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Tony Ensor and Ziggy Fisiihoi might be onto a good thing this season with Stade Francais.
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The former Otago wing and Chiefs prop respectively tasted victory to the tune of 46-15 for the Parisian club at promoted Perpignan as the French Top 14 kicked into gear.
Stade has performed inconsistently in recent seasons but, under the aegis of former Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer, the Parisians showed promising early signs.
Perpignan fielded two Kiwis off the pine in the form of former Bay of Plenty and New Zealand Under 20s lock Shahn Eru and former Manu Samoa and North Harbour hooker Manu Leiataua.
In a replay of the Top 14 final less than three months ago, Alex Tulou’s Castres edged Aaron Cruden’s Montpellier 25-20.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN3oZPxApxs
Bordeaux-Begles, which has usually fielded a stack of Kiwis in recent times, used just former Manawatu and All Blacks Sevens wing George Tilsley in its 41-19 hiding of Pau. The latter had Daniel Ramsay at lock, with Colin Slade and Tom Taylor sharing the kicking duties with two goals each. Jamie Mackintosh, who will be feeling for his old Southland Stags side, was used as a replacement.
Former All Black Isaia Toeava is still just 32 and clearly going strong after a brace for Clermont in the 67-23 shellacking of Agen. Fritz Lee and Loni Uhila were alongside him for Les Jaunards. Former Northland lock Tom Murday was at lock for Agen, while former Steelers centre Sam Vaka was in the midfield.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHECz5cdynA
The news was not so good for Malakai Fekitoa, the only New Zealander in the Toulon 23. The midfielder copped a yellow card and his club lost 9-25 at Stade Mayol to Racing-Metro.
The Parisians fielded Joe Rokocoko, 35 years young, on the wing, Ben Tameifuna, Ole Avei and veteran Census Johnston in the front-row, while Ben Volavola, who has done time at Canterbury and North Harbour, came off the pine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dISwI08Ga3Y
If you read a certain New Zealand rugby publication, you would think that Charlie Ngatai is suiting up for Taranaki again in the Mitre 10 Cup. Not so. He has just played his first game for Lyon, in the No 12 jersey, in the 16-all home draw with Toulouse. Rudi Wulf and Toby Arnold were in the Lyonnais jerseys 13 and 14.
Jerome Kaino played 73 minutes at No 8 for his new club Toulouse, while Charlie Faumuina and Joe Tekori also appeared.
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Victor Vito’s La Rochelle made a winning start via a 28-21 victory over Grenoble. The Kiwis in the Grenoble were front and centre of action controversy. Fullback Lolagi Visinia scored a try, as did 2017 Waikato lock Leva Fifita, while No 7 Steven Setephano was sent off for ‘rucking’ in the final minute. Alaska Taufa was in the midfield. Off the bench came former Ikale Tahi prop Halani Aulika and former All Blacks Sevens and Hurricanes Development centre Leka Tupuola, now 29, but who has plied in trade in France for several seasons.
The UK Premership and PRO14 competitions kick off this weekend.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
76 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments