Super Rugby

With the sad passing of power-wingers, All Blacks Inga Tuigamala and Joeli Vidiri, the tragedy of their early deaths highlighted men’s health and also reflected on their huge impact on the modern game. The news hit within 24 odd hours, and it was reported that Diabetes complications led to the death of Tuigamala, but to […]

Not even into Super Rugby Pacific Round 2 of the new calendar, two games have been affected directly by the Omicron variant – both games involving unfortunate newcomers, Moana Pasifika. Unfairly, and in the franchise’s breakout year too, Pasifika players and management have been the side worst affected by the virus’ surge within the New […]

As the training intensifies, the Women’s 2022 Super W competition in Australia has been boosted with the addition of a Fijiana Drua side. This adds a fresh women’s component to match the incoming men’s Fijian Drua teams’ debut season. They are due to be a new part of the full 2022 Super Rugby Pacific draw […]

Two stories emerged on the same day of last week, to describe how New Zealand Super Rugby franchises were forced to make adjustments to their host stadium draw of this (already) re-arranged domestic draw. And then the 2022 National Provincial Championship (NPC) competition was announced as having a format redesign when the first-class title chase […]

News that the Omicron variant is ready to ‘scupper’ the Super Rugby Pacific new season kickoff has turned what was supposed to be a fresh start, into a sad rerun of European experiences. Crowds will be removed when the competition begins on February 28. Id only for secluded numbers at a maximum of 100; with […]

More and more, mandating that only a fully vaccinated rugby player policy introduction will have an impact on both Northern and Southern hemisphere competitions. The internal reactions from rugby unions and administrators take into account the health and welfare of all stakeholders. Yet with personal choice highlighting some genuine fears and more social media scaremongering, […]

Re-signed Ardie Savea has penned a four-year deal with New Zealand Rugby (NZ Rugby) which will keep him in Aotearoa through to the end of the 2025 season. His contract terms will not be made public, so the questions many would be thinking could be; How much is he being paid directly from NZ Rugby? […]

The draw can now be realized for sides that make up the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season. A 14-round draw was announced by SANZAAR on Monday, November 15 that will be a full calendar for each team, as well as for fans eager for a steady diet of rugby in the New Year. Beginning Friday, […]

Back in April of this year, news came out that two Pacific Island teams (Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika) had been granted conditional licenses to play in the proposed Super Rugby tournament of 2022. Assured of competition of the highest levels, it was received with great enthusiasm from Apia, to Nukilofa, and as far as […]

In the Army, rest and recuperation was a wartime policy to assist service men and women who had faced injury or at worst, suffered from the mortality of their fellow officers and personnel. It was to take them away from the environment–and in a sporting parlance, today, the Rugby Sabbatical is the closest policy. It […]

The Crusaders continue to be favourites to win the Super Rugby 2019 competition, despite two rounds that produced only two points toward their title quest. Super Rugby 2019 favourites The game between the Crusaders and the Highlanders on 16 March was canceled after the terror attacks in Christchurch. The teams shared the points [recording two […]

Super Rugby Week 12 produced close games for all of the South African teams, with one draw, one victory and one loss. Super Rugby Week 12 Crusaders 21 Cell C Sharks 21 Crusaders – Tries: Cody Taylor, Jack Goodhue and Mitch Hunt Conversions: Mitch Hunt 3 Cell C Sharks – Penalties: Curwin Bosch 7 The Sharks were […]

Will Jordan is one of seven new names announced in the 35-man All Blacks squad. A fresh face yet he has entertained fans for three years in provincial rugby, with ‘the writing on the wall’ for a call to higher honours. Named alongside Caleb Clarke, two men who stamped their report cards for an outstanding […]

Super Rugby Round 9 presented the teams in the South African Conferences with a real mixed bag of results, with very little quality to be found. Emirates Lions 24 – Tries: Harold Vorster, Lionel Mapoe, Ruan Ackermann; Conversions: Elton Jantjies (3); Penalty: Jantjies Jaguares 21 – Tries: Matias Orlando, Rodrigo Baez, Guido Petti; Cons: Nicolas […]

BC Place, in Vancouver, Canada and FMG Stadium Waikato in New Zealand, are two stadiums with fundamental differences in nature. Both sustain the same type of ball sports yet, they each use two dissimilar technologies to groom the playing surface on. For the sport of rugby union, many have talked about which is better. Artificial […]