THIS WEEKEND JULY 8-9
New Zealand proved too
strong for Australia in their opening Tri Nations match. They retained the
Bledisloe Cup as well. Argentina cruised to a 26-0 win over Uruguay and won a
place in the 2007 Rugby World Cup Tournament. Tonga walloped Cook Islands 90-0
and now proceed to the repechage round involving the No.2 Asia team.
Reviews
http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/EN/RWC+Qualifying/News/060708+DR+arg+rwc.htm
Teams
Australia 'A' squad:
Adam Ashley-Cooper, Richard
Brown, Al Campbell, Mitchell Chapman, David Croft, Matt Dunning, Gene
Fairbanks, Nic Henderson, Josh Holmes, James Horwill, Digby Ioane, Drew
Mitchell, Stephen Moore, Sam Norton-Knight, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson,
John Roe, Cameron Shepherd, Scott Staniforth, Morgan Turinui, Josh Valentine,
Adam Wallace-Harrison
Coach:
08.07.2006
New Zealand
32, Australia 12 in Christchurch (Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations)
New Zealand won by 20 points. I predicted NZ by 30.
At this level of
international rugby, the game is won when a team displays superior skill, pace
and power and produces fewer mistakes. New Zealand displayed all of these
qualities most of the time, Australia showed them occasionally. Thus the
result. New Zealand were too powerful up front and Australia failed to show the
back line domination that was predicted in other columns.
Last Five Encounters:
03.09.2005 New Zealand 34-24
in Auckland (Bledisloe Cup & Tri Nations)
13.08.2005 New Zealand 30-13
in Sydney (Bledisloe Cup & Tri Nations)
07.08.2004 Australia 23-18
in Sydney (Bledisloe Cup & Tri Nations)
17.07.2004 New Zealand 16-7
in Wellington (Bledisloe Cup & Tri Nations)
15.11.2003 Australia 22-10
in Sydney (World Cup semi-final)
GWC Rugby Rankings: World Table-New Zealand 1st, Australia 9th
Pacific Table-New Zealand 1st,
Australia 2nd
Australia:
15 Chris Latham, 14 Mark
Gerrard, 13 Stirling Mortlock (vice-captain), 12 Mat Rogers, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10
Stephen Larkham, 9 George Gregan (captain), 8 Rocky Elsom, 7 George Smith, 6
Mark Chisholm, 5 Dan Vickerman (vice-captain), 4 Nathan Sharpe, 3 Guy
Shepherdson, 2 Tai McIsaac, 1 Greg Holmes.
Replacements: 16 Jeremy
Paul, 17 Al Baxter, 18 Scott Fava, 19 Phil Waugh, 20 Sam Cordingley, 21 Matt
Giteau, 22 Ben Tune.
Coach: John Connolly
New Zealand:
15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Rico
Gear, 13 Mils Muliaina, 12 Aaron Mauger, 11 Joe Rokocoko, 10 Dan Carter, 9
Byron Kelleher, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerry Collins, 5
Jason Eaton, 4 Chris Jack, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew
Hore, 17 Greg Somerville, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Chris Masoe, 20 Piri Weepu, 21
Luke McAlister, 22 Isaia Toeava.
Coach: Graham Henry
http://www.planet-rugby.com/News/story_52330.shtml
http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/articles/2006/07/09/1152240546778.html
Argentina 26,
Uruguay 0 in Buenos Aires (WCQ America South)
Argentina won by 26 points. I predicted Argentina by 70.
In appalling conditions
Argentina did enough to win the game and qualify for the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
They scored two tries in the second half and dominated territory throughout.
Uruguay kept to its plan of upsetting their neighbours but tackling everything
that moved and forcing their more fancied opponents into making errors. It
wasn’t pretty but then it was for a place in the Rugby World Cup.
Neighbours and long time
South American foes Argentina and Uruguay meet in a World Cup qualifier in
Buenos Aires.
15.05.2005 Argentina XV
27-21 in Buenos Aires (Sth America Championship)
28.04.2004 Argentina 69-10
in Santiago (Sth America Championship)
27.08.2003 Argentina 57-0 in
Buenos Aires (Pan American Series)
03.05.2003 Argentina XV 32-0
(Sth America Championship)
27.04.2002 Argentina 35-21
in Mendoza (Sth America Championship)
GWC Rugby Rankings: World Table-Argentina 3rd, Uruguay 21st
South America Table-Argentina
1st, Uruguay 2nd
Rimas Alvarez Kairelis, Miguel Avramovic, Marcos Iván Ayerza, Lucas Borges, Pablo Bouza, Rafael
Carballo, Manuel Carizza, Agustín Creevy, Gastón De Robertis, Martín Alberto Durand, Juan De La Cruz Fernandez
Miranda, Pablo Gambarini, Mario Ledesma, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Agustín
Pichot, Martín Scelzo, Martín
Schusterman, Horacio Agulla, Federico Serra Miras, Gonzalo Pedro
Tiesi, Federico Todeschini, Nicolás
Vergallo
Coach: Marcelo Loffreda
Uruguay squad:
Sebastián Aguirre (Carrasco
Polo), Diego Aguirre (Carrasco Polo), Juan Miguel Alvarez (Carrasco Polo),
Rafael Alvarez (Old Christians), Juan
Alzueta (Trébol), Matías Arocena (Old
Christians), Francisco Bulanti (Trébol), Juan Campomar (Old Boys), Federico Capo (Carrasco Polo),
Rodrigo Capo (Castres – France), Ignacio Conti (Carrasco Polo), Alfredo Giuria
(Los Cuervos), Nicolás Grille (Trébol), Nicolás Klappembach, (Champagnat), Juan Labat (Carrasco Polo),
Diego Lamelas (Alumni), Juan Martín
Llovet (Old Christians), Juan Menchaca
(Carrasco Polo), Juan Andrés Perez (Old Boys), Gonzalo Peyro (Champagnat), Rodrigo Sanchez (Carrasco Polo),
Guillermo Storace (Old Christians), Gustavo Voituret (Carrasco Polo)
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
http://www.planet-rugby.com/News/story_52338.shtml
http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/articles/2006/07/09/1152383599831.html
Tonga 90, Cook
Islands 0 in Nuku’alofa (WCQ Oceania Round 3, 2nd leg)
Tonga won by 90 points. I predicted Tonga by 45.
Teams
15 Pierre Hola, 14 Tevita
Vaikona, 13 Tatafu Na’aniumotu, 12 Kaiongo Tupou, 11 Hudson Tonga’uiha, 10
Fangatapu Apikotoa, 9 Tevita Palu, 8 Viliami Vaki, 7 Nili Latu (captain), 6
Rodney Mahe, 5 Chris Haalufia, 4 Paino Hehea, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 2 Ephraim
Taukafa, 1 Tonga Lea’aetoa
Replacements: 16 Feki Moala,
17 Peni Fakalelu, 18 Tanginoa Fosita, 19 Sione Onesi, 20 Soane Havea, 21
Villiami Hakola, 22 Sioeli Nau
Coach:
5 July: A squad of 22 Cook
Islands players and five management personnel are on their way to Tonga for the
second Rugby World Cup qualifier match on Saturday.
Limited changes have been
made to add to the strength of the team while a couple have been necessary due
to players not being able to get leave.
The squad has the determination
to improve on their previous performance, according to CIRFU chief executive
Ben Koteka.
The local contingent of
eight players and three coaching and management officials left Rarotonga on
Tuesday for Auckland where they were to meet up with the remainder of the squad
and fly out that same day for Tonga. The local contingent will return to
Rarotonga on Monday 10 July.
FORWARDS: Teokotai Rongo
(Wellington), Len Toi (Auckland), Mark Charlie (Auckland), Joseph Marsters
(Auckland), Antonio Diaz (Counties), Simiona Nicholas (Arorangi), Nicholas
Connal (Counties), Gene Lutton (Wellington), Mike Toki (King Country), Tai
Marsters (Counties), Tuainekore Herrmann (Tupapa), William Heather (Arorangi),
Aaron Hansen (Avatiu).
BACKS: Nathan Robinson
(Brisbane), Amosa Amosa (Auckland - captain), Adam Vardey (Wellington),
Teokotai Benedito (Auckland), David Wichman (Arorangi), Jamie Tetevano (North
Harbour), Duane Gukisuva (Avatiu), Teokotai Tuaivi (Avatiu), Robert Nicholas
(Avatiu)
Head coach: George Metuarau.
Assistant coach: Henry Heather. manager: Alan Stevenson. Assistant Manager:
John Wichman. Osteopath: Blair Ingram. - CIRFU
Thanks to http://www.cinews.co.ck/sports.htm#6
GWC Rugby Rankings:
Pacific Table-Tonga 4th, Cook Islands 6th
Previews
http://www.matangitonga.to/article/sports/rugby/cooks070706.shtml