All Blacks – The New Zealand Test Team – very good, very scary.

Barbarians – The title of a team made up of specially invited players that often plays against Test sides on tour in the northern hemisphere. The Barbarians team, also called the BaaBaas, usually includes the best players from numerous countries.

Black Ferns – The New Zealand Women’s Rugby Union Team.

Blues – The Super 14 team from Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. Their full name is the Auckland Blues.

Brave Blossoms – Or the Cherry Blossoms is the term used for the Japanese rugby union team.

Brumbies – The Australian Capital Territories team from Canberra, Australia, known as the ACT Brumbies. They are a part of the Super 14 competition.

Bulls – The Super 14 team based in Pretoria, South Africa. Their full name is the Northern Bulls.

Canucks/Maple Leafs- The term for the Canadian rugby union team.

Cats – The Super 14 team based in Johannesburg, South Africa. They are known as the Golden Cats.

Cheetahs – The Super 14 team from South Africa. They are known as the Free State Cheetahs. They are based in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Chiefs – The Super 14 team that hails from the Waikato region on the North Island of New Zealand, their full name is the Waikato Chiefs.

Crusaders – The Super 14 team from the Canterbury region, South Island of New Zealand. They are based in Christchurch and are known as the Canterbury Crusaders.

Eagles – The Eagles is the term used for the USA rugby union team.

Highlanders – The Super 14 team from the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. They are based in Dunedin and are known as the Otago Highlanders.

Hurricanes – The Super 14 team based in Wellington, New Zealand. The full title of the team is the Wellington Hurricanes.

Les Bleus – The nickname for the French rugby team.

Lions – The ‘British and Irish Lions’ rugby union side comprises a pick of the best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Rugby union circles refer to these four international Rugby Unions collectively as the “Home Nations” and therefore sometimes refer to the Lions team as a “Home Nations” team.

Los Pumas is also the traditional nickname of the Argentina national rugby union team.

Pumas – are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup
tournament.

Reds – The Super 14 team whose full name is the Queensland Reds.

Sea Eagles – The nickname for the Tonga rugby union team.

Sharks – The Super 14 team based in Durban, South Africa. The team used to be known as the Natal Sharks or Coastal Sharks.

Springboks – The South African Rugby Union Test Team.

Stormers – The Super 14 team based in Cape Town, South Africa. Their full name is the Western Stormers.

The Oaks – Romanian national rugby union team.

Wallabies – The Australian Rugby Union Test Team.

Wallaroos – The Australian Women’s Rugby Union Team.

Waratahs – The New South Wales Super 14 team. Their full name is the New South Wales Waratahs.

W.Force – Western Force (referred to as Emirates Western Force for sponsorship reasons) is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super 14 competition.

Technorati Tags: barbarians, black ferns, brumbies, highlanders, hurricanes

The Rugby union has a standard bonus points system to encourage attacking play throughout a match, to discourage repetitive goal-kicking, and to reward teams for “coming close” in losing efforts.

# No team can get more than 5 points in a match

# No points are awarded for losing, unless bonus points are involved

* 4 points for a win

* 2 points for a draw

* 1 bonus point for scoring 4 tries (or more)

* 1 bonus point for losing by 7 points (or less)

Technorati Tags: 2011, points, rugby, scoring system. Rugby World Cup

It looks like Ireland will win Pool C, with wins against Italy and Australia and games to play against Russia and USA. Of course anything can happen in rugby.

The Irish bars will be humming in Auckland tonight…

Technorati Tags: Australia, Australians, Ireland, irish, rugby, Rugby World Cup 2011, Wallabies

Technorati Tags: Russian rugby, USA rugby

Teams:

All Blacks:Mils Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Hosea Gear, Daniel Carter, Piri Weepu; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett.

Reserves: Andrew Hore, Ben Franks, Sam Whitelock, Adam Thomson, Andy Ellis, Colin Slade, Sonny Bill Williams.

Wallabies:Kurtley Beale, James O’Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia, Ben McCalman, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom (c), James Horwill, Rob Simmons , Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu.

Reserves : Saia Faingaa, Pekahou Cowan, Dan Vickerman , Matt Hodgson, Scott Higginbotham, Luke Burgess, Lachie Turner.

We will keep you posted with live updates of how the match is going…
Dane Rumble has done his thing…getting close to starting now…

The atmosphere is festive…a great energy from predominantly All Blacks supporters…the crowd is 54500. This is the biggest crowd in years.

At 2 mins All Blacks 0 Wallabies 0

6 mins All Blacks 3 Wallabies 0 Carter kicks a penalty from 40 metres out

10 mins All Blacks 10 Wallabies 0 Try to Nonu

Weepu made a break down the short side and the All Blacks moved the ball out to Sitiveni Sivivatu who was pulled down 5 metres out. Kaino kept the continuity alive and Nonu burst over to give the All Blacks a fantastic start. Then Carter converted from wide out.

26 mins All Blacks 17 Wallabies 0

Weepu breaked away down the short side again and linked to Sivivatu again. A quick ball from the Blacks gave Nonu a chance for a short break with Keven Mealamu over for a try. Converted by Carter.

Sivivatu is playing a fantastic defence game. He has stopped at least 3 tries.

Halftime All Blacks 17 Wallabies 0

Although the territory probably favoured the Wallabies, the All Blacks defence has been strong with great skills. Weepu, Sivivatu and Nonu have featured in both tries and really stand out although the forward pack has provided the quick ball when needed leading to each of the tries.

43 min O’Connor missed his third penalty attempt

48 min All Blacks 20 Wallabies 0

Carter a classy drop-goal

52 min All Blacks 20 Wallabies 7

A try to the Wallabies! Horwill snatches a turnover and passes to Beale down the short side who passes to Digby Loane, he races 40 metres and side steps Mils for a great try. Cooper takes this kick and converts.

55 Min All Blacks 27 Wallabies 7

Read taps Carters kick-off back to Conrad Smith who races down and passes to Sivivatu for a try. Converted by Carter.

60 min All Blacks 27 Wallabies 7

Ellis and Hore came on for Keven Mealamu and Piri Weepu who were applauded as they left the field.

69 min All Blacks 30 Wallabies 7

Carter is successful with another penalty and onto the field comes Sonny Bill Williams

74 min All Blacks 30 Wallabies 14

Rocky Elsom over for a try converted by Cooper

That is it folks…Full Time Score All Blacks 30 Wallabies 14

Technorati Tags: All Blacks, Australia, live updates, new zealand, rugby, Wallabies

2011 Investec Tri Nations

Please note: Game dates/times are stated in NZ times – not local time.

All results are provisional until 6pm Monday night following the latest round.

Technorati Tags: All Blacks, Australian Rugby, New Zealand Rugby, rugby, South African rugby, Tri Nations Rugby, Wallabies

Also, if you know a chain that carries them, that would also be helpful.

Thanks!
Hate to be nitpicky, but I am actually looking for a store I can walk into (to avoid waiting a week to have it shipped) and something specifically NOT associated with Ralph Lauren.

heres a list of rugby stores

http://www.rugby.com/stores/default.aspx

you can order it online here:

http://www.rugby.com/default.aspx?camp=AVEA_SEARCH_GOOGLE_BroadBrandSecondaryShirts

Technorati Tags: Rugby Clothing, rugby shirt

Whatever your most comfortable with… I have used everything from football boots all the way up to high topped flanker boots… neither will help improve your striking… I prefer the Canterbury of NZ Rampage flanker boot with the 8 replaceable studs, but that’s because I tend to play on some rough pitch surfaces…

Cheers

Technorati Tags: rugby, rugby boots

I am an AFL fan but I want to learn more about the Rugby codes. Dont worry, I wont be a convert!

The playmakers are for – rugby league: halfback, number 7 and 5/8 (five-eighth), number 6. – rugby union: fly half or 5/8 (five-eighth), number 10

These playmakers would be the most important for each code.

Technorati Tags: five-eighth, halfback, positions, rugby, Rugby League, rugby union

I am trying to teach some people I work with about rugby and I want to show them a match that was recent. Although low scoring battles are just as exciting to me, I am sure they would prefer something that was relatively high scoring. Any suggestions? Also if you have a link where I can download or watch the match that would be great.

Ooh, so much choice. Well, my (biased) vote would go to Ireland v England when Shane Horgan scored that last minute try. But for something everyone could appreciate, well I’d probably have to go with the Wales vs Fiji match at the 2007 Rugby World Cup for sheer excitement and flair, with a victory for the underdog. Can’t find any place to download the matches but I’ll carry on looking. Alternatively, there is loads of great stuff on youtube to look at, a few of the best I’ve found being: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaA80QDH4c4 (best of the recent six nations set to music) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQyUj3ZOEVQ&feature=related (quite long, a history of the world cup) but has some good tries) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQpP3NYGe_k&feature=related (many of the world cup tries but better edited) ChrisF

Technorati Tags: best, match, rugby, Union