New Zealand Rugby
England have closed the gap on second placed South Africa after their 20-13 victory over Australia this past weekend.
With the victory over Australia, England managed to gain half a ranking point and is now 1.55 ranking points behind South Africa.
The New Zealand Maori team suffered a double blow in the wake of their impressive win in the opening match of their North American tour.
Jamison Gibson-Park, a late entry at scrumhalf after Piri Weepu was unable to start, scored two tries to spark the New Zealand Maori team to a 40-15 victory over Canada on Sunday.
It was confirmed on Monday that Weepu and hooker Hika Elliot are returning home as a result of injuries.
Japan (6) 6 / 54 (28) All Blacks (Final Score)
Japan and the New Zealand All Blacks did battle in the End Of Year Tours at
Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground, Tokyo at 07:00 SA Time (14:00 Japan Time, 18:00 NZ Time, 05:00 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 5, HD5 & CSN on TV in SA.
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Round 1 of the End Of Year Tours of 2013 is upon us and it is that time of the year where we see the teams from the South migrate to the North to go do battle with those from Europe and beyond.
The Test rugby games of the End Of Year Tours or November Internationals are always a nice spectacle to see. Some teams use this as an experimental base, whilst other teams use this competition to prepare for other competitions like the 6 Nations. The big thing here is that the 3 Southern Hemisphere giant teams are ranked No 1 to 3 in the world. So, every team wants to beat these sides for bragging rights and to also get an indication of where they stand in preparation of the next Rugby World Cup.
So let the battles begin!
Japan were given a timely boost ahead of their one-off Test against the world’s top-ranked side, New Zealand, in Tokyo on Saturday.
The home side was boosted by the fitness of centre Harumichi Tatekawa, who missed training earlier this week due to a knee injury and had been a doubt for Saturday’s game.
With Japan coach Eddie Jones still in hospital recovering from a stroke, assistant Scott Wisemantel could not have been handed a tougher task for his first assignment in charge.
The All Blacks have named four uncapped players in their matchday squad for the historic Test at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday
The starting XV sees bustling Counties-Manukau and Blues wing Frank Halai selected in an All Blacks side for the first time, with massive Crusaders and Canterbury lock Dominic Bird also making his debut.
The five New Zealand Super Rugby franchises have named their squads for the 2014 Super Rugby season including their Wider Training Groups.
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.
The End Of Year Tours (Autumn Internationals) starts this coming weekend and this week we should see a lot of news in preparation of these Tours. The New Zealand NPC is over, the South African Currie Cup has a new Champion, now the International stage lights up again!
The New Zealand All Blacks believe Dan Carter will be ready to face Japan and has also sent an S.O.S. call to prop Jeff Toomaga-Allen as cover for Joe Moody who was injured in the NPC Final.
Wellington (10) 13 / 29 (7) Canterbury (Final Score)
The Wellington Lions and Canterbury did battle in the NPC Premier Final at
Westpac stadium at 08:35 SA Time (19:30 NZ Time, 06:35 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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The Highlanders have announced that former All Black and current Otago ITM Coach Tony Brown has joined the Super Rugby franchise as an assistant coach.
Brown has played for the Sharks and Stormers in Super Rugby but is best known for his 90 caps starting back in 1996 with the Hlghlanders.
The side will be captained by Wellington and Hurricanes back Tim Bateman and features six former All Blacks and 11 players who played for the Maori All Blacks last year.
The squad departs for North America on Monday 28 October.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and the Blues have confirmed that All Blacks midfielder Ma’a Nonu has signed with NZR and the Blues for 2014 and 2015.
There are four new All Blacks in New Zealand’s squad for their year-end tour to Japan and Europe.
Crusaders forwards Joe Moody, Dominic Bird and Luke Whitelock along with Blues wing Frank Halai will all go on their first international tour, although all have spent time within the All Blacks environment this year.
All Blacks (30) 41 / 33 (19) Wallabies (Final Score)
The New Zealand All Blacks and Australian Wallabies did battle in the Bledisloe Cup at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT, 17:35 AEST).
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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All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and winger Cory Jane have both been sidelined due to injury from the third and final Bledisloe Cup clash against the Wallabies in Dunedin (Otago Regional Stadium) on Saturday, both having picked up late injuries at training, the All Blacks said.
One more Super Rugby door closed on All Blacks centre Ma’a Nonu on Friday when the Waikato Chiefs confirmed fullback Mils Muliaina and centre Robbie Fruean would be joining them for next year.
Nonu’s final chance of securing a Super Rugby contract in New Zealand now lies with the Auckland Blues after the Otago Highlanders, Canterbury Crusaders and Wellington Hurricanes all passed up the chance to sign him.
Local media reports this week said the Blues were talking to Nonu, although a decision is not expected until after the third Bledisloe Cup test against Australia in Dunedin on Saturday.
Saturday will be a special occasion for Waratahs wing Peter Betham, as he makes his Test debut for Australia against New Zealand.
His inclusion in the No.11 jersey is one of the four changes made to the starting line-up for this dead rubber – the third in the three-Test Bledisloe Cup series, with the All Blacks holding an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Rugby World Cup winning All Black prop Tony Woodcock has agreed to re-join his former Super Rugby team the Blues for the 2014 season.
The All Blacks have tweaked their backline for the Bledisloe Cup clash against the Wallabies at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday.
The starting XV features the return of 43-Test All Black Cory Jane who is back in the national side after recovering from a serious knee injury.
Clermont scrum-half Morgan Parra will miss France’s opening November test against world champions New Zealand after he was handed a four-week ban by the French League on Wednesday.
Parra was punished for having punched Bordeaux-Begles’s Gautier Gibouin several times during a Top 14 league match on September 29.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen looks set to use the final Bledisloe Cup Test to have a look at some different backline options.
Prolific wing Ben Smith will move to outside centre in place of Conrad Smith who is on holiday, with the experienced Cory Jane expected to take his place on the wing, whilst Hansen may also hand a start to impressive young flyhalf Beauden Barrett.
Wallabies wings Joe Tomane and Chris Feauai-Sautia are the latest backline players to have been ruled out of Saturday’s Test against the All Blacks due to injury.
This comes just a day after inside centre and leading goal-kicker Christian Lealiifano was ruled out of the Bledisloe Cup clash with an ankle injury.
Wallaby goal-kicker Christian Leali’ifano has been ruled out of Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand with an ankle injury.
The return of star utility back Cory Jane headlines the All Black squad for the third Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia in Dunedin next Saturday.
Counties Manukau secured the Ranfurly Shield for the next six months with a 25-7 win over Southland in an NPC crossover match at Pukekohe.
Missing two key players in wing Sherwin Stowers, away on Sevens duty, and scrumhalf Augustine Pulu, out following surgery on a stress fracture, Counties had little difficulty in seeing off fourth-placed Championship (Second Division) team Southland.
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.
As expected, New Zealand All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has given his charges the week off after their stellar performance over the weekend, clinching The Rugby Championship against the Springboks from South Africa.
They are nursing quite a number of bumps and bruises, the result from the hard encounter with the Springboks.
Following the Test between South Africa and New Zealand this past weekend, the New Zealand All Blacks have solidified their clasp on the IRD World Test Rankings more, stretching their lead over 2nd placed South Africa to a full 5.19 ranking points.
The Australian Wallabies have also slightly improved their position after their fine win against the Argentinian Pumas over the weekend, leaving them in 4th spot.
World Champions, New Zealand have stretched their lead further by almost a full rating point.
South Africa will be kicking off the the 2014 Super Rugby season with 4 of their 5 teams playing in the first weekend.
The Toyota Cheetahs will be hosting MTN Lions on Saturday 15 February at 17:05 whilst The Sharks will host the Vodacom Bulls at 19:10. The Stormers find themselves with a bye in the first week.
All Black coach Steve Hansen has rightly commended Springbok captain Jean de Villiers for the way in which he handled the substitute mishap of Dane Coles in their Rugby Championship Test at Ellis Park on Saturday.
On the field there was some confusion and discussion well after the All Blacks had brought replacement hooker Dane Coles on for Andrew Hore in the 2nd half.
Springboks (15) 27 / 38 (21) All Blacks (Final Score)
The South African Springboks and New Zealand All Blacks did battle in The Rugby Championship at
Ellis Park, Johannesburg at 17:00 SA Time (15:00 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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World Cup-winning All Blacks blindside flank Jerome Kaino will return to the Blues next year after signing a two-year deal with the Auckland franchise.
The 48-Test All Black has been contracted to play with the Blues and be available for the All Blacks in 2014 and 2015.
This important Test match is turning out to be the final of The Rugby Championship of 2013, however it is not a winner-takes-all final, but rather a terms-and-conditions-apply final.
A draw or a win for the All Blacks and the trophy is theirs. The Springboks on the other hand need to do a lot more. They need 4 tries, they need to prevent the All Blacks from scoring 4 tries and they need to beat the All Blacks by more than 7 points to win the trophy. If the Springboks just win the match without scoring 4 tries they will finish second, 1 Log point behind the All Blacks. All the All Blacks need is 1 solitary Log point, to secure this year’s Rugby Championship.
The Springboks have a great record at Ellis Park, when facing the All Blacks and recorded a massive win here under the coaching of Jake White in 2004 of 40 / 26.
For the Springboks to take the title will be a tall order, but not an impossible one. This could turn out to be the clash of the year.
Tasman’s Marty Banks, Auckland’s Hadleigh Parkes, and Mark Abbott from Hawke’s Bay have all signed on to join the Hurricanes in 2014.
Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett said all three had shown great form throughout the NPC, and each would bring different qualities to his strengthening squad.