导出博客文章Its time for a change of pace in the southern hemisphere as rugby fans forget their provincial allegiances and channel Olympic fervour in preparation for the Test season.
Greg Maddux Jersey . The Rugby Championship has arrived and so too the Bledisloe Cup.Sydneys ANZ Stadium plays host to the first of three trans-Tasman battles this year, with the Wallabies out to end the All Blacks 14-year stranglehold on the giant piece of silverware. The Wallabies and their fans could have been forgiven for feeling a sense of optimism at the start of the year given the retirements of all-time greats Richie McCaw and Dan Carter among others; but that cheery attitude quickly turned to despair as New Zealands Super Rugby sides again performed strongly while the Australian teams struggled and the Wallabies suffered a 3-0 whitewash at the hands of Eddie Jones England in June.The build-up to Saturdays Test has had its usual bit of tension, with All Blacks coach Steve Hansen telling Wallabies counterpart Michael Cheika to worry about his own side, a barb that saw the Australian respond with I dont know what hes upset about. It all adds to the spectacle.On the field, it looks like a battle between extended preparation and plain old good form. The Wallabies have been together for almost a month, while New Zealand had three teams involved through to the penultimate weekend of Super Rugby.Team newsAustralia: Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Giteau, Dane Haylett-Petty, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, David Pocock, Michael Hooper, Ben McCalman, Scott Fardy, Rob Simmons, Kane Douglas, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore (captain), Scott Sio. Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Dean Mumm, Scott Fardy, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Rob Horne.Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has pulled two selection rabbits from his hat, naming Will Genia to play his first game since January and picking Ben McCalman over Scott Fardy in the No. 6 jumper. As expected he also named Genias fellow France-based veterans Adam Ashley-Cooper, on the wing, and inside centre Matt Giteau after missing Australias 3-0 series loss to England in June..New Zealand: Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Ryan Crotty, Waisake Naholo, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (captain), Sam Cane, Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Wyatt Crockett. Replacements:?Dane Coles, Kane Hames, Charlie Faumuina, Liam Squire, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Aaron Cruden, Julian Savea.Form won out over reputation in New Zealand with Hansen unable ignore the irresistible selection claims of Beauden Barrett. The Hurricanes No.10 retains the fly-half role he filled in Aaron Crudens absence for the final Test against Wales; Barrett is joined in the backline by the centre combination of Ryan Crotty and Malakai Fekitoa.It was a different story up front though with Sam Cane holding onto the No.7 jersey ahead of Ardie Savea, despite the Hurricanes flankers superb Super Rugby season. The All Blacks have been forced into a late change at hooker with Codie Taylor to start after Nathan Harris went down with a knee injury on Friday; that has also forced Dane Coles inclusion on the bench despite Hurricanes skippers ongoing battle with a rib injury.Key matchup: Matt Giteau vs. Ryan CrottyIt may not have been greeted with the same glowing reception as last year, but the Giteau Law is in full effect once more with the veteran playmaker for whom it is named back at No.12. Yes, the likes of Mark Ella and veteran scribe Spiro Zavos may have an issue with foreign eligibility, but there can be little debate as to the impact Giteau made at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Crucially, the Toulon star offers left-foot kicking and second playmaking options, while therell be no Maa Nonu or Sonny Bill Williams charging down his defensive channel either.That responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of the ever-reliable Ryan Crotty. The Crusaders centre certainly doesnt possess the power of Nonu or Williams, but he runs straight and hard and is a classy second distributor. Crotty is also regarded as one of the finest defensive centres in the game, which will be vital with Malakai Fekitoa joining him in midfield; the Highlanders back is one of the hardest hitters in the game, but he is also prone to the odd error, too.Key stats (Opta Stats)Australia have lost their last four Tests in a row and have not lost five on the bounce since a run of seven consecutive defeats in 2005; the fifth defeat in that run came against New Zealand.Steve Hansens side have won their last 11 on the bounce by an average margin of 27 points; only South Africa have managed to finish within 10 points of the All Blacks in that time.The All Blacks have lost just one of their last 13 against Australia (W10, D2); their 10 victories in that run have come by an average margin of 16 points.WeatherSydney is expecting some early showers on Saturday before conditions clear up in the afternoon. Chasing a top of 17 degrees, the temperature will likely hover around 13 from kick-off.UBET verdict: Australia $3, New Zealand $1.40.The Wallabies have only beaten New Zealand once in their past 13 attempts, while the All Blacks havent recorded a win on their past two trips to Sydney, suffering a loss and a draw. They beat the Aussies 34-17 in the World Cup final in London, but the Wallabies did have a very good tournament. However England travelled Down Under in June and whitewashed Australia, winning that series 3-0, so this will be difficult. There is some support for Australia at $3.00, but New Zealand go in as clear favourites on the back of the domination of the Kiwi sides in Super Rugby.PredictionWhitewashed by England, the Wallabies are staring down a fifth straight defeat; that prospect seemed almost unthinkable during last years Rugby World Cup as the Australians rode a wave of momentum right through to the final. Where has it gone wrong? Cheika is on record as saying the Wallabies may be playing too much rugby, prompting suggestions that Australia will look to kick more during the Rugby Championship. Whatever the game plan, they certainly have had the time to refine it. That hasnt been the case for New Zealand, and that perhaps is the only concern for the All Blacks ahead of this one. Will rust be an issue? A 3-0 series win over Wales suggests it wont, and then there is the scintillating form of Barrett. If the All Blacks pack can at the very least achieve parity up front, then its hard to see the Wallabies containing the New Zealand No.c10. He is playing that well.New Zealand by five.
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http://www.thecubsteamshop.com/Cubs-David-Ross-Kids-Jersey/ . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. Kurtley Beales return to action will be well worth the wait and could come in Sundays Champions Cup tie against Connacht, according to Wasps director of rugby Dai Young.The Australia utility back, who has been capped 60 times by the Wallabies, agreed a switch to England from the Waratahs in a deal said to be worth some ￡700,000 per season as one of Wasps marquee players, only to suffer a serious knee injury.It has been a long road back to fitness for the 27-year-old, but Young revealed his recovery from the potentially season-ending patella tendon problem was almost complete.Young is excited by the prospect of Beales impact in both the domestic Aviva Premiership and European campaigns.First of all, Kurtley is really excited. It is difficult for him as you can imagine, he told PA Sport. There was a lot of fanfare about us signing him and then unfortunately he got injured, which was then surrounded by questions of was it going to be a three-month, six-month or nine-month injury?Coming to a new club at the other end of the world pretty much injured has been difficult for Kurtley really, and it is a long rehab process.In fairness to him, he has got his head down and worked his socks off.Young continued: Kurtley is really excited about getting involved. He has got a couple of sessions to get through yet [this week], but we are pretty confident that he will have some involvement on the weekend.If he is looking extremely confident with eveerything, then we will probably start him, otherwise we will put him on the bench.
Yu Darvish Cubs Jersey. That is hoping he does not get any reaction through training, but at the moment he is not having any of that so fingers crossed he will be available.Young believes Kurtley will certainly bring something different to Wasps dynamic.He is a world-class player, without a shadow of a doubt, he said.It will probably take him a little bit of time to settle into our patterns and get his sharpeness back, but some of the touches he has done in training already, there is no denying the quality he possesses.Wasps have been blighted by injury this season, but still sit just a point behind Saracens in the Premiership and are also second in Champions Cup Pool 2 as they prepare to take on leaders Connacht at the Ricoh Arena in the first of back-to-back European games.Young reports the likes of fly-half Jimmy Gopperth, wing Christian Wade and prop Jake Cooper-Woolley are all positive ahead of the weekend, but Danny Cipriani, centre Kyle Eastmond and lock Matt Symons remain doubtful.Hopefully we will get a couple back, but we wont get the full contingent, he said.It has been a difficult period, but every team has it and you just have to get on with it.I think we are through the woods now with more guys coming back than going out. ' ' '
