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The strong New Zealand influence at Benetton Treviso has helped the Italian club up to fifth position in Conference B of the Guinness PRO14.
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Treviso won 20-16 at Zebre on the weekend for its fifth victory of the championship. Fullback Jayden Hayward, once of Taranaki, Hurricanes and Force fame, scored a try from fullback. Lock Dean Budd, the former Northland and Blues player, now in the Azzurri squad, also crossed the line. Others to feature were former Bay of Plenty wing Monty Ioane, former Waikato, Crusaders and NZU loose forward Whetu Douglas, former Waikato, Blues, NZU and NZ Under 20s hooker Hame Faiva, and the mercurial Marty Banks, who slotted three goals from first five, is also in the mix. He was originally signed for the 2016-17 season but, after a false start, is now a bonafide squad member.
Former All Blacks fullback and former Maple Leafs coach Kieran Crowley is at the helm of Treviso.
Dave Rennie’s Glasgow, with prop Siua Halanukonuka off the bench, blanked Edinburgh 17-0. Phil Burleigh and former Auckland and Bay of Plenty prop Jordan Lay appeared for the Gunners. Ma’afu Fia’s Ospreys beat the Dragons 22-9, while Charlie Piutau and former NZ Under 20s prop Rodney Ah You played for Ulster in the 24-19 win over Munster.
Leinster, featuring James Lowe and Michael Bent, edged Connacht 21-18. Bundee Aki, Tom McCartney and former Otago loose forward Naulia Dawai turned out for the latter.
Hadleigh Parkes’ Scarlets won 14-11 at Cardiff Blues, whose Kiwi contingent was Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Gareth Anscombe, Nick Williams and Taufa’ao Filise.
Two away victories highlighted the latest round of the French Top 14.
David Smith and Alex Tulou scored tries for Castres in the 31-27 win at Clermont. Maama Vaipulu started at No 8 for Castres. Isaia Toeava copped a yellow card for Clermont, while Fritz Lee, marking another former Steelers No 8, actually kicked a penalty goal.
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Racing-Metro won 16-12 at Oyonnax. The Parisians fielded Joe Rokocoko, Anthony Tuitavake, Ben Tameifuna, So’otala Fa’aso’o and Census Johnston. For the home side, Ben Botica kicked four penalty goals, and Quentin MacDonald, Rory Grice and Viliami Ma’afu all featured.
Former Waikato and Flying Fijians lock Dominiko Waqaniburotu was in the No 7 jersey for Brive in the 29-10 win over Montpellier.
Toulouse’s Joe Tekori and Charlie Faumuina tasted an 18-13 victory over Toulon, whose 9-12-13 combination was Alby Mathewson, Ma’a Nonu and Malakai Fekitoa.
Lyon’s 35-23 win over Pau saw no less than 12 players with Kiwi connections fronting.
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Toby Arnold, Rudi Wulf, Toa Halafihi, Josh Bekhuis, Taiasina Tuifua and Mike Harris played for the victors, while Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Colin Slade, Tom Taylor, Daniel Ramsay and Jamie Mackintosh featured for Pau. Slade and Taylor shared four goals.
Ben Volavola’s Bordeaux-Begles succumbed 22-12 to a Stade Francais outfit, which fielded Tony Ensor, Brandon Nansen and Ziggy Fisi’ihoi.
Uini Atonio, Victor Vito and Tawera Kerr-Barlow contributed to La Rochelle’s 47-6 shellacking of Agen.
In the Aviva Premiership, tries to Jack Wilson (a good finish) and Paul Grant were not enough to prevent Todd Blackadder’s Bath falling 31-26 at home to Wasps. James Wilson (12) and Kahn Fotuali’i (9) also featured for the West Country club.
Former Wellington and North Harbour No 8 Mat Luamanu scored a try, from one metre out, in Harlequins’ impressive 50-21 hiding of Northampton in front of nearly 80,000 at Twickenham. Luamanu’s teammates included Alofa Alofa and Jono Kitto. Ahsee Tuala, Piers Francis, Dylan Hartley and Teimana Harrison turned out for Saints.
Gloucester continued its strong recent form, edging Sale 20-16. The Kingsholm Kiwis were Tom Marshall, Jason Woodward, Josh Hohneck, John Afoa and Jeremy Thrush. The Sharks fielded Denny Solomona, Bryn Evans and Halani Aulika.
Saracens’ resurgence continues, wing Sean Maitland scoring a try in the 46-31 victory over the Worcester of Bryce Heem and Jackson Willison.
Thomas Waldrom’s Exeter Chiefs, the defending champs, stay top of the log going into 2018 after a 30-6 shutout of Leicester Tigers, who included Mike FitzGerald, Logovi’i Mulipola and Valentino Mapapalangi.
The sniping runs of halfback Tane Takalua were a feature of Newcastle’s 20-15 win at London Irish. No 8 Nili Latu also started for the Falcons. Mike Coman copped a yellow card for the Exiles, while his teammates included James Marshall, Filo Paulo, Ben Franks, Blair Cowan and Asaeli Tikoirotuma.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments