Tag Archives: super rugby news

Five talking points ahead of this week’s games in Super Rugby: _____ Folau won’t go to ground High-flying Wallabies fullback Israel Folay isn’t likely back out of any aerial challenges as he returns from his one-match ban, NSW Waratahs assistant coach Simon Cron says. Folau was suspended over a mid-air challenge with Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony in the final Test in …

Crusaders coach Scott Robertson was justifiably thrilled after his team’s 25-17 win over the Lions, which saw the ‘Saders’ lift their first Super Rugby title since 2008. So thrilled in fact, that he decided to perform an impromtu breakdance on the pitch, as his players egged him on, in a hilarious 40-second video. Crusaders win 2017 Super Rugby title… Coach …

The Crusaders will make up one half of the Super Rugby final next weekend, after they overcame the Chiefs 27-13 at AMI Stadium in Christchurch today. A Richie Mo’ unga penalty opened the scoring for the Crusaders, but Bryn Hall really set the home side on their way by touching down at the end of a wonderful move on 16 …

The Lions tour of New Zealand could be a disaster if the tourists fail to match the All Blacks and the five New Zealand Super 18 sides’ pace, strength and skills. One statistic highlights the daunting challenge in front of Warren Gatland’s men: in nine rounds and 44 games, the five New Zealand Super 18 sides have only lost once …

Over the past 21 years, Super Rugby has played host to some of the best and most exciting club rugby ever produced, with some magical moments and spectacular tries. But who has scored the best ever individual try in the competition? Some of the greatest finishers the game has ever seen have played in Super Rugby since it’s inaugural season …

As it turned out, it’s beauty would only act as a consolation for the New Zealand side, but the Chiefs scored one of the great team tries in the history of Super Rugby earlier today at DHL Newlands in Cape Town, South Africa. With his team trailing 7-3 to hosts the Stormers a little less than a quarter of an …

There has long been a rhetoric inside the sheds of many a rugby club that the guys on your team are your brothers. This is something that New Zealand Super Rugby franchises have seen taken to the next level in recent years with the emergence of many powerful rugby families. What’s more important, however, is the fact that many of …

Chiefs and All Blacks out-half Aaron Cruden has become a target for English Premiership and French Top 14 sides of late, with Montpellier reportedly joining the swelling ranks of teams eager to tempt the talented No. 10 away from New Zealand. Cruden had become the All Blacks’ first choice out-half following the retirement of Dan Carter from international rugby. However, …

SANZAAR have added Thursday night games to the 2017 Super Rugby season in a bid to try increase attendances after another poor showing at the gates in the 2016 season. Despite the addition of three new teams last season, attendances were still down across the board last term with South Africa only having one team, the Stormers, who filled out over 50% …

Hurricanes full back and former New Zealand U20’s star Jason Woodward has agreed to join Premiership newcomers Bristol, with the club confirming the signing on the club’s official website earlier this afternoon. Woodward joins Andy Robinson’s squad after two successful seasons with the Hurricanes where he started 10 games last season en route to the club’s maiden Super Rugby championship. The …

Lions coach and former Springboks second-row Johan Ackerman believes that his side’s captain, Warren Whiteley, would be an excellent replacement to succeed Bulls hooker Adriaan Strauss as Springboks captain. Strauss, who was only named Springboks captain in May following the appointment of Allister Coetzee as head coach in April, announced his plans to retire from international rugby at the end …

The Super Rugby quarter-finals this weekend have cut the number of sides competing from 18 to eight, which means a lot more media attention for those sides that have made it through to the knockout stages.   With that of course comes an extra level of media scrutiny, in a quiet month by global rugby’s standards too aside from preparations …

On Friday, the bottom-placed team in the New Zealand Super 18 conference faced the top side from the Australian conference. The score? 40-5 to the Auckland Blues over the Brumbies. The subsequent trans-tasman clashes this weekend produced even more watching-through-the-fingers viewing for the Australian sides. This, following the 3-0 Test series loss to England, leads us to ask: has Australian rugby …

Super Rugby side the Highlanders have just confirmed Ireland rugby fans’ worst fears. The Otaga-based Super Rugby side has officially confirmed that they have actively sought out Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt, with a view to him succeeding current boss Tony Brown once the latter’s contract extension expires in 2017. This follows yesterday’s Pundit Arena exclusive that Schmidt is to announce …

In his first exclusive column for Pundit Arena, Bath player Max Lahiff thought he would – as a player who’s played in Australia, New Zealand and England – try to answer the age-old question – what separates southern hemisphere and northern hemisphere rugby?  I suppose it starts with the glaring differences in my experiences playing in the respective countries. The biggest deviations are probably not …

Following Stuart Lancaster’s recent revelation on Radio 5 Live that he was interested in coaching down south, Hefin Jones looks at three British coaches who would be a hit in Super rugby. _____ Gregor Townsend The former Scotland and Ireland pivot has won rave reviews for the great work he has done with Glasgow Warriors since taking the reins in …

The Six Nations touring sides are in for a tough time down under this summer as southern hemisphere defensive units activate ‘beast mode’. When one thinks of rugby highlights, one will automatically look at huge point scoring moments, last minute or length-of-the-field turnover tries, drop goals and pressure penalties to win a series or tournament. Often the headlines are reserved for these …

World rugby looks set to get its first glimpse at the All Blacks’ latest rugby phenomenon when Wales visit the world champions in June. In the world of rugby, New Zealand is king. This has always been the way, going back decades. The All Blacks are the best of the best. It’s a nation where rugby is the number one …