James Slipper set to equal Australia’s all-time Super Rugby games record
Veteran prop James Slipper will etch his name in the history books when he returns to the Brumbies’ starting XV for Saturday night’s pivotal Super Rugby Pacific derby against the Queensland Reds.
The 34-year-old will equal fellow former Wallabies captain Stephen Moore’s record for most Super Rugby caps by an Australian with a 177th as the Brumbies strive to keep the Reds at bay at Suncorp Stadium.
The third-placed ACT outfit are three competition points ahead of the fifth-placed Reds as the leading Australian team on the ladder a third of the way through the competition.
Slipper has been coming off the bench but, along with hooker Lachlan Lonergan, will return to the starting front row alongside Sosefo Kautai.
Fresh off a nine-try, 60-21 rout of Moana Pasifika, the Brumbies are also hoping to retain the Rod McQueen Cup with victory over the Reds.
Dual international Suliasi Vunivalu is the biggest casualty from Queensland’s shock 40-31 loss to the last-placed Western Force, dumped to the Reds bench to make way for 2023 World Cup teammate Jordan Petaia.
Coach Les Kiss has also opted to rest teenage five-eighth Harry McLaughlin-Phillips after a strong start to the season, with Lawson Creighton replacing the 19-year-old on the bench.
The NSW Waratahs welcome back classy backs Will Harrison and Lalakai Foketi for the Good Friday hosting of the Melbourne Rebels at Allianz Stadium.
The pair’s return – via the bench at the expense of Triston Reilly and Fergus Lee-Warner – for their first games of 2024 is reward for resilience and mental strength.
After a series of heartbreaking injuries, Harrison will make his first Super Rugby game in 707 days, while Foketi was hospitalised with a neck injury during the pre-season.
But after being cleared of any serious cervical spine injuries, Foketi has fought his way back into the team.
“It’s great news,” assistant coach Chris Whitaker said on Wednesday.
“They both received a big cheer in the team meeting when the team was announced.
“They’ve both obviously had different injury setbacks, but they’ve both shown a lot of mental fortitude and strength of character to come back from their injuries.
“They boys saw Lalakai taken away in an ambulance, which was quite frightening for them, so they’re happy to see him back. He gives us a lot of experience in that backline and the boys love to play with him.
“It’s been a long battle for Will Harrison. It’s so good to see him back.
“The boys have seen him in here every day working on his injuries. He’s raring to go and he’s a little terrier who will give us plenty of energy.”
The Rebels will be without influential but injured fullback Andrew Kellaway, while sevens young gun Darby Lancaster will make his debut on the wing.
Former Wallabies lock Sam Carter will make his debut for the Force, who are looking to back up their win over the Reds with victory over the Fijian Drua in Lautoka, where the Waratahs lost 39-36 in extra time last Saturday.
But Force captain Jeremy Williams is out on Saturday with a calf strain that will sideline the second-rower for up to three weeks.
Comments on RugbyPass
Who listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
40 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
40 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
39 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
40 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to comments