After this weekend there will be five more rounds of Super Rugby Pacific and then the finals. So, let’s reflect on the five biggest disappointments, surprises and unknowns this season. Surprises 1. Advance Australia, Fair or Not Much of the time, Aussies consume Super Rugby standings in three ways: how is my team doing, how many Aussie teams are better than the Highlanders, and will an Aussie team be in the Grand Final? For four fifths of fans, the first question was joyless, the second answer was one or two, and the last one was just nah. In 2023, three Aussie teams topped the Landers and non ..read more

The short weeks are done and dusted, with six more games in the regular season before we head into finals. The Crowd extended their lead on the tipping panel last week ahead of Christy, while Nick stays on his heels. All four panellists came up with two from two last week and there are plenty of differences of opinion to keep things interesting this time around. Make sure you check out Christy Doran Crusaders, Chiefs, Drua, Force, Brumbies, Blues Jeez, it’s business time with tipping and similarly crunch time in the competition.  With five trans-Tasman fixtures, we’ll find out who’s who ..read more

The Melbourne Rebels may have traded while insolvent for more than five years, giving rise to potential breach of director duty claims for the $16.8 million in debts incurred since then, according to a report released by the club’s administrators. In his long-awaited report to Rebels creditors owed a total of $23.1 million, administrator Stephen Longley concludes: “My preliminary view is that the Company may have traded whilst insolvent from 31 December 2018, and that it is likely that all debts that remain unpaid were incurred which could result in an insolvent trading claim exceeding $16.8m ..read more

The ACT Brumbies’ struggles against New Zealand opposition in 2024 has been both a shock. The side is heavily laden with Wallabies and has strong cohesion from years gone by, and what makes their struggles against the top Kiwi sides all the more worrying is that in recent years they’ve been the only Australian side to consistently challenge and beat their trans-Tasman cousins. The 46-12 thrashing against the Chiefs in Melbourne for Super Round was perhaps more palatable considering their below standard defensive figures in two consecutive weeks. In the post-match conference, head coach Stephe ..read more

If the stories are true, George Nepia, famed All Black fullback, was selected for the All Blacks on their “Invincibles” tour as a sixteen-year-old player. In an interview with Michael Romanos, Nepia revealed he was born in 1908 rather than 1905 or 1904 as some records show. In the interview he stated that he raised his age by three years to ensure he made the All Black trials in 1924, knowing that selectors would not pick a 16-year-old teenager. Nepia also advised that players should be picked at an early age if they have mastered basic rugby skills. More Rugby George Nepia made his New Zeala ..read more

And then, there were two. The NSW Waratahs and Fijian Drua will meet at Ballymore to decide who lifts the Super Rugby Women’s trophy, and it couldn’t fall at a better time as news of increased investment in the women’s game was announced earlier this week. With the Pacific Four series now on the horizon, this match looms as an ideal way to close out the professional domestic season: and serve as a thrilling appetiser to what we’ll see later in both Wallaroo gold and in flying Fijian style! See all the team news below. The Waratahs have named a settled side for the clash, looking to replicate ..read more

Ned Hanigan is one of the in-form forwards in Australian rugby who looks set to finally turn promise into quality on the international stage, but the Waratahs are in a fight to keep the services of the Wallaby. The Roar can reveal that ambitious French pro d2 club Provence, who are currently second, is targeting the 29-year-old, with a decision on his future believed to be imminent. It’s the same French club that recently signed British and Irish Lions star George North. It’s understood Rugby Australia has offered Hanigan a national top-up, but it’s unlikely the governing body will be able to ..read more

After a few weeks of byes Super Rugby is back to all hands on deck in round 10 with some huge clashes on the schedule. See all the teams and news as it unfolds below. (All times are AEST) Friday Crusaders vs Rebels, 5.05pm All Blacks star Scott Barrett will make a timely return for the Crusaders as Rob Penney’s bottom-placed side takes on the Rebels at home. The Crusaders skipper has been missing since the early rounds of the competition and he comes in for Jamie Hannah, who drops back to the bench. Penney has made several tweaks to his tight-five, with George Bower and Fletcher Newell replaci ..read more

Super Rugby Pacific have named a key staffer of the A-Leagues football competition as their first CEO. Jack Mesley, who will commence in the role on July 22, is currently the Chief Commercial Officer at Australian Professional A-Leagues. Mesley said in a statement he was excited by the opportunity “to engage with the competition and the fans, to help deliver the best possible entertainment product and to drive deeper engagement with the game. “This is a monumental step for the unions and clubs to come together with a real intent to grow Super Rugby Pacific and put fans at the centre,” Mesley ..read more

As calls grow for the entire Rugby Australia board to be overthrown, new chairman Daniel Herbert described the agitators behind the movement as hypocrites and mudslingers. Ahead of next week’s Annual General Meeting, a collection of former Wallabies, ARU coaches and directors, who call themselves the Supporters of Australian Rugby Reform, called for a total cleanout of the RA board. The recent calls come after Herbert, as well as RA chief executive Phil Waugh, sat on the board and were involved in the high performance committee that presided over the Wallabies’ worst World Cup campaign last ye ..read more