Time to Get Healthy and Wealthy

Though the two-way travel bubble is now officially open between Australia and New Zealand, we’re still a few weeks away from Super Rugby Trans-Tasman beginning in earnest, and to some extent this competition remains firmly in the ‘I’ll believe it when I see them running out” category. Even just four weeks out from the first round of the competition, it feels like the prefix ‘proposed’ is still required. There are far fewer reasons for it not to go ahead now, yet it still feels like it wouldn’t take much for it to be quickly to swept into the too-hard basket. As we know, the proposed Super Round, originally pencilled in for Round 3 of the cross-over competition, already resides in said basket, after the game simply ran out of time to get such a mammoth event up. But despite the fluidity that still sits around what professional rugby on either side of the Tasman looks like in just a month’s time, plans for next year are surging ahead regardless. New Zealand Rugby took great delight ...

Former England wing Ugo Monye hopes that as chair of a new RFU advisory group he can help everyone feel rugby "is a game for them". Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56709956 https://therugbystore.com.au/ugo-monye-hopes-new-rfu-group-can-help-everyone-feel-rugby-is-for-them/

Ben Spencer converts late try to give Bath a 21-20 win over Leicester and keep alive their hopes of a top-four finish. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56762441 https://therugbystore.com.au/premiership-bath-21-20-leicester-tigers-will-muir-brace-of-tries-secures-victory/

TJ Perenara has hit the news recently with his potential move from rugby union to the Sydney Roosters in the NRL. While a fantastic halfback in union, he has somewhat become surplus to requirements for the All Blacks with incumbent Aaron Smith getting the regular start over him and newcomer Folau Fakatava making his way through the ranks. This has left TJ at a crossroads in his career. Currently in Japan, playing for the Red Hurricanes on sabbatical. He had intended to return to New Zealand to take up a new contract with the Hurricanes and All Blacks and continue to push Aaron Smith for starting halfback honours. However, his plans seem to have come awry with the form of Smith and Fakatava, leading many to believe he may be on the outside looking in and publicly stating whether New Zealand Rugby should invest the money in a player who while not over the hill, is coming into the twilight of his career. Jumping all over this turmoil, the Sydney Roosters have reportedly made an offer ...

Captain Manuela Furlan scored a hat-trick as Italy cruised to victory over Scotland in their Women's Six Nations clash in Glasgow. Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56786547 https://therugbystore.com.au/scotland-20-41-italy-visitors-cruise-to-victory-in-womens-six-nations/

Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has confirmed the side are in talks to bring All Blacks star TJ Perenara to the NRL club to help solve their injury crisis. Speaking after the Roosters’ loss to Melbourne on Friday night, Robinson said the club were interested in the Kiwi ace, after Perenara’s manager revealed this week the parties were negotiating. “We’ve talked, but it’s preliminary at this stage,” Robinson said. “That got it out there pretty quickly – we’ve had talks and we’ll see where it gets to.” Asked whether he believed Perenara, who has 69 New Zealand Test caps but has never played rugby league, could make a quick transition, Robinson said such talk was premature. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s be happy with the report of discussions, but let’s not get too far ahead – how’s he going to play in the first game and all that. “We’ll take it step by step.” Robinson said former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, who now works...

Another season, another competition, and another set of law changes for the newly formed Rainbow Cup involving teams from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and (hopefully) South Africa. The only constant change in the game of rugby union seems to be the various and differing set of laws being introduced with each new season, all in the name of making the game more attractive. However, these continuous law changes haven’t done much good, except for making the game even more complicated to follow as a spectator and participate in as a player and referee. World Rugby’s infatuation with constant law changes season after season is becoming a continual burden on the game. With each season that passes, there is constant tinkering and meddling of rugby’s laws by the officials running the game. Some have had the desired impact of making the game more free-flowing. What is being touted is the red-card replacement after 20 minutes for the Rainbow Cup, which I fully agree with. It makes for an...