Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57186246
Saturday, May 22, 2021
Challenge Cup final: Leicester Tigers 17-18 Montpellier - Leicester miss out on European title
Leicester Tigers miss out on a first European trophy in 19 years as Montpellier edge a feisty Challenge Cup final at Twickenham.
Friday, May 21, 2021
Ill-disciplined Force fall to Highlanders
The Western Force have been made to pay dearly for their ill discipline during a 25-15 Super Rugby Trans-Tasman loss to the Highlanders in Perth.
The Force trailed 20-3 after 36 minutes of Friday night’s match before launching a brave comeback that almost saw them reduce the margin to three points.
Down by ten points early in the second half, the Force came close to scoring on three occasions – only for penalties to bring them undone each time with the line in sight.
A 60th-minute yellow card to reserve prop Greg Holmes – and a Highlanders try a minute later – killed off the Force’s victory hopes in front of 13,587 fans at HBF Park, ensuring Australian teams remain without a win after seven matches against Kiwi sides.
The penalty count read 9-3 against the Force at halftime and 12-6 late in the match before the Highlanders committed some ill-disciplined acts in the dying minutes for the final count to read 12-9.
“First half, we let ourselves down a fair bit. It was a 9-3 penalty count at halftime,” Force coach Tim Sampson said.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
“We let the opposition off the hook too often there. There were too many errors and penalties. It’s hard to get into a game when you’re turning ball over so frequently.”
The Force suffered a blow before the game when former All Blacks lock Jeremy Thrush became a late withdrawal.
And flyhalf Jake McIntyre lasted just 22 minutes before being knocked unconscious in a sickening clash of heads with Highlanders winger Patelesio Tomkinson.
Winger Jona Nareki scored the opener in the 12th minute when the Highlanders pulled off a smooth line-out move and scrumhalf Aaron Smith broke through Feleti Kaitu’u’s tackle to provide the assist.
The Force were brought undone at the line-out again in the 23rd minute when the Highlanders threw it short and formed a rolling maul for prop Ayden Johnstone to barge over.
Alarm bells were ringing in the 36th minute when a rolling maul congested the Force defence before the ball was offloaded to inside centre Scott Gregory to touch down.
But the home side hit back on halftime with their own piece of magic from a lineout. Winger Jordan Olowofela made a sharp 20-metre break before dishing off to centre Henry Taefu.
Taefu’s pass was knocked down but scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli swooped on the loose ball and shook off a tackle in a sprint to the line.
Domingo Miotti’s conversion made it 20-10 at halftime, and the Force dominated long periods early in the second half, only for untimely penalties to bring them undone on three occasions close to the line.
Holmes’ yellow card for a high tackle that was swiftly followed by a second try to Gregory extended the margin to 15 points, but the Highlanders were denied a bonus point when Force substitute Angus Wagner scored in the 79th minute.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/05/22/ill-disciplined-force-fall-to-highlanders/
https://therugbystore.com.au/ill-disciplined-force-fall-to-highlanders/
O’Connor re-signs with Reds and Wallabies until 2023
James O’Connor has re-signed with the Queensland Reds and will remain in Australian rugby until the 2023 World Cup in France.
The Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) and Rugby Australia (RA) have secured the signature of Reds flyhalf James O’Connor.
The 30-year-old has re-signed for the next two seasons that will see him remain at Ballymore and in Australian Rugby until the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
“Queensland is my home. I was born here. I love this State, I love pulling on the maroon jersey, and this is where I want to finish my career,” O’Connor said.
“We have a great team now and I think we are going to do some special things. I’m excited to be part of it and to help take them forward.”
O’Connor captained the Reds to a breakthrough premiership, scoring every point in the 19-16 victory over the Brumbies to secure the Super Rugby AU title a fortnight ago.
MORE TO COME
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/05/21/oconnor-re-signs-with-reds-and-wallabies-until-2023/
https://therugbystore.com.au/oconnor-re-signs-with-reds-and-wallabies-until-2023/
Thursday, May 20, 2021
Mike Brown: Harlequins full-back to appeal against six-week ban
Harlequins full-back Mike Brown is to appeal against his six-week ban for his sending-off against Wasps.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57191250
https://therugbystore.com.au/mike-brown-harlequins-full-back-to-appeal-against-six-week-ban/
Tipping panel week 14: Bounce back week
A really interesting opening round of Super Rugby trans-Tasman, with three comfortable New Zealand wins and a couple of heartbreaking Australian losses.
The question now is going to be whether the comfortable wins just confirm suspicions, or whether the heartbreaking losses will see some recognition of the Australian sides.
Either way, this second week is going to see bounce back of some sort.
Whether that’s from the Rebels, Reds, and Hurricanes, or from the Crusaders and Chiefs is anyone’s guess. Some teams will have been enthused by their showing, and others will and should be really disappointed.
A big test for a number of teams – and a number of coaches – is already here.
LAST WEEK: Harry, Dan, Digger, and Geoff 5; The Crowd 4, Brett 3.
OVERALL: Dan 38, Harry 37, Geoff 36, The Crowd 35, Digger 33, Brett 31.
Dan
TIPS: HURRICANES, FORCE, BLUES, CHIEFS, CRUSADERS
It was an absolutely dire start to the Trans-Tasman competition for the Rebels, and a trip over to Wellington with a six-day turnaround means things get no easier in Round 2. It’ll be a surprise if the Canes don’t take their season points total to more than a century after this one.
The Western Force are going to become the first Australian team to beat a Kiwi Super Rugby side this year. Didn’t think I’d ever write those words, but here we are.
They matched it well with the Chiefs, will be considerably more rested than the Highlanders’ last opponents, and home-ground advantage is enough to nudge this one in their favour.
Domingo Miotti of the Force passes the ball. (Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images)
It’s nice to see the Waratahs click in attack, but they’d do well to model their defence on something other than melted Swiss cheese. Soft and full of holes is going to make for a rough outing against the Blues.
Then we have the two matches of the round. Both the Brumbies and Chiefs have improvement in them after last week’s showings, but we’ll likely see more from the latter as they return to their home deck. If they figure out how to keep 15 men on the field for most of the game, they should have enough to edge the Ponies.
The Reds will relish a chance to rebound from last week’s disappointment against the Crusaders, and this one could genuinely go either way. Queensland will be closer to full strength than they were last time out, but they’ll still be missing Hunter Paisami and Jordan Petaia.
If James O’Connor’s name is added to the injury list, it’s hard to see them toppling the visitors, and the Crusaders have the edge regardless of who the opposition flyhalf is.
SURE THING: The next kick after the 80-minute mark will go sailing over the black dot.
Harry
TIPS: HURRICANES, HIGHLANDERS, BLUES, CHIEFS, CRUSADERS.
Nothing will get easier for Australian teams in Round 2 of the Baby Bledisloe. The Canes may be leaky, but the Rebels have zero confidence and less attack, and this Wellington mob looks like they’ll score at least forty.
The Highlanders kick and defend better than the Chiefs; the Force will have to earn every point. I see this as an arm wrestle, and a foot wrestle. Aaron Smith is the best 9 in the world because he makes his teammates so much better.
I genuinely fear for the physical and mental health of the Waratahs as they face the stampeding Blues. Blues by 70.
The Brumbies should be competitive in Hamilton, they play the Chiefs well, and they travel the best of the Aussies. But I’ll tip Damian McKenzie to kick better and take the biscuits at home.
Tom Banks. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
The Reds will probably win the first half. Then the Crusaders will crunch and bunch and have Tasman Thor for lunch.
SURE THING: it’s no picnic crossing the Ditch south-east if rugby’s on the menu.
Geoff
TIPS: HURRICANES, HIGHLANDERS, BLUES, BRUMBIES, CRUSADERS
The good news for Hurricanes and Rebels fans is that there is only one way for their teams to go this week – upwards! But because the ‘Canes are starting from a higher point, they’re the obvious tip.
Hopefully, Stan Sport have fed the hamsters and we get to see more of the Perth match this week. The Force have the game to niggle and frustrate the Highlanders out of it, but I don’t like tipping against Aaron Smith.
To Saturday, and it’s the Blues by plenty. And because we’re due for an Australian win, and because their superior organisation often frustrates the Chiefs, it’s the Brumbies in Hamilton.
The Reds will be better this week, but stung by criticism of their shallow exit kicking, don’t be surprised if they get burned by kicking long to Will Jordan. Crusaders for mine.
SURE THING: The Waratahs won’t be scoring seven tries this week.
Digger
TIPS: HURRICANES, FORCE, BLUES, BRUMBIES, CRUSADERS
Friday night begins with the match of the round, a cracking start with the defenceless Hurricanes up against the attack-less Rebels. Mouth-watering stuff, ‘Canes by plenty please.
Over to Perth for the battle between the two scrappers of their respective comps where neither side really knows when they’re dead and despite the incredible form ole Aaron Smith is in, I will plump for the Force to get the first Aussie win on the board as I think they will frustrate the Highlanders out of the game, probably.
I expect the Waratahs to give as good as they get but suspect the Blues will prove too big and powerful and down in Hamilton, I believe the Chiefs are running out of legs and desperately need a breather and I fully expect the well-structured Brumbies to take advantage and register another Aussie win for the weekend.
And to top it all off in the battle of the champs, I simply do not like what the Reds are dishing up tactically at present, sure this can be fixed but I am unconvinced a week is enough time, and the Crusaders are the wrong side to try and turn it around against. Crusaders to win the battle of the Red jerseys.
SURE THING: I won’t have to blog any of the games through WhatsApp to Australians this weekend as I am sure STAN will have sorted their coverage issues, maybe.
(Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)
Brett
TIPS: HURRICANES, FORCE, BLUES, BRUMBIES, CRUSADERS
Right then, I see Digger is back in ‘protecting the margin’ mode!
I’m going to jump around a bit for this week’s round because as a starting point, the Hurricanes and Blues at home, against tackle-shy Australian opposition, look as obvious as Fox Sports’ general pettiness towards anything to do with Australian rugby.
But then to follow, chalk me up for wins to the Western Force and Brumbies, thanks very much.
The Force will be buoyed hugely by last week’s near miss and look likely to play in front of their biggest crowd of the year which, if they can repeat the late-game noise and atmosphere from last week, will make for an intimidating environment for the Highlanders from the deep south, after three days of travel.
And I do think the Brumbies will win in Hamilton, but perhaps not because of the supposed good record they have over the Chiefs, as I’ve seen referenced a little bit this week.
Curious, I looked up the record, and though the Brumbies beat the Chiefs in Hamilton just 15 months ago, that win was their first in seven starts going back to 2009. But, having spent the week preparing in New Zealand, while the Cooks spent much of that time returning from Western Australia, the Brumbies look the goods this week.
That just leads me to Brisbane, and with lots of big questions the Reds need to answer ahead of the Champions versus Champions blockbuster.
Will James O’Connor play? (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)
I think they can bounce back after last week’s disappointment, and even hope they do, but I’m not sure it provides a level of confidence to pick them.
But I’ll certainly be pleased to get this one wrong.
SURE THING: After a disastrous platform failure on Saturday night, followed by crisis management by silence ever since, Stan Sport will see furious social media anger rain down upon them if they so much as make a spelling mistake this weekend.
They need the biggest bounce back of all this weekend.
| Harry | Brett | Dan | Digger | Geoff | The Crowd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HUR v REB | HUR | HUR | HUR | HUR | HUR | ? |
| FOR v HIG | HIG | FOR | FOR | FOR | HIG | ? |
| BLU v WAR | BLU | BLU | BLU | BLU | BLU | ? |
| CHI v BRU | CHI | BRU | CHI | BRU | BRU | ? |
| RED v CRU | CRU | CRU | CRU | CRU | CRU | ? |
| Overall | 37 | 31 | 38 | 33 | 36 | 35 |
| Last week | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
Get your tips in now.
if (!Element.prototype.matches) Element.prototype.matches = Element.prototype.msMatchesSelector document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() var request = new XMLHttpRequest(); request.open('POST', '/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php', true); request.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded;'); request.onload = function () if (this.status >= 200 && this.status < 400) document.getElementById("at-submit-tips-inner").innerHTML = this.response; document.addEventListener('click', function (event) if (!event.target.matches('.margin-tap-targets span')) return; var match = event.target.getAttribute('data-match'); var points = event.target.getAttribute('data-points'); var marginField = document.getElementById('at-margin-'+match); marginField.value = marginField.value*1 + points*1; , false); else console.log(this.response); ; request.onerror = function() // Connection error ; request.send('action=at_insert_submit_tips&title=Your Tips&comp_id=8&round_id='); );Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/05/20/tipping-panel-week-14-bounce-back-week/
https://therugbystore.com.au/tipping-panel-week-14-bounce-back-week/
British & Irish Lions: Japan match at Murrayfield set to have 16,500 spectators
A crowd of 16,500 is set to watch the British and Irish Lions' warm-up match against Japan at Murrayfield.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57170632
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
Why the Queensland Reds hit a speed bump in Dunedin
Forget the power merchants. Forget those who tell you the only way to win matches is by brute force. That is the long and winding route to oblivion for the game of rugby.
Speed, and more accurately speed of thought, kills. Six of the nine teams to have won a World Cup have been based squarely on it. A seventh – South Africa in 2007 – hired it on their coaching staff in the form of Eddie Jones, just before the tournament began. They had the on-field brain they needed, with Fourie du Preez a world-leading intellect at scrumhalf.
Sir Clive Woodward abbreviated this rugby essential to TCUP in the build-up to England’s 2003 World Cup success: thinking correctly under pressure. England sides of the past had always tended to respond to pressure by trying to exert more force, or put more size on the field. Not by thinking more clearly or correctly.
Woodward changed the culture, at least temporarily, in England’s prime years of the professional era between 2001 and 2003. Speed and accuracy of intelligence was the key to most of his selections. He gave a smart flanker who had been told in no uncertain terms he was too small to play international rugby – Neil Back – a chance to play. Back went on to become a vital cog in one of the best units in England rugby history, alongside Richard Hill and Lawrence Dallaglio.
The kings of speed in thought and deed, but especially in the top two inches, are of course New Zealand. Their players tend to be fit and lean, they tend to resolve their contact situations more quickly, and their attacking schemes are designed to move the ball in and to all parts of the field.
The major concern ahead of the Trans-Tasman competition for Australian sides was how they would handle not the only increase in overall game speed, but the sudden changes in tempo at which all Kiwi sides excel.
The answers from the first round of the tournament were a mixed bag. The two most structured sides in Super Rugby AU (the Brumbies and the Force) coped better, even though ultimately they lost their games in the final moments. The other three franchises were blown out.
The Super Rugby AU champion Queensland Reds in particular have some issues to resolve over their four remaining games. Not all of those ailments will be cured by the return of the first choices missing at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Friday evening.
Starters like Taniela Tupou, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson up front, and Tate McDermott, Hunter Paisami and Jordan Petaia behind will help greatly of course, but they cannot change the basics of the tactical framework in which they operate.
The Reds averaged the lowest time in possession, the lowest number of ball-carries, and the fewest rucks built in the whole of Super Rugby AU. That means they kick a lot of ball away, and kick returns just happen to be one of the greatest points of strength in New Zealand rugby.
In Dunedin, the Reds could not find an exit strategy which prevented the Highlanders from either scoring or camping for long periods in the Queensland 22.
Out of ten exit attempts in their last third, eight were clear victories for the Highlanders’ kick return team. They generated four tries, five clean breaks and a total of 26 points either directly from returns or from the positions they established from them.
The try right from the opening kick-off set an unfortunate tone for the rest of the game.
Angus Blyth found himself in the passing path between Kalani Thomas and James O’Connor, and the spilled ball led to a position from which the Highlanders could use the full width of the field with some crisp handling.
The man at the heart of the move is All Blacks number nine Aaron Smith, and his speed of thought and deed posed the Reds defensive problems they had not encountered throughout Super Rugby AU.
Where the Queensland exits were soggy, the Highlanders were razor-sharp:
Smith begins by finding touch on the Reds’ 40-metre line from the middle of his own 22. I’ve included the previous phase to flag up an example of his superb passing from the base:
He can hit the far man of the forward pod outside him, and engage the fourth defender out from the ruck with the length of his delivery. He does not sacrifice any speed to get the ball to him. The pass flies out true and flat. This became an important factor in the Clan attacks later in the game.
On the next occasion, Smith used the success of the previous exit to set up a neat attack on the short-side guard closest to the ruck, from the same position in midfield:
He gives his number eight Kazuki Himeno a subtle wink as the ruck processes, and Himeno switches from left to right to overload Angus Scott-Young. Suddenly, the Landers are up to halfway with a minimum of risk.
Smith has TCUP in spades. Even when the Highlanders won a turnover penalty in the shadow of their own posts in the second half, he was already two steps ahead of everyone else and looking for the easiest exit from the 22 – even if it meant making a long pass off his left hand to find the space:
Smith signals out to the right before tapping the ball as Queensland forwards are still talking to the referee, and again the Reds find themselves back on the wrong side of halfway.
‘Nugget’ has always been one of the savviest number nines in his management of those vital situations around the base of the ruck. ‘Cleaning base’ means the ability to force a decision out of the referee when defenders are getting in the way on the wrong side:
Hamish Stewart (in the white headgear) does not do a lot wrong in the first example, but Smith milks the penalty by not offering to play a loose ball placement by Pari Pari Parkinson. In the second, he makes sure he collides with Scott-Young as the Reds number six gets up clumsily from the tackle.
But it was Smith’s ability to engage the fourth defender through the extra length and accuracy of his pass, even off his left hand, that was the critical factor:
The first notable looseness in line spacing occurs between the fourth and fifth Queensland defenders, and Smith can get the ball into that space with one action:
There are two nice options for the far man in the forward pod when he receives the ball – short to Siate Tokolahi, or out the back to Mitch Hunt.
The third Highlanders try of the game was all about Smith.
He forces the first Reds back, Jock Campbell, to plant by running around the base, then unleashes a pass off his left hand which consumes the last two defenders, Filipo Daugunu and Bryce Hegarty, in the first ruck:
One pass has taken out the whole of the front line, and there is still half the field to work with on the next phase as Stewart wraps around the ruck desperately in cover. There is no prospect of him reaching Sio Tomkinson on the end of another terrific 25-metre bullet from Smith.
It is safe to say that no other scrumhalf in Super AU, or perhaps on the face of the planet, could have produced those two deliveries off the left hand in swift succession.
The Queensland defence found itself stressed in ways entirely unfamiliar from the domestic competition:
Smith takes a step out to engage the inside defenders, then hits the far man in the forward pod, Himeno, again. That mini-break sets up an easy run-in on the following play:
Summary
It was a virtuoso display from Aaron Smith, the golden nugget in the world of TCUP. The Queensland Reds would have seen nothing like him in Super Rugby AU, and they struggled to adjust to the speed of pass, and the speed of thought from the base.
Despite the short six-day turnaround and squad rotation which left starters on the sideline, it is never pleasant to be beaten out of a game so conclusively. That will have come as a big culture shock to the Reds players.
Without a top-notch kicking game off nine, they were generally forced to exit from further back, and that strategy was dragged into question by the quality of the Highlanders’ kick returns.
The Reds found themselves trying to play out from their own last third of the field, or defend desperate situations close to the goal-line far too often for comfort. That is what sudden changes of tempo, and the extra speed in thought and deed provided by players like Aaron Smith, can do to you.
Aaron Smith. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)
It is no coincidence that the Australian teams who came closest to winning in the first round of Trans-Tasman games – the Brumbies and the Force – also boasted the two highest average times of possession during Super Rugby AU. They are both more structured than the Reds in their approach, and know how to keep the ball when they get it. That helps in any battle with teams from New Zealand.
It is not going to get any easier for the Reds, with the mighty Crusaders up next at Suncorp Stadium. This is rugby life at the next level, and they have to prove they can breathe in that more rarefied atmosphere.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/05/19/why-the-queensland-reds-hit-a-speed-bump-in-dunedin/
https://therugbystore.com.au/why-the-queensland-reds-hit-a-speed-bump-in-dunedin/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)