Tag Archives: Jerome Kaino

Stuart Lancaster said this week that Saturday’s clash between Leinster and Toulouse in the Heineken Champions Cup is the “premier” fixture of this weekend’s European action – it’s not difficult to see why.  Toulouse have been on an unbeaten streak since late September. They have won all games since that loss to Castres but for a draw away to Top 14 …

​​​​All Blacks flanker Jerome Kaino is to call time on his international career at the end of the 2018 Super Rugby season.

The last All Blacks Test which Jerome Kaino played in was the third and final match against the British and Irish Lions last summer and it looks like that could have been his last cap in the famous black shirt.  Kaino did make a return in November in a match against the Barbarians but he injured himself in that game …

With 2018 being another busy year for the All Blacks, here are three factors for Steve Hansen to consider.

Selecting a World XV of players from the pacific isles, including those players that have gone on to represent other nations

Here are four possibilities for the All Blacks to consider for the remainder of 2017.

With a number of key players being rested is this a potential XV for the All Blacks this weekend?

Two-time World Cup winner Jerome Kaino is back in the All Blacks squad after coach Steve Hansen named him in his 28- man squad to face Argentina in Buenos Aires a week on Saturday, report the Auckland-based New Zealand Herald. The 34-year-old flanker has yet to feature in this year’s Rugby Championship after leaving the squad the day before their opening …

The Rugby Championship kicks off this Saturday as New Zealand play their first Test match since the Lions tour, when they take on Australia in the Bledisloe Cup fixture. However, just hours before kick-off, the All Blacks announced that Jerome Kaino has returned home “to deal with a personal matter” after reports in the Aussie media: RT @nzrugby: NEWS | …

Japanese Super Rugby outfit the Sunwolves rocked the world of rugby with a 48-21 win over New Zealand side the Blues at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo. Soaring temperatures of 42 degrees contributed to an exciting and enthralling match, but initially it looked as if the Blues would walk away with a convincing victory as they raced to …

As the dust settles after a titanic battle at Eden Park, leaving the series locked in a stalemate, we ask: which Lions and All Black players enhanced their reputations during the tough New Zealand tour? We take a look at the performances of the Test players on each side in the drawn series. ______ Lions Stock Rising: Jonathan Davies Deservedly …

It’s turning into the hot topic of the week.  Already we have seen a war of words develop between Warren Gatland and Steve Hansen over the treatment of Conor Murray during the first Test at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday. Being physical on an opponents scrum-half is nothing new, of course, most teams attempt to rattle their opponents most …

The Lions gave a lot of razzle dazzle but couldn’t stop the All Black wave of physical domination to maintain their imposing winning streak at Eden Park. So which players stood out above the rest? 15 Liam Williams 8 Fairly quiet until scintillating 50 metres break out launched classic Lions counter-attacking try. Fizzing after that and looked a threat every …

Both Warren Gatland and Steve Hansen sprang selection surprises in the naming of their respective teams for the first Test at Eden Park on Saturday.   So, which player vs player match-ups are likely to decide the epic first encounter? _________ 5. Peter O’Mahony Vs Jerome Kaino If the weather forecast is correct, this game is likely to be played …

The All Blacks’ first game of the season is traditionally one when the players shake off the rust and is usually characterised by unforced errors and misfiring combinations. Not at Eden Park. Not in 2017. So which players booked their places for the first test against the Lions in the 78-0 thrashing of Samoa? 15 Ben Smith 8.5 It gets …

The Lions dominant win against New Zealand’s leading Super Rugby side the Crusaders has led to an admission of nervousness and a rare apology from one of New Zealand’s most critical writers Chris Rattue, who has now targeted the All Blacks’ ‘frailties’ leading into the first Test. Rattue, who writes for the New Zealand Herald, gave Warren Gatland a rather …

After the Crusaders got suffocated by the Lions whose strategic play was a mix of roar and snore, could the same thing happen to the All Blacks? We select a test side of 23 players who will be tasked with cracking the Lions defensive code in the Tes series. Here is our All Blacks Test squad – and the threat …

Steve Hansen has a lot to contemplate before he names his All Blacks squad to face the Lions in June. In the forward pack, he is facing an injury crisis, while in the backs he has a treasure chest of talent to choose from. Will he select conservatively and stay loyal to his experienced but more injury prone All Blacks …