#Nick Frost

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…

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…

Friday's Rugby News sees Super Rugby AU Week 4, Super Rugby Aotearoa, The Weekend Ahead in Club rugby and World Rugby Sets International Window Last week brought us two tight games, probably tighter than a lot expected on paper. While the results were what the odds-makers had predicted they certainly got the margins wrong, having used the goat…

With World Rugby currently fighting brush fires on multiple fronts - high contact laws and sanctions, TMO involvement, intentional knock-ons, concussion and global season just some of the main issues - it seems both crazy and inevitable the game is about to stumble into another morass of its own making. A combination of the introduction of private…

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…

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…

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…