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Posted 29 days ago
URUGUAY SET out in pursuit of the holy grail of World Cup 2015 qualification this weekend, having missed out on a place at the last two World Cup finals tournaments by a whisker.
Los Teros have reached the final stage of qualifying – the repechage final – on the last two occasions. They were pipped for a place at the 2007…
Posted 61 days ago
FIJI WON the on-field plaudits by sneaking past first-time Cup finalists Wales 26-19, to successfully defend their HSBC Sevens title. In a thrilling final, the South Sea Islanders scored four unopposed second-half tries to come back from a half-time deficit of 19-0.
However, the entertainment wasn’t just limited to the field of play, the fans made sure they got noticed in…
Posted 180 days ago
IRELAND WERE superior up front and absolutely ruthless about taking their scoring chances. This record win against the Pumas guarantees Ireland a top-eight seeding for the 2015 World Cup when the draw takes place on 3 December.
Posted 180 days ago
ON 31st July 2010 a young Ulsterman scored the first try in a challenge match to mark the opening of the Aviva Stadium. Another reporter turned to me and said “Remember the name. You’ll need it for pub quizzes for years to come.”
Posted 183 days ago
A MUCH improved Argentina went to Cardiff a fortnight ago and deservedly beat a faltering Wales 26-12 so Ireland have no excuses for getting caught cold. They know they need to step-up against a fired up Pumas looking to cement their place in the Top 8 of the IRB rankings, which is so vital to the World Cup draw.
Posted 191 days ago
THE GREATEST challenge facing France on Saturday in Lille isn’t the Pumas – strong as they’ll be – but the French themselves. “We will see if we’re capable of stringing together two top quality performances,” said coach Philippe Saint-Andre whose only change to the side that beat Australia is the return of Yoann Maestri at lock in place of Jocelino Suta.
Posted 194 days ago
WALES’ 12-26 defeat to Argentina seems to have come as a shock to many. To those who analysed the Pumas performances in the inaugural Rugby Championship, it hasn’t. Argentina may have finished bottom of the table, but their first season in the toughest competition outside of the World Cup was a great success. They drew 16-16 with South Africa and lost twice to Australia by a combined margin of just 10 points.
Posted 196 days ago
WARREN GATLAND’S mantra is paying off for Argentina – but not Wales. Gatland has long said that Wales can only get better by playing the best in the world – New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. While they’ve been doing that every year, they are still achieving success in peaks – followed by troughs. The Pumas, though, have clearly benefited from playing in the Rugby Championship and the intensity they brought to Cardiff allowed them to dictate the game.
Posted 197 days ago
WALES HAVE geared up for this autumn’s Dove Men Series with a week of gruelling training in Poland and are now hoping their tip-top conditioning programme will prove decisive in their Tests against Argentina, Samoa, New Zealand and Australia.
Posted 198 days ago
SO FREDDY’S back. For the first time since 2007, Michalak will start a home Test match for France and Les Bleus will be all the better for it. The 30-year-old fly-half got the nod over Montpellier’s Francois Trinh-Duc, and Maxime Machenaud has kept out Morgan Parra at scrum-half. “We’re continuing from where we left off against Argentina,” explained French coach Philippe Saint-André, a reference to France’s last Test outing, a record 49-10 thrashing of the Pumas in June.
