Latest news with #ex-Wallaby
The Advertiser
25-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Wallaby, All Black rivals vie for top honours in Japan
Serial championship winner Richie Mo'unga will be chasing a second title in Japan, to go with seven in Super Rugby, when he goes head-to-head with former Wallaby flyhalf rival Bernard Foley in the League One final. The pair featured prominently on a weekend that saw two former Wallaby coaches ousted from the competition. Mo'unga gave a masterful display on Saturday, which included two 40/20 kicks and five-from-five off the goal-kicking tee, as his Brave Lupus overran Dave Rennie's Kobe in the second half, turning a 7-3 half-time advantage into a crushing 31-3 victory. Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay edged out the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 28-24 in Sunday's second semi-final, holding their nerve after their opponents threatened to run down a 15-point deficit when they closed to 25-24 midway through the second half. The Spears, who had the Wild Knights on the back foot from the third minute when Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored, wouldn't be denied, and will bid for their second title in League One, after they upset the Wild Knights two seasons ago. Brave Lupus will be hunting for back-to-back championship crowns in Sunday's grand final, after beating the Wild Knights in last year's decider. Rennie guided Kobe to the semi-finals for the first time since they won the Japanese nationwide league in 2018, but they were gradually worn down by the defending champions, conceding four tries. However, it could have been even worse, with Brave Lupus twice being called back for offences in the build-up after crossing the goal line. Elsewhere, Urayasu D-Rocks' stars Samu Kerevi and Israel Folau still have work to do, even though both scored tries, with the former continuing to push his Wallabies claims by scoring twice in his side's 43-42 defeat by Shuttles Aichi in the first leg of their promotion/relegation series. Quade Cooper and Will Genia also have to come from behind in the return match if they are to sign off from Hanazono Liners with promotion, after their side lost 29-25 to Mie Heat, for whom ex-Wallaby Tom Banks was a try-scorer. Serial championship winner Richie Mo'unga will be chasing a second title in Japan, to go with seven in Super Rugby, when he goes head-to-head with former Wallaby flyhalf rival Bernard Foley in the League One final. The pair featured prominently on a weekend that saw two former Wallaby coaches ousted from the competition. Mo'unga gave a masterful display on Saturday, which included two 40/20 kicks and five-from-five off the goal-kicking tee, as his Brave Lupus overran Dave Rennie's Kobe in the second half, turning a 7-3 half-time advantage into a crushing 31-3 victory. Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay edged out the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 28-24 in Sunday's second semi-final, holding their nerve after their opponents threatened to run down a 15-point deficit when they closed to 25-24 midway through the second half. The Spears, who had the Wild Knights on the back foot from the third minute when Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored, wouldn't be denied, and will bid for their second title in League One, after they upset the Wild Knights two seasons ago. Brave Lupus will be hunting for back-to-back championship crowns in Sunday's grand final, after beating the Wild Knights in last year's decider. Rennie guided Kobe to the semi-finals for the first time since they won the Japanese nationwide league in 2018, but they were gradually worn down by the defending champions, conceding four tries. However, it could have been even worse, with Brave Lupus twice being called back for offences in the build-up after crossing the goal line. Elsewhere, Urayasu D-Rocks' stars Samu Kerevi and Israel Folau still have work to do, even though both scored tries, with the former continuing to push his Wallabies claims by scoring twice in his side's 43-42 defeat by Shuttles Aichi in the first leg of their promotion/relegation series. Quade Cooper and Will Genia also have to come from behind in the return match if they are to sign off from Hanazono Liners with promotion, after their side lost 29-25 to Mie Heat, for whom ex-Wallaby Tom Banks was a try-scorer. Serial championship winner Richie Mo'unga will be chasing a second title in Japan, to go with seven in Super Rugby, when he goes head-to-head with former Wallaby flyhalf rival Bernard Foley in the League One final. The pair featured prominently on a weekend that saw two former Wallaby coaches ousted from the competition. Mo'unga gave a masterful display on Saturday, which included two 40/20 kicks and five-from-five off the goal-kicking tee, as his Brave Lupus overran Dave Rennie's Kobe in the second half, turning a 7-3 half-time advantage into a crushing 31-3 victory. Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay edged out the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 28-24 in Sunday's second semi-final, holding their nerve after their opponents threatened to run down a 15-point deficit when they closed to 25-24 midway through the second half. The Spears, who had the Wild Knights on the back foot from the third minute when Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored, wouldn't be denied, and will bid for their second title in League One, after they upset the Wild Knights two seasons ago. Brave Lupus will be hunting for back-to-back championship crowns in Sunday's grand final, after beating the Wild Knights in last year's decider. Rennie guided Kobe to the semi-finals for the first time since they won the Japanese nationwide league in 2018, but they were gradually worn down by the defending champions, conceding four tries. However, it could have been even worse, with Brave Lupus twice being called back for offences in the build-up after crossing the goal line. Elsewhere, Urayasu D-Rocks' stars Samu Kerevi and Israel Folau still have work to do, even though both scored tries, with the former continuing to push his Wallabies claims by scoring twice in his side's 43-42 defeat by Shuttles Aichi in the first leg of their promotion/relegation series. Quade Cooper and Will Genia also have to come from behind in the return match if they are to sign off from Hanazono Liners with promotion, after their side lost 29-25 to Mie Heat, for whom ex-Wallaby Tom Banks was a try-scorer.
West Australian
25-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Wallaby, All Black rivals vie for top honours in Japan
Serial championship winner Richie Mo'unga will be chasing a second title in Japan, to go with seven in Super Rugby, when he goes head-to-head with former Wallaby flyhalf rival Bernard Foley in the League One final. The pair featured prominently on a weekend that saw two former Wallaby coaches ousted from the competition. Mo'unga gave a masterful display on Saturday, which included two 40/20 kicks and five-from-five off the goal-kicking tee, as his Brave Lupus overran Dave Rennie's Kobe in the second half, turning a 7-3 half-time advantage into a crushing 31-3 victory. Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay edged out the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 28-24 in Sunday's second semi-final, holding their nerve after their opponents threatened to run down a 15-point deficit when they closed to 25-24 midway through the second half. The Spears, who had the Wild Knights on the back foot from the third minute when Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored, wouldn't be denied, and will bid for their second title in League One, after they upset the Wild Knights two seasons ago. Brave Lupus will be hunting for back-to-back championship crowns in Sunday's grand final, after beating the Wild Knights in last year's decider. Rennie guided Kobe to the semi-finals for the first time since they won the Japanese nationwide league in 2018, but they were gradually worn down by the defending champions, conceding four tries. However, it could have been even worse, with Brave Lupus twice being called back for offences in the build-up after crossing the goal line. Elsewhere, Urayasu D-Rocks' stars Samu Kerevi and Israel Folau still have work to do, even though both scored tries, with the former continuing to push his Wallabies claims by scoring twice in his side's 43-42 defeat by Shuttles Aichi in the first leg of their promotion/relegation series. Quade Cooper and Will Genia also have to come from behind in the return match if they are to sign off from Hanazono Liners with promotion, after their side lost 29-25 to Mie Heat, for whom ex-Wallaby Tom Banks was a try-scorer.
Perth Now
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Wallaby, All Black rivals vie for top honours in Japan
Serial championship winner Richie Mo'unga will be chasing a second title in Japan, to go with seven in Super Rugby, when he goes head-to-head with former Wallaby flyhalf rival Bernard Foley in the League One final. The pair featured prominently on a weekend that saw two former Wallaby coaches ousted from the competition. Mo'unga gave a masterful display on Saturday, which included two 40/20 kicks and five-from-five off the goal-kicking tee, as his Brave Lupus overran Dave Rennie's Kobe in the second half, turning a 7-3 half-time advantage into a crushing 31-3 victory. Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay edged out the Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights 28-24 in Sunday's second semi-final, holding their nerve after their opponents threatened to run down a 15-point deficit when they closed to 25-24 midway through the second half. The Spears, who had the Wild Knights on the back foot from the third minute when Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx scored, wouldn't be denied, and will bid for their second title in League One, after they upset the Wild Knights two seasons ago. Brave Lupus will be hunting for back-to-back championship crowns in Sunday's grand final, after beating the Wild Knights in last year's decider. Rennie guided Kobe to the semi-finals for the first time since they won the Japanese nationwide league in 2018, but they were gradually worn down by the defending champions, conceding four tries. However, it could have been even worse, with Brave Lupus twice being called back for offences in the build-up after crossing the goal line. Elsewhere, Urayasu D-Rocks' stars Samu Kerevi and Israel Folau still have work to do, even though both scored tries, with the former continuing to push his Wallabies claims by scoring twice in his side's 43-42 defeat by Shuttles Aichi in the first leg of their promotion/relegation series. Quade Cooper and Will Genia also have to come from behind in the return match if they are to sign off from Hanazono Liners with promotion, after their side lost 29-25 to Mie Heat, for whom ex-Wallaby Tom Banks was a try-scorer.
Perth Now
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Cooper aiming to leave with Japanese club promotion
Wallabies veteran Quade Cooper has kept alive his hopes of departing Japan Rugby League One with another promotion. The 37-year-old playmaker had a leading role as Hanazono Liners beat Green Rockets Tokatsu 42-19 to set up a final day showdown against section champions Shuttles Aichi. Cooper, who was Division Two Player of the Year when he led the Liners to promotion three years ago, announced recently he is parting company with the Osaka-based club at the end of the season. His side needed to beat the Green Rockets on Saturday to have any chance of making the promotion/relegation series. As well as setting up two tries by manipulating the defence with trademark short passes, Cooper also kicked five from five, one being the conversion of the try scored by his long-time halves partner, Will Genia. Cooper's success contrasted with the fortunes of another ex-Wallaby flyhalf, with Bernard Foley missing a conversion from a wide angle in the final play of Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay's thrilling 29-29 draw with Saitama Wild Knights. While the result could cost the Wild Knights top seeding for the playoffs, second will still earn Robbie Deans and his men a bye in the first round of the elimination series, with the Spears now likely to have to strip for the first weekend after dropping to third. Defending champions Brave Lupus Tokyo returned to the top of the table after a 45-28 win over Sagamihara Dynaboars, while Tokyo Sungoliath became the final qualifier for the playoffs, wrapping up sixth courtesy of a 43-34 win over Black Rams Tokyo. Ex-Wallaby backrower Liam Gill had an unusual afternoon, scoring two tries and setting up two others, but the 32-year-old was also one of a trio from the Black Rams who were yellow carded, which all but sealed their fate. Samu Kerevi scored the 10th try from his last nine appearances, but it was not enough to prevent another defeat for Urayasu D-Rocks on a madcap afternoon where they shared 17 tries with Shizuoka BlueRevs in a 62-52 defeat. D-Rocks will be joined in the post-season relegation series by Mie Heat, whose last hopes were ended despite two tries by Wallaby fullback Tom Banks, during Sunday's 38-30 defeat by Verblitz. The win by Steve Hansen's men, which pulled them clear of the relegation zone, featured the 11th try of the season by code-hopping former NRL star Joseph Manu. The afternoon's other match saw Dave Rennie's Kobe Steelers beat Yokohama Eagles 47-29.
Perth Now
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Roosters looking to avoid fall to bottom of NRL pile
A defeat against St George Illawarra would send the once high-flying Sydney Roosters tumbling to the foot of the NRL ladder for the first time in close to a decade. But, even while acknowledging they need wins, coach Trent Robinson isn't ramping up the expectation ahead of Friday's Anzac Day clash with the Dragons. The Roosters (2-5) have struggled to start the year and would fall below bottom-placed Parramatta, who receive two points for their bye, if they are unable to beat the Dragons at Allianz Stadium. The 16th-placed Roosters haven't occupied last spot this late into a season since their 2016 horror campaign. "We know we need to pick up wins, but we haven't really discussed that (ladder position) at all," Robinson said. "It's about how we want to play footy, and we think if we do that, then we'll pick up wins. "So that hasn't been discussed… but how we want to play has been discussed a fair bit." The Roosters are conceding close to 29 points per game and have lost all three of their home games this season by 18 points or more. England Test winger Dominic Young was dropped after several poor moments in defence, with Robinson shifting ex-Wallaby Mark Nawaqanitawase onto the wing and bringing Billy Smith into the centres. But Dragons coach Shane Flanagan is aware that the Anzac Day game - in which Saints were smashed 60-18 last year - could be just the occasion to spark the Roosters into life. "I know what team is going to come out, with James Tedesco and that club, the history of it, the importance of the day, I know what team will turn up," Flanagan said. Flanagan's side have the chance to claim a third consecutive win for the first time since 2022. And while the Dragons coach has been satisfied with his team's 3-3 start, a win over the Roosters would reassure him the Red V are on the right track. "We're not going to put our hand up saying we're a top-eight side, we've got to do it consistently," Flanagan said. "Last year, we beat Melbourne in Melbourne but we didn't back it up. "We've got two in a row but we need to put a good month of football together. "Overall, one more win would probably give it a tick for the start of our season but we've got to continue, the job's not done."
