Tag Archives: Vince Aso

Julian Savea faces his home country as the Barbarians name a strong team for tomorrow's game.

The All Black backs showed moments of brilliance against the Lions without ever fully igniting into the form of the previous two seasons. With Ben Smith’s decision to go on sabbatical, and Aaron Cruden’s departure for Europe, All Blacks boss Steve Hansen has a chance to experiment with combinations and positions with an eye on the 2019 World Cup. So, …

For a week-day fixture sandwiched between two Tests, there was a lot on the line at Westpac Stadium. Could Courtney Lawes and CJ Stander push for Test positions? Would Julian Savea vent his All Black non-selection rage on the Lions backs? Would Jordie Barrett and Ngani Laumape show enough poise for them to enter the Test starting line-up? Here are …

How about those ‘Canes? Steve Hansen is obviously a fan of the lethal Hurricanes backline. No fewer than five players from the Windy City made Hansen’s All Blacks squad which boasts 1164 caps of experience but sprung a few surprises in naming two new players. So what what were the talking points as the All Blacks named his squad for …

As anticipation increases towards the 2017 Lions tour, attention has turned to Steve Hansen’s selection strategy with the All Black squad. While it is generally expected that Hansen’s loyalty to his test regulars will be reflected in the run on 15, there is a real possibility that the electric young stars of New Zealand rugby may be introduced as ‘finishers’ …

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 …

Another week, another Hurricanes masterclass. The most lethal backline in world rugby rolled on, putting on 42 unanswered points in the second half to annihilate the Australian conference leaders the Brumbies 56-21. While Beauden Barrett’s red hot form again dominated the headlines, the drumbeat is growing louder to include the two men outside him in the All Black squad: Ngani …

The Lions Tour is just 51 days from kick off, and every New Zealand Super 18 derby match from now until kick-off will essentially become a trial to represent the All Blacks. This weekend sees the reigning champions, the Hurricanes, and the Blues going head-to-head. Which explosive, mouth-watering match-ups could play a role in Steve Hansen’s squad decision? Resident Kiwi Kaal Kaczmarek discusses. …

‘The Hurricanes look fat, slow and unfit.’ These scathing words of ex-Wallaby turned commentator Phil Kearns a year ago certainly could not be applied to the 2017 Hurricanes, who stormed to the top of the Super 18 leaderboard after racking up consecutive 70+ point thrashings. The four other New Zealand teams were involved in high-impact, high skill local derbies. So …

Round one in Super Rugby is traditionally a time when teams shake off any pre-season rust and give onlookers a good chance to assess fitness and form. With the British and Irish Lions tour looming, we look at which players bounded out of the blocks to catch the selectors’ eyes. ________ 1. Rieko Ioane (Blues) Watching Ioane, selectors might’ve needed …

The five New Zealand Super 18 franchises have just named their squads and some contrasting and truly terrifying looking backlines will take the field in the 2017 season. In backlines brimming with speed, power and skill, the question is: which one is shaping up as the most dangerous? We take a look at the most likely starting options for each …