Super Rugby round 12 is just around the corner and it’s now or never for several teams, including the Crusaders, Waratahs and Western Force, hoping to make the playoffs. Fortunately for those teams, some big names are back. All Blacks duo Codie Taylor and Tamaiti Williams have been rushed into the side by Rob Penney for their must-win clash against the Highlanders under the roof in Dunedin. The Waratahs haven’t wasted any time in calling in Pone Fa’amausili, while the Force have named Test duo Nic White and Izack Rodda in their starting side. Scroll on down for all your team news. Friday Moan ..read more

Denied at first, the NSW Waratahs have managed to secure World Cup Wallaby Pone Fa’amausili, as well as Argentine international Enrique Pieretto, on loan deals as Darren Coleman’s men battle an unprecedented injury toll up front. With Fa’amausili sitting on the sidelines behind fellow Wallabies Taniela Tupou and Sam Talakai at the Rebels, The Roar understands Waratahs coach Coleman put through a request to bring the wrecking-ball prop up to Sydney late last month. But it’s believed the Waratahs were originally knocked back, with the Rebels, who are on track to seal their maiden finals berth ..read more

The Junior Wallabies have responded in the best possible fashion from their first-up loss to Argentina in the under-20s Rugby Championship by defeating the Junior Springboks 24-19 at Sunshine Coast Stadium. After a demoralising 25-6 to Argentina last week, a vastly improved effort from the forwards, a double to Shane Wilcox and the boot of Cullen Gray proved to be the difference. While physicality and set-piece prowess are the hallmarks of South African rugby, the Junior Wallabies did a number on their rivals up front. Indeed, their rolling maul, with Ottavio Tuipulotu – the younger brothers o ..read more

Let’s not mince words here: many an Australian commentator and rugby fan was dreading Rounds Ten and 11 this year in Super Rugby Pacific. Coming into the last fortnight, Australia’s Super Rugby sides were enjoying a resurgence in form compared to previous seasons – which in all honesty, have had a massive impact on the discourse around the competition.  Sure, the insane decline of the Crusaders likely dominates any other on-field narrative that has come out of the 2024 regular season, but the fact the trans-Tasman head-to-head stood at 8-7 in favour of the Kiwis going into Round Ten – wit ..read more

Anyone who goes to watch a rugby game in Australia will be familiar with the loud and often aggressive voices from the stands urging players to stop kicking. This cultural phenomenon can be witnessed at club and school games, no matter the age group or level of representation.  It would appear that to kick a rugby ball is un-Australian. More Rugby Australia's SRP sides may have fallen at trans-Tasman hurdle - but three signs point to a closing gap Australian rugby is so reluctant to develop a kicking game - and that's a big mistake The big step back Cheika needs to take if he ever wants ..read more

If Michael Cheika is serious about becoming an NRL coach, he needs to pay his dues with a stint as an assistant or his unlikely ambition will never come to fruition.  Cheika has expressed his interest in the vacancy at South Sydney and just like last year when the Wests Tigers and Dragons gigs came up, he is in the mix but unlikely to receive an offer.  It’s not that he couldn’t do the job but NRL CEOs will be unwilling to take a punt on the former Wallabies mentor unless they see him do the hard yards in their environment.  Cheika has demonstrated he possesses great knowledge a ..read more

The Singapore Sevens was a weird tournament for the Aussie teams but at the same time delivered as expected with both New Zealand teams winning. The Australian men came fourth, the women second – both good results but it didn’t feel all that good. Maybe the enjoyment of the results was overshadowed by the injuries. To add to the weirdness some of the other teams’ results were just odd. More Rugby The big step back Cheika needs to take if he ever wants to snare an NRL coaching gig The Singapore Sevens threw up some weird and surprising results - that was except for the dominance of the Kiwis ..read more

I went and watched the Manly Marlins v the Gordon Highlanders in Sydney club rugby from the women’s to the first grade. All teams gave it one hell of a go and were celebrating in success or devastated in a loss. This is what the sport of rugby is all about and it dawned on me the difference between that and the professional level, particularly Super Rugby. More Rugby The big step back Cheika needs to take if he ever wants to snare an NRL coaching gig The Singapore Sevens threw up some weird and surprising results - that was except for the dominance of the Kiwis, of course It's hard to tell if ..read more

Australian rugby is breathing a sigh of relief after in-form centre Hunter Paisami turned down a massive deal in England to stay at Les Kiss’ Queensland Reds. The Roar broke the news last week that Paisami was moving closer to join the Exeter Chiefs on a long-term deal after Rugby Australia couldn’t provide the same security. But after the governing body initially only wanted to offer Paisami a one-year top-up deal, The Roar can reveal RA has come back to the table and offered the 26-year-old a two-year extension. The deal not only provides Paisami and his young family security but will be we ..read more

Under Les Kiss, the Queensland Reds have flipped the script. They’ve gone from a side that won two of their previous 15 trans-Tasman fixtures across the previous three seasons to winning three of five matches in 2024. Additionally, their points differential record has gone from -77 in 2023, -85 in 2022 and -84 in 2021 to +30 in five fixtures against traditional New Zealand opposition this season. It’s also the first time since 2013 that the Reds have won three matches in a season against New Zealand. What’s more, the two defeats they have had in 2024 have come off the last play of the match ..read more