Behind the Ruck

RWC 2019: Quarter Final Previews Pt 2 with Simon Cron

In Part 2 of our Quarter Final previews, former Waratahs assistant coach Simon Cron talks about the rise of the Brave Blossoms and their impact on the sport in the Land of the Rising Sun, and the remaining two clashes between hosts Japan and South Africa, and Wales and France…
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RWC 2019: Quarter Final Previews Pt 1 with Simon Cron

The phoney war is over as the 2019 Rugby World Cup reaches the pointy end, with the eight remaining teams contesting the Quarter Finals this weekend. Former Waratahs assistant coach Simon Cron, now based in Japan, runs the rule over each knockout clash.
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RWC 2019 Pool Game 36: Sexton on song as Ireland overcome Samoa

This was more like it, Ireland overcoming a red card to overpower Samoa 47-5 in Fukuoka last night, and put themselves back in the frame as a Rugby World Cup contender.
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RWC 2019 Pool Game 29: Reinach on fire as Boks run rampant

A devastating first half has helped South Africa towards a 66-7 dismantling of Canada in Kobe, the Springboks racking up 10 tries as they booked a place in the Quarter-Finals.
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RWC 2019 Pool Game 26: Superb Japan stay the course to see off Samoa

Japan’s World Cup odyssey continued last night with a hard-fought but well-deserved 38-19 defeat of Samoa in front of a jubilant home crowd in Toyota.
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RWC 2019 Pool Game 23: Springboks too strong for powerless Italians

The World Cup dreams of Italy – and their talismanic captain Sergio Parisse who retires at the tournament’s end – have been shattered after a 49-3 humbling at the hands of an impressive and powerful South Africa in Shizuoka.
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RWC 2019 Pool Game 22: Ireland labour to victory over stoic Bears

Ireland have got their World Cup campaign back on track with a 35-0 defeat of Russia in Kobe, going some way towards putting the horror show against hosts Japan to rest. But given they were playing the 20th ranked team in the world, and a Russian side forced to play for 20 minutes a man down after two yellow cards, this wasn’t quite the one-sided try-fest that was predicted, or indeed expected.
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RWC 2019 Pool Game 21: Flying Fijians back on song to demolish Lelos

Fiji have made some amends for their shock loss to Uruguay, seeing off a brave first half effort from Georgia to run in seven tries in a 45-10 victory in rain-soaked Osaka.
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RWC 2019 Pool Game 20: All Blacks tick over nicely against Canada

Not only did three brothers start for New Zealand for the first time ever in a Rugby World Cup match, but all three scored as well, as the All Blacks put away Canada 63-0 with the minimum of fuss in Oita yesterday, racking up nine tries in the process.
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RWC 2019 Pool Game 19: Much-improved USA push Les Bleus all the way

A heroic effort from the USA Eagles has pushed a spluttering France all the way in Fukoaka, Les Bleus eventually running out 33-9 victors after leading by just three with 15 minutes to play.
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Vale Jeff Sayle: Randwick legend remembered

Posted on October 2, 2019 by Paul Cook Leave a comment

Australian rugby and Sydney club rugby in particular, has lost one of it’s legendary characters with the sad passing of Jeff Sayle, after a lengthy and courageous health battle. He was 77-years-old.

Club Rugby

Waratahs announce Rob Penney as new head coach

Posted on October 2, 2019 by Paul Cook Leave a comment

The NSW Waratahs have finally revealed their new head coach, with kiwi Rob Penney putting pen to paper on a three-year deal that will take him up to the end of the 2022 Super Rugby season.

Super Rugby

RWC 2019 Pool Game 18: Scotland bounce back to smash off-key Samoa

Posted on October 1, 2019 by Paul Cook Leave a comment

Scotland needed something tangible to cling to after the listless effort against Ireland in their opening pool game, and they got exactly what they were looking for with a 34-0 bonus-point win over Samoa in hot and sticky Kobe last night to get their World Cup campaign back on track.

RWC 2019

RWC 2019 Pool Game 14: Japan shock again as Ireland left stunned

Posted on September 29, 2019 by Paul Cook One comment

They’ve only gone and done it again. Four years after the ‘Brighton Miracle’, Japan have set their home tournament alight with a sensational 19-12 defeat of highly-fancied Ireland in Shizuoka.

RWC 2019

RWC 2019 Pool Game 13: Pumas claim bonus but Tonga hang tough

Posted on September 29, 2019 by Paul Cook Leave a comment

It was another game of two halves for hot and cold Argentina against Tonga in Osaka yesterday, the Pumas racking up a bonus point by half-time but failing to score in the second half as the ‘Ikale Tahi fought back to go down 28-12.

RWC 2019

RWC 2019 Pool Game 10: Uruguay stun Fiji in emotional Kamaishi

Posted on September 26, 2019 by Paul Cook Leave a comment

The 2019 Rugby World Cup has been set alight by it’s first upset, with unfancied Uruguay stunning Fiji 30-27 in an emotional occasion at Kamaishi Memorial Stadium, with the game preceded by a tribute to the members of the local community lost in the devastating tsunami of 2011.