About
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Who is The Ruck and Maul?
Well my name is Wes and I am a one man band of rugby reporting, results, news and information from the world of Rugby. I am a mad passionate rugby fan based in Canberra, Australia. So naturally, I am a proud ACT Brumbies supporter (the most successful Australian Super 12/14 team) and an Australian Wallabies fan. But more than anything else I am a fan of Rugby and enjoy the continuing evolution of the game and the skills on display in our great game. I regularly go to at least an international or two a year and have attended the last two World Cup’s in Australia and France.
What is so great about Rugby is the passion the fans share for the game, whether from the northern or southern hemisphere we all share a common love of Rugby and want our teams to achieve the ultimate success, World Cup glory. I hope to share with you as much information about Rugby as possible. The Ruck and Maul will focus on international rugby, this is the Six Nations, Tri Nations and Super 14. We will also cover some of the European competitions but due to my location it is hard to cover all this by myself. So The Ruck and Maul will be more focused on the southern hemisphere teams of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia but rest assured I will cover all the major news from the major rugby playing nations and will cover each major test.
I hope you enjoy The Ruck and Maul. Please feel free to comment on any of my posts and if you would like to make any contributions to the site or make any comments you can contact me at wes@theruckandmaul.com.
Thanks for visiting The Ruck and Maul.
New Zealand Maori’s claim Pacific Nations Cup
The New Zealand Maori team claimed the Pacific Nations Cup after a 21-18 win over Australia A yesterday. Australia A almost clinched a penalty in the final minutes but a Mark Gerrard conversion attempt fell just below the crossbar. A draw would have provided Australia A with the Pacific Nations Cup as they received two more bonus points through the earlier four rounds. The New Zealand Maori’s clinched victory just prior with a try to Thomas Waldrom just three minutes from the final siren.
In other games Samoa defeated Japan 37-31 in Apia and Tonga claimed their first victory of the tournament with a 27-16 win over Fiji in Nuku’alofa.
The New Zealand Maori finished on 21 pts, Australia A 20 pts, Samoa 10 pts, Fiji 10 pts, Japan 7 pts and Tonga 5 pts.
Polls
The Ruck and Maul regularly features Polls on a range of Rugby issues and results. A historical list of Polls will also be provided once completed.
Why not vote today!
POLL 4 - Created 13 September 2008
POLL 3 - Created 1 September 2008
POLL 2 - Created 20 August 2008
POLL 1
Wallabies vs France Preview
Tonight Australia will take on France in Brisbane in what is shaping as a much better clash than last week. The Wallabies conquered the French 34-13 last week and won on the back of an impressive 20 minute burst after half time. The performance from the Wallabies for the majority of the game was uninspiring and lacked the flair and composure in attack that was hoped by Robbie Deans. The defensive effort however was sensational. Deans will look for more of the same tonight in what shapes as an impressive match up with a French side who are playing their last game for the season. This will inspire the French to put in a last gasp effort to try and spring an upset on the Wallabies.
The Wallabies have their most inexperienced pack of forwards in 20 years and the late injury to Sharpe has Dean Mumm starting in his first run on side and with the responsibility of calling the lineout a great deal of pressure rests on his shoulders. Mumm will have to be on his game as he takes on French Rugby’s most popular player in Sebastien Chabal.
The French side who made seven changes from last week will be keen to spring a surprise on the Wallabies. They were beaten badly at the breakdown last weekend in Sydney and lacked the composure and patience to hold the ball for long periods. When they finally started to do this in the last 20 minutes they put real pressure on an outstanding defence from the Wallabies. France have unveiled a new wing sensation in Alexis Palisson and he will be keen to further impress to cement a place in next years Six Nations.
The Ruck and Maul expect the Wallabies to have too much firepower and should win by 14 in what Robbie Deans will be hoping will be a tough final match before the Tri-Nations involvement in the coming weeks.
The teams for tonights clash are;
Australia: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Stirling Mortlock, Berrick Barnes, Lachlan Turner, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess, Stephen Hoiles, Phil Waugh, Rocky Elsom, Dean Mumm, James Horwill, Al Baxter, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson.
Reserves: Adam Freier, Ben Alexander, Hugh McMenimen, George Smith, Sam Cordingley, Ryan Cross, Cameron Shepherd
France: Benjamin Thiacry, Alexis Palisson, Maxim Mermoz, Thibault Lacroix, David Janin, Francois Trinh-Duc, Sebastian Tillous-Borde, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Imanol Harinordoquy, Matthieu Lievremont, Lionel Nallet, Sebastien Chabal, Renaud Boyoud, Sebastien Bruno, Pierre Correia.
Reserves: Benjamin Kayser, Benoit Lecouls, David Couzinet, Louis Picamoles, Yannick Caballero, Dimitri Yachvili, Jean-Baptiste Peyras.
Experience key for Springboks
The South African Springboks have named an experienced side to take on the All Blacks in the first Tri-Nations match for 2008 on Saturday. The Springboks have named 10 players from the World Cup winning final appearance last year in the team. The team is generally as predicted with an experienced bench with some outstanding young players like Watson, Steyn warming the bench alongside legends of South African Rugby like Percy Montgomery.
The Springboks will be captained by John Smit who recently joined the team from France after playing in the final. The All Blacks will need to be at their best to beat the Springboks who have pace, flair and dynamic performers all over the paddock.
The Springboks side to take on the All Blacks is;
Conrad Jantjes, Odwa Ndungane, Adrian Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Butch James, Ricky Januarie, Joe van Niekerk, Juan Smith, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, CJ van der Linde, John Smit, Gurthro Steenkamp.
Reserves: Bismark du Plessis, Brian Mujati, Andries Bekker, Luke Watson, Bolla Conradie, Francois Steyn, Percy Montgomery.
Pat Lam new Auckland Blues Coach
Pat Lam has been announced as the new Auckland Blues coach replacing Australian David Nucifora who is the new Australian high performance coach. Adrian Lam has been signed as coach on a three year contract where the Blues will be hoping he will be able to add to the trophy cabinet.
The Blues have had a start studded side since they began in the Super 12 in 1996 but in recent years they have underperformed at the final stages of the Super 14 despite going on to contribute a number of stars to the All Blacks team. Lam, 39, has had tremendous success at provincial level, winning the Air New Zealand Cup, Ranfurly Shield and going through the season undefeated.
The Blues who have won three previous Super championships in 1996, 1997 ans 2003 remain as one of only four teams to have won the Super Championship along with the Bulls, Brumbies and the highly successful Crusaders.
Nathan Sharpe ruled out for Wallabies
Nathan Sharpe has been ruled out of the Wallabies starting team to place France on Saturday after suffering a groin strain in a training mishap on Thursday. Sharpe has been replaced by Dean Mumm in the starting lineup and Hugh McMeniman has been added to the bench from the Australian A side.
The role of calling the lineout will now fall on the shoulders of James Horwill who has impressed in his appearances for the Wallabies this year.
Sebastien Chabal playing out of position
RugbyHeaven have a good article on Sebastien Chabal and Wallabies Assistand Coach Jim Williams believes Chabal is playing out of position. You can read the article by following the link below.
Chabal regularly plays at No 8. for the Sale Sharks but Marc Lievremont is playing in at lock. Chabal commented last week that he prefers the No 8. position as the scrum takes alot out of him and the position reduces the impact he can have with the ball in hand. I agree with this as he had little chance to run with the ball against the Wallabies in Sydney instead being heavily involved at the breakdown and being heavily involved in defence.
Chabal out of position say Wallabies
France unveil new look for Wallabies
In a major reaction to the disappointing performance by the French side against the Wallabies last weekend coach Marc Lievremont had made seven changes to the starting side for this weekend’s clash in Brisbane.
Lievremont has unveiled a host of new players including moving five players that commenced the match on the bench last week to his starting lineup and providing two players Yannick Caballero and wing Jean-Baptiste Peyras a starting berth after not being named in the previous 22 man squad. This will be one of the most inexperienced sides France have ever had in a test match and Lievremont will be hoping the side will make up for that with enthusiam.
The French side is;
Benjamin Thiacry, Alexis Palisson, Maxim Mermoz, Thibault Lacroix, David Janin, Francois Trinh-Duc, Sebastian Tillous-Borde, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Imanol Harinordoquy, Matthieu Lievremont, Lionel Nallet, Sebastien Chabal, Renaud Boyoud, Sebastien Bruno, Pierre Correia.
Reserves: Benjamin Kayser, Benoit Lecouls, David Couzinet, Louis Picamoles, Yannick Caballero, Dimitri Yachvili, Jean-Baptiste Peyras.
Toulouse triumph over Clermont
Toulouse triumphed over Clermont 26-20 in the French Rugby Championship final on the weekend. The victory was the seventeenth time Toulouse have won the championship and will go part way towards erasing the disappoint of their recent Heineken Cup Final loss.
Planet Rugby have an excellent article going into great detail on the match, click here to read the match report.