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Kiwis in Europe: No silverware for Clermont Kiwis

By Campbell Burnes

Les Jaunards have fallen far in the French Top 14.

Clermont, the defending champs who edged Toulon in last season’s decider, defeated Bordeaux-Begles 33-3 at home on the weekend, but, for all their 10 wins, are languishing in ninth position with just two rounds to play and will miss the playoffs.

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Isaia Toeava, the 32-year-old former All Black, was at fullback against Bordeaux, former Chiefs and Steelers No 8 Fritz Lee started, while Loni ‘The Tongan Bear’ Uhila scored a try after coming on as a substitute. The visitors included Ed Fidow, Fa’asiu Fuatai, and Ben Volavola.

Lyon played well to beat Tony Ensor’s Stade Francais 44-3. Toby Arnold scored a try, while Mike Harris slotted three goals. Rudi Wulf, Toa Halafihi and Taiasina Tuifua also featured for the victors.

Oyonnax won the battle of the cellar-dwellers, 40-17 over Dominiko Waqaniburotu’s Brive. Ben Botica helped himself to a try and six goals for Oyonnax, while hooker Quentin MacDonald scored a try. Hika Elliot was again at blindside flanker.

Pau, preparing for a Challenge Cup semifinal against Cardiff this weekend, was trumped at home, 33-22 by Agen, for whom George Tilsley scored a try and Tom Murday started at lock. Pau’s line-up included fullback Tom Taylor, who kicked three goals, Conrad Smith and Benson Stanley, Colin Slade and Jamie Mackintosh.

Ma’a Nonu’s Toulon defeated leaders Montpellier 32-17, for whom Aaron Cruden kicked a conversion and Jarrad Hoeata started at lock.

Toulouse moved up to second with a 42-27 win over third-placed Racing-Metro. Charlie Faumuina – how the Blues and All Blacks would love him back – and Joe Tekori featured for Toulouse. Joe Rokocoko scored a try for Racing-Metro, while Dan Carter kicked two goals. Also starting were Anthony Tuitavake and Ben Tameifuna.

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Castres, thanks to an Alex Tulou try and contributions off the bench from Maama Vaipulu and former Auckland prop Paea Fa’anunu, won 26-18 at La Rochelle, who fielded Victor Vito, Hikairo Forbes and Uini Atonio.

In the Aviva Premiership, a Jason Woodward try helped Gloucester to a comfortable 37-9 victory over Harlequins, who may need to bump up their strategic partnership with New Zealand Rugby. Josh Hohneck, John Afoa, Jeremy Thrush and Motu Matu’u all turned out for the cherry and whites, while Alofa Alofa and Mat Luamanu played for Quins.

Leicester Tigers were tipped over 27-21 by Northampton at Welford Road, a blow to the playoffs chances of Telusa Veainu, who scored a try, Mike FitzGerald, Valentino Mapapalangi and Logovi’i Mulipola. Ahsee Tuala scored a key try for Saints, while Piers Francis, Teimana Harrison and Michael Paterson all appeared.

Jimmy Gopperth’s impact – through three goals, not to mention a yellow card – was all over Wasps’ 30-15 victory over Worcester, who again fielded Jackson Willison, Ben Te’o and Bryce Heem at 12-13-14.

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Sean Maitland’s Saracens put 41-6 on Bath, for whom Paul Grant, James Wilson and Kahn Fotuali’i all played.

Thomas Waldrom’s Exeter trounced relegation-bound London Irish 45-5. James Marshall, Ben Franks and Asaeli Tikoirotuma all featured for the Exiles.

Newcastle, with Sinoti Sinoti and Tane Takalua in the mix, defeated Sale 35-30 in the battle of the north. Bryn Evans, Halani Aulika and TJ Ioane all played for the Sharks.

The Guinness PRO14 is heating up, though not for South Africa’s Southern Kings, who were pummelled 45-12 by the Cardiff Blues. The latter started Gareth Anscombe, at fullback, Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo and Nick Williams.

Treviso, who fielded Jayden Hayward, Monty Ioane, Nasi Manu and Dean Budd, won a fine, if narrow, 17-15 result at Leinster, for whom Jamison Gibson-Park and Michael Bent played.

Edinburgh props Simon Berghan and Jordan Lay enjoyed a 52-14 win over a weakened Scarlets side, who are priming for a Champions Cup semifinal against Leinster this weekend.

Ulster, with Charlie Piutau and Sean Reidy in the mix, blanked Ospreys 8-0. Kieron Fonotia and Ma’afu Fia were on the receiving end.

Rhys Marshall’s Munster beat the Cheetahs 19-17 in Bloemfontein.

Glasgow beat Connacht 35-22. Callum Gibbins and Siua Halanukonuka played for Dave Rennie’s Warriors, while Connacht included Bundee Aki, Tom McCartney and Stacey Ili.

This weekend sees the semifinals of the European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

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J
Jon 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 9 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

39 Go to comments
A
Adrian 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

39 Go to comments
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