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Kiwis in Europe: Vito runs rampant for Baabaas

By Campbell Burnes

Sometimes a hat-trick is not enough.

Scarlets wing Johnny McNicholl will know that better than most after his three tries were not sufficient for his Welsh region to clinch another Guinness PRO14 title.

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Wayne Pivac’s charges succumbed 40-32 to Leinster in the Dublin season finale, handing the Irish province an unprecedented European Champions Cup/PRO14 double and ensuring that veteran utility back and skipper Isa Nacewa leaves active rugby on a winning note.

McNicholl, who did great deeds for Canterbury and the Crusaders in his time in New Zealand rugby, was largely unemployed for the opening half hour, but then set up his own opening try, from close range, in the 34th minute. He added two more in the second stanza, the first a classic airborne finish in the corner, after a movement he started with a deft crosskick. His third was pure consolation, in the final minute. McNicholl put centre Scott Williams in a hole, followed up, and took the return pass for his ninth try of the season in the PRO14. Furthermore, he set up the play that led to prop Werner Kruger’s try just before his last.

Second five Hadleigh Parkes, soon to depart on Wales’ tour of the Americas, was industrious on defence but had few chances on attack.

Nacewa, who was marking Parkes, limped off after just 18 minutes, but his joy was unconfined at fulltime and one could surmise that he would not feel his leg later in the night. Pivac, who first picked him for Auckland in 2003, caught up with Nacewa after the match.

Leinster left wing James Lowe was busy, scoring in deadly finish in the corner after some slick short side work by, among others, man of the match Jonny Sexton. Ironically, Lowe was marking McNicholl, and was able to get on the outside of him for the score.

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In England’s Aviva Premiership final, Sean Maitland’s Saracens return to the top of the tree, defeating defending champs Exeter Chiefs 27-10 at Twickenham. Sarries win their first title since 2015, while Chiefs No 8 Thomas Waldrom, who featured off the bench, ends his long and illustrious career in England on a damp note. But he does bring a wealth of experience back to Wellington, for whom he will appear in the Mitre 10 Cup from August.

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In the French Top 14 semifinals, Vern Cotter’s Montpellier dispatched Lyon 40-14 to book a berth in this weekend’s decider. Montpellier has never won the Bouclier de Brennus.

Nemani Nadolo scored a try for Montpellier, while Aaron Cruden and Jarrad Hoeata also featured. Former North Harbour and Wallaby five-eighths Mike Harris scored all of Lyon’s points via a try and three penalty goals. Toby Arnold, Rudi Wulf and Taiasina Tuifua also all started for Lyon.

Sixth-ranked qualifier Castres tipped over Racing-Metro 19-14. No 8 Maama Vaipulu scored a crucial try, while David Smith, Alex Tulou and Paea Fa’anunu all partook of the victory. Castres has won four titles, the last in 2013. Former All Blacks captain Gary Whetton was central to the club’s 1993 championship.

Dan Carter’s hamstring prevented him fronting for Racing, thus ending his French club career. Prop Ben Tameifuna did start, but received another yellow card, while hooker Ole Avei came off the pine.

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No less than 10 New Zealanders featured in Sunday’s Twickenham frolic, in which the UK Barbarians beat England 63-45. For England, Piers Francis scored a brace, while wing Denny Solomona entered as a replacement. For the Barbarians, No 8 Victor Vito also registered a double. Prop John Afoa started, while off the bench came Loni Uhila, Joe Tekori, Nili Latu, Luke McAlister and Malakai Fekitoa.

In other news:

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J
Jon 1 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”?

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j
john 4 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.

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A
Adrian 6 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

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T
Trevor 8 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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