Having formed in 1996, the Auckland Blues were met with immediate success in Super Rugby, winning two consecutive titles in its first two years of Super 12 competition. The Blues won their third Super Rugby crown in 2003, defeating the ACT Brumbies in the final. Since the introduction of the Super 14 however, the Blues’ performances have been lean, making only one finals appearance since the new format began in 2006.
All Blacks five-eighth Daniel Carter won a goalkicking duel with former teammate Stephen Brett to lead the Crusaders to a 33-20 Super 14 win over the Blues in Christchurch on Saturday night.
Carter kicked seven goals from seven attempts – three conversions and four penalties – for 18 points to steer the seven-time champions to their [...] Read article
Auckland Blues’ new signing Stephen Brett was the first half hero and second half villain as the Wellington Hurricanes opened the 2010 Super 14 rugby season with a come-from-behind 34-20 victory.
The former Canterbury Crusaders flyhalf scored one try and made another as the Blues racked up a comfortable 20-12 lead by half time, with the [...] Read article
The Crusaders beat the Blues 21-12 in a Super 14 pre-season rugby match at Motueka on Thursday. Five-eighth Dan Carter scored 11 points, including a try and three conversions, and played the first 55 minutes after sitting out last week’s pre-season loss to the Reds in Brisbane.
The Crusaders led 21-5 at halftime following tries from [...] Read article
The Highlanders overcame a sizeable early deficit to beat the Chiefs 31-24 in a Super 14 pre-season fixture in Dunedin on Saturday.
In warm conditions at Carisbrook, both teams employed a total of 27 players in a four-quarter affair which was open and clearly lacking real intent.
The Highlanders trailed 19-5 after the first quarter but gradually [...] Read article
Chris Pollock had what I believe is the worst performance by a Television Match Official ever. How on earth was the try ’scored’ by Michael Patterson not awarded?
And how was the Blues try late in the second half awarded? There was no clear evidence at all that the ball had been put down (and [...] Read article
A late drop goal gave Canterbury a 15-13 win over the Auckland Blues on Saturday, keeping the Crusaders in contention for the Super 14 semifinals and with hope of defending their title.
Canterbury fullback Leon MacDonald, who is about to end more than a decade of service to the team and play in Japan, kicked four [...] Read article
It is the tale of two highly decorated teams, the Crusaders and the Blues, in a clash where one has dramatically exceeded expectation, and another has vastly unachieved.
The Crusaders have shown what a truly remarkable team and culture there is in Canterbury. Nothing appears to upset the rhythm of a side that is arguably [...] Read article
Stirling Mortlock has led the Brumbies to a crucial win over the Blues in Canberra, scoring a try and kicking seven points to become the all-time highest Super rugby point scorer.
The Brumbies overcame a lacklustre start to score five second-half tries and earn a bonus point, keeping their Super 14 semi-finals hopes alive with a [...] Read article
Red-hot Queensland’s long-awaited Super 14 resurgence hit top gear on Sunday night with a record 50-10 smashing of the Western Force.
Australia form halves pairing of Will Genia and Quade Cooper fed off the powerful performance of their pack to guide the Reds to their biggest victory in 15 seasons of Super rugby.
A Suncorp Stadium crowd [...]
As I write this I feel feel pride at Friday night’s result. The Waratahs absolutely caned the Lions. The fans demanded running rugby and running rugby they received.
One would assume that that would stop the endless criticism but unfortunately, no.
Despite the fact the the Real Madrid of Australian rugby (the Brumbies) only just managed to [...]
12th March 2010 will go down in history as the day real rugby seriously took on Whistle-Ball. Wait, Whistle-Ball? You know, that mad circus whose main aim is to manufacture situations so that the whistle is blown for penalties within a specific forty percent or so of the grass.
In the Waratahs–Lions game at the week-end, every [...]
Queensland must hope a record victory and their best Super rugby start in a decade changes the mind of Melbourne-bound Reds prop Laurie Weeks.
Rebels officials are confident the rising 23-year-old is one of six players the expansion Super 15 franchise will announce as their first Australian-based signings this week.
Tight-head Weeks, lock Adam Byrnes and reserve [...]
You can’t complain about a side that scores 11 tries, most of them from flowing interplay between backs and forwards. So full credit to the NSW Waratahs for finally getting their act together and playing the sort of rugby that would have made the Waratahs of 1928/29 proud of them.
The Waratahs of 80 years ago [...]
Brumbies coach Andy Friend praised his front row after they outmuscled a Springbok trio to set up a 24-22 win over the Sharks in Canberra on Saturday night.
The Sharks remain winless this season, having lost nine out of their past ten Super 14 matches, while the Brumbies have now notched three wins in a row.
The [...]
The Stormers scored five tries and produced another strong defensive display to beat the Hurricanes 37-13 in round five of Super 14 rugby in Cape Town.
Fijian winger Sireli Naqelevuki, Joe Pietersen and Duane Vermeulen all crossed for first-half tries be prop Brok Harris forced his way over in the 57th minute to secure a bonus [...]
The Bulls racked up 50 points for the third time this season in thrashing the Highlanders 50-35 and reclaiming the lead in Super 14 rugby on Saturday.
Although they scored seven tries, the Bulls conceded five to the Highlanders.
Fullback Israel Dagg grabbed a hat-trick and kicked two conversions for a personal tally of 22 points.
But a [...]
Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie has lamented back room battles to keep a host of off-contract Reds have hampered preparation for Sunday’s Super 14 clash with the Western Force.
With Super 15 expansion club Melbourne Rebels allowed to start signing Australian players on Monday, several Queenslanders have been courted to join the new franchise.
Prop Laurie Weeks, lock [...]
One of many arguments for the ARC was/is that it would provide a direct path for aspiring players to the top. Similarly, the argument against the new Melbourne Super 15 team is that Australia apparently does not have player depth.
There is something which must be said, and that is it isn’t that there aren’t [...]
