Impressive All Blacks once again claim Rugby Championship title

New Zealand retained both the Rugby Championship title and Bledisloe Cup after they after hammered Australia 38-7 at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

In truth, the scoreline didn’t really do justice to the visitors’ efforts, who fronted up for the majority of the match, but it simply showcased how much Ian Foster’s men have progressed over the past 12 months.

Following disappointing defeats to South Africa and Argentina, the Wallabies were better in Melbourne and after 30 minutes they held a 7-5 advantage through Rob Valetini’s try.

New Zealand had begun the half well as Shannon Frizell went over before they ended it on the front foot thanks to tries from Codie Taylor and Will Jordan.

The All Blacks then withstood long periods of pressure in the second half, which proved crucial as they cut loose, scoring three times in the final 22 minutes.

Caleb Clarke, Mark Telea and Rieko Ioane all touched down to complete the win and make sure their kept hold of the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship.

It was a mixed start from Aaron Smith, who threw the ball straight into touch in the opening exchanges, but he then produced a pinpoint box-kick which took play into the Australian 22.

From the resultant Wallabies lineout, the hosts took clean ball off the top, but Scott Barrett was waiting and sent Tate McDermott into next week with a huge hit.  The scrum-half duly lost possession and Frizell was on hand to touch down to hand the visitors the lead.

To McDermott’s credit, he responded well and dictated proceedings nicely from the base, while his half-back partner Carter Gordon – on his first Test start – mixed play up nicely.

With big runners Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete and Mark Nawaqanitawase picking lines in the midfield, the Wallabies were dangerous.

Nawaqanitawase was particularly effective and the wing made a significant incursion as he ran over the isolated Smith and surged into the New Zealand 22.

Eddie Jones’ men showed patience to go through the phases and eventually Valetini was awarded a try after consultation with the television match official.

The Australians were at that point matching the All Blacks physically but gradually Ian Foster’s charges got on top.

They were very direct and structured, something which attack guru Joe Schmidt has added to their armoury, and eventually the home side’s defence was breached.

After Koroibete had been sin-binned for being offside, the All Blacks took advantage of his absence when a powerful driving maul ended in Taylor crossing the whitewash.

Richie Mo’unga’s conversion then increased their buffer to five but all was not lost for the Wallabies, who were very much in the game.  However, a mistake from Gordon handed the visitors a final opportunity before the break and, in typical New Zealand fashion, they were clinical as Jordan scored.

2⃣3⃣ caps
2⃣3⃣ tries

🇳🇿 Will Jordan is a try machine. #RugbyChampionship #AUSvNZL pic.twitter.com/nHdXzkUkVa

― Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) July 29, 2023

The momentum had very much switched the All Blacks’ way but Australia did not give in and dominated the first 15 minutes of the second period.  However, there was no reward for their efforts as their opponents’ defence remained stubborn in the face of some big runners.

Taniela Tupou, making his return to the international arena, made several rampaging runs, but one such surge led to him picking up an injury.

Bizarrely, Jones decided to keep him on the field while he was clearly struggling and it proved costly as, with his last act, the tighthead was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle.

The head coach was reluctant to bring Tupou off due to the serious injury suffered by Allan Alaalatoa but, with the World Cup looming and James Slipper able to cover that position, it was a strange call by the Wallabies.

And with Australia down to 14 men once again, the All Blacks would make sure of the victory.  Firstly, Clarke crossed the whitewash before fellow wing Telea followed him to effectively secure the Rugby Championship title.

With the game in the bag New Zealand could enjoy themselves and they put together the try of the competition, which ended in Ioane going over.

It was a fitting final try as they showed the rugby world that they will be a significant threat come the Rugby World Cup.

Springboks edge Argentina to seal second place in Rugby Championship

South Africa finished their Rugby Championship campaign with a hard-fought 22-21 victory over Argentina at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Los Pumas will rue their missed attempts at goal as Santiago Carreras had a disappointing outing off the tee, missing two penalties and one conversion.

Mateo Carreras and Gonzalo Bertranou scored Argentina’s tries but it was too little too late for the visitors as South Africa had a cushion to cling on to.

That was because of tries from Eben Etzebeth, Damian de Allende and Manie Libbok, with the latter kicking two conversions and a penalty goal as well.

It was a concerning opening minute for the Springboks when scrum-half Grant Williams was escorted off the field on a stretcher after being knocked out while looking to clear his lines from the kick off.  Pumas full-back Juan Cruz Mallia’s flying attempt led to him colliding with the number nine who came off second best.

Faf de Klerk was his replacement but it wasn’t long before his half-back partner, Libbok, was caught offside and Santiago Carreras moved his side 3-0 up.

Their lead was doubled in the 10th minute after Kurt-Lee Arendse was penalised for not rolling away and Carreras made no mistake from range.

South Africa would regroup and Libbok halved the deficit two minutes later with a straightforward penalty from in front, much to the home fans’ delight.

That effort was added to by the first try of the game on 19 minutes when Willie le Roux found Etzebeth on the right wing, who trampled over the would-be tackler before diving over for a memorable crossing.  Libbok was unsuccessful with his conversion attempt but South Africa had their noses in front by two points.

The hosts’ tails were now well and truly up and they set about turning the screw, inside centre De Allende doubling their try account with a score at the back of a rolling maul as the half-hour approached.  Libbok slotted the extra two points and suddenly the Springboks had a 15-6 cushion at a raucous Ellis Park.

Carreras did cut that gap to six with his third penalty of the game a minute before the break before Arendse went close to crossing just prior to half-time.

The second half continued to be physical and Argentina were largely dominant but could not turn pressure into points as Santiago Carreras was wasteful.

He missed an attempt on 48 minutes and again just after the hour mark, with those wayward kicks coming back to haunt the visitors with 11 minutes to go.

🇿🇦 Springboks edge Los Pumas. #RugbyChampionship #RSAvARG pic.twitter.com/uuz4cVGqA6

― Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) July 29, 2023

Los Pumas were chancing their arm at this point with ball in hand and under heavy contact and pressure from the Boks, the ball came loose and was gathered by De Klerk.  The scrum-half set off from just outside his 22 but swiftly realised that Libbok had the pace to cruise over and handed his fly-half a run to the line.

Libbok’s conversion moved the Springboks 22-9 to the good and despite Los Pumas hitting back through Mateo Carreras on 75 minutes, this after De Allende was yellow carded for deliberately knocking down the ball, Santiago Carreras’ missed extras from wide out crucially kept the margin above one score at 22-14.

That meant Argentina were only playing for a losing bonus-point in the final minute which, to their credit, they claimed thanks to Bertranou darting over from close range.  This time the conversion was successful but Los Pumas had come up short, with South Africa hanging on to finish in second place in the table.

Scotland fight back to beat Italy in Rugby World Cup warm-up game

Scotland battled back from 6-5 down to overcome Italy 25-13 in their Rugby World Cup warm-up fixture at Murrayfield on Saturday.

A try in each half from wing Darcy Graham proved decisive in the end result while replacement back-row Josh Bayliss added a third late in the game.

Former Munster and Ireland age-grade star Ben Healy chipped in with 10 points off the tee in an assured performance in his first Test start at fly-half.

Italy’s only try scorer on the day was Monty Ioane, with Tommaso Allan kicking the conversion and two penalty goals as the Azzurri suffered a defeat.

Graham was one of the few established starters in Gregor Townsend’s XV as he allowed several of his key players the weekend off ahead of the upcoming double-header against World Cup hosts France.

Glasgow centre Stafford McDowall was given his international debut while Glasgow prop Murphy Walker and Edinburgh fly-half Healy – both previously capped – made their first starts.

It looked like it might be a difficult afternoon for the Scots when the visitors instantly got themselves on the front foot and had their hosts penned inside their own half for the opening five minutes.

However, the hosts burst into life after six minutes when Healy, working off a turnover, kicked a ball into space for Graham to chase down but the rapid Edinburgh wing was thwarted by some impressive defending just as he looked set to get himself clear.

The same two players combined as the hosts made the breakthrough in the 13th minute.  Healy again kicked wide to the right, picking out Graham who was already beyond the try-line as he received the ball before helping himself to a straightforward touchdown.  Healy was unable to add the extras as his conversion attempt went wide.

However, the Azzurri managed to get themselves in front by half-time courtesy of a couple of penalties from Allan, the Harlequins fly-half who has a Scottish father as well as an uncle capped nine times by Scotland in the early 1990s.

Allan reduced the deficit with a close-range effort in the 26th minute and then in the last action of a largely underwhelming first half the number 10 sent another kick soaring between the posts from inside Scotland’s 10-metre line.

Scotland got themselves back in front eight minutes after the interval when Healy pinged over a penalty.  And in the 55th minute, Graham scored his second try of the match when he received a reverse pass from Ali Price and bounded over the line.  Healy was accurate with the conversion as the Scots opened up a 15-6 advantage.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Josh Bayliss with a lovely finish out wide for Scotland. #SCOvITA pic.twitter.com/t41k7oWmgf

― Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) July 29, 2023

Italy got back into the match just after the hour, however, when Ioane went over on the left after a lovely pass from Allan, who duly converted.

Leicester lock Cam Henderson became the second Scotland debutant of the afternoon when he replaced Scott Cummings and the hosts regained control when Healy kicked another penalty in the 74th minute.

The Scots finished on a high note, with substitute Bayliss scoring his first international try – converted by the impressive Healy – in the last action of the match.

Japan bounce back with hard-fought triumph over plucky Tonga

Japan returned to the victory trail when they clinched a hard-fought 21-16 triumph over Tonga in their Pacific Nations Cup encounter in Higashiosaka on Saturday.

After starting their campaign with a narrow loss to Samoa last weekend, the Brave Blossoms delivered an improved performance and bounced back against the ‘Ikale Tahi to keep their hopes alive of winning the competition.

The home side eventually outscored the Pacific Islanders by three tries to two with Jone Naikabula, Amato Fakatava and Semisi Masirewa crossing the whitewash while their other points came courtesy of penalties from Seungsin Lee and Rikiya Matsuda.

For Tonga, Sonatane Takulua and Samuela Moli scored tries and their other points came via the boot of William Havili, who succeeded with two three-pointers off the kicking tee.

Brave Blossoms strike first

The Brave Blossoms dominated the early exchanges and took the lead in the 19th minute when Naikabula rounded off a flowing backline move ― in which Masirewa was prominent.

Despite that setback, the visitors had the bulk of the possession as the half progressed and they struck back with Takulua’s try three minutes later.

Japan finished the half stronger, however, and after Lee slotted his penalty on the half-hour mark, Fakatava crossed for their second try after a superb offload from Naikabula which gave the hosts a 13-5 lead at the interval.

The second half started brightly for the visitors when Havili reduced the deficit with his first penalty shortly after the restart and in the 46th minute he succeeded with his second one which meant the Brave Blossoms were holding a narrow two-point lead.

Japan needed a response and that came in the 52nd minute when Masirewa went over for his try after running onto a well-timed pass from Ryohei Yamanaka.

No surrender from Tonga

However, Tonga did not surrender and they struck back in the 56th minute when Moli dotted down after a rolling maul from their forwards deep inside the Brave Blossoms’ 22.

The final quarter was a closely fought battle as both sides tried to gain the ascendancy but Japan sealed their victory in the 66th minute when Matsuda slotted the match-winning penalty.

Flying first-half blitz seals Fiji a victory over Pacific Island rivals Samoa

Fiji made it two from two in 2023 after defeating Manu Samoa 33-19 in their second Pacific Nations Cup clash on Saturday in Apia as they continue to build towards Rugby World Cup 2023.

Hooker Tevita Ikanivere dotted down on either side of centre Iosefo Masi’s 14th-minute try, with winger Selestino Ravutaumada adding a fourth as the Fijians romped to a 30-5 lead ― fly-half Caleb Muntz adding two conversions and two penalties.

Christian Leali’ifano’s unconverted try was Samoa’s only points of the first half as they struggled to contain the Fijians.

Samoa were able to cut the deficit in the second half thanks to tries from winger Tumua Manu and captain Fritz Lee, but in the end, Fiji did enough in the opening half to secure the 33-19 victory.

Tevita Ikanivere claims a brace

After a stellar season with the Fijian Drua in Super Rugby Pacific, Ikanivere opened the scoring with a quickly taken penalty just seven minutes into the clash ― this coming after Leali’ifano missed a just chance to put Samoa ahead with a penalty just three minutes prior.

Fiji captain Semi Radradra set up his centre partner Masi, who was on debut, for his try with a brilliant skip pass to further the visitors’ lead.

After Ikanivere grabbed his second in the 17th minute, it was looking grim for the hosts as they were leaking a point a minute, trailing 17-0.

Samoa finally got on the board through Leali’ifano in the 20th minute as he crossed the whitewash, but it was from the kind performance that earned the side a 24-22 victory over Japan last week.

Fiji had the final say of the half as Ravutaumada sped down the touchline to score his side’s fourth try, with Muntz adding the conversion and two more penalties.

The hosts looked to mount a comeback with a bright start to the second half as Manu scored six minutes after the break, and captain Lee dotted down just after the hour mark.

However, the deficit was just too large as Muntz added just three points to Fiji’s tally in the second 40 minutes.

The win keeps Fiji at the top of the Pacific Nations Cup standings on 10 points as they look set to take the title off Samoa as they make the trip to Japan next week for their final match.

Speaking after the game, Fiji captain Radradra said, “The first half, we really did well, but we let them come back in the second.  Hopefully, we can make some improvements for next week.”

Samoa skipper Lee said that his side could take some learnings from the clash:  “There’s a lot of things to work on, but there’s definitely a lot of positives as well,” the number eight said.  “We’ve got to move on towards the World Cup, and we look forward to playing next week (against Tonga).”

Rugby World Cup concern for Japan following ‘disappointing’ form

Quarter-finalists from 2019, Japan, continue to struggle ahead of the upcoming Rugby World Cup, leaving their head coach Jamie Joseph with plenty to correct.

The Brave Blossoms began the Pacific Nations Cup in frustrating fashion after going down 24-22 to Samoa on Saturday.

Michael Leitch’s red card no doubt played a significant part as the Pacific Islanders touched down three times after the back-row departed the field.

It summed up the Asian side’s struggles since the last World Cup, who have lost their last seven encounters.

Improving the discipline

“I am really disappointed obviously with the result.  It is very difficult to win a Test with a man down with 50 minutes to go,” Joseph told Kyodo News.

“We were confident at half-time in our own ability and playing.  The game was always on edge even though we were a man down all the second half.

“We did well and stayed in the game until the very end but we were not quite good enough.  If we had not lost a player, then I think the result would have been a little different.

“We need to be better all-round in skill and discipline.”

Japan battled well against a talented Samoa side but confidence is evidently low as Joseph blamed the errors from their experienced players for the narrow defeat.

“I thought our forwards kept us in the game,” he said.  “They defended very well against a very direct and physical side.  We put them under pressure at line-outs and that stopped their flow and that kept us in the game.

“The young guys did well and made an impact.  The guys dropping the ball were the experienced players.  In Test matches, there is pressure, and we need to be better under pressure.”

Samoan delight

In contrast to the Japanese, Samoa were delighted with both their result and performance as they opened their Pacific Nations Cup campaign in fine style.

“It was exactly what we needed as a team.  We were put under a lot of pressure and are very happy to come away with the win,” said Samoa coach Seilala Mapusua.

“Our new players were put under a lot of pressure, and it is exactly what I was hoping for.  This was their opportunity to put their hand up for a ticket to France, and some played really well and took their opportunity.

“We achieved what we wanted.  First and foremost, to win and then to test ourselves against a top 10 side in the world.”

Fiji hold off Tonga to clinch Pacific Nations Cup victory in Lautoka

Fiji made a superb start to their Pacific Nations Cup campaign when they sealed a hard-fought 36-20 victory over Tonga in Lautoka on Saturday.

In a fast-paced and entertaining encounter, Fiji held the upper-hand for most of this match, but unlike the previous Test between these sides ― which Fiji won 36-0 in Suva last year ― the ‘Ikale Tahi were more competitive.

Solid Test debut or Caleb Muntz

In the end, Fiji proved too strong, however, and they eventually outscored their visitors by five tries to three while debutant fly-half Caleb Muntz had a solid outing as he contributed nine points courtesy of three conversions and a penalty.

Fiji made a fantastic start, and after an extended period of pressure inside Tonga’s half, they were rewarded with a penalty try, and Tonga’s flanker Tanginoa Halaifonua was also yellow carded for his indiscretion, which led to the score.

The hosts continued to dominate and held a 19-0 lead by the 12th minute after their captain, Waisea Nayacalevu, and Sam Matavesi crossed for tries in quick succession.

Tonga needed a response, and they did just that by playing a tighter game, with their forwards more prominent during the rest of the half, and that tactic reaped rewards as Siua Maile and Halaleva Fifita crossed for tries.

Otumaka Mausia succeeded with one conversion and also added a penalty which meant the ‘Ikale Tahi were back in the game as they trailed their hosts by four points.

Despite the visitors’ fightback, Fiji responded when Josua Tuisova crossed for another converted try which meant they held a 26-15 lead at half-time.

The second half was a tighter affair, and Tonga were fastest out of the blocks when replacement back Kyren Taumoefolau crossed for their third try after Charles Piutau had done well in the build-up.

With the score 26-20 to the home side, Tonga were back in the match, and they continued to be competitive for the rest of the second half.

Tight battle

The game’s final quarter was a closely fought battle characterised by great physicality from both sides.  In the 70th minute, Muntz slotted a penalty after Tonga were blown up for straying offside on defence.

That gave Fiji some breathing space, and they secured victory in the game’s closing stages when Peni Matawalu crossed for their fifth five-ponter after a strong driving maul.

All Blacks make statement with dominant victory over the Springboks

New Zealand sent out a message to the rest of the world as they produced an impressive performance to beat South Africa 35-20 in the Rugby Championship.

The All Blacks were utterly sublime in the opening 20 minutes and the Springboks had no answer, with Aaron Smith and Shannon Frizell tries helping the hosts into a 17-0 lead.

Jacques Nienaber’s men did get on the board through Faf de Klerk’s penalty and then gave themselves hope as Malcolm Marx and Cheslin Kolbe touched down in the second period.

However, the accurate kicking of Richie Mo’unga, who slotted three penalties and three conversions, allied by a try from Will Jordan, effectively sealed the victory for the hosts.

The fly-half then rubberstamped the win as he touched down to confirm their second successive victory in this year’s tournament.

With just Australia standing in their way, New Zealand went a long way to retaining their Rugby Championship title, while also making a statement ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

If the All Blacks wanted to lay down a marker ahead of the World Cup, they very much did that in the first quarter.  They were fearsome in every facet, putting their opponents under pressure through their physicality, intensity, speed of ball and execution.

Even the set-piece, a staple of the Springboks’ game, initially went the way of the hosts, who were simply irrepressible in the early stages.

It was easily the best they had played under Ian Foster with the power of the carrying being matched by the accuracy of the kick-chase.

Up front, Frizell had his best game in a black shirt and with Ardie Savea, Scott Barrett and Brodie Retallick joining him in sending the visitors into reverse, Foster’s men were unstoppable.

Behind the scrum, playmakers Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett dictated play magnificently and it was the latter’s long pass to Jordan which set up the first try.

The wing had shown his aerial prowess by pressurising the South African back three under the high ball, but this time he displayed his running ability by scything through the heart of the defence to set up Smith’s score.

It was a storming start but New Zealand were not done yet.  After their fly-half had extended their advantage with a penalty, they went through the phases once again.  The ball was shifted to the left where Frizell was lurking and the back-row swatted away Willie le Roux to touch down.

Everyone, including the All Blacks’ fans, seemed stunned by the sheer ferocity of the home team and South Africa quite frankly needed to get a foothold in the game.

They at least halted the hosts’ surge and got their own big ball carriers more into the game.  That allowed them to set up the position for Kolbe to challenge Beauden Barrett in the air following a cross-field kick.

As Barrett went to ground the full-back lost possession of the ball, allowing Kolbe to potentially to touch down but, in the act of scoring, the wing was deemed to have knocked on, rather than ground, the ball.

📏 Such a close call.

Was it a try, yes or no? 🤔#NZLvRSA #RugbyChampionship pic.twitter.com/jnCuPyw4v8

― Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) July 15, 2023

The Boks instead had to be content with a De Klerk penalty, which reduced the arrears to 17-3, but that was immediately cancelled out by Mo’unga’s three-pointer as the hosts took a dominant lead into the break.

New Zealand then sought to put the match beyond doubt in the early stages of the second half, but Jordan knocked on after a last-ditch tackle from Kolbe.

It would be the All Blacks’ last opportunity for a while as the visitors began to edge themselves into the contest.  Their set-piece, from scrum to maul, started to function and after a dominant drive, Marx crossed the whitewash to bring his side back into the contest.

The momentum had switched, despite Mo’unga’s penalty, and Le Roux’s excellent pass allowed Kolbe to touch down.  However, the wing then missed the crucial conversion, leaving the visitors outside of converted try range.

It was to prove costly as New Zealand, knowing that they had the eight-point cushion, re-found their composure and put the match to bed.

Firstly, Jordan touched down as he latched on to a kick through before the outstanding Mo’unga well and truly made sure of the win by crossing the whitewash, despite Kwagga Smith’s last minute consolation try.

Argentina late show seals narrow victory over Australia in Sydney

Argentina got their Rugby Championship campaign back on track as they secured a hard-fought 34-31 win over Australia in Sydney on Saturday.

As the scoreline suggests, this was a tightly contested affair and the result was in the balance until the game’s closing stages.

The Wallabies thought they had won the match when Mark Nawaqanitawase scored a runaway try in the 75th minute, but Los Pumas did not surrender and clinched their victory when Juan Martin Gonzalez crossed for the game-winning try in the dying moments.

In the end, both sides scored four tries apiece with Jeronimo de la Fuente, Julian Montoya and Mateo Carreras also crossing the whitewash for Argentina and their other points came via the boot of Emiliano Boffelli, who kicked four conversions and two penalties.

Len Ikitau, Nic White and Samu Kerevi scored the home side’s other tries while Quade Cooper finished with an 11-point contribution courtesy of four conversions and a three-pointer off the kicking tee.

Just like their loss to the Springboks, the Wallabies were fastest out of the blocks and opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute when Ikitau rounded off a flowing move out wide.

This, after Nawaqanitawase caught the visitors by surprise when he took a quick tap penalty before setting off on an attacking run.  He offloaded to Tom Wright, who was stopped in his tracks soon after but the ball was recycled quickly and Cooper found Kerevi out wide with a long pass.  Kerevi then offloaded to Ikitau, who went over in the left hand corner but that would be his last meaningful contribution to the game as he was forced off the field with a shoulder injury after a desperate tackle from Boffelli.

Cooper landed the difficult place-kick from close to the touchline and five minutes later he slotted a penalty which meant the home side were leading 10-0 by the 12th minute.

The visitors needed a response and midway through the half Boffelli opened their account when he landed a three-pointer off the kicking tee.  With points on the board, the visitors’ confidence grew and they were soon camped inside Australia’s half.  In the 26th minute, their forwards took the ball through several phases inside the Wallabies’ 22 before Gonzalo Bertranou got a pass out to De la Fuente, who went over from close quarters.

It was the visitors who held the upper-hand during the rest of the half but despite having the bulk of the possession and territory, they could not add to their points tally.  In the 39th minute, the hosts were reduced to 14 men when Richie Arnold was yellow carded for a cynical defensive foul but despite that the teams changed sides at half-time with the score level at 10-10.

🇦🇺🇦🇷 Late drama as Argentina edge Australia in Sydney! #AUSvARG pic.twitter.com/YLtwiZmPZ6

― Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) July 15, 2023

Los Pumas eventually made their numerical advantage count when Montoya barged off the back of a ruck deep inside Wallabies territory before diving over for his side’s third five-pointer in the 45th minute.

However, the topsy-turvy nature to this game continued when White broke around the back of a scrum close to Argentina’s try-line before crossing for his converted try and the sides were level again at 17-17.

Despite that score, Argentina did not panic while Australia were guilty of making several unforced errors.  In the 60th minute, Boffelli added another penalty before Carreras slipped through a tackle from Dave Porecki to extend the visitors’ lead to 10 points.

The Wallabies did not surrender, however, and shortly afterwards Kerevi dotted down after Cooper did well in the build-up.  That meant Argentina were leading 27-24 but they lost the initiative ― and the lead ― when Nawaqanitawase intercepted a wayward Pumas pass close to the Wallabies’ try-line and set off on a 80-metre sprint before diving over for his five-pointer.

With the Wallabies holding the lead again, they needed to hold onto the ball but Kerevi conceded a penalty and the visitors put the ball into touch deep inside their opponents’ territory.

From the resulting lineout they launched a drive before hammering away at Australia’s try-line.  Several players went close before Gonzalez crossed for the match-winning try from close quarters in the 80th minute.

Tonga send warning with promising victory over Australia ‘A’

A high-powered Tonga side claimed a historic 27-21 win over Australia ‘A’ at the Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku’alofa on Friday.

The home side started well and held off a second-half surge from Australia ‘A’ to delight their fans.  It only took three minutes for Tonga to score through Salesi Piutau with William Havili missing the conversion.

Taniela Tupou who made his injury return in this clash showcased his strength early on with a scrum penalty.  However, his side would not benefit as Tonga snapped up a loose ball resulting in Fine Inisi going over for a second try in the first 10 minutes.  Havili made no mistake from the tee on this occasion.

The Australians were their own worst enemy and struggled to get into the game because of several handling errors.  The hosts remained at their brutal best and after a string of scrum penalties crossed through Tanginoa Halaifonua on the 24-minute mark.

Piutau was once again at the heart of some stunning play as he put Inisi in for his second try of the clash, giving the hosts a commanding 24-0 lead at half-time.

Game of two halves

Australia ‘A’ needed some magic of their own and it came through James O’Connor who orchestrated some space for speedster Corey Tool five minutes after the break.  Fly-half Bernard Foley was on hand to convert from the touchline.

The try gave the visitors confidence and they grew further into the game with Lachlan Anderson scoring a try of his own just before the hour mark with skipper Foley on hand to nail the kick.

The comeback would come even closer as Josh Flook benefited from a Lukhan Salakai-Loto breakaway to take his team to within three points of Tonga.

However, the hosts hung on after a late penalty from Manu Paea to claim a 27-21 victory.

Foley thanks the Tongan people for their hospitality and the team for their physical battle.

“It’s been great to be here, the hospitality from the Tongan people and Tongan public has been exceptional ― we felt very welcomed coming here,” he said.

“We knew it was going to be a physical match, they really gave it to us at the start and put us under pressure.

“We came up against a really quality side in Tonga with plenty of strike weapons in their backline.  We weren’t able to stop them early on and we paid for that.

“But again, it was a great opportunity for everyone to play here and we’re hungry and motivated to keep going ahead of the Rugby World Cup.”

Seven-try All Blacks begin Rugby Championship in style against Argentina

New Zealand opened their Rugby Championship account with a ruthless 41-12 bonus-point win over Argentina at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas on Saturday.

Tries from Dane Coles, Ardie Savea, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett and Emoni Narawa saw the visitors cruise to a maximum.

It was a clinical performance from New Zealand which sets up a possible Rugby Championship title decider with an impressive South Africa next weekend.

In stark contrast, for Argentina this was a significant step backwards as tries from Lucio Sordoni and Agustin Creevy were the only bright spots on an otherwise dismal showing.

It was the perfect opening period for the All Blacks but it almost got off to the worst possible start when Damian McKenzie was charged down near his own try-line.  Fortunately for the fly-half he managed to recover and ground the ball before two looming Pumas as Argentina came close to going in front inside a minute.

That was as good as things got for Argentina though as thus followed an All Blacks stampede that saw them cross five times in the first half.

New Zealand’s first try came on five minutes when a break from Ioane saw him race over halfway before recycled ball led to Scott Barrett putting Coles over.

McKenzie was off-target with the conversion and also missed his second attempt on nine minutes, this after the All Blacks kicked to the corner before phases from the pack saw Barrett go close before Savea caught the Pumas napping to dot down.  McKenzie’s wayward boot was the only blight on an otherwise fine start.

The All Blacks’ third score arrived on 12 minutes and it was a family affair as Jordie and Beauden Barrett combined from deep before the former strolled over.  McKenzie’s successful conversion made it 17-0 before the Pumas finally enjoyed decent possession and field position.  However, they could not get on the board.

New Zealand made them pay on 29 minutes as Ioane bust through two would-be tacklers to cross from 10 metres out, the conversion pushing the visitors 24-0 up.

🇳🇿 Rieko Ioane is having some game. #RugbyChampionship #ARGvNZLpic.twitter.com/qIqj2Ktug2

― Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) July 8, 2023

There was to be one further try before the break, too, with Smith darting over for a try that was compounded for Argentina by Rodrigo Bruni being sin-binned.

Argentina would manage to prevent any further damage being done to the scoreboard before Bruni returned to the fray and in fact crossed shortly after, with Sordoni going over from the back of a ruck for a much-needed try.  Emiliano Boffelli was wayward with the conversion with the lead cut to 26 points in favour of New Zealand.

The home fans’ joy was shortlived, however, as the outstanding McKenzie showed his class with ball in hand to set up Beauden Barrett for a try that made it a 31-point buffer.

While the second period was not as fruitful as the first, New Zealand would continue to build on their lead as a well-worked try was finished by debutant Narawa on the right wing.

But Argentina would wrap up the scoring late on when the talismanic Creevy crashed over for a converted try that at least gave the Pumas something to build on ahead of facing the Wallabies next Saturday.

Kurt-Lee Arendse hat-trick powers Springboks past Wallabies in Pretoria

Kurt-Lee Arendse scored a hat-trick of tries as the Springboks cruised to an easy 43-12 bonus-point victory over the Wallabies in their Rugby Championship opener at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.

The home side were full value for this win as they held the upper-hand for long periods and eventually outscored their opponents by six tries to two.

Apart from Arendse’s hat-trick, the Boks were awarded two penalty tries and Pieter-Steph du Toit also crossed the whitewash, while their other points came via the boot of Manie Libbok, who slotted three conversions and a penalty.

For the Wallabies, Marika Koroibete and Carter Gordon scored tries and Gordon also added a conversion.

As expected, the forward battle proved crucial and the Boks’ pack deserve plenty of credit for laying an excellent platform for their backs ― particularly Arendse ― who totally outplayed their opponents.

The opening exchanges were cagey, highlighted by plenty of kicking for territory from both sides.  The Boks had a chance to open the scoring as early as the third minute when the Wallabies infringed at a breakdown about five metres inside the Boks’ half but Libbok’s long range shot at goal fell just short of the crossbar.

The Wallabies drew first blood, however, when, after winning a turnover at a lineout close to the halfway line, they launched a counter-attack in the eighth minute which caught the home side by surprise.

The ball was shifted wide to Koroibete ― with Quade Cooper, Len Ikitau and Tom Wright all handling in the build-up ― and he showed the cover defence a clean pair of heels before crossing in the left-hand corner.

Reece Hodge’s conversion attempt was off target and five minutes later Libbok made up for his earlier miss when he slotted a three-pointer off the kicking tee, after Australia strayed offside on defence.

Shortly afterwards, the Boks launched an attack from just inside their half with Andre Esterhuizen, Marco van Staden and Canan Moodie prominent carriers.  They soon found themselves deep inside Wallabies territory with Steven Kitshoff and Bongi Mbonambi taking the ball into contact before Esterhuizen offloaded to Arendse, who cantered in for his first try.

On the half hour-mark, the Boks launched a drive just outside the Wallabies’ 10-metre line before Van Staden broke away from the maul before offloading to Mbonambi on his outside.  The Bok hooker did well to draw in the last defender before getting a well-timed pass out to Arendse, who crossed for his second try.

Libbok added the extras which meant the home side had their tails up with the score 17-5 in their favour at half-time.

Six-try #Springboks start 2023 with a bang 🇿🇦#StrongerTogether #RSAvAUS #TRC2023 pic.twitter.com/U69YTADCyT

― Springboks (@Springboks) July 8, 2023

The Boks’ dominance continued after the interval as they made a fiery start to the second half and they spent long periods camped inside Wallabies territory.

In the 51st minute, they were rewarded when they were awarded their first penalty try, after Dave Porecki deliberately collapsed a Bok lineout drive close to his try-line and referee Ben O’Keeffe also sent him to the sin bin for that indiscretion.

With a man down, the Boks were rampant on attack and in the 55th minute, after strong carries from Esterhuizen and Du Toit, Lukhanyo Am offloaded to Arendse, who evaded the attentions of three Wallabies before diving over for his third try.

Despite that score, South Africa did not sck off and continued to launch numerous attacks while the Wallabies continued to concede several soft penalties.  A Libbok try was ruled out on the hour-mark, after Du Toit knocked on in the build-up, but in the 68th minute the Boks were awarded another penalty try after Suliasi Vunivalu was penalised for a deliberate knock down close to his try-line ― an offence which also saw him being yellow carded.

And in the 75th minute, the hosts took the ball through several phases inside the Wallabies’ 22 before Du Toit rounded off in style.  That sealed a comprehensive victory although Wallabies replacement back Gordon crossed for a late consolation try which added some respectability to the final score.

Five-try All Blacks XV cruise to comfortable victory over Japan XV in Tokyo

The All Blacks XV got their two-match series against the Japan XV off to a fantastic start when they sealed a 38-6 win over their hosts at the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday.

As the scoreline suggests, this was a comfortable victory for the visitors who dominated for long periods, especially in the second half as they scored 27 unanswered points during that period after holding an 11-6 lead at half-time.

Fly-half Stephen Perofeta led the way for the All Blacks XV as he scored 16 points courtesy of a try, a conversion and three penalties.  Their other points came via tries from Jack Goodhue, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Alex Nankivell and Folau Fakatava, while Brett Cameron also added a conversion.

For the Japan XV, Rikiya Matsuda succeeded with a couple of penalties.

The home side were fastest out of the blocks when Matsuda opened the scoring in the fifth minute before Perofeta crossed for the All Blacks XV’s first try 10 minutes later, after Christian Lio-Willie laid the groundwork with a powerful run in the build-up off the back of a scrum.

Perofeta was off target with the conversion attempt but then traded penalties with Matsuda which meant the visitors held a slender 8-6 lead midway through the half.

The rest of the half saw All Blacks XV upping the ante on attack but another Perofeta three-pointer off the kicking tee was their only reward before the teams changed sides at the interval.

Full time here in Tokyo!

Arigato gozaimasu 🖤 pic.twitter.com/mPOb16yV1B

― AllBlacksXV (@AllBlacksXV) July 8, 2023

The second half saw Perofeta adding another penalty before Goodhue crossed for a converted try in the 54th minute which gave his side a 21-6 lead.

The next 10 minutes saw the visitors continuing with their dominance and during that period Nanai-Seturo and Nankivell also dotted down, although Cameron failed with both conversion attempts.

Despite having the match in the bag, the All Blacks XV did not take their foot off the pedal and just before full-time Fakatava also crossed the whitewash, with Cameron adding the extras to seal an emphatic win for the New Zealand outfit.