An American rugby sevens star is facing a mammoth ban for brutally stomping on the head of an Australian player in an act of “thuggery” on Saturday.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii injury not as bad as feared as Wallabies get boost for Lions tour
- Player still needs surgery but fractured jaw is on lower scale
- ‘Just a four-week injury,’ says NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar
Wallabies fans can breathe easier after NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar allayed fears of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii missing any Tests against the touring British & Irish Lions.
Despite Suaalii requiring surgery for a broken jaw, McKellar on Thursday said the injury was of a lower scale and the 21-year-old was already back in the gym working out to maintain his conditioning.
Continue reading...‘Difficult decision’: Wallabies hopeful Mason Gordon retires from rugby aged 22 on medical grounds
Former Australia under-20 international fullback Mason Gordon has retired aged just 22 because of ongoing concussion symptoms.
Wallabies blow with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to undergo surgery before Lions clash
- Australia star suffers fractured jaw after on-field collision
- Suaalii may miss rest of NSW Waratahs’ Super Rugby season
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is in a race against time to be fit to face the British & Irish Lions, with the Wallabies star set to miss the rest of the Super Rugby Pacific regular season with a fractured jaw.
Suaalii will undergo surgery on a “small undisplaced fracture” he sustained in an accidental collision with a NSW Waratahs teammate against the Queensland Reds on Friday night.
Continue reading...Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s Super Rugby season over due to fractured jaw
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s Super Rugby season is over, with the Waratahs fullback ruled out for at least a month due to a fractured jaw.
Leicester turn to Geoff Parling as head coach after hunt for Cheika’s successor
- Former lock will remain with Australia for Lions series
- Leinster confirm Caelan Doris out for four to six months
Geoff Parling has been appointed as Leicester’s new head coach, bringing an end to a drawn out recruitment process to find Michael Cheika’s successor. Parling is currently employed as the Australia assistant coach but will return to Welford Road after this summer’s British & Irish Lions tour.
The former second-row Parling, 41, spent six years at Leicester and will be a popular appointment among the Tigers faithful. Paul Gustard, Graham Rowntree, Leon MacDonald and Stuart Lancaster were heavily linked with the role but Leicester finally landed on Parling, who has agreed a long-term contract.
Continue reading...Door open for overseas Wallabies to take on the Lions, says Australia coach Joe Schmidt
- Players like Samu Kerevi, Pete Samu and Will Skelton in frame
- Squad of up to 40 players to be picked before first Test in Brisbane
Such is the magnitude of the challenge and occasion that Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is set to ditch his no overseas-based players selection strategy for the blockbuster series against the touring British and Irish Lions.
While not picking talent from outside of Australia is not strictly a set-in-stone policy, Schmidt has made clear his preference to mostly overlook Wallabies stars playing offshore, or heading overseas.
Continue reading...Competitive Itoje willing to learn from Mount Rushmore of Lions captains
Maro Itoje has listened to Martin Johnson and Sam Warburton as he prepares his ‘tough men’ for Australia
Do you know what really stuck out as Maro Itoje sat chatting in the O2 Arena after the British & Irish Lions squad announcement? His biceps. This year’s Lions jersey is tight enough on the shoulders and sufficiently short on the arms to make their already well-muscled captain look like Popeye on steroids. Say what you like about the Lions squad but they have chosen a strong leader.
It has worked for them in the past. Who can forget the pipe‑smoking Willie John McBride and his classic response – “Do you think there will be many of them?” – when an angry hotel manager in South Africa threatened to call the police to arrest a number of 1974 Lions who had been enthusiastically “rearranging” the furniture. Legend also has it that Ian McGeechan picked the hulking Martin Johnson as his skipper in 1997 partly because of the intimidating effect he might have on the Springboks – and the referee – when he entered their changing room.
Continue reading...Scary Suaalii incident as star KOd in brutal head knock from teammate
Joseph Suaalii left Allianz Stadium on a stretcher on Friday night after an ugly incident involving teammate Andrew Kellaway left him knocked out.
Olympic star, 30, dead after ‘horrific’ incident before training
Fijian wing Josaia Raisuqe, who won Olympic rugby sevens silver in Paris last year, has died after the 30-year-old’s car was hit by a train on Thursday, his Top 14 club Castres said.
Historic captain, two Aussie-born picks as Lions named for Australian tour — with coach’s son out
England’s Maro Itoje said it was a “tremendous honour” to be named captain of the British and Irish Lions rugby union team on their upcoming tour of Australia as the squad was announced Thursday (Friday AEST).
British & Irish Lions squad 2025: the chosen 38 players
We profile each player from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland who will compete for places in Andy Farrell’s Test match squads to take on Australia this summer
Continue reading...‘I lost my cool’: Jones opens up on ‘worst press conference ever’ and disastrous World Cup campaign
Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has opened up about his infamous pre-Rugby World Cup press conference at Sydney Airport where he told a group of journalists to give themselves uppercuts.
Historic Aussie star Ellia Green lost his love for rugby. Then he found it again — at a suburban game
Ellia Green has won Olympic gold, world series and has competed on the biggest stages in sport, yet it was a club rugby match on a suburban field in Clovelly which proved one of the most special games of his career.
Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss to take charge of Wallabies in July next year
Rugby Australia chief executive officer Phil Waugh says the coaching transition from Joe Schmidt to Les Kiss next year is the “best possible outcome” for the Wallabies after confirming the Queensland Reds mentor would take the national role in July next year.