Rugby World Cup 2015 final New Zealand v Australia preview: Five stats that could decide the All Blacks’ showdown with the Wallabies October 30, 2015 It's been billed as the dream final: Antipodean neighbours New Zealand and Australia, the two best teams in the world, duking it out over 80 minutes for the Rugby World Cup. It's the No1 ranked side in the world and reigning world champions up against this year's resurgent Rugby Championship winner for the chance to [...]
Rugby World Cup final 2015: What the All Blacks approach to leadership, identity and teamwork can teach businesses October 30, 2015 On Saturday, New Zealand will look to become the first team in history to win successive Rugby World Cups when they take on Australia in the final at Twickenham. Since winning the last World Cup four years ago, the All Blacks have lost just three times and boast an incredible 92 per cent winning ratio. [...]
Code-switcher Sam Burgess will shun return to rugby league and continue union career, insists Bath coach Mike Ford October 29, 2015 BATH boss Mike Ford is convinced that Sam Burgess will shun any temptation to return to rugby league as speculation continues to rage over the code-switcher’s future. Burgess has two years remaining on his contract at Premiership side Bath but has been granted time off to consider his future after initially returning to training last [...]
Australia coach Michael Cheika insists Wallabies are working on weaknesses ahead of Rugby World Cup bout with New Zealand October 29, 2015 Australia coach Michael Cheika admits that his side still have areas of weakness as preparations intensify for their record-equalling fourth World Cup final appearance against New Zealand at Twickenham tomorrow. Cheika has made one change from the starting XV which featured against Argentina in Sunday’s semi-final, with loose-head prop Scott Sio replacing James Slipper after recovering [...]
Australia can refer to us anyway they like, insists New Zealand boss Steve Hansen ahead of Rugby World Cup final October 29, 2015 New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has invited rivals to refer to his side by whatever name they see fit after Australia’s rugby bosses issued an apparent ban on their players using the term ‘All Blacks’ ahead of tomorrow’s World Cup final. England’s former World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward introduced a similar ploy during the [...]
Rugby World Cup final 2015 New Zealand v Australia: How much will each player be paid for a win? October 29, 2015 Money is unlikely to be much of a motivating factor for players in a Rugby World Cup final – and that’s just as well for Australians because it’s the New Zealand players who have most to gain in financial terms from their performance at Twickenham. As well as the opportunity to write their names in [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: Australia’s David Pocock battered but unbowed as Wallabies hunt for final glory over All Blacks October 28, 2015 Australia No8 David Pocock remains battered and bruised from his side’s defeat of Argentina but is ready to realise his boyhood dream of playing in a World Cup final when the Wallabies face New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday. Powerhouse forward Pocock was sporting a pair of black eyes as well as a disfigured nose [...]
London Irish v Saracens to be played in New York as Aviva Premiership Rugby lands in America October 27, 2015 London Irish and Saracens will play each other in New York in the Aviva Premiership's first ever overseas fixture. The two London clubs will swap the Big Smoke for the Big Apple on Saturday 12 March, with the Exiles' home fixture set to be staged at the 25,000 capacity Red Bull Arena, home of the New York [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015 odds: Australia rugby bosses have £140,000 bet on their team to beat New Zealand in final in order to cover Wallabies bonus payments October 27, 2015 No one can accuse Australian rugby of lacking in confidence. The Wallabies may not have arrived at this year's World Cup as favourites, but the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) backed their team with a massive $AUS 300,000 (£141,891) bet with a corporate bookmaker on them lifting the Web Ellis trophy. If Michael Cheika's team beat [...]
Clean bill of health for Australia from coach Michael Cheika as Wallabies prepare for Rugby World Cup final October 26, 2015 Australia coach Michael Cheika is confident he will have a fully-fit squad at his disposal when he plots the downfall of defending champions New Zealand in Saturday’s World Cup final at Twickenham. Full-back Israel Folau and No8 David Pocock both missed Australia’s quarter-final victory over Scotland with ankle and calf injuries respectively but came through [...]