#Matt Philip

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…

Bath Rugby tighthead prop Will Stuart will start his fourth consecutive Test for England as the club's only representative in the matchday 23 to face Australia in the series decider at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday. Bath's giant wing Joe Cokanasiga misses out on selection while Northampton captain Lewis Ludlam replaces the concussed Sam…

The finals start two rounds earlier as the Rebels and Waratahs fight for the all important final spot in the finals. The equation is simple:-If the Waratahs can manage a bonus point victory (without the Rebels earning one in defeat), the Rebels season is over.-A Waratahs victory without a bonus point/Rebels earning a bonus point in defeat would…

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…

After two makeshift seasons, Super Rugby is about to get a whole more super as the competition moves to a full-fledged Pacific competition. Making it all the more appealing for fans - and administrators - is that the competition's future will be announced Friday, with the competition to be set in stone until 2030. That will be music to the ears of…

Now that the 2022 international season has been wrapped up, we delve into the state of affairs in each of the competing nations. Next up, Australia. After another underwhelming Rugby Championship campaign - in which they finished in third position from the four participating countries in the competition - the Wallabies were determined to show…

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…

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 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…

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…