• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

International rugby thread

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
Steve19;1586087; said:
No, the Boks are resting a number of players right now for at least six weeks. Too much rugby and they are past exhausted. Habana is one of the players who SARFU want rested now. Prof Tim Noakes spoke out publicly to get these guys rested. I actually think our second string can handle the English.
Click to expand...

Maybe the English, but, apparently, not the Leicester Tigers. :biggrin: I actually like the idea of starting now to work young players into the mix well ahead of the next World Cup. In the interview I mentioned Habana talks about the importance of acclimating new players to the winning culture the Boks have going at the moment. As for Habana's play I just think he's been incredibly underutilized offensively. The Blue Bulls use him as a weapon far more than have the Boks and I'm sure that the Stormers will in the next Super 14.
 
Upvote 0
I watched England beat Argentina 16-9 yesterday. The Pumas were intense, but couldn't get anything going offensively against a depleted England test side. They're going to have to get it together to even be competitive in the new Quad Nations.
 
Upvote 0
AmericanRugbyNews.com Eagles hold off Uruguay

The US held off a late comeback by Uruguay on Saturday in Montevideo to win 27-22 in the first match of their two-game series to qualify for the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

"We are happy to win," head coach Eddie O?Sullivan said following the match. "But, honestly a bit disappointed that we gave up so many points in the last quarter. We would have liked to walk away with a larger point spread, but in the end are happy to take away the victory."

The US got an early lead on the Teros after first-half tries from Tim Usasz and Kevin Swiryn. A successful penalty kick near the end of the half by Mike Hercus gave the US a 13-3 lead at the break.

Although the Eagles kept up the pressure and scored two converted tries after the break by centers Junior Sifa and Alipate Tuilevuka, penalties started to hurt the U.S. Team in the second half and Jeronimo Etchverry's outstanding boot brought the Teros back to life.

In front of approximately 2,000 fans, Uruguay maintained a strong scrum and maul, surging ahead in the last 15 minutes to come back in the final moments of the game.

Thanks to Etchverry' three penalties and converted try at the end of the match, Uruguay made it a nailbiter and brought the score to within a try, 27-22.

The USA and Uruguay now move on to Florida for the home leg of the two-game series on Saturday, November 21, with the USA on a slim five-point advantage.
Click to expand...

Trying to decide whether to go to Ann Arbor this weekend, to Florida for the second game of this series, or take a weekend off and just stay home and relax...leaning towards the latter.
 
Upvote 0
Boks really not focused in the game against France. Too much rugby. The internationals, Super 14, and Currie Cup. Our best ruby players have played about 25 games this year and it is too much. A great uproar in South Africa about it and the coach, who most rugby fans don't think of very highly.
 
Upvote 0
USA advanced to the 2011 Rugby World Cup by beating Uruguay (again) this weekend. We are currently ranked 17th in the world which sounds about right until you see Russia and Japan ranked ahead of us. Also, as much as I love Fiji and Samoa in 7s, there is really no excuse for the US 15's side to be way behind them in the rankings. Most of the Eagles are playing for overseas sides now between test matches and we should be pushing our way into the top ten.
 
Upvote 0
I am going to make more of an effort to update this thread...lots of great stuff going on right now. This is a very exciting time with the Six Nations wrapping up, the next leg of the IRB Sevens getting ready to start and Magners League/Heineken Cup matches taking place as well.

Scotland/England this weekend. Being Scotch/Irish myself (as was General Patton) I'd love to see the Scots complete the Gaelic sweep of the English this weekend, although I am not optimistic. Ireland will also play Wales on Saturday with France (who is a perfect 3-0 so far) and Italy playing on Sunday. The Six Nations concludes the following weekend with the matchup many have been waiting for...France and England at Stade de France.

The Guiness Premiership resumes on March 27th with the best game featuring one of my favorites in Northampton (currently in 2nd) taking on London Wasps at Franklin's Gardens...probably the coolest place I've ever seen a rugby game.

The US Sevens team will reconvene this weekend in Chula Vista after winning the Bowl in Las Vegas. They will train there until 3/13 when the squad for Adelaide is named. The team will scrimmage South Africa, New Zealand and Kenya prior to their taking on England in their first pool match on 3/19. Also in their pool is Australia and the island nation of Niue.

Very disappointed to see my favorite club Ulster lose to Scarlets in Llanelli last weekend.

In other Italy will join the Magners League next season...bringing the total number of teams from 10 to 12. Those two Italian teams will be Benetton Treviso and Aironi Rugby. I assume those two teams will also get Italy's two automatic births into the Heineken Cup rather than the way it is now, where the two qualifiers come from Italy's Super 10.

The quarterfinals of the Heineken Cup in early April will feature Northampton taking on defending champs Munster. Also playing will be Leinster vs. Clermont, Biarritz vs. Ospreys and Toulouse vs. Stade Francais.
 
Upvote 0
Here are what I deem to be the biggest stories so far this week:

The Calcutta Cup is on the line this Saturday as England and Scotland square off. Interesting to note that Scotland is coached by Andy Johnson, who coached the English from '04 to '06.

Captain Brian O'Driscoll will earn his 100th cap for Ireland this Saturday against Wales. Teammate John Hayes became the first Irish player to earn his 100th cap during the team's last match against England. Some other notable players to earn 100 caps include George Gregan, George Smith, Gareth Thomas, Stephen Larkham, Percy Montgomery, Martin Johnson and David Campese.

Welsh captain Ryan Jones has been scratched from the match against Ireland because of a calf injury.

France has dropped outside center Mathieu Bastareaud for the match against Italy, and has also replaced Ferderic Michalak who is injured.

There was an article the other day that the IRB will front the money for Argentina to join the Tri-Nations starting in 2012.

Carlos Spencer will be starting for the Lions of Super Rugby on Friday. American Todd Clever will start at #8. Considering they are 0-4 surely Spencer can at least provide some experience and leadership as they take on the 2-2 Waratahs.

Next up for Ulster (5-6-1) is a Magners League match against Ospreys (7-4-1) at the friendly confines of Ravenhill on 3/19. A win there could really get Ulster back on track after an uninspring, penalty-filled loss to Scarlets.
 
Upvote 0
I'm interested to see O'Driscoll after the knee to the head he took in the last match. I (almost) couldn't watch the replays. Glad to see that he's on the XV list, but I can't help but wonder if maybe he should sit out and get the 100th next week.
 
Upvote 0
Lomu salutes 'brave' Alfie | news | rugbyrugby.com

All Black legend Jonah Lomu has praised Gareth Thomas for his 'brave' decision to come out.

Thomas, who recently brought to an end a glittering career as a union player by switching codes to join league club Crusaders from the Cardiff Blues, revealed he was gay at the end of last year.

Former Cardiff wing Lomu, who currently plays for Marseille in France, is hoping Thomas' announcement has set a positive precedent for rugby and sport as a whole.

"I hope it does [encourage others to feel comfortable about coming out]," Lomu said, "The more it is brought to light the easier it will be for people.

"It is brave of him and I'm sure it will have been eating him up inside. He's made the decision to come out and the man's happy. Anyone who has played rugby will know that it will not have been an easy decision to make.

"Whether you come out or not is an individual's decision. If that's the way you are and that's the way you're made up, you can't do anything about it. Rugby players shouldn't be judged on that, they should be judged on being rugby players."
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top