Latest news with #AutumnInternationals
The Star
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Etzebeth back after concussion concerns in boost for Sharks, Springboks
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - Wales v South Africa - Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Britain - November 23, 2024 South Africa's Eben Etzebeth scores their second try Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra/File Photo DURBAN (Reuters) -South Africa forward Eben Etzebeth is back from injury at the perfect time for club and country with the Sharks competing in this weekend's United Rugby Championship quarter-finals and the Springboks ready to embark on a programme of 13 tests this year. Etzebeth played his first full match in five months when the Sharks beat Scarlets two weeks ago to secure a top-four place in the URC regular season standings and a home game against Munster in the last eight in Durban on Saturday. There had been concerns about the 33-year-old's playing future when he was ruled out after suffering concussion in a win over Exeter Chiefs in the European Champions Cup in early December. However, South Africa's most capped international said his body was rested and fresh. 'It was obviously frustrating with the concussion," he told reporters in the build-up to the clash against Munster. "There's not really a timeline on it, it's all about your symptoms and how you respond to certain treatments. So I'd think, 'maybe I'll be back in a week's time' and then it's a bit longer,' 'And then I picked up a hamstring (injury) and had to sit out a bit more.' That injury came at a training camp with the Springboks and meant Etzebeth only made a return in mid-April with a handful of substitute appearances. There was more concern when a knock to his knee saw him go off after 28 minutes against the Ospreys at the start of the month but he made a quick recovery to play a full game on May 17. 'It was good to get that first 80 minutes against Scarlets under the belt,' he added. 'It's good when you play 20 here or 60 there, but when you finally get a full game, you really feel like you're back in the mix,' Etzebeth added. His return will come as a boost to Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus, who plans to use matches in July against Italy and Georgia to blood younger players alongside the likes of double-World Cup winner Etzebeth. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
The Star
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Reece claims Super Rugby try-scoring record
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - France v New Zealand - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - November 16, 2024 France's Louis Bielle-Biarrey in action with New Zealand's Sevu Reece REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/File Photo (Reuters) -All Blacks winger Sevu Reece claimed the Super Rugby Pacific career try-scoring record when he touched down for the 66th time in 14th minute of the Canterbury Crusaders' clash with the Otago Highlanders in Christchurch on Friday. The fleet-footed 28-year-old claimed the record with a far less spectacular effort than many of his previous tries for the Crusaders, dropping the ball onto the line from the base of a tryline ruck. The score took Fiji-born Reece out of share of the record with his former All Blacks team mate TJ Perenara, who moved to Japan at the end of last season and will not be able to add to his tally. Moana Pasifika winger Julian Savea (63 tries) is the only other player from the top five try-scorers still active in Super Rugby Pacific. Reece, who started his Super Rugby career at the Waikato Chiefs in 2016 and moved to Christchurch six years ago, has also scored 18 tries in 32 tests for New Zealand. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
The Star
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Chiefs' path back to the top of Super Rugby blocked by Savea's Moana
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - Ireland v New Zealand - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - November 8, 2024 New Zealand's Ardie Savea in action REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo SYDNEY (Reuters) - The Waikato Chiefs have a chance to go back on top of the Super Rugby Pacific standings in the penultimate round of the regular season this weekend but to do so they will have to find a way to end Moana Pasifika's remarkable winning streak. Inspired by All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea, Moana have moved into playoff contention for the first time in their short history on the back of wins over Fijian Drua, the Otago Highlanders and the Auckland Blues in their last three matches. Moana are determined to cling onto a top-six spot and qualify for post-season play but will have to do it the hard way with Saturday's visit to Hamilton followed by another tough trip to face the Wellington Hurricanes in the final round. "Why not go even further?" ever-confident captain Savea said after the win over the reigning champion Blues. "We're in control and that's the great thing, no one else can tell us what to do. Everything's on us, and how we turn up every day." The Chiefs, coming off a bye that saw them slip to second in the standings, will be equally determined to move back above the ACT Brumbies and have named a side almost unchanged from that which beat the third-placed Canterbury Crusaders two weeks ago. The Crusaders host New Zealand's South Island derby in Christchurch on Friday night against the Highlanders, who retain a mathematical chance of qualifying for the playoffs despite being bottom of the standings. Only the Fijian Drua, who have a bye along with the Brumbies and Blues this weekend, and Western Force, who host the New South Wales Waratahs on Saturday night, are out of playoff contention going into round 15. A nine-point gap from the Crusaders in third, the last position that guarantees home advantage in the first round of playoffs, and the Queensland Reds in fourth might not be insuperable but would require a string of unlikely results. The Reds will in any case have a fight on their hands just to retain fourth place as they take on the resurgent Hurricanes, who trail them by two points, in Brisbane in Friday's second match. With the highest-ranked loser from the first round of playoffs getting a slot in the semi-finals under this year's new format, Friday's match could turn out to be crucial for both teams' title hopes. "We want to go deep in the finals," said Reds number eight and Wallabies captain Harry Wilson, who returns from more than a month on the sidelines with a fractured arm. "We've showed we can beat (the top teams) but ... we need to ice those big moments, and it's an opportunity to do that this week." (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
The Star
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Australia-born Tuipulotu 'all in' for the Lions
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - Scotland v Australia - Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain - November 24, 2024 Scotland's Sione Tuipulotu scores a try REUTERS/Russell Cheyne/File Photo (Reuters) -Melbourne-born Scotland centre Sione Tuipulotu says he is fully committed to the British & Irish Lions after being selected to tour Australia later this year. The 28-year-old, who qualifies for Scotland through his grandmother, was one of two Australia-born players selected to tour the land of their birth along with Ireland winger Mack Hansen. "I really wanted to be a Lion because I know how much it means to people over here," Tuipulotu told reporters in London. "I had gone all in with Scotland. I just felt what better way to prove my allegiance to Scotland than go all in and try and make the Lions? That's why it meant so much to me. "In those early days, you have that feeling of 'Am I part of this?' I feel like talking is one thing, but showing people how much it means with how I play is another. Of course, you get those feelings you want to prove yourself. "The best way to do that is on the field and show your commitment that way." Although far from unprecedented, Lions coach Andy Farrell attracted criticism in some quarters for picking seven players who were born, raised and started their rugby careers in the Southern Hemisphere. Tuipulotu, who captained Scotland against the Wallabies last November, said he understood that some fans would have reservations. "I don't blame those people," said Tuipulotu, who missed the Six Nations this year but returned from injury for his Glasgow club last weekend. "I didn't grow up dreaming of playing for Scotland or the Lions, that's the truth. But this is where my path has led me. I'm all in for this Lions team, for Scotland and for Glasgow. I genuinely believe this is where I'm supposed to be. "I've been led here for a reason." The Lions will play Argentina in Dublin on June 20 before three tests and six tour matches in Australia in June, July and August. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
The Star
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-Peerless Savea named first Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - Ireland v New Zealand - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - November 8, 2024 New Zealand's Ardie Savea in action REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo SYDNEY (Reuters) -Ardie Savea was named the winner of the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year award with two rounds of the competition to spare on Monday after his extraordinary performance for Moana Pasifika at the weekend. The All Blacks loose forward was a powerhouse on both sides of the ball as Moana beat the Auckland Blues for the first time on Saturday to move into the top six in the standings, good enough for a playoff spot. Savea appropriately brought an end to what one TV commentator described as the best individual performance in 30 years of Super Rugby with a turnover under his own posts to seal the 27-21 victory. "It just astounds me, sometimes I don't know if anyone can get any better, but he keeps doing it," Moana coach Tana Umaga told reporters at Auckland's North Harbour Stadium. "It's just amazing what he puts himself through, how he prepares and how much it means to him. To learn the skills of someone who's playing the best rugby that anyone's ever seen ... is the best way for our boys to learn." Savea moved to Moana at the end of last year on a mission to help develop a team which was set up to advance the careers of players from the Pacific islands and Pasifika diaspora but had struggled in its first three seasons. "I don't know if you guys have been in that position when you wholeheartedly believe in something, you've given your all, that's me right now," Savea, who won the World Player of the Year award in 2023, said on Saturday. "For me, it's more than a game and when it's more than a game to me, I'll run through brick walls for them. Every week, that's my mindset for this team." Vern Cotter, who led the Blues to a fourth Super Rugby title last season, said he had never seen Savea play as well. "He was on fire, wasn't he?" said the former Scotland and Fiji coach. "He inspires them. He's inspirational just with his actions." Savea received maximum points for his performance from his peers and coaches to take an unassailable 11-point lead in Player of the Year standings over Tom Hooper of the ACT Brumbies. "Ardie's passionate leadership and dominant performances for Moana Pasifika this year have made an indelible mark on his teammates, his opponents and our competition as a whole," Jack Mesley, chief executive of Super Rugby Pacific, said in a press release. "He has received votes from the opposition in almost every game he has played this season, which reflects the consistency of his output and influence on his team." (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
