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Kiwis in Europe: Berghan's Edinburgh has wood on Savea's Toulon
Total Kiwis: 67
Simon Berghan and Edinburgh are sitting pretty at the top of Pool 5 in the European Champions Cup.
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The final round of the pool stages takes place this weekend, with Edinburgh hosting Montpellier at Murrayfield this Friday. A quarter-final berth is already secure for the Scots.
The Christchurch-born prop, the latest of the Kilted Kiwis with 14 test caps to his name, entered the fray at the 68-minute mark for WP Nel in the 28-17 win over Toulon at Stade Mayol last weekend. Former Auckland skipper Simon Hickey was an unused sub for the victors. It caps an Edinburgh sweep of Toulon in their two pool matches.
Toulon left wing Julian Savea, who returned to action after a short, much-discussed, break to attend his brother Ardie’s wedding in Fiji, scored a late consolation try for Les Rouges et Noirs, whose fans are hurting due to poor results in both the Top 14 and Europe this season.
Munster, with Rhys Marshall, Alby Mathewson and Tyler Bleyendaal all featuring off the bench, defeated Josh Hohneck’s Gloucester 41-15. Newcastle’s Tane Takalua and John Hardie were on the receiving end of a 45-8 hiding at Montpellier.
Jamison Gibson-Park’s Leinster is still flying high, downing Toulouse 29-13. Charlie Faumuina, Joe Tekori and Jerome Kaino all played in the Toulouse pack.
Jackson Willison’s Bath edged Wasps 18-16, meaning the Coventry club still has not recorded a European win in five outings this season. No 8 Nathan Hughes scored a try for Wasps, while Brad Shields also featured off the side of the scrum. It was an eventful day for No 10 Lima Sopoaga, whose coach Dai Young has felt the need to go into bat for his form.
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The former All Black kicked three goals but was also shown yellow for a no-arms tackle on his compatriot Willison.
Former Steelers and Patumahoe club loose forward Sean Reidy was in the No 6 jersey as Ulster beat Ben Tameifuna’s Racing-Metro 26-22. Scarlets looked in fine fettle in dispatching Leicester 33-10. Fullback Johnny McNicholl scored a try, set up by a sweet no-look pass from former Manu Samoa and Crusaders centre Kieron Fonotia. Hadleigh Parkes wore the No 12 jersey. Mike FitzGerald scored a try off the bench for the Tigers, while Brendon O’Connor and Valentino Mapapalangi also featured.
Exeter accounted for Castres 34-12, with David Smith, Maama Vaipulu and Alex Tulou turning out for the latter.
Sean Maitland’s Saracens won 28-10 at Lyon, who fielded Toby Arnold and Rudi Wulf. Callum Gibbins’ Glasgow took out Cardiff Blues 35 24, the latter including Willis Halaholo and Nick Williams.
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In the Challenge Cup, Iliesa Ratuva Tavuyara recorded a double for Treviso in the 38-24 win over Agen. Alongside the former Stags and Rams flyer were Monty Ioane, Dean Budd and Toa Halafihi. Sam Vaka scored a try and was binned for Agen. In the visiting pack were Tom Murday and Paula Ngauamo.
Alofa Alofa and Mat Luamanu tasted victory for Harlequins, 38-20 over the Grenoble of Taleta Tupuola and Edgar Tu’inukuafe.
Connacht, and Bundee Aki and Tom McCartney, edged Bryn Evans and Denny Solomona of the Sale Sharks 20-18.
Ben Teo’s Worcester sealed playoffs qualification with an identical 20-18 result at Ospreys. Clermont stays atop Pool 5 with a thrilling 48-40 win over Chris Boyd’s Northampton, which has just signed Matt Proctor for 2019-20. George Moala (13) and Loni Uhila (17) suited up for the home team, while Ahsee Tuala and Ben Franks were alongside No 8 Teimana Harrison, who registered a losing hat-trick.
George Tilsley showed his pace to score a key try for Bordeaux-Begles in the 34-27 victory at Perpignan, while Kiwi-born wing Stephen Shennan was powerless to prevent his Romanian side Timisoara Saracens from copping a 59-3 hiding to the Dragons.
Hikairo Forbes scored a try and Ihaia West kicked four goals, alongside Uini Atonio and Victor Vito, as La Rochelle defeated Zebre – which fielded Jim Tuivaiti and Josh Renton – 32-12.
Bristol, with Jake Heenan in the No 7 jersey, crushed Enisei 65-9 before just 100 people in Sochi.
There were contrasting fortunes for the Kiwis at Stade Francais. Fullback Tony Ensor scored a try, while prop Ziggy Fisi’ihoi copped a yellow card in the 35-14 win over Colin Slade’s Pau.
Rugby World Cup City Guides – Fukuoka:
Comments on RugbyPass
Really hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
83 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
83 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to comments