Kiwis in Europe - Early win for new Montpellier Kiwi signing
Jarrad Hoeata is underway with a win in his French Top 14 career.
The 35-year- old former All Blacks lock, who played well for Tom Coventry’s North Harbour in the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup after several seasons with the Cardiff Blues, suited up for Montpellier in the last ditch 30-29 win at Clermont, which takes them back to the lead of the Top 14 after 16 rounds.
Hoeata, who is a medical joker for Vern Cotter’s side until the end of the season after injury to Jacques du Plessis, made eight runs and five tackles for his new team.
The match was won with a late try to former Crusaders wing Nemani Nadolo. Aaron Cruden ran the cutter at No 10. Clermont included three New Zealanders – Isaia Toeava and Luke McAlister in the five-eighths and Fritz Lee at No 8.
Pau let rip in Paris, carving up Stade Francais to the tune of 40-5. Tom Taylor, Benson Stanley and Daniel Ramsay all scored tries, while Colin Slade kicked four conversions.
Conrad Smith had an eventful time, copping a yellow card and landing a rare, and possibly unprecedented, conversion. Prop Jamie Mackintosh entered from the bench for Simon Mannix’s men. Tony Ensor and Brandon Nansen, who was sinbinned, appeared for the Parisians.
Dan Carter kicked a conversion as the second Parisian club, Racing-Metro, enjoyed a better time of it, winning 18-13 at Castres. Anthony Tuitavake, Ben Tameifuna, former Waikato hooker Ole Avei and Census Johnston all played alongside Carter.
David Smith scored Castres’ try, while Alex Tulou was at No 8.
Ma’a Nonu’s Toulon dispatched Fa’asiu Fuatai’s Bordeaux-Begles 36-12. Ben Volavola was sinbinned for the latter.
Charlie Faumuina, Joe Tekori and former Bay of Plenty loose forward Carl Axtens enjoyed a 37-15 victory over Oyonnax, who fielded Ben Botica, Quentin MacDonald, Rory Grice and Vili Ma’afu. Botica kicked two goals, while Grice was sent off for foul play.
Lyon, with Mike Harris slotting a conversion and Toby Arnold scoring a try, ran riot in thumping Agen 71-17. Josh Bekhuis and Rudi Wulf did not get on the scoresheet, nor did Agen’s George Tilsley or former Northland lock Tom Murday.
Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Jason Eaton each scored tries in La Rochelle’s 33-24 win over Brive. Victor Vito and Uini Atonio also featured for the victors.
Round 17 of the French Top 14 returns after the opening two rounds of the Six Nations. There was no play in the Guinness PRO14, as round three of the Anglo-Welsh Cup played out. This saw coaches take the opportunity to rest several of their Kiwi stars.
But Jim Mallinder of Northampton was grateful he did not rest Nafi Tuitavake, as the former North Harbour and Crusaders centre scored a late try to lift Saints to a 24-20 win at Sale. Ken Pisi also scored a try, while Ahsee Tuala and Michael Paterson saw action.
Valentino Mapapalangi’s Leicester Tigers defeated Cardiff Blues 24-12, while Jono Kitto, a former Tiger, won 35-7 with Harlequins over Scarlets, who are not at full noise for this competition. Another goalkicking son of Frano Botica – Jacob Botica – was in the Scarlets’ No 10 jersey. Jackson Willison’s Worcester beat Exeter 31-21.
Jack Wilson and Paul Grant scored tries in Bath’s 21-8 win over Newcastle. James Wilson was at centre for Todd Blackadder’s team.
James Marshall helped himself to 15 points from a try and five goals as London Irish smashed Wasps 66-7. Asaeli Tikoirotuma also crossed the line. Ben Franks, Mike Coman, and Blair Cowan all suited up for the Exiles. Jacob Umaga, son of former Manu Samoa fullback Mike Umaga, scored the sole try for Wasps.
Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments