Latest news with #Nonggorr
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Big Horse and Baby Bear lead Wallabies charge for Boks
The Wallabies have welcomed former All Black Aidan Ross into their ranks, with Zane Nonggorr likening the veteran loosehead prop to an extra coach for the side. Set to square off against the most formidable pack in world rugby when they face South Africa in their Rugby Championship clash in Johannesburg on Sunday (1am AEST), coach Joe Schmidt has Ross poised to make his Wallabies debut. Schmidt will name his match-day squad late on Thursday night Australian time, with James O'Connor set for a shock return at fly-half, playing his first Test since 2022. Born in Gosford, Ross moved to Tauranga on New Zealand's north island when he was eight and went on to play 101 Super Rugby matches with the Chiefs. Lining up for his lone All Blacks Test against Ireland in 2022, he fulfilled World Rugby's three-year gap between Tests to switch allegiance, and the 29-year-old is now in the mix to wear a Wallabies jersey against the world champions. Whether he does or not this week, 10-cap Nonggorr said Ross had already proven an asset for the Australians. "'Big Horse', he's a pretty no-nonsense kind of bloke, he gets about his work very diligently, and he's definitely pushing his name forward (for selection)," 24-year-old Nonggorr said of his new Queensland Reds teammate. "He's on task at all times, and if you drop your standards he'll let you know. "But he's also a very good coach for someone going against him, and he gave me some pointers when we were doing our training in Sydney, and I'm very grateful for that. "He's a very no-nonsense kind of bloke and someone that you just love to have in the team." Zonggorr said the Springboks were an aspirational pack that the Wallabies were using to model themselves on. "Their depth and just their intent, that's something that we're hopefully building as a squad in the Wallabies,'' he said. "Boys can come into the squad and you don't miss a beat, so that's something we're trying to build here, and I think we're building really well." Nonggorr and fellow Wallaby Tom Hooper both made their Test debut on Australia's last visit to the republic, taking on the Springboks in Pretoria in 2023. There are eight other current Wallabies players from that match, which was memorable for all the wrong reasons. Winger Marika Koroibete dived over after just seven minutes, but an ill-disciplined display saw two Wallabies yellow-carded as the home side piled on 43 unanswered points, including a Kurt-Lee Arendse hat-trick. Former Wallabies flyhalf Carter Gordon scored their second try after the siren. Hooper said it was special to continue his journey with Nonggorr, but hoped for a different outcome this time around. "It's definitely special to be back here together with 'Baby Bear' (Nonggorr),'' he said. "It's a full-circle moment, back here in the exact same hotel, hopefully getting a different result on the weekend." Hooper said he felt much better prepared for his second Test on the high veldt. "If I'm being honest, back then I was probably a boy," said Hooper, also 24. "I'm not saying I'm a full-grown man - I can't grow a beard like Zane can - but I've definitely had a bit of professional footy under my belt and it helps, every bit of time in the saddle."
The Age
29-05-2025
- Sport
- The Age
The 78 minutes that told an All Black this Wallaby must take on the Lions
Even in defeat, Zane Nonggorr's 78-minute stint attempting to thwart the Hurricanes announced him as a key inclusion for the Wallabies when the British and Irish Lions arrive in Australia. That is the opinion of Queensland Reds teammate Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, a former All Black who declared the 24-year-old had the 'mongrel'. Injuries have threatened to derail the Reds' Super Rugby Pacific ambitions, and Nonggorr was forced to dig deep in last week's 31-27 loss to the Kiwis. He will start again in the final-round clash with the Fijian Drua in Brisbane on Saturday. Toomaga-Allen, who will remain in Queensland until at least the end of 2026, believed Nonggorr had demonstrated the skill, physicality and durability needed to take on the Lions, having done so himself for the Hurricanes in 2017. 'He's ready, man, he's ready. With the consistency he's showing ... he's becoming Mr Reliable,' Toomaga-Allen said. Loading 'A lot of people don't see the amount of work he puts in off the field – the man's on the bike, the man's sauna-ing, he's the first in and last to leave. 'He's a great example for other young players coming through – he leads by example, and I'm not surprised he can go for 75, 80 minutes. 'He lost a bit of weight in the off season, he's in good shape, and mentally he's gone to another level. I hope people can see that he's bringing a bit of mongrel about him, which is what we've been working on.'
Sydney Morning Herald
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
The 78 minutes that told an All Black this Wallaby must take on the Lions
Even in defeat, Zane Nonggorr's 78-minute stint attempting to thwart the Hurricanes announced him as a key inclusion for the Wallabies when the British and Irish Lions arrive in Australia. That is the opinion of Queensland Reds teammate Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, a former All Black who declared the 24-year-old had the 'mongrel'. Injuries have threatened to derail the Reds' Super Rugby Pacific ambitions, and Nonggorr was forced to dig deep in last week's 31-27 loss to the Kiwis. He will start again in the final-round clash with the Fijian Drua in Brisbane on Saturday. Toomaga-Allen, who will remain in Queensland until at least the end of 2026, believed Nonggorr had demonstrated the skill, physicality and durability needed to take on the Lions, having done so himself for the Hurricanes in 2017. 'He's ready, man, he's ready. With the consistency he's showing ... he's becoming Mr Reliable,' Toomaga-Allen said. Loading 'A lot of people don't see the amount of work he puts in off the field – the man's on the bike, the man's sauna-ing, he's the first in and last to leave. 'He's a great example for other young players coming through – he leads by example, and I'm not surprised he can go for 75, 80 minutes. 'He lost a bit of weight in the off season, he's in good shape, and mentally he's gone to another level. I hope people can see that he's bringing a bit of mongrel about him, which is what we've been working on.'
