#Len Ikitau

Forget Eddie Jones for a moment. Let's talk about Subbuteo. If you were a young sporting fan, it was the game for you back in the 1970's and 1980's. The game looked beautiful, with its lush green felt pitches, plentiful accessories, and detailed crowd models all the way down to one man and his dog. You could even buy the picket fences and…

Kurtley Beale is back in the green and gold after missing last year's Spring Tour in a big Dave Rennie selection statement. Beale is one of 44 players named for the Wallabies' four-day camp on the Gold Coast on Friday, with a Rugby World Cup looming in September. Joining Beale in the squad is experienced duo Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi who missed…

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has given his strongest indication that big-money stars Suliasi Vunivalu and James O'Connor could be snubbed for this year's Rugby World Cup after not inviting the Queensland Reds pair to a national camp next week. A 44-man Wallabies squad has been named for a four-day gathering on the Gold Coast next week ahead of the…

A month after Charlie Gamble declared he "bleeds blue" and supports the Wallabies, the New Zealand-born back-rower has been selected in Dave Rennie's 44-man Australian training squad. The 26-year-old is the only fresh face in the squad, which sees Kurtley Beale and Harry Wilson included after controversially missing last year's Spring Tour. The…

Admittedly, the now 20-year-old Crusaders prop was "skinnier back then", but he'd always played centre and No 8 growing up in Perth, and No 8 when he returned to New Zealand and played for Kerikeri High School. But, having earned a scholarship at Auckland's St Kentigern College, he figured he'd best roll with coach Tai Lavea's instructions at the…

How impressive was last weekend's action? The Crusaders shocked at home to lose their first game of the season, the Reds putting on a near perfect performance against the Rebels, while the Waratahs came oh, so close to beating the Brumbies. This weekend's sure to be just as exciting with the Reds hosting the Brumbies as they battle for top spot,…

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has confirmed a 35-man squad for the upcoming eToro Rugby Championship fixtures against South Africa in Adelaide and Sydney. There are a number of players returning to the group who were unavailable for the side's most recent Tests against Argentina. Winger Andrew Kellaway and props Angus Bell and Scott Sio have…

Greetings, G&GRs, and welcome to Wednesday's Rugby News. Today's guest article comes to you from ParForCourse. Usual links to things happening around the world below, too. AllyOz will grace our desks on Thursday and Keith will round off our week. As Nutta says, "I hope it's a pizza pockets day for you all". Private Equity and Australian Rugby Is…

South Africa face a crossroads fixture against Australia six days after losing to the Wallabies, with their Rugby Championship title chances riding on whether they can avenge that defeat Quade Cooper delivered the goods for Australia in his recent comeback against South Africa, but the enraged Springboks head to Suncorp Stadium on Saturday as…

Scotland missed a last-minute penalty as they lost by a point to a valiant Australia in a fascinatingly tight grudge match in Edinburgh. A fast start to the contest culminated in the opening try, with hot-stepping Scotland full-back Ollie Smith diving over in the corner to score on just his second appearance in dark blue. That start gave way to a…

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…

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…

It was a conscious thought that slowly surfaced while watching Australia A rally late to find the winning play in the second Japan Rugby Challenge Series game in Fukuoka on Saturday evening. The young Australian side had had multiple opportunities to find the try they so desperately sought in the last 10 minutes, but just couldn't stick the vital…

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…

We were treated to a stunning spectacle of rugby last weekend which saw all four Southern Hemisphere nations take the chocolates, while France was the only team from up north to collect a win. With several series on the line can England, Ireland or Wales fight their way to victory in Game 2? Read on for all the line-ups and key team news as it…