Category: Rugby

Rennie calls Cooper into Wallabies squad ahead of Bledisloe opener

Quade Cooper will make a shock appearance at Wallabies training on Monday morning and could hypothetically play in the first Bledisloe Test next month after answering a stunning SOS call from coach Dave Rennie. James O’Connor’s groin injury will prevent the No.10 travelling to New Zealand and with border restrictions set to play havoc with the Wallabies’ upcoming Test campaign, Rennie has done the unthinkable by bringing back the 70-Test playmaker back into an Australian squad. NSW-based No.10s Will Harrison […]

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5 things we learned from the Lions’ opening Test win over South Africa

It was far from a straightforward struggle, but the British and Irish Lions came up with the goods in Cape Town on Saturday after beating South Africa 22-17 in the opening Test. Warren Gatland ’s curveball selection was scrutinised prior to kick-off, but the strength of the Lions bench pulled through to turn the tide in the second half. Handre Pollard and Dan Biggar scored four penalties apiece while Faf de Klerk and Luke Cowan-Dickie crossed over for South Africa […]

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British and Irish Lions player ratings: Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, Tadhg Furlong stand out in 22-17 win over Springboks

Pick through the player ratings from the British and Irish Lions’ dramatic comeback 22-17 Test win vs the Springboks in Cape Town… 15. Stuart Hogg: Never really able to shine in attack but was tidy as the Lions’ last line of defence. 7/10 14. Anthony Watson: Outstanding in the air and was one of the Lions’ better players when the chips were down in the first half. 8/10 13. Elliot Daly: Hammered by Lukhanyo Am in an early tackle and […]

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British and Irish Lions vs South Africa LIVE: First Test build-up and latest updates from Cape Town

South Africa are primed to host the British and Irish Lions in the first Test in Cape Town. A tour so far clouded by Covid problems and a lack of form for the Springboks due to such few playing opportunities, the real action begins for head coach Warren Gatland and his men. The Lions may have lost to the ‘A’ side but they produced a dominant set-piece showing in a 17-13 loss in the build-up to this first Test, though […]

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‘That is not up to AFL standard’: Kangaroos extinguish Blues’ finals hopes

Carlton’s slim finals hopes are over and the scrutiny at Princes Park is set to reignite after a career-high seven goals from Nick Larkey led bottom-placed North Melbourne to a 39-point win at Marvel Stadium on Saturday. The Blues led by two points at half-time but a seven-goals-to-nil third term gave the Kangaroos a 38-point lead by the final break. In their highest-scoring term of the season, the Roos bulldozed the Blues with their aggressive run through the middle of […]

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From the Archives, 2005: Demons’ late burst swamps Bulldogs

First published in The Age on August 21, 2005 Demons’ late burst In a season of stirring comebacks, none has been finer than Melbourne’s effort last night to swamp a gallant Western Bulldogs in the final five minutes to secure a gutsy four-point win. Adam Yze is tackled by Ryan Hargraves.Credit:Pat Scala In doing so the Demons kept their September dreams alive and ended the Dogs’ fairytale run. When Bulldogs forward Brad Johnson bobbed and weaved to kick his third […]

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AFL 2021 LIVE updates: Blues fight to keep season alive against North

Key posts 12.30pmToday’s milestones 12.00pmRoos defence tightening 11.59amSilvagni setting up scores 1 of 1 Blues still have a pulse Carlton’s finals hopes are hanging by a thread, but where there’s life, there’s hope. The Blues will need to win their final five games to be any chance of featuring in the September action, starting with the Kangaroos today. North might be sitting on the bottom of the ladder, but they are certainly not the pushovers they were earlier in the […]

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Snap ban after NRL families filmed breaching covid rules

Video of three NRL players and their loved ones blatantly breaching Queensland biosecurity bubble rules has sparked outrage from authorities and now means they can’t set foot outside. In the vision, captured earlier this week, three NRL families can be seen passing items to each other through their hotel balconies to rooms beside and above them, in complete defiance of restrictions. Immediately after the pictures surfaced, Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young hinted that her patience had worn thin […]

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Lions and South Africa trade verbal blows ahead of first Test

BOILING POINT: Tensions rise ahead of Lions’ first Test against South Africa as both sides trade verbal blows… as tourists heap pressure on TMO official Marius Jonker while hosts hit back at Warren Gatland’s ‘egos’ jibe The Lions and South Africa have traded verbal blows before Saturday’s first Test Warren Gatland’s Lions are complaining about home official Marius Jonker  Jonker is Saturday’s TMO official but his son is a team-mate of Springbok stars Gatland also spoke about ‘denting the egos’ […]

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Jamie Peacock says Rugby League World Cup should go ahead without selfish duo

Australia and New Zealand’s decision to withdraw from this year’s World Cup is best summed up by George Orwell’s book ‘1984’. “All animals are equal – but some are more equal than others”. There couldn’t be a more apt phrase for what has unfolded in the last 48 hours. It’s a self-absorbed, self-interested and myopic decision made with the interests of the 2022 NRL season in mind, and nothing to do with player welfare. We know that because this autumn […]

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