The Reds were robbed dammit!! In brief: When Queensland prop Nick Stiles was sin binned last night, lock Daniel Heenan had to come off the field so that replacement prop Greg Holmes could come on for a scrum. But then, when Stiles' 10 minutes were up, the sideline official wouldn't let Heenan back on the field- leaving the Reds down a player. At this stage, the Reds were ahead 10-6 on the scoreboard, with 10 minutes on the clock. Well the Blues ain't stoopid.. they bunged on a couple of tries and won the game. The Reds are reportedly fuming... can't say I blame them.

The Brumbies did it tough, very tough, to secure a two point win over the Bulls in Canberra last night. Minus George Gregan, Mat Giteau, Stirling Mortlock, Mark Gerrard and Adam Ashley-Cooper it was left to Clyde Rathbone and Stephen Larkham to save the day for the Brumbies, in what can only be described as a rather lucky escape for them :)

Don't forget the tsunami game tonight!!

Cheers

Good morning!

Well this site has been down for a while this morning - apparently there was a network issue. My apologies for the hiccup.

But.. it's that time of the week. Time to get in tips for Round 2 of Super 12 2005.

Last week I managed to get 4 correct. I have a feeling that this week I'll either get a lot wrong, or a lot correct. I am not at all confident about snagging the latter.

Here we go.

Tonight:

Blues vs Reds (Live on Foxsports at 5.30pm - 4.30pm Qld time). I have to go the Blues. I can't possibly tip the Reds after last week's performance, and the Blues are at home. I'm going to say the Blues by 12.

Brumbies vs Bulls (Live on Foxsports at 7.30pm - 6.30pm Qld time). Well the Bulls are out to break their hoodoo against the Brumbies at home. But I can't see that happening, even with the Brumbies' injury woes and George Gregan over in London. So, I'm going the Brumbies by 5

Tomorrow: (Saturday 5th March)

Highlanders v Stormers (Live on Foxsports at 3.25pm - 2.25pm Qld time). I really want to back the Highlanders because I like them. Anton Oliver is out injured though, and Carl Hoeft is over in London for the tsunami game. I'm going to bet with my heart though and go the Highlanders by 2

Crusaders vs Chiefs (Live on Foxsports at 5.30pm - 4.30pm Qld time). I think the Crusaders at home will be too big an ask for the Chiefs so I'm going for the Canterbury boys by 5

Sunday (6th March)

Sharks vs Waratahs (Live on Foxsports at 3.30am - 2.30am Qld time). I have a feeling the Tahs will be out to win this one. I'm going to support them by 8. (gulp!)

Cats vs Hurricanes (Delayed telecast on Foxsports 2 5.30am - 4.30am Qld time). The Canes will be minus Tana Umaga - another tsnumai game player. The Cats beat the Bulls last week, but mainly thanks to the boot of flyhalf Andre Pretorius. I'm tempted to flip a coin, but I’m going to go the Hurricanes by 1.

DON'T FORGET: The biggie this week - in terms of rugby games will be the Tsunami benefit match at Twickenham between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. You can catch the game LIVE on Foxsports at 1.30am Sunday morning. That's half past 12 for us Queenslanders - just stay up on Saturday night I should think 

Here's the teams: (list grabbed from foxsports)

Northern hemisphere: Chris Paterson (Sco), Mirco Bergamasco (Ita), Ollie Smith (Eng), Damien Traille (Fra), Ben Cohen (Eng), David Humphreys (Ire), Gareth Cooper (Wal), Simon Taylor (Sco), Pat Sanderson (Eng), Lawrence Dallaglio (Eng), Donncha O'Callaghan (Ire), Marco Bortolami (Ita), Chris Horsman (Eng), Andy Titterrell (England), John Yapp (Wales). Res: Raphael Ibanez (Fra), Cedric Soulette (Fra), Oliver Brouzet (Fra), Jonathan Thomas (Wal), Mike Phillips (Wal), Ceri Sweeney (Wal), Mathew Tait (Eng).

Southern hemisphere: Chris Latham (Aus), Brian Lima (Sam), Jacques Fourie (RSA), Tana Umaga (NZ), Sireli Bobo (Fij), Andrew Mehrtens (NZ), George Gregan (Aus), Toutai Kefu (Aus), Phil Waugh (Aus), Schalk Burger (RSA), Victor Matfield (RSA), Simon Maling (NZ), Kobus Visagie (RSA), John Smit (RSA), Carl Hoeft (NZ). Res: Ephraim Taukafa (Ton), Eusebio Guinazu (Arg), Semo Sititi (Sam), Opeta Palepoi (Sam), Moses Raulini (Fij), Tinus Delport (RSA).

Referee: Paddy O'Brien (NZ)

Things are going from bad to worse down Canberra way with young Adam Ashley-Cooper now on the injured list as well as Matt Giteau and Stirling Mortlock. Ashley-Cooper, who was all set to replace Mortlock this weekend, tore a hamstring at training on Tuesday and will be out for up to four weeks. Joel Wilson will now take Mortlock's place instead.

Young Julian Huxley has been dumped from the Reds' starting side against Auckland this round. He didn't have a good game last weekend, but there weren't many Reds that did!! I've seen Hux play a lot better though so I hope he finds his form again. Who am I kidding? I hope the Reds find some form as a team. Performances like their last one make them very difficult to support.... even for me :(

The Stormers' coach must have seen how the Highlanders played last weekend... he's got 3 players in the tight 5 making their debut this weekend when the Stormers meet the Highlanders in Invercargill. Maybe there'll be a freezing cold snap in Invercargie that freezes the Stormers and the Highlanders will get lucky this weekend :)

Now that John Mitchell has been appointed to the Perth super 14 team, the media are thrilling us with daily reports of players being lured west, or at the very least players rumoured to be tempted to move west. Justin Harrison and Brendan Cannon are the latest two. Well, you'd be a bit mad if you DIDN'T want those boys in your team...

The poms have copped a serve from Campo - they've been whining about losing to Ireland last weekend, trying to direct blame to ref Jonathan Kaplan. I'm with Campo on this one.. get over yourselves boys.. heheh...

Good morning :)

Stirling Mortlock suffered medial ligament damage according to the MRI scan results, so he can expect to miss up to 4 weeks of Super 12 rugby. Matt Giteau is still out with his broken hand, and George Gregan will be in London playing the tsunami charity match this weekend. Another 'new look' Brumbie side to take on the Bulls this week - here's the squad.

The Reds travel over to Auckland for their Round 2 match. The Courier-Mail tells us that David Nucifora has invited Red's coach Jeff Miller, Miller's assistant coach Anthony Eddy- who used to work with David at the Brumbies, and the Red's manager and David Nucifora's brother Garry, around for a BBQ on Saturday. Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall???

Meanwhile, the Blues have announced their team for Friday night. Yikes! The Reds flew out this morning for the Shaky Isles - Drew Mitchell will take Chris Latham's place at Full Back as Latham will be in London as well for the tsunami game.

Stirling Mortlock will undergo an MRI scan on his knee today to determine the extent of damage he sustained during the Brumbies clash with the Crusaders. The incident sure looked like his knee was being bent in a direction it wasn't meant to... yeeeouch! Here's hoping it doesn't take too long to heal.

The Perth Super 14 soapie part xviii reveals that John Mitchell will be formally announced as the team's coach at a press conference today. And, Andy Friend for one isn't too pleased about the whole situation - read about it over here.

Well, yeah. I don't really know what to say about the whole Perth affair. I know that Australia has people coaching overseas, and as far as the Super 12 comp goes we only need to think David Nucifora. Good on the Blues for getting him I say!! I do think the whole situation is kind of unusual though when I think about it ... a Kiwi coaching an Australian team in an Australian city that has a huge South African rugby support base. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, it's just.... unusual that's all.

Later!

Good Monday :)

Ireland beat England overnight in the Six Nations 19-13. That means Ireland and Wales sit on top of the table with France breathing down their necks. England and Italy will fight it out for the wooden spoon. Ahhhh.. how fast they fall sometimes?

I see the Tipping competition Round 1 results are in. There were 6 of us who picked all 6 winning teams! I did not... :) Congratz on the perfect scores those six. But who gets this week's $5 scratchie? Well as outlined in this post "...to break the tie the leaderboard 'Tip the Scores' will be used, and if there's STILL a tie after that, the 'Tip the Margins' leaderboard will be used..."

The first Number 1 placed name on the 'Tip the Winners' leaderboard to appear on the 'Tip the Scores' leaderboard is 123jackrat from Sydney. Congratulations 123jackrat - I'll send an email to you via the tipping board and have your weekly prize out to you asap.

Cheers!

Super 12 2005 Ladder - as at End of Round 1

Round 1 of this year's Super12 was fairly fast and furious! The Blues got up easily over the Highlanders (30-14) in Dunedin on Friday night. Despite being behind on the scoreboard for a lot of the first half the Blues got their act together and pulled off a convincing win scoring three tries to the Highlander's one. Auckland's tries came from Keven Mealamu, David Gibson, and Xavier Rush while Luke McAlister posted 15 points from 3 penalties and 3 conversion kicks.

Mat Rogers was the star on the paddock in Sydney for the Waratahs game against the Chiefs. Instrumental in just about every Waratah try on the night, Rogers was all over the place chipping, chasing, passing.... it was a great performance :) Gotta love the try he scored himself when he kicked and chased the ball through twice down the sideline before being able to collect it and score the try. Rogers' goal kicking proved a shocker though with only 1 successful attempt out of 7. I think everyone forgave him though!

The Tahs picked up a precious bonus point when they scored their fourth try to win the game 25-7. Waratah try scorers were Morgan Turinui who picked up two, Mat Rogers, and Lote Tuqiri. Sosene Anesi scored the only Chiefs' try.

Over in Capetown the Stormers (26) were too good for the Sharks (12). Breyton Paulse had a blinder for the Stormers scoring two tries. Boy he can run fast!!

The Brumbies vs Crusaders game in Canberra last night saw the Brumbies pick up a hard earned win (32-21), a couple of injuries, and a bonus point. With Joe Roff now retire, injured Matt Giteau watching from the sideline, Stirling Mortlock and Clyde Rathbone to join Giteau not far into the game it was a 'new look' Brumbies backline on the field for the majority of the game.

The old heads of Stephen Larkham, Owen Finegan and George Gregan lifted their game and led the way for the newer and new players to shine. And shine they did! Gene Fairbanks scored a try on his Brumbies debut, while Ashley-Cooper, Sam Norton-Knight, and Lenny Beckett all played great games as well. Mark Gerrard was very solid at Full Back, while Chisholm and Samo (who scored a try as well) combined with Finegan to annoy the Crusaders all night long :)

Brumbies number 8 Scott Fava was blistering, and scored two tries on the night, while George Smith again showed us all why he is one of the world's best flankers and ball thief!

The Crusaders didn't play a bad game, really either side could have won the game for almost all of the match. Richie McCaw led his team well, and Marshall was great at half back (as usual). The Canterbury crew scored three tries: Mehrtens, Laulala, and Marshall.

I don't really want to write about the Reds/Hurricanes game at Ballymore. The Hurricanes got up 24-10. The Reds started so well.... Flatley scored within the first 30 seconds of the game!! The Hurricanes picked themselves up and put in a solid performance to outplay their opponents. That given, the scoreline would have been much kinder had Julian Huxley packed his kicking boots in his kit :(

The last game of the round saw the Cats 23 beat the Bulls 17 over in Johannesburg. Cats' flyhalf Andre Pretoriu was responsible for all but five of his team's points collecting a solo try, two successful conversions, and three penalty kicks. Nice one!

I was going okay with my tipping.... until the last two games. Doh!

I'll go update the ladder etc shortly.

In Six Nations news... Scotland's Paterson kicked 6 from 6 penalty kicks to give the Scots an 18-10 victory over Italy. Welsh supporters will no doubt be smiling again today as Wales got up 24-18 over France. Ireland vs England in what should be a corker of a game - you can catch it live on Foxsports at 1.57am (12.57am Qld time) tomorrow morning. You might want to mention to your friends they might as well get used to that 'eyes hanging out of your head' look. heh :)