Latest news with #WorldRugbyPlayeroftheYear
Hamilton Spectator
7 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Tessier to lead Canada at women's Rugby World Cup in England
LANGFORD - Alexandra Tessier will captain Canada's second-ranked squad when the 2025 Rugby World Cup kicks off in England. Rugby Canada announced Thursday its 32-player roster for the elite women's rugby tournament. Tessier, a nominee for World Rugby Player of the Year in 2024, is set to earn her 59th cap for Canada. She has scored six tries and 53 points over her 10-year international career that includes World Cup appearances in 2017 and 2021 (played in 2022). Twenty-one players from the 2021 Rugby World Cup team have been named to head coach Kevin Rouet's squad, including veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Olivia DeMerchant and Karen Paquin. All three will represent Canada at the Rugby World Cup for a fourth time. Sophie de Goede, a member of the World Rugby Women's Dream Team in 2022 and 2024, was named to her second World Cup squad. She came off the bench in a 33-5 win over South Africa earlier this month after a 13-month injury absence. Canada is in Pool B with Fiji, Wales and Scotland. It opens its tournament Aug. 23 against Fiji in York. The Canadians finished fourth at the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand. Their best finish was runner-up to England at the 2014 event in France. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
7 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Tessier to lead Canada at women's Rugby World Cup in England
LANGFORD – Alexandra Tessier will captain Canada's second-ranked squad when the 2025 Rugby World Cup kicks off in England. Rugby Canada announced Thursday its 32-player roster for the elite women's rugby tournament. Tessier, a nominee for World Rugby Player of the Year in 2024, is set to earn her 59th cap for Canada. She has scored six tries and 53 points over her 10-year international career that includes World Cup appearances in 2017 and 2021 (played in 2022). Twenty-one players from the 2021 Rugby World Cup team have been named to head coach Kevin Rouet's squad, including veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Olivia DeMerchant and Karen Paquin. All three will represent Canada at the Rugby World Cup for a fourth time. Sophie de Goede, a member of the World Rugby Women's Dream Team in 2022 and 2024, was named to her second World Cup squad. She came off the bench in a 33-5 win over South Africa earlier this month after a 13-month injury absence. Canada is in Pool B with Fiji, Wales and Scotland. It opens its tournament Aug. 23 against Fiji in York. The Canadians finished fourth at the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand. Their best finish was runner-up to England at the 2014 event in France. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025.
NZ Herald
18-07-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Editorial: All Blacks' reliance on Barrett grows as World Cup nears
He has returned to the starring role and sits atop the billing sheet. After the departure of Richie Mo'unga at the end of the last World Cup, many had pondered if Damian McKenzie would assume the mantle of being the playmaker in the number 10 jersey. Some had hoped he would become the player to guide the All Blacks through to the next World Cup in Australia during 2027. However, despite McKenzie's obvious brilliance at the Super Rugby level it simply hasn't translated to the test arena - not with any consistency. And this is what will cause coach Scott Robertson and his staff to sleep uneasy. Barrett is now 34. He will be 36 at the start of the next World Cup campaign. By that time, he will also likely be the All Blacks' most capped player. The back-to-back World Rugby Player of the Year currently sits on 137 games, quickly closing in on Sam Whitelock's record 153 appearances. Simply, Barrett has played a lot of rugby, and a lot of high-stress rugby. By the time the next World Cup starts he may be close to having played 170 tests. He will sit out tonight's third test against France in Hamilton due to a hand injury, which seems more like a precaution than anything. It is a testament to his preparation and dedication that he has - touch wood - avoided a serious injury that could have curtailed or slowed his career. He appears to still have the explosiveness we famously saw during the 2015 World Cup final. McKenzie, at 30 years old and 63 tests into his career, has shown us what he can offer. The evidence suggests the Chiefs playmaker is best suited to an impact player off the bench and lacks the tactical and kicking game needed for a true field general. Perhaps Razor sees Richie Mo'unga returning into the fold, a move often speculated about. A Herald online poll asked its readers who should be the long-term selection in the ABs' No 10 jersey? Some 3479 of you voted, with 60% wanting Barrett, 18% in favour of Mo'unga and just 9% in McKenzie's camp. Ruben Love garnered 18% but he is yet to show us what he can do at test level. Barrett is clearly the best option for the team now and with a concerning lack of depth at the position he appears to be options one, two and three for a big test match. He needs to be managed, the first sign of which we are seeing tonight as Razor rings in several changes to his team. Father time being what it is - undefeated - we should not assume Barrett will be performing at the current heights as he approaches his late 30s. England's Jonny Wilkinson was 32 at the 2011 World Cup, Dan Carter was 33 in 2015. Both had a history of injuries but were noticeably younger than what Barrett will be in 2027. The All Blacks will be hoping their flyhalf can replicate what Ireland's Johnny Sexton achieved, who was 38 at the 2023 edition of the tournament. But hope is not a plan. Sign up to the Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Irish Examiner
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Lions v Wallabies: First Test winners and losers
WINNERS Tom Curry Congratulations to Curry who has held off the claims of Jac Morgan, Henry Pollock and Josh van der Flier to wear the number seven jersey at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. Both Morgan and van Flier have spent more time in that jersey in the preceding tour games with Curry having had just one start at openside flanker. He also has inferior tackle stats to Morgan and van der Flier and has turnover Lions ball more times than his rivals, making almost 50 per cent fewer metres from the same number of carries as Wales's Morgan. Yet Curry is a proven Lions Test starter who started at seven in all three Tests against South Africa four years ago. Sione Tuipulotu Scotland's captain may well have started this opening Test at inside centre alongside compatriot Huw Jones regardless, but Garry Ringrose's concussion against the Brumbies nine days ago brought an end to hopes of an all-Irish midfield pairing. Tuipulotu has not been pulling up trees so far on this tour and positional rival Bundee Aki has performed better but the Australian-born 12 appears to have benefitted from the desire to play an established pairing rather than mix and match. Hugo Keenan Keenan's selection at full-back caps a remarkable rebound from a nightmarish start to his first Lions tour. Arriving in Australia injured, the Ireland back then contracted a virus that left him reeling for 12 days. He still had the bug when he made his Lions debut against the Waratahs a fortnight ago and his poor performance in Sydney might have ended his Test hopes there and then. Yet Keenan has been nothing if not resilient and he grabbed his second chance, aided by injury to Blair Kinghorn, with both hands with an impressive display last Saturday in Adelaide against an AUSNZ Invitational XV. LOSERS Jac Morgan A nation weeps with Morgan's omission from the Lions matchday 23, as Wales fail to provide a Test player to the famous touring side for the first time since 1896. There is some justification for Welsh frustration given his productivity at openside flanker in three tour games. Josh van der Flier You could say the same for van der Flier as was mentioned about Morgan, as the 2022 World Rugby Player of the Year gets ready to watch the first Test at Suncorp Stadium from the stands. Both men seem to have lost out to more powerful back-row rivals, with Tom Curry starting at openside flanker, backed up by fellow Englishman Ben Earl, whose versatility across the back row and as an auxiliary centre make him an ideal bench replacement. Yet having started 50 of the 56 Ireland Tests under Andy Farrell's watch, this omission will sting. Bundee Aki The Connacht and Ireland centre has the solace of a place on the bench as the outside backs replacement alongside Marcus Smith, who can cover 10 and 15, but Aki's candidacy for the number 12 jersey was possibly compromised when his Irish midfield partner Garry Ringrose was concussed against the Brumbies in Canberra nine days ago and stood down for 12 days.
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
5 things to look out for when the Springboks face Italy in Gqeberha
5 things to look out for when the Springboks face Italy in Gqeberha The Springboks are 1–0 up in their two-match series against Italy after a 42–22 win at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday. This weekend they are up against the same Italians in Gqeberha and hoping to make a big impression after a few struggles last Saturday. Coach Rassie Erasmus has made several changes to the matchday 23 from last week, with a few players set to make their debuts and Willie le Roux to earn his 100th Test cap. Le Roux hits 100 According to The Citizen, the veteran fullback, aged 35 and a national team debutant in 2013, will win his 100th cap for the Boks tomorrow. He becomes the eighth South African to hit the milestone after Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana, Tendai Mtawarira, John Smit, Jean de Villiers and Percy Montgomery. In his career, Le Roux has played club and provincial rugby for Boland, Griquas, Cheetahs, Sharks, Wasps in England, Canon Eagles and Toyota Verblitz in Japan, and most recently the Bulls. Newcomers to Bok roll of honour Following Vincent Tshituka's Test debut last weekend in Pretoria, a few other players are set to win their first caps this weekend. While none of the starters are uncapped, three rookies will be on the bench waiting for their opportunity to run on to the field. They are prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye of the Lions, lock Cobus Wiese of the Bulls and centre-wing Ethan Hooker of the Sharks. Wiese and his brother, starting No 8 Jasper, are set to become the 37th set of brothers to play for the Boks. Players keen to make their mark Eight starters and three bench players have fewer than 20 Tests for the Boks and are looking to impress Erasmus to secure more opportunities, especially for The Rugby Championship later this year. In the backs, wing Edwill van der Merwe has just one Test to his name, Canan Moodie has 12 caps, and André Esterhuizen 19. Manie Libbok has also played only 19 Tests, while Grant Williams has 18. In the forwards, lock Ruan Nortjé has six caps and captain and lock partner Salmaan Moerat 10. Tighthead prop Wilco Louw has played 17 Tests. On the bench, Jan-Hendrik Wessels (4), Evan Roos (7) and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (8) will want to make an impact. Return of Pieter-Steph du Toit One of world rugby's greatest current players and a former World Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit is back after missing the start of the season with injury setbacks. The 86-times capped blindside flanker will be among the more experienced players tomorrow, and many teammates will look to him for guidance. Alongside Du Toit, Malcolm Marx (77 Tests) and Moerat are expected to lead the side. Du Toit will aim to show he has overcome his injuries. When he is at his best, the Boks generally reach the standards expected of them. Selections to watch With Aphelele Fassi and Damian Willemse waiting in the wings as first-choice fullbacks, could this be Le Roux's last Test for the Boks? Canan Moodie, a regular wing, is back at No 13, where he has played before – but how will he fare? Makazole Mapimpi, one of the Boks' heroes of the 2019 Rugby World Cup final, gets another chance to showcase his skills out wide. Moerat is again entrusted with the No 4 jersey and the captaincy, though he is yet to convince at Test level. Could this be his breakthrough moment? Finally, with Esterhuizen starting at centre, will we see him shift to flank later in the game and fulfil his 'hybrid' role?
