Weekend Round-Up: Jimmy Gopperth Tames The Tigers
Catch up on the best of the weekend’s games on Rugby Pass, including big wins for Wasps and the Wallabies, Otago’s beautiful throwback jersey, and a stay of execution for Diego Dominguez.
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Aviva Premiership: Tigers 22-34 Wasps
Watch: Full Game | Condensed
It was the Jimmy Gopperth show in Leicester on Saturday, with the veteran fly-half (playing at inside centre to accommodate Danny Cipriani at 10) scoring 19 points – four conversions, two penalties and a late try – to lead Wasps to their second win of the Aviva Premiership season and their first at Welford Road since 2008. He was also instrumental in his team’s opening try, placing a perfectly-weighted grubber into the arms of Christian Wade. Wasps are now 2-from-2 to start the season.
NRL: Raiders 14-16 Sharks
Watch: Full Game | Condensed
The first weekend of the NRL finals largely went according to script, with the home side winning three of the four games. This game was the exception. A brutal opening 20 minutes saw the Sharks lose Wade Graham to a concussion and the Raiders looked to be on their way with a 12-0 lead. Then the Sharks started turning the screws, fighting their way back to 14-14 with four minutes to go. A swinging arm from Elliot Whitehead on Ben Barba then earned them a penalty which James Maloney coolly slotted to put the Cronulla side one game away from the Grand Final. The Raiders now have to play the Panthers, who did this to the Bulldogs on Sunday.
Rugby Championship: Wallabies 23-17 Springboks
Watch: Full Game | Condensed
The Wallabies broke their 6-match losing streak at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday but it wasn’t easy. The lead changed hands several times in the match – the Springboks had the better of the opening 20 minutes before the Wallabies came storming back, led by the impressive Bernard Foley. With ten minutes to go and the Boks needing a converted try to win they regained the momentum but couldn’t quite find the killer touch. A classic tight Rugby Championship encounter; the reverse fixture in South Africa will be one to watch.
Top 14: Toulouse 15-32 Toulon
Watch: Full Game | Condensed
Diego Dominguez will be sleeping a little easier this week. There was talk that the Toulon coach would get the sack if his side didn’t win at Toulouse on Sunday – whether or not that was true we may never know, as his side put together a much improved performance to claim their second win of the season at Stade Ernest-Wallon. Two first half tries and a third in injury time to number 8 Charles Ollivon were complemented by a typically assured kicking game from Leigh Halfpenny to buy their coach at least one more week in the Top 14.
Mitre 10 Cup: Otago 30-27 Tasman
Watch: Full Game | Condensed
Week 4 of the Mitre 10 Cup was a good one, with five out of nine games decided by a margin of 4 points or fewer and the play of the season being produced in Pukekohe on Friday night. Otago’s inter-divisional win over Tasman was the classic game of two halves – the first saw six tries and some brilliant attacking rugby, while the second was all about defense as Otago booted their way past Tasman and held on for dear life. The southern men have now won 5 from 5 to start the season and look good to rejoin the Premiership next season.
Comments on RugbyPass
I think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
8 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
8 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
13 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
13 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to comments