The Official BleachForums Rugby Thread

[Scrumhalf]

RUGBY

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"The game they play in heaven..."

Scrumhalf welcomes all sports fans, players, & enthusiasts to this thread decidated to both of the exciting codes of Rugby Union & Rugby League.

Many of you should know by now that I live and breathe the sport of rugby union as well as playing amateur rugby; notably for my club - The University of Melbourne, and having the honours of respresenting my state, Victoria. I play both scrumhalf & flyhalf. I did try and have a crack at professional rugby a few times - but the tryouts as very difficult especially with the judgemental scouts and so forth.

Like many other sports threads, I wil be constantly updating this thread full of rugby-related news, drafts, and key highlights of everything-rugby around the world!

For those of you that are new or are not familiar to the sport of rugby union, you can find all about the sport at the International Rugby Board (http://www.irb.com/) - rugby's governing body. Rules/Laws (http://www.irb.com/Laws/) can be found here.

RUGBY UNION LINKS:

Planet-Rugby (http://www.planetrugby.com)

RugbyHeaven Australia (http://rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/)

The Official RBS Six Nations Website (http://www.6nations.net/splash.htm)

World Unions

New Zealand Rugby Football Union - http://www.nzrugby.com/

Australian Rugby Union - http://www.rugby.com.au/

South African Rugby Football Union - http://www.sarugby.net/

Rugby Football Union (England) - http://www.rfu.com/

Fédération Française De Rugby - http://www.ffr.fr/

Scottish Rugby Football Union - http://www.sru.org.uk/

Japan Rugby Union - http://www.rugby-japan.jp/

Other unions can be found at - http://www.irb.com/ (International Rugby Board)

RUGBY LEAGUE LINKS:

National Rugby League - http://www.nrl.com/ (Rules & Laws of the game can be found here.)

New South Wales Rugby League - http://www.nswrl.com.au/

Queensland Rugby League - http://www.qrl.com.au/

Australian Rugby League - http://www.arl.com.au/

Rugby Football League - http://www.rfl.co.uk/

New Zealand League Inc - http://www.leaguenz.co.nz/

[Scrumhalf]

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New Zealand v Australia
16 - 16

Date: Saturday, 16 October 2004
Time: 5:00PM (2:00PM AEST)
Venue: North Harbour Stadium - Auckland, New Zealand.

Summary of scorers:

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Tries: Meli, V. Anderson, L. Anderson
Goals: Webb 2/3
Field Goals:

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Tries: Rooney 2, Minichiello
Goals: Lockyer 2/3
Field Goals:

Match report:

New Zealand and Australia today played out a gripping 16-all draw in the opening Tri-Nations rugby league Test at North Harbour Stadium.

In the final 12 minutes, four field goal attempts were missed - two from Craig Gower and the others from Darren Lockyer and Kiwi halfback Thomas Leuluai.

Australian captain Lockyer put centre Shaun Berrigan into a gap in the dying seconds but English referee Russell Smith ruled the pass forward.

The tourists were in the box seat to win thanks to superb kicking games from halves Gower and Lockyer, who frequently sent the ball inside the shortened six metre in-goal areas.

For Australia, Nathan Hindmarsh and Jason Ryles were the best forwards while winger Luke Rooney bagged two tries in his Test debut.

New Zealand had plenty of big hitters, none better than interchange forward David Kidwell, who smashed Gower and Rooney during the thrilling encounter.

Teenage sensation Sonny Bill Williams lived up to his growing reputation as one of the most exciting players in the code with another barnstorming display. His sterling efforts won him the man-of-the-match award.

The home side opened its account in the sixth minute through five-eighth Vinnie Anderson who scored after the ball was shifted to the right corner.

Brent Webb converted for a 6-0 scoreline but it only took seven minutes for the Australians to hit back.

Rooney steamed onto an inside ball from Willie Tonga and did well to brush off tacklers en route to a 42m run to the line.

The New Zealanders were constantly being caught short in defence out wide and Kangaroos fullback Anthony Minichiello was the first to benefit, scoring an 18th minute try which Lockyer converted to put the visitors up 12-6.

Francis Meli drifted off his wing and he paid the price.

Rooney was in again soon after, this time just inside the left corner post after the ball was sent out wide by the Kangaroos.

It looked like Australia would go into the halftime break with a handy 16-6 lead but hooker Louis Anderson scored a 36th minute try in his debut for the Kiwis.

The 19-year-old took advantage of a strong Nathan Cayless charge, burrowing over the line from dummy half.

Webb added the extra to bring his underdog team back into the contest as the Kiwis trailed by four at halftime.

It took until the 55th minute for New Zealand to level following some sloppy play from the Roos.

Utility Craig Wing threw a shocking pass on the fifth tackle and Lockyer was forced to clean up the crumbs.

But the Australian skipper could not get a kick away and was caught on the last.

From the ensuing set Meli made amends for his earlier mistakes in defence, forcing his way over the line from dummy half despite the attentions of Wing, Rooney and Willie Tonga to level the game at 16-all.

[Scrumhalf]

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2004 GRAND FINAL

Bradford Bulls v Leeds Rhinos
8 - 16

Date: Saturday, 16 October 2004
Venue: Old Trafford - Manchester, England.

LEEDS held their nerve to end a 32-year title famine and crush defending champions Bradford in England's Super League Grand Final overnight.

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Bradford's Shontayne Hape touches down at the start of the second half to reduce the deficit for the Bulls to two points.

While the Super League showpiece at Old Trafford, Manchester, will not be remembered as a classic it was nevertheless a tense affair in front of a capacity 66,000 crowd.

The result was only decided in the last six minutes as Danny McGuire went in for his 39th try of the season.

It took a moment of magic from the mercurial McGuire to finally see off the brave Bulls, who have suffered three Grand Final defeats.

McGuire, pipped by Bradford's Lesley Vainikolo for the Super League try-scoring record, took a return pass from centre Keith Senior to scoot over for the most important touchdown of his fledgling career.

The match marked a fitting finale for veteran Australian forward Dave Furner, who hung up his boots in style - and it was also a personal triumph for Leeds coach Tony Smith, succeeding at his first attempt where a host of his predecessors failed.

Only three players in the Leeds team were born the last time Leeds held the championship crown in 1972 - but with a crop of highly-rated youngsters, they could be set for a period of sustained success.

It was two tries each in the end, with Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield's 100 per cent goalkicking proving the difference on the scoreboard - although they were the superior team for the most part.

Vainikolo took just seven minutes to add to his amazing try tally.

Clever handling by Bradford captain Robbie Paul, who worked a run-around with loose forward Lee Radford, and Shontayne Hape provided just enough space for the massive Tongan tormentor to race in for his 39th try of the season.

Leeds' solitary first-half try was an opportunist effort from hooker Matt Diskin, who jinked his way over from dummy-half on 15 minutes and went on to clinch the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match for an industrious display.

Sinfield landed the conversion and also kicked a couple of penalties after the Bulls were twice punished for ball-stealing.

Hape went over for Bradford. But video referee Dave Campbell disallowed the score for an earlier infringement by Radford, who clearly passed off the floor after the tackle had been completed.

Hape was not to be denied and he claimed his side's second try three minutes into the second half when half-backs Iestyn Harris and Paul Deacon worked the ball out to the left for him to cross wide out.

Deacon was off target for the second time to leave his side trailing by two points - and that was as close as it got for the Bulls, who were forced to re-shuffle their back division at half-time following the loss of full-back Michael Withers.

Leeds managed to dominate the first half on the back of a pinpoint kicking game from Sinfield and McGuire, who were not afraid to target danger man Vainikolo.

The Leeds kickers succeeded in turning around the big man, and their chase was effective enough to keep him pinned back in his own 20-metre area.

Nerves began to surface as the tension mounted, and both sides frittered away promising positions through handling errors.

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The Leeds players celebrate as they win 16-8 to end a 32 year wait for a league championship against all the odds.

It was only in the last 10 minutes that the game came to life - with Deacon bursting clear, forcing Leeds to scramble back to halt Vainikolo.

But both defences held firm until Paul came up with one mistake too many deep inside his own half, and that allowed Senior and McGuire to work the match-winning move.

Agence France-Presse

[Scrumhalf]

Last week's Rugby Union International results in brief:

France 27-14 Australia
Ireland 17-12 South Africa
Italy 10-59 New Zealand
Scotland 100-8 Japan
England 70-0 Canada

Rugby League:

Great Britain 22-12 Australia

[Scrumhalf]

Saturday 20th November results:

Ireland 55-6 United States, England 32-16 South Africa, Scotland 17-31 Australia, France 14-24 Argentina, Wales 25-26 New Zealand.