Latest news with #MaoriAllBlacks
Kyodo News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Rugby: Maori All Blacks run away with 53-20 win over Japan XV
KYODO NEWS - 28 minutes ago - 21:14 | Sports, Rugby, All New Zealand's Maori All Blacks overpowered a Japan XV 53-20 in a non-test international on Saturday, running away with the contest after a close first half at Tokyo's Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground. Two first-half tries from winger Kazuma Ueda helped the hosts take a 17-15 lead into the break, but the second half belonged to the visitors as they ran in six unanswered tries and avenged a 26-14 loss in the previous meeting between the sides last July. Japan head coach Eddie Jones said the "big loss" provided "a lot of good lessons" for a squad comprised largely of young players looking to break into the test team. "For a lot of these guys, it's their first game above League One, so it's a much higher level of game," Jones said. The Australian tactician praised the efforts of players including flanker and match-day captain Kanji Shimokawa, but said his team had come up short "in the air" and around the opposing ruck. "We got beaten in the air, in terms of the quality of our kicking and our ability to take the ball in the air, and the second part was just in terms of being able to stop the speed of their ruck," he said. Japan will play the first of two test matches against Wales at Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu next Saturday. Related coverage: Rugby: Back-to-back League One champion Richie Mo'unga repeats as MVP Rugby: Bond between Mo'unga, Leitch underpinned Brave Lupus triumph Rugby: Brave Lupus outlast Spears for back-to-back League One titles
Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
'It felt like a gut punch': Scotland star Rory Darge opens up on British and Irish Lions heartache after narrowly missing out on tour Down Under
Rory Darge admits it felt like a 'gut punch' to miss out on selection for the British and Irish Lions. But the Scotland star insists he will be ready to answer the call if it comes from Andy Farrell over these next few weeks. Darge narrowly missed out on making Farrell's 38-man squad for the tour of Australia when it was announced last month. The head coach has an embarrassment of riches in the back row, arguably the most competitive area in the whole squad. Darge will instead captain Scotland on their summer tour of the South Pacific, featuring games against the Maori All Blacks, Fiji and Samoa. With injuries part and parcel of any Lions tour, however, the 25-year-old would only be a phone call away if anyone was to be ruled out. While that is not necessarily his main focus, the fact he is in the same part of the world as the Lions would do his chances no harm. 'Before the squad announcement, I wasn't particularly expecting to be there,' admitted Darge. 'Part of that might be you're protecting yourself a little bit for when you don't get announced. But I also just think my position is so competitive. 'Even still, when the names are getting read out and you're watching it on TV, they are going in alphabetical order and it gets past your name, it does feel like a gut punch. 'I was obviously delighted for the other boys who did get picked. But it's a weird mix of emotions. I've got a lot on my plate with Scotland at the moment and we're focusing on trying to get three wins from three. 'The Lions obviously aren't my main focus. But, yeah, if the call was to come, I would certainly be ready for it.' Scotland's tour begins next weekend against the Maori All Blacks, with Gregor Townsend selecting a strong squad for the three-game series. Darge's first ever visit to rugby-mad New Zealand will be enough to focus his mind. 'I have never been before. It's cool to experience these places and it's something I know that, if it wasn't for rugby, I wouldn't be able to do,' he added.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
World Rugby ranking so important to Scotland as 'huge test' awaits
Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... In the World Rugby rankings only two places separate Scotland and Fiji so there will be plenty on the line when the sides meet in Suva on July 12. Gregor Townsend would like his side ensconced in the top six by the time the draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup takes place in December and thus avoid the calamity of last time when the Scots were in the third group of seeds and ended up in a pool with South Africa and Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They are currently seventh in the rankings, just behind England and ahead of Australia, with Fiji tucked in in ninth place. If they get into the top six by the time of the draw they will be in the first pot of seeds because the expanded 2027 tournament will feature 24 teams in six pools of four. Scotland beat Fiji 57-17 in Edinburgh in November but Townsend will not be underestimating them. In the very early days of his tenure as national coach, the Scots lost 27-22 in Suva a week after beating Australia in Sydney. The message is being drummed into the squad, and not just by Townsend. Harry Paterson during a Scotland training session at the Oriam earlier this week. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group / SRU 'Fergus Burke was telling us about his time with Crusaders,' explained Harry Paterson, the Edinburgh full-back who is looking to win his first cap since last summer. 'He was saying that playing the Fijians over there is extremely tough. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The conditions are not kind. It'll be a huge test for us against a team who will relish the challenge of playing Scotland at home.' Burke, the uncapped Saracens stand-off, played against the Fijian Drua Super Rugby side during his time in New Zealand and will be more used to the heat and humidity than most in the Scotland squad. Conditions should be a little kinder in the other two tour games. The Scots open against the Maori All Blacks a week on Saturday in Whangarei then return to New Zealand for the final match, against Samoa in Auckland on July 18. 'The other two games will be difficult as well,' said Paterson. 'The Maori All Blacks are so strong and talented, and Samoa you know is going to be so physical as well. 'The Fiji and Samoa games are ranked, so we know there's real meaning in them. We need to be ready for it. It's a serious tour.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Fiji's Tevita Ikanivere leads the Cibi ahead of the Autumn Nations Series match against Scotland at Murrayfield in November 2024. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group / SRU For Paterson, it is also a chance to reestablish himself as an international player after another injury-disrupted season. The versatile back-three player has played just nine games for Edinburgh since making his Scotland debut against France in the 2024 Six Nations. The 24-year-old got back into the Edinburgh team towards the end of the season and knows this tour is an opportunity he must grasp with both hands. 'I feel fresh and ready to go,' he said. 'I know myself I need to make the most of it. Any chance I get in a Scotland jersey, I need to take it. 'I just want to get down there and smash it to be honest. That's the aim over these next few weeks. I've never been to New Zealand or Fiji before, so I'm absolutely buzzing to experience something new.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Summer wins vital to avoid nightmare World Cup draw
Harry Paterson says this summer's tour matches against Fiji and Samoa are vital for Scotland to avoid another nightmare Rugby World Cup Scots were drawn alongside the world's two top-ranked teams, Ireland and South Africa, in Pool A for the 2023 World Cup, losing to both to exit at the first full-back Paterson says the ranking points available for this summer are crucial for maintaining and even improving Scotland's current ranking of seventh in the world ahead of the draw for the 2027 World Cup in Scots kick off their summer schedule against Maori All Blacks in Whangarei on 5 July - a match which carries no ranking points - before Tests against Fiji in Suva and Samoa in Auckland."I think as a squad, we know the importance of rankings this year, especially the games against the Fijians and the Samoans," Paterson said."We need to finish this year as high as we can to avoid what happened last World Cup cycle, so we can go with quite a high seeding."There's a lot riding on this tour, in terms of those rankings and strength of opposition."Paterson has endured a frustrating season, missing the Six Nations and much of the domestic campaign through injury, and is relishing the chance to stake a claim for a place in the Scotland team once again."I've had a bit of a strange season, managed to get some games at the end of the year after a lot of injuries," he said."It's just frustrating, but that means I'll probably have a quite fresh mindset going into this. I haven't had loads of games this year, so I'm ready to fly into it."I missed out on all the Six Nations stuff, so I'm really looking forward to trying to get back in the Scotland jersey and performing."
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Lowe, Howden to start for Māori All Blacks
Jonah Lowe warms up at training with the Maori All Blacks in Auckland on Tuesday. Two Highlanders are among the starting line-up, as a new crop of Māori All Blacks prepare to make their debuts this weekend against Japan. As well as the new faces, a new skipper will take the helm in the form of hooker Kurt Eklund. Highlanders loose forward TK Howden starts in the No6 jersey, while Jonah Lowe is set to start on the wing. Head Coach Ross Filipo said he's been thoroughly impressed with the players returning after their respective Super Rugby campaigns. "It's a tight turnaround for us with plenty of our players in the final on Saturday night and then coming straight into this environment. Selections were tough, and our coaching group spent quite some time together to make sure we had the right mix to take the field in Tokyo. We are determined to right a wrong from our last game in Aichi in 2024." Eklund anchors the scrum with debutant Jacob Devery as impact, alongside props 31-year-old Jared Proffit and Kershawl Sykes-Martin in his debut. Isaia Walker-Leawere and Laghlan McWhannell make up the locking duo, while Jahrome Brown and TK Howden have been named in the loose forwards. Cullen Grace completes an experienced forward pack at number eight. Three-time Māori All Black Sam Nock comes in as halfback and after a stellar Super Rugby Pacific season, Rivez Reihana has been named as first-five. Bailyn Sullivan and Gideon Wrampling will bring their strong ball carrying skills in the midfield, Jonah Lowe and Cole Forbes will start as wingers, with Zarn Sullivan rounding out the backs. Jacob Devery, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Benet Kumeroa, Zach Gallagher, Caleb Delany, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, Kaleb Trask and Xavi Taele have been named as reinforcements. Māori All Blacks v Japan XV Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, 9.05pm Saturday, 28 June Zarn Sullivan, Cole Forbes, Bailyn Sullivan, Gideon Wrampling, Jonah Lowe, Rivez Reihana, Sam Nock, Cullen Grace, Jahrome Brown, TK Howden, Laghlan McWhannell, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Kerswhal Sykes-Martin, Kurt Ekund, Jared Proffit. Reserves: Jacob Devery, Pouri Rakee-Stones, Benet Kumeroa, Zach Gallagher, Caleb Delany, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, Kaleb Task, Xavi Taele.
