The Barrett Review : 2018 November Internationals (Italy – Game IV)

 

Just a week following their defeat against Ireland in Dublin, New Zealand were playing one last Test match before ending the 2018 season. The All Blacks wanted to go past the disappointment and use this last Test match as an opportunity to work on their game.

New Zealand were facing Italy in this final game taking place in Rome. The All Blacks had identified some areas which needed improvements. The coaching staff did not want to panic and was considering that the last week would benefit them later next year.

I- Team Informations : Working on the gameplan

The All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said that there was no reason to hit the panic button after the last game. He said that the team would slightly change their way of playing and that some adjustements would be made. The players wanted to make amends quickly.

Moreover, the final game of the season was going to give the opportunity to the fringe players. Some players, usually in the starting XV and who did not play the weekend before, were expected to come back. Other players were going to get a deserved rest.

II- The All Blacks line-up : Mixing

(15-1) Damian McKenzie – Jordie Barrett – Anton Lienert-Brown – Ngani Laumape – Waisake Naholo – Beauden Barrett – TJ Perenara – Kieran Read – Ardie Savea – Vaea Fifita – Scott Barrett – Patrick Tuipulotu – Nepo Laulala – Dane Coles – Ofa Tu’ungafasi

(16-23) Nathan Harris – Karl Tu’inukuafe – Angus Ta’avao – Brodie Retallick – Dalton Papali’i – Te Toira Tahuriorangi – Richie Mo’unga – Rieko Ioane

III- Game Summary : Season Finale

The Test match was played in Rome and was referred by two officials. Andrew Brace started officiating it but had to let the whistle to Pascal Gaüzère after a knee injury. New Zealand and Italy were facing each other after their last Test match played in 2016.

The All Blacks kept the ball in the opening exchanges but were scrappy. Scott Barrett dropped the ball twice and the forwards could not generate momentum. The backline was also struggling with Ngani Laumape unable to get his hand on the rugby ball.

However, New Zealand managed to start working on their gameplan. On a lineout combination, Dane Coles went back to the short side and passed to Jordie Barrett. The Hurricanes player had space on the wing and he made the assist for TJ Perenara.

It was a great team try for the All Blacks which conceded a penalty on the re-start though. Italy decided to go for the posts and Tommaso Allan was successful with his penalty kick. The All Blacks players were still looking for a first promising build-up.

Trying to find some structure, TJ Perenara wanted some pace in the game while Waisake Naholo was rather quiet on the wing. Vaea Fifita and Ardie Savea carried well and winger Jordie Barrett got the ball and ran forward to score another try for the team.

Working on the middle of the field, skipper and number 8 Kieran Read carried the ball well and unleashed the offload for Damian McKenzie. The fullback dotted the ball down under the posts. New Zealand were just starting to play their usual attacking game.

A few moments later, the All Blacks were back in their opponents’ half. First-five eighth Beauden Barrett made a grubber kick that Damian McKenzie re-gathered for his brace. Beauden Barrett could not convert but it was a well-worked try for New Zealand.

Just before the Half-Time, Beauden Barrett unleashed a cross-field kick that was gathered by Jordie Barrett. It was a stunning try that Beauden Barrett converted. Steve Hansen was going to be pretty happy before the upcoming second-half (FT : 3-31).

In the second-half, Steve Hansen’s players added even more pace to their game and the Italy team could not defend properly. They did not have enough possession to threaten the New Zealand lines. It was just extremely difficult for the home side to front up.

Still working in the midfield, the forwards such as Patrick Tuipulotu threw some good passes. Centre Ngani Laumape gathered one of them and showed his footwork to beat a few defenders and score. It was a great try from the Hurricanes centre, playing well.

New Zealand were reading very well the combinations from Italy. On a lineout, Beauden Barrett anticipated that the ball would be thrown to the back of it. He intercepted the ball and scored his 32nd Test try. It was tough for Italy who just had no solutions.

Steve Hansen decided to make a few changes to his starting XV. Beauden Barrett came off the field after only 50 minutes for Richie Mo’unga. Other players such as Dalton Papali’i and Te Toira Tahuriorangi came on to get a few minutes of Test rugby.

Damian McKenzie and Richie Mo’unga combined pretty well to lead the New Zealand attacking game. Both players tried a few chip-kicks and that tactical kicking led to Damian McKenzie’s Hat-Trick. The All Blacks were successful with all of their tricks.

On the field for Dane Coles, Nathan Harris also showed his class towards the last quarter of the game. Following a chip-kick from Damian McKenzie that he re-gathered, he made a grubber kick for Jordie Barrett who gathered it as well. It was just a stunning try.

It was not over as the All Blacks finished with one more score and it was Jordie Barrett who scored a quadruple for New Zealand. The passes were accurate and the winger had the space on the wing. The game was over after the good Richie Mo’unga’s conversion.

New Zealand’s 2018 season was over in Rome and the players finished with a comprehensive win. That Test season had not been perfect but there are a lot of positives. Steve Hansen will keep working on the gameplan for next season (FT : 3-66).

IV- The Barrett Review : Finishing Well 2018

* Kicks : 5/7 – That was a mixed performance from the kicking tee for Beauden Barrett in that last Test match. He kicked five conversions and missed two kicks from the sidelines. It was not a bad display but surely, Beauden Barrett would have wanted consistency.

* General Play : It was a good outing on the field with two assists and a try scored. Beauden Barrett attacked the line a few times and tried to throw accurate passes. He made his tackles in defence and managed the game well. It was a good performance.

* Conclusion : Despite only playing 50 minutes, Beauden Barrett got the time to deliver a very solid display. He would have been pleased after the last weekend. That 2018 season had its moments with world-class games and big disappointments for Beauden Barrett.

Max.

The Rugby Wrap : Weekend Review (Friday, 23rd, November, 2018 – Sunday, 25th, November, 2018)

 

This weekend, it was the last Round for the 2018 November Internationals. It was the last opportunity for all the nations involved to make a statement before the next World Cup. There was also a battle between the North and the South to claim the bragging rights.

Meanwhile, the domestic leagues were back in the Northern Hemisphere. The Gallagher Premiership was taking place again and so were the Pro14 and the Top14. The clubs had few games before the european fixtures come back (Champions Cup and Challenge Cup).

The Northern Hemisphere was only at the beginning of a long season finishing with the World Cup. However, the Southern Hemisphere would take a deserved rest after a long season. The Southern Hemisphere players would come back with the Super Rugby later.

* Glasgow vs. Cardiff : Pro14 (The Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland)

The Cardiff Blues got the early possession and Jarrod Evans kicked a penalty. After that, Glasgow Warriors went through the phases and back-rower Adam Ashe touched down. Later, utility back Niko Matawalu scored a stunning try after a lineout combination.

Glasgow Warriors were running from their own half and Callum Gibbins finished a great build-up. Winger Tommy Seymour had space on his wing and got a try as well. The Cardiff Blues bounced back with Kristian Dacey scoring after a very powerful maul.

However, Peter Horne made a grubber kick that Rory Hughes gathered for a great try. Jarrod Evans had a good try for the Cardiff Blues. Though, Niko Matawalu intercepted a pass and got a brace. It was a brillant home win for the Glasgow Warriors (FT : 40-15).

* Scarlets vs. Ulster : Pro14 (Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli, Wales)

The Scarlets could not generate the go-forward at the beginning and Ulster scored the try with Dave Shanahan. Dan Jones closed the gap with a penalty. The home side relied on their forwards and Werner Kruger touched down after carrying the ball over the line.

Before Half-Time, Kieran Hardy had a similar try and Kieron Fonotia scored a stunning try. In second-half, the Scarlets pushed for the bonus point try. They were denied many times despite some good plays from Kieron Fonotia and Johnny McNicholl in the backs.

Finally, the ball reached winger Tom Prydie who had the space to score the try. Ulster scored just after with Johnny Stewart. However, the Scarlets managed the last quarter very well. They got a very good win and their attacking game was great (FT : 29-12).

* Exeter vs. Gloucester : Premiership (Sandy Park, Exeter, England)

Gloucester went through the phases early in that contest and Danny Cipriani kicked two penalties. The Exeter Chiefs re-gathered and Gareth Steenson replied with a penalty. He made a cross-field kick for Santiago Cordero who passed it to Nic White for a great try.

In the second-half, Gloucester were on the attack. However, Danny Cipriani’s pass was intercepted by Alex Cuthbert who had the pace to score the try. It was tough for Gloucester who could not find the key as the Exeter Chiefs were making the turnovers.

Gareth Steenson led the team well and he kicked two more penalties. Gloucester tried to come back at the end but it was not enough. The Exeter Chiefs managed to get a good win at home with players such as Dave Ewers and Ian Whitten impressing (FT : 23-6).

* Wasps vs. Bristol : Premiership (Ricoh Arena, Coventry, England)

The Wasps started brillantly with winger Ross Neal scoring on a counter-attacking play. Later, Juan de Jongh touched down after Ross Neal’s offload. Bristol replied with a try from Ryan Edwards. Lima Sopoaga kicked two penalties for the Wasps in the first-half.

The second-half was lively with second-rower James Gaskell managing to find space to get the score. Winger Ross Neal got a brace after a very good attacking move. Nevertheless, Bristol were relying on their big forwards pack to come back quickly.

Replacement hooker Harry Thacker scored a Hat-Trick in a quarter with the Wasps unable to defend their mauls. The Wasps were on the backfoot until the end of the game. They just managed to hold their lines to clinch a very valuable win at home (FT : 32-28).

* Italy vs. New Zealand : Autumn Tour (Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy)

The New Zealand players scored early with a try from TJ Perenara on the right wing. Tommaso Allan closed the gap with a penalty. The All Blacks came back with Damian McKenzie’s scoring a brace following assists from Kieran Read and Beauden Barrett.

In that first-half, Jordie Barrett also got two tries including one from a Beauden Barrett’s cross-field kick. Ngani Laumape and Beauden Barrett touched down in the second-half respectively after a good grubber kick and after reading well a lineout combination.

Later, Damian McKenzie got a Hat-Trick after combining well with Richie Mo’unga. Jordie Barrett had space on his wing to get his Hat-Trick as well. He even got a quadruple in the last play of the game to seal that impressive win for New Zealand (FT : 3-66).

* Scotland vs. Argentina : Autumn Tour (Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland)

The two teams were not giving much in defence as it was an arm-wrestle. Scotland scored the first points of the game with Greg Laidlaw on a penalty. However, Nicolas Sanchez tied the game with a penalty before Greg Laidlaw scored another one, later on.

Argentina missed two other penalties in the first-half with Emiliano Boffelli and Nicolas Sanchez unable to take the points. The Pumas tied the game a second time with a penalty from Nicolas Sanchez before Greg Laidlaw got the lead back again with another kick.

Scotland went through the phases and Sean Maitland scored the try in the corner. Nicolas Sanchez closed the gap with a penalty but he missed two other kicks. Scotland had to defend at the end but they remained composed to get the home win (FT : 14-9).

* Wales vs. South Africa : Autumn Tour (Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales)

In a high-intensity game, Wales played their attacking game early with some offloads. Prop Tomas Francis finished the move for a stunning try. Wales were coming back and from the back of a scrum, the fullback Liam Williams touched down on the right wing.

South Africa closed the gap with a penalty for Handré Pollard as Wales held their lines at the end of the first-half. The Springboks came back stronger in the second-half with a try from Jesse Kriel and a penalty from Elton Jantjies. Wales were feeling the big pressure.

However, a turnover from Justin Tipuric brought a penalty that Dan Biggar scored. Later, the Springboks conceded another penalty and Dan Biggar was on target with his second kick. Wales remained strong in defence and they got a 9th consecutive win (FT : 20-11).

* Kings vs. Connacht : Pro14 (Madibaz Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa)

In Port Elizabeth, Connacht opened the scoreboard with a penalty from Jack Carty. He later delivered a cross-field for Cian Kelleher who scored the try. However, the Southern Kings came back into the game when Maxisole Banda scored a superb individual try.

Though, prop Lupumlo Mguca was binned for repeated infringements at scrum time. Connacht got a penalty try and Matt Healy scored in the corner at the end of the first-half. In the second-half, Ntabeni Dugisa concluded a great try for the Southern Kings.

Connacht got the ball back and replacement forward Paul Boyle had the space in the midfield to score. The Southern Kings tried to come back but they made too many handling mistakes. Connacht secured the good away win in Port Elizabeth (FT : 14-31).

* Zebre vs. Munster : Pro14 (Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Italy)

The Irish province started the game very well with second-rower Fineen Wycherley carrying over the line for the first try. Munster attacked with their forwards to get the numbers out wide. Hooker Kevin O’Byrne was the second try scorer in that game.

Fly-half Bill Johnston kicked a penalty just before the Half-Time. In the second-half, Zebre hit back with a try scored by Renata Giammarioli. However, Munster were managing the game well and Rory Scannell kicked a penalty to get a good lead again.

Zebre were feeling the pressure and the Munster winger Ronan O’Mahony scored after a big mistake. In the last play, centre Rory Scannell found the space on the right wing and he got the bonus point try. It was a very good win for the Munster players (FT : 7-32).

* Clermont vs. Lyon : Top14 (Marcel Michelin, Clermont, France)

In an entertaining game, Tim Nanai-Williams scored the first points for Clermont with a penalty. Lyon came back with two penalties from Jean-Marc Doussain before Benjamin Kayser was binned. Though, George Moala got the great try just before the Half-Time.

Morgan Parra kicked a penalty in the second-half. Charlie Ngatai was binned after foul play for Lyon as Morgan Parra added another penalty. Later, George Moala concluded a superb move for his brace. Jonathan Pelissié had a try back for Lyon after a big maul.

Peter Betham got a stunning try and his brace was denied for a forward pass while Hendrick Roodt was binned. Alexandre Fisher got the bonus point try while Lyon had another player binned with Albertus Buckle. Clermont got a convincing win (FT : 31-11).

Conclusion

This weekend has been interesting because the November Internationals were coming to an end in 2018. New Zealand finished well and so did Scotland while Wales will be contenders at the next World Cup in 2019. They are currently on 9 consecutive wins.

Meanwhile, in the Pro14, Glasgow Warriors found their attacking form while the Scarlets got an entertaining win. Connacht had a solid game in South Africa while Munster delivered. In the Premiership, Exeter Chiefs and the Wasps got very important wins.

Finally, in the Top14, Clermont showed some attacking class to get the bonus point win. Next weekend, the clubs will play league games again before the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup come back. It should be an entertaining weekend for all these clubs.

Max.

The Rugby Wrap : Weekend Review (Thursday, 15th, November, 2018 – Sunday, 18th, November, 2018)

This weekend was about the November Internationals going on with more duels between the North and the South. The two hemispheres wanted to claim the bragging rights and make a few statements before the World Cup which would start next year.

The Gallagher Premiership was back as well though almost all the clubs were missing their players. Most of them were involved with England who were playing their November games. The managers had to make a few turnovers for these tough fixtures.

Before a resting week, the ProD2 was taking place as well. The French second division is very competitive and there are many clubs targeting a play-offs place. There will be two tickets for promotion, including a key play-offs game against one of the Top14 clubs.

* Béziers vs. Bayonne : ProD2 (Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers, France)

In the first-half, Martin Bustos Moyano and Jérôme Porical kicked a penalty each. Bayonne built a few phases and Romain Barthelemy scored after a good chip-kick. Though, Jérôme Porical kicked a second penalty and so did Tristan Tedder for Bayonne.

However, Béziers got a 5-metre scrum and they relied on it to score the try thanks to Thibauld Suchier. In the second-half, Béziers had more control of the game and Bayonne were penalised a lot. Jérôme Porical was on target with two more penalties for Béziers.

Torsten Van Jaarsvel was binned for Bayonne after a maul infringement. Jérôme Porical kicked another penalty before Pierre Bérard sealed the win with a counter-attacking try. It was too much for Bayonne as Béziers got a very comfortable win at home (FT : 30-13).

* Harlequins vs. Newcastle : Premiership (The Twickenham Stoop, London, England)

The Harlequins went through the phases from the beginning but some handling mistakes did not help them. Nevertheless, Marcus Smith kicked a penalty. Later on, forward Alex Dombrandt got the interception and managed to score the great try.

At the start of the second-half, the Harlequins had to play with 14 players. Lewis Boyce was binned for a scrum infringement. Though, Marcus Smith scored a second penalty before Mike Brown unleashed an offload which led to a stunning try for Francis Saili.

In the last quarter of the game, the Harlequins were pretty much on the backfoot. Newcastle Falcons scored a try with Andrew Davidson. Though, the Harlequins defended well and made the turnovers to clinch a valuable win in front of their crowd (FT : 20-7).

* Bath vs. Worcester : Premiership (The Recreation Ground, Bath, England)

Bath Rugby were penalised early as Duncan Weir landed a penalty. Freddie Burns replied with a penalty as well before Semesa Rokoduguni spotted the space to score. Worcester Warriors scored with a try from Ryan Mills and it was all square at Bath.

Freddie Burns kicked two more penalties to get a 6-point gap. Flanker Tom Ellis touched down in the second-half after charging Francois Hougaard’s kick down. Duncan Weir closed the gap with a penalty before Bath Rugby got some control back in the game.

Keeping the ball, their patience finally brought them rewards when second-rower Elliott Stooke scored the try from close range. Bath Rugby targeted the bonus point try in the last play. It was not enough but Bath Rugby got an important win at home (FT : 30-13).

* Fiji vs. Uruguay : Autumn Tour (Hartpury College Stadium, Gloucester, England)

Fiji were on the attack early as Eroni Sau and Metuisela Talebula scored the opening tries after some good offloads. Peceli Yato concluded a nice build-up and Joshua Tuisova beat a few defenders to get a try. Uruguay replied with a try from Santiago Arata.

However, Peceli Yato got a brace for Fiji before the Half-Time. In the second-half, Eroni Sau also got a brace on a counter-attacking play. Both players even got a Hat-Trick respectively later in the game. Semi Kunatani touched down from close range, as well.

Uruguay could not find the answer to the attacking game brought by Fiji. Going through the phases, they even scored a last try thanks to Ben Volavola who had a commanding performance. It was a stunning and entertaining performance from Fiji (FT : 68-7).

* Italy vs. Australia : Autumn Tour (Stadio Euganeo, Padova, Italy)

In a scrappy first-half, Italy put the early pressure on their opponents. They had a try disallowed after an interception because of an off-side position at lineout time. The Wallabies later found the space in the midfield as Marika Koroibete scored the try.

That try gave some momentum to Australia who scored a second try before the Half-Time. Marika Koroibete got a double after a nice build-up. Taniela Tupou also added one for the Wallabies but Mattia Bellini replied for Italy as he scored an individual try.

Australia had to defend a lot in the last quarter of the game. Prop Scott Sio was binned for a deliberate knock-down. However, Australia held their lines and scrum-half Will Genia sealed the win with a try. It was just a valuable win for Australia (FT : 7-26).

* Wales vs. Tonga : Autumn Tour (Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales)

Wales got an opening penalty try with Leva Fifita binned before Dan Biggar touched down. Sonatane Takalua kicked a penalty for Tonga but Liam Williams got a try on the corner and Dan Biggar kicked a penalty. Though, Leva Fifita came back with a good try.

Tonga were on the rise and Steve Mafi also scored before Sione Vailanu intercepted in the second-half and it was all square. Wales replied with Steffan Evans gathering Dan Biggar’s cross-field kick for the try as Dan Biggar also kicked a second penalty later on.

Tomos Williams got a try from close range and so did Tyler Morgan. Cory Hill gathered a loose ball for his try and Aled Davies scored after superb offloads. Rhys Patchell scored a superb individual try before Liam Williams sealed the win with a brace (FT : 74-24).

* Chile vs. Maori All Blacks : Autumn Tour (San Carlos de Apoquindo, Las Condes, Chile)

The Maori All Blacks started very well with Bryn Hall scoring the opening try. Forward Jackson Hemopo also got a try after a maul. The Maori All Blacks kept the pressure on and Mitch Karpik had the space to get a try before Bryn Hall got a brace in that game.

Just before the Half-Time, Josh Ioane, playing from fullback, concluded a nice build-up. The second-half was tough for Chile as Jonah Lowe showed his pace to touch down. On for Bryn Hall, Sam Nock scored two tries in a couple of minutes after some good offloads.

Mitch Karpik and Jackson Hemopo also scored a double respectively after some accurate passes. In the last play, a good offload put Mitch Karpik in a gap and he got a Hat-Trick. It was another win and an unbeaten Tour in America for the Maori All Blacks (FT : 0-73).

* France vs. Argentina : Autumn Tour (Pierre Mauroy, Lille, France)

It started terribly for France who conceded a try after two minutes with Ramiro Moyano, the try scorer. Then, Baptiste Serin and Nicolas Sanchez respectively kicked a penalty each. However, France shifted the ball wide and winger Teddy Thomas scored the try.

Baptiste Serin got his second penalty before Half-Time. Argentina reclaimed the lead at the start of the second-half with Nicolas Sanchez kicking a penalty. France were playing better and centre Gaël Fickou made the assist for Teddy Thomas who had a brace.

Targeting a much more comfortable lead, Baptiste Serin kicked another penalty. Towards the end of the game, skipper Guilhem Guirado got the ball back after a lineout confusion from the Pumas and France won that match quite convincingly (FT : 28-13).

* Brive vs. Oyonnax : ProD2 (Amédée Domenech, Brive, Top14)

In an enteraining game, Brive opened the scoreboard with a penalty from Thomas Laranjeira. Oyonnax had to play with 14 players when Bilel Taïeb was binned. Thomas Lanranjeira scored a stunning try and forward Vivien Devisme added one as well.

Oyonnax had to react and winger Tim Giresse beat a few defenders to score. In the second-half, Thomas Laranjeira and Ben Botica kicked two penalties respectively. Oyonnax got back into this game when Théo Millet touched down from close range.

However, on the resulting kick-off, Oyonnax were penalised and Benjamin Geledan was binned. Brive could not score as they were scrappy but they controlled. Thomas Laranjeira missed a penalty at the end but Brive still secured the win (FT : 21-20).

* Bristol vs. Exeter : Premiership (Ashton Gate, Bristol, England)

Bristol scored the first points with Callum Sheedy but Exeter Chiefs replied with a score from Moray Low who got the try. Bristol applied the pressure though and Callum Sheedy kicked three consecutive penalties. The Exeter Chiefs had a try from Tom Lawday.

However, Bristol were playing quickly and Charles Piutau scored from a quick tap. In the second-half, John Afoa offloaded for Luke Morahan who scored in the corner. The Exeter Chiefs remained composed and winger Santiago Cordero got a try after a big finish.

The Exeter Chiefs tried the lineout combination and Jack Yeandle scored as Callum Sheedy kicked another penalty for Bristol. In the last play, the Exeter Chiefs went for the maul and they got a penalty try. It was a famous win for the Exeter Chiefs (FT : 29-31).

Conclusion

In the ProD2, Béziers reacted well with a scrappy home win while Brive reclaimed the top of the standings after their home win. The Gallagher Premiership delivered some entertaining games as well. The Harlequins got back to winning ways in some style.

Bath Rugby got some confidence back while the Exeter Chiefs left it late to snatch it. About the Autumn Tour, Fiji had a big win and Australia managed to find a way to clinch it. Wales put on a spectacular show while the Maori All Blacks remained unbeaten.

France were relieved after their home win following the last weekend. Next weekend, the domestic leagues in Europe will come back while the November Tour will go on. The european clubs will also target the next european fixtures which will come quickly.

Max.

The Barrett Review : November Internationals (Ireland – Game III)

 

Following their hard-fought win against England the weekend before, New Zealand were facing another tough assignment. They were going to play Ireland, the team ranked number two in the World Rugby standings. In the last few years, these game were tough.

That Test match was one of the last games for New Zealand in 2018. The current World Champions were near the end of their season. One more game would come against Italy before entering the World Cup year. New Zealand wanted to make a strong statement.

I- Team Informations : The midfield combination

The New Zealand starting XV was pretty much known as Steve Hansen wanted some continuity from the Bledisloe Cup III game. The only change was going to be the midfield combination. Sonny Bill Williams, the regular inside centre, was not available that time.

In fact, the Blues centre injured his shoulder against England. Ngani Laumape was called as a cover. The All Blacks had already lost prop Joe Moody following a collision during training while praticising the lineout with his teammates. Some balance was needed.

II- The All Blacks line-up : Keeping the consistency

(15-1) Damian McKenzie – Ben Smith – Jack Goodhue – Ryan Crotty – Rieko Ioane – Beauden Barrett – Aaron Smith – Kieran Read – Ardie Savea – Liam Squire – Sam Whitelock – Brodie Retallick – Owen Franks – Codie Taylor – Karl Tu’inukuafe

(16-23) Dane Coles – Ofa Tu’ungafasi – Nepo Laulala – Scott Barrett – Matt Todd – TJ Perenara – Richie Mo’unga – Anton Lienert-Brown

III- Analysis : What are the messages ?

* A year on from the World Cup, that performance clearly asks some question about New Zealand. Let’s find out what happened, what can explain that performance and what are the potential consequences. Is there a shift in the balance of powers and is it defining ?

1. Ireland : New Zealand’s biggest threat

It is the first time that Ireland win against New Zealand at home. It is also the second time that the All Blacks are losing to that nation in two years while they had never lost to Ireland until 2016. New Zealand are now threatened for their usual number one spot.

Before November 2016, New Zealand had never lost to Ireland. There were some close contests in the past such as the June Tour in 2010 when New Zealand needed a drop-goal to win it and the Autumn fixture in 2013 with that finish, a win in the last play again.

The second defeat in November 2018 showed that 2016 defeat was not just a game. The drawn British & Irish Lions series in 2017 only put more pressure on New Zealand. The All Blacks are now feeling the pressure and must react quickly to make a statement.

2. New Zealand losing their aura

Since the last World Cup, New Zealand have lost their aura. Many rugby nations have beat them : Ireland (2016, 2018), Australia (2017) and South Africa (2018). Some of them came close as well : France (2016), Argentina (2017), Scotland (2017) and England (2018).

New Zealand are now in big trouble on the long-term. Should New Zealand not win the World Cup in 2019, they would have to rebuild. Also, their model could be fragilised as many players could leave the country. It could be a terrible downfall for the All Blacks.

On the game in itself, what is definitely worrying is that New Zealand were beaten by a better side. They could not do nothing and did not come with the answers. It was a brave effort from all the players involved but is was not enough to restore some order there.

3. Forwards pack unable to generate momentum

About the team’s performances, in the pack, Joe Moody certainly missed at scrum time. Nepo Laulala did not bring his usual impact off the bench. Dane Coles should get his jersey back at hooker while you could question some of Steve Hansen’s selection calls.

Scott Barrett covering the second-row from the bench may not be the right option. His performance against Ireland was patchy. Luke Romano, a very experienced player, was not even called in the squad for that Tour while he has got some ball carrying abilities.

The back-row combination must be sorted out. Sam Cane missed a lot though Ardie Savea did the job. Liam Squire never really made the jersey his own since 2016. Kieran Read may be the captain but his last performances has certainly raised a few questions.

4. Some controversial calls in the backline

In the backline, there were some difficulties as well. Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett never got the flow to drive the team. They did not particularly played badly but they lacked influence on the game. It just explains why New Zealand did not score a single try.

The midfield combination was certainly not the right one. Sonny Bill Williams has been criticised but he was not playing. Jack Goodhue started and did not play that well in 2018. Surely, a player like Ngani Laumape would bring more power and more structure.

The back-three has been questioned as well. Ben Smith shifting to the wing while he is better at fullback is not the good call. Damian McKenzie playing a few games at fullback showed that he was not great in the air. A few big wingers should be called in the squad.

CONCLUSION : The next year will be crucial to New Zealand’s future. Either they manage to get it right and win the World Cup and the order will be restored ; either they cannot turn the screw and another rugby nation will take their status for a very long time.

IV- The Barrett Review : No opportunities

* Kicks : 2/2 – Once again, the goalkicking was pretty good with two penalties scored. Beauden Barrett definitely found some consistency but the challenge will be to keep proving himself in that area. The early signs have been pretty positive, to be honest.

* General Play : There was no momentum so it was hard to have an influence on this game. Beauden Barrett scored a drop-goal and had a couple of good tactical kicks in the first-half. He had to tackle a lot, missed a few tackles and some passes were very risky.

* Conclusion : This might have been Beauden Barrett’s last game of the 2018 Test season. The next and final All Blacks game against Italy could be an opportunity for the fringe players. It has not necessarily been a bad year but obviously it could have been better.

Max.

The Rugby Wrap : Weekend Review (Tuesday, 06th, November, 2018 – Saturday, 10th, November, 2018)

 

The November Internationals were going on this weekend with the second Round. The Southern Hemisphere nations were targeting a good finish to their season with a few games left. Meanwhile, the Northern Hemisphere wanted to lay down a few markers.

On top of that, there was some Premiership Rugby Cup as well, formerly known as the Anglo-Welsh Cup. The Welsh regions are not playing in that competition anymore. Last season, they made the decision to leave to focus more on their U23 players development.

In France, the ProD2, the French second division, was going on as well with a big battle to be part of the play-offs. The season was obviously very long but there was plenty of candidates. Former Top14 clubs such as Brive and Oyonnax were the big favourites.

* Cardiff vs. Uruguay : Autumn Tour (Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff, Wales)

Uruguay had a first opportunity in that game and forward Ignacio Dotti converted it when he carried over the line. After that, the Cardiff Blues reacted and back-rower Alun Lawrence had a try after a run while centre Max Llewellyn also touched down, later on.

Though, Aled Summerhill was binned for a deliberate knock-down but they defended well. In the second-half, Ethan Lewis had a try after a good maul while Ian Davies collected a cross-field kick from Dan Fish to score. Harri Millard also scored a good try.

Uruguay hit back with Felipe Berchesi scoring a try. He was followed by Facundo Gattas. The Cardiff Blues replied with Dan Fish offloading for Rhys Gill. Two Uruguay players were binned during the game as Cardiff Blues won with the penalty try (FT : 45-21).

* Provence Rugby vs. Béziers : ProD2 (Maurice-David, Aix-en-Provence, France)

It was an arm-wrestle between these two clubs. Béziers started better and put the pressure at scrum time. Fullback Jérôme Porical kicked two penalties. Lachie Munro replied for Provence Rugby with a good kick before Jérôme Porical added a third kick.

Provence Rugby had to play with 14 players when Gregory Annetta was sent off for a dangerous tackle. However, the home side remained in the contest. Lachie Munro scored another penalty and Thibaut Zambelli touched down for a brillant try in the second-half.

Benjamin Lapeyre was binned for a knock-down. Lachie Munro got the penalty. Jérôme Porical replied with two penalties. In the last play, the Béziers forward Karim Kouider was binned for a late tackle. Lachie Munro kicked the winning penalty (FT : 17-15).

* Gloucester vs. Northampton : Premiership Rugby Cup (Kingsholm, Gloucester, England)

The weather conditions were very difficult with a strong wind not helping the players. The Northampton Saints got the ball at the beginning and they scored the first try thanks to Piers Francis. Gloucester needed a reaction and Matt Banahan intercepted the pass.

He touched down under the posts and the try was good. Paul Hill was yellow-carded for not retreating on a Gloucester penalty but Northampton defended well. They got the second try in second-half when Cobus Reinach won the chase and gathered a chip-kick.

Gloucester were making too many mistakes but came back in Northampton’s 22 metres again and again. In the last play, second-rower Gerbrandt Grobler carried over the line for the try. Billy Twelvetrees kicked the conversion and Gloucester won it (FT : 14-12).

* Italy vs. Georgia : Autumn Tour (Artemio Franchi, Florence, Italy)

Tommaso Allan kicked the opening penalty for Italy before Georgia got the try with Tamaz Chmelidze. However, Italy got back with Michele Campagnaro beating defenders to score. Forward Giorgi Tsutskiridze was later binned for a late tackle in the air.

Tommaso Allan kicked a penalty and after a great build-up, Mattia Bellini touched down on the corner. In the second-half, Simone Ferrari carried over the line before Soso Matiashvili got a penalty. Georgia later got a penalty try after an early tackle in attack.

It resulted in Tommaso Benvenuti being yellow-carded. However, Italy managed to get the turnovers. Georgia got most of the possession in the second-half but could not quite come back. Italy defended well and managed to get a massive win at home (FT : 28-17).

* Scotland vs. Fiji : Autumn Tour (Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland)

Fiji started well with Ben Volavola kicking a penalty. Scotland went through the phases and Allan Dell carried over the line before Fraser Brown touched down after a big maul. Though, Fiji were not out of it and Viliame Mata scored after a lineout combination.

Semi Radradra got Fiji back in front with the try before a lack of discipline had Tevita Cavubati and Leone Nakarawa sent to the bin. It allowed Tommy Seymour to score before Half-Time. In the second-half, Sean Maitland got a try after a strong build-up.

Scotland were rampant and Tommy Seymour got a brace after a reverse pass. He got a Hat-Trick on the corner later while Jamie Ritchie also got a try. Finally, the home side sealed the win when Adam Hastings scored a sensationnal try for a big win (FT : 54-17).

* England vs. New Zealand : Autumn Tour (Twickenham, London, England)

Under the rain, England started with much intent and winger Chris Ashton had space on the corner to score. New Zealand were under pressure and Owen Farrell kicked a drop-goal. Later, Dylan Hartley got the second try after a powerful maul from his teammates.

The All Blacks needed a reaction and Beauden Barrett threw the inside ball for Damian McKenzie who scored. Before the Half-Time, Beauden Barrett kicked a penalty. The second-half was very tactical with Beauden Barrett scoring the drop-goal very early.

The New Zealand first-five eighth nailed a penalty later before Sam Underhill scored a try for England. The try was ruled out following a TMO check because of an off-side position from Courtney Lawes. New Zealand snatched it for a massive win (FT : 15-16).

* Wales vs. Australia : Autumn Tour (Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales)

It was a very balanced contest between the two sides. Wales and Australia built many phases and went a few times in the 22 metres. However, the defences were settled and Leigh Halfpenny missed his first attempt at goal but he was successful with the second.

Australia tied the game when Bernard Foley scored the penalty while Leigh Halfpenny missed another one before the Half-Time. The Wallabies built pressure in the second-half but Wales were making the big turnovers. Leigh Halfpenny scored another penalty.

David Pocock earned a penalty and Matt Toomua scored the penalty and it was all square again. Though, Ned Hanigan was penalised for not rolling away and Dan Biggar got the kick. Wales remained strong in defence and finally won that game (FT : 9-6).

* France vs. South Africa : Autumn Tour (Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France)

In a very physical game, France began very well and scrum-half Baptiste Serin kicked two penalties. Contesting at the breakdown, South Africa got the turnovers and they got back into it. Handré Pollard kicked three consecutive penalties to get the lead back.

France finished the first-half well with Camille Lopez scoring a drop-goal. On a big maul, Guilhem Guirado found the gap and scored. Putting pressure, Mathieu Bastareaud got a try at the start of the second-half but S’busiso Nkosi replied on the resulting kick-off.

Handré Pollard kicked two penalties while Baptiste Serin got one. Cheslin Kolbe had a try ruled out while François Louw got a turnover. Aphiwe Dyantyi also got a try disallowed. On a maul, Bongi Mbonambi scored and the Springboks snatched it (FT : 26-29).

* Brazil vs. Maori All Blacks : Autumn Tour (Estadio do Murumbi, Sao Paulo, Brazil)

The Maori All Blacks targeted some control early in the game. The driving maul was well set and very powerful. They scored their first two tries of the game in that way. Second-rower Isaia Walker-Leawere and Ash Dixon were the try scorers in that good first-half.

Brazil managed to generate a bit of momentum at the beginning of the second-half and Joshua Reeves kicked a penalty. Though, the Maori All Blacks kept relying on their set-piece and Ash Dixon got a double. Brazil could not find a way to build a few phases.

Working with the forwards, the Maori All Blacks remained patient and Jackson Hemopo scored from close range. Towards the end of the game, they spread the ball wide and winger Jonah Lowe touched down. It was a good win for the Maori All Blacks (FT : 3-35).

Conclusion

This weekend was a fantastic one with many outstanding games. The November Internationals were contested. Italy got the bragging rights against Georgia while Scotland were impressive. Meanwhile, New Zealand got a controversial win in England.

Wales finally managed to win against Australia since 2008 while the Springboks waited the last play to snatch it. The Maori All Blacks convincingly won as well. In the ProD2, there was a win for Provence Rugby in the last play as they kept a good momentum.

Also, Cardiff Blues beat Uruguay in a friendly game while Gloucester are back in the Premiership Rugby Cup. Next weekend, the Gallagher Premiership would come back and the Autumn Tour would go on with other Test matches. It should be very entertaining.

Max.

The Barrett Review : November Internationals 2018 (England – Game II)

 

In a very demanding 2018 Test season, New Zealand wanted to finish the year on a high during the November Internationals. The All Blacks had started well with a good win against the Australia team during the Bledisloe Cup III game in Yokohama, in Japan.

New Zealand remained in the country for their first Test match of their Autumn Tour against the 2019 World Cup hosts. The All Blacks had managed to get a convincing win despite giving most of the game time to their fringe players and their reserves as well.

I- Team Informations : Wary Of The Threat

The New Zealand coaching staff wanted to make sure that their players were knowing the threat of what was coming. The All Blacks were facing a tough assignment against England at Twickenham. The Test matches were always spectacular between the sides.

Steve Hansen were relying on his key players during the week. They were rested the weekend before against Japan. Moreover, the Test match was going to be special because Brad Shields, former Hurricanes player, was now playing for England in the back-row.

II- The All Blacks line-up : Full-Strength XV

(15-1) Damian McKenzie – Ben Smith – Jack Goodhue – Sonny Bill Williams – Rieko Ioane – Beauden Barrett – Aaron Smith – Kieran Read – Ardie Savea – Liam Squire – Sam Whitelock – Brodie Retallick – Owen Franks – Codie Taylor – Karl Tu’inukuafe

(16-23) Dane Coles – Ofa Tu’ungafasi – Nepo Laulala – Scott Barrett – Matt Todd – TJ Perenara – Richie Mo’unga – Ryan Crotty

III- Game Summary : The TMO Call

The Test match was going to be played under tough weather conditions with the rain falling down on Twickenham. The French referee Jérôme Garces was the official for the game. The England fly-half Owen Farrell kicked off and the first-half was underway.

Trying to collect the ball, the All Blacks forward pack could not control it and it was a knock-on. England were turning the ball over and Ben Youngs immediately tried to add some pace to the game. The ball was shifted wide to the midfield with Henry Slade.

New Zealand had to scramble but Rieko Ioane rushed up and the England winger Chris Ashton got the ball and scored the try. England were leading after only a few minutes. Owen Farrell could not add the conversion but it was a good start for the home team.

The All Blacks could not quite adapt to the weather conditions. Prop Owen Franks was not making the difference and Codie Taylor was not accurate at the lineout. Liam Squire was making a few decent carries with the ball but he was met with a great defence.

England had the ball back and they wanted Jonny May involved in the counter-attacking play. Courtney Lawes brought a physical presence and New Zealand were on the backfoot again in their own half. Owen Farrell kicked a drop-goal for the England team.

There was a good lead for England and New Zealand still could not find a way back. The midfield pairing was not working with Sonny Bill Williams unable to find Jack Goodhue. Sam Whitelock needed time to settle things down with Sam Underhill making the tackles.

Ben Youngs was making many box kicks and Beauden Barrett took the ball from Damian McKenzie’s knock-on in an off-side position. England had the penalty and found the lineout in the New Zealand’s 22-metre zone. The maul was powerful and it was a try.

Converted by Owen Farrell, that try was giving England a decent lead with Dylan Hartley, the try scorer. The All Blacks were targeting a big reaction with Aaron Smith trying to find some space on the field while Ben Smith ran the ball from his own half.

Remaining patient, New Zealand went for the scrum and Kieran Read gained the metres. Beauden Barrett unleashed an inside ball for Damian McKenzie who scored. New Zealand had their first try and it gave to the All Blacks a huge momentum in that game.

On the last kick-off of the first-half, Owen Farrell send the ball directly into touch. Steve Hansen’s players got a scrum and Rieko Ioane went back inside and showed his pace. The All Blacks got another penalty for an off-side position from the England players.

Beauden Barrett kicked the penalty and the gap was closed for New Zealand. It was the Half-Time in London and the All Blacks were back after a tough opening. England were in the contest and it was surely going to be decided by the small margins (HT : 15-10).

It was still raining at the beginning of the second-half and the All Blacks first-five eighth Beauden Barrett kicked off. From the opening exchanges of that second-half, New Zealand were more structured and they were better overall against the England team.

The backline started to find a few openings with fullback Damian McKenzie and Aaron Smith finding the space. Nevertheless, Ardie Savea could not quite control the ball and he kncoked it on. England had the scrum but Ben Youngs could not get a good clearance.

New Zealand were working well at the lineout with second-rowers Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick having more and more influence. Karl Tu’inukuafe was contributing well though Ben Moon and Brad Shields were not giving much to him in his ball carries.

Following a decent build-up from New Zealand, the England defence were working hard not to give any yards. Scrum-half Aaron Smith took the opportunity to pass the ball to Beauden Barrett. The first-five eighth had all the time and he scored the drop-goal.

The All Blacks were back in the game with Owen Farrell trying to make the kick-off a contestable one. However, Sam Whitelock got the ball in the air and Aaron Smith cleared the ball with Rieko Ioane chasing it. Elliot Daly won many aerial battles in that contest.

New Zealand started to get the edge in the lineout department with Brodie Retallick stealing a few possession. Jamie George, on for Dylan Hartley, could not find a way to combine with Maro Itoje. The All Blacks used that department to build all the pressure.

Skipper Kieran Read was making the metres with the ball in hand and England lacked discipline. They were penalised again and there was an opportunity for New Zealand to be in front for the first time. Beauden Barrett lined up for the penalty and he nailed it.

England had difficulties to get their attacking game going. Jonny May was tackled well and Owen Farrell was using his boot a lot. About the forwards, it was not better and the lineout was still not working with Brodie Retallick making a few important steals.

The last moments of the game were tactical. TJ Perenara was brought on and was going to make the clearance. His kick was charged down by Courtney Lawes and Sam Underhill got the ball. He raced forward and beat Beauden Barrett to score the try.

There was a TMO call to check if Courtney Lawes was on-side or not. After a long review, the TMO concluded that the England second-rower was off-side at the ruck and the try was disallowed. New Zealand were relieved and backed their defence to finally win it.

The All Blacks won that Test match in Twickenham after trailing by 15 points. That was a tough contest as New Zealand made a great comeback. It was far from perfect for New Zealand who will have to really improve for their last two Autumn games (FT : 15-16).

IV- The Barrett Review : Answering Critics

* Kicks : 4/4 – Beauden Barrett remained consistent from the kicking tee. That is the 4th consecutive Test match were he delivered. Beauden Barrett had a good performance and nailed a tough penalty under the rain. He will target the consistency in the next Tests.

* General Play : Beauden Barrett got the territory kicks and he tried the chip-kicks. He attacked the line and got the assist on Damian McKenzie’s try. Beauden Barrett was solid in defence except on Sam Underhill’s try which was ruled out but he made his tackles.

* Conclusion : It was not Beauden Barrett’s best attacking performance but his goalkicking was massive. It won that Test match and that will please him. Beauden Barrett will target a similar performance next weekend with another massive game.

Max.

The Rugby Wrap : Weekend Review (Thursday, 01st, November, 2018 – Sunday, 04th, November, 2018)

 

The November Internationals were back this weekend while there was some domestic rugby as well. The Top14 and the Pro14 games were taking place again before a big rest. In the next three weekends, all the players would be released to play some Test rugby.

It was a key period for the clubs’ managers who had to make a few turnovers with some of their players unavailable. It was all about finding the right mix in this last weekend before a rest. The Northern clubs would play again in December, after the Test matches.

The November Internationals were just starting with a few games before all the nations come back. There was going to be fascinating duels between the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere with the North targeting some pressure on the South.

* Mont-de-Marsan vs. Colomiers : ProD2 (Guy Boniface, Mont-de-Marsan, France)

In a good game, Colomiers opened the scoreboard with a try from prop Agustin Costa Repetto. Mont-de-Marsan came back with a penalty from Yoann Laousse Azpiazu. Later, flanker Yann Brethous scored after a nice build-up. That good try was also converted.

However, Colomiers tied the game when Thomas Girard kicked a penalty. In the second-half, Mont-de-Marsan kept the ball and Timoci Matanavou offloaded for Danre Gerber who scored. They added another try when Julien Cabannes got a good pass to score.

Mont-de-Marsan got the momentum and Jens Torfs carried over the line for the try. With Remi Tales on the field, the home side played better and Yann Brethous crossed for his brace. Colomiers could not come back as Mont-de-Marsan got the home win (FT : 38-10).

* Japan vs. New Zealand : Autumn Tour (Ajinomoto Stadium, Tokyo, Japan)

New Zealand scored the first points with a penalty from Richie Mo’unga. Though, Japan got the first try after Samuela Anise charged Jordie Barrett’s kick down. The All Blacks hit back with Dane Coles on the corner, Richie Mo’unga and Ngani Laumape for three tries.

Hendrik Tui replied with a try for Japan but Te Toira Tahuriorangi also had one for New Zealand and Ngani Laumape got a brace. Timosi Lafaele had a try for Japan before Half-Time. Later, George Bridge scored his first try for New Zealand on a big counter-attack.

Jamie Henry had a stunning try for Japan but Waisake Naholo had space on the corner and Matt Proctor concluded a build-up. Ngani Laumape and George Bridge respectively scored a Hat-Trick and a brace while Timosi Lafaele scored his brace late (FT : 31-69).

* Grenoble vs. Clermont : Top14 (Stade des Alpes, Grenoble, France)

Clermont opened the scoreboard with a penalty from Patricio Fernandez. Grenoble replied with a penalty as well from Gaëtan Germain. They even scored the first try of the game when Beka Gigashvili was over the line. Gaëtan Germain kicked a second penalty.

In the beginning of the second-half, Clermont needed a big reaction. From a lineout, the players found a gap and Sitaleki Timani scored the try. Gaëtan Germain kicked a penalty but it was cancelled by Patricio Fernandez with a penalty and Alivereti Raka’s try.

Gaëtan Germain scored two penalties with Davit Zirakachvili binned. However, Peceli Yato scored a stunning try before Alaska Taufa got one for Grenoble. Gaëtan Germain had a penalty to win it but he missed it and Clermont snatched the draw (FT : 27-27).

* Wales vs. Scotland : Autumn Tour (Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales)

The home side started this game with a focus on the defence as Scotland could not find a way. Wales got the ball back and went through the phases. It allowed them to build pressure as fullback Leigh Halfpenny kicked three consecutive penalties in the first-half.

Adam Hastings, the Scotland’s fly-half, kicked a penalty as well before Wales came back again. George North beat a defender and scored a great try as he had been denied before. However, Scotland hit back before the Half-Time thanks to Stuart McInally after a maul.

In the second-half, Wales made the turnovers and unleashed their midfield as Jonathan Davies scored. Scotland threw everything at the Wales’ defence which held on even when Elliott Dee was binned for too many infringements. Wales got the win (FT : 21-10).

* Connacht vs. Dragons : Pro14 (The Sportsground, Galway, Ireland)

The first-half was very scrappy with both defences settled. Connacht finally got the opening try with a good maul and James Cannon scoring. After that, the home side shifted the ball wide and Darragh Leader had enough space to touch down in the corner.

Later, playmaker David Horwitz found the space and the ball was offloaded to Colby Fainga’a who raced to score. Before the Half-Time, prop Tom McCartney carried over the line for the bonus point try. The Dragons had to react in the second-half to get the win.

There was a better structure in their game and Hallam Amos crossed the line. Though, Connacht replied with Tom Farrell concluding a build-up. The Dragons scored a late try thanks to Taine Basham but Connacht got the bonus point win at home (FT : 33-12).

* United States vs. Maori All Blacks : Autumn Tour (Soldier Field, Chicago, United States)

The Maori All Blacks started well with Brad Weber’s offload leading to a try scored by Regan Ware. Will Hooley scored a penalty for United States before Mitch Karpik had space on the right wing to get the score. Ash Dixon got also a try after a powerful maul.

Prop Ben May was also a try scorer. Though, the Maori All Blacks lacked discipline and Ash Dixon, with Paripari Parkinson, were both binned. Ryan Mathyas scored for the home team. In the second-half, Isaia Walker-Leawere got a brace in only five minutes.

Centre Rob Thompson concluded a build-up as Nate Augspurger scored for United States. Robbie Abel was binned for the Maori All Blacks while Cam Dolan scored. The Maori All Blacks finished well with Jonah Lowe and Shaun Stevenson scoring tries (FT : 22-59).

* Cardiff vs. Zebre : Pro14 (Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff, Wales)

The Cardiff Blues started well with a penalty kicked by Steve Shingler. The home side went through the phases and Tom Williams gathered a chip-kick to score. Steve Shingler kicked a second penalty and Zebre had no possession in that first-half and had to react.

Nevertheless, the Cardiff Blues kept the intensity and following a good driving maul, Kirby Myhill scored. Coming back in the Zebre’s half, number 8 Nick Williams showed his power to score and the Cardiff Blues were going for the important bonus point try.

Centre Rey Lee-Lo got the bonus point try in the last quarter and he even got a brace in the last play after beating a defender. Gethin Jenkins, the Wales legend, was playing his last rugby game and attempted the conversion. It was wide but it was a win (FT : 37-0).

* Montpellier vs. Racing 92 : Top14 (Mohed Altrad Stadium, Montpellier, France)

Montpellier were under huge pressure from Racing 92 who played wide. Fullback Simon Zebo unleashed the offload for Juan Imhoff who scored. After that, with a good driving maul, scrum-half Teddy Iribaren found the space and got the Racing 92’s second try.

Though, Racing 92 lacked discipline and Henry Chavancy was binned. Montpellier came back with Yvan Reilhac and Nicolaas Janse Van Rensburg scoring. In the second-half, Finn Russell kicked a penalty and Juan Imhoff got a double after a good interception.

However, Racing 92 were infringing too much and Baptiste Chouzenoux was yellow-carded. Aaron Cruden kicked a penalty for Montpellier but Racing 92 held on. They even sealed the win with a superb counter-attacking try scored by Antoine Gibert (FT : 13-27).

Conclusion

In the ProD2, the French second division, Mont-de-Marsan got the win and are among the favourites to gain promotion. In the Top14, Clermont got a good draw despite missing key players in the France training camp and Racing 92 made a huge away statement.

In the Pro14, Connacht got a bonus point win in a thrilling attacking performance with the Cardiff Blues also winning with the bonus point. About the November Internationals, New Zealand got a stunning win with their reserves players against Japan, in Tokyo.

The Maori All Blacks got a good win against United States while Wales delivered a good performance at home. Next weekend, the November Internationals will take place for the second weekend with some ProD2 and Premiership Rugby Cup to be played, too.

Max.