Kiwis in Europe - Parkes and Anscombe star for Wales
Hadleigh Parkes is loving Wales and the hard-bitten Welsh fans will be loving his contributions for the Red Dragons.
This morning the Kiwi-born second five from the Scarlets region turned in a man of the match display as Wales cast aside Italy 38-14 in Cardiff. He scored a try on his back, almost added another that was ruled out by the TMO, made 11 tackles, ran for 56m and executed some probing, raking tactical kicks.
The only bum note was struck when his wing Steff Evans ran into him while trying to step the Azzurri defence.
Parkes’ old Blues (NZ) teammate Gareth Anscombe also acquitted himself well in the No 10 jersey in a rare start there for his adopted country. He kicked nine points, made 14 tackles in 60 minutes, did a nice chip and regather and made a compelling case to Warren Gatland to start there again against France this weekend.
Lock Dean Budd and replacement outside back Jayden Hayward both played for Italy, but neither could make the desired impact in a side struggling to adapt to Conor O’Shea’s ambition for the side.
In Paris, there was little joy for Fiji-born, Kelston BHS-educated England No 8 Nathan Hughes, who left the pitch with a knee injury after just 23 minutes of England’s 22-16 defeat to France. Centre Ben Te’o had his hands full with opposite Mathieu Bastareaud. He did make one long break but could not link up with his outsides.
Bundee Aki grows in stature for Ireland, playing the full 80 minutes of the impressive 28-8 win over Scotland. He nearly scored himself, though was overall overshadowed by his centre Garry Ringrose.
Sean Maitland had few opportunities on the Scotland left wing, making seven tackles and carrying just twice. Prop Simon Berghan had a tough 64 minutes marking Cian Healy in the scrums.
A full round of the French Top 14 saw Toulon rise up the table after dispatching Agen 54-5. Malakai Fekitoa scored a try in the No 12 jersey, while Ma’a Nonu and Alby Mathewson came off the bench.
Pau also heaped more misery on the faltering La Rochelle, who were flying high just weeks ago. Pau’s 18-15 home win featured a try and two goals from Colin Slade. His teammates included Daniel Ramsay, Jamie Mackintosh, Benson Stanley and Conrad Smith.
La Rochelle’s pack included Uini Atonio, Victor Vito and Hikairo Forbes.
Montpellier’s Aaron Cruden would have enjoyed the crushing 41-3 victory over Racing-Metro, who had Joe Rokocoko, Anthony Tuitavake, Dan Carter, Ole Avei, Census Johnston and Ben Tameifuna in the ranks.
A try to Toby Arnold and four goals to Mike Harris guided Lyon to a crucial 27-20 away win at Toulouse. Rudi Wulf was at centre for Lyon. Joe Tekori and Carl Axtens appeared for Toulouse.
Maama Vaipulu of Castres was on the receiving end of a 23-17 reverse to Stade Francais.
Luke McAlister, off the bench, kicked a conversion, which turned out to be vital, in Clermont’s 11-9 victory at Brive. Loni Uhila, aka ‘The Tongan Bear,’ wore the No 1 jersey for the victors.
Oyonnax won a fine 26-20 result at Bordeaux-Begles, with Ben Botica’s six goals all-important. Quentin MacDonald scored a try, while Hika Elliot and Roimata Hansell-Pune were also involved. Ed Fidow scored a try and Simon Hickey kicked three goals for the home team.
In a catch-up Guinness PRO14 game, Scarlets and Leinster drew 10-all. James Lowe and Michael Bent started for the Irish province.
In the Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-finals, Todd Blackadder’s Bath will be playing for silverware this weekend, edging Northampton 13-12.
James Wilson (12) and Paul Grant (20) turned out for the west country club, while the Saints fielded Piers Francis, Nafi Tuitavake, Ahsee Tuala, Michael Paterson and Teimana Harrison. The latter’s 100th game for the club ended with a red card.
Exeter Chiefs are into their fourth straight Anglo-Welsh Cup final, edging Newcastle 20-17. Nili Latu, Tane Takalua and Sinoti Sinoti all played for the Falcons.
Bath will face Exeter at Kingsholm on Sunday.
Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
1 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments