Month: September 2019

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The Brumbies have signed winger Lausii Taliauli to a new one year deal for the 2017 Super Rugby season.

Taliauli is a former Australian Sevens squad member before signing with the Brumbies for the start of the 2015 season, debuting in round one.

The 23-year old says he’s looking forward to his third season with the Brumbies.

“It’s a huge honour to play for the Brumbies and I’m really looking forward to 2017,” Taliauli said.

“I’ve really enjoyed my first two seasons of Super Rugby here in Canberra. It’s the perfect fit for me to stay here and continue pushing myself here at the Brumbies.

“Talking to the boys, we are all looking forward to getting stuck into next season together.”

Brumbies Head Coach Stephen Larkham was thrilled to have the speedster re-sign, having showed a lot of potential in his first two seasons.

“We are definitely impressed with what we’ve seen from Lausii over his first two seasons of Super Rugby,” Larkham said.

“We’ve seen that he is a player who can make a real impact either as a reserve or in our starting side.

“We have some great competition for our wing spots in 2017 and having Lausii recommit to the squad adds great depth out wide for the squad.”

Taliauli is currently playing for the Canberra Vikings in the Buildcorp NRC. 

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Toby Smith will trade Melbourne for Wellington in 2018, having signed a two year deal with the Hurricanes.

The Rebels prop, who was born in North Queensland but raised in Hamilton, New Zealand, will head back over the ditch, having won two titles during a four year tenure with the Chiefs.

He signed with Melbourne for the 2014 Super Rugby season and immediately impressed, making his Wallabies debut against USA in Chicago in 2015 and featuring in the run to the final at the Rugby World Cup in that same year.

This move, however, will rule him out of 2019 World Cup calculations.In a statement on the Hurricanes website, Smith said he would be forever grateful for his time in Melbourne but looked forward to being close to his young son.

“I’ll always be grateful for my time in Australia and I have really enjoyed playing for the Melbourne Rebels, but when the opportunity to play for the Hurricanes came up it was very appealing to me,” Smith said.

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“To play for a team with such a proud history and from everything I’ve heard a great culture, while also being closer to my young son is something I’m very excited about.

“I’m looking forward to moving to Wellington later in the year, meeting everyone, and getting stuck into pre-season training.”Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd said Smith would bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the club.

“Toby has a long and accomplished career that has already included nearly 100 Super Rugby caps, 50 matches for Waikato and a Rugby World Cup campaign with Australia.

“That sort of experience is a valuable asset for any team and we’re looking forward to his input from next season.”

The Brumbies have locked in promising flyhalf Wharenui Hawera, securing his services for two more years.

Coach Stephen Larkham had big wraps on the Kiwi born playmaker in the preseason and he has delivered on those high expectations, cementing his spot as the team’s chief pivot alongside fellow young gun Joe Powell.

It’s Hawera’s running game which catches the eye.

He attacks the line hard with ball in hand and that creates opportunities for those outside him.There is still work to be done on other parts of his attacking arsenal but Larkham looks to have found a long term solution at flyhalf in the 24-year-old.

“Wharenui first came into the Brumbies program for this year’s preseason which started in December last year,” Larkham said.

“He immediately impressed with his skill-set and ability to control a game.

“Any normal player who has to make the step up to Super Rugby level takes time to find their feet, but Futz has instantly become an integral part of our attacking focus.

“We are confident that he has the skills and ability to push on with his career and make a huge mark at the elite level with the Brumbies.”Hawera was delighted with the news.

“I have settled quite well into the city and I am enjoying my experience of playing Super Rugby with the club,” he said.

“The Brumbies have given me an opportunity to show what I can do at this level and I am looking forward to repaying their faith in me.

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“We have an exceptional group of players here at the Brumbies and a really strong culture.

“We have bonded well during the season and are determined to show our best in the finals this year.

“Longer term, we have a great balance of youth and experience and I am certain that we can continue to maintain a challenge for the title.”

The Brumbies take on the Chiefs in Waikato on Saturday, kicking off at 3:15pm AEST, broadcast LIVE on FOX SPORTS and on radio at RUGBY.com.au.

Reds coach Nick Stiles described young hooker Alex Mafi as the most nervous player he had seen before a run-on debut, but feels his performance shows he can become a dominant Super Rugby figure for Queensland.

After coming on as a substitute in the Reds’ 43-10 defeat to the Brumbies last week, Mafi was given the No.2 shirt for the first time in the 47-34 victory over the Kings at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

Although just 20, Mafi’s Reds bow had been a long time coming after repeated shoulder injuries had kept him on the sidelines for much of the last three years – and the sense of occasion was not lost on the player.

“He was as nervous as I’ve seen in a guy starting, making his run on debut,” Stiles said.

“I thought he was great. He’s been in our program for three years, unfortunately he’s had a lot of shoulder reconstructions in that time.

“What we like about him is his athleticism and his footwork and he’s a footballer, he can read the game really well. The confidence he’ll take out of that is enormous.

“I’m giving a lot of minutes to the next crop of footballers. We had Alex start, Lukhan Tui start, Izaia Perese start, these names that will only get more dominant in Queensland rugby.”

Mafi was replaced by Andrew Ready at halftime but not before he had led the Reds to dominate the scrums, including a try-creating turnover in the sixth minute.

“I thought he dominated really well through his right side which is important for a hooker, to lock that side of the scrum down,” Stiles said.

“To get that tight head was a real confidence boost for the lads at the start because the reality is we’ve lost six games in a row.

“To come out and get a really rewarding turnover and a try on the back of it was great.

“It comes from hooker the scrummaging power. If he’s not doing a good job with his height it means you cant really be dominant.”

The Reds have a bye this week, before hosting the Waratahs in a fortnight at Suncorp Stadium.
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The Brumbies have revealed an enterprising move to get Canberra sports fans to GIO Stadium, offering members of the Brumbies and Raiders an opportunity to go to either team’s first home game at no extra cost.

The Brumbies play their first home game against the Sharks on March 17 and the Raiders face the Knights in their first home start the day after, providing a perfect opportunity for members of either team to double dip their season passes on two consecutive days.

It’s a push from the commercial team of both clubs that has been given the tick by coach Dan McKellar, with crowds waning at both Brumbies and Raiders home games in recent years.

“I think it’s a great initiative to get along and support both teams because Canberra is a much smaller community than the bigger cities,” McKellar said.

“We’ve got to help each other out and both commercial teams from both organisations have done a great job to put this together.”

McKellar is a bit of a league man himself having grown up in north Queensland – a proud heartland of the code – and the man he is up against in the coaches box this Friday, Brad Thorn, has a proud record with both the Broncos and Maroons.

It will be all about the 15-man game when the Reds meet the Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium, though, as ACT seek a better overall performance than what they put up against the Sunwolves.

“There were patches in that first half where we would have liked to have executed better,” McKellar said.

“But what I liked about the boys is that we remained calm, composed, stuck to the task and came away with four points.

“Round one, if we had and good on the plane and said we could have had our four points now, we would have taken it.

“This period is about making sure our training is short and sharp and come game time, the boys are feeling fresh and ready to play.”

McKellar said a push to take the attacking initiative had been a key focus against a Reds side that lost their shape defensively, albeit with 14 men, in the second half against the Rebels.

“One thing we have reviewed is that at times, while we want to play a direct game, when the space is there and available we need to make sure we identify that, communicate it to our playmakers and use our skill to get the ball there,” he said.

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“We need to see that more often.

“Once we create opportunity, we need to have the belief to take it.”

One man that won’t be in Brisbane is promising backrower Rob Valetini, who had surgery on his knee on Wednesday.

McKellar said the best case scenario for a return is a six to eight week absence, with the worst frame in the 10 to 12 week ball park.

The Brumbies head to Brisbane to face the Reds at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, kicking off at 7:45pm AEDT, broadcast LIVE on FOX SPORTS and on RUGBY.com.au radio. 

Jordan Uelese’s season is all but over, with the Wallabies confirming a suspected ACL rupture for the hooker.

The likely Wallabies starter had played just 10 minutes in the second half of Melbourne’s win over the Blues when an attempted tackle on Akira Ioane left him clutching his left knee.

He appeared to be in serious pain and was helped off the ground by two trainers.

It was initially hoped that Uelese may have only hurt his PCL but RUGBY.com.au understands the Rebels believe Uelese has ruptured his ACL.

The Wallabies confirmed those suspicions on Sunday, heading back to Melbourne for scans to confirm the diagnosis, a replacement hooker to be named on Monday.

It’s a devastating blow for the 21-year-old who, in Tatafu Polota-Nau’s absence, was the obvious choice to start at hooker against Ireland on Saturday.

Uncapped duo Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Folau Faingaa are the other hookers in the Wallabies squad, with Uelese’s Rebels teammate Anaru Rangi a chance of a call-up to the 33-man squad. 

Waratahs and capped Wallabies hooker Tolu Latu is another option, the only other rake with Test experience in Australia’s Super Rugby sides. 

The Uelese injury could leave the Wallabies completely devoid of Test experience, with Paenga-Amosa and Faingaa yet to make their international debuts.

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Ireland will be missing their first-choice hooker, captain Rory Best, with a hamstring injury. 

 The Wallabies take on Ireland in a three-Test June Series, kicking off on Saturday June 9 at 8pm AEST. Buy tickets here.

The Waratahs want to confront their slump head on as they prepare for their only derby game with Queensland in Brisbane next weekend.

After a 26-24 loss to the Kings, skipper Michael Hooper was frank when asked whether the team needed to spend some time apart, for the ‘soul-searching’ coach Daryl Gibson had said would be needed.

“We’re not in a position to get away,” he said.

The coming weeks will be close to Hooper’s most challenging as Waratahs captain, and he said there were important questions for everyone to answer.

Both Hooper and flyhalf Bernard Foley, among others on the field on Friday night, have been on the other side of the coin, in teams whose endeavour could never be questioned, a far cry from this NSW outfit.

“We’re in a tough place. There’s got to be a switch of momentum at some point, we’ve yet to feel that, we’re yet to get that,” Hooper said.

“Teams that get a roll on, it all turns positive, it all turns really exciting. 

“You want to be there, you want to do it. When things aren’t going well, are you going to be there? It’s harder to say. 

“I’m just disappointed we can’t get it together. 

“There’s no better feeling – I have been in those teams, in this jersey included, when you have it, it’s awesome it’s like nothing else. 

“All I want is guys to feel that and I want to feel it as well.”

Foley,  has also been at Moore Park for the lows and said this season was evocative of a 2012 where they won just four games under Michael Foley, who was gone at the end of the season.

“My first year 2012 was a low point and this is there but the thing about this is we’ve got a lot of games left in this season,” he said.

“It’s a low point ,100 percent, it’s a low point but you can only go one way and that’s back up.”

“We can’t change the world in a day, it’s going to have to be a continual process and (we need to) rock up with an attitude that we want to be better on Monday and keep fighting.”

Foley echoed Hoopers’ sentiments about mentality, a lingering problem for the Waratahs that has manifested itself in slow starts, slow finishes and, now, a rock-bottom loss.

“When you’re going well, everyone has faith and trust and belief in the system and just does their job,” Foley said.

“When there is that doubt, people just go out and try and solve the problem themselves, which ends up being detrimental to the team.”

For Foley, Hooper and the rest of the Waratahs leaders, the flyhalf said there was only one way they could set an example.

“Through our actions. Just keep turning up, doing everything we can do and controlling in our review and preparation and every time we take the field, in training, in gym sessions, in meetings.

“Just keep fronting up and being honest and reviewing for an outcome rather than just reviewing for the sake of it or dodging around the bullet.”

They’ll be right in the firing line again next weekend against the Reds and Hooper expects that will be motivation enough.

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Chiefs loose forward Michael Leitch says he has committed to play for the Sunwolves, possibly as early as next year.

Japan captain Leitch, 28, told Fairfax Media he has signed to play his Super Rugby for the Japanese franchise in 2019.

There a possibility he could represent the Sunwolves next year but that is still to be negotiated.

The 47-Test veteran says bringing many of Japan’s premier players together in the same Super Rugby team will be beneficial to their chances of performing well when they host the 2019 World Cup.

“If you look at it, it’s a great building block using the Super Rugby to build the (national) team,” he said.

One of his 18 Tests as skipper was the Brave Blossoms’ famous upset of South Africa at the 2015 World Cup.

Leitch has played 29 games for the Chiefs since his first match in 2015 and has been a consistently strong performer.

Their next match is against the Sunwolves, in Hamilton on Saturday.

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The Brumbies and Force had cause to celebrate last weekend.

Who were the standouts across the Australian conference?

1. Toby Smith

Toby Smith has bounced back from a long-term hamstring injury to be a cornerstone of the Rebels’ scrum. A reminder of why he was in the Wallabies World Cup mix just 18 months ago.

2. Tatafu Polota-Nau

Tatafu Polota-Nau was influential coming off the bench for the Force against the Reds on Friday, helping the WA franchise to a crucial win over Queensland.

3. Allan Alaalatoa

Allan Alaalatoa has done his Wallabies chances no harm with another strong performance in the Brumbies scrum. The 22-year-old was consistent again in Buenos Aires.

4. Sam Carter

Sam Carter has been a workhorse for his team this year and again set the tone in Argentina. Was rewarded with a try in their biggest overseas win since 2002.

5. Adam Coleman

Adam Coleman was the enforcer for his side against the Reds, but that was just a part of his influence. The Force’s lineout has found its way again with his return and that was critical on Friday night. The lock might not be meeting up with Stephen Moore for a coffee anytime soon, though.

6. Scott Fardy

Scott Fardy has rediscovered some of his pre-2016 form this season and was again a pillar in the Brumbies lineout. Finished with 13 tackles and a monstrous three turnovers.

7. Chris Alcock

Chris Alcock proved he has a few tricks up his sleeve, setting up a superb Tom Banks try with a pinpoint accurate kick on Sunday morning. The hardworking openside flanker finished with 12 tackles in Buenos Aires.

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8. Amanaki Mafi

Amanaki Mafi is a beast and he proved that again, as a shining light on a tough Rebels’ night. Finished with an immense 13 tackles and a turnover, as well as a lazy 129 run metres.

9. Nick Phipps

He only played 50 minutes but Nick Phipps was the Waratahs’ best when he was on the field, with the 28-year-old having worked his way back to form in recent weeks. An ankle sprain curtailed his night but provided plenty of spark in Dunedin.

10. Peter Grant

Peter Grant’s kicking proved the killer for the Force on Friday night, with the flyhalf slotting 18 points as the WA franchise got a big win over the Reds. Grant has come a long way, returning to the starting side after being out of favour for much of the year.

11. Henry Speight

Henry Speight is back to his 2014 form, after another super effort in the Brumbies’ win over the Jaguares. Finished with a try, but also made eight tackles against the elusive Argentinians.

12. Bill Meakes

Bill Meakes continued to bring what he has this season at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, but added a little bit of polish too. Meakes’s pass to put Curtis Rona in a gap proved crucial in the match as the Force ran out winners.

13. Tevita Kuridrani

Tevita Kuridrani has the inside line for the Wallabies’ 13 spot, after another consistent effort. He and Samu Kerevi have been neck and neck all year but the Brumbies centre may have just edged him,with 94 run metres and seven tackles against the Jaguares.

14.  Aidan Toua

Toua seems to be finding his feet on the wing and added some explosive power for the Brumbies in Argentina.

15. Tom Banks

Tom Banks showed off some of his potential with a brace against the Jaguares on Sunday morning. Showing some Chris Latham-esque qualities, and his stocks are rising quickly.

The Waratahs are putting the box kick back in its namesake as they prepare to shake off a season of slow starts against the Kings.

Poor kicking cost them dearly, particularly in their last game against the Hurricanes, with the defending champions leading 21-0 by the 12th minute.

Gibson said they’d spent their week off looking at their weaknesses and opted to put the box kick away.

“Against the Hurricanes in the first 11 minutes, we were down by 21 points and a lot of that was down to that box kicking situation ,where we’re not getting a contest, not getting good spread defensively and putting ourselves under pressure.

“So we’ve shelved the box kick for a while and put that in our back pocket and try something else.”

While their first 20 minutes has been a target, it’s  the minutes before half-time that have been the most costly on the scoreboard for the Waratahs this season.

In the second quarter of games, NSW has conceded 12 tries, the most of any team in Super Rugby, compared to scoring just  three.

Their nine conceded in the first 20 minutes is not much better, second only to the Sunwolves in terms of most conceded, though five of those have come in their last two matches, against the Crusaders and the Hurricanes.

Waratahs loosehead Paddy Ryan, who will combine with Tom Robertson in the front row on Friday night, said their slow starts were  probably a psychological issue.

“It’s not something we’ve seen in recent years here, we’ve actually probably been fast to start. I think it’s probably to do with more of a mental thing,” he said.

“Most teams, they don’t even use their eight substitutions so you’re still against the same 15 for most of the game,” he said.

“(That) to me suggests that we’ve just got to get in here a bit earlier, get ourselves involved in the game a bit earlier and then take that mental approach that we’re going hard from the start, not that we’re (thinking), ‘(We’ve got our) backs against the wall, let’s have a crack now’.”

Gibson said they’d worked on their defence as a whole, having gone through the first seven rounds with the second-lowest tackle strike rate (79.3 per cent) of any side, narrowly besting the Reds.

“I think we’ve been victims of not controlling those situations and putting ourselves under lots of pressure defensively,” he said.

Gibson said they would be wary of a Kings side fighting for its Super Rugby future, having very nearly been the victim of a desperate Rebels side in the same position in recent times.

“I know they’ll be galvanized by the news that’s swirling around them and the uncertainty they’re facing, it’s very similar to the Rebels’ situation,” he said.

“I’m sure they’re going to come out and fight and show real dogged determination that they still deserve to be in the competition.

“As I said to the team this morning ,we have to respect what they can do.

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“I think if we were in that same situation, you’d be saying the same thing to your team.”

The Waratahs take on the Kings on Friday night, kicking off at 7:45pm AEST, LIVE on FOX SPORTS and via radio on RUGBY.com.au.