New Zealand 29 defeat Wales 9
Welcome back!
New Zealand defeated Wales 29-9 but the score indicates a much different game to the one that took place as Wales stuck it to the All Blacks.
Wales led a spirited first half and took the lead 9-6 at halftime.
But it was the brilliance and boot of Dan Carter and two tries in the second half that saw the All Blacks home in a tough encounter that the All Blacks will be happy to escape from in the end.
All Blacks training group announced
The All Blacks have announced a 25-man training squad ahead of the end of season tour of the northern hemisphere. THe All Blacks will name their team next Sunday after the Air NZ Cup final and a number of players will be jockeying for positions.
The All Blacks training squad is;
John Afoa (Auckland), Anthony Boric (North Harbour), Jimmy Cowan (Southland), Stephen Donald (Waikato), Jason Eaton (Taranaki), Ben Franks (Tasman), Andrew Hore (Taranaki), Richard Kahui (Waikato), Jerome Kaino (Auckland), Tanerau Latimer (Bay of Plenty), Sione Lauaki (Waikato), Jamie Mackintosh (Southland), Keven Mealamu (Auckland), Liam Messam (Waikato), Mils Muliaina (Waikato), Josevata Rokocoko (Auckland), Sitiveni Sivivatu (Waikato), Adam Thomson (Otago), Brad Thorn (Tasman), Isaia Toeava (Auckland), Anthony Tuitavake (North Harbour), Scott Waldrom (Taranaki), Ali Williams (Auckland), Tony Woodcock (North Harbour), Rudi Wulf (North Harbour).
2009 Super 14 Fixtures
The provisional 2009 Super 14 schedule has been released. The season commences on Friday 6th February and will conclude with a six team final series.
Checkout the fixtures below.
Super 14 Fixtures for 2009
| Round | Date | Home | Away | Venue |
| 1 | Friday, 6th February | Blues | Crusaders | Auckland |
| 1 | Friday, 6th February | Cheetahs | Stormers | Bloemfontein |
| 1 | Friday, 6th February | Sharks | Bulls | Durban |
| 1 | Friday, 6th February | Reds | Hurricanes | Brisbane |
| 1 | Friday, 6th February | Chiefs | Brumbies | Hamilton |
| 1 | Friday, 6th February | Lions | Waratahs | Johannesburg |
| 1 | Friday, 6th February | Force | Highlanders | Perth |
| 2 | Friday, 13th February | Bulls | Reds | Pretoria |
| 2 | Friday, 13th February | Stormers | Sharks | Cape Town |
| 2 | Friday, 13th February | Lions | Cheetahs | Johannesburg |
| 2 | Friday, 13th February | Hurricanes | Waratahs | Wellington |
| 2 | Friday, 13th February | Highlanders | Brumbies | Dunedin |
| 2 | Friday, 13th February | Force | Blues | Perth |
| 2 | Friday, 13th February | Crusaders | Chiefs | Christchurch |
| 3 | Friday, 20th February | Stormers | Reds | Cape Town |
| 3 | Friday, 20th February | Sharks | Lions | Durban |
| 3 | Friday, 20th February | Brumbies | Crusaders | Canberra |
| 3 | Friday, 20th February | Bulls | Blues | Pretoria |
| 3 | Friday, 20th February | Force | Cheetahs | Perth |
| 3 | Friday, 20th February | Waratahs | Chiefs | Sydney |
| 3 | Friday, 20th February | Hurricanes | Highlanders | Wellington |
| 4 | Friday, 27th February | Stormers | Blues | Cape Town |
| 4 | Friday, 27th February | Lions | Bulls | Johannesburg |
| 4 | Friday, 27th February | Waratahs | Highlanders | Sydney |
| 4 | Friday, 27th February | Chiefs | Sharks | Hamilton |
| 4 | Friday, 27th February | Reds | Cheetahs | Brisbane |
| 4 | Friday, 27th February | Crusaders | Hurricanes | Christchurch |
| 4 | Saturday, 28th February | Brumbies | Force | Canberra |
| 5 | Friday, 6th March | Bulls | Stormers | Pretoria |
| 5 | Friday, 6th March | Waratahs | Reds | Sydney |
| 5 | Friday, 6th March | Blues | Sharks | Auckland |
| 5 | Friday, 6th March | Highlanders | Crusaders | Dunedin |
| 5 | Friday, 6th March | Chiefs | Force | Hamilton |
| 5 | Friday, 6th March | Hurricanes | Cheetahs | Wellington |
| 6 | Friday, 13th March | Brumbies | Waratahs | Canberra |
| 6 | Friday, 13th March | Stormers | Lions | Cape Town |
| 6 | Friday, 13th March | Reds | Sharks | Brisbane |
| 6 | Friday, 13th March | Highlanders | Chiefs | Dunedin |
| 6 | Friday, 13th March | Blues | Cheetahs | Auckland |
| 6 | Saturday, 14th March | Crusaders | Force | Christchurch |
| 7 | Friday, 20th March | Lions | Brumbies | Johannesburg |
| 7 | Friday, 20th March | Waratahs | Crusaders | Sydney |
| 7 | Friday, 20th March | Chiefs | Blues | Hamilton |
| 7 | Friday, 20th March | Hurricanes | Bulls | Wellington |
| 7 | Friday, 20th March | Highlanders | Cheetahs | Invercargill |
| 7 | Saturday, 21st March | Force | Sharks | Perth |
| 8 | Friday, 27th March | Lions | Hurricanes | Johannesburg |
| 8 | Friday, 27th March | Sharks | Brumbies | Durban |
| 8 | Friday, 27th March | Reds | Chiefs | Brisbane |
| 8 | Friday, 27th March | Crusaders | Stormers | Christchurch |
| 8 | Friday, 27th March | Highlanders | Bulls | Dunedin |
| 8 | Friday, 27th March | Blues | Waratahs | Auckland |
| 9 | Friday, 3rd April | Sharks | Hurricanes | Durban |
| 9 | Friday, 3rd April | Cheetahs | Brumbies | Bloemfontein |
| 9 | Friday, 3rd April | Waratahs | Stormers | Sydney |
| 9 | Friday, 3rd April | Crusaders | Bulls | Christchurch |
| 9 | Friday, 3rd April | Force | Reds | Perth |
| 9 | Friday, 3rd April | Chiefs | Lions | Hamilton |
| 10 | Friday, 10th April | Cheetahs | Sharks | Bloemfontein |
| 10 | Friday, 10th April | Waratahs | Bulls | Sydney |
| 10 | Friday, 10th April | Blues | Lions | Auckland |
| 10 | Friday, 10th April | Force | Hurricanes | Perth |
| 10 | Friday, 10th April | Brumbies | Stormers | Canberra |
| 10 | Friday, 10th April | Highlanders | Reds | Dunedin |
| 11 | Friday, 17th April | Sharks | Crusaders | Durban |
| 11 | Friday, 17th April | Reds | Lions | Brisbane |
| 11 | Friday, 17th April | Brumbies | Bulls | Canberra |
| 11 | Friday, 17th April | Hurricanes | Stormers | Palmerston North |
| 11 | Friday, 17th April | Cheetahs | Chiefs | Bloemfontein |
| 11 | Friday, 17th April | Blues | Highlanders | Auckland |
| 11 | Saturday, 18th April | Waratahs | Force | Sydney |
| 12 | Friday, 24th April | Cheetahs | Crusaders | Bloemfontein |
| 12 | Friday, 24th April | Bulls | Chiefs | Pretoria |
| 12 | Friday, 24th April | Force | Lions | Perth |
| 12 | Friday, 24th April | Blues | Reds | Auckland |
| 12 | Friday, 24th April | Highlanders | Stormers | Dunedin |
| 12 | Friday, 24th April | Hurricanes | Brumbies | Wellington |
| 13 | Friday, 1st May | Sharks | Highlanders | Durban |
| 13 | Friday, 1st May | Lions | Crusaders | Johannesburg |
| 13 | Friday, 1st May | Cheetahs | Waratahs | Kimberley |
| 13 | Friday, 1st May | Hurricanes | Blues | Wellington |
| 13 | Friday, 1st May | Reds | Brumbies | Brisbane |
| 13 | Friday, 1st May | Stormers | Chiefs | Cape Town |
| 13 | Saturday, 2nd May | Bulls | Force | Pretoria |
| 14 | Friday, 8th May | Bulls | Cheetahs | Pretoria |
| 14 | Friday, 8th May | Brumbies | Blues | Canberra |
| 14 | Friday, 8th May | Crusaders | Reds | Christchurch |
| 14 | Friday, 8th May | Sharks | Waratahs | Durban |
| 14 | Friday, 8th May | Stormers | Force | Cape Town |
| 14 | Friday, 8th May | Chiefs | Hurricanes | Hamilton |
| 14 | Friday, 8th May | Lions | Highlanders | Johannesburg |
Les Bleus to bring stars to NZ in 2009
It was reported yesterday in the NZ Herard that France will bring their star players to New Zealand in 2009 for their two-test tour on 13 & 20 June 2009.
France went on to guarantee their domestic competition, the Top 14, will conclude earlier in 2010 after the final was scheduled for 6 June 2009. This late date for the final heavily compromised the start to the international calender for Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Marc Lievermont the French coach had previously indicated that players in the final would not be selected.
But the New Zealand Rugby Union have confirmed they have received written confirmation from the French Rugby Union that the best side available will travel, this includes players from the final.
This is excellent news as the All Blacks will be able to hopefully attract more fans to the game and higher revenue as a result.
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.
Watch Live Rugby
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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.