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Leicester Tigers claim South African scalp at Welford Road

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:39:00 +0000

There was some joy for English rugby fans this weekend as a pumped up Leicester Tigers beat a lacklustre South African XV 22-17 at Welford Road on Friday night.

It was a historic win for the Tigers, who themselves were missing their England players and had a few others out due to injury. The South African side comprised of a group of young Currie Cup players, mixed in with a handful of Test veterans.

Despite an early try to Jongi Nokwe, it was clear that a Springbok scalp was more motivation for the Tigers than vice versa, as the home side ripped into the tourists, dominating them in practically every department. In the scrum came the most humiliation though, as the Bok pack were demolished and conceded penalties on more than one occasion.

Gurthro Steenkamp, who has since left the tour with an injury, was destroyed by Martin Castrogiovanni in the scrums. Captain on the night, Chilliboy Ralepele, was also injured, leaving the field after 20 minutes. It was a shambolic Springbok team, and a poor showing all round.

Springbok assistant coach Dick Muir was shocked at the performance, despite picking nine uncapped players: "I don't think I've ever seen a South Africa pack as bad as that, especially from a coaching perspective. We were given a bit of a lesson at the scrums," he said.

"We just move on. We came over here with an experiment and perhaps it didn't come off as planned. Hats off to the Tigers. They were incredibly strong in that department so we've got to go back to the drawing board."

Tigers coach Richard Cokerill said his scrum was immense. "Rugby can get quite scientific in its analysis these days. Sometimes you just need 15 blokes to come here and roll their sleeves up. The scientists can't quantify that. And that's what we did tonight," he said.

Argentine wing Lucas Amorosino scored a nice try after a neat switch from the highly impressive Manu Tuilagi. Scrumhalf Ben Youngs, only 20 years old, put in a great performance as he kicked his kicks and showed no fear with a few darting runs. He tallied up 17 points on the night, showing maturity beyond his years.

It was a sensational occasion for the 24 000 fans at the ground, and the many more watching at home, as the Leicester Tigers claimed the scalp of the South African dirt trackers, whose coaching staff and selection policies will be questioned following the match.

The senior Springbok side will face France in Toulouse this coming Friday night. After this performance, it's highly doubtful that any of the players on show at Welford Road will make the matchday 22 for that, the first of their three Tests on tour.

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Time: 06:28

Australia too good for England at Twickenham

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:59:00 +0000

Australia overcame their first hurdle in an attempt to emulate the class of ’84 as they beat England 18-9 at Twickenham on Saturday.

The Wallabies put their poor Tri Nations season behind them as they came back from being 9-5 down at half time with a far better second half showing, with young scrumhalf Will Genia putting in a man of the match performance.

It was an England side buoyed by the return of Jonny Wilkinson, but the Aussies absorbed the pressure then gradually took control of the match.

Coach Robbie Deans was impressed with the patience shown by his side.

“I was happy with the way we kept out composure and wore them down," he said.

"The guys didn't become frantic after the missed opportunities and that trust and patience paid off and that's a habit we want to keep."

England have an unprecedented amount of injuries at the moment, with only four of Martin Johnson’s team having taken to the field in the corresponding fixture last year.

The form of returning world cup winners Lewis Moody, Steve Thompson, and flyhalf Wilkinson was a positive for the England coach.

"It's great to have them back," said Johnson. "People have asked me all week what Jonny brings to the game and I'd say 'just watch the game' - he's a world class player," he said.

Wilkinson landed a drop goal after three minutes as he signalled his return to the international game in style. He tackled as hard as ever, and at one stage it looked as though he was going to lift the England side to victory.

Australia, with injury concerns of their own, had many opportunities and only needed to capitalise on two of them. Eight points from Matt Giteau and the first half try to Genia, along with a great second half try to Adam Ashley-Cooper, sealed the win.

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Time: 08:38

Looking back at the November Tests 2008

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:16:00 +0000

Today the international Test seasons kicks off once again as England face Australia, and Wales host the All Blacks. We'll take a look back to this time last year with this great compilation from the November Tests in 2008.

Each year the best of the Southern Hemisphere heads up North to take on the best on offer. This year, Argentina, Fiji, and Samoa will also be touring, which makes for an interesting few weeks.

It was a Grand Slam winning tour for the All Blacks last year, who beat all before them once again, following on from the success of 2005. This year they'll be looking to go unbeaten too, with a few new players in the line up that will be out to grab the opportunity.

Australia are hoping for a Grand Slam success this year, the first since 1984. They already beat Gloucester, and today go up against the team they lost to in the 2003 World Cup final, England.

The Springboks play three Tests, with France, Italy and Ireland all looking to knock them off their perch. They had a bit of a set back last night though, as their second stringers lost to a pumped up Leicester Tigers side. We'll have highlights of that soon.

This video is quite simply a compilation of some of the more memorable moments from last year. Anyone care to place their predictions for what's going to happen this time around?

We'll have all the best moments from all the biggest matches, right here on RD over the next few weeks. Keep stopping by.

Time: 07:21

Wallabies take on England - Twickenham 1984

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:08:00 +0000

Australia get the chance to replicate the heroics of 1984 this weekend, as they begin their Grand Slam of tour 2009 against England at Twickenham. Today we look back at the same fixture from that classic tour 25 years ago.

It was the last time that a Grand Slam tour was attempted by the Wallabies, and the first time it was achieved, with them starting the tour well with a 19-3 win over the English.

Wallaby flyhalf Michael Lynagh and England debutant Stuart Barnes exchanged, as well as missed, penalties throughout the match, but the first half ended 3-0 to the visitors. The brilliant Mark Ella then scored a great try for the Wallabies early in the second.

It was to be Ella's first try of the tour, but not the last, as he achieved the milestone of scoring in each Test.

Lynagh converted then scored a try of his own in the corner, before the Wallabies finished with an excellent team try that had Simon Poidevin over after a brilliant run by David Campese. The match ended 19-3 to the Wallabies, who were on their way to a historic end of year tour success.

Australia play England tomorrow at Twickenham, then travel to Croke Park to take on Ireland, followed by Scotland at Murrayfield, and finishing with Wales at the Millenium Stadium.
Over the next few weeks we'll feature highlights from all the other 1984 Grand Slam matches.

Time: 04:22

Best tries of the Top 14 - Round 10

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:40:00 +0000

As the weekend of Test matches approaches, we've got some Top 14 tries for you today, with another compilation of the best tries scored around the country in round 10 of France's premier rugby competition.

If you're a RD regular and check every post on the site, you've probably seen some of these tries already. Some are worth re-watching though, and it's always nice to have them compiled like this to reference at any time.

There's a fair amount from the Toulon vs Bourgoin match, with Joe El Abd, Jonny Wilkinson, and captain Joe Van Niekerk all scoring great tries that contributed towards their big win. Sylvain Nicolas also scored a nice try in the match, but that was for Bourgoin.

There was some nice passing to set up both Grant Rees for Montpellier, and Vincent Clerc for Toulouse, but the number one try came from a match that we featured here on RD last week.

Hugo Southwell scored as he got Stade Francais off to a good start against Perpignan. It wasn't enough though, as Jerome Porical produced an excellent solo effort that sealed the win for the Catalan side.

Time: 04:41

Australia open their tour with a good win over Gloucester

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:51:00 +0000

Australia’s tour of Britain & Ireland got underway on Tuesday with a comfortable 36-5 win over Gloucester at Kingsholm.

Wing Drew Mitchell scored two tries in the second half, with Ryan Cross, Tyrone Smith, and flyhalf Quade Cooper scoring one a piece. Cooper finished with 16 points.

The home side scored a nice try of their own from a Carlos Spencer crosskick which saw 19 year old Freddie Burns dive in at the corner.

"I wouldn't have believed I would have scored against Australia this year. I just went with the flow. The Shed was full and there were 6,500 people going mental," he said.

The Wallabies face England at Twickenham on Saturday as they open their Grand Slam challenge. Coach Robbie Deans was satisfied with the performance.

"When you are going from Test match to Test match you don't get development time. Some of these guys will only play two games on tour and they wanted to make the most of it. From our perspective it was a good experience for them,” he said.

"It was great to play in a purpose-built rugby stadium. We don't do enough of that at home. The crowd enjoyed it and got into it and we'd love to do it again some time."

The match wasn’t televised, but we’ve organised a video of the tries. There’s no commentary though unfortunately, but it’s still good to see some of the action.

Time: 03:54

Canterbury vs Hawkes Bay Air NZ Cup Semi Final

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:28:00 +0000

Canterbury will host the Air New Zealand Cup Final after they comfortably beat Hawkes Bay 20-3 in the Semi last weekend in Christchurch.

The game started with what would have been one of the fastest tries ever, as Sean Maitland fed the ball inside after some great hands, but it was not to be unfortunately.

It didn't take them long to make up for it though, scoring after 8 minutes through impressive lock Sam Whitelock. A Michael Paterson charge down then allowed Isaac Ross to dive over for an opportunist try.

Hawkes Bay prop Sona Taumalolo was lucky to stay on the park after a 'dip' tackle went unpunished by referee Jonathan White. A few years back it probably would have been a good call, but these days rules are rules and you can't lift a player like that any more.

A Clint Newlands turnover allowed Canterbury to shirt it wide to speedster Maitland once again, who calmly fed the the supporting Stephen Brett for an excellent try which put them out of sight.

Canterbury will play Wellington in the final on Saturday night, after they beat Southland in the other semi.

"The boys are really excited about the challenge ahead. It will be difficult because Wellington are a very good side but we are determined to give it everything," said head coach Rob Penney

"This match should be an absolute cracker. Both teams like to run the ball so there will be no shortage of excitement. We hope to see a big crowd there to add to what will be a great atmosphere," he added.

Regarding the crowd, the AMI Stadium is currently undergoing construction ahead of the 2011 World Cup. Unfortunately it doesn't look great on TV, but the crowd on the near side will be packed I'm sure.

Time: 04:45

Jean Deysel called up to the Springbok squad

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:58:00 +0000

One of the strongest runners in world rugby, Sharks flank Jean Deysel has finally got his Springbok call up following an injury to Pierre Spies.

Spies injured his finger in training on Monday, so will miss the whole of the end of year tour unfortunately. One man's misfortune is another man's gain though, as Deysel will join the squad as they tour the UK, Ireland, and Europe.

Deysel has performed consistently well for the Sharks in both the Super 14 and Currie Cup, and anyone who's ever seen him play will know that when he gets ball in hand, it's best if the defence steps out the way.

A monster of a man, there's few players that are more powerful than Deysel when carrying it up. He's good in the loose and strong on defence, and has made a habit of bashing players out the way, crossing the advantage line more often than not.

We were considering making some kind of compilation of his charges from the season, but our friend combatBok has done it for us, with this awesome short video that goes nicely with his selection for the tour.

He'll come off the bench for the Springbok midweek team when they play against Leicester Tigers on Friday night, so lookout for a few of those trademark runs if he's given the opportunity.

Lock the kids away. Get your shotgun. Jean Deysel is here and it's going to take a lot to stop him.

Time: 01:01

Win a signed copy of Lawrence Dallaglio's new book - Rugby Tales!

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:51:00 +0000

Lawrence Dallaglio has come out with a new book, Rugby Tales, that is all about the lighter side of the sport. It features legendary tales of blood, sweat, and beers, and you could win yourself a copy.

Dallaglio, a World Cup winner and stalwart for both Wasps and England, gives us an insight into the behind the scenes stories that are normally only shared amongst rugby playing colleagues and friends.

He talks with affection and humour about incidents from both on and off the field, sharing stories from the big matches, larger than life personalities, and the occasional story from the late hours in the pub.

There's the one about when he himself was accused of being out on the town until 3am, days before a crucial match. 'Don't you look at me,' he cried indignantly, 'I got in at six.'

How to enter:
We have 5 personally signed copies to give away to Rugbydump visitors, and winning couldn't be easier. All you need to do is register on our forum, then navigate to this thread, where you can share your best rugby story.

It can be about your personal experience, or that of someone else that you'd heard about. If you're not up for that, just say hi and that you'd like to enter. We'll pick the best entries, as well as some randoms, so register now to win. If you're already a forum regular, it's even easier.

REGISTER NOW

Time: 02:52

Great try for Jonny Wilkinson against Bourgoin

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:13:00 +0000

The hype surrounding England's greatest ever flyhalf is unavoidable. Few can believe that Jonny Wilkinson is still the real deal after all he's been through. We'll find out soon enough, as England play Australia this coming Saturday.

As if they needed any more publicity, Wilkson's much publicised comeback has had the eyes of the world on his new club Toulon in the south of France.

His form in the Top 14 and Challenge Cup (now the Amlin Cup) has meant that he could well be injury ravaged England's saviour this weekend, playing Test rugby for the first time since March 2008.

Wallaby coach Robbie Deans is all too aware of that, stating that he thinks an England side with Wilkinson is a far more threatening prospect than without.

"I don't imagine he'll have changed much as a player," says Deans.

"We believe England will be more dangerous with Jonny there. He'll bring a lot of shape to their game. His influence on his peers will be valuable in terms of the confidence he'll bring to them.

"We expect to meet England at their best - and know that Jonny will contribute to that," he added.

Wilkinson scored this fantastic try against Bourgoin in the Top 14 last weekend, identifying the space in front of him, and showing incredible fleet-footedness for a guy who's been through so much physically. That step at the end was superb as he left the defender for dead.

Great try, great player. It should be a great match on Saturday. We'll have all the best bits for you following the match, right here on Rugbydump.com.

Time: 01:27

Shane Horgan finishes off a great Leinster try

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:31:00 +0000

Leinster notched up their fifth straight league victory over the Cardiff Blues, moving them to the top of the Magners League table after they won 32-6 at the RDS on the weekend.

Cardiff's Ben Blair kicked poorly all night, missing three of his five penalty attempts, which Leinster reaped the rewards from as their flyhalf Johnny Sexton kicked 13 points.

The European champions scored early on through wing Shane Horgan, who scored his 30th Magners League try, taking him to joint second place behind top scorer Tommy Bowe.

British & Irish Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald fizzed down the left wing after some neat quick hands from Gordon Darcy set him away. He beat a man then found support before the ball was recycled for Sexton put in a deft kick that found the chasing right wing Horgan.

Darcy played a part twice, but it was Fitzgerald who's gas made it happen, and Sexton who showed why he's been called up to the Ireland squad.

They will face Australia, Fiji, and South Africa over the next few weeks.

On a side note, a great try like this is surely worthy of an "Aaaaawww" or a "Horrrrgann!", but unfortunately the old timers in the commentary box struggled to get overly excited about it, leaving one feeling a little flat.

Time: 02:22

Blue Bulls win the Currie Cup final 2009

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:12:00 +0000

The Blue Bulls did the double on Saturday as they capped off a superb season, following on from their Super 14 win as they beat the Cheetahs 36-24 in the final of the 2009 Currie Cup.

Loftus Versfeld was awash with blue as a capacity crowd witnessed one of the most action packed, intense finals we've seen in recent times. Morne Steyn continued his fine run of form, scoring 21 points in total, but it was Fourie Du Preez who once again showed why he's considered the best number nine in the world.

The Cheetahs game out firing but it was the Bulls who soaked up the pressure in the first few minutes before getting into a position for Du Preez to take a quick tap penalty, then crosskick for the waiting Francois Hougaard.

A turnover after more Cheetahs pressure allowed the Bulls to move it wide with Zane Kirchner, Fourie Du Preez, and Bryan Habana combining beautifully to score a great counter attacking try.

Du Preez and Habana combined again a few minutes later, as a perfectly placed kick allowed the flying Habana to chase and gather for his second try in his last match for the Bulls.

At 24-0 to the home side, it looked as though we had a repeat of the Super 14 final on our hands, but the Cheetahs come back through a try by Frans Viljoen, and later Corne Uys and Nico Breedt.

Jaques Louis Potgieter kept them in the game with a dropgoal, but Morne Steyn punished whenever possible, slotting 8 out of his 9 kicks on the day.

A yellow card to Richardt Strauss signalled the end of the Cheetahs comeback as the Bulls went on to celebrate in front of the 55 000 strong Loftus faithful.

The Springbok touring squad was named after the final. There were a few surprises, but the side contains the core of the Tri Nations players, along with nine new caps, all listed below.

Time: 07:43
Forum: You can discuss the Currie Cup final and the Bok squad at further length here.

Springbok Squad to tour Britain, Ireland, and Europe
Forwards: John Smit, Victor Matfield, Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, Heinrich Brüssow, Schalk Burger, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Alistair Hargreaves, Ashley Johnson, Ryan Kankowski, Bandise Maku , Tendai Mtawarira, Dewald Potgieter, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Davon Raubenheimer, Danie Rossouw, Pierre Spies, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Heinke van der Merwe.

Backs: Heini Adams, Meyer Bosman, Juan de Jongh, Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Adi Jacobs, Zane Kirchner, Odwa Ndungane, Jongi Nokwe, Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar , JP Pietersen, Earl Rose, Morné Steyn, Riaan Viljoen.

Nikki Walker's face meets Filo Tiatia's head

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:06:00 +0000

Ospreys and Glasgow played out an uninspiring draw in the Magners League on Friday. The match ended 9-9 with not too much to write home about, except perhaps for this sickening blow between two team mates from the Welsh region.

Filo Tiatia and Nikki Walker collided horribly in the first half as they both went in to make the tackle. Walker took the full brunt of it, as Tiatia flew into him head first.

Walker actually got the Ospreys stalwart’s forehead and shoulder smashing into him, so it’s no wonder he lay on the ground in la-la land for some time afterwards.

Former All Black Tiatia stayed on and looked a little shaken only, but Walker had to leave the field after being attended to.

"At first we suspected a fractured cheekbone. Thankfully it wasn't that bad but he needed six stitches," said an Ospreys spokesman.

Despite the injury, Walker will join up with the Scotland squad on Monday and resume training ahead of their internationals. They play against Fiji at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Time: 02:20
Please Note: Currie Cup highlights on the way, as well as other rugby action from the weekend. If you'd like to see something specific, please post it in the requests section.

All Blacks beat Wallabies comfortably in Tokyo

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:35:00 +0000

Tokyo was the venue for the fourth Bledisloe Cup Test match between arch rivals New Zealand and Australia. A near capacity 44 000 turned out at the Olympic Stadium to watch the All Blacks comfortable 32-19 win.

It’s been a clean sweep for them, winning all four Tests of this series, taking their tally to seven in a row against their neighbours Australia.

For the losing side, there was some consolation in that they scored their first try against NZ since their first meeting in the Tri Nations in July.

Australia led 16-13 at half time following the Peter Hynes try in the corner. New Zealand grabbed the lead again though when Sitiveni Sivivatu dived over in the corner after some great hands by Captain Richie McCaw.

Sivivatu was yellow carded for a reckless tackle on Adam Ashley-Cooper in the air, and has since been suspended for a week.

Conrad Smith scored another try as he breezed through some questionable tackling, before Dan Carter extended the lead with some quality goal kicking.

"We needed to be able to put seven and eight phases together and we would have been looking pretty good," said Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom. "For whatever reason we couldn't do that and it cost us as we really needed tries there."

"We obviously weren't good enough," he said.

The match ended with a bit of a scrap, for which Tony Woodcock has also been suspended for a week, as he elbowed George Smith.

Both he and Sivivatu will miss the Test against Wales at the Millennium Stadium next weekend, which is the start of New Zealand’s tour. They will take on Wales, Italy, England, France, and the Barbarians.

Australia travel to Britain and Ireland as they have their first Grand Slam attempt in 25 years. They start with a midweek match against Gloucester on Tuesday though.

Time: 07:23

Friday Funnies - Yet another Ball in the Jersey Trick

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:27:00 +0000

Once again, the good old ball in the jersey trick has failed to work. We've seen it tried a few times, and shown them all here on the site, but this time, it even resulted in the player at hand being penalised.

Dragons prop Hugh Gustafson somehow got himself tangled when making a run against the Scarlets last weekend. As he was tackled, his jersey got pulled over his head, trapping the ball in it.

He went to ground, didn't release, and got penalised for it by the ref. Pretty harsh considering the ball was actually stuck inside his jersey, but rules are rules, and despite protestation by Gustafson, possession was conceded.

To make things even more comical, he struggled to then get the ball out his jersey when trying to give it to the Scarlets player, and had to walk back to his team mates with his belly hanging out.

Check out our related links for similar incidents, and have a great weekend watching the Currie Cup final, the Air NZ Cup semis, the final Test of the Bledisloe Cup, as well as Guinness Premiership, Top 14, and Magners League action.

Remember to take notes of incidents and send them in to us, so nothing is missed. Cheers.

Time: 01:08
Note: Thanks to the BBC

Perpignan upset Stade Francais at home in Paris

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:58:00 +0000

A Top 14 match in Paris is like a Test match anywhere else in the world. It's treated as a huge spectacle and when watching the start of this clip, you'd think you were watching a World Cup Final, not just another league game between Stade Francais and Perpignan.

It's what makes the Top 14 so great to watch, as while other tournaments around the world struggle with attendances, the French continue to get out there and support their sides by the masses. This match had 77 000 people in attendance at the Stade De France.

Perpignan upset hosts Stade Francais 20-14, with great tries by Maxime Mermoz and Jerome Porical, who got a personal tally of 15 points. This was despite the home side scoring first through a nice move and try to Hugo Southwell.

In the second half the lead changed hands a few time, as Julien Dupuy kept his side in the match with two penalties, but Porical came back and landed the killer blow with his second try after great lead up play by Henry Tuilagi and Florian Cazenave.

Stade did however pick up a bonus point, and had a great chance at snatching the win near the end, but they unfortunately dropped the ball after a promising attack contributed to a tense finish.

Time: 04:42

Jonathan Thomas suspended for punching against Cardiff

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:46:00 +0000

The title of this was going to be 'Jonathan Thomas goes a little mental', but I didn't think it would be appropriate. It describes things nicely though, as the Ospreys forward totally lost the plot against Cardiff Blues, throwing multiple punches, resulting in suspension.

He’s been banned for two weeks, effectively ruling himself out of the autumn Test opener between his country, Wales, and New Zealand. He was named in Warren Gatland’s Welsh squad for the autumn internationals last weekend.

Thomas was cited for striking an opponent during their 20-12 loss to Cardiff in the Magners League, resulting in a disciplinary panel ruling that he should be suspended for a fortnight, which leads to coach Gatland having to call for a replacement.

A Welsh Rugby Union disciplinary panel statement read: ‘The panel upheld the citing and deemed the offence to be on the low end of the scale and suspended the player for two weeks from the time of the hearing.’

Former Wales assistant coach Allan Lewis says that Thomas was lucky to have not been banned for longer after his unacceptable behaviour.

"I think it's a blow for Wales, I think it's a blow for the squad that he's not there because he's a very experienced player," Lewis told BBC Sport Wales.

"But I was absolutely appalled with his action, I think he's been very fortunate that he's only missing the New Zealand game.

"In fact, he could very well have been banned for a whole month."

Thomas' victim, Blues lock Deiniol Jones, said: "That's the decision that was made. He lashed out, I think. I was not totally innocent myself.

"It's the way it is and he's been given a two-week ban and I'm sure the people who made the decision thought that's appropriate and so be it, that's fine."

Thomas himself said earlier: "I am really disappointed with the suspension.

"But I admit that my actions were wrong and that a punishment had to be served as a result,” the 47 times capped Welsh international said.

This is a very short, overly dramatic clip but I felt the music captured the mood of the demons inside Thomas' head when he lost it.

Time: 0:34
Note: With thanks to the BBC

Invictus trailer released

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:33:00 +0000

The trailer for the much talked about upcoming film Invictus was released earlier this week. The film is based around the events of the 1995 World Cup in South Africa, and features Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela, and Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar.

It’s directed by Clint Eastwood and looks likely to be an Oscar contender if all the hype is to be believed. Rugby is not huge in the US, but the political, historical, and human factor (which incidentally is what the film was going to be named) will no doubt capture the audience’s attention.

The title of the movie, Invictus, means ‘unconquered’ and comes from the poem by William Ernest Henley which talks about being the ‘master of my fate’ and ‘the captain of my soul’.

Initial thoughts? Sceptical. The trailer seems to depict newly elected president Mandela as the mastermind behind the World Cup win in 1995, with the great man seemingly involved in every step of the planning, preparation, and training within the Springbok camp.

That’s really not how it happened at all, but it will no doubt make for a good story that Hollywood will lap up and at the end of the day, it’s great exposure for rugby.

Mandela did however have a huge role to play in terms of uniting a divided country, as well as motivating the Springbok players in a way that none of them ever imagined. By embracing the sport that was traditionally a white man's game in South Africa, he brought the country together in a way that had never been done before.

Director Eastwood seems to have done an amazing job with the authenticity of the spectacle. It’s hard to tell at this stage if the epic will be primarily a rugby movie or more politically based (dare I say probably the latter), but from what you can see in the trailer, they haven’t missed a detail in terms of genuine kit, advertising boards, and player likenesses.

It’s also filmed entirely in and around the cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Accents will always be a hot topic when films of this nature are made, but so far it sounds as if Freeman and Damon have done a pretty decent job, despite Freeman sounding truly American at both the start and end of the trailer.

The one concern is that Damon is 5ft10, while Francois Pienaar is 6ft3. Hopefully when watching the film it's not too distracting for die-hard rugby fans. Afterall, it's not aimed at us only anyway.

It will be released in December, and all in all it’s going to be of great significance for the sport of rugby in general, and will hopefully be an accurate representation of what happened during that ground breaking month of June 1995.

Time: 02:31

Wasps thrash Gloucester at Kingsholm

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:18:00 +0000

Gloucester’s poor run of form continued this weekend as they got convincingly beaten 35-6 by Wasps in front of their home crowd at Kingsholm.

Scrumhalf Joe Simpson and flyhalf Dave Walder combined to give centre Dominic Waldouck an easy try in the first half as he glided through the hapless Gloucester defenders.

Wasps managed to hold off any attempt at a comeback by the home side as they picked up their bonus point after scoring three tries in the second half. Mark Van Gisbergen scored twice, with captain Serge Betsen also scoring under the posts.

Gloucester’s injured World Cup winner, Mike Tindall, says it was an embarrassing result.

“I felt embarrassed. We made too many individual errors and too many mistakes,” he said.

"I feel sorry for Brushy (Gloucester coach Bryan Redpath) because we made too many individual errors and mistakes.

"Whenever we did something good, we then went and did something stupid to undo it. After such a good start to the season with the win over Bath, things just aren't going right.

"It's not a lack of work or commitment, but we need to own up when we aren't doing things well. This hasn't just been going on for one or two weeks, it is three or four now."

Time: 04:33

Classic Encounter - Wallabies vs All Blacks 2003

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:22:00 +0000

The fourth and final Bledisloe Cup Test of 2009 between Australia and New Zealand takes place in Tokyo this weekend. To get you in the mood, we've got a classic match from 2003 between the two sides at Telstra Stadium in Sydney.

It was the first match in the Bledisloe Series of that year, and with Australia having held the trophy for so long, the All Blacks were out to set things straight in World Cup year. A capacity crowd of 80 000 watched as the home side were torn apart by the merciless Kiwis.

They had hammered the Springboks the week before in Pretoria, scoring seven tries as they hit form at just the right time. At home though, the Wallabies would have been favourites and with the sea of gold in the crowd behind them, they started well with a try from fullback Matt Burke.

The pace was frenetic and in the 21st minute New Zealand gained the lead following a brilliant finish from gas-man Joe Rokocoko as he stood up and rounded league convert Wendell Sailor.

Their other flyer, winger Doug Howlett, got in on the action ten minutes later and then practically from the restart, Rokocoko scored another brilliant try as he absolutely blitzed the Wallaby defence.

It stood at 23-11 at halftime with the home side looking for penetration but lacking to deliver. It was Tana Umaga who did for the visitors though just six minutes in, as they returned a poor Stephen Larkham clearance with interest.

Young Daniel Carter came on for Carlos Spencer when he hobbled off, and it was he who glided in for yet another try for the All Blacks. Sailor scored not long afterwards with a brilliant run and step before bashing over the top of Mils Muliaina.

With ten minutes left in the one sided contest, Smokin Joe picked up his hat trick try, before another league convert, Mat Rogers scored a consolation effort. Aaron Mauger then completed the 'mother of all hidings' as he scored under the posts to bring up the half century.

It was the Wallabies' worst ever loss at home in the professional era, and a record win by the All Blacks over them. It ended 50-21, giving the New Zealander's one hand on the trophy, which they later went on to reclaim in convincing fashion. They've held onto it ever since.

Time: 09:24

Jonny Wilkinson is back, and better than ever

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:07:00 +0000

He's back. Yes, as predicted, Jonny Wilkinson will be making his return for England when they host the Wallabies in a couple of weeks time at Twickenham.

Martin Johnson has had a torred time when it comes to selection as so many of his first choice players are out with injuries. Ironically, it's that man Wilkinson who's fitter than ever.

He candidly says that he is now better than ever. After watching his progression and form with Toulon, it's difficult to disagree with the star flyhalf who's battled injury throughout his career.

"If you could transport the me now straight into the situations of 2001 and 2003, what would I have done? I think the me now would have been handy," he says.

"I am undoubtedly better. There is no way that the 2001 version would have been able to deal with the 2007 World Cup experience. I don't know how I would have dealt with it. I wouldn't have had the intelligence or the experience.

"I was suited to 2001 or 2003 because I was surrounded by people like Mike Catt, Bracken or Dawson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Will Greenwood, Martin Johnson, pillars all around me," he added.

"I was doing things because I was getting a load of help from them. But that person in 2007, or here in France? Not a chance. I am way better now because I understand what is going on.

"Back then it was like a headache trying to work out 100 things at once. It is almost like you are dissecting and composing, all the time. That much mental strain with the pressure of playing at a high level when I was young, without all that help, wouldn't have combined.

"Now I am processing it without too much effort. That is why, if asked if I will ever be back to where I was in 2003, if the exact same situations ever played out I think I would go all right."

For a man who is so critical of his own performances to rate himself so highly now, shows that we're in for a treat. If Wilko can stay fit, the November Tests are set to quite possibly be the defining point in a career that has been such a roller-coaster ride for one of the most talented flyhalfs of all time.

Will fate intervene yet again, or will Jonny be around in 2011, playing the best rugby of his life? Time will tell, but for now, Wilkinson is here to stay.

ENGLAND SQUAD
Forwards: S Armitage (London Irish), Barnes (Bath), Bell (Bath), Blaze (Leicester), Borthwick (Saracens, capt), Chuter (Leicester), Crane (Leicester), Croft (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), Hartley (Northampton), Haskell (Stade Francais), Kay (Leicester), Lawes (Northampton), Moody (Leicester), Payne (Wasps), Thompson (Brive), Wilson (Bath), Worsley (Wasps).

Backs: Banahan (Bath), Care (Harlequins), Cueto (Sale), Foden (Northampton), Geraghty (Northampton), Goode (Brive), Hipkiss (Leicester), Hodgson (London Irish), Monye (Harlequins), Strettle (Harlequins), Tait (Sale), Tindall (Gloucester), Wigglesworth (Sale), Wilkinson (Toulon).

Air New Zealand Cup - Rounds 9, 10, 11, & 12 - Tries Mix

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:50:00 +0000

Once again it's time to take a look at some of the best tries scored in the action packed Air New Zealand Cup, this time from rounds 9 to 12.

It's not always easy keeping up as it happens, so we've got this great compilation video which highlights some of the best moments from the past few weeks.

As you'll see, it's pretty much the Zac Guildford show, with guest appearances by Ben Smith and Israel Dagg. These are the new boys of New Zealand rugby, and you'll see exactly why the likes of flyers Guildford and Smith have been called up for the All Blacks end of year tour.

Guildford scored two hat-tricks in two weeks recently, so some of those tries are included, as well as great individual tries from Sam Whitelock (the galloping lock for Canterbury), Manawatu's Kurt Baker, and Counties Manakau's Tim Nanai Williams.

We've also thrown in some sights and sounds from the tournament, a huge hit to keep you interested, and a couple of pretty blondes. Enjoy.

Time: 05:19
Music: Knights of Cydonia by Muse
Try-scorers in order: Sean Maitland, Adam Thomson, Ben Smith, Alby Mathewson, Zac Guildford, Damien Fakafanua, Zac Guildford, Karne Hesketh, Tamati Ellison, Zac Guildford, Paul Perez,
Sam Whitelock, Kurt Baker, Zac Guildford, Mike Delaney, Zac Guildford, Tim Nanai Williams, Zac Guildford.

Henry Tuilagi strikes again - Big hit on Lionel Beauxis

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:18:00 +0000

Coincidentally, today we have another clip with Stade Francais flyhalf Lionel Beauxis. Sadly for him though, it's not a clip showing his superb skill, but rather him almost having his head taken off by the Samoan monster that is Henry Tuilagi.

Stade Francais and Perpignan met in the Top 14 at the Stade de France on Saturday. Many expected the hosts to beat last years champions based on their recent form, but it was Perpignan who won the match 20-14.

Tuilagi, who recently got away without as much as a talking to for his huge hit on Ben Foden, wasn't so lucky this time as he smashed the unfortunate Beauxis.

This is another one that could be up for debate, as Beauxis did go down pretty low into the tackle, with Tuilagi going for his trademark hit that's normally aimed around chest height.

Should the tackler adjust according to the movement of the attacking player, or is it fair to penalise and yellow card a guy when he's already committed to the hit? High is high some will say.

I'd say in the case of Henry Tuilagi though, his reputation precedes him, so the referee didn't waste any time in showing him the way to the sideline.

Time: 01:33
Discuss: Join the Rugbydump Forum to give your thoughts on this and other incidents.

Lionel Beauxis incredible skill against Bath

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:25:00 +0000

When Bath played Stade Francais in the Heineken Cup last weekend, the same match that we featured with the Matt Banahan hit, Stade flyhalf Lionel Beauxis displayed some superb moments of brilliance.

There's been quite a few requests over the last week, for the one piece of skill in particular, so we've got that up today, and have included another two examples of the quality of the Frenchman.

He slotted a superb dropgoal early in the match, giving Stade the lead with the huge kick that he struck helluva sweetly from the halfway line. Not bad considering he had little time to set himself and not a whole lot of space.

It must be noted that the camera work for this match was great. It looks like there are some new super-slow-mo cameras in action, which pick up and focus on little bits of play, allowing us to see the game in more detail and from a slightly different perspective. If anyone knows anymore about that, please let us know.

A fine example of that camera work, and of Beauxis skill, was when he controlled an incoming 22m drop out with his foot, ala some of the great French footballers. The camera picked it up perfectly and Beauxis showed what a talented player he is.

A few minutes later he sent a pinpoint touchfinder deep into the Bath half, pegging them back as he showed his all round ability with the boot.

Kids, don't try this at home.

Time: 01:23

Steffon and the Brothers Armitage

noreply@blogger.com (RD) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:40:00 +0000

London Irish host Leicester at the Madjeski Stadium today as we get back into the Guinness Premiership while the Heineken Cup takes a break for a month or so. Flanker Steffon Armitage will be making his return.

Armitage, who plays at London Irish alongside his brother Delon, will be hoping to catch the eye of the England selectors ahead of the Autumn internationals. We've got this short feature to help you get to know the player, and the family a little better.

Steffon and Delon are the ninth pair of brothers to have played for England. They’ve come a long way to get there though, with quite an interesting background as they came from Trinidad & Tobago, by way of Nice in the South of France.

They both joined the Racing Club of Nice, but Delon was rejected by the France U16’s as they felt he was too tall and skinny. That blow meant he walked away from rugby for a year, taking up football while Steffon joined Grasse Olympique RFC.

Their father, John, now a South Devon-based tour operator, says that he felt Delon would be lost to rugby, but a phone call from England changed his life.

"He used to play mini-rugby for Richmond. Mike Hallasey from the club rang, inviting Delon to join them on an Under-17s tour of Australia.

"Delon went and never looked back. When we moved back to England, he was picked up by London Irish while Steffon went to Saracens.

"Eventually, both boys were at Irish and we were soon resigned to eight-hour round-trips to watch them play at Reading's Madejski Stadium."

It’s a great achievement for the family with such a diverse background.

"In my career I have played everywhere, partly because of people saying I was the wrong shape for one position or another. I started at scrum-half, then I went to centre, then full-back. I even played on the wing,” says versatile Steffon.

"I ended up openside because I wanted to get my hands on the ball, which was not happening at full-back. Anyway, Delon's full-back."

Do you think Steffon will ever become a regular Test player, or are their better, bigger players available for England to call upon?

Time: 03:49
Clip: Courtesy of ITV