Samoa beat Fiji to win the Pacific Nations Cup 2010

Samoa surprised Fiji this past weekend in Apia as they snatched the Pacific Nations Cup from under their noses by beating the favourites 31-9 in the Samoan capital. The win adds to their impressive IRB Sevens World Series win earlier in the year.

Fiji were expected to win the final game after coming out tops in their previous two, but the Samoans scored five tries to take their first ever Pacific Nations Cup title after they came away with a better points difference, despite also having two wins and a loss.

"This win was for the people of Samoa. We came into the game with no pressure but just to give our best shot and prove our worth to the people of Samoa," said captain Mahonri Schwalger.

"I am pretty lost for words, but we came out here to win the game and gave it all we had for the people in our country," added Schwalger.

"It is amazing what attitude can do. At the end of the day you want to win the game and we threw everything we had at Fiji and now we have the cup so I am proud of my boys.

The Samoan side had its fair share of Sevens stars on show, with one of their biggest, Mikaele Pesamino, showing those skills as he scored a great solo effort. Joe Tekori also crossed in the first half, while fellow Sevens players Uale Mai and Alefoti Faosiliva also scored, with the latter scoring twice.

It’s the first time that the PNC has been won by a Pacific Island nation, after it was dominated by New Zealand sides since its 2006 inception.

The following is only short highlights, but includes Pesamino’s great try. Big congrats to Samoa.


Time: 01:00

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The day I scored against the All Blacks - by Marko Stanojevic

With the World Cup coming up in New Zealand next year and Italy having just finished a test series, it's as good a time as ever to post this amusing tale of what it was like for wing Marko Stanojevic to score a try against the All Blacks in the 2007 World Cup in France.

Having made my international debut just 11 months before the 2007 Rugby World Cup, I felt that my chances of making the squad, let alone the Italian starting line-up, were pretty slim.

However, after working hard to impress the coaches in games against Australia, Argentina and Canada in the 2006 November tests, a shoulder injury sidelined me and the opportunity looked even less likely. I missed the Six Nations and most of the remaining season but, by July, I had recovered just in time for the World Cup training camp in Aosta.

After three months of grueling training and the warm-up games, I was called up to start in the opening game of the World Cup against the All Blacks at Stade Velodrome in Marseille. Despite the emotion and sense of occasion, the team understood the scale of the task ahead and, on the day, the harsh reality of playing such an impenetrable side soon hit home.

At 43-0 down, shortly before the half-time whistle, I was faced with five imposing All Black figures and very little hope. However, Byron Kelleher suddenly launched an attack from halfway, left to right, and I saw the long pass that was meant for Siviveni Sivivatu. I hoped for a man and ball tackle but soon realised that I could probably reach the ball and take a gamble.

I opted for the gamble and, after intercepting that pass and checking both shoulders around 30 yards later, scoring a try started to feel more like a probability than a possibility. The feeling of putting the ball across the line and under the posts in front of 60,000 supporters was incredible. The scoreline was barely affected but, for me, it was still a great moment!

Actually, one of my best friends made a bet before the game. He joked that if I managed to score a try against the All Blacks then he would have the Italian flag tattooed to his behind. He remained true to his word and now has the tennis-ball sized emblem decorating his right cheek!

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Argentina post record score against France in Buenos Aires

Argentina, who lost their two match series with Scotland recently, managed to achieve their best ever result against France, as they beat them convincingly 41-13 in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

The Pumas bounced back from the disappointment of the losses to Scotland by hammering France by scoring four tries to one, with flyhalf and captain Felipe Contepomi scoring two of the four and kicking three conversions and five penalties.

The dynamic Toulon back ended the match with a personal haul of 31 points of France ended their tour with another heavy defeat, following on from their 42-17 loss to South Africa in Cape Town a few weeks ago.

"It's desolation," said stunned France coach Marc Lievremont. "I don't know how we could sink so badly in these few weeks, to suffer two points records in South Africa and now here in Argentina. I expected tough matches, but these defeats are ridiculous. It was a nightmare."

It was Argentina’s highest ever score and biggest winning margin against France, something that French captain Thierry Dusautoir was struggling to accept.

"When you concede 40 points in two successive Tests, there isn't a lot to say. We can find 50 excuses, but today we came up against a team who were just much stronger than us. We were dominated in all areas and this was our level sadly today," he said.

"For a team that has ambitions to be world champions next year, it's going to be difficult to pick ourselves up from this."

There were some brilliant tries scored by the home side, so credit must go to them, but this result will surprise many. Do France have serious problems all of a sudden, or have the players simply lost interest at the end of their season?


Time: 06:06

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Springboks too strong for Italy as Habana reaches milestone

The Springboks won their two match series with Italy as they beat them 55-11 in a one sided game in East London, putting the disappointing performance of last weekend behind them as they ran in seven tries.

Flyhalf Morne Steyn crossed twice in the first half as he tallied up 26 points, while Bryan Habana became the joint top try scorer ever for South Africa, taking his total to 38 tries in 60 matches. He now shares the honour with scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen, who reached the total in 89 matches.

The Springboks took a while to get going and at times failed to find their rhythm, but when it clicked they came away with the points and showed that their strength in depth will continue to allow the coach to chop and change where necessary.

"We needed to polish up a bit from last week and we were more clinical today," said captain John Smit. "We've still got lots to work on before the Tri-Nations starts but it was a step in the right direction.

"We've got a good group to pick from and we want to make the most of the talent we've got available." They start their defence of the Tri Nations against New Zealand in Auckland on July 10th.

As for Italy, they showed that despite the scoreline, they’re no pushovers as their defensive effort was impressive at times and they managed to create a nice try through flyhalf Craig Gower and wing Michele Sepe.

"The Springboks played very well today and we missed a lot of tackles," said Italy captain Sergio Parisse. "They were more aggressive than they were last week and it's not easy playing against the best team in the world."

Is Italy making decent strides in world rugby, or is the current lack of homegrown talent a real issue that needs to be addressed going forward? Do Springbok fans feel satisfied with where they're at with the Tri Nations only two weeks away, and will they be able to beat the All Blacks away in New Zealand?



Time: 05:05

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Ireland defeated by the Wallabies in Brisbane

The Wallabies beat Ireland 22-15 in a scrappy game at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. Quade Cooper shared kicking duties with Matt Giteau, but also scored a nice try of his own as Australia maintained their 31 year home winning streak over Ireland.

The home side led 16-15 at halftime before Giteau kicked two second half penalties to take the game away from the tourists, who end their 2010 season winless from their three matches in Australasia.

Both sides lacked the killer instinct on attack but Ireland can now relax and enjoy the break before next season, while the Wallabies will have some work to do before the Tri Nations kicks off in a few weeks time.

"I think we drew 20-20 with them last year and played a lot better in that match but we came out with a win tonight and you've got to be happy when you get up on the scoreboard," said Wallaby captain Rocky Elsom.

"I think we weren't sharp enough in attack tonight. We weren't on the same page and things only work for you when you're on the same page. We weren't tonight but we'll learn from that. The Tri-Nations is the most difficult tournament in world rugby so we have a lot of work to do," he added.

Ireland performed admirably considering their injury toll, but coughed up too many balls from handling errors, with captain Brian O’Driscoll himself being guilty of losing four.

"We haven't managed any victories on this tour and of course that is what you are judged on. We'd call it a learning curve," O'Driscoll said. "We wanted to put a bit of pride back into our defensive game as we let ourselves down against New Zealand.

"Although we had a couple of lapses against Australia, we were fairly solid. The lads will now enjoy four or five weeks of holidays and try to freshen up for next year."

If you're an Ireland fan, are you more than satisfied with the fight your side put up or do you think three losses on tour is unacceptable, and they should have won at least one match? For the Aussies, or Wallaby fans, how do you rate your chances in the upcoming Tri Nations?


Time: 05:00

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Wales go 2-0 down to New Zealand despite spirited fight

Wales put on a far more impressive showing this weekend as they gained respect for the way they didn't allow the All Blacks to run away with things. The home side still came out comfortable 29-10 winners though, taking the two match series 2-0.

Flyhalf Dan Carter kicked 17 points to add to his 29 point haul in the first Test, taking his personal points tally to 150 in his eighth match against the Welsh.

Winger Corey Jane scored for New Zealand in the first half, with young Aaron Cruden crossing late in the match. After sustained pressure, Wales earned themselves a nice try to centre Jamie Roberts.

The game was riddled with errors and lacked the dynamic running that we’ve come to expect from both sides when at the top of their game. It was a good battle though, with Wales fronting up to what locked likely to be another All Black rout.

"It was a tough Test and we just had to chip away and take points when they were on offer. I guess it was comfortable in the end and though it wasn't perfect it was a Test win," said All Black captain Richie McCaw.

Jonathan Thomas finished the match as Wales captain after Ryan Jones went off injured.

"We took a lot of stick in the media about our fitness last week but I think we showed tonight we're not that far short of the All Blacks. We finished pretty strongly and I think we just have to learn and keep improving," said Thomas.

"We were a bit disappointed in the way we fell off tackles in the second half last week. We played with more intensity this week and we were a bit disappointed our discipline cost us in the second half. All week we talked about gaining some respect and I think we did that tonight."

Are the Welsh fans happy with the way the side took it to the All Blacks, or are you disappointed about the tour in general? What about New Zealand - will the number 1 ranked side in the world come out as Tri Nations winners this year?

Highlights of the other matches will follow soon. If there are any incidents from this or other games that you'd like featured, please get in touch via email or through the forum.

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The All Blacks crush Wales at farewell to Carisbrook

Time: 05:05

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Friday Funnies - Referee knocked out by clearing kick

There's still time for a Friday Funny today as this clip was sent in that features a scrumhalf doing something that the frustrated amongst you possibly wish you were able to do - knock a ref out while making it look accidental.

Seriously though, the ref in this clip took one of the biggest falcons - as it's called in those parts - that we've seen in a long time as the ball is cleared directly into his face.

It's the Kuttabul Camelboks up against Slade Point in Mackay a few weeks back as they're battling it out in the MDRU in Queensland, Australia.

The clip speaks for itself, but as you can see the poor ref gets himself right in the path of the clearing number nine's kick, getting a faceful of leather while spending a few minutes dreaming of better days.

Check out how far back the ball travels after it smashes him in the face. I wonder if the fullback had marked that, if it would have been allowed? Not that it matters - there was no ref.

If anyone has any further info about the origins of the clip, please feel free to get in touch. Have a great weekend all, enjoy the rugby, and if you're going to be reffing, stay on your toes.


Time: 0:47
Note: Credit to the original uploader. This version has been edited for RD though.

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The Rugby Club Plays of the Week - I see it but I don't believe it!

It's the end of a long week so time to kick back and enjoy what the weekend has to offer. Don't get too comfy just yet though, as this edition of the Fox Sports Plays of the Week is sure to have you squirming in your seat.

Last week's edition, made by the Rugby Club in Australia, touched a few nerves with the folks up North. This week, after suffering defeat at the hands of England, things are predictably less jovial when it comes to the North-South banter.

After all, Matt Giteau managed to embarrass himself twice in five minutes as he not only milked a penalty, but failed to slot it from point blank range. Next time, just chuck it over, Matt.

As mentioned, Dan Carter was on sensational form as he dismantled the touring Wales side single handedly at times. They'll meet again this weekend where we'll see if it's another whitewash or if there's still some gas left in the tank. The latest fixtures are up now so take a look there to see what's happening in international Test rugby tomorrow.

Speaking of New Zealand, a lot of you will be heading down there for the World Cup next year and isn't it encouraging to know that naked rugby is common place on the land of the long white.. cloud?

While we all thought that the New Zealand Maori Haka, the Timatanga, was the most intimidating wardance of the last few days, the Nude Blacks are indeed something to behold.

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The Rugby Club Plays of the Week - North vs South

Time: 02:00

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New Zealand Maori edge midweek England in thriller

The New Zealand Maori team came out on top once again as they continued their centenary celebration with a 35-28 win over England on Wednesday in what was an incredible game of rugby.

England fielded a midweek side after their win over Australia on the weekend, but got the better of the opening exchanges as they scored early on before the NZ Maori came back into the match in spectacular fashion.

Wing Hosea Gear, who led the team's Timatanga Haka shortly before kickoff, scored an outstanding hat-trick on the night. His first try was an absolute classic that came from a Charlie Hodgson long range penalty that hit the upright.

"It was an awesome game, an awesome occasion. The boys dug in during that last five minutes and to finish like that, I'm just speechless. We knew that first 10 after the break was going to be crucial, I set a challenge for the boys... and we got those two quick tries," said Maori captain Liam Messam, who also scored a fantastic try.

England picked up two quick tries on the stroke of time, but the home side picked up their momentum in the second half, ending with four tries to the three of England.

"On the whole, this tour and this side have been fantastic," said Martin Johnson.

"There was some scepticism what value we would get out of the three midweek games. The whole experience has been great for the players, the coaches and whole team.

"Lots of guys have really come through, lots of guys have really stood up as well and will benefit hugely from the experience of coming our here and playing."

Without a doubt one of the games of the season, the highlights for this one are ten minutes long. Please give feedback as to your preference when it comes to video length.


Time: 10:01

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England Saxons beat Canada to win the Churchill CUp 2010

The England Saxons were too good for Canada in the final of the Churchill Cup as they came out 38-18 winners at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey this past weekend.

It was the fifth title for the Saxons as Canada, who had impressed earlier by beating France A and made a comeback after being 17-0 down, were no match for the experience and talent of the English players.

Nick Abendanon, Alex Goode, Jon Clarke, and Luke Narraway all scored tries for the Saxons, with flyhalf Stephen Myler kicking 18 points with the boot.

"This is my third Churchill Cup and my first win," said Narraway "Last year against Ireland we had a similar talented squad but something obviously didn't work. Full credit to the lads, they have worked hard and we played some exciting football and it was great to be a part of.

"We took the foot off the pedal, but all credit to Canada. They are a real good side. They came back at us, but we had enough talent and energy in the tank to win the game," he added.

Canada got within touching distance by pulling back the score with tries through Ryan Smith, Matt Evans and Chauncey O'Toole. It was the English side who came away comfortable winners in the end though.

"It's a fantastic achievement," coach Stuart Lancaster said "Three weeks ago we met in a Heathrow hotel with disappointed players not making the senior tour and young players who came in straight from the Guinness Premiership and collectively to put all that together and form a team is great. I'm really proud."


Time: 04:12

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New Zealand win the Junior World Championship 2010

New Zealand’s Baby Blacks won their third successive IRB Junior World Championship title on Monday when they comfortably beat Australia 62-17 at the Estadio El Coloso del Parque in Rosario.

The Under 20 tournament first started in 2008 when it was decided that the U-19 and U-21 tournaments would be combined into one. New Zealand won the inaugural event, and followed on winning the next two, now taking their record to 15 matches unbeaten.

Resounding favourites, the junior Kiwi side scored seven tries with their first coming after just 33 seconds. At 25-3 up at half time, there was no stopping the powerful young unit who actually fielded a completely different side to that which won in 2009.

New Zealand captain Tyler Bleyendaal finished with 28 points on the night, while devastating wing Julian Savea has since been named player of the tournament and IRB Junior Player of the Year 2010.

Aaron Cruden, now an All Black, won the award in 2009, with Luke Braid taking it in 2008. Savea scored eight tries in total, equalling the record that Zac Guildford set last year in Japan.

"I feel pretty stoked," said Savea. "Once again just credit to the boys as without them I wouldn't be here. I enjoyed the game tonight, it was great, we got up and played and I think the boys just capitalised on our opportunities more."

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Junior World Champs Semifinals - Aus vs Eng & NZ vs SA

Time: 05:04

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Inside - Biarritz Olympique documentary

'Inside' is a rugby documentary that charts the progress of French Top 14 side Biarritz as they set out to make it to the Heineken Cup final. It is yet to be released, but looks fascinating so today we’ve got a preview clip for you.

Made by brothers Michel and Nicolas Arribehaute, the documentary came about a few months back when they proposed the plan to Serge Blanco. He liked the idea of showing fans what they don’t normally see when they follow their team.

"We contacted Michael Azoulay, Secretary General of Biarritz Olympic sports. He was hooked. It remained to be cleared by Serge Blanco. The latter was excited.

"From that moment, Peter Bousquier, the director general of the club undertook to facilitate our task, to fully integrate us into the group. We have been adopted by the family of BOPB."

They sensed early on that Biarritz would make it to the final, but if they were knocked out early, there would be no movie. They made it to the end, and while the result wasn’t quite as planned, the low budget documentary still managed to capture everything that goes on behind the scenes of the historic campaign.

The brothers say they are both rugby players and movie fans, taking inspiration from Gus Van Sant, Quentin Tarantino and Clint Eastwood. Being part of the European rugby campaign was an incredible adventure that they now look forward to sharing with the world.

They hope to release it at the start of the Top 14, and will aim to have both English and Spanish subtitles. You’ll see the players up close on the morning of the match, conversations of players when relaxing, at training, and those light hearted moments that bring a team together.

As the closing title on the trailer says, "The best adventures are lived from the inside".

When a release date is set, we’ll be sure to give you all the info right here on Rugbydump. For now though you can join their Facebook Page to find out more.

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Scotland win the two-test series against Argentina

Scotland beat Argentina 13-9 in Mar Del Plata in the second of the two-Test series on Saturday to take their first series win away from home for 50 years. The win followed on from their good 24-16 win in Tucuman a week earlier.

Conditions were cold and wet with the only try of the match coming from big Jim Hamilton just two minutes in. Dan Parks converted, and Scotland were on their way to what would be a historic occasion.

The hero of last week added another two penalties later in the match, and thanks to some staunch defense, Scotland were able to hold out everything that Argentina threw at them and go on to achieve another fantastic win.

"That is five games without defeat, if you include the Japan warm-up match and the Six Nations draw with England. In terms of away wins, it is three on the spin - against Ireland in Dublin and twice over Argentina. That's a pretty decent sequence,” said Parks.

"Our next challenge is the All Blacks at Murrayfield in November. They will be something different altogether, a phenomenal team. The way we are going, you can never say never because we believe in what we are doing and something very special is developing here," he added.

Captain Alastair Kellock is now raring to go against the big guns. "If you had asked someone if we could challenge New Zealand before the tour of Argentina they would have said no. But we will be looking to continually improve and be looking to play as well as we can in every game and if we do that we can win any game.

"In saying that there is world-class opposition out there and they are only going to get stronger and stronger. But it doesn't get any better than this at the moment. This is a real high point in my international career – the highest ever," he said.

Below are just a few highlights from what was a low scoring match.

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Dan Parks and Scotland beat Argentina in Tucuman

Time: 04:00

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South Africa beat Italy in Witbank in first Test

South Africa looked disjointed and lethargic as they beat tourists Italy 29-13 in Witbank in what was the first of a two-test series between the two sides ahead of the Tri Nations.

The Springboks managed to score four tries but seemed to be affected by the change in personnel as they failed to find their rhythm against an impressive Italian outfit who had the better of the territory and possession early in the match.

"I don't think we played very well and we made too many basic errors. We'll work on that and next week will definitely be better. It's just the top three inches that we have to get right,” said stand in Springbok captain, Victor Matfield.

Returning Bath flyhalf Butch James played fairly well in parts but managed to get himself yellow carded for a high and reckless tackle. During that time, Italian captain Sergio Parisse crossed for a great try that was set up by the break of Tito Tebaldi.

"I'm happy about the enthusiasm of my team, especially in the second half," Parisse said. "We're looking forward to the second test next week in East London. For us, it's very difficult to play South Africa, but it's the best way to build ahead of next year's World Cup."

Italy coach Nick Mallet will look slightly different next week after he lost a bet with his players. He challenged them that if they got within 20 points, he’d shave his head.

"The next time you see me, it’ll be with shorter hair," said the former Springbok coach.

"I'm very proud of the guys. If you look at last week the French conceded 42 points to the Springboks so this gives some perspective to our efforts," Mallet said.

He did admit South Africa weren’t quite on song though. "Rugby is a strange game It's very tough for players to be 100 per cent every week," he said.

Springbok coach Peter De Villiers promised that things will be sorted out by next week.

"We have to sit down, identify and rectify where we went wrong today. The scrum was good but the individual skills of some players was down and that was disappointing.

"We set very high standards for ourselves and that contributes to our unhappiness. Next week we will be a better side," he said.


Time: 04:59

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England edge the Wallabies in Sydney to draw the series

England returned to Sydney for the first time since their famous 2003 World Cup victory to taste success seven years on as they edged out the Wallabies 21-20, tying up the two Test series at a win apiece.

Center Matt Giteau returned to the Wallaby side to score all 20 of their points, crossing for two great tries, but missed a crucial kick from right out in front with only ten minutes left in the game. One might be tempted to say it was karma at play after he looked to have milked the penalty after minimal contact with English centre Shontayne Hape.

"It's not my proudest moment. But these things happen, you've just got to move forward," Giteau said afterwards.

Earlier in the game Ben Youngs scored a superb individual try as he sniped through the defense, and then Chris Ashton did something similar with his effort.

Jonny Wilkinson came on as a replacement and kicked the deciding penalty as it was ultimately a successful return to Sydney for him. After the game, he said he could relate to the unfortunate missed kick of Giteau.

"There's nothing harder than to stand up each week and take the shots and when that happens, which it does to everyone, it takes even more strength to stand up and go on," Wilkinson said.

"And something he does is stands up and goes on every time. It's just one of those things that happens once in a very very blue moon, and when it does it's tough to take.

"I've done it more times that he has. Fair play to him, he's an enormous professional, an awesome player and he showed that today regardless of whether he kicked another one."

England coach Martin Johnson said the win should answer some critics of his team.

"There's been a lot of negativity around them at times in terms of their ability and what they do on the field — so they've been mentally pretty tough to come through that and play well," Johnson said.

"It is really good for the players and coaches. It doesn't happen that often so to win one here is pretty special," he added.


Time: 05:04

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The All Blacks crush Wales at farewell to Carisbrook

Dan Carter was back to his menacing best as the All Blacks proved too strong for a travelling Wales side in the last ever Test match at the House of Pain, Carisbrook. New Zealand crushed the visitors 42-9, in what was a fitting farewell to the great venue.

Carter scored two of the All Blacks’ five tries as they ran the tired looking Welsh side ragged. His form brought back memories of 2005, when against the British & Irish Lions he showed his world class ability.

The Welsh kept up their 57 year losing streak against the number one ranked side in the world as they weren’t able to capitalise on what looked to be a decent start to the game. In the end they left with only the long range penalty from Leigh Halfpenny, and an early dropgoal and penalty from flyhalf Stephen Jones.

Keven Mealamu, Corey Jane and Richard Kahui all crossed for the home side as they took their chances and punished a lacklustre Wales in the last twenty minutes of the game.

"We faced a very good team that capitalised on every mistake we made. We matched them in the set-pieces, but we lost out around the rest of the park," said Ryan Jones.

All Black coach Graeme Henry expects a backlash next weekend.

"I think they've got a lot of pride, a lot of pride as a rugby nation. They will be hurting and when the Welsh dragon is hurt it usually breathes a bit of fire. I'd say they'd be right up for it."

Wales coach Warren Gatland, returning to his homeland, said his side will learn from it.

"I'd love to play the All Blacks every week because that is the only way you get better. The last thing we would want to do is get on a plane tomorrow and go home. We have another chance next week and we have some positives and some negatives to work on.

"The pace, the tempo and the intensity is not something that we face every week," he added.


Time: 05:05

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New Zealand Maori beat Ireland in seesaw battle

It’s been another big weekend for international rugby as fiercely contested games took place all over the globe. So today is catch-up time for highlights as we start with the New Zealand Maori beating of Ireland, as they snuck a 31-28 win.

The Maori side marked their centenary year with the scalp of the Irish, who came back strong after being down 18-3 in the first half. The game looked as though it had gotten away from them at that stage, but they steadied the ship and incredibly lead the game 25-18 early in the second half.

Jonathan Sexton kicked 23 points for Ireland, but missed his first kick in the 73rd minute, a penalty that would have probably earned his side a draw.

With the win, New Zealand Maori added Ireland to their proud list of international victims, which includes England, France, Australia, and the British & Irish Lions.

"It's awesome for Maori rugby, what's happened," said Liam Messam. "It's a bit of history for Maori rugby so I'm proud of the boys. We can't wipe the smile of the boys' faces in the changing room at the moment. They're really stoked at what they've done."

Ireland’s captain on the night, Geordan Murphy, said that his side were sucked into the way that the Maori played and were too loose in the second half.

"We tried a couple of offloads when potentially we could have held on to the ball and put them under a bit more pressure. It's difficult when you play a game like that not to try to throw the 50-50 passes," he said.

Ireland head to Brisbane now to face Australia in a Test next weekend.


Time: 03:04

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Junior World Champs Semifinals - Aus vs Eng & NZ vs SA

The Semifinals of the Junior World Championship took place in Rosario, Argentina, yesterday with rivals New Zealand and Australia overcoming the challenges of South Africa and England respectively.

The Australian under twenties made their first ever final of a Junior World Championship as they beat England 28-16 after a great try from Sevens star Kimami Sitauti. Jonny May scored a consolation try for England, but it was not enough as they were prevented from reaching their third consecutive final.

Former Brumbies coach David Nucifora is in charge of the Australian side.

"We're really pleased to make it through to the final and we've at least now given ourselves an opportunity to win it and that's all we came here for. There's a lot of talent in the team, we probably felt we didn't play as well today as we should've to be honest and we know if we're going to beat South Africa or New Zealand in the final we're going to have to play significantly better than what we felt we played today," he said.

In the other semifinal, New Zealand were way too strong for the Baby Boks as they ran away with the game, coming out comfortable winners 36-7. They did make their third successive final, and are defending champions.

They were 22-0 up at halftime, so the result was never really in doubt as they have once again produced a powerful junior team. Wing Julian Savea, top try scorer in the tournament, proved to be a thorn in the South African defence as he scored again, matching the eight tries that were scored by Zac Guildford in last years tournament.

"It is very exciting, real proud of the boys today, it was a great effort. It was definitely a battlefield out there as you probably could see in the last three minutes or so when everyone was on the ground. I am just really excited and the final, it is a great achievement to make it and it is just going to be a great event," said New Zealand captain Tyler Bleyendaal.

The final will take place on Monday the 21st, also in Rosario.

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Danie Rossouw big tackle on Lionel Nallet in Cape Town

While Bakkies Botha served out a suspension for foul play, eagerly waiting in the wings has been his Bulls teammate Danie Rossouw, who off late has once again shown exactly how much of a valuable asset he is to Springbok rugby.

The big lock-come-loose forward has been on a great run of form of late with both the Bulls in their Super 14 winning campaign, and then more recently with the Springboks against both Wales and France.

Rossouw, who made that famous try saving tackle on Mark Cueto in the 2007 World Cup final, has an incredible work rate for such a big guy and while adept at playing in both the second and back row, enjoys mixing it up physically and is great with ball in hand.

His form is making fans and coaching staff appreciate that while the Botha-Matfied combination has been arguably the best in world rugby in recent times, the Matfield-Rossouw combo can be just as menacing, and at times can offer more.

"Danie is in the form of his life right now," said captain John Smit after Welsh Test "For how many years have we thought the choice for the No.4 jersey was a fait accompli, but I don’t think that is the case anymore."

Against the French he was menacing on defense, no more so than with this big tackle on Lionel Nallet, who took some time to get up. Questions were asked about the legitimacy of the hit, but referee Bryce Lawrence actually overruled his assistant, who said it was a shoulder charge.

South Africa play the touring Italian tomorrow in Witbank, a match that Rossouw has actually been rested for, with the return of Bakkies Botha. Check out the fixtures page to see what else is happening around the world of rugby.

Time: 01:38

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Young James O'Connor living up to his billing

Exactly two years ago I featured a profile video of James O’Connor as a youngster who had a bright future ahead of him, but had to make a big choice regarding who he wanted to play for. A couple of years on, and he’s now a fully fledged Wallaby who has recently taken up the starting fullback spot in the series against England.

O’Connor, incredibly still just 19 years of age, has followed through on the potential he showed with the Force as a 17 year old, and is now keeping guys like Adam Ashley Cooper and Kurtley Beale on the bench. He also became a first choice goal kicked last week, kicking ten points against England in Perth.

Matt Giteau is back this week though, so he’ll relieve O’Connor of the kicking duties which no doubt means less pressure on the electric runner who scored a hatrick when playing for the Australian Barbarians recently.

He was the second youngest player to ever appear for the Wallabies when he made his debut against Italy in 2008, and followed that up with three tries in his first run on start for his country, an Australian first, and the youngest ever scorer of a Test hat-trick.

As mentioned in this new interactive hot-spotting video, if all goes well, we could quite possibly see many more years of O’Connor in action as he and the new breed of Wallaby backs terrorise the opposition for many seasons to come.

The video allows you to find out more stats on O’Connor while watching. Just mouseover it and you’ll be prompted when to click to learn more about him. If you don’t want to read while watching, just keep your mouse of it.

It’s an interesting concept, and I’m keen to hear what you think of it. Also, make sure you check out the related links to watch the profile on O’Connor from two years ago, and see his first ever Super 14 try, scored for the Force.

:: Related Posts ::
James O'Connor - Australia, South Africa, or New Zealand?
17 Year old James O'Connor scores his first Super 14 try

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Win with Gillette Fusion and Jonny Wilkinson

A few weeks back we posted a quick fire questions video with Jonny Wilkinson. Today we've got something similar, but this time around you stand to win great prizes with Gillette Fusion, who Wilkinson is an ambassador for.

As England return to Sydney and the scene of their famous win over Australia in the 2003 World Cup final, coach Martin Johnson has chosen to leave Wilkinson on the bench for the second Test, opting instead for Toby Flood.

This has come as a surprise for many, especially down under, as they’d have thought that the mental edge might have been with the now 31-years-old Wilkinson, who has beaten the Wallabies twice in Australia.

Johnson, who lifted the trophy in 2003, was questioned by Robbie Deans and a few senior Wallaby players for the move, but he’s happy with what he’s decided on.

"We're very comfortable if Jonny Wilkinson starts a Test match for us obviously, but I think Toby's played very, very well for us and it's part of his experience gathering with playing down here in a big southern hemisphere Test match, and he'll be better for it."

"There's always rationale for playing Jonny Wilkinson, but we like what we've got with Toby and Jonny on the bench," he said.

The World Cup winning flyhalf will be looking for victory this Fathers Day weekend and thanks to Gillette, you can also win by entering Father’s Day promotion where all you need to do to enter is submit your best ‘Daddisms’. Check it out below this behind the scenes video.

_____________________________________________________________________________
This post was sponsored by: Gillette Fusion

With Father’s Day fast approaching Gillette are collecting your best ‘Daddisms’ - those pearls of wisdom and embarrassing sayings all Dad’s have.
Join in here and WIN a Father’s Day present like no other.

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Classic Encounters - Wales vs All Blacks 2003 World Cup

Wales play New Zealand in Dunedin this weekend as they look to start their tour of Australia on a high note. As a bit of build up for the big game, here’s a match that we’ve not yet featured on here - the thriller from Sydney in the 2003 World Cup.

It was a match where Wales were expected to just roll over and concede defeat as the almighty All Blacks went about dismantling them on their way to the next round.

The Welsh had other ideas though, and despite being 28-10 down at one stage, produced an incredible comeback that saw them cording four tries without reply either side of halftime, going on to lead 34-28 before New Zealand realised what hit them.

Wales coach Steve Hansen had rested several key players but those who were on the park gave New Zealand the fright of their lives as stars were born through some inspired play.

Wing Shane Williams wasn’t all that well known at that stage, but by the second half the Australian commentators were yelling ‘Give the ball to Williams, he’s brilliant!’

Williams admitted a few years later: "My mother has the World Cup DVD somewhere and I'd be lying if I said I haven't watched it a few times. It was a great day for the likes of myself but we still came off that field as the losing team," he said.

The All Blacks were shaken but rallied well to pull things back and take the 53-37 win, managing to get out of jail in what would have been one of the biggest World Cup upsets to date.

Check out the related links under the video for other classic matches between the two sides.

:: Related Posts ::
Wales fail to capitalise on chances as All Blacks triumph - 2009
The Welsh response to the All Blacks Haka - 2008
Classic Encounters - Wales vs All Blacks 2004

Time: 07:32

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The Rugby Club Plays of the Week - North vs South

Test match rugby was great for the teams down south this past weekend. For the north, not so much, but it was entertaining nonetheless and whether it was fatigue, injuries, or simply went according to the world rankings, it provided some great content for the Australian Rugby Club’s Plays of the Week.

The New Zealand Maori played the New Zealand Barbarians in a centenary celebration game with some top quality tries, which you can view here.

The Maori side play Ireland this Friday, and to go with their fancy new jersey have a new looking wardance which, along with Ali-Williams-esque sound effects, is sure to have the opposition quaking in their boots.

Australia beat England, New Zealand thrashed a 14 man Ireland, and South Africa walloped France as the south scored tries aplenty, once again proving that these June fixtures are often quite questionable. Then again, should the same be said about the November internationals? It’s a debate that rages on and only seems to be settled at the World Cup.

Scotland did fly the flag for the north though, beating Argentina in Tucuman.

As always, take the video with a pinch of Australian salt as once again we see that anything with Quade Cooper involved generally gets the best try award.

Whether your side is winning or losing, it’s a great time to be a rugby fan as coverage couldn’t get better, there’s plenty to talk about, and you can see it all right here on Rugbydump.


Time: 02:32

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Junior World Champs - Australia vs South Africa & New Zealand vs Wales

Continuing with the Junior World Championships from Argentina, here are another two excellent games from the Under 20 tournament, featuring three of the sides that have made the semi finals, which will take place on Thursday this week.

Australia, South Africa, and defending champions New Zealand all moved on to the semi finals after highly entertaining final pool stage matches. All three sides were in the semis last year too, as well as England, who also qualified and will face the Australians.

In what was probably the match of the round, Australia beat South Africa 42-35 in a classic match played in front of 10 000 fans in Santa Fe. Both sides scored five tries with Super 14 and Sevens stars coming to the fore as each side boasted a wealth of talent.

While South Africa went down in the end, their bonus point wins over Scotland and Tonga ensured that they made the semis as they had more points than Wales and France, the top runners up from the other pools.

New Zealand, traditionally very powerful in this age group, showed once again why they’re two times defending champions as they extended their unbeaten run in the Junior World Championship to 13 matches when they beat Wales 43-10 to top Pool A.

"Our performance today was a lot better than the ones we put out the past two games but there's still a lot to improve on if we want to progress even further so, next game now we get to go to Rosario which will be a good experience and we're just excited for it," said New Zealand captain Tyler Bleyendaal.

"Wales were good, they were big, they were physical, they had a bit of structure there as well and we had to plan our attacks around that. They had great line speed and they put us under a lot of pressure and it was a good hit out which is just what we needed."

New Zealand will take on South Africa on Thursday in what will be a titanic battle. As mentioned in the previous post, Australia will go up against England. Both matches will be well worth watching live if you’re able to, but highlights will probably be posted here anyway. Enjoy.

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Junior World Champs - Argentina vs Ireland & England vs France

The IRB Junior World Championship, for Under 20 teams representing the top rugby nations, is currently taking place in Argentina. After many requests, today RD has highlights of some of the best games from the last day of pool action.

We’ll start with the great match between hosts Argentina and Ireland, where the young Los Pumitas beat the Under 20 Six Nations champions 24-21 in Rosario. They had hoped to reach the Semi Finals on home soil but losses to both England and France meant that was unfortunately not possible.

By beating Ireland though, they have ensured their place in next years Junior World Championship in Italy. They are also guaranteed a finish of between fifth and eighth on the standings, while Ireland will need to win one of their remaining matches to avoid relegation to the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy for 2011.

In the other featured game, England overcame traditional rivals France 17-9 to go top of Pool C in their match. Freddie Burns proved a valuable asset once again as he kicked his kicks to add to the only try, scored by Jamie Gibson.

The playing conditions weren’t ideal so this was perhaps the least enjoyable match to watch of the round, but a hard fought win means that England will face Australia in the semi finals.

"Tough game, very tough. The first 50, 60 minutes was a real battle by two teams that looked quite nervous. At times we combated the French drive and their pick and go round the fringes well and I think to restrict a good French side to two penalties was a good return," said England coach Mark Mapletoft.

England will play Australia in the first semi final in Rosario on Thursday. Below are highlights of both games discussed. Highlights of two of the other best games will be posted shortly.

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Canada surprise France A in the Churchill Cup

Canada upset a strong France ‘A’ side on the weekend as they progressed to the final of the Churchill Cup, where they will take on the England Saxons. The 33-27 victory, at Infinity Park in Glendale, means they will be in their first ever final.

The French side, while a second team, contained the likes of Maxime Medard, Lionel Beauxis, and a returning Julien Dupuy, who has now served out his six month suspension for eye gouging.

The lead in the match changed hands numerous times, but it was Brian Erichsen’s try that took the Canadians into the lead in the 70th minute, which they then held onto despite late French pressure.

Aaron Carpenter and Matt Evans also scored for Canada, while Ander Monro kicked 12 of their points. Thibault Lacroix and Yohan Audrin scored for the French, with Beauxis kicking 17 points.

The Canadians will face the England Saxons in the final after they qualified by beating the USA in Pool A. The USA and France A will meet in the Plate Final.

It was a poor weekend for French rugby overall, and despite this being a second team on show, was a superb win for Canada, who are clearly making great progress.

"I'm really happy for our guys, they put in a solid 80 minutes," said coach Kieran Crowley, a former All Black fullback. "We put ourselves under the pump a little bit but they showed great character and resilience and came through in the end."

This highlights summary is the best available right now, but will be replaced with a better quality and longer video as soon as possible.


Time: 03:57
Note: Thanks to RugbyCanada for the clip

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Dan Parks and Scotland beat Argentina in Tucuman

Dan Parks kicked Scotland to a great win over Argentina in Tucuman on the weekend as they won came away with the 24-16 away victory, Argentina’s first ever loss at that famous venue.

Argentina had the better of the starts as they scored two tries through Gonzalo Tiesi and Juan-Manual Leguizamon. Scotland and Parks weren’t too concerned though and the flyhalf kicked six penalties and landed two drop goals.

Coach Andy Robinson commended his side for the way in which they stuck in there.

"I can't praise them highly enough. This is one of the most hostile places to play in the world and they did a great job. Not only did Dan Parks find the target when it mattered, he produced an excellent performance," he said.

Parks himself was pleased with the result, and happy to have earned the respect of the locals.

"We had been told about the supporters here and how it was one of the toughest places to play. But near the end they were applauding and cheering us. That is a measure of how well we played after a shaky start.

"It was particularly satisfying to earn the appreciation of fans like them. They know their rugby! I just happened to pick up some points but it was a superb all-round team effort,” Parks said.

Scottish legend Jim Telfer has tipped his team to win the next match when the two sides meet again on Saturday, but is concerned about their lack of tries.

"It's worrying, because they had plenty of the ball, they tried to move it wide - sometimes that's fairly predictable," said Telfer.

"But Argentina is an ageing team, going backwards. Scotland are going forward."

Much requested by Scottish fans, this video features the points scored throughout the match.


Time: 04:52

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New Zealand Maori vs New Zealand Barbarians thriller

New Zealand Maori played against a New Zealand Barbarians side this weekend ahead of their upcoming internationals. It was an open game with plenty of running and an exciting finish so if you don’t know the result yet, skip to the video now to avoid the spoiler.

The Maori side were wearing a specially designed centenary celebration jersey that encompasses their history and culture and started the game with a rousing rendition of their haka.

The Barbarians side comprised of up-and-coming fringe New Zealand players, as well as touring Ireland squad member Damien Varley.

While the match was scrappy at times, with little intensity up front, the running rugby was at times breathtaking, right up till the last minute when winger Hosea Gear crossed for what was the match winning try. It ended 37-31 to the New Zealand Maori.

Keep a lookout for two classic tries in particular from Colin Slade and then the great team effort that was eventually finished by Hayden Triggs.

Luke McAlister kicked three conversions and a penalty for the Maori, showing good form leading up to their games against Ireland on June 18th, and England on June 23rd.


Time: 05:04

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The Springboks thump France in Cape Town

It was touted to be the clash of the hemispheres as the Tri Nations holders went up against the Grand Slam winners, but ultimately France couldn’t cope with the Springboks as they went down 42-17 at Newlands in Cape Town.

Newcomers Gio Aplon and Francois Louw both impressed in their second Test appearances, with Aplon scoring two top quality tries and Louw diving over for one himself, right in front of the stand named after his grandfather.

The Boks got off to a commanding start in only the second minute of the game as Pierre Spies sprinted away following a typically determined break from Bryan Habana, and then a great offload from centre Jaques Fourie.

It was only a few minutes later that pint-sized Aplon scored his first, busting through one tackle then stepping another. At 20-0 up, France finally got on the scoresheet with an excellently taken try to Aurilien Rougerie, but you felt the game was all but over when Gurthro Steenkamp dived over with ten minutes still left in the half.

France built a bit of pressure and kicked a penalty, but a ball went loose on one of their best attacking movements, and Aplon swooped to pick up and sprint away for a 90 metre try, showing the type of finishing he’s displayed many times on the Sevens circuit.

The visitors were anything but the powerful unit that we saw in November and in the Six Nations. They looked jaded at times and couldn’t cope with the pace right from the start. Fatigue was no doubt a factor, but it was their first big Test of this part of the season so they’ll need to pick themselves up and bounce back strong to get over this one.

"This was one of the teams we felt we hadn't played well against and this was our last chance to put some kind of a Springbok stamp onto them, so it was a big part of our mental preparation and the result had to go our way," said Bok captain John Smit.

"They brought a good team and we put out a good team. It was always going to be a very hyped-up game between the Tri-Nations champions and the Six Nations champions," he added.


Time: 05:05

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Australia overcome England at the Subiaco Oval

The Wallabies beat England 27-17 in Perth yesterday as the tourists went in the first of their two Tests against Australia. Quade Cooper scored twice for the hosts, while England picked up two penalty tries.

Australia got to a 14-0 halftime lead after tries from Rocky Elsom and Quade Copper set them on their way. Cooper, looking solid at number 10 once again, scored a second later on as he linked with Digby Ioane.

The most inexperienced front row in almost 30 years turned out for the Wallabies, which eventually resulted in referee Nigel Owens’ frustrating with him yellow carding Solesi Ma’afu and awarding England two penalty tries.

The host managed to soak up the resultant pressure and extended their lead with late penalties from Cooper and James O’Connor.

England skipper Lewis Moody said: "We stuck at it and got on top but we have to work on our game before the second Test next week."

Coach Martin Johnson admitted that he gave his side a severe dressing down after a game in which they dominated the Australian scrum, but couldn’t produce much else.

"I think this is as harsh as I have ever been with them. I said to the players that we should be pretty angry with ourselves.

"If you give it a decent shot and get beaten that is one thing, but we aided them too much and it is pretty disappointing. We made it too easy for the opposition," he said.

"It was a big effort in the second half to grind our way back into the game... but we have to get better and we can't expect to get two penalty tries every week."

The two sides meet again next weekend in Sydney.


Time: 04:28

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