By Will Macpherson This should be the greatest Rugby World Cup ever. There, I’ve said it. I’ve joined the hype brigade. Biggest, best, brashest, any which way you square it,…
New Zealand
Here come the (new) boys
Kriel, 21, played full-back for the Bulls in this year’s Super Rugby tournament, but switched to outside centre to make his Test debut against Australia on 18 July, and grabbed…
Graham Henry explains the haka
It would be a gentle understatement to say that Graham Henry is a deadpan fella. So when the World Cup-winning Kiwi coach tells you that he has gotten emotional watching…
John Smit picks his top five hookers
John Smit played in three World Cups, winning 111 caps for South Africa and lifting the 2007 trophy after defeating England in the final in Paris. After two years in…
World Cup squads selections continue to raise eyebrows
By Will Macpherson Making sense of World Cup squads is an exercise carried out on two levels. Firstly, things are best kept simple: who’s in, who’s out, which coach nailed…
Five Talking points – August
Argentina make rugby history August was largely a month of Rugby World Cup warmups and national coaches carefully pruning their squads like Mister Miyagi tending to a bonsai tree. But…
World Cup watch: In support of undroppable front-rowers
For some of the world’s most revered front row players, it is the ideal situation. For the coaches it lies somewhere between walking on eggshells and urging the turkey to…
All Blacks star in Air NZ video
The All Blacks have gone big budget with a striking video to promote sponsors, Air New Zealand’s safety message. Taking their cues from the Hollywood blockbuster Men in Black, the…
The Bledisloe Cup rivalry: An All Black’s perspective
Eleven years on the front line of the Test arena saw Sean Fitzpatrick captain New Zealand 51 times on the way to 92 caps. Remarkably, 24 of the former hooker’s…
Rugby Championship: Wallabies determined to end All Blacks losing streak
AUSTRALIA will unleash all their big guns on New Zealand in the Rugby Championship decider at ANZ Stadium on Saturday as they seek to end a ten-match winless streak against…