*





Manu Tuilagi smashes Tom Williams


Top14 player imposter!


JDV smashed by Benoit August


The Northampton Saints 30m scrum!


Bastareaud huge hit on Rory Lamont


All Blacks skills - Pt 2 In the backyard


Trinh-Duc sets up Harinordoquy try


Wales vs England 1999


Greg Holmes great hit on Francois Louw



Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Schalk Brits' Man of the Match performance in the Aviva Premiership Final

South African hooker Schalk Brits was an integral part of the Saracens Aviva Premiership winning season, putting in another great performance in the final a few weeks back, which earned him the Man of the Match award. Earlier this week, he was drafted into the Stormers squad (on loan) for their Super Rugby semifinal.

Brits has been a standout player for the London based side since arriving a few seasons back. While everyone in South Africa always knew what he was capable of, he's now become a fan favourite in the north too, with regular high quality performances and a positive demeanor.

To many, the fact that such a naturally gifted player isn't playing Test rugby is puzzling. He has been capped just 3 times by South Africa, playing in the away leg of the 2008 Tri Nations, then falling out of the pecking order as bigger, more traditional types were picked ahead of him.

As it stands now, John Smit and Bismarck Du Plessis are the front runners for the Springbok hooker spot. With Brits playing his rugby overseas, others have pushed ahead for the third choice slot. Coach Peter De Villiers recently rattled off the names of five hookers that he would pick ahead of Brits, namely Smit, Du Plessis, Chilliboy Ralepelle, Adrian Strauss, and Bandise Maku. They all play in South Africa, which according to PDV, makes it difficult to pick Brits.

This week however, Brits was called over by the Stormers to provide backup for their crunch semifinal against the Crusaders. Having played number eight for them before, he will provide looseforward cover from the bench, thanks to a special dispensation made by SANZAR after the Stormers explained their injury woes, and unavailability of a young player due to a mugging.

"We wanted a player with the X-factor and Brits brings that to the team," said Stormers coach Allister Coetzee. "Sanzar has given him permission to play as a loose forward and not as a hooker. He won't have a problem playing that role because he's been playing like a loose forward, even though he's been throwing in the ball at the line-outs and competed in the scrums for Saracens," he added.

Brits now has one, maybe two, matches to shine. One feels that the chances are miniscule, but this is his last crack at making the World Cup squad. He has shown in the UK that his perceived weaknesses when leaving South Africa - his scrum power and lineout throwing ability - have not been a problem for Saracens. They won the Premiership after all.

"Schalk Brits was just phenomenal, a man possessed," said Leicester and England scrumhalf Ben Youngs after Brits helped Saracens beat them in the Final. "If anything, he was probably the difference between the two sides," Youngs added.

After his first Premiership season in 2009, former British & Irish Lion back Will Greenwood said he's the best signing of the year without a doubt. Austin Healey said after the final this year that Brits could easily be an international center, let alone hooker, and went as far as calling him the best player in the Northern Hemisphere. The plaudits are well deserved, and plentiful.

The guy is a superstar and without a doubt, if he weren't capped by South Africa, it's safe to say he would be going to the World Cup this year. As it stands, his chances are very slim. As fans of the man, and of course his style of play, all we can hope for is a change of heart where it counts.

Brits has done the hard yards and having improved the aspects of play that held him back from selection in the past, is now ready to make an impact on the international scene. Even as a bench or third choice hooker, he's a talent that shouldn't go to waste, and as we've seen on more than one occasion with Saracens, could just be the difference between winning and losing.

Below is a short compilation video of his Man of the Match performance in the recent Aviva Premiership Final. It was chopped down from an original cut that contained over ten minutes of footage and audio praise from the one match alone. If you enjoy the vid, please share the link back to this page with your friends, using the Facebook Share and Tweet buttons below.


Time: 04:32


Share



Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Junior World Championship - Final round match highlights

Australia took third place overall in the Junior World Championship after beating France 30-17 in their third place playoff match in Padova, Italy. Here's highlights of that match, as well as the rest of the deciders.

As we saw yesterday, New Zealand defeated England in the final to take the trophy yet again. Places were still up for grabs though as the remaining sides battled it out to get as high a finish as possible.

Australia, who were knocked out by the Baby Blacks last week, were too good for France as they scored tries through players who have brothers playing for the Wallabies, and in Super Rugby. Captain Colby Faingaa, one of those, said the feeling was good after capturing third place.

"We were severely disappointed after the performance (vs NZ). We knew we had it in us, but the last two games we weren’t able to string it together. Its third place, but we’re very happy and the teams excited," he said

In the match to contend fifth place in Treviso, South Africa came up overwhelming winners against Fiji, as they trounced them 104-17. The Baby Boks obviously had a point to prove after missing out on the semi finals. That they did, scoring 16 tries in total, equaling the Junior World Championship record that they set against the USA in 2008.

Wales beat Ireland 38-24, scoring five tries to the three of rivals Ireland. Andrew Conway did equal Zac Guildford's try scoring record for the tournament, but ultimately it was a day that the Irish would rather forget, despite their late consolation try.

Ninth place was contested by Scotland and Argentina, with the later coming out 15-14 winners thanks to their early lead and solid defense. In the relegation battle between Italy and Tonga, the hosts came out tops with a 34-22 win, their first of the tournament. Italy survive and will be in the 2012 tournament in South Africa, while Tonga bow out to make way for Samoa.

The playlist below has the Australia vs France highlights first, and then short clips from each of the other matches described above. Enjoy.


Share



Monday, June 27, 2011

Rough night for the Waratahs and Atieli Pakalani vs the Blues

The first qualifier of this past weekend's Super Rugby playoffs turned out to be quite a physical affair, with plenty of big hits and players dropping like flies. Here's a few of the tackles that might have caught your attention.

The Waratahs went into the match with a horrible injury count. At the beginning of their campaign, their first choice team were nothing like what turned out against the Blues, and during the match itself, they lost a few more players.

While both sides - and indeed a few others - have been through a tough time of late personnel wise, the Sydney side's injury list makes grim reading. Coach Chris Hickey refused to use that as an excuse for the loss though, and all things considered, they put on a decent display.

During the match itself, there was no holding back as both sides gave their all in the knockout clash. As you can see in this short compilation video, Jerome Kaino threw his body around a fair bit (and other peoples), and Keven Mealamu and Stephen Brett combined earlier in the game for a for a big hit on wing Atieli Pakalani.

One of the more enjoyable moments though was prop John Afoa's impressive kick chase and tackle, also on Pakalani, and then later on there was the sickening head-clash between big Sitaleki Timani and, you guessed it, Pakalani. Rough night for him. Another short highlight was Ali Williams' kick ahead, to add to his try in the same match.

The Blues have also got a few injury concerns, with Anthony Boric being rules out from their crunch semi final with the Reds this coming weekend. He has a foot strain.


Time: 02:05


Share



New Zealand beat England to retain the IRB Junior World Championship title

New Zealand's Under 20's won their fourth successive IRB Junior World Championship title on Sunday as they saw off a valiant England effort to win the game 33-22 in Padova, Italy.

The much favoured Baby Blacks continued their dominance in the junior ranks, having now not lost a match since the tournament's inception in 2008. They've now beaten England twice in finals, to add to their win over Australia last year.

England came out firing and at one stage looked as though they might have sprung an upset, but a try in the 74th minute by Beauden Barrett sealed the win for the New Zealand team, their 20th in succession.

England skipper Alex Gray was proud of the effort, but naturally disappointed. "We dug deep and fought back to within one point but they are a class act. They punish every mistake. I'm so proud of the boys yet so sad because it's my last game for the Under-20s and I so believed we could end their reign," he said.

Luke Whitelock, New Zealand's captain and a winner in last year's tournament, said that they were delighted with maintaining their 100% percent record. "This is awesome to keep the winning streak going, we have been working hard -bit is great to get the victory," he said.

The below highlights are almost twenty minutes long, so kick back and enjoy if you missed the game. If you're an England fan, are you proud of the boys or do you think that they could have kicked on and sprung the upset?


Time: 19:08


Share



Saturday, June 25, 2011

The Crusaders head into the semis with win over the Sharks

The Canterbury Crusaders put in a strong second half performance to power away from the Sharks and take a convincing 36-8 win in Nelson, qualifying them for the Semi Finals of Super Rugby.

It was a game that had all the makings of a classic, yet the poor handling from both sides amidst dewy conditions meant that progress was hampered and the game failed to flow for the most part. Early on the Sharks won the physical battle, but were the victims of their own demise as they coughed up the ball and failed to make real inroads into the final third.

The Crusaders were typically composed, as they played the percentages and even when Dan Carter missed kicks uncharacteristically, they wore down their opponents and capitalised on their chances later in the match. "It took a bit of time, we knew that was going to be the case but the guys just stuck to it," captain Kieran Read said after the game.

Their was some controversy surrounding some of the calls from referee Bryce Lawrence, but the Sharks themselves will know that the challenge facing them over in New Zealand was a massive one. The home side now have to do a similar trek, as they will have to travel to Cape Town to face the Stormers in the semi final next weekend.

"It's just part of this journey these boys have created this season and we want to do well over there (in South Africa) and hopefully get another win under our belts."

Sharks captain Stefan Terblanche was gracious in defeat. "We would have liked to have gone on further but we came up against a championship team tonight.

"They've had a lot of adversity, a lot of difficulty outside of rugby. For a team to come together the whole season, not to play one home game all season, well, the Sharks wish them all the very best," he said, referring to the Crusaders not having a regular home ground.


Time: 04:13


Share



The Blues head into the semi finals after win over the Waratahs

This weekend the two qualifiers for the Super Rugby semi finals took place, with the Blues and Crusaders both heading through to the last four. The Blues beat the Waratahs 26-13 yesterday, so here's a look at some of the highlights if you missed the game. Other clips, such as tackles etc, might be posted separately.

The Waratahs, ravaged by injury, simply couldn't get up for this one as their lack depleted side struggled to cope with a strong second half showing from the the Blues.

Center Tom Carter, who scored for the 'Tahs, says that getting close simply isn't good enough.

"If this group is fair dinkum about winning the comp, we probably have a year or two left realistically. We can't keep blowing opportunities. We have made the semis three of the last four years and that's incredible, and we'd like people to recognise that. But we are also very aware that turning up and having a close semi-final isn't good enough in professional sport," he said.

Blues captain Keven Mealamu was predictably more upbeat following the win for the three-time champions. They will face the Reds in Brisbane next weekend.

"We're really happy with the way we're going at the moment," he said. "There was a lot of emotion during the week and that's probably why we didn't get off to as good a start as we would have liked.

"But after 20 minutes we got back into our work and I was really happy with the team."


Time: 03:48


Share



Thursday, June 23, 2011

Tom Marshall's big try saving hit on Aaron Cruden

Last weekend the Crusaders beat the Hurricanes in a low scoring, yet eventful game. You saw Andrew Hore questioning the ref earlier in the week, now here is a clip of a brilliant tackle from young Tom Marshall.

Incidentally, I'm pleased to tell you that this is Rugbydump's 2000th post. While some news sites or blogs churn out words at an uncanny rate, I'm pretty happy to have 2000 unique posts on the site that has each one featuring a quality video of some kind with it. It hasn't been easy to get to this point, but we're sticking at it and you can expect big things from RD over the next few months, and indeed years. Also, it's fitting that this one is a big hit.

Which brings us nicely back to what happened in this match, as Marshall absolutely smashed Aaron Cruden just meters from the tryline. Along with tackling Dan Carter becoming outlawed, this was one of the most requested incidents of the weekend.

"It was kind of 50-50 but Cruden was pretty renowned for his dummy-and-go, so I just thought I would go for the shot and it worked out all right," said Marshall.

Marshall, who you might not have heard of yet, admits himself that he's hardly one of the big names at the star-studded Crusaders side. He actually said recently that when it comes to the end of the game and the kids run on, everyone clamours around Sonny Bill Williams and king Carter, so it's nice and easy for him as he just chucks a hoodie on and blends in, and is free to walk around without being bothered.

With big tackles like this, he better enjoy the quiet time while he can.

As for the guy he tackled, Aaron Cruden, well he's been included in the All Blacks training squad for the World Cup, along with Colin Slade and Dan Carter, which has quite controversially meant there is no place for Stephen Donald. Coach Graham Henry said this week that Donald simply wasn't good enough at this stage, but will be considered if there's injuries before, or during the tournament.

This weekend the Crusaders host the Sharks, with the winner heading into the Semi Finals, while the Blues play the Waratahs in the first game. Both should be really good to watch, intense, and with lots of physical stuff going on. More like this one hopefully. So enjoy the hit, and thanks for the support over each one of the 2000 posts on the site.


Time: 01:50


Share



Extended highlights of the Junior World Championship Semi Finals

Last night the Semi Finals of the Junior World Championship took place in Italy, with England and New Zealand both progressing to the final after beating France and Australia respectively. Today we've got extended highlights for you of both.

In the first semi, England beat France 33-18 in Treviso to progress to their third final in four years. Christian Wade, George Ford, Ben Ranson, and Alex Gray all scored tries as the lead changed hands often in the tight encounter.

While the game was closer than the scoreline suggested, France threw everything into the last few minutes as they hoped to get within range. Some of their touches were incredible to watch, but ultimately as they chased the game, an interception from Captain Gray sealed the win for England, and sent them through to the final with a well deserved win.

New Zealand cruised through to the final as they beat Australia 37-7 in a game that might have looked one sided judging by the scoreline, but was actually fairly testing for the Baby Blacks at one stage. Australia scored first and at 13-7 at halftime, it looked a real contest.

In the second half the New Zealanders kicked into gear as they streaked away to win their 19th consecutive junior championships match, and aim to win their fourth successive title. The final takes place on Sunday night, 26th June.

Elsewhere, Fiji surprised Wales by beating them 34-20, South Africa pumped Ireland 57-15, Scotland eased to a 30-11 win over Tonga, and Argentina beat Italy 12-8.

There will be another round of games taking place on Sunday, as teams jockey for higher place on the overall standings, with Fiji and South Africa competing for fifth place. Italy and Tonga have a relegation battle on their hands, and the loser of that match will move to the lower ranked IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy in 2012. Samoa will be moving up.

The below highlights are 19 mins long, with the second game starting about ten minutes in.

UPDATE: Short highlights of the other games have now been included below the main video.



Share



Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Super Rugby Pick of the Week - Round 18

For various reasons, we haven't had a Super Rugby Pick of the Week clip on here for a few rounds. We'll try and catch up with a dump of the missing ones soon, but for now here's the best tries scored in the final round of pool play, round 18.

We're now into the knock out stages, as the top 6 have been decided. The first round of Qualifiers will take place this coming weekend, with the fourth placed Blues playing the fifth placed Waratahs, in Auckland.

On Saturday the Crusaders, who finished in first place in the New Zealand conference, will host the Sharks, who sprung somewhat of an upset as they beat the Bulls in Pretoria this past weekend. The respective winners of those two matches will then progress to the Semi Finals.

The Queensland Reds finished the tournament in top position overall, so they have a home semi, where they will meet the winner of the lowest placed qualifier. The Stormers, second on the overall table and South African conference winners, will also have a home semi, and host the highest placed qualifier. Those matches will take place in two weeks time.

It can all be a little confusing, but at this stage, it's actually quite straight forward. The final table has been included at the end of this video, and before that, some of the best tries of the weekend.

Qualifiers
Friday, 24 June
19:35 (local time): Blues vs Waratahs - Auckland
Saturday, 25 June
19:35 (local time): Crusaders vs The Sharks - Christchurch

Semi-finals
Saturday, 2 July
19:40 (local time): Reds vs Lowest Placed Qualifier - Brisbane
17:05 (local time): Stormers vs Highest Placed Qualifier - Cape Town


Time: 03:50
Music: I Love you Dude, by Digitalism


Share



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

England juniors great try savers and France's kicking tactics

If you missed it, highlights of some of the Junior World Championship games were posted here a couple of days ago, with England and France coming out on top in their games. This video highlights some of their best moments, including some amazing try savers.

The two old rivals will meet again in the semi finals tomorrow, with England no strangers to the semi finals, while it's the first time the French have reached the knockout stage.

The young England team seem to have what it takes to progress to the final, where they will meet the winner of the Australia vs New Zealand semi. While they showed against South Africa that they've got the heart to keep out even the most determined of challenges, France will pose a different threat entirely.

"France have been very good, they bring what all French players bring to a game, a bit of flair, the physicality, they can create something out of nothing," said England flyhalf George Ford.

"All I know is we will have to play and be on it for the full 80 minutes and also focus on our game as well. I am not really thinking about it (the final) right now, just about playing France and making sure we perform as well as we can."

The following video shows some of England's great try saving tackles against South Africa, namely from second row Joe Launchbury, as the Baby Boks threw everything at them late in the game. The tackles weren't in the other highlights vid, so that's why this is being posted. The clip also shows France's successful kicking tactics against Australia, which resulted in great tries.

Junior World Championship Semi Final details:
Wed 22 June - 18:00 - England vs France - Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso
Wed 22 June - 20:10 - New Zealand vs Aus - Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso


Share



Monday, June 20, 2011

Andrew Hore asks if they're actually allowed to tackle Dan Carter

Andrew Hore and Ma’a Nonu bid farewell to Wellington this past weekend as they played their final matches for the Hurricanes, ending off with a moment that will no doubt be remembered as one of the more amusing of the season.

Nonu and Hore were told recently that their services are no longer wanted in Wellington. They join a list of long serving players who finished up on the weekend, including front rowers John Schwalger and Neemia Tialata. Piri Weepu is also uncertain about his future.

While over 17 000 attended the game against the Crusaders at Westpac Stadium, there was no big farewell ceremony, no speeches, not even a mention of it. Instead the players quietly said their goodbyes to the crowd, and ended Hurricanes careers that have spanned years, and over 100 caps each.

It wasn’t a happy send-off result wise, as the Crusaders won the tight contest 16-9, but early in the game Nonu imposed himself, taking out All Black golden boy Dan Carter with a big hit. It was called up for being a late tackle, which was probably harsh, as no arms were the real problem there.

Referee Chris Pollock received a report from the touchline, then acted on it as he penalised the center. "Is there a new rule that you can't tackle Dan Carter?" enquired Andrew Hore cheekily, hinting at how valuable and important a player he is in New Zealand.

The hooker later joked that touchjudge Shane McDermott used to play in his club team and his brother used to keep him out, so he thought maybe he was trying to get one back. Hore also seemed to be having a bit of a laugh with the opposing front row.

"I took 70 minutes to get a smile out of Owen Franks and Ben Franks out there, but I finally got one, so I was pleased."

Nonu and Hore will both be a part of the World Cup, but after that are unsure where they’re heading. Hore has said he’d like to stay in New Zealand, but has had interest from Agen in France, while there has been talk of Nonu being linked to Ospreys in Wales, and the Sharks in South Africa.

"Up until three weeks rugby was always a game for me but over the last couple of weeks I've come to realise that it's a job and that's the way decisions are made.

"That's probably the pleasing thing about getting back to the farm, the sheep don't care what you look like and you can just chase them around," said farmer Hore.


Time: 01:42


Share



Sunday, June 19, 2011

Junior World Championship - Match highlights from Day 3

Day three of the Junior World Championship ended in drama for some, as the fate of the semi finalists was decided late in the day, with points scored proving the difference between a few of the sides. Here are highlights from four of the games.

The Baby Blacks of New Zealand continued their fine form as they powered to a 48-15 win over Argentina, making it 18 consecutive wins for the defending champions. While Argentina were looking good at one stage, a clinical second half proved the difference.

England top Pool C as they got the better of South Africa in a game that at one stage looked as though it could have gone either way. Unforced errors from the Baby Boks and an incredible work ethic from England on defence were two key factors in the game. England took their chances, while South Africa struggled to finish thanks to more than a few excellent try saving tackles, two from the second row.

As was seen here a few days ago, Wales took a serious hiding at the hands of New Zealand in their previous pool meeting. This time out they got things together though and punished Italy’s lack of fire power, winning the game convincingly 56-6.

Australia’s meeting with France was always going to prove vital to the layout of the semi finals, and it was France who threw a spanner in the works by reaching their first ever semi finals in the tournament, beating the junior Wallabies 31-25, effectively knocking out South Africa in the process, who finished equal on log points.

What that all means is that France will meet rivals England on Wednesday 22 June, while New Zealand will face Australia, who were the best runner up team across the three pools. That game is a repeat of last years final, and will also be on Wednesday, also at the Stadio Comunlae di Monigo.

Elsewhere - in games that aren’t featured here – Ireland got their first win of the tournament as they beat Scotland 30-13, while Fiji beat Tonga 36-18. Ireland will face South Africa again as they play for fifth place, while Fiji face Wales.

A relegation battle will also take place, as Scotland, Tonga, Argentina, and hosts Italy will all fight to avoid ending up in the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy next year.

Below are highlights of four featured games. You can navigate through the playlist via the button next to play, or simply sit back and catch up on all the games as it autoplays them.


Share



Friday, June 17, 2011

Brett Sheehan's big hit on Quade Cooper, & Berrick Barnes update

The good news is it's Friday. The bad news? There isn't any, it's Friday. For most of you that will mean knocking off work early (if you haven't already), hooking up with mates, and watching rugby all weekend. Here's two clips to start it.

The first comes from last weekend's Super Rugby game between the Reds and the Force, a game that the Reds won in the dying moments thanks to a long pass from flyhalf Quade Cooper.

Earlier in the match Cooper took a big hit though from fiery scrumhalf Brett Sheehan as he passed infield. Sheehan, despite being short in stature, punches well above his weight and pretty much resembles an angry pitbull. Of course Cooper was there for the taking and probably off balance, but it was a big impact, so well worth sharing with those big hit lovers out there.

The second clip here is a lot more tragic in nature, although somehow the Aussie sense of humour manages to make light of a serious situation, and not necessarily in a bad way.

You might have heard about Waratahs and Wallabies back Berrick Barnes having experienced a few big knocks of late, and complaining of experiencing bad headaches. It's now got to the point that he's made the decision to hang up his boots, until things improve.

It's a big call so close to a Rugby World Cup that he would no doubt be a big part of, but it sounds like his hands were tied in terms of what he can and can't do on the field and in training, so we wish him all the best for the near future, and hope to see him out there playing for the Wallabies at the world cup in New Zealand later this year.

Below are both clips, the first being the hit on Cooper, and the second being a discussion on The Rugby Club about the Barnes situation.

On a sidenote, there have already been two games of Super Rugby this weekend, but tomorrow will be what decides the positioning on the final table. To find out how that all works, we've got a handy explanation that outlines who will finish where, who plays who, etc. View that here.




Share



Thursday, June 16, 2011

Baby Blacks run riot against Wales in Junior World Championships

The New Zealand under 20 side put in another commanding performance at the Junior World Championship in Italy, this time crushing Wales 92-0.

The Baby Blacks, who are perennial favourites at this age grade, were at their clinical best, punishing Wales for their errors, once again showing that they have their systems firmly in place in New Zealand.

While boasting players with NPC and Super Rugby experience, the Baby Blacks - triple world champions - showed their class as they turned over ball frequently, maximising the opportunities handed to them. They scored 14 tries, which is actually two less than the current record for the tournament, which is when South Africa beat the USA 108-18 in 2008.

Flyhalf Gareth Anscombe was a constant threat, and as with their opening match, kicked well as he equalled last week's impressive tally of 22 points in the game.

Argentina have the task of stopping the black tide next, heading for 17 consecutive victories, when they meet on Sunday.

The following two videos give a rundown of each other days play, focused predominantly on New Zealand's dominance. We'll try organise highlights from the other games soon.


Share



Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Scarlets Tries Of The Season 2010/2011

The rugby season up north has all but come to an end. For Munster, it was Magners League glory as they beat Leinster in the Grand Final, but today we look at the Scarlets, who scored some excellent tries throughout the season.

This video, all thirteen minutes of it, shows some of the great tries that Scarlets scored over the past season. While their Celtic League and Heineken Cup campaigns probably didn't go as planned, they did however show that they're more than capable with ball in hand.

Youngsters like Jon Davies and George North shone, and are both set to thrive in the coming years with both their domestic teams, and indeed Wales. The disappointing aspect for Welsh fans will be that none of their regions - Scarlets, Ospreys, Blues, or Dragons - managed to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup.

Despite this, the feeling at the Scarlets seems to be positive, as many homegrown players and young talent are coming through. Even though they're not winning the games that count, they're playing attractive rugby, the likes of which is at times a throwback to Welsh rugby of old.

Below is a nicely made compilation that features some excellent tries scored by the Scarlets over the past few months. It's well worth a watch, regardless of who you support. However if you feel that you'd like to see the same from your side, please feel free to get in touch with submissions and we'll have a look, and possibly post something up on here too. Enjoy the tries.


Time: 13:24


Share



Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The French Barbarians level the series, beating Argentina in Resistencia

Argentina hosted the French Barbarians for the second in their two match series, after the hosts had won the first game last weekend. This time was the turn of the visitors though, as the Barbarian side took a 21-18 victory to level the series 1-1.

Benjamin Lapeyre scored twice while fullback Romain Teulet kicked the rest of the points for the French Barbarians, but did miss three, making the final score a lot closer than it could have been. On the flipside, debutant flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez kicked six from six for Argentina.

The Argentina side had changed things up, bringing in 12 changes from the team that won last weekend in Buenos Aires, as they look to use a large squad and work out who the best players are to take to the World Cup in September.

Very few of the third placed Rugby World Cup 2007 squad were used over this two match series, with just prop Martin Scelzo turning out on Saturday. Felipe Contepomi, who was such a key figure in last week's win, wasn't available for the second game.

These highlights are quite short, and in Spanish, but at least give you a quick rundown of the match, and hopefully keeps you up to date with what's happening preparation wise over there.

Also be sure to check out our signed rugby jersey giveaway below the video, this time with a Toulon jersey signed by the squad! Click the image to enter and stand a chance of winning it.


Share



Monday, June 13, 2011

Butch James' dangerous tackle, and big hit on Stefan Terblanche

Butch James had a great game on the weekend, all but steering his new side, the Lions, to victory over the visiting Sharks. He slipped up though with a typically Butch-like tackle on flanker Keegan Daniel, meaning he was off the field for ten minutes, allowing the Sharks back into the game.

James, who is back in South Africa to increase his chances of being at the Rugby World Cup, was given a lifeline by the Lions, who now have a solid financial backing and are looking to turn things around in Johannesburg. The flyhalf has certainly made a difference, with the Lions showing the kind of continuity and passion that has been way too sporadic in years gone by.

They almost pulled off the win too, and were up 30-9 at one stage. A host of Sharks substitutions - including the introduction of Frederic Michalak - as well as James being yellow carded meant that a big comeback took place. The game ended 30-30.

James has since been cited for his second half tackle on Keegan Daniel, the tackle that earned him ten minutes on the sideline. Under Law 10.4 (e) for dangerous tackling, James will face a judicial hearing on Wednesday of this week in Johannesburg.

While he's never been a stranger to this type of hit, his general play and perfect goal kicking will be encouraging for the Springboks, and he has been named in their initial World Cup squad.

His discipline in the tackle has always been a problem though, as can be seen here. He did however make another big tackle earlier in the game that was deemed legal, on Stefan Terblanche. You can view both in the playlist below, and decide for yourself if you think a citing and further action is necessary.

Update: 16/06/2011 - James has been suspended for four weeks by SANZAR. The offence was classified as mid-range, and has been deferred (the Lions have a bye) to commence on Monday July 20th, meaning he will be out of all rugby up to 17 July.


Share



Sunday, June 12, 2011

Veteran Tony Brown takes a big tackle from Atieli Pakalani

Another busy rugby weekend has come and gone so before sorting through the chaos, here's a short clip that was submitted via the forum, and features veteran Tony Brown taking a big tackle against the Waratahs.

Yes, if you didn't know it before, Tony Brown is still playing professional rugby. The 18 times capped All Black has had a bit of a rugby journey, playing in Japan and South Africa before returning to Otago to continue plying his trade for his beloved Highlanders.

Now 36 years old, he's actually already been named in a Classic All Blacks team, to play against a Classic France team in Queenstown in September. This weekend though he was was picked to start against the Waratahs as Lima Sapoaga is doing duty for the Baby Blacks at the Junior World Championships in Italy.

Things didn't go too well for Brown, who was not only on the end of a 33-7 hiding from the Sydney side, but also took this hefty tackle from 'Tahs back Atieli Pakalani, winding him quite badly and leaving him on the ground to recover for a minute or two.

Regardless of the result, and of him being smashed here, it's great to see guys like Brown, Tana Umaga, and Chris Jack, all having good seasons and continuing to perform well into their thirties.

If you spotted anything this past weekend that you think is worth featuring here on RD, give us a shout by tweeting, posting a message on the Facebook Page, emailing, or simply leaving a request in the correct section on the forum. Hope it's been a good one either way. Cheers


Time: 0:49


Share



Saturday, June 11, 2011

Rugby Club Plays of the Week - Rounds 15 & 16

It's time to catchup on some Plays of the Week from the Rugby Club in Australia, this time from rounds 15 and 16 of Super Rugby. There's big hits, great tries, dancing girls, and even a bit of a bromance.

By now I'm sure you're familiar with what's served up from the guys at the Rugby Club, Sean Maloney in particular. It's good stuff, and basically sums up a weekend of Super Rugby in a few minutes, in a way that can only be described as, well, Australian.

The good news is that the all Aussie bias has dissipated slightly, with a more rounded view on the best bits lately. That said, it is an Australian show, meant for an Australia audience only, so it's all in good fun and as long as nobody losing an eye, we can't really complain.

A special mention goes out to Tana Umaga for his great try (aged 67) against the Blues, and gasman David Smith of the Force, who flew in against a rather minty looking Highlanders side. The Stormers were also on fire in Round 16 with some great tries, and see if you can spot Pat O'Connor's headbutt against the Bulls. See it? Yeah, thought not.

Have a good weekend, and if you're feeling bromantic, just go with it.


Time: 04:31


Share



Friday, June 10, 2011

Brian O'Driscoll back from the dead, then a neat flick pass

After the Magners League Grand Final a couple of weeks ago, two of the most requested moments were these pieces of magic by midfield magician Brian O'Driscoll. While Munster actually beat Leinster, there's no doubt that these are still worth featuring.

There's actually quite a lot that happens in this three minute long clip. As you can see at the beginning, Leinster run the ball from deep before O'Driscoll puts a kick through. In the follow up he gets badly taken out by Marcus Horan, which results in him being knocked to the floor.

While receiving medical attention, there's a turnover, so Munster counterattack. BOD, never one to let his own personal well being come ahead of his teams, jumps up at the last second to make the tackle. Probably quite a sneaky move, but it shows the commitment of the guy.

He played on, and later in the match streaked up the left wing before delivering a pinpoint no- look flick pass to flyhalf Jonathan Sexton. As you can see, O'Driscoll touched the ball twice more in the movement, as Leinster gradually moved up field before earning a penalty.

There's also a small cameo by European Player of the Year, Sean O'Brien, as he bumped off Ronan O'Gara in typical fashion. Unfortunately there was no proper replay at the time, but a little zoom and slow mo does the trick on this occasion.

All in all, typical O'Driscoll brilliance on show. Him getting up to make that tackle when hurt was not only courageous, but pretty funny too. Enjoy.



Time: 03:03


Share



Argentina narrowly beat the French Barbarians at home

Argentina played the first of their two World Cup warm up games on Saturday against the French Barbarians, a team that is made up of some top French talent as well as a few players that play there, but are foreigners. The hosts won the first game 23-19.

The narrow victory came in part thanks to Captain Felipe Contepomi, who scored a try and kicked eight points as Argentina look to get their Rugby World Cup campaign on track, with a fair amount of fringe players looking to earn a ticket to New Zealand.

There were a number of Pampas players playing, which was good to see. If you don’t know Pampas are a team that took part in – and won – the Vodacom Cup tournament in South Africa last month.

The Barbarians side scored tries through Guillaume Bousses, Adrien Plante, and Gerhard Vosloo, while Argentina’s came through Genaro Fessia, Agustin Figuerola, and flyhalf Felipe Contepomi.

The two teams will meet again this coming weekend in the northern city of Resistencia, where the Pumas will apparently field an almost entirely different lineup.

The following highlights are in Spanish, as that’s what the match was televised in.


Time: 02:28


Share



Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Tomasi Cama smashed by Ignacio Martin at the London Sevens

The IRB World Sevens Series has come and gone, with New Zealand clinching the title of overall winners once again. One man who has been an integral part of that is Tomasi Cama. In this clip however, he gets smashed out his boots by a Spaniard.

The beauty of Sevens - often lost on some rugby fans - is not only it's free flowing nature, but these days it's all about growing the sport around the world. As many sides quite simply don't have the resources or physical stature to sustain a competitive fifteen man senior squad, the shortened version of the game is ideal for growth and development.

A country like Kenya is a perfect example of this. Ranked 35th on the official IRB Rankings, in the game of Sevens they're genuine competitors, and have not only upset some of the big guns, but have even won cup tournaments before. It's a brilliant stepping stone, and as long as there are young kids tossing a rugby ball about from Mombasa to Nairobi, Sevens has done it's job.

Spain are a country that actually have a richer history with rugby, having taken part in the 1999 World Cup. They're ranked fairly decently overall, at 23rd, just behind Uruguay and Namibia.

As you can see in this short clip, they too are taking part in certain IRB World Sevens Series legs. In their match against New Zealand at the London tournament recently, Ignacio Martin blindsided Tomasi Cama with this sensational hit, that was worth sharing on the site.

Cama is actually up for the Sevens Player of the Year award, alongside team mate Tim Mikkelson, and South Africa's Cecil Afrika. The winner will be announced on October 24th.

This clip was submitted by a site visitor via the Requests section. If you have something to contribute, or just want to share something you found online, please be sure to get in touch.


Time: 0:40


Share



Barbarians take late win as they beat Wales in Cardiff

As was mentioned on Saturday with the Seru Rabeni big hit on Gavin Henson post, the Barbarians edged Wales 31-28 in a scrappy, yet at times entertaining, game at the Millennium Stadium.

While a lot of the focus was on Henson, his performance was mixed with both good and bad. Ospreys coach Scott Johnson said afterwards that he isn't the player he once was, but he can still make it back there with some hard work.

It was another center who did prove some critics wrong though, albeit on a small scale. Former rugby league star Willie Mason, who is on his way to Toulon, showed touches of brilliance as he dwarfed opponents while getting his hands out of the tackle, with two passes in particular that led to Barbarians tries. While he looks rather out of place in the backs, it's clear that the man is talented and given some time, should make a decent impact.

The Baa-baas had led 19-14 at half time, but Wales came back to lead 28-19, before the Barbarians scored, including a brilliant late effort from Isa Nacewa, to take the result. It's their second in two weeks, beating England last weekend at Twickenham.

Not only did they score five tries to four, but it was probably a fair result considering the way the game flowed. Wales were missing a few key players and they did well to give some youngsters an opportunity, but there's plenty of hard work ahead for them if they hope to make inroads when facing Fiji, Samoa, and South Africa in their pool at the World Cup later this year.

"It was frustrating, and we are gutted, to be honest. We let it slip again, and we just can’t switch off in these games," said flanker Dan Lydiate. "No-one likes losing. We had five new caps and Stephen reaching 100. We really wanted to win for those boys – it’s not good enough.

"We are going out to the World Cup to do a job, and we can’t have lapses in concentration. We need to play for 80 minutes in every game."


Time: 06:37


Share



Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Toulouse beat Montpellier to take another Top 14 title

Stade Toulouse won their 18th French championship title as they fought back to beat Montpellier 15-10 in the Top 14 final in Paris this past weekend.

The only try of the game, a brilliant solo effort, was scored by Montpellier's flying Fijian wing Tamoci Nagusa. He later let his team down slightly as he was yellow carded for an infringement, which was the first of two periods of playing for 14 men for the surprise finalists.

While Toulouse flyhalf David Skrela failed to find his feet initially, missing a few kicks at posts, he was eventually replaced by Nicolas Bezy, who did a good job of taking the points on offer in the second half.

Montpellier, who finished sixth on the points table, snuck through by squeaking past Castres 18-17, then edging Racing Metro 26-25 in the semi final. While they had a decent lead for large parts of the final, the experience of Toulouse told, and the favourites worked their way back into the match, leading by just five points come the final whistle.

"You have to make your superiority count," said coach Guy Noves.

"When David was missing his kicks I said to myself 'it's just not possible' - it was complicated. I thought at one stage it might slip away. Finally we made our domination count," he added.


Time: 06:36


Share



Monday, June 06, 2011

Ita Vaea suspended for a week for knocking out Digby Ioane

Brumbies number eight Ita Vaea has been suspended for a week following the tackle that left Reds winger Digby Ioane knocked out cold at Suncorp Stadium on the weekend.

The Reds were on the wrong end of a shock upset to the Brumbies, who showed the type of passion and commitment that has been mysteriously absent throughout the season. A last minute penalty by Matt Giteau - who refused to kick the ball out and gift the Reds a losing bonus point - meant the 13th place Brumbies came out 22-14 winners.

The home side suffered a bad blow earlier in the match when star winger Ioane copped a stiffarm tackle from young Ita Vaea, knocking him out before he hit the turf with a thud.

The tackle was missed at the time, much to the annoyance of the home crowd (as you'll hear at the end of this clip), but the Brumbies loose forward was later cited and found guilty at a SANZAR judicial hearing in Brisbane. He will be out of rugby for a week.

Ioane suffered concussion but there was reportedly no further damage. He will however miss next week's meeting with the Western Force in Perth, and is just another injury worry for the table topping side. Anthony Faingaa and Ben Lucas are other injury concerns.

"It's a contact sport and you're going to get damage. Unfortunately all our damage is in the backs," said Reds coach Ewen McKenzie.


Time: 02:10


Share



Sonny Bill Williams successful in fourth professional fight

This past weekend there was a whole lot of interesting stuff happening in the world of rugby, the least of which was Sonny Bill Williams' fourth professional boxing match, but here's a post about it anyway.

The All Black star in the making went up against Alipate Liava, a 43 year old who is currently on disability benefits as he's not fit to work because of an elbow problem. Williams has acknowledged that his boxing career is a slow work in progress and he's not yet where he wants to be, but many would have hoped this would have been more of a test for him.

The twenty five year old was never troubled, and despite taking a few shots to the jaw, came out unscathed, much to the relief of New Zealand and Crusaders coaches Graham Henry and Todd Blackadder, who were both watching in the crowd.

"He hardly got hit, which is the main thing," Henry said. "He kept moving. He's a good athlete. He moves well. He didn't get touched often, which is great. I think he's feeling good about himself and he's pleased it's over so he can concentrate on other things."

"If it was Richie McCaw, or Dan Carter, or whoever it might be, we would be here to support him," he added, and also mentioned that there wont be another fight before the World Cup, as his All Blacks contract stipulates that condition clearly.

Williams won the fight by a unanimous points decision, with Liava's record now standing at eight successive losses, after he won his first four fights in his 12-bout career.

The positive that came from the rather bizarre mismatch is that money was raised for Christchurch's disaster relief, of which Williams donated a significant sum from his own pocket.


Time: 02:22


Share



Saturday, June 04, 2011

Gavin Henson smashed by Seru Rabeni, and other bits

The Barbarians picked up their second win in succession as they beat Wales 31-28 at the Millennium Stadium earlier today. Gavin Henson made his return in Welsh colours, but had a bit of mixed bag.

In a match that failed to really kick into gear, both sides looked a little all over the place. It was a good finish though with a nice Isa Nacewa try, and with two tanks in the Barbarians midfield, there were always going to be a few hefty tackles flying in from all directions.

Probably the biggest of the day was Fijian Seru Rabeni's massive hit on former Ospreys center Gavin Henson, who was playing for Wales for the first time since facing Ireland in 2009. It wasn't quite the return he'd hoped for, but he enjoyed being out there nevertheless.

"I am very proud today, getting back into that Welsh jersey. I have really enjoyed the week, getting back in and playing today," he said. "But I am bitterly disappointed with my performance, there were some bad decisions I made. It was a good game to be involved in and it was a pity we lost in the end."

Henson is obviously aiming to make Warren Gatland's World Cup squad, and said that he hopes the coach was impressed by the good things he did out there.

"I am not sure. I think I showed glimpses of what I could possibly do.It is not my decision, we will just have to wait and see. I would love to be involved in this summer's matches and the World Cup, but whether I did enough today I'm not sure."

Henson has since been included in Wales' provisional World Cup squad of 45, which will be reduced to 30 before August 22nd.

Below is a lighthearted look at Gavin's day, including the big tackle from Rabeni, and some of the other bits which he'd have been disappointed in. It's been uploaded very shortly after the game (by a Welshman) so is worth sharing for now, mainly because of the big hit, and perhaps a bit of a laugh for some.

Highlights of the match will probably be posted sometime over the next day or so.


Time: 01:01


Share



Friday, June 03, 2011

Luke Fitzgerald hit on Doug Howlett, & Ronan O'Gara flattened by Isa Nacewa

Last weekend the Magners League Grand Final took place in Ireland, with Munster beating Leinster to come through 19-9 winners. Here's two big moments from the game that are worth seeing again.

While both of these came from the losing side, Leinster, they're definitely two of the bigger hits that took place, and have been much requested over the course of the last week.

That's not to say that these were the only great things that happened in the game though. Anything but. It was an incredibly intense derby match and both sides produced some highly impressive defensive efforts. Special mention to Felix Jones and David Wallace of Munster, who both made match winning tackles, with Jones in particular being a rock at the back.

After a bit of a discussion about it on the Rugbydump Facebook Page, it was decided that even though these two moments came from the same team, and the one that lost the match, they were two that neutral fans would most enjoy seeing. So here they are.

First up is Luke Fitzgerald and his cracking tackle on Doug Howlett. Cracking is an apt description too, because the Irish winger actually came off second best, even though it was he who knocked down the All Black legend.

Howlett's former Auckland Blues teamate Isa Nacewa then had a big charge up field, picking out Ronan O'Gara and pretty much flattening him, with ROG hitting his head hard on the ground. In typical fashion though, he got up, took some time to recover, and played on. For those who didn't watch the game, he did attempt the next penalty kick, but pushed it wide.



Share



Thursday, June 02, 2011

The Code: Life with the HSBC Waratahs - Episode 1

It's time for the first episode in another fascinating rugby documentary series, that this time takes you behind the scenes with Australia's oldest provincial rugby team, the Waratahs.

If you follow RD on Twitter and Facebook, you probably would have seen the trailer for The Code: Life with the HSBC Waratahs last week. It's a fascinating new show that gives us a look behind closed doors within the Waratahs team environment as they take on another season of Super Rugby, and aim to achieve greatness.

In episode one, which aired on Fox Sports a week ago, we got to see what goes into their rigorous preseason training as they get ready for a challenging year ahead. Two months of hard work culminate in their opening game of the season against the new Melbourne Rebels side.

The groundbreaking documentary has eight episodes in total, and looks at what goes on within a professional sports team, the characters that make up the squad, and how they go about their quest for glory on the field.

Previously inaccessible, we now will get to experience the highs and lows that victories, losses, and injuries bring as we see first hand how players are taken on a personal journey of discovery. It's all access, as the cameras continue to roll throughout the season. If the first episode is anything to go buy, this is set to be a show you won't want to miss out on.

UPDATE: The Waratahs management politely requested that the video be taken off RD, and have also had it removed from Youtube. They have assured us that they're close to securing distribution globally, so if all goes well, you will be able to see the full show at some stage.


Time: 23:58


Share



Refs hit the headlines again as the Reds beat the Crusaders in classic

One of the games of the weekend was this classic Super Rugby meeting between the Reds and the Crusaders, a game that went right down to the wire and ended with more than a small touch of controversy.

It was a low scoring, yet intense game with a fantastic test match feel to it. Two of the top number tens of the world game came up against each other, with Quade Cooper pulling out some incredible stuff, although Dan Carter probably got the better of him in the end with an incredibly polished all round performance.

It was Cooper who celebrated at the final whistle however, as a capacity crowd of 48 000 watched on as he slotted a last minute penalty, a kick that took the Reds into a 17-16 lead.

While the Reds were fantastic and in many respects deserved the win, there's been plenty of talk about the manner in which they got there in the end, most notably through the inefficiencies of referee Stuart Dickinson and his touch judges.

They missed a few things on the night, and while that will always be the case as refs are human and tend to err from time to time, there have been big question marks over his performance. Some went as far as to call it bias towards the Australian side, while others simply felt it was below par, which at such a crucial stage in the comp, is unforgivable.

There was a suspect looking pass early in the game, then in the lead up to the final play a ball appeared to have gone forward. The biggest talking point though has been his decision to ping Richie McCaw for using his hands in a ruck, right in front of the posts in the dying moments.

McCaw clearly disagreed, but the worrying matter here is that there's such a vast difference of opinion as to whether it was the right or wrong call. Referee boss Lyndon Bray chose to defend Dickinson publicly, although he apparently said later that there are definitely grey areas. SANZAR's Greg Peters has said that Dickinson will be under review, as is the norm.

McCaw, who gave away the penalty, somehow escaped the wrath of the fans as everything seemed to be directed at Dickinson, but the greater issue is that there's so much confusion around the breakdown. When top referees, pundits, and former test players can't call it conclusively either way, surely that's a bit of a problem, especially as we're trying to grow the game? Of course it's a debate that lingers on though, and will always be a touchy subject.

Unfortunately what it did do is take away from a great game of rugby, of which you can view highlights below. For those of you who also enjoy a bit of post match discussion and analysis, the second clip in the playlist is a snippet from Reunion, where it's debated from a New Zealand perspective. Enjoy, and feel free to leave some thoughts as a comment below.


Share



Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Montpellier snatch victory from Racing Metro in Top 14 semi final

Earlier in the week you saw Rupeni Caucau score two tries to help take Toulouse through to the Top 14 final. In the second semi final, Montpellier beat Racing Metro with another dramatic finish.

A last gasp penalty from Argentinian Martin Bustos Moyano shattered a brilliant comeback from Racing, after they had fought back well from being 23-6 down early in the second half. The game ended 26-25, with Montpellier heading into their first Top 14 final ever.

"It is unbelievable, unbelievable. I thought we were beaten," said an ecstatic coach, Fabien Galthie. Coach Eric Bechu was equally overjoyed. "It's great for the guys. They fought until the end despite several of them suffering from cramp," he said.

With minutes left and both sides looking fatigued, Racing Metro appeared to have won the game as they took the lead with a try to Jone Qovu. Montpellier kept at it though, working their way downfield before earning the decisive penalty.

As time was up, Racing got in a position to steal the game with a dropgoal, but perhaps rushed things a bit as Jonathan Wisniewski's effort went wide. Montpellier went through, and will face Toulouse in the Top 14 Final, this coming Saturday, the 4th of June.

The following is extended highlights of the game. If it's too long for you to watch, skip to the end to see the great scenes a thrilling climax to the match.


Time: 14:40


Share




Missed out on recent posts? View by monthly archive
July 2011 | June 2011 | May 2011 | April 2011 | March 2011 | February 2011

 

PARTNERS & FRIENDS
Ultimate Rugby Sevens | Frontup.co.uk | Whatsisrugby.com | RossSkeate.com | Fusebox | Olympic-rugby.org
The Rugby Blog | Blogspot rugby | Free Sports Video Guide | Lovell Rugby Blog | Lerugbynistere | Free Betting Offers

All videos featured are hosted externally and property of the respective video sharing platforms.
Rugbydump features and archives them in an effort to promote the game worldwide.
Copyright © 2010 Rugbydump