News & Transactions:
Top 14: Clermont have reinforced their squad with the addition of two jokers to cover the absence of internationals during the Rugby World Cup. Ex-Saracens scrum-half and Wales Sevens player Jean-Baptiste Bruzulier joins from Worcester Warriors as cover for Morgan Parra. Former South Africa U21 hooker Pellow van der Westhuizen arrives from Colomiers.
Aviva Premiership: Reports suggest that issues with his immigration paperwork may have brought an end to Fijian flyer Sireli Naqelevuki‘s stay at Exeter Chiefs since a visa renewal looks unlikely… Tonga international prop Sila Puafisi could be set for a move from Gloucester to Pro12 champions Glasgow Warriors.
Pro 12: Former All Blacks full-back Mils Muliaina has appeared in court in Cardiff to face a charge of sexual assault from when he played a match for Connacht against Cardiff earlier in the year… Cardiff Blues have announced that back row forward Josh Navidi has pledged his future to the region after signing a long-term contract extension until at least 2019.
Super Rugby: New Zealand U20’s Junior World Cup-winning captain Atunaisa Moli has signed with the Chiefs for the next two years. The Waikato prop can play both sides of the scrum has impressed Chiefs coach Dave Rennie since being a part of the Chiefs Development program in 2014… Western Province confirmed that Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit will be furthering his career with the Stormers and Western Province.
USA Rugby: The USA Rugby Girls High School All-Americans powered by ATAVUS finished off a perfect weekend against Canadian opposition for the governing body’s international sides Sunday with a 45-17 defeat of BC Rugby U18 Women’s at Brentwood College School… the USA Rugby AIG Women’s Junior All-Americans to a 32-5 defeat of Canada Saturday in the second leg of the Under-20 Can-Am Series powered by ATAVUS.
World Rugby News: Rugby World Cup 2011 final referee Craig Joubert will join the sevens circuit ahead of the Olympic Games… Mauro Bergamasco will equal Brian Lima of Samoa‘s record and play in a fifth Rugby World Cup after being named in Italy’s 31-man squad for England 2015… Highly experienced former Canada and Australia sevens head coach Geraint John has return to his homeland after being appointed to the new role of Welsh Rugby Union Elite Coach Development Manager… Japan staged a remarkable comeback to win the qualifying tournament and will take their place alongside Ireland as a core team on the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series in 2015-16.
The weekend’s fixtures:
Top 14: The 10 month rugby season, known as the #Top14 is back. And if the #Top14 is back that means so to is our Ligue Nationale de Rugby expert . Click here for his wonderful review of round 1 and be on the lookout for his season preview.
World Cup Warm-up: With only a few warm-up matches left, before the World Cup. Teams are truly trying hard to get their roster set for the big show. This weekend that meant we saw Italy fall short at home to Scotland, England unable to overcome a dismal performance against France and Japan dominate Uruguay. Finally Canada’s losing streak against the United States is now at 3 games. Our house statistician and hardcore Eagle fan,
Here are the results:
Sat – 22nd Aug 15
France 25 – 20 England
Italy 12 – 16 Scotland
Japan 30 – 8 Uruguay
Canada 23 -41 United States
Premiership 7s: The Premiership Rugby Sevens Series is a 7s competition for the 12 Aviva Premiership Clubs that will play the following season. From this, loads of young talent are discovered. The premiership 7s is now followed by a World Club 7s tournament, which is the brainchild of the Premiership 7s branding team. The play-in qualifier for entry into England’s Premiership Rugby 7s was played in Cardiff at the Cardiff Arms Park over the weekend. As a sign of the growth of the tournament is that the 4 Welsh regions have decided to play in the English club 7s tournament, the premier pro club 7s tournament. Newport Gwent Dragons and Scarlets 7s are the Welsh teams to qualify for the Premiership Rugby 7s Series Final. The Welsh team will be joined by the 3 pool winners (Gloucester, Wasps and Newcastle) and the 3 pool runner-ups (Exeter, Harlequins, Sale).
Here are the results:
Sat – 15th Aug 15
Group A (Welsh Regions)
Cardiff Blues 7s 24 – 33 Ospreys 7s
Newport Gwent Dragons 7s 19 – 24 Scarlets 7s
Newport Gwent Dragons 7s 31 – 14 Ospreys 7s
Cardiff Blues 7s 5 – 26 Scarlets 7s
Ospreys 7s 17 – 12 Scarlets 7s
Cardiff Blues 7s 19 – 31 Newport Gwent Dragons 7s
Thu – 20th Aug 15
Group B
Gloucester Rugby 7s 36 – 5 Exeter Chiefs 7s
Bath Rugby 7s 26 – 0 London Irish 7s
Bath Rugby 7s 10 – 26 Exeter Chiefs 7s
Gloucester Rugby 7s 31 – 7 London Irish 7s
Exeter Chiefs 7s 43 – 0 London Irish 7s
Gloucester Rugby 7s 24 – 7 Bath Rugby 7s
Fri – 21st Aug 15
Group C
Wasps 7s 40 – 14 Harlequins 7s
Saracens 7s 12 – 31 Northampton Saints 7s
Saracens 7s 24 – 17 Harlequins 7s
Wasps 7s 49 – 5 Northampton Saints 7s
Harlequins 7s 26 – 12 Northampton Saints 7s
Wasps 7s 33 – 10 Saracens 7s
Sat – 22nd Aug 15
Group D
Newcastle Falcons 7s 50 – 12 Leicester Tigers 7s
Worcester Warriors 7s 19 – 19 Sale Sharks 7s
Worcester Warriors 7s 27 – 5 Leicester Tigers 7s
Newcastle Falcons 7s 33 – 12 Sale Sharks 7s
Leicester Tigers 7s 5 – 40 Sale Sharks 7s
Newcastle Falcons 7s 40 – 12 Worcester Warriors 7s
ITM Cup: For our preview of the season, CLICK HERE. The second round began with Wellington demolishing North Harbour and Tasman cruised by Bay of Plenty. We saw Manawatu fall short against Waikato, Northland lose to Southland, Otago were no match for Hawkes Bay, Auckland did just enough to defeat defending champs Taranaki and Canterbury bested Counties-Manukau to close out the weekend.
Here are the results:
Thu – 20th Aug 15
North Harbour 0 – 43 Wellington
Fri – 21st Aug 15
Tasman 34 – 13 Bay Of Plenty
Sat – 22nd Aug 15
Manawatu 21 – 28 Waikato
Northland 18 – 27 Southland
Otago 22 – 39 Hawkes Bay
Sun – 23rd Aug 15
Auckland 30 – 24 Taranaki
Canterbury 20 – 15 Counties Manukau
Currie Cup: The 77th edition of the Currie Cup kicked off last weekend and you can find our preview HERE. As for round 3, this weekend, we will see the Eastern Province Kings lost a heart-breaker to the Pumas, Griquas were thrashed by the Free State Cheetahs. The Natal Sharks were easy pray for the Golden Lions and finally the Blue Bulls throughly defeated Western Province.
Here is the schedule:
Fri – 21st Aug 15
Eastern Province Kings 13 – 15 Pumas
Griquas 9 – 31 Free State Cheetahs
Sat – 22nd Aug 15
Natal Sharks 16 – 31 Golden Lions
Blue Bulls 47-29 Western Province
Aus. NRC: Australia’s third tier competition goes into its second year as the National Rugby Championship kicked off yesterday. We took the time to provide a preview and explain the competition, just CLICK HERE. Those with New York Rugby Club ties like me, will be supporting the defending champs Brisbane City since one of their feeder clubs, is New York’s sister club West (Brisbane) Bulldogs. Brisbane City started this like they finished last season with a strong performance and win against the Perth Spirit. This weekend saw the North Harbour Rays have no answer to the Sydney Stars in a match-up of crosstown rivals. The Greater Sydney Rams lost by the narrowest margin possible to the NSW Country Eagles and finally Queensland Country were outplayed by the Melbourne Rising.
Here are the results:
Thu – 20th Aug 15
Brisbane City 29–16 Perth Spirit
Here is the weekend’s schedule:
Sat – 22nd Aug 15
North Harbour Rays 29 – 45 Sydney Stars
Greater Sydney Rams 31 – 32 NSW Country Eagles
Sun – 23rd Aug 15
Queensland Country 31 – 39 Melbourne Rising
That’s it for now! Feel free to comment below, look for and “Like” our Facebook Rugby Wrap Up Page and follow us on Twitter@: RugbyWrapUp, Junoir Blaber, James Harrington, Jamie Wall, Nick Hall, DJ Eberle, Jake Frechette, Scheenagh Harrington, Jamie Loyd, Cody Kuxmann, Karen Ritter, Audrey Youn, Akweley Okine, Rocky Brown and Declan Yeats, respectively.
And as always, stay low and keep pumping those legs!
