Australia Rugby News

Captain Darren Lockyer's try in the second period of extra time gave Australia a 16-12 win Saturday over New Zealand in the Tri-Nations rugby league tournament final. The teams were tied 12-12 after regulation time and played through one extra session of extra time and two minutes of the second before the Brisbane Broncos captain broke clear for the winning golden point try. Both sides missed a series of field goal attempts before Johnathan Thurston broke the New ...

Scotland coach Frank Hadden believes his team will break its 24-year losing streak against Australia at Murrayfield on Saturday. The Wallabies have not lost to Scotland in 15 matches, but have struggled in beating Italy, drawing Wales and being comprehensively beaten by Ireland on its November tour. ``We have got to the stage where I believe we are going into this game with a genuine opportunity to take a famous ...

Scott Staniforth was named in Australia's team to play Scotland in Saturday's rugby international, the fourth straight Test the Wallabies have fielded a new centre pairing. Staniforth was named at No. 12, pushing Stirling Mortlock back to his usual position at outside centre, Lote Tuqiri moves back to the wing and Clyde Rathbone drops out. Australia coach John Connolly also made five changes to his forward pack Wednesday from the ...

Back-rower David Callam will make his first start for Scotland as one of two injury-enforced changes for the rugby international against Australia on Saturday. Callam comes in for Johnny Beattie at No. 8 after he damaged ankle ligaments in Scotland's 34-22 win over the Pacific Islanders last week. Chris Cusiter injured his shoulder in the same game and was replaced by Mike Blair at scrum half Wednesday. Scotland beat Romania ...

Australian rugby captain George Gregan has welcomed competition for his scrum half role emerging from the Wallabies current European tour. Gregan, the world's most-capped Test player, chose to miss the tour and said Matt Giteau's adaptation to the halfback role in his absence was to be expected. ``Gits is a great player. He is always going to put someone under pressure because he's such a good player and he's adapted ...

Britain won its first rugby league match in Australia in 14 years Saturday, beating the home side 23-12 to all but clinch a spot in the Tri-Nations tournament final. The win was sealed by a Gareth Raynor try three minutes from fulltime before halfback Sean Long, who had a strong game for the visitors, kicked a field goal in the final minutes. Australia leads the competition with four points from three matches and has already earned a ...

Australia scored two late tries Saturday to beat New Zealand 20-15 in a Tri-Nations rugby league Test match. Greg Inglis had two tries for Australia, which moved to 2-0 in the Tri-Nations. New Zealand, which lost to Australia 30-18 last weekend, is 0-2. Inglis and Mark Gasnier scored tries with less than five minutes left in the match before 30,700 spectators at the Telstra Dome. Britain opens play in the three-country tournament next Saturday against New Zealand in Christchurch. New ...

New Zealand plans to play another physical game against Australia in the second Tri-Nations rugby league Test, although Kiwi coach Brian McClennan has warned his side against overdoing it. McClennan said Friday his side's only hope in upsetting Australia may rest in turning the match into a slugfest. Australia won the opening match 30-18 last weekend in Auckland. ``In some senses it is (our only hope of winning),'' McClennan said. ``But it's the same for Great Britain and ...

Scrum halves Stacey Jones and Johnathan Thurston have been billed as key figures in Saturday's Tri-Nations rugby league Test between New Zealand and Australia. Kiwis veteran Jones lines up against Kangaroos new cap Thurston, who has been handed one of the most onerous tasks in Australian league as the replacement for retired superstar Andrew Johns. Australia is expected to focus a large part of its defensive effort around Jones, who ...

One of Australia's most respected rugby league players has admitted testing positive for a banned substance and escaping sanction for it in 2001. Shane Webcke, the Brisbane Broncos prop who retired after the club's National Rugby League grand final win over Melbourne last Sunday, made the admissions in a biography set for release Wednesday. In an extract from ``Warhorse: Life, Football and Other Battles'' published in Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper, ...