Australian Rugby
Seems that the planners of the End Of Year Tours all colluded to make it as difficult as possible for us to see all the games. This afternoon no less than 3 important Tests takes place at the same time, being Italy vs All Blacks (16:00 SA Time), England vs Wallabies (16:30 SA Time) and Scotland vs Springboks (16:30 SA Time). The other matches following are the Ireland vs Fiji (19:30 SA Time) and France vs Pumas (22:00 SA Time) matches.
Wallabies playmaker Kurtley Beale will face court next year on an assault charge relating to an incident involving a bouncer at a Brisbane hotel in June.
Australia have named their team to face England at Twickenham with Berrick Barnes at fullback as one of four changes to the team that lost to France in Paris.
Australian coach Robbie Deans was left shell-shocked and searching for answers after seeing his team convincingly put to the sword by an aggressive France team that stifled any plan for a width-based Wallaby gameplan.
France (16) 33 / 6 (6) Wallabies (Final Score)
France and the Australian Wallabies did battle in the End Of Year Tours at Stade de France, Paris at 22:00 SA Time (21:00 Paris Time, 20:00 GMT).
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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The Wallabies have named Waratahs prop Sekope Kepu and lock Kane Douglas to make their starting debuts for Australia’s Test match against France on Saturday.
Matt Giteau opted to sign a new contract with Toulon because he realised with Robbie Deans as national coach he had no chance of a Wallabies recall.
The customary time of the year when Southern Hemisphere International teams descend on the Northern Hemisphere is now upon us. We can look forward to four action packed weekends with twenty matches involving the various international teams (nineteen of which will be test matches).
Starting lock Sitaleki Timani is among four players who remain in doubt for the Wallabies opening Test against France this weekend.
Controversial Wallabies flyhalf Quade Cooper has been fined a total of $60,000 for his critical comments about the Australian squad.
Australian Super Rugby sides are allowed 35 players each, moved up from 30 in 2012, in their Extended Player Squads for Super Rugby 2013.
Australia have named a 30-man sqaud for the end of year tour to Europe without Scott Higginbotham and captained by Nathan Sharpe.
The Western Force have signed former Rugby World Cup Wallabies lock/flanker Hugh McMeniman for the 2013 Super Rugby season.
Wallabies forward Scott Higginbotham has been slapped with a two match ban for his attack on All Blacks captain Richie McCaw.
Wallabies (12) 18 / 18 (6) All Blacks (Final Score)
Wallabies and All Blacks did battle in a Bledisloe Cup match at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 12:00 SA Time (20:00 Brisbane Time).
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 injury problems have taken another blow as prop Ben Alexander has been ruled out of the final Bledisloe Cup test with a wrist injury.
The Rebels have signed Auckland Blues prop forward Pauliasi Manu to a two-year Super Rugby deal as part of their Contracted Playing Squad.
The Wallabies playing stocks for their end of year tour have suffered yet another blow as utility back James O’Connor will miss the tour.
The Wallabies named their 22-man team to take on the All Blacks on Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup clash in Brisbane… then changed it due to another injury.
Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll fancies a Super Rugby stint before he retires, with the Waratahs favourites to secure his signature.
Australian rugby boss John O’Neill has announced that he will stand down as Australian Rugby Union chief executive at the end of this month.
Pumas (9) 19 / 25 (15) Wallabies (Final Score)
The Argentinian Pumas and Australian Wallabies did battle in The Rugby Championship at Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario at 01:10 SA Time Sunday (20:10 ARG Time, 09:10 AEST Sunday, 23:10 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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Western Force wing Nick Cummins will become the 11th new cap, and the 38th player to represent Australia in what is the 10th Test of a challenging year.
The International Rugby Board (IRB) have said that Irish referee Alain Rolland got it wrong when he refused to allow Australia to make a replacement and forced them to play the last 14 minutes with 14 men.
What an enjoyable Saturday late afternoon, bar the ridiculous 3G Internet signal at Loftus Versfeld, of course!
The Springboks totally dominated and comprehensively outmuscled and outplayed a very ordinary and injury ravaged Wallabies side, with the Springboks eventual winners by 31 / 8, after also leading at the halftime break by 14 / 3.
I guess 5 tries to 1 tells the story, with Bryan Habana scoring a hat-trick on the day to increase his Springbok all time record to 46 Test tries.
Springboks (14) 31 / 8 (3) Wallabies (Final Score)
The South African Springboks and Australian Wallabies did battle in The Rugby Championship at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:00 SA Time.
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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Australia suffered another blow ahead of their Castle Rugby Championship match against the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday with reserve loose forward Scott Higginbotham set to be ruled out of the game.
Kurtley Beale will start his first Test at flyhalf on Saturday after Australia coach Robbie Deans chose the fullback to replace the injured Quade Cooper for the Rugby Championship clash with South Africa.
The Australian Rugby Union broke their silence over the public rants of controversial flyhalf Quade Cooper, confirming they have placed the volatile player on notice.
SANZAR has made known the full game schedule for Super Rugby in 2013. Take critical note of the fact that the Australian sides will feature a week earlier than the New Zealand and South African sides, as they feature alone in Round 1 – 15 & 16 February and in the middle of the year, Round 17 – June 7 & 9, the Australian sides will feature alone as well, whilst in Round 18 & Round 19 the New Zealand and South African sides will feature without the Australian sides.
This accomodation is done to assist Australia who hosts the British and Irish Lions touring party in the middle of 2013.
Accordingly the Super Rugby Combined Log will be skewed from the start, then become even more skewed after Round 17 (The Australian sides having played 2 games more by then) and that the Combined Log will only appear realistic and normal after the conclusion of Round 19.
The Wallabies have named uncapped Waratahs prop Paddy Ryan and Western Force winger Nick Cummins in their 28-man Wallabies squad for The Rugby Championship away leg.
Wallabies flyhalf Quade Cooper has been ruled out of the remainder of The Rugby Championship after scans revealed an articular cartilage chip to his right knee.
Wallabies (3) 23 / 19 (6) Pumas (Final Score)
The Australian Wallabies and Argentina Pumas did battle in The Rugby Championship at Skilled Park, Gold Coast at 12:00 SA Time (20:00 Gold Coast Time).
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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Nathan Sharpe has been named as the Wallabies fourth captain this year while fullback Kurtley Beale has been dropped for Australia’s clash with Argentina on Saturday.
The Wallabies injury woes have continued with the news that hooker Stephen Moore and utility back James O’Connor’s return to fitness has been postponed.