Rugby Championship

Vanuatu Rugby Union championship kick starts today

The country’s closing rugby tournament of the year will see the teams participating in 15’s rugby, with three women’s team confirmed for the competition.

The men’s team include USP, Ifira, Shepherds and Ovins and the women’s teams are Warriors, Ovins and Shepherds.

The women’s division will open with a match between Ovins and Warriors at 4.30pm.

Men’s Fixtures;

Nov 4; Ovins vs Ifira

Nov 5; Shepherds vs USP

Nov 11; Ovins vs USP

Nov 12; Shepherds vs Ifira

     

Springboks pull out of Rugby Championship

RNZ has been told that the South Africans have decided they won't take part in the tournament in Australia.

The Springboks have cited player welfare and the need for government approval as sticking points in taking part in the competition.

The South Africans had to leave for Australia this weekend to fulfil their quarantine requirements in time.

South Africa's withdrawal means that the other three teams will share a bye each week of the tournament.

Pumas look to European players for Rugby Championship boost

Boffelli is among the squad’s home-based players currently in quarantine in Sydney, where all members produced negative results in the latest round of COVID-19 tests conducted.

He says there is mounting excitement among the team, who are preparing under the eye of coach Mario Ledesma and their consultant, former Australia coach Michael Cheika, especially with the influx of their European-based players early next week.

Springboks given 48-hour deadline for Rugby Championship decision

The southern hemisphere championship, which also includes Australia, New Zealand and Argentina, will be held entirely in Australia this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rugby South Africa said last weekend that "several hurdles" needed to be cleared before they could confirm the Springboks' participation and that they hoped to make a decision early this week.

Springboks may withdraw from The Rugby Championship

South African Rugby are set to announce whether or not they will participate in the seven-week tournament in Australia, starting later this month with a Test between the Wallabies and All Blacks.

Many of the Argentine players have already arrived in Australia but there are ongoing concerns about the Springboks’ lack of preparation, with their players only just resuming Super Rugby after a six month delay due to COVID-19.

The Springboks haven’t played together since winning the World Cup final against England in Japan last November.

Two weeks to sort Rugby Championship saga

Chairman Brent Impey said all options remain on the table regarding the tournament, to be held in Australia from November 7 to December 12, including the All Blacks boycotting their final game.

RNZ understands New Zealand Rugby are pushing hard to move the final game forward to Wednesday December 9, but that would rob the competition of it's final weekend double header and likely affect the potential revenue made from the match.

That could mean NZR may be asked by Rugby Australia to soak up some of that financial loss if RA were to agree to shift the date of the game.

Australia to host Rugby Championship as NZ loses out

All four teams will take part.

New Zealand will host Australia in two Bledisloe Cup tests before the Rugby Championship.

The tournament was moved from its traditional August-September window due to the ongoing effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The tournament will comprise a six-week, 12-match, "home and away" tournament involving Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Australia want to host Rugby Championship "hub"

After a two-month lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19, Australian authorities have allowed sports to restart domestic competition but international fixtures remain in doubt due to travel curbs and border controls.

"We're exploring with the Australian government whether that can be a bubble here in Australia and we fly in all of the SANZAAR partners and they are in a training bubble and then we can quarantine effectively and play a competition," RA interim CEO Rob Clarke said on Tuesday.

Squire opens up about physical and mental health

Before the Rugby Championship the Highlanders loosie told All Blacks coach Steve Hansen he wasn't ready for Test rugby and this week he was left out of the World Cup squad.

On social media Squire has opened up about what he's been going through, saying he didn't feel "physically or mentally" ready for the pressures of test rugby.

Mid-season "catch-ups" helping build Test bonds: Sio

But the Wallabies’ pack must apply consistency back up their performance against the All Blacks in Perth next week, or risk losing the positive impact on their reputation as scrummagers.

After sitting out the Johannesburg Test with injury, Sio’s return in Brisbane to a front row also containing Folau Faingaa and Sekope Kepu helped the Wallabies scrum turn in a dominant show over the Pumas.

Encouragingly for coach Michael Cheika, the dominance continued when the bench front rowers were rolled out in the second half; James Slipper, Taniela Tupou and Tolu Latu.