The Auckland Blues will unleash their own version of the haka against the British and Irish Lions Wednesday, as New Zealand’s Super Rugby teams ramp up pressure on Warren Gatland’s tourists. The fearsome Maori war dance is traditionally reserved for the world champion All Blacks but New Zealand’s five Super Rugby sides all plan to … Read more
Sonny Bill Williams will miss Auckland Blues’ match against Queensland Reds through injury, costing the centre a chance to impress All Black selectors ahead of the Test series against the British and Irish Lions. The Blues said Williams had failed to recover sufficiently from a knee injury picked up in last weekend’s draw with the … Read more
The Canterbury Crusaders vanquished another title rival this weekend as New Zealand teams tightened their grip on Super Rugby ahead of next month’s British and Irish Lions tour. The seven-time champion Crusaders extended their unconquered run to 12 games with a 31-24 win over the Waikato Chiefs in Suva to stretch their lead to 11 … Read more
Former New Zealand coach Graham Henry has weighed in on the ongoing debate over the crippling tackle on Brian O’Driscoll in the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour, saying it “helped galvanise” the All Blacks. The dangerous dumping in the opening minute of the first Test dislocated O’Driscoll’s shoulder ruling the Lions skipper out of … Read more
All Black great Keven Mealamu expressed regret Friday for his infamous tackle on Brian O’Driscoll during the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour, but stopped short of apologising to the former Ireland captain. Instead, the 132-Test veteran said his main regret about the incident was that it diverted attention from his team’s sublime performance in … Read more
All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams will miss Auckland Blues’ Super Rugby match against the Central Cheetahs as he struggles to shake off concussion, the club said on Wednesday. Williams left the field for a head injury assessment during the Blues win over the NSW Waratahs last weekend and never returned. Coach Tana Umaga said … Read more
Sonny Bill Williams has become the latest addition to the All Blacks injury concerns, suffering possible concussion in the Auckland Blues’ Super Rugby win over the NSW Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday. Captain Kieran Read, Jerome Kaino and Dane Coles head a list of senior players already in a race against time to be match … Read more
Code-hopping All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams is set to make his return to the 15-a-side game on Saturday, eight months after he ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing sevens at the Rio Olympics. Williams was named Thursday to start off the bench for the Auckland Blues in their Super Rugby match against the Otago … Read more
The pacesetting Waikato Chiefs have taken the opportunity to experiment as they escape another round of frenzied local derbies for their first trans-Tasman game of the Super Rugby season. After a tough first three weeks against the Otago Highlanders, Auckland Blues and Wellington Hurricanes, the Chiefs have a favourable round-four match against the winless Rebels … Read more
Auckland Blues flanker Steven Luatua has been suspended for four weeks for a head-high tackle during their weekend Super Rugby match against the Waikato Chiefs. The 15-Test All Black, who is moving to English club Bristol at the end of the Super season, was sent from the field just on half-time after he felled Chiefs’ … Read more
Former All Black Sione Lauaki has died at the age of 35, New Zealand Rugby said Sunday. The cause of death was not immediately revealed but the powerful loose forward had apparently suffered from kidney failure. “The thoughts of everyone are with the family of Sione Lauaki. Sione played 17 Tests from 2005-2008. AB#1055. Gone … Read more