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Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Dare we whisper it ... are Wallabies improving?
Unexpectedly close Talk about a fantastic rugby trilogy. Two great rivals with glorious history and passionate fans. Three games, all incredibly close, and decided by plenty of guts and skill. But enough about the clashes between Waitaki Boys' High School and St Kevin's College this year. The Lions have left Australia with a series victory — and they are rare, so deserve to be celebrated warmly — but with the sting of losing the third test. After the first few games of the tour, and a first test in which the Lions utterly destroyed the Wallabies and should have won by 40 points, your man was predicting the easiest 3-0 series sweep in history. But look what happened. A couple of marginal calls the other way in the second test, and the Wallabies would be celebrating a 2-1 series win against the odds. Were the Lions not actually all that great? Or did the third test lose some meaning as they had one foot on the plane home? And what of the Wallabies? Imagine if Will Skelton and Rob Valetini had played all three tests. They transform that team. Much as we will not really know if the All Blacks have made significant progress until they play Argentina away and world champions South Africa at home, we will not get the full picture of Australia's alleged resurgence until they have to travel to play the Springboks. But it will be genuinely nice if the Wallabies are getting good again. Four more years There is loose talk the Lions may alter their routine of visiting the southern hemisphere every four years, but hopefully the greedy blokes at the top table do not change a thing. That should mean the next time we will see the British and Irish combined team in action will be in New Zealand in 2029. Which will make your man feel ancient (more below), as he covered the 2005 tour. A Lions tour is like nothing else, and it is a fair bet Dunedin will feature on the schedule and the tourists, as they did when they were beaten here in 2017, will play the Highlanders. That tour is part of what shapes as a massive few years for the All Blacks. There is the inaugural Nations Championship and the revived grand South African tour in 2026, the World Cup in Australia in 2027, another Nations Championship in 2028, the Lions tour in 2029, an inbound Springboks tour in 2030, and the World Cup in the United States in 2031. Worth the wait Chalk up one for the good guys. Congratulations, Jacob Duffy. Treasure that test cap. Family ties Delighted to get an email this week from a bloke called Neil Greene. Neil is a stalwart of Otago hockey with whom I had a lot of dealings — when we were both a bit younger — when he coached both the Otago men's and women's teams. He says he is "well and truly retired now" but could not turn down the opportunity a few weeks back to take the field and be part of a remarkable three-generation experience. Neil had a run for the City Highlanders — a club he co-founded — when they played Kings United in a division three game. The opposition was significant, too, as Neil played for King's Old Boys (though he went to Otago Boys') and later represented United for many years until those two clubs combined. Alongside him on the turf were son Jamie and grandson Kaian, while son Matt was the coach. Neil said he had previously played a premier club game with his three sons, but felt this was something a bit special. And I heartily agree. I've heard of fathers and sons, and mothers and daughters, playing in the same team in various sports. But can anyone recall any instance of three generations appearing in the same competitive game? And so it begins It is just 75 days since Liverpool brought down the curtain on their glorious season with a draw against Crystal Palace in their final game of the 2024-25 campaign. In less than 48 hours, my beloved Reds play the same opponents in the Community Shield, and another season of English football has begun. Nothing rivals it for drama, excitement, scandal, politics and thrilling action. May the best team win the Premier League. And may that team be Liverpool. Spectacular series Test cricket remains unchallenged for its ability to be wonderful and wonderfully bonkers at the same time. The just-completed series between England and India had it all, capped by the bizarre sight — not that we got to see it on New Zealand television — of English tail-ender Chris Woakes coming out to bat with an arm in a sling. I rather enjoyed a tweet from a bloke who was "desperately trying to explain to my non-cricketing friends that after nearly two months of cricket, with 25 days of play, no-one has won". And, as always, peerless Guardian sportswriter Barney Ronay let the words drip from his keyboard like honey when he talked about the Bazball Poms: "For all the bulls..., the moments of head-scratch, the infuriating asides, these lunatics are producing something entirely new. 'Are You Not Entertained?' doesn't really do it justice. Are you not wrung out, frazzled, wowed? It has been the most glorious experiment, moments of beauty, fun and impossible drama set always to its own insistent set of rhythms." Birthdays of the week Former Knicks basketballer John Starks, boxer Riddick Bowe, Manchester United great Roy Keane, English rugby identity Lawrence Dallaglio, Manchester City star Bernardo Silva and Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant all turn a year older tomorrow. So does The Last Word. Older, greyer, grumpier ... but when Liverpool are the champions, it's a good time to be alive.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Algeria vs South Africa LIVE streaming info, CHAN 2024: When, where to watch African Nations Championship?
South Africa will play its first match of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 when it takes on Algeria in their Group C match on Friday at the Mandela National Stadium. Algeria, meanwhile, tops the standings in its group after the first round after securing a 3-0 win against Uganda on Monday. When and where will Algeria vs South Africa be played? The Algeria vs South Africa Nations Championship Group C match will begin at 7:30 PM local time (05:00 PM IST) on Friday, August 8. The match will be played at the Mandela National Stadium in Uganda. Where to watch the Algeria vs South Africa CHAN 2024 match? The match between Algeria and South Africa will be broadcast on SuperSport and beIN Sports. The tournament was initially supposed to be held in 2024, but was postponed due to organisational difficulties. Related Topics Algeria / South Africa
NZ Herald
4 days ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Richie Mo'unga: All Blacks return is more complex than it seems
Richie Mo'unga returns to rugby in New Zealand from July next year. Photo Photosport The short-term nature of Mo'unga's commitment to New Zealand rugby has ruled him ineligible for an exemption to be fast-tracked straight into the All Blacks. While the All Blacks host three fixtures next July and then tour South Africa for six weeks in a series dubbed rugby's greatest rivalry, which includes four tests against the Springboks (one at a neutral venue likely to be Twickenham), Mo'unga will return from Japan to play provincial rugby with Canterbury. Had he signed a longer-term contract stretching beyond the 2027 World Cup, the NZ Rugby board would have signed off on him joining the All Blacks immediately. Three seasons in Japan, and a brief return home, leaves Mo'unga without claims to a long-service exemption. While many senior All Blacks enjoy lucrative sabbatical stints, these are granted for six months and alongside long-term commitments to not just the national team but Super Rugby. Allowing Mo'unga an exemption jarred against those criteria. The situation gives Mo'unga a maximum of 13 tests – and the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season with the Crusaders – to push his case to regain the starting All Blacks reins. Mo'unga will next be available for the two Bledisloe Cup tests in October 2026, before the All Blacks embark on what is expected to be the first Nations Championship (three tests in the northern hemisphere, plus the finals weekend). In the 2027 World Cup year, the All Blacks are scheduled for a full Rugby Championship campaign that will mirror this year's tournament (two tests in Argentina, two at home against the Springboks and two Bledisloe battles) before the likelihood of staging one warm-up fixture prior to travelling to Australia for the global showpiece. Mo'unga is unlikely to feature in all 13 of those tests. And, with Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie demanding game time, too, it's feasible Mo'unga's starting opportunities for the All Blacks before the World Cup will be limited to single digits. Is that enough time to regain the mantle he held at the last World Cup? Possibly, but his claims will also be affected by the All Blacks' progress, or lack of, between now and October 2026. While Mo'unga has led Toshiba to successive League One titles in Japan, the expectation, based on numerous All Blacks returning from the same competition, is he will need time to adjust to the reduced time and space after three years away from the test scene. Mo'unga, though, is Robertson's man. The pair formed a tight-knit relationship, with Robertson labelling Mo'unga his quarterback, as the Crusaders collected seven Super Rugby titles. At that level, they were seemingly unstoppable. Robertson and New Zealand Rugby did everything within their power to bring Mo'unga home by this stage but financial terms could not be reached with Toshiba to break his contract early. Richie Mo'unga (right) has worked closely with coach Scott Robertson in the past. Photo / Photosport Such courtship serves to highlight the value Robertson places on Mo'unga's playmaking qualities. Robertson has, this year at least, proven his capacity to make difficult calls by passing over Ethan Blackadder, David Havili, Dalton Papali'i and shifting Rieko Ioane from centre to the wing. But his diplomacy skills will now be tested, perhaps more than ever before, with Mo'unga's homecoming confirmed. In Mo'unga's absence, Barrett has established himself as the All Blacks' clear first-choice playmaker. Gone are the days of Barrett playing fullback and the All Blacks attempting to sell their two-pronged playmaker vision with Will Jordan now locked in his favoured backfield role. Barrett, unless he's injured, will guide the All Blacks in the majority of their headline tests before the next World Cup to strengthen his combination with starting halfback Cam Roigard. McKenzie will push his case for starting opportunities, too. Neither are about to willingly step aside, which leaves Robertson with a challenging scenario to manage, with others such as Ruben Love and Stephen Perofeta at risk of sliding down the pecking order. Fitting everyone into a 33-man World Cup squad that usually contains three playmakers won't be easy. Internal competition, the best competing against the best, strengthens the collective but all individuals ultimately want to start. However the plot lines play out, the All Blacks will benefit from Mo'unga's return. Howwever, his hit-and-run World Cup mission is a more complex win than it first appears. Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Mo'unga to return next year
Scott Robertson will finally get his beloved first five back. New Zealand Rugby has announced, after what feels like an age of protracted negotiations, that first five Richie Mo'unga has signed an 18-month deal to come home. Mo'unga will complete one more season, his third, in Japan before returning to New Zealand in July. There is a twist, though. Mo'unga, 31, will not be granted an immediate exemption to play for the All Blacks but will first be seen in the NPC with Canterbury before being allowed to be selected for the national team in October 2026. It means he will miss the new Nations Championship and the much-anticipated full tour of South Africa — the Greatest Rivalry, as it is being termed — but will be in place for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, after a season back with the Crusaders. ''My family and I have really enjoyed our time in Japan, and I'm looking forward to another season with Toshiba before we return home,'' Mo'unga said in a statement. ''I can't wait to pull on the red and black jersey again and represent the province that's given me so much.'' Mo'unga, arguably the greatest player in Super Rugby history, won seven titles and played 109 games for the Crusaders. He had to bide his time before fully being given the reigns with the All Blacks but he managed 56 test caps, scoring 464 tests, before he decided to cash in after the 2023 World Cup. That clearly dismayed Robertson, who made no secret of his desire to get his ''quarterback'' back in black. The All Blacks have no shortage of first five options — Beauden Barrett is the incumbent, Damian McKenzie a vastly experienced excitement machine and Ruben Love a 10/15 hybrid — but there is no doubt Mo'unga instantly becomes the favourite to start in the position at the next World Cup. 'We're really pleased to have Richie re-committing to New Zealand Rugby, the Crusaders and Canterbury,'' NZR chief executive Mark Robinson said. ''He's a proven talent with a strong track record of performing on the biggest stages. His experience and leadership will be a tremendous asset in the environments he joins on his return to New Zealand.' Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge said Mo'unga's return was a special moment for the club and its supporters. 'The word 'care' is thrown around a lot in this place, but the care Richie has for this club and this team is second to none,'' Mansbridge said. ''He has this gift of bringing out the best in those around him and we can't wait to have him back here in 2027.'
Irish Times
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Andy Farrell's Ireland set to visit Australia and New Zealand next year
Andy Farrell and many of the Ireland coaching staff, along with the core of the 18 Irish players who were part of this summer's Lions tour will return to Australia next summer to play the Wallabies . As part of inaugural Nations Championship, Ireland are set to play the Wallabies and the All Blacks in New Zealand next summer, with a third game expected to be against Japan, which will likely be played in either Australia or New Zealand. The new biennial competition, to be held in even-numbered years, will incorporate the summer tours and November internationals, and will consist of 12 teams; namely the sides from the Six Nations , the Rugby Championship and, pending confirmation, Japan and Fiji. Who is Ireland's greatest ever Lion? Listen | 26:49 The final round of games will be play-offs based on the final standings, with the inaugural final between the top two countries pencilled in for Twickenham. Qatar is the anticipated destination for the final in 2028, with the USA to host the 2030 decider. READ MORE Ireland will also host the Wallabies in the third of their four autumnal internationals later this year, which begin with the game against New Zealand in Chicago on November 1st. Ireland then host Japan (November 8th), Australia (November 15th) and South Africa (November 22nd), all of which will be played at the Aviva Stadium. The Nations Championship participants are also the 12 countries who have automatically qualified for the 2027 World Cup in Australia, by which Farrell, his coaching ticket, and a sizeable chunk of the playing squad should be well acquainted with the country.
