Opals shine to beat NZ in Trans-Tasman Throwdown
Debutant Miela Sowah's sharp shooting and captain Stephanie Reid's dogged defence have carried the Opals to an 88-70 win over New Zealand in the opening game of the inaugural Trans-Tasman Throwdown.
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News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Brumbies seal Super Rugby semi final berth with win over the Hurricanes
There's still a pulse in Australia's ailing Super Rugby teams. Not for the first time, the ACT Brumbies have saved Australian rugby's blushes with a thrilling 35-28 quarter-final win over the Hurricanes in Canberra on Saturday. They now face the dreaded prospect of having to win twice in New Zealand to take the title but that's a problem for another day because the good news is that at least they're still alive. Australia's other teams all folded like cheap suits and have already crashed out of the tournament, leaving the Brumbies to fly the flag alone against the three remaining Kiwi sides. If it wasn't for an officiating blunder that cost them victory in their final regular season clash with the Crusaders, the Brumbies would be hosting a semi next week but instead they're off to Waikato Stadium in Hamilton to tackle the Chiefs. It's a tough assignment but the Brumbies have always been a side willing to roll up their sleeves and grind out wins through hard work. Twice they found themselves trailing the Hurricanes inside the first quarter of the game but both times they levelled the scores with tries off the back of rolling mauls after spurning the chance of easy points from penalties. It's not pretty but it's a highly effective tactic that the Brumbies have mastered and the Wallabies should consider using in their upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions. Four of the Brumbies' five tries against the Hurricanes were scored by frontrowers, two by hooker Billy Pollard and one each from props James Slipper and captain Allan Alaalatoa, who returned to the side from injury. 'It felt good to earn ourselves another week,' Alaalatoa said. 'We knew it was probably going to take everything we had. Physically, we spoke a lot about our tackle area and our tackle completion from the last time we played them. 'We backed ourselves. We knew that if we were going to beat the Hurricanes, we had to score some tries. 'The last time we played him, we didn't get many A-Zone opportunities, so we wanted to take as many as we could.' Only Tom Wright, who had an impressive game at fullback, chalked one up for the backline after he combined with powerhouse backrower Rob Valentini. If the Brumbies have a weakness it's with their defence. They conceded 50 tries during the normal season and gave up four more against the Hurricanes to keep the visitors in the game right until the final whistle. There was some added pressure before the game when the Auckland Blues scored in the last minute to beat the Chiefs in New Zealand, meaning the Brumbies' match was sudden-death. Had the Chiefs won, both the Brumbies and the Canes would have been assured a place in the semis regardless of the result but it was the Aussies who survived to fight again. 'It's good for us to experience that pressure now, especially heading over to Hamilton now where it is going to be do or die,' Alaalatoa said. 'To have that feeling for the game I think it's gonna be good for us heading into next week.'
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Cronulla Sharks forward suffers sickening injury after horror head clash
Cronulla were blown off the park on Saturday night as the New Zealand Warriors ran riot at Sharks Stadium. If the 40-10 scoreline wasn't bad enough, the Sharks had some injury to add to the one-sided beat down. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. In the first half second rower Briton Nikora attempted to lay a tackle on Jackson Ford but it all went horribly wrong. Nikora's head slammed into Ford's head with the Sharks player coming off second best. The 27-year-old was slow to get back to his feet as cameras zoomed in to show a nasty cut that looked more like one you'd see inside the UFC Octagon. Watch the moment Nikora is split open in the video player above The incident came shortly after the Warriors had taken a 10-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes before the Sharks responded. Mawene Hiroti crossed first before KL Iro etched his name into the NRL record books with a try in the 33rd minute. He becomes the first player in the NRL era (since 1998) to score a try in their first nine games of the season. 'He's had a season hasn't he,' Greg Alexander said. 'KL Iro, he has been a revelation on this left hand side of the field hasn't he,' Warren Smith added. Sadly that's as good as it got for the Sharks who were completely blown away in the second half with the Warriors running in 28 unanswered points. The Warriors were in complete control of the contest, scoring five tries to leave Cronulla fans in disbelief. Cronulla's second half display left league legend Greg Alexander stunned, failing to record a simple point. 'I can't believe what has happened in the second half … but boy, everything has gone wrong,' Greg Alexander said. For the Warriors it was their fifth win in a row in Australia and moves them level with the Bulldogs at the top of the table just a few months after there were fears they'd get the spoon following a heavy loss in Las Vegas.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Queensland Reds left frustrated by another early exit from the Super Rugby Pacific finals series
Putting in a 'great shift' is little consolation for a Queensland Reds side sick of falling at the first hurdle in the Super Rugby Pacific finals series. For the fourth successive year, the Reds have been knocked out in the first week of the finals – each time in New Zealand – after being thumped 32-12 by the clinical Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday night. The Crusaders also beat the Reds at the same stage of the playoffs in 2022, while it was the Chiefs who were responsible for Queensland's week one finals exits in 2023 and last year. Queensland coach Les Kiss has no doubt his team is good enough to progress further along the finals round, but the Reds are yet to prove they are genuine contenders for the Super Rugby Pacific crown. 'This is a point that we've stopped at each year and we've got to be able to find a way to get through to that next level for sure,' Kiss said. 'We've got enough good people in the organisation, from the players right through to our professional rugby staff, so we can do it. We know that. 'I really feel for them all because they put a great shift in this year, all of them, and to finish up like this is despondent.' Injuries didn't help the Reds' cause this season, but Kiss felt the experience gained by a host of emerging players would benefit Queensland in the future. 'We used 38 players this year. That's one thing I'm very proud of,' he said. 'We didn't have a good injury run. That happens, but the boys who stood up and came in, (centre) Dre Pakejo for one, (back-rower) Joe Brial … had a massively good year. 'Young men that keep stepping up for us, that's really pleasing. I'm very proud of the program that delivers that.' The Reds started the season impressively and were on target to achieve their goal of a top-three ladder finish, which would have guaranteed them a qualifying final on home spoil, after being in first spot after seven rounds. However, they lost five of their remaining eight regular season matches – including a shock 36-33 loss to Fijian Drua in Suva on May 3 – that resulted in them placing fifth on the table. 'We certainly lost a Fiji game that we shouldn't have over there … so we still have to own some of the errors that we can improve on, however it was a competition that was compelling,' Kiss said. Reds skipper Tate McDermott said despite Friday night's loss it wasn't all 'doom and gloom' for Queensland. 'We're really disappointed that our journey again finishes in the quarter-finals, but we've just got to regroup and go again next year,' the star halfback said.
