Rugby
26th August
Rampant England thrash Ireland to lay down World Cup marker
LONDON (Reuters) – England delivered a command performance to delight a sun-drenched Twickenham on Saturday as they ran in eight tries in a record 57-15 rout of Ireland in a World Cup warm-up that would...
25th August
Scotland bounce back to beat France 17-14
EDINBURGH (Reuters) – A much-changed Scotland bounced back strongly from last week’s thrashing by France by winning the return fixture 17-14 at Murrayfield on Saturday, though neither team will take much joy from what was a scrappy World Cup warm-up clash. After last week’s 32-3 humiliation in Nice, the Scots made 14 changes, with only...
Chip on shoulder fuelling Ashley-Cooper’s World Cup fire
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – The thatch of grey hair swept back from the forehead of Adam Ashley-Cooper is one of the more obvious reminders of the longevity of one of the most versatile players to ever pull on the gold Australia jersey. The man nicknamed “Mr Fix-it”, for filling holes in the Wallabies backline, has been...
Laidlaw urges ailing Scots to lift performance against France
(Reuters) – Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw has urged his team mates to forget their lacklustre performance against France in Nice last weekend as they prepare to host the same opponents at Murrayfield on Saturday. Scotland were well beaten 32-3 on the French south coast, but have an immediate chance for revenge on home soil as...
24th August
Rugby Academy overwhelmed with clinic response
ABOUT 200 kids showed up at the Rugby Academy of Fiji Milo Tag Rugby Festival at Albert Park in Suva. The tournament featured teams from all over the Suva area competing in a game of tag rugby with five boys’ grade and two girl’s grade. Founder Seremaia Bai said it was an overwhelming feeling to...
Tonga match vital for Flying Fijians
THE Fiji Airways Flying Fijians team against Tonga next weekend will be vital for the Fijian boys as head coach John McKee tests his combination for their first Rugby World Cup pool match against Australia next month. McKee has been trying out various combinations during the New Zealand Maori Test matches and the Pacific Nations...
Kids learn rugby skills
RUGBY Academy Fiji Milo Holiday Clinic drew in a large crowd of young rugby enthusiasts during its one-week program at the Albert Park in Suva. Rugby Academy Fiji founder Seremaia Bai said the rugby clinic teaches the kids more than just rugby. “It is always nice to see the kids coming in and enjoying themselves,...
Coach McKee: More workload for backline
FLYING Fijians head coach John McKee is focusing on their defence as they prepare for their game against Tonga next week. McKee said for the remaining days left before the clash in Auckland, they would be putting a lot of workload on their backline. “At this moment we are focusing on our own game and...
Flying Fijians duo to test strength
THE Fiji Airways Flying Fijians team has two X-factors in the front row who can create something when given a space to test their strengths and pace at the Rugby World Cup in Tokyo, Japan, next month. Local-based Fiji Airways Flying Fijians hooker Mesulame Dolokoto and France-based loose-head prop Peni Ravai both share a common...
Cheika names Pocock, uncapped Petaia in World Cup squad
SYDNEY (Reuters) – An upbeat Michael Cheika said he had no concerns about the fitness of David Pocock after naming the loose forward in his World Cup squad on Friday but the Australia coach would not be drawn on how he planned to use him. Barring the inclusion of uncapped teenager Jordan Petaia as a...
‘Kamikaze kids’ Curry and Underhill start for England
BAGSHOT, England (Reuters) – Tom Curry and Sam Underhill – dubbed the “kamikaze kids” by coach Eddie Jones – will line up either side of Billy Vunipola in an exciting, highly mobile England back row for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up match against Ireland at Twickenham. Captain Owen Farrell will start his first game of the...
Former England international Haskell to try hand at MMA
(Reuters) – Former England rugby international James Haskell has signed a deal with mixed martial arts promotion Bellator MMA and will compete in the heavyweight division, the 34-year-old confirmed on Thursday. While the date has not been set for his professional MMA debut, British media reported Haskell is expected to continue training for the remainder...
23rd August
Dolokoto ready to give his best for Fiji
FIJI’S Mesulame Dolokoto is ready to give his best for his country when he dons the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians jersey in Japan during the Rugby World Cup next month. One of the youngest rep to represent Fiji, he has a huge role in the hooker position to accomplish after all the pressure in training...
Four Fijians named in Wallabies for 2019 RWC
WALLABIES coach Michael Cheika has named four Fijian players in his 2019 Rugby World Cup team. After some powerful performance for their clubs and Australia during the Super Rugby, Rugby Championship and Bledisloe trophy competitions, hardworking number eight Isi Naisarani will join fellow countrymen and backline players Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete and Tevita Kuridrani in...
Naqelevuki says Flying Fijians RWC squad very competitive
FORMER Fiji 7s and 15s rugby team utility back Sireli Naqelevuki rates the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians squad to the Rugby World Cup to be very competitive unlike any other Fijian side. The former Super Rugby Stormers winger said in past years, Fiji had always lacked in certain areas as a team but there are...
$2.54m to boost Flying Fijians RWC preparation
THE Fiji National Sports Commission chairperson Peter Mazey presented a cheque for $2,546,000 to the Fiji Rugby Union for the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians squad to prepare for the Rugby World Cup in Japan next month. Present during the sponsorship at the ANZ Stadium was the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians head coach John McKee and...
Flying Fijian Veitokani counts his blessing
ALIVERETI Veitokani recalled a few years back when he was playing local rugby 7s and 15s competition hoping to don the national Flying Fijians jersey but he never thought that moment was around the corner. As the former Fijian Drua flyhalf ran his way through the development stages of Fiji rugby until he gained a...
Olympian Mata sets RWC target
OLYMPIC gold medallist Viliame Mata wants to open another page to his own piece of history to be part of the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians team that will create wonders in the Rugby World Cup in Japan next month. The Yasawa lad was part of the historical Fiji rugby 7s team that won the gold...
Skipper Radrodro expects team to step up and defend title
FIJI Airways Fijian Drua’s new captain Eremasi Radrodro expects the team to step up in their bid to defend the National Rugby Championship title. Radrodro replaces Mosese Voka who has been named in the Flying Fijians squad for the upcoming Rugby World Cup. The 31-year-old has a wealth of experience having played for the Flying...
Rugby: England’s Te’o to join Toulon as World Cup cover
LONDON (Reuters) – Ben Te’o has agreed a short-term deal with Toulon following his omission from England’s Rugby World Cup squad, the French Top 14 club said on Wednesday. England coach Eddie Jones left the centre out of his 31-man squad last week, and Te’o will now be unavailable for selection as an injury replacement...
Contentious North try prompts World Rugby rule change
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – World Rugby has changed a rule governing restarts in the wake of George North’s contentious try for Wales in their 13-6 win over England in Cardiff on Saturday. Wales winger North scored in the 34th minute while England had yet to send on a temporary replacement for scrumhalf Willi Heinz, who had...
22nd August
FRU presented $2.54m cheque for Flying Fijians RWC preparation
FIJI National Sports Commission chairman Peter Mazey presented a cheque of $2,546,000 to the Fiji Rugby Union for the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians squad to the Rugby World Cup in Japan next month. Present at the sponsorship at the ANZ Stadium was the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians head coach, John McKee, and Fiji Rugby Union...
Rugby clinic attracts young rugby enthusiasts
RUGBY Academy Fiji Milo Holiday Clinic drew in a large crowd of young rugby enthusiasts during its one-week program at the Albert Park in Suva today. Rugby Academy Fiji founder Seremaia Bai said he was pleased with the development of the sport in the country as more organisations and groups organised rugby clinics for young...
Nadroga continues commitment with Clermont
AFTER joining Clermont at the end of 2014 in the Top 14 French rugby competition, Alivereti Raka has never looked back. He was one of the players who went through the Nadroga rugby system. The winger who is part of the France team to the Rugby World Cup in Japan this year had a one-month...
Seniloli confident of good RWC outing
FIJI Airways Flying Fijians halfback Henry Seniloli is confident of putting up a good performance for his country as they prepare for the Rugby World Cup next which will be held in Japan next month. The 30-year-old said his main motivation was his family and his yearn to represent Fiji in the World Cup. “I...
Caucau: Do your country proud
FORMER Flying Fijians winger Rupeni Caucau believes Fiji can create upsets at the upcoming Rugby World Cup and return home with a positive result. Caucau, who played at the 2003 RWC congratulated the 32 players named by coach John McKee but reminded them to do their country proud. “The message to them is that they...
Wallabies legends share spirit of rugby
APIA, 22 AUGUST 2019 (SAMOA OBSERVER) – Australian Wallabies legends continued their tour of Samoa on Tuesday in Upolu, spreading the spirit of rugby with a visit to Samoa Primary School. Pa’u Iakopo, Principal of Samoa Primary School, welcomed former Wallaby internationals Justin Harrison, Morgan Turinui and Lote Tuqiri to the school, where a coaching...
RWC 2019 set for broadcast innovation and records
TOKYO, 22 AUGUST 2019 (WORLD RUGBY) – With one month to go until Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, Asia’s first tournament will set new standards in rugby broadcast production, providing a record global footprint and attracting new fans and showcasing the sport in higher quality than ever before. Underscoring its mission to grow the...
21st August
Fit-again Vunipola eager for England return against Ireland
(Reuters) – England prop Mako Vunipola is yearning to make his long-awaited comeback in Saturday’s World Cup warm-up match against Ireland after recovering form a hamstring injury that had sidelined him for three months. Vunipola was injured in Saracens’ Champions Cup final win over Leinster in May and the 28-year-old required surgery that ruled him...
Fijian Drua resumes training
THE Fiji Airways Fijian Drua resumed their second week of training in Nadi this afternoon ahead of the opening fixture National Rugby Championship against Brisbane City at the GPS Rugby Club ground in Brisbane next Saturday. Fijian Drua coach Senirusi Seruvakula expects a tougher challenge to defend their NRL title this year. The 33-member squad...
