New Zealand Rugby News

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) _ The All Blacks are determined to start their World Cup season on a strong note against an under-strength French team in the first of two rugby Tests Saturday. New Zealand captain Richie McCaw acknowledged the All Blacks are traditionally rusty in the first Test of a new international season and that rustiness was amplified by the fact that leading players missed several weeks of this year's Super 14 to take part ...

Captain Richie McCaw said the All Blacks were offended at not being allowed to perform their pre-match haka in front of Wales before notching a record win at Millennium Stadium on Saturday. The Welsh Rugby Union said it warned New Zealand six weeks ago that the haka _ the Maori challenge the All Blacks have been performing for more than a century _ could be done between the two national anthems. The All Blacks tried until the last ...

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 ...

New Zealand can sweep its European rugby tour for the third straight year with a win over Wales before returning to the Northern Hemisphere for the World Cup. Two victories over France and one against England, with different lineups each time, have only confirmed the belief that the All Blacks will be dominant at next year's World Cup in France. But Wales believes it's ready to end the All Blacks' ...

Captain and fly half Stephen Jones has recovered from a knee injury and will lead Wales in Saturday's rugby international as it bids to beat New Zealand for the first time in 53 years. Jones had been replaced by James Hook for Wales' 38-20 win over the Pacific Islanders on Nov. 11 and its 61-26 victory over Canada the following week. ``We can't underestimate the boost he will give to ...

Who can stop New Zealand with the World Cup to kick off in less than 10 months? The All Blacks thrashed France 47-3 in Lyon last weekend for the Six Nations champions' worst score at home, one week after doing the same to England with a 41-20 win at Twickenham. But coach Graham Henry has ominously only now picked his strongest team for Saturday's second Test against France at the ...

The behavior of the first ever 82,000 crowd at Twickenham will be another focus of Sunday's rugby union international between England and New Zealand after All Blacks centre Aaron Mauger said he was racially abused by fans there in the same contest a year ago. Although the Rugby Football Association rejected Mauger's allegations, officials will be on alert in case there is any sign of English fans racially abusing the All Blacks, many of whom have Pacific island ...

England will field three rookies when it faces New Zealand at Twickenham on Sunday, aiming to end a six-match losing streak against next year's Rugby World Cup favourite. England's standing after winning the 2003 World Cup has fallen so far _ with several players retired and fly half Jonny Wilkinson injured continually _ that the All Blacks are resting key players before its matches against France on Nov. 11 and ...

New Zealand Rugby League chairman Selwyn Bennett resigned Friday, accepting responsibility but refusing to admit fault over the selection of Australian Nathan Fien for the Kiwis' Tri-Nations squad. The executive committee of the Rugby League International Federation on Thursday stripped New Zealand of two competition points and banned Fien from the remainder of the Tri-Nations tournament when it found the Australian-born hooker was not eligible for the Kiwis as the ...

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 ...

Foemer All Blacks star Jonah Lomu has been offered a one-year incentive contract to switch codes and join the Gold Coast Titans, an expansion club in Australia's National Rugby League. The 31-year-old winger did not attract an offer from any of the Super 14 rugby union franchises, and met with Titans officials on Tuesday with a view to playing rugby league in 2007. Titans managing director Michael Searle was impressed with Lomu's condition, despite concerns over the giant ...

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 ...

The defending champion Canterbury Crusaders will play the Auckland Blues in the first match of rugby's 2007 Super 14 tournament, which will begin a week early to accommodate next year's World Cup in France. Matches in Auckland, Perth, Australia and at a South African venue yet to be named involving a South African team yet to be chosen will take place on the first day of the competition, Friday, Feb. ...

All Blacks great Jonah Lomu says his dream of representing New Zealand at next year's Rugby World Cup is over, but he is not yet thinking of retirement. Lomu, 31, told the Herald on Sunday newspaper that his failure to win a contract to play in next year's Super 14 had ended his campaign to force his way into New Zealand's World Cup squad, two years after a kidney transplant. ...