Wallabies get jump on All Blacks
Welcome back!
The Wallabies entered training camp today as the first of four camps where Robbie Deans will assemble his team in the lead-up to the All Blacks clash and subsequent Spring tour in November and December.
Deans ran his 34 man squad through their paces as they prepare for an end of season defining tour that will shape the likely future of Australian Rugby under Dean’s leadership.
The All Blacks on tbe other hand while still playing out the final weeks of the Air New Zealand Cup will not go into camp until one week before the Bledisloe Cup clash in Hong Kong.
The Air New Zealand Cup final will not be played until 25 October and the All Blacks team will be named the next day before they depart for Hong Kong on Monday. The All Blacks will only have that week to prepare before they commence their tour with the Bledisloe Cup match against the Wallabies.
The Wallabies however will go into the tour perhaps better prepared than anytime in recent memory with all key players except Lote Tuqiri on deck and keen to show what they all offer the Wallabies for the future.
The tour will showcase the full squad and will likely allow future stars like Ben Alexander, David Pocock, Quade Cooper and James O’Connor to establish their claims for long term considerations for the Wallabies.
Emirates announced as Rugby World Cup 2011 Major Sponsor
Emirates Airlines have been announced as major sponsor of the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Emirates were a major sponsor of the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France and have continued their connection with international rugby. Emirates are a major sponsor of the Western Force in the Super 14 and are a major sponsor of global sporting events around the world.
Boks press for ELV changes
The global battle that is the ELVs in Rugby continues as South Africa has fallen into line with the northern hemisphere insisting upon changing the ELVs to that of the global ELVs for next years Super 14.
Both Australia and New Zealand are happy to continue with the rules as per the Super 14 this year but the Boks are concerned as they will play the British Lions next year and the Spring tour with the global ELV laws.
The main difference between the two sets is that the ELVs used in the 2008 Super 14 award was that free kicks are awarded for offences that are generally penalties under the global ELVs. This is particularly visable around the ruck and breakdown where the free kicks have kept a fast paced Tri-Nations tourament and Super 14.
The debate will go on but the ELVs have a long way to go until the IRB make a final decision in August 2009 on whether to continue or not with the ELVs.
IRB Awards - Top 5 Rugby Stars of 2008
The International Rugby Board (IRB) player of the year award will be awarded on 23 November where five players will all compete for the biggest honour in the game.
Four players from the northern and one from the southern hemisphere were shortlisted by the panel after watching almost 50 hours of rugby and 35 tests.
The shortlisted players were Dan Carter (New Zealand), Shane Williams and Ryan Jones (Wales), Mike Blair (Scotland) and Sergio Parisse (Italy).
THe players stood out after the panel went through each match and selected the three best players from each match. The panel consists of Tana Umaga, Raphael Ibanez, Will Greenwood, Francois Pienaar, Agustin Pichot, Gavin Hastings, Scott Quinnell, Paul Wallace and is chaired by John Eales.
If Dan Carter was to win he would be the first player to win two IRB player of the year awards.
Who do you think was the best player of the year?
Kelleher bags Top 14 Award
Byron Kelleher, 31, the former New Zealand All Blacks international who played in 57 internationals over 9 years won the player of the year award in the French Top 14 Rugby competition.
Kelleher who plays for the reigning champions Toulouse capped off a marvelous season with the win the recognised the skills and class he provided Toulouse last year and continues to provide this year.
Could Rugby have a World Series?
Reports from the Daily Mail in the UK have claimed the IRB are looking at organsing a Rugby World Series that would occur every two years.
The World Series would start as a round robin as part of the Six Nations and the current Tri-Nations teams including Argentina with results counting towards the World Series. Tests between the hemisphere’s rugby teams would continue to take place between June and November.
The top two teams would play-off every two years, most likely at the new Wembley Stadium in front of 90,000 people where the winner could take over in excess of AUD $20 million.
Chances are any plans of getting this up and running before the next World Cup would be unlikely but if the IRB can get all the Union’s on board then it could start by 2010.
Weepu now in strife
Piri Weepu is the latest All Black haldback to fall foul of the law after being charged for disorderly conduct in Auckland on 6 September.
The incident comes on the back of Jimmy Cowan also having a year to forget away from Rugby with a series of incidents that have tarnished his reputation and almost cost him an All Black spot.
Auckland Blues sign Ali Williams
Ali Williams has returned to his former stomping ground of Auckland after playing 2008 for the Super 14 championshi winning Canterbury Crusaders.
Williams left Auckland after the 2007 Super 14 competition due to a major fallout with then Auckland coach David Nucifora, now the Australian High Performance coach. Williams had been with the Blues for six seasons at the time.
The departure of Robbie Deans and Dan Carter from the Crusaders may have played some part but as Williams regards Auckland as home he was always likely to return as some stage. Williams will link with new Auckland coach Pat Lam.
Philips walk away from All Blacks Sponsorship
Philips will end their sponsorship deal with the New Zealand All Blacks on 31 January 2009 after 15 years as an All Blacks sponsor. The departure of Philips from the All Blacks sponsorship is a blow to New Zealand Rugby as Philips have been a huge supporter of the All Blacks.
Philips will focus their attention on larger markets such as the emerging developing nations of Brazil, Russia and China.
All Black stars sit out Air NZ Cup
The All Blacks are resting their big guns ahead of the November tour of Europe in hope to give their stars ample rest time after a busy Super 14 and international season.
Dan Carter is one star unlikely to play again until the tour and Ali WIlliams and Brad Thorn are two other stars who will be rested until the tour as the All Blacks preserve their big guns.
Other players will slowly return the to Air NZ Cup with Richie McCaw, Mils Muliaina, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Rodney So’oialo becoming available at the quarter-finals.
The touring party will be named on 26 October.