2013 Ladies' Final: Match Analysis

Never to be outdone, the ladies from JRC and Warriors put on a great show for the 2013 Women's Final.

Here's the match video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiOvrxcChm0

Here's the analysis:

00:38
Warriors are attacking from so far behind the gain line. The pass goes 5m backwards, which is allowing the defensive line to press up and take free ground, which JRC could have capitalised better on. We would like to have see the runner taking the ball much flatter and at speed to actually challenge the defence.

00:49
The flipside to this is that JRC are falling into a bit of trap! The defenders move forwards to press-up, but at different speeds, which leaves gaps for a WRC runner to attack.

01:55
First scrum of the game. Both packs are nice and flat, so it must be raw power that gives JRC the win.

03:49
Legally, there is nothing wrong with it, but looking at the tackle by WRC's 6 on JRC's 7 we closed our eyes for a moment. The swinging, the legs everywhere - it's a knee injury begging to happen. Traditional tackle technique is so much safer and far more effective! Just a thought....

04:02
This is a great crash angle to suck in the defence and JRC get quick possession from the ruck, but the ball really needed to go wide next to exploit the space. Neither the 9 nor 10 look up at the option.

05:18
Great knowledge of the rules there by WRC's 14.

14:25
Again, all the attacking is done so far behind the gain line. The defence is happily moving up and across without pressure.

15:10
JRC's front row are getting under WRC's front row, giving them an instant advantage. WRC need to sink a little lower at the hit to counteract this.

15:35
8 won't thank the scrum-half for that! Again, the attack is giving the ball the static runners well behind the gain line and expecting miracles.... Happy days for the defence!

17:29
Ooooh, ref! Was there clear release there before the steal?....

18:25
It's a good change of angle from JRC's 12. If she had gone low at the last moment instead of going higher at the last, it would have been unstoppable. Well defended by WRC.

19:10
WRC drift nicely as a line, but the defenders are just too close together. JRC are ready for the wide attack and WRC leave themselves too much ground to cover.

21:20
Someone needed to just dive on it and secure possession. Good pressure from WRC.

22:57
Again, WRC are using a drift defence, but they are so narrow. JRC aren't doing anything special and are still attacking from very deep, yet they are still finding a big overlap. This was a recurring feature in the game.

24:58
WRC have done a good job to send up a small wall of 3 defenders, but then for some reason they start moving backwards and allow JRC to build up speed! WRC's 14 does well to make the tackle, but she also gave away 20m.

25:38
Simply poor tackling here from JRC. WRC's 12 is a powerhouse with skills, but the defenders were there - the tackles needed to hit the legs.

26:26
This is great pace from JRC's 11, but she had a spare player outside. She could have fixed the last defender and given the pass to her teammate in space. In the end, Warriors give her too much space anyway.

27:28
JRC's second try. Again, JRC pass the ball 15m backwards before the attack - how is this going unpunished?? What's strange is that Warriors are pressing up, just not all the way to make the tackle - the line comes close but always stops short of closing down the attackers and leaves them space to dance and run. Great pace from JRC's 9 for the finish, but whoever was on guard duty at that final ruck got punished.

32:05
This is the second good crash burst by WRC's hooker. The key to it is that, unlike a lot of the other ladies on the park, she accelerates into contact rather than slowing down at the last minute in anticipation of the contact.

42:59
Freeze here and check the body angles of both JRC props. Both a pointing distinctly inwards rather than straight, which is giving an unfair advantage.

HALF TIME
It has to be said that on those 40 minutes, the skills have been ridiculously good, especially in terms of offloading, support play, body positioning at rucks and scrimmaging. It rather puts the men's D1 Final to shame! In terms of improvements, the lineout is clearly an area to work on, as is attacking the gain line more, and by contrast a more effective defensive press and better man-marking.

 59:50
Interesting choice here. JRC's scrum has been totally dominant, so why not lock in the WRC forwards to one place. There would be a strong possibility of JRC's pack being able to get the drive on and milk more penalties, possibly even a card. Instead, they get close, but WRC are able to scramble the defence to steal possession.

1:03:22
Textbook tackle - smashing!

1:09:45
WRC's 16 has already had a few good runs in the game and JRC haven't learned their lesson. Defenders are too preoccupied with going for the ball, which allows the WRC player to keep pumping the legs and drive forward for an extra 10m.

1:10:20
Fantastic break from WRC's 17 to open up the defence. Even better is that support arrives quickly, but the scrum-half delays the pass. Secondly, there is gaping space on the blindside which needed to be exploited! Attack runners needed to be screaming at the 9 for quick ball into that space.

1:11:25
We count 12 WRC players here (including the one who has just moved out of screen to the right), which means that there must be only 3 players covering the other side of the field. Again, it's a point of identifying where the space is to attack quickly, especially given the speed of the JRC back 3.

1:12:30
Firstly this is a much more solid scrum from WRC, giving them a good platform from which to attack. JRC also do better with their defensive press - here 14 is actively hunting for the tackle and really closing down the attackers.

1:13:08
So much lateral running. This game has been very much about 1v1 battles - who can outpace or outmuscle the other. We would have loved for WRC's 12 to change tact during this run - the defender is a full sprint to keep up and with 12's power, had she changed angle and ploughed into the defender, our money would be on 12 knocking through. Instead, JRC do a great job of simply shepherding the ball into touch.

1:17:40
This is nice from JRC - at each pass, the ball carrier commits the defender before passing or offloading to a teammate in space.

1:19:16
Nice work from WRC's 12 to create something out of nothing, but JRC make a bit of a meal of this. JRC have 3 of their fastest players against one Warrior. A simple draw and pop and the counter-attack would have been away. Brilliantly snaffled at the breakdown - 16 making an impact again.

1:21:25
Another nice steal and breakaway from 16, but again the ball needed to move faster from the ensuing ruck to capitalize on JRC retreating. Instead they have time to get back onside and reform.

1:22:15
Boom! 12 deserved a try and reminded JRC about the need for tackling lower every time! Fantastic to see the sportsmanship after the try as well.

FULL TIME

We watched this game live and really enjoyed it, but watching it back from another perspective surprised us in terms of the level of rugby on show. Sure there are areas to work on but overall there was some great rugby here. We look forward to paying much closer attention to the Ladies' SM-sarja in 2014!

2013 Men's Division 1 Final: Analysis

In the opening show of the 2013 Finals Day, the seasoned performers from Division 1 North met the high-flying newcomers from Division 1 South as Vaasa Wolves took on Old Town Shamrocks from Porvoo.

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO0W8dQTWKo&feature=c4-overview&list=UU4VIzdCgmDTM_g4QHVE8bXg

Here's what we thought:

01:50
First scrum of the game - Vaasa have the more attacking body positions and seem more in-tune with each other, whereas OTS have different rows scummaging at different angles. OTS get lucky that the ball bounces off a Vaasa leg.

02:04
The first hint of a lack of game plan - even after the first phase OTS are grouped around the ruck rather than working in units to move play quickly. The poor fly-half is handed the ball standing still and facing a wall of waiting defenders.

03:30
On the one hand, taking points at this stage of the game is exactly the right strategy, especially after the break in play for the injury. On the other hand, a 40-50m kick is a massive ask for any kicker. Either OTS have a lot of faith in their kicker, or very little in their lineout.

04:05
Check out the tackle technique from OTS - Vaasa's 12 is not the biggest man on the park, but tacklers are going in with heads down (i.e. eyes on the ground, not the target) and arms outstretched. With a steppy back like him, mark the target, hit with the shoulder and wrap the arms.

Following on from that, did anyone else think the final pass was so far forward that Stevie Wonder could have called it?..... Great effort by OTS 13 to run down the ball carrier.

05:40
Vaasa could have been much more clinical. Firstly, the tap-and-go is an odd call when they have such a strong lineout jumper, but ok. Secondly, Vaasa don't work as a unit: we have the number 8 taking the ball in essentially alone - we would have liked to see his support players latch on to him and drive him into the defensive line - the extra weight might have been enough to make the difference, as Porvoo allow him to run all the way to the line.

From the ruck, look how many Porvoo players are in or around the ruck. Vaasa get a bit of white line fever and squander the chance to sling it wide. Well defended by Porvoo.

08:42
Again, we're seeing a lack of structure to OTS's attack. Players are standing around well behind the gain line. There are no pods formed to take the crash ball up and no clear next phase attack. Here, we would like to see the fly-half taking more control and organizing the players around him. The kick serves no real purpose and essentially hands Vaasa possession.

10:10
It was harder not to score than to score here..... Vaasa's 4 just needed to give the pass earlier and the overlap would have done the work for him.

19:01
For the front rows: freeze here and compare the body position of Vaasa's loosehead with OTS's tighthead. The Vaasa prop has his weight forward, back straight and knee's bent - the ideal pushing position. Right from the start, the OTS prop's hips are too high, his legs too straight and actually his body is pointing in towards the hooker, which is a) illegal and b) making his own pushing ability weaker.

25:10
Great pressure and opportunism from OTS's number 4, but there was no reason that Vaasa shouldn't have been able to regroup and secure that.

26:17
Kicking was a horrendous option! He had support players there so he could have taken the ball into contact and set up a ruck.

29:15
This is bizarre: the OTS player has done everything right - he lined up the attacker, got into a good body position to make the tackle and makes a good hit......then he lets him go. Please listen when we say that tackle practice is the number 1 requirement this off-season.

30:50
Again, it's the organisation: OTS have had some great phases of attack, thanks to numbers 14 and 15, and the team has done well to secure possession - but then the ideas run out. Here, the big number 4 is given the ball while he is still moving backwards, so not only does he have no attacking momentum, but it also allows Vaasa to press up and reclaim several metres. It's only raw strength that gets 4 out of trouble.

41:05
What kills OTS is their failure to form a defensive line quickly. Vaasa move the ball quickly and exploit open space. On a positive note, check out a nice tackle by OTS number 10 on Vaasa's 4. Because there is not line pressing up on Vaasa, they are able to keep forward momentum and make steady progress until the line breaks. The final tackle attempt left a lot to be desired - again, it's a technique issue.

HALF TIME

48:48
Again, compare the difference in bodyweight distribution between the two props. Vaasa are in a much stronger position to win the hit as the prop is already leaning forward. OTS's prop has his body weight back over his second row, so pushing forward is going to be far more difficult.


50:30
It's good pressure from Vaasa, but OTS's fly-half really needed to dive on the ball rather than trying to kick it. Securing possession would have been the much safer move. Instead, Vaasa are able to claim the loose ball and grab another try.

1:26:30
This is better play from Porvoo: their scrum is becoming more secure, they drag Vaasa across the field one way, then the other. The key thing is that they send in a crash runner with fast support, so that they can suck in defenders and move the ball away quickly. It's a great solo effort from 14 to finish the try, but it was a good team build-up as well.

FULL TIME
Vaasa: 33 - 5 Old Town Shamrocks

In truth, it was not a polished performance from Vaasa. There were plenty of handling errors and it was a far more open game than it needed to be. Vaasa were by far the more alert squad - support play was quicker to arrive and better positioned. The attack phases were also better organised in terms of the next wave being ready and in-tune with each other as to what to do next.

There were elements for OTS to be happy about: they were highly competitive at the breakdown an their game improved considerably in the later stages of the match. Yet they left themselves so much to do and it was too little too late. A key issue seemed to be adapting their game style from the free-flowing 10-a-side game that they have been playing in D1 South to the 15-a-side game, which relies so much more on phase play. Considering this is their first proper season of rugby, OTS should be extremely happy at making the final and look to build on the experience for their first season in the Championship next year.

2013 Men's Final: Analysis

Better late than never, eh? Here's the game film of the climactic Men's 2013 Championship Final with our notes and observations. (Coming soon will also be the Ladies' Final and Division 1 Final analyses).

Video (Times taken from here):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhisqlKhfJ8

 

0:01:04
The opening is classic Warriors: quick possession through fast support play, then pinning the opposition back with a searching grubber. It's incredibly difficult to defend against structure like that as it pulls up the defence to defend against the pods, leaving the fullback alone to cover the entire width of the pitch.

 

0:02:50

The first scrum. Warriors are up against it with two non-props starting at 1 and 3, but there's no evidence of destruction here.

 

0:03:20

Aggression versus technique: Tampere are pounding away at the line at close range, but the passion overrides the technique, so that Warriors are able to adopt nice low body positions and turn over possession at the ruck.

 

0:09:10

Warriors do brilliantly to kill the initial move from the lineout (clearly a crash pod was set to peel around on the blind side). The error comes when the ball comes out: Warriors' fly-half flies up out of the line, leaving an open space behind him and going at a speed that doesn't allow him to match his opposite number's sidestep. (7-0)

 

0:17:53

Here's the importance of keeping a clear head. It's a cheeky bit of hazing from Warriors' 6, but it does the job. Tampere's 8 rises to the bait and instead of defending a lineout, they concede a penalty.

 

0:18:45

The idea here was spot on: Tampere's wing has been caught out of position and Warriors' wing would have had a clear run to the line. It wasn't an easy pass but it was a the right option.

 

0:20:15

This is a great option. Warriors have backs and forwards mixed up all over the place, so aiming for touch rather than looking for a chase gives Warriors a chance to regroup as well as good field position.

 

0:20:58

A word on tackling (forgetting that Warriors had advantage coming): three Tampere players had Warriors' 8 lined up - all three went for upper body and all three failed to effectively bring him down.

 

0:23:05

At this stage, Warriors have been down in Tampere's 22 for some time without result. The penalty is in an ideal position - we would have just taken the points, especially considering the abnormal front row.

 

0:24:25

This maul is a real beauty in terms of its formation. It forms almost in one movement and the ball is straight to the back. It's pulled down, but we would have liked to have seen the three or four Warriors players who are still standing peel around and continue the drive against the two Tampere players around the edge.

 

0:27:24

Again, here's the importance of a flat defensive press. Warriors' 6 comes up much faster than Warriors' 2, allowing Tampere's fly-half to hit the gap between them and feed the ball into the hole that's been left behind.

 

0:31:50

Kudos to Warriors' centre pairing here, who force up the ball carriers from the pick-and-drive, which allows for the turnovers. At that range, the pick-and-drive needed to be at knee-height, not chest-height.

 

 0:33:55
Warriors' back line has drifted up and across together nicely, so really there should never have been a problem, but Warriors' 13 is facing totally the wrong way, expecting play to go wide and leaving Tampere's 15 free to hit the gap. Both Warriors' 9 and 11 go far too high for the tackle, before 14 puts in a textbook tackle to halt the attack and force play back across the park.

0:34:55
The key to the try was Warriors not realising that the scrum had been lost until it was too late. The 9 was already heading towards his 8-man, which allowed Tampere's 8 to pick up and get a head of steam. Panic ensues, with Warriors' 10 and 13 getting in each other's way so that neither can make an effective tackle, and it's a good stretch to dot it down. (12-0)

0:39:45
This one was all about the missed tackles. Warriors had plenty of guys there, but they were caught sleeping. There was still a chance for a last second tackle, but the Warriors player bottles it. (17-0)

HALF-TIME

0:46:30
The try comes from good awareness. Warriors are just little bit sharper and catching Tampere unprepared around the ruck. Tampere's 3 was the man at the side of the ruck and needed to be a little more alert to the danger. (17-5)

0:48:45
Another excellent example of the driving maul. This time Warriors are able to keep it rolling around the first and second hits, giving them front-foot ball. Then Tampere's 12 makes the defensive line error, drifting to tackle a player that his team mate already had covered, which allowed for a simple inside pass into space!

0:57:30
There was just no need for this to become a pressure situation - Warriors had plenty of time, but their 15 just leaves it too late. To be fair, it's excellent work from Tampere's 13.

0:58:20
Not Warriors' finest moments for tackling: the first just misses, the next two are far too high and finally we have a shoulder charge which gives away a penalty, which is doubly silly as he had already done the hard work to catch up with him.

1:01:23
Tampere turn the tables on Warriors with a driving maul of their own. It's not as pretty but they get the try! (22-5)

1:05:35
A note to Tampere's 6: go for the legs and he can't duck and dance!

1:11:55
The tackle here is crucial - not just because it's a nice hit, but mainly because the quick tap had put Warriors in behind most of Tampere's pack. A quick ruck and Tampere would have been in trouble.

1:14:00
A good phew phases of pressure gives Warriors their second try. Tampere are sucked one way, then another to cover the quick taps, which eventually leaves a simple two-on-one nicely finished by Warriors. (22-10)

1:15:52
Bad discipline here from Tampere. They have just conceded a try on the back of multiple penalties - the last thing they want is to compound it by marching back not ten, but twenty metres for back-chat.

1:17:44
A bit of scrum positioning practice needed here from both sides.....

1:19:30
A good decision by Tampere to add a few points after a period of pressure from Warriors. (25-10)

1:21:40
It's Tampere's turn to suffer from poor tackle technique. Both 5 and 12 have the chance to stop the ball carrier, but neither wrap their arms around him, which allows Warriors' 8 to wriggle out and power across the line. (25-17)

1:33:30
We lose sight of play for the try itself, but the build-up is the same story: Tampere's lack of discipline around the rucks is their un-doing, combined with Warriors' ability to take advantage of quick-tap opportunities to keep their opposition moving backwards. (25-24)

1:34:56
Kudos here to Warriors' 8, who gets crunched just as he catches the ball but still hangs on and twists himself round to present it back to his scrum-half.

FULL TIME

Finals Day: game videos!

The 2013 domestic season is now over after a full day of rugby at Töölön Pallokenttä hosted by Helsinki Rugby Club.

We will be bringing you our analysis of each of the games in the coming weeks, as well as our end of season review, with Team of the Season, players to watch for next year and a review of all the teams!

In the mean time, here are the links to the games, courtesy of Atsu from WRC!

Men's Divisions 1 Final- Vaasa Wolves v Old Town Shamrocks RC (Porvoo):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO0W8dQTWKo

Women's Championship Final- Jyvaskyla RC Ladies v Warriors RC Ladies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiOvrxcChm0

Men's Championship Final- Tampere RC v Warriors RC:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhisqlKhfJ8

 

 

Finnish Semi-Finals on video!

You probably know the results by now, but here's how they happened!

Men's semi-final-

Warriors RC v Helsinki RC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhlnbooRWi8


Men's Division 1 semi-final-
Old Town Shamrocks RC (Porvoo) v Pori Bombers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSTjFjmEugw

We know there is a video of Vaasa v Joensuu. We will post it here asap!


Women's semi-final-
Warriors Ladies v Tampere Ladies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfAmin9pH8E

The stage is set for Finals Day

After this weekend's titanic semi-final clashes around the country, the waiting is over and the match list for Finals Day is now confirmed!

Warriors chose the right moment to squash any doubts that have been raised by taking a convincing win over their local rivals Helsinki in the Men's Championship semi-final (41-11). Warriors will now meet Tampere in the final in a repeat of the situation two seasons ago. Between them, Tampere and Warriors have dominated the points-scoring rankings this year, so no matter who comes out on top, we can be sure of seeing some high-octane rugby for 80 minutes.

In the Men's Division 1, Old Town Shamrocks of Porvoo hammered Pori Bombers by 40-5 and will meet the winners of the northern division, Vaasa Wolves, who themselves won outright against a Joensuu side who should be proud of how far they have come this year (40-13).

On the women's front it's business as usual with the final set to be another clash between JRC's ladies and their rivals at Warriors, after Warriors overcame Tampere by 34-15.

Finals Day is hosted this year by Helsinki Rugby Club and will take place at Töölön Pallokenttä on Saturday 5th October. Keep up to date with the event on the Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/FinlandRugbyFinals2013?fref=ts

In the mean time there is the small matter of Finland's national team hosting Greece in Turku for a crucial European Nations Cup game! On the morning of that same day (and also at Turku's Paavo Nurmi stadium), Finland's development side, Finland A, will get their second ever game when they host Baltic rivals Estonia. Get the latest information here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/185526661622228/?fref=ts

Vaasa v Kuopio analysis

With the season drawing towards the final rounds and two national team games on the horizon, here's a look at Division 1 North leaders Vaasa Wolves hosting Kuopio RC.

Video part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IogYhDD7wKQ

03:05
Have a look at the coordination of Vaasa's scrum. On the 'crouch', the whole pack is aligned in one flat line, putting them in the best possible position for the second shunt,

08:04
Sonny-Bill fever is alive and well and infecting forwards again! Keep it simple ;)

15:45
Vaasa are caught napping here, with the bulk of the team drifting across to the action and leaving a big gap exposed. One more pass from Kuopio would have created a 3-on-1 overlap.

21:00
Is that a downhill slope into the in-goal area?! The pitch seems to just drop away in the corner!

21:05
Vaasa are a little too cavalier in their own 22 and pay the price. They had the opportunity to clear the ball choose to run it. Kuopio rally well to pile on the pressure and force a good try.

24:05
Vaasa up the tempo nicely, quickly securing possession and moving the ball away to keep Kuopio guessing. It's a brilliant pilfer by Kuopio's 6 to save the day.

25:25
Clever kick in behind the defence to increase the pressure. Vaasa's 13 is lucky that that pass didn't lead to points for Kuopio.

27:10
It's an important steal in the line-out, but where was the defensive communication from Kuopio to make up for it. Again it's KRC's 6 to the rescue, but the same problem happens again as the defence let Vaasa's 7 stroll through for another 10m.

29:10
Raw power from the scrum gives Vaasa's 8 the initial momentum while forcing KRC's back row to try to defend while retreating. The first tackle was way too high on a big man like that.


Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikrw-nZO7cY

01:30
Vaasa's aggression in attack is good but at the same time we are seeing the ball carrier going into contact with multiple defenders alone and still making yards when Kuopio should be punishing them.

03:30
Vaasa could have made life a lot easier for themselves by having lower body positions that close to the line. Instead the ball carrier give the defence a break by providing easier targets.
Although KRC did well to win the turnover and get a kick away, the kick needed to find touch and definitely not land in open field where Vaasa could run it back. Too many of Kuopio's players were still trapped around the breakdown area and rather than relieving the pressure, it allowed Vaasa to draw out one or two defenders and pile it right back on.


Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFvWvD8RHTc

03:40
Over the next couple of minutes, Vaasa make steady progress up the field. This comes partly from their quick support play at the breakdown, but Kuopio don't help themselves with slack defensive pressure.  There is little pressure put on attackers and defenders tend to bunch too tightly, leaving obvious gaps to attack.

09:55
Again, you can see the difference it aggression: Vaasa have their confidence up and are running hard at gaps between defenders, whereas Kuopio's defenders are standing waiting to attempt tackles, rather than being itching to press up make the tackle before the gain line.

16:10
Good decision-making here: KRC's scrums have been a mess and a tap-and-go is always a gamble, but their line-out has been reasonably solid - and it pays off!

19:10
It's the same story again: you can see KRC's defenders on the open side are calling for support but it just doesn't arrive fast enough. Again the defenders are caught flat-flooded and Vaasa flood through the gap.

22:50
Without meaning to be condescending - that's an impressive lineout throw for a Division 1 game!

24:00
This time it's Vaasa who get lazy. You can see the defenders are only half-interested around - there's no urgency or communication as to who is marking who. Sharp defending by the fullback to make the steal.

26:00
It's no wonder that Vaasa steal this. Kuopio's defenders need to check their body position going into the breakdown. They are coming from high to low and bending at the waist, which allows Vaasa to get in underneath them.


Part 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoE6zTVyB2s

00:01
Refs out there: would you ping that for tackler not releasing? We think we would.

00:20
Ouch. Obviously Kuopio have been watching Scotland......

02:10
Great to see Kuopio finally attacking with some purpose for a few phases!

02:40
Vaasa's 10 - you cheeky little..... Get back onside, sir! Kuopio have been robbed blind of an opportunity there!

05:44
Slight moment of insanity - what's the thinking there?.....


General points:

This was two teams with two very different attitudes. Vaasa played aggressive, front-foot rugby, attacking the gain line at speed and pressurising Kuopio in defence. Kuopio, by contrast, allowed Vaasa to run at them and they paid the price.

Rucking was a key area here. Vaasa had support players at the breakdowns faster and entering with better body positions.

It was not a good day in the scrums for Kuopio, but their lineouts have a lot of promise. The main problem seems to be a lack of unified planning in attack: the ball is passed from one guy to another, each expecting the next to work some magic, without anyone seeming to take the initiative and move forward. It was not until the final quarter when Kuopio finally started to run with purpose and exploit Vaasa as they took the foot off the gas.

Dan Carter returns to welcome the Pumas

The All Blacks have named their squad to host Argentina in this weekend's third round of The Rugby Championship.

New Zealand:

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Andrew Hore
3. Charlie Faumuina
4. Brodie Retallick
5. Sam Whitelock
6. Stevan Luatua
7. Richie McCaw (C)
8. Kieran Reid
9. Aaron Smith
10. Dan Carter
11. Julian Savea
12. Francis Saili
13. Conrad Smith
14. Ben Smith
15. Israel Dagg

16. Dane Coles
17. Wyatt Crockett
18. Ben Franks
19. Jeremy Thrush
20. Sam Cane
21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow
22. Beauden Barrett
23. Charles Piutau

Kick-off 10:35 Finland time

Australia and South Africa teams for round 3 of TRC

The Wallabies and the Boks have named some surprising changes for their upcoming clash in round 3 of The Rugby Championship at Suncorp Stadium.

Kick-off in Brisbane: 1305 Finland time


Australia:

1. James Slipper
2. Steven Moore
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Rob Simmons
5. Jamew Horwill (C)
6. Scott Fardy
7. Michael Hooper
8. Ben Mowen
9. Will Genia (VC)
10. Quade Cooper
11. James O'Connor
12. Christian Lealiifano
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Nic Cummins
15. Israel Folau

16. Saia Fainga'a
17. Scott Sio
18. Ben Alexander
19. Kane Douglas
20. Jake Schatz
21. Nic White
22. Matt Toomua
23. Jesse Mogg


South Africa:

1. Tendai Mtwawira
2. Bismark du Plessis
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Flip van der Merwe
6. Francois Louw
7. Willem Alberts
8. Duane Vermeulen
9. Ruaan Pienaar
10. Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers (C)
13. JJ Engelbrecht
14. Willie le Roux
15. Zane Kirchner

16. Adriaan Strauss
17. Gurthro Steenkamp
18. Coenie Oosthuizen
19. Juandre Kruger
20. Siya Kolisi
21. Jano Vermaak
22. Pat Lambie
23. Jan Serfontein

Argentina side the face the All Blacks

Santiago Phelan has announced the Pumas squad that will travel to face the mighty All Blacks this weekend.

Argentina:

1. Marco Ayerza
2. Eusebio Guinazu
3. Juan Figallo
4. Manuel Carizza
5. Julio Farias Cabello
6. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe
7. Pablo Matera
8. Juan Manuel Leguizamon
9. Martin Landajo
10. Nicholas Sanchez
11. Horacio Agulla
12. Santiago Fernandez
13. Marcelo Bosch
14. Gonzalo Camancho
15. Juan Martin Hernandez

16. Agustin Creevy
17. Nahuel Lobo
18. Juan Pablo Orlandi
19. Mariano Galarza
20. Benjamin Macome
21. Tomas Cubelli
22. Felipe Contepomi
23. Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino

Kick-off 10:35 Finland time.

Finland A to host Estonia

Estonia's national team have accepted the offer of a match with Finland A to be played in Turku on 28.09.13.

The match will be played at Paavo Nurmi stadium as a warm-up game for Finland's European Nations Cup match against Greece. This will be the second match to be played by the recently-created development side, following a loss to a strong Stockholm Exiles Barbarians side in Mariehaminna in April this year.

Finland A will be selected and coached by Turku Eagles' coach, Alastair Davies and aims to provide a wider group of players with experience at a higher level with the ultimate aim of providing a deeper pool of suitable players for the 1st team.

Finland and Estonia have not met since 2010, when both a home and away fixture was played under the International Rugby Partnership Shield. Both matches were won by Finland, but Estonia have since made vast improvements and playing an array of opponents ranging from the England Deaf Team to the current ENC Group 3 leader, Turkey. Additionally, Estonia have a thriving 7s scene and compete internationally, so we can expect plenty of speed and flowing rugby.

Squads tba.

You can download the two 2010 matches between Finland and Estonia here:

http://rugby.fi/federation/media/internationalgames/finland-international-games-for-download/

Warriors v Eagles game review

Ruck Tales brings you the match video from the game between Eagles RFC and table-topping Warriors RC, as always with a few notes jotted down (ok, actually a lot of notes).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U33hkq3XA4k&feature=youtu.be

0:02:35
We have already seen plenty of examples of this in the opening rounds of the ITM Cup in New Zealand: one of the key features of the new scrum sequence is that referees have been told to watch closely for 'feeding' (not putting the ball into the scrum straight) - with the aim of returning the scrum to a more fair contest. Sharp reffing.

0:03:20
In our minds, there is no excuse for letting this try through. The ball was carried back all the way across the pitch for the tap-and-go, and all it took was one pass. That's nothing short of poor defending and failing to mark properly.

0:05:12
Here we see a key difference between the two teams. A hungry team is always alert for opportunities wherever they may be, and penalties (especially those close to the opposition line) present excellent opportunities for 5 points. Yet compared to the earlier try at the other end, notice how fast Warriors are to get back and face the opposition. There's no hanging around. At the same time there is very little alertness from Turku to the opportunity: players are standing around - no-one is shouting for a tap so they can charge and take advantage. We also see clever play from Warriors' 13, taking those extra few seconds to clarify with the ref as to why the penalty was given. Missing the penalty at that range is just salt in the wound.

0:07:40
This is clever play. Turku have already given away a chunk of territory, now playing for a psychological advantage by putting them back near their own line both puts the pressure on and gives the attackers a few more seconds of rest to prepare. A well-executed kick.

0:08:30
Here we see a good example of a driving maul. The drive does not come immediately but instead waits and absorbs the initial defensive drive before moving. Two mistakes are then made. Firstly, the ball is removed at the first sign of trouble in the maul. In Southern Hemisphere rugby (especially with South African rugby) we see driving mauls snaking their way up the field, turning around defenders as new obstacles hit it. Here Eagles remove the ball as soon as the maul turns, but they could have repositioned men who were no longer in a good driving position and continued. It is a matter of patience and discipline.
Secondly is the issue of the clearance kick. The box kick in this situation should either find touch or should be a kick to be chased down by the waiting back line. Here it does neither. Box kicks to be chased need to be communicated to the back line, who should be starting to move already as the scrum-half takes the ball, so that they have less ground to cover. Here, Turku's backline is still well back and clearly not expecting the box kick.

0:11:00
It's a decent backs' move, but in the end Turku had Warriors' 13 pinned on the touch line and should have killed the attack then and there. From that, notice that while Turku have 2-3 players involved in the tackle, there is no-one standing at the guard/pillar position, which allows the drive to continue almost unchallenged.

0:15:52
A horrendous wasted opportunity. We have seen this in previous instances, notably with the national team: if the opposition have just had a player sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes, how does it help to tap and charge into the most densely-defended place? Eagles' line-out has been working reasonably well (remember the earlier driving maul) and Warriors have just lost one of their jumpers. Logic would have suggested a kick to touch - instead opportunity passed by.

0:16:10
It's a questionable decision by Turku's 15 to kick across field with only one real chaser to go for it, but in the end it pays off thanks to the work-rate of Eagles' 12!

0:17:50
Compare this now to the first try earlier. Warriors see the Eagles player running back to possibly take a quick tap and they react to get into position (albeit offside).

0:18:15
It's a brute force try. Turku are lucky to retain possession with some of the body positions that go into contact, which is a credit to the support play. In the end it is simply overwhelming to defence with ruck after ruck - solid forwards' try.

0:22:10
Another good driving maul, this time with better continuation play by the pack.

HALF TIME

0:28:50
It's a good option by Eagles' 10. The pass was not great and it gave the defence time to press up. Shame about the dropped catch.

0:31:25
Again, Eagles are caught knapping. Granted there is some confusion from the ref's arm signal, but it's about the reactions of both teams. Eagles turn their backs are walking away, Warriors seize the opportunity. Once Warriors are in behind the defence, a key moment is Eagles' 13 shooting out of the line for an interception attempt. It should have been more directly fatal to the defence but the scrambling holds it off for a little longer before the try.

0:37:45
A nice bit of initial skill from the Eagles lock, but as we saw in the Kuopio game reviews, it's about knowing when to offload and when to go to ground. 99 times out of 100, it's likely that a second row will not pull off an Aaron Cruden-style offload while descending.

0:38:07
Please note here the importance of good tackle technique. Eagles' 11 has been tackling like a lion, but his technique is costing him. This is the second time he has his head in an incorrect position and for the second time he is left staggering. Always keep your head on the outside of the target!

0:41:00
Great work by Warriors' pack to flip possession despite losing their hooker.

0:48:35
Apparently Elton John and Boy George judged that line-out.

0:52:40
Good to see Eagles increase the tempo and make ground. The hiccup always seems to come with the follow-up play.

0:54:00
Eagles are perhaps very lucky here. The initial problem is the running angle taken by the crash runner, Eagles' number 4. By running almost sideways, he presents an easy target to tackle while risking running away from his support players. From the ruck, we would question whether the Warriors player who disrupts the Eagles 9 was onside, but nonetheless it's great pressure from Eagles' 13 to grab a poacher's try.

0:56:10
Although we don't usually approve of forwards kicking, this is a good net territory gain for Eagles to get out of a defensive hole.

0:56:37
That's very hard luck on the Eagles' 19, who stole the ball - we see a clear release shown before going for the ball. However, Eagles failed to adhere to rule number 1: the ref doesn't see everything but you must react to what he/she does see and say, and again we see Eagles are slow to react to a penalty against them, while Warriors pounce on the opportunity.

0:58:18
This is a really well-worked try, coming from the timing of a pass and the angle of the runner. That gets Warriors in behind the defence. From there it's a matter of good balance and well-timed offloads. A good bit of skill.

1:02:15
A nice example of strong counter-attack running from Eagles' 22, twisting and turning out of three tackles before going to ground. Then comes a good example of strong counter-rucking: nothing fancy, simply Warriors players getting in low and driving out the legs.

1:02:50
The story of the day - again Eagles lose focus when they concede a penalty. This time even the urgency is off but Warriors are still looking for the opportunities. Despite some good tackling from Eagles, Warriors find a simple mismatch: a steppy centre against a prop and second row, then it's good individual skill to run in the try.

Full time

Final score: Warriors 34 - 12 Eagles

General notes:

Decision-making played a significant part in the outcome. Warriors were sharper at identifying and exploiting opportunities when the presented themselves. Eagles, by contrast looked sluggish. Warriors actually gave away a large number of penalties and were playing with 14 men for 20 minutes of the games, yet Eagles failed often failed to capitalise on chances  because of decisions on where to go next.

Eagles did not actually play a bad game. In general, tackling was good, passing was not world-class but not awful either and ruck play was decent. Where they lost it was not on skills, but on work rate. Steve Hansen said in a recent interview that games are often won not on the things that require specific skills, but on the basic work rate: getting up fast after tackles, moving into the right position for attack and defence, getting back onside. In this game, Warriors built success on working these simple things better than Turku.

Kuopio RC v Pori Bombers - video and analysis

First half video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLJxIjzfNOQ&feature=c4-overview&list=UUr7KmHbo3fDiRjH4C5Qhd_w

00:15
From what was a pretty average kick, Pori's fullback chases well and capitalises on a simple mistake by Kuopio. Then it's all about the gas to leave the opposition behind.

02:55
Commentators at the moment have been talking a lot about the new scrum sequence, and in particular the importance of the 'second shunt' - the drive after the ball is introduced. We can see that the combined pressured from Pori's pack completely disrupts Kuopio's attempt to move the ball back. A well-executed turnover.

09:45
A well-executed Garryowen (under-used in Finnish rugby) with the confidence to compete in the air without taking his eyes off the ball. It's a shame that Pori concede a penalty after that, but they're let off the hook immediately!

16:10
What we see over the next 2 minutes or so is that Kuopio have made big improvements to their attacking continuity: support for the ball carrier arrives quicker and clean-outs are faster than we saw in their match versus Vaasa. The stumbling point is their attempt to offload the ball in any tackle situation, even when it's clearly not on.

19:50
Again, it's an unforced error from Kuopio which costs them, and again it's a great kick chase from Pori which does the damage. Try time number 2!

24:10
This surely highlights where Kuopio need to focus training: forwards' set pieces. Or is it a lack of confidence in the backs. That close to the line, most teams would look to lock in opposition forwards to one place and try something. In the end it's panic play which undoes them: a solo ball carrier gets isolated and turned - a shame, as KRC had had that well under control until then.

25:30
That's some serious wind to compensate for! We're still not sure whether the poor Pori player deserved to have frustration taken out on him by getting pancaked!

36:30
This is the first time that Kuopio have managed to trap Pori's defence out of position, with an over-defended blindside and space to the left. As Pori's defenders have to scramble across to cover, Kuopio bash over the try.

2nd half video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPKjgGi3l3E&list=UUr7KmHbo3fDiRjH4C5Qhd_w

05:45
Here's the other part of the new scrum laws: it's a return to a situation where the hooker needs to be on his game and actually hook the ball. Well stolen!

08:00
We have to question the tactics here a little: the tap-and-go has had very limited success so far, plus you can see that Kuopio are heavily stacked to defend within a 10-15m area. Even if you do want to tap instead of a set piece, why not sling it wide to your two big attacking threats at 13 and 15?

20:55
One major issue that could be the cause of both teams' scrum problems is the position of the second row. Notice here that Kuopio's lock ends up half-way up his prop's back. This has been an issue at scrum time throughout the game.

32:30
Great call by the ref - driving up is something that packs in Finland tend to get away with, but you couldn't really miss that one!

36:50
In our analysis of Vaasa v Kuopio, we talked about the problems of 'sheep mentality' (the whole team following the ball). Now count the number of players on the near side of the pitch.

37:30
Kuopio have a preoccupation with attempting offloads in the tackle and it's costing them. The weather is clearly not on anyone's side for offloading, but given the improvements that Kuopio have made in their ruck securing, it seems crazy that they are trying it so often. Following that we can't understand why you would kick it away - KRC have only played 2 phases and there is plenty of support - why not build momentum?
Following the kick, the work done by Pori's 15 is outstanding, making a big clear-out at one ruck, then immediately following up and securing the next ruck as well!

42:30
This is why Pori need to make better use of this guy - on a drier day we'd bet this would be a try for all money.

General notes:

The weather played a big part in the game, but at the same time you would expect teams to adapt their game plan to match it. It wasn't a day a for cheeky offloads and aiming for the tail of the line-out, but rather for building momentum through clever pack play and using strike runners to punch holes into space. In the end, play was constantly broken up by scrums and line-outs, where Kuopio generally came off second best. There was clear improvement from Kuopio after their performance in Vaasa, especially in the second half, but they lacked the will and discipline to push through multiple phases. Pori's ability to disrupt set piece play, as well as their pressure in defence and aggression in attack, won on a day but both teams should look to tidy things up.

If you have a game video of you would like analysed, send it to us (or the link) and Ruck Tales will give you feedback!

Enjoy this weekend's rugby: Finnish domestic matches, second round of The Rugby Championship, the Currie Cup and the ITM Cup, as well as the French Top 14! The perfect excuse for not doing those household chores that you really don't want to do!

Australia and Argentina teams for TRC round 2

Three of the four team have now named their match squads for the 2nd weekend of The Rugby Championship. New Zealand will feel comfortable at home after beating the Wallabies away, while Argentina will hope that a home crowd will lift their spirits after taking a thumping in South Africa. Argentina have confirmed that lock Manuel Carizza has been replaced but have so far delayed announcing the actual squad - we'll keep you posted!

Australia team to play New Zealand (away):

1. James Slipper (Reds)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
4. Rob Simmons (Reds)
5. James Horwill (Reds) (Captain)
6. Scott Fardy (Brumbies)
7. Michael Hooper (Waratahs)
8. Ben Mowen (Brumbies)

9. Will Genia (Reds)
10. Matt Toomua (Brumbies)
11. James O'Connor (Rebels)
12. Christian Lealiifano (Brumbies)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs)
14. Israel Folau (Waratahs)
15. Jesse Mogg (Brumbies)

16. Saia Fainga'a (Reds)
17. Scott Sio (Brumbies)
18. Sekope Kepu (Waratahs)
19. Kane Douglas (Waratahs)
20. Liam Gill (Reds)
21. Nic White (Brumbies)
22. Quade Cooper (Reds)
23. Tevita Kuridrani (Brumbies)

Kick-off 1035 Finland time.


Argentina team to play South Africa in Mendoza (home):

1. Marcos Ayerza
2. Eusebio Guinazu
3. Juan Figalo
4. Julio Farias Cabello
5. Mariano Galarza
6. Pablo Matera
7. Juan Manuel Leguizamon
8. Leonardo Senatore

9. Martin Landajo
10. Nicolas Sanchez
11. Horacio Agulla
12. Felipe Contepome (Captain)
13. Marcelo Bosch
14. Gonzalo Camancho
15. Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino

16. Agustin Creevy
17. Nahuel Lobo
18. Tomas Lavanini
19. Benjamin Macome
20. Tomas Cubelli
21. Santiago Fernandez
22. Juan Imhoff

New Zealand name team for Australia return match

The All Blacks have named their side to host the Wallabies in the 2nd round of The Rugby Championship. New Zealand have lost their top 3 fly-halves but coach Steve Hansen is confident heading into the home fixture.

New Zealand team to play Australia (home) (kick-off 1035 Finland time):

1. Tony Woodcock (Highlanders)
2. Andrew Hore (Highlanders)
3. Owen Franks (Crusaders)
4. Brodie Retallick (Chiefs)
5. Sam Whitelock (Crusaders)
6. Stevan Luatua (Blues)
7. Richie McCaw (Crusaders) (Captain)
8. Kieran Reid (Crusaders)

9. Aaron Smith (Highlanders)
10. Tom Taylor (Crusaders)
11. Julian Savea (Hurricanes)
12. Ma'a Nonu (Highlanders)
13. Conrad Smith (Hurricanes)
14. Ben Smith (Highlanders)
15. Israel Dagg (Crusaders)

16. Keven Mealamu (Blues)
17. Ben Franks (Hurricanes)
18. Charlie Faumuina (Blues)
19. Jeremy Thrush (Hurricanes)
20. Sam Cane (Chiefs)
21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Chiefs)
22. Colin Slade (Highlanders)
23. Charles Piutau (Blues)

South Africa name team to face Argentina

After giving Argentina a thumping in Bloemfontein, the Springboks make one change for the return fixture.

South Africa team to play Argentina (away) in the second round of The Rugby Championship:

1. Tendai Mtawawira
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Juandre Kruger
5. Eben Etzebeth
6. Francois Louw
7. Willem Alberts
8. Duane Vermeulen

9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Morn Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers (Captain)
13. JJ Engelbrecht
14. Bjorn Basson
15. Willie le Roux

16. Bismark du Plessis
17. Gurthro Steenkamp
18. Coenie Oosthuizen
19. Flip van der Merwe
20. Siya Kolisi
21. Jano Vermaak
22. Pat Lambie
23. Jan Serfontein

Kick-off at 22:10 Finland time!

End of season sale at Lovell Rugby

Lovell Rugby, a one-stop shop for rugby equipment, replica kits and leisure and training wear, have started their end of season sale! Visit their website using the link below!

 

Goodbye, Super Rugby! Hello ITM Cup!

The everlasting rugby circle of life just keeps on giving! Not only are we about to kick of The Rugby Championship, but New Zealand's regional competition, the ITM Cup is now underway!

The ITM Cup has been labelled by many in the know as the fastest and most exciting domestic competition in rugby. It has proved a breeding ground not only for future Super Rugby stars, but also gives us a glimpse of those talented players who just might become future internationals.

Kicking things off, Wellington Lions made the trip to play the Counties Manukau Steelers in a game featuring some big names, including Super Rugby's top try scorer, Frank Halai as well as TJ Perenara, Brad Shields, Victor Vito, Bundee Aki and many more.

The game also highlighted the increasing size and power of rugby players. Check out CM's replacement lock Ryan Wilson: 2.08m tall and 120kg! Not to be outdone, Wellington brought on replacement Afa Fa'atau, who weighs overs 120kg......on the wing.

Check out the match here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWS1w1D_xPE


Canterbury opened their ITM Cup by hosting Taranaki. We haven't had a chance to see the match yet, but it should be coming soon here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wULjNW-lpOs


Don't forget: tomorrow (Saturday 17.08.13) is a big day of rugby in Helsinki's Myllypuro. 5 games in one day, with the action starting at 10:30! If you are in the area, GET INVOLVED!

Australia name their team to face the All Blacks!

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has announced his Australia team which will host the All Blacks at home on Saturday. We now have all the line-ups for the opening round matches of The Rugby Championship 2013!

1. James Slipper
2. Stephen Moore
3. Ben Alexander
4. Rob Simmons
5. James Horwill (Captain)
6. Hugh McMeniman
7. Michael Hooper
8. Ben Mowen

9. Will Genia
10. Matt Toomua
11. James O'Connor
12. Christian Lealiifano
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Israel Folau
15. Jesse Mogg

16. Saia Faingaa
17. Scott Sio
18. Sekope Kepu
19. Scott Fardy
20. Liam Gill
21. Nic White
22. Quade Cooper
23. Tevita Kuridrani

Kick-off 1305 Finland time

New Zealand and Argentina name their teams!

Earlier we posted the South African team to play Argentina in the opening round of The Rugby Championship on Saturday. Now Argentina have named their team as well. New Zealand have also named the team who will play Australia.

Argentina team to play South Africa (away) (kick-off 1800 Finland time) :

1. Juan Figalo
2. Eusebio Guinazu
3. Matias Dias
4. Manuel Carizza
5. Patricio Albacete
6. Pablo Matera
7. Juan Manuel Leguizamon
8. Leonardo Senatore

9. Martin Landajo
10. Nicolas Sanchez
11. Juan Imhoff
12. Felipe Contepome (Captain)
13. Marcelo Bosch
14. Gonzalo Camancho
15. Juan Martin Hernandez

16. Agustin Creevy
17. Nahuel Lobo
18. Juan Pablo Orlandi
19. Mariano Galarza
20. Julio Farias Cabello
21. Tomas Cubelli
22. Santiago Fernandez
23. Horacio Agulla


New Zealand team to play Australia (away) (kick-off 1305 Finland time):

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Andrew Hore
3. Owen Franks
4. Luke Romano
5. Sam Whitelock
6. Stevan Luatua (replaces injured Liam Messam)
7. Richie McCaw (Captain)
8. Kieran Reid

9. Aaron Smith
10. Aaron Cruden
11. Julian Savea
12. Ma'a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith
14. Ben Smith
15. Israel Dagg

16. Keven Mealamu
17. Ben Franks
18. Charlie Faumuina
19. Brodie Retallick
20. Sam Cane
21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow
22. Beauden Barrett
23. Ryan Crotty


Closer to home, if you are in the Helsinki area on Saturday, head to Myllypuro for a full schedule of Finnish men's and women's rugby:

10.30 - HRC v Tampere ladies
12.00 - WRC v Turku men
13.30 - HRC v Tampere men
15.00 - WRC v Turku ladies
16.30 - Gentleman of Albion v Uusimaa Barbarians

South African team to play Argentina

The Springboks have named their squad to play the Pumas in Bloemfontein this Saturday.

1. Tendai Mtawawira
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Juandre Kruger
5. Eben Etzebeth
6. Francois Louw
7. Willem Alberts
8. Duane Vermeulen

9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Morn Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers (Captain)
13. JJ Engelbrecht
14. Bjorn Basson
15. Willie le Roux

16. Bismark du Plessis
17. Gurthro Steenkamp
18. Coenie Oosthuizen
19. Flip van der Merwe
20. Siya Kolisi
21. Fourie du Preez
22. Pat Lambie
23. Jan Serfontein

Kick off is at 1800 local time (1900 Finland time)

Don't forget to enter a fantasy Rugby Challenge team with Fox Sports and enter the SM-sarja league (entry code 1601-3571).

Feed the Beast (Part 4)

MEAT! Get a good fix of protein with these homemade burgers.

Homemade turkey burgers
(makes 6 patties)

Ingredients:

400g turkey mince
1/2 red onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed or diced
cracked black pepper
2 spring onion tips (the green bit), finely chopped
1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 egg
1 tbsp. coconut oil / extra virgin olive oil for frying
Juice of 1/2  small lime


Method:

In a mixing bowl, combine the mince, red onion, garlic, pepper, spring onions, chilli and egg, mixing together with a fork to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.

If you're frying them, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Form the meat mix into 6 patties and place in the pan. As a tip, put some oil or water on your hands between making each patty - it stops the meat sticking to your hands. Fry on each side for 2 minutes. Then turn down the heat, cover the pan with a lid and cook for a further minute or two on each side (this allows you to seal the outside and cook through while keeping the burgers moist).

Plate up the burgers and squeeze of the lime juice.

You can make these in the oven for a healthier option - simply put a sheet of backing paper on a oven tray and lay the patties on the paper. Cook at 180 for around 10-12 minutes, depending on your oven. You won't get the negatives of frying, but you also won't get the extra taste that goes with it!

Three patties will make a nice meal with vegetables, salad, carbs such as bulgar wheat/quinoa etc. so you will get two meals out of this.

 

 

Verdict:

 

 

Tasty! Turkey can be a bland meat, but the onions, garlic and chilli bring some flavour, and the lime juice finishes it off nicely. It's a versatile thing that can be easily adapted to suit your own taste. Again, because it's homemade, you know what you're getting!



Deals available on Myprotein.com

Here are some discount codes and links available from sports nutrition supplier Myprotein. Please take note of expiry dates.

Ending the end of 14.08.2013:

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Free Myprotein blender bottle with your order.
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Feed the Beast (Part 3)

Rugby players like their food and lots of it! The issue of snacking and what to do between meals therefore often comes into question. The easy option is to reach for the pre-packaged, no-fuss options, but Ruck Tales would like to offer this tasty and healthy alternative for keeping you satisfied.

Homemade hummus

Ingredients:

1 packet/can (220-250g) chickpeas (kikherneet)
1 large clove of garlic (valkosipuli)
1-1.5 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice (sitruunamehu)
2 tsp tahini
olive oil (oliiviöljy)
water (vesi)

options:
red chilli, black olives, ground cumin etc.


Method:

Drain and rinse the chickpeas to remove any salt from storage. Chop the garlic clove to make sure it distributes better. Then using a blender or hand blender, blend together the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini and olive oil until it is a smooth consistency with no lumps of anything.

For the olive oil we used about 2.5 tbsp plus water, but you can add more or less. You can also replace some olive oil with water (remember it's not the cheapest thing in the world) or even use rapeseed oil (rapsiöljy) instead. Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is best as it is the least processed.

For added flavour, you can blend in half a large red chilli (or a whole one!), or some black olives, or whatever you want!

Use the hummus for dipping chopped raw vegetables like carrots, celery or broccoli, or spread it on rye bread for an energy boost.

 

 

Verdict:

 

We loved this! It's simple, it's cheap and there is no added salt. Studies have found that sauces such as ketchup and mayonnaise contain high levels of processed salt, as well as high levels of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). This hummus gives you a versatile snack, and because it's homemade you know exactly what you are eating - no preservatives or additives.





Super Rugby Team of 2013

Super Rugby 2013 came to a dramatic end with the Chiefs lifting their second consecutive trophy, but the final was by no means the only exciting rugby played during the season. Here Ruck Tales have put together an all-stars team for 2013.

1. Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs)
Oosthuizen was a powerhouse in the loose and provided some of the biggest impacts of the competition. His scrummaging was stable and consistent, and his ability to switch from loosehead to tighthead made him even more valuable to the Cheetahs. Wyatt Crockett also enjoyed a strong season, but we couldn't give him the spot after coming top for penalties conceded, six places ahead of Oosthuizen.
2nd team: Wyatt Crockett (Crusaders)
Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwO7wu0Ix9I

2. Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs)
We liked Strauss last year and we thought he stepped up again this year, making more tackles than any other hooker and frequently offering himself to make the hard yards. His lineout throwing also improved, which linked well to our choice for 7. Stephen Moore has been mentioned for his work rate, but he was also the most turned-over player. Our vote for runner-up goes to the Highlanders' captain, Andrew Hore. Although he ended up sharing the spot with Liam Coltman, he made more steals than any other hooker and racked up plenty of pick and drives.
2nd team: Andrew Hore (Highlanders)

3. Ben Tameifuna (Cheifs)
Yes, we know that he won't last more than 50 minutes, but while he's on the field, those 134kgs are a force to be reckoned with. 6 tries (more than any other front row) and a pivotal role in that rock-solid Chiefs scrum gets him our vote. Another tighthead who caught our attention was Owen Franks at the Crusaders. Franks worked his way into the Team of the Week more than a couple of times on the back of solid scrum work and ruthless defence, and he just pips Benn Alexander to our runner-up spot.
2nd team: Owen Franks (Crusaders)
Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34pohl8mQoc

4. Brodie Retallick (Chiefs)
Retallick is a hard-graft second row. In defence, the All Black made more tackles than any other lock and making an impressive number of pick and drives. Yet the stats don't tell the full story of his importance to the Chiefs' game - his work rate to secure possession and his lineout success was a cornerstone in building the championship win. Yes, we know he plays 5, but we want Retallick and Whitelock together! Eben Etzebeth was a phenomenal talent for the Stormers at just 21, as was Scott Fardy for the Brumbies, but our runner-up goes to Australian Hugh Pyle, who made his presence felt in every match he played, grabbing 5 tries along the way.
2nd team: Hugh Pyle (Rebels)

5. Sam Whitelock (Crusaders)
Still a young player at 24 and already 41 caps for the All Blacks, but it's easy to see why! With Whitelock you get the whole package: power, a smart ball carrier with an eye for the gap, solid defence and an excellent lineout option. Andries Bekker was having a great competition before injury - Super Rugby will miss him next year. Runner-up goes to Sam Carter of the Brumbies, a workhorse who led the Brumbies in pick and drives and proved agile for a big man.
2nd team: Sam Carter (Brumbies)

6. Liam Messam (Chiefs)
The hardest position to decide. New Zealand overrun with gifted blindsides! Both Stevan Luatua and Brad Shields have put their hands up for an All Blacks jersey, but it's Messam's work rate and raw power that sees him ahead. Also to be praised was the Stormers' Dean Fourie, a hooker by trade who spent much of the season wearing 6 or 7. His efforts boosted him well up the tackle, pick and drive and pilfer rankings and even prompted the calls for a Boks call up as a flanker, although he has now missed out. Peter Kimlin also deserves plenty of praise. He was the driving force behind the Brumbies' victory over the Lions and was his team's top ball carrier for the year.
2nd team: Peter Kimlin (Brumbies).

7. Pieter Labuschagne (Cheetahs)
This was a tough one! Labuschagne made more tackles than any other player during the 20 rounds (237) and was a potent threat in attacks with some electric speed. He also played a major role in the Cheetahs lineouts, winning the most throws in his team. Matt Todd also had a prodigious season and stepped out of McCaw's shadow, making the second most tackles but without as much pilfering. The ever-impressive George Smith went out in style but our runner up goes to the man backed by the stats: Liam Gill of the Reds, who beat Smith for the most pilfers as well as making more tackles and pick and drives.
2nd team: Liam Gill (Reds)

8. Phillip van der Walt (Cheetahs)
Van der Walt put in heaps of work in every match, finishing 5th overall both for tackles made and for carries, while also notching a high number of successful offloads which gave the Cheetahs a fluid attacking platform. An alternative is Ben Mowen, one of the few widely-lauded Australian players during the Lions series and a strong leader for the Brumbies. He topped the 'lineouts won' rankings with 91, that's a full 20 ahead of his nearest rival! On the flipside, he also came second for penalties conceded! Arguments could be made for both Keiran Read and Keegan Daniel but we're giving the South African his due!
2nd team: Ben Mowen (Brumbies)

9. Will Genia (Reds)
The stats don't lie: Genia has more try assists and more line break assists than any scrum half. Piet Van Zyl had a great competition and we're going to be seeing him in a Springbok jersey very soon, but neither he, nor Aaron Smith (who also impressed) can surpass Genia's ability to control a game and ignite an attack from nothing. Brumbies 9, Nic White has been mentioned for praise but we feel it more off the back of being part of his team's strategy, which we feel doesn't cut the mustard compared to other choices.
2nd team: Piet Van Zyl (Cheetahs)

10. Aaron Cruden (Chiefs)
The architect of the Chiefs' campaign success. It has so often been Dan Carter who has been (rightly) praises for his ability to split defences wide open and set his players into space, but Cruden has stepped up and moved past the role of heir apparent. True, Cruden was only mid-way up the rankings for kicking stats and scored less than half of Morne Steyn's total, but at the same time he was joint top for line break assists with our runner-up, Bernard Foley and contributed 25 vital offloads. Foley had a great season too as a running 10, and he beat Cruden on try assists by 4, but his turnover rate just gives Cruden the nod - but only by a whisker.
2nd team: Bernard Foley (Waratahs)

11. Hosea Gear (Highlanders)
True, Halai scored the most tries, but as an individual player we back Gear's ability to bump-off tacklers, find gaps and put in the effort all over the field to give his team the forward momentum. Gear scored 8 tries, was joint top of the line breaks rankings and bettered Halai in both the number of runs and meters run. While Halai proved a potent finisher, we'd rather have Gear's all-round game.
2nd team: Frank Halai (Blues)
Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krSMY0hRt0k

12. Christian Lealiifano (Brumbies)
He was second in the overall points rankings (233) and kicked the most penalty goals. Couple that with an exciting attacking game and solid defence to make a great centre. Credit should also go to the young Bull, Jan Serfontain, who has made the 12 shirt his own, using his trademark hit and roll in attack to good effect, while also providing an impressive 7 line break assists. Another impressive 12 was the Cheetahs' Robert Ebersohn, whose repeated good showings have prompted the French money to snap him up. He would be a strong contender here with a strong number of tackles and pilfers, but he also missed more tackles than any other player.
2nd team: Jan Serfontain (Bulls)
Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deQ0xjhMhLg

13. Rene Ranger (Blues)
Plenty of evidence for the decision can easily be found on youtube, with his powerful running but it's his all-round game that gives him the edge. In attack he clocked up 1083m which netted him 6 tries, but he also scored highly in offloading and try assists, while in defence he came an impressive 3rd for number of pilfers and kept out of the rankings for missed tackles. Following Ranger, Tim Nanai-Williams showed some attacking brilliance, while both Super Rugby sides and the Lions felt the power of Fijian Tevita Kuridrani, but they were all playing catch-up. Yet our runner-up goes to Conrad Smith, the rock of the Hurricanes back line - great hands, great defence, a 13 you would trust.
2nd team: Conrad Smith (Hurricanes)
Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZAo-lLFpTs

14. Henry Speight (Brumbies)
Surely the competition's first-choice wing? With 8 tries and 11 line breaks he does not top any rankings, but his eye for the gap and his power to break the first line tackles at crucial points gave the Brumbies a massive boost. Wille Le Roux also had an excellent season and deserved his call-up to the Boks, but the downside to his high-rish attacking flair was that it didn't always go quite to plan.
2nd team: Willie Le Roux (Cheetahs)
Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-NowBUNmbQ

15. Israel Folau (Waratahs)
There was plenty of pre-season speculation about how he would perform in union, and he gave a pretty convincing answer to any critics: 8 tries (joint 2nd), 132 runs (7th), 1390m run (1st), 9 line breaks (joint 13th), 7 line break assists (joint 6th) and 33 successful offloads (2nd). Ben Smith deserves huge credit for his consistency and he tops the line break rankings and meters made, but we prefer Folau's all-round game and ability to mix it up to provide the x-factor. We'd like to mention Gareth Anscombe as well, who wasn't up to much last season with the Blues, but really took it up a notch as the Chiefs' 15.
2nd team: Ben Smith (Highlanders)
Exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnyidAQgOQk