Blacks “The Unbeatables” after their perfect season, but acknowledged their rivals are closing the gap ahead of the next World Cup.
The tone was more relieved than triumphant after the New Zealanders snatched a 24-22 result over a desperately unlucky Ireland to record 14 wins from 14 and become the first international side in the professional era to win every single Test in a calendar year.
Ireland’s Rory Best broke his forearm in the heartbreaking last-gasp defeat by New Zealand, his province Ulster said on Monday, making the hooker a doubt for the start of the Six Nations in just over two months.
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said it was devastating that his side had come within seconds of an historic first ever win over world champions New Zealand only to lose 24-22 with the final kick in one of the sport’s most memorable ever Test matches.
The Irish had possession deep in the All Black half with less than a minute to go, but they conceded a penalty and the Kiwis produced a stunning passage of play to move the ball downfield for Ryan Crotty to score a try – which Aaron Cruden converted at the second opportunity.
Ireland (22) 22 / 24 (7) All Blacks (Final Score)
Ireland and the New Zealand All Blacks did battle in the End Of Year Tours at
Aviva Stadium, Dublin at 16:00 SA Time (14:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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This weekend sees Round 4 of the 2013 End Of Year Tours. It is the last weekend on tour for the Springboks from South Africa, with their last game on tour probably the most difficult one. A a win over France will see the Springboks ending with what can be called a great season.
All in all a good weekend of rugby lies ahead and it will be enjoyed the world over, like always. Here are the head to head stats to help you with your SuperBru picks. Good luck to all sides.
For the Springboks this is the last weekend of competative rugby in 2013, bar of course the 9 Springboks who have been chosen to represent the Barbarians next weekend.
So, apart from some HSBC Sevens action and a weekend without the Springboks next weekend, the Southern Hemisphere season is fast approaching it’s end.
Just imagine all the Northern Hemisphere rugby and all the cricket we’ll have to get by on in December and Juanuary!
So, this weekend I’m stuck in front of the TVand watching every game I possibly can.
5 Tests will be broadcast live on TV in South Africa this weekend, 1 on Friday, 3 on Saturday and the last 1 on Sunday.
Wing Fergus McFadden compounded Ireland’s injury woes after being ruled out of Saturday’s Test against the All Blacks.
McFadden fractured his hand in the 15-32 loss to the Wallabies and joins Keith Earls, Craig Gilroy and Simon Zebo on the sidelines. Coach Joe Schmidt has subsequently called up Felix Jones.
England’s Wayne Barnes will referee the Boks’ final end of year Test against France in Paris on Saturday.
Barnes will be the Boks’ third northern hemisphere referee in as many matches on their tour after Ireland’s Alain Rolland took control of their 24-15 win over Wales in Cardiff, while France’s Jérôme Garcès was the man in the middle in their 28-0 victory over Scotland in Edinburgh last Sunday.
Whilst the All Blacks will be without the injured Dan Carter in Dublin on Sunday, Ireland may miss the services of their own playmaker Jonny Sexton.
Australia have suspended six players for one match for drinking in midweek before Saturday’s win over Ireland and warned nine more.
Wallabies coach Ewan McKenzie acted after “a group of players made the decision to stay out late and consume inappropriate levels of alcohol”.
Ireland (12) 15 / 32 (15) Wallabies (Final Score)
Ireland and the Australian Wallabies did battle in the End Of Year Tours at
Aviva Stadium, Dublin at 19:45 SA Time (17:45 GMT, 04:45 Sunday AEDT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Meanwhile, another International will is in progress at the same time, here is the score:
France (21) 38 / 18 (6) Tonga (Final Score)
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Ting Ting… Round 3 of the End Of Year Tours and it is another weekend filled with lots of rugby. This weekend has a total of 11 clashes and some great ones to predict.
When the Southern teams go North, every match is hyped up as both hemispheres want to prove a point and claim global domination. The big games this weekend to look forward to is England vs New Zealand, Ireland vs Australia and finally Scotland vs South Africa. All in all a good weekend ahead for rugby and it should be enjoyed the world over.
Vastly experienced lock Paul O’Connell will lead Ireland against Australia in Dublin this Saturday.
Australia have dropped to fourth on the IRB world rankings and appear to be a team on the slide.
However, Ireland defence coach Les Kiss believes that the Wallabies are in fact a team making strides in the right direction – or as he put it, a giant awakening after slumbering through a season of discontent.
France’s Jérôme Garcès will referee the Scotland v Springboks Test at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on Sunday.
Kick-off is at 17:00.
His legs may be growing weary but the Wallabies are wary of Irish great Brian O’Driscoll’s rugby brain in this weekend’s Test of character in Dublin.
O’Driscoll is into his 15th and final season for Ireland as he prepares for his 135th Test cap and last battle with Australia at the old Lansdowne Road.
Ireland will be without Keith Earls and Chris Henry in Saturday’s Test against Australia in Dublin.
Wales (12) 15 / 24 (17) Springboks (Final Score)
Wales and the South African Springboks did battle in the End Of Year Tours at
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff at 19:30 SA Time (17:30 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Meanwhile, another International in progress at the same time, here is the score:
Ireland 40 / 9 Samoa (Final Score)
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In Round 2 of the End Of Year Tours of 2013 there will be a lot more games on the weekend, compared to Round 1, last week. This weekend almost gives the impression of a Mini World Cup, as virtually all the top teams in the world are somehow involved in rugby this weekend.
Some teams are playing their first games on tour whilst others started their tours last weekend already. This weekend will feature quite a few games that has been hyped up to be classic clashes on the yearly calendar. Wales vs the Springboks from South Africa and France vs the New Zealand All Blacks are the two clashes most talked and speculated about during the week. Here are some head to head stats to help you pick your winners.
Munster back Keith Earls has been ruled out of Ireland’s opening Autumn International Test match against Samoa in Dublin due to a knee injury.
A familiar question hangs in the air ahead of the start of this year’s November internationals – who can defeat New Zealand?
The world champions have been in especially scintillating form of late, winning all six of their matches in the southern hemisphere rugby championship.
Andrew Trimble has missed out on a place in Ireland’s squad for the November games against Samoa, Australia and New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium. The Ulster wing fails to make Joe Schmidt’s 34-man squad which includes uncapped trio David Kearney, James Coughlan and Jack McGrath.
The IRB has cast its net further in making its appointment to the November Tests, mostly in Europe.
There are several of the tried and tested – Craig Joubert, Jaco Peyper, Nigel Owens, Steve Walsh, Alain Rolland, George Clancy, Jérôme Graces, Romain Poite, Wayne Barnes, for example. There are those finding their feet like Lourens van der Merwe, Glen Jackson, JP Doyle, Pascal Gauzère, Leighton Hodges, Greg Garner, Ian Davies, John Lacey and Francisco Pastrana. Then there are those who are just standing up and taking their first steps – Stuart Berry, Chris Assmus, Mike Fraser, Dudley Phillips, Federico Anselmi, Luke Pearce, Marius Mitrea, Joaquin Montes, Juan Sylvestre and Claudio Antonio.
South African-born Ireland hooker Richardt Strauss has been ruled out for the rest of the season because of a heart condition that will require surgery.
The Irish Rugby Football Union today announced the appointment of John Plumtree as Ireland forwards coach.
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has confirmed it will have to borrow €25 million to fund the professional game over the next six years.
Welsh Rugby Union chief Roger Lewis says the home nations need to look at how the money made from the British and Irish Lions tours is divided up.
By the time of the final whistle, the numbers on the scoreboard didn’t favour the home side but there were plenty of reasons to smile on a historic night for Canadian rugby.
Baby Blacks (14) 31 / 26 (11) Ireland (Final Score)
New Zealand Under 20 and Ireland Under 20 did battle in the IRB Junior World Championship of 2013 at Stade de la Rabine, Vannes at 18:45 SA Time (16:45 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 & SHD3 on TV in SA.
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Ireland (14) 46 / 3 (3) Fiji (Final Score)
Ireland Under 20 and Fiji Under 20 did battle in the IRB Junior World Championship at Stade de la Rabine, Vannes at 18:45 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 & SHD on TV in SA.
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Ireland’s Simon Zebo will become the third reinforcement to join the British and Irish Lions as cover for injured winger Tommy Bowe, team officials said on Sunday.
Well there are a lot of surprises in the mid-year appointments this year, and I’m not sure how much can be read into them.
Ulster and Ireland hooker Rory Best has been called up to the British and Irish Lions squad for their tour to Australia, which begins with a trip to Hong Kong to face the Barbarians next Saturday.
Brian O’Driscoll ended speculation about his future by signing a new one-year deal to play on for Ireland and Leinster, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) revealed on Thursday.
The Irish Rugby Football Union have officially announced the appointment of Joe Schmidt as Ireland head coach.