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

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Ending the end of 14.08.2013:

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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

Feed the Beast (Part 2)

We're back with another meal option for you to try out, again making use of all those berries growing naturally out there, just dying to add nutrition to your diet!

Smoothie
Ingredients:

250g of flavourless, fat-free quark (maustamaton, rasvaton maitorahka)
1 tbsp of runny honey (juokseva hunaja)
1 tsp of ground cinnamon (kaneli)
1 dl oats (kaurahiutale)
1 tsp of L-glutamine powder (optional)
A large handful of fresh blueberries (frozen are also fine) (mustikka)
A large handful of other mixed berries (again, frozen are fine) (marjasekoitus)
A small handful of almond flakes (mantelilastu)
Milk (the amount depends on how thick you want your smoothie - some quarks are also looser than others) (maito)

Option: Add a kiwi fruit for an added health kick - they contain a good dose of vitamin C, vitamin E, dietary fiber, potassium and magnesium, plus they're nice and sweet when they are ripe!

Method:

Blend together all the ingredients except the milk and in a blender or by putting them in a deep jug and using a hand blender. Add milk according to taste and preference on thickness.

 

Verdict:

 

We used it as a breakfast option, but it could also work as a snack. We enjoyed it because it gave us something fresh first thing in the morning. It's also surprisingly filling and it happily got us through a morning workout.