#Dalton Papali'i

With the Rugby World Cup under nine months away, we thought it was worth picking seven players to watch out for in 2023. There are plenty of established figures here who have their own individual stories and targets over the next 12 months so without further ado, here's our selection. The centre is set for a big 2023 after getting back to full…

After a dramatic build-up, Super Rugby Pacific got off to an entertaining start last week. The Fijian Drua might not have got a first-up win, but they were still a huge hit in Sydney as they fell to the Waratahs 40-10. There were wins for the Crusaders, Chiefs and Reds on Saturday, before a Sunday afternoon thriller was taken out by the Brumbies…

IS it just me or does it leave a sour taste in everyone's mouth that Gregor Townsend dropped Finn Russell out of the Scotland squad altogether, offering an excuse that no one bought, before throwing him straight back into the starting XV in a crude attempt to salvage his own coaching reputation with that long awaited inaugural win over New…

Scotland continue their end-of-year campaign with a third successive match at Murrayfield, and this one is set to be their toughest yet, as New Zealand's All Blacks travel to Edinburgh looking for a third consecutive victory on their tour of the Northern Hemisphere. Scotland's two Tests this autumn have been a mixed bag, with Gregor Townsend's men…

It's a mouth-watering prospect, despite the very real chance that it may never see the light of day. The best of the Wallabies and All Blacks, playing in a combined ANZAC team, in a one-off match against the British & Irish Lions at the MCG? To borrow a line from recent KFC, "shut up and take my money!" It appears, however, that Rugby Australia…

Week two went next level in the drama and force of the north-south conflict. Despite the win-loss count, the south made some ground back. North No. 1 (Ireland) struggled to put an experimental version of South Africa (south No. 2) away, their attack stymied and depending on marginal passes, looking spent in the last ten minutes and like the final…

WALES host New Zealand in the first of four autumn internationals TOMORROW. The Welsh side will be looking to pull off a famous victory as they have not beaten the All Blacks since 1953. Wayne Pivac's side will then face Argentina, Georgia and Australia to top off the autumn internationals. The All Blacks have already defeated Japan and will now…

As the All Blacks embark on their northern hemisphere tour, head coach Ian Foster will know that there are plenty of areas his side need to work on despite winning the Rugby Championship. Some of the team's greatest flaws were exposed during the Championship, and as a result they experienced some record breaking lows. Some of those problems have…

The All Blacks began their preparation for their northern hemisphere tour with an open training session in Nelson this week, ahead of their Test against Japan in just over two weeks' time. They also decided to unearth some footage of the squad in the gym from a few months ago, and Aaron Smith and Richie Mo'unga will be pretty happy with that. That…

The bulk of the Rugby Championship squad has been retained, as the All Blacks set their sights on the Northern Tour, while a number of players from the Ireland series have returned to the squad. Props Nepo Laulala and Ofa Tuungafasi, along with winger Leicester Fainga'anuku, return to Foster's squad. They missed The Rugby Championship, following…

The bulk of the Rugby Championship squad has been retained as the All Blacks set their sights on the Northern Tour whilst a number of players from the Ireland series have returned to the squad. Props Nepo Laulala and Ofa Tuungafasi along with winger Leicester Fainga'anuku return to Foster's squad after missing The Rugby Championship following the…

The All Blacks may be struggling for consistency, identity and fluency through this most problematic of seasons, but there is one thing we can rest assured about: the trans-Tasman rugby rivalry is alive and kicking ahead of the Rugby Championship finale against the Wallabies on Saturday night. The events of Bledisloe I at Marvel Stadium just over a…

All you need to know ahead of the second Bledisloe test between the All Blacks and the Wallabies at Eden Park (kickoff at 7.05pm): It all comes down to this, well sort of. The All Blacks can move into pole position on the Rugby Championship table with victory in the second Bledisloe Cup test. In terms of the Rugby Championship, all four teams could…

New Zealand vs Australia: The All Blacks and Wallabies have the first move in the final play for the Rugby Championship. Australia appear to have been fired up by what went down last Thursday but can they pull one over on New Zealand. Injuries have forced changes to the All Blacks team that defeated Australia in Melbourne, with captain Sam Cane,…

With the Bledisloe Cup wrapped up for 2022, the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship and a 28-year unbeaten streak at Eden Park are on the line on Saturday night. Match details: All Blacks v Australia, Saturday 24 September, 7.05pm NZT, Eden Park, Auckland Played: 174 Won: All Blacks 121, Australia 45, Drawn 8 Last time: All Blacks 39, Australia 37 (15…

All Blacks skipper Sam Cane has been ruled out of this weekend's Bledisloe Cup test in Auckland due to injury. ' Cane is one of a number of forced changes to the All Blacks team that defeated Australia in Melbourne, with Scott Barrett, David Havili and Quinn Tupaea also unavailable for selection this week. Sam Whitelock will lead a side which has…