@Duluth oh nice didn't realise. Makes for a very interesting card.

@taniwharugby getting high performance out of a squad is our challenge. We have a bigger crop of young players than ever before (vs journeymen) - and more SR experience. You have to think that a capable and settled coaching setup is what we need now to move us up the ranks.

Maybe he’s going to Argentina

Junaid Stuart is from my Africa most southern town of Struisbaai. Garsfontein HS gave him sponsorship and the Bulls.

Not sure where to post this.

What really grinds my gears is that when you have a TMO review at 79 minutes in a must win match to keep series alive, that review has to be to strict letter of law. Given CT was horizontal it was actually impossible to clean below the shoulders so technically a penalty.

So far as I can tell there is no official guidance suggesting 9.20 should not be interpreted literally.

I do of course realise that practice is generally not to, meaning back of neck is fair game..

World Rugby needs to issue clarification. If that amounts to ‘ignore the letter of 9.20’ they might as well scrap it.

Or confirm it is to be taken literally.

That may lead to more jackalling, which I personally shouldn’t be opposed to.

@Cyclops said in Other Cricket:

Bonkers score card for India's second innings. 2 ducks, 3 centuries and a 90 from the 6 guys to bat.

Stokes a bit grumpy when India declined the draw with both batters in the 80s. Sundar ended up with a maiden test century which is kind of reasonable, but with Harry Brook and Joe Root basically giving them batting practice for the final few overs all feels a bit meaningless. Jadeja at least had the decency to blast his way there, while Sundar nurdled it around.

Ben Stokes has plenty of opinions on how cricket should be played - which is usually whatever suits him at the time.

#2019NeverForget #StillBitter

@sparky Looks like an aspiring Rasta touch judge for the try scored by the 13. He had his flag up when the ball was at least a metre in play!!!!

Superb tournament
Superb final

@canefan Bravery is a term thrown about all too often by the media, mostly so far from actual 'bravery' it is an insult to people like Cameron!

@booboo said in Rugby on Stan:

Still on Stan, but content this time.

I'd really like them to have a more comprehensive highlights package. The 25min "Mini Match" often misses a lot of context when I don't want to watch a whole match.

Yeah the mini match is often very meh. Almost better just fast forwarding through the full match.

Yeah solid drive from Lawson. Qualified 9th, finished 8th

Caught up with Alonso & Sainz in the Drivers Standings. No big gaps at this end of the table.. so he's a good chance of gaining more places soon

Screenshot 2025-07-28 at 12.14.34 PM.png

Out the front, Piastri continued his edge over Norris

@CtownCowboy said in Highlanders 2026:

Hearing Hastie is being linked to the Western Force

Mark that up as long range tick.

Namibia move to the Wild Card playoffs.

522700461_18420214825100787_3299837980513045361_n (1).jpg

@Duluth said in Exodus:

@African-Monkey said in Exodus:

@hikastags said in Exodus:

Finlay Christie rumoured to Newcastle Falcons in one of the latest RugbyPass articles

Interesting to see someone go to England from here. Usually it's just Japan haha.

Scotland qualified in mid 2027?

Good point.

Couldn't be bothered finding another thread

Eagles flying high in Wellington.

FB_IMG_1753524912875.jpg

WBO have ordered usyk defend his title to parker , they have 30 days to respond .

If he vacates , it’s looking like Joe might fight Moses Itauma for the vacant title , the two highest ranked wbo fighters . The kid destined for greatness , maybe it’s a good time to get him while he is only 20 but on Parker’s behalf , I don’t like that matchup.

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Black Ferns 2025:

The Black Ferns squad for the Rugby World Cup 2025 is (Age, Super Rugby Club, Provincial Union, Test caps):

Loosehead props

*Kate Henwood (36, Chiefs Manawa, Bay of Plenty, 10 Tests)

Awhina Tangen-Wainohu (27, Blues, Waikato, 7 Tests)

*Chryss Viliko (24, Blues, Auckland, 13 Tests)

Hookers

*Atlanta Lolohea (22, Blues, Canterbury, 7 Tests)

*Vici-Rose Green (22, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 2 Tests)

Georgia Ponsonby (25, Matatū, Canterbury, 31 Tests)

Tighthead props

Tanya Kalounivale (26, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 22 Tests)

*Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu (20, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 1 Test)

Amy Rule (25, Matatū, Canterbury, 30 Tests)

Locks

*Laura Bayfield (26, Matatū, Canterbury, 1 Test)

Alana Bremner (28, Matatū, Canterbury, 29 Tests)

Chelsea Bremner (30, Matatū, Canterbury, 22 Tests)

Maiakawanakaulani Roos (23, Blues, Auckland, 33 Tests)

Loose forwards

Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (23, Blues, Auckland, 29 Tests)

*Jorja Miller (21, Black Ferns Sevens, Canterbury, 2 Tests)

*Kaipo Olsen-Baker (23, Matatū, Manawatū, 12 Tests)

*Layla Sae (24, Hurricanes Poua, Manawatū, 14 Tests)

Kennedy Tukuafu (28, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 30 Tests)

Halfbacks

*Iritana Hohaia (25, Hurricanes Poua, Taranaki, 17 Tests)

*Maia Joseph (23, Matatū, Otago, 11 Tests)

*Risaleaana Pouri-Lane (25, Black Ferns Sevens, Ta$man, 2 Tests)

First five-eighths

Kelly Brazier (35, Chiefs Manawa, Bay of Plenty, 43 Tests)

Ruahei Demant (30, Blues, Auckland, 45 Tests)

Midfielders

Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt (21, Blues, Auckland, 25 Tests)

Amy du Plessis (26, Matatū, Canterbury, 21 Tests)

Theresa Setefano (30, Blues, Auckland, 19 Tests)

Stacey Waaka (29, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 27 Tests)

Outside backs

Renee Holmes (25, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 23 Tests)

Ayesha Leti-I’iga (26, Hurricanes Poua, Wellington, 26 Tests)

*Braxton Sorensen-McGee (18, Blues, Auckland, 3 Tests)

*Katelyn Vahaakolo (25, Blues, Auckland, 17 Tests)

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (34, Blues, Northland, 27 Tests)

Non-travelling reserve

Krystal Murray (32, Chiefs Manawa, Northland, 14 Tests)

*denotes first Rugby World Cup

Black Ferns timeline:

· August 13 - Depart for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 campaign in England

· August 25 – Black Ferns v Spain, York Community Stadium, York, 4.30am (NZT) kick-off

· September 1 – Black ferns v Japan, Sandy Park, Exeter, 1.00am (NZT) kick-off

· September 8 – Black Ferns v Ireland, Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium, Brighton & Hove, 1.45am (NZT) kick-off

A couple of the team are way younger than I realised:

Amy Rule (25
Maiakawanakaulani Roos (23
Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (23
Sylvia Brunt (21,
Renee Holmes (25,

@Duluth said in 2025 All Blacks v France series:

I think it was the second Test when Holland dropped a few kickoffs?

Yeah, one where he misjudged the depth of the kick, at around the 15' mark, where Attissogbe beats him to the ball in the air (but knocks on himself). And the other one was at the 2nd half restart, with the ball slipping through his fingers and eventually going into touch.

For all three Tests, the ABs kicked off in the first half and received the kick-off in the second. Interestingly, they weren't able to secure one of those 2nd half restarts (Test 1: Ioane knock on; Test 2: Holland error; Test 3: Villière beats Tuipulotu to the ball). It was a consistent aspect of the pressure the ABs put themselves under at the beginning of the 2nd half, giving the French easy 22 access, alongside the quick impact of the French bench forwards who would come on around the same time.

NZ NBL

James Borrowdale  /  Jul 22  /  Business Unpaid wages and walkouts: the downfall of the NBL’s Indian Panthers Unpaid wages and walkouts: the downfall of the NBL’s Indian Panthers

Just nine games into the 2025 NBL season, the Indian Panthers would be suspended from the league following allegations of unpaid player wages. James Borrowdale spoke to the players, owners and league officials for the full story of a doomed campaign.