Australian Rugby
The mass exodus at the Rebels franchise extended to the coaching staff on Monday, with news that Damien Hill has followed Test star James O’Connor and scrumhalf Nick Phipps out the door.
The Melbourne-based Super Rugby franchise has appointed Wallabies coaching co-ordinator Tony McGahan as the new head coach.
The Melbourne Rebels have confirmed that they will not be offering Wallaby flyhalf James O’Connor a further contract beyond the 2013 season.
There was a wonderful symmetry to the Lions tour of Australasia as they ended the way they started, with a big victory. That first game of the Lions tour way back in the beginning of June against the Barbarians in Hong Kong ended with a resounding victory and today was followed up with an even more impressive dismantling of Australia in Sydney.
Wallabies (10) 16 / 41 (19) Lions (Final Score)
The Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions did battle in the British & Irish Lions series of 2013 at
ANZ Stadium, Sydney at 12:00 SA Time (20:00 AEST, 10:00 GMT, 11:00 BST).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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A combined total of only three points has separated the Lions and Australia over the first two Tests. Now it’s onto the iconic ANZ Stadium in Sydney for a titanic decider that promises to be just as tight.
Seasoned flank George Smith has been recalled to the Australian team for the deciding Test against the British and Irish Lions in Sydney on Saturday.
Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones will captain the Lions in the final Test against Australia on Saturday after Brian O’Driscoll was dropped from the squad. Irishman O’Driscoll was favourite to replace injured skipper Sam Warburton.
Zac Guildford has re-signed with the Crusaders, for another year.
Jamie Mackintosh of the Highlanders will be walking over to the Chiefs, having signed a 2-year deal.
However the news is not so good for the Melbourne Rebels, with news that Cooper Vuna was granted an early release from his Super Rugby contract, to go after the lure of the Yen.
It seems not only South African players are heading to Japan and New Zealand certainly has their fair share of players swopping teams!
Sir Ian McGeechan believes the British and Irish Lions can’t afford to carry anybody during the third Test against Australia – and expects to see major changes for the series showdown in Sydney.
Australia captain James Horwill has been cleared to play in the final Test against the British and Irish Lions.
The International Rugby Board’s appeal of Australia captain James Horwill’s stamping case has been adjourned by judicial officer Graeme Mew of Canada, with Horwill’s place in the third and deciding test Saturday hanging in the balance.
Last week, the IRB appealed against the original decision that cleared Horwill of stamping on British and Irish Lions lock Alun-Wyn Jones in the first test on June 22 in Brisbane.
A comprehensive Highlights package of the match available here.
The 24-year-old Wales flanker has what the Lions have described as “a significant tear” in his left hamstring
Wallabies (9) 16 / 15 (12) Lions (Final Score)
The Australian Wallabies and British & Irish Lions did battle in the British & Irish Lions series of 2013 at
Etihad Stadium, Melbourne at 12:05 SA Time (20:05 AEST, 11:05 BST, 10:05 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 International Rugby Board has dropped a major bomb by insisting that Australian captain James Horwill face a new disciplinary hearing.
The Australian Rugby Union has reacted with “surprise” and “disappointment” to the news that the IRB intervened to demand the re-hearing of the foul play charge levelled against the Wallaby captain, Horwill.
British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland rung the changes for Saturday’s crucial second Test against the Wallabies, beefing up his pack for a “do or die” battle against the Australians.
Rebels (0) 0 / 35 (14) Lions (Final Score)
The Melbourne Rebels and British & Irish Lions did battle in the British & Irish Lions series of 2013 at AAMI Park, Melbourne at
11:40 SA Time (19:40 Melbourne Time, 10:40 BST, 09:40 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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The Wallabies suffered a triple blow ahead of the crucial second Test against the British and Irish Lions in Melbourne on Saturday.
Inside centre Pat McCabe and wing Digby Ioane have been ruled out of any further participation in the Test series.
Fullback Berrick Barnes is out of the second Test, but may still feature in the third and final international.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Wallabies wing Digby Ioane after he failed to appear in a Melbourne court on an assault charge.
Ioane, 27, is facing a charge of unlawful assault, after he allegedly assaulted a man in the Melbourne suburb of Prahran on March 9.
England centre Manu Tuilagi has recovered from a shoulder injury and will start for the British and Irish Lions against the Rebels on Tuesday.
The injury-hit Wallabies called up veteran flank George Smith among three reinforcements for the squad for next weekend’s make-or-break Test with the British and Irish Lions.
Smith, his Brumbies teammate Jesse Mogg, and Reds centre Ben Tapuai, have been added to the Wallabies group for the Melbourne match – following their 21-23 loss in the opening Test in Brisbane this past Saturday.
Wallabies (12) 21 / 23 (13) Lions (Final Score)
Australia and the British & Irish Lions did battle in the British & Irish Lions Series of 2013 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 12:05 SA Time (20:05 AEST, 11:05 BST, 10:05 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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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.
Coach Warren Gatland named his first British & Irish Lions Test team – the starting fifteen featuring eight new caps and eight Welshman.
The British & Irish Lions will play the Wallabies in the first of the three-Test series in Brisbane on Saturday.
The team will be captained by Welshman Sam Warburton.
The Western Force scored a major coup the the unveiling of Bulls lock Wilhelm Steenkamp as their latest signing.
Australia have named three debutants for Saturday’s first Test against the British and Irish Lions in Brisbane.
Israel Folau’s stunning rise in his third code is complete, with the Waratahs fullback set to be named on the right wing against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday.
Folau will be one of three Wallabies debutants, with Christian Lealiifano and Brumbies team-mate Ben Mowen also getting the nod when the side is officially unveiled on Thursday.
Reds and Wallabies winger Digby Ioane says that he is fit to play in the first Test against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday even though he had surgery four weeks ago.
Brumbies (8) 14 / 12 (3) Lions (Final Score)
The Brumbies and British & Irish Lions did battle in the British & Irish Lions tour of 2013 at Canberra Stadium, Canberra
at 11:40 SA Time (19:40 Canberra Time, 09:40 GMT, 10:40 BST).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1 & SHD on TV in SA.
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Wallaby squad members Peter Kimlin and Scott Sio will lift an under-strength Brumbies for their tour match against the British and Irish Lions in Canberra on Tuesday.
Less than a week ahead of the first British and Irish Lions test against Australia, former Wallaby coach Bob Dwyer has labelled the visitors as cheats because of illegal scrummaging and other rule infringements.
Lions coach Warren Gatland responded by saying he’s sad at the “tirade of abuse” that the former World Cup-winning Dwyer’s comments have attracted on social media.
Former Wales wing Shane Williams has been drafted into the British and Irish Lions team for Tuesday’s final warm-up game against the Brumbies in Canberra.
The Waratahs have named four Wallabies in their team that will play the British and Irish Lions on Saturday in Sydney including regular captain Dave Dennis.
The Waratahs and Brumbies have been given a boost for their clashes against the British and Irish Lions as four player from the Wallabies squad have been released back to their Super Rugby teams.
June is a busy time for rugby, and therefore a busy time here on Rugby-Talk. Of course, like has become custom, Rugby-Talk (the premier LIVE GAME RUGBY website) will broadcast and update live scores and up to date commentary on almost all the games, except where some of the Junior World Championship games overlap in their respective time slots and of course on Saturday morning at sparrow-fart (06:50) I will take the indulgence of sleeping through the bore between a Wales “B” side and Japan. Rugby-Talk will have 3 Live Games on Thursday afternoon and evening, 1 on Friday evening and 5 Tests throughout Saturday. This will bring the week’s Live Game Articles on Rugby-Talk to an impressive 11 matches (including the 2 matches already done this past Tuesday).
Here’s the Rugby you can look forward to the rest of this week, till and including the weekend. Rugby starts tomorrow late afternoon when there is a series of IRB Junior World Championship 2013 matches, including a late game between hosts France and South Africa’s Under 20 teams.