If you want a taste of what the rest of the world will be up against come September/October at the World Cup when they have to play either Australia or New Zealand then make sure you have access to a TV or the Internet this Saturday. This year’s Super Rugby competition serves up two enthralling semi-finalContinue reading “Two superb semi-finals await us this weekend as we get a chance to see the very best New Zealand and Australia have to offer in Super Rugby!”
Author Archives: Neil Olsen
It’s Finals time and the heat is on in Super Rugby!
After a relatively inconsequential weekend for the three conference winners from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, the stakes suddenly become very real this weekend as we head into the qualifier knock out round for Super Rugby. The Lineout is not covering any of last weekend’s matches in detail as for all intents and purposesContinue reading “It’s Finals time and the heat is on in Super Rugby!”
With one more round to go of the regular Super Rugby season, the dice are pretty well cast in terms of who’s who in this year’s standings!
In a weekend that left us with few surprises, the only real question on everybody’s lips was who would upset the pecking order in the South African conference? The dominant Stormers were up against the surprise form team of the season for South Africa, the Lions, in Cape Town to determine who would win theContinue reading “With one more round to go of the regular Super Rugby season, the dice are pretty well cast in terms of who’s who in this year’s standings!”
Super Rugby heats up as teams look to clinch their place in the knockout stages with the Waratahs having a wobbly in Joburg, the Stormers making a statement in Cape Town and the Crusaders rising from the ashes in Nelson!
The Lineout continues its coverage of the business end of this year’s Super Rugby competition by focusing on the top teams from each of the three conferences in the competition. It was a terrific weekend and all three matches served up some spectacular rugby. Australian conference leaders the Waratahs, took a heady fall in JohannesburgContinue reading “Super Rugby heats up as teams look to clinch their place in the knockout stages with the Waratahs having a wobbly in Joburg, the Stormers making a statement in Cape Town and the Crusaders rising from the ashes in Nelson!”
The Hurricanes prove yet again they are an unstoppable force, while the Chiefs despite an injury list from hell show that they are catching up fast by giving the Bulls a painful lesson!
As promised the Lineout takes up residence in the Southern Hemisphere as we look at the business end of the Super Rugby competition and this year’s abbreviated Rugby Championship. What is already clear is that New Zealand sides, the Hurricanes in particular are showing that they are in a league of their own. As the SuperContinue reading “The Hurricanes prove yet again they are an unstoppable force, while the Chiefs despite an injury list from hell show that they are catching up fast by giving the Bulls a painful lesson!”
As the European International season comes to an end, Toulon makes history and shows that there is still no substitute for experience!
In a match where everyone predicted that the international juggernaut known as Toulon would carve their place in history by winning the European Championship three years in a row, there were very few surprises. While we may not have got much of a sense of what the World Cup may look like from a FrenchContinue reading “As the European International season comes to an end, Toulon makes history and shows that there is still no substitute for experience!”
As Europe’s International season draws to a close, the spotlight ends up being squarely on France!
As the Lineout, spends its last two weeks in Europe before setting up shop in the Southern Hemisphere until August and preparations for the World Cup, we look at the upcoming inaugural European Champions Cup Final between Clermont Auvergne and Toulon. Although this clash perhaps lacks the international nature of the competition in that itContinue reading “As Europe’s International season draws to a close, the spotlight ends up being squarely on France!”
In a weekend that sees few surprises French clubs claim the inaugral European Champions Cup as their own!
Let’s be honest, many of us were hoping for an upset but realistically felt that it was unlikely to happen, as the only two non-French clubs left in the competition travelled to France to take on the two best teams in Europe on home soil. Leinster hadn’t really shown us in the semis that theyContinue reading “In a weekend that sees few surprises French clubs claim the inaugral European Champions Cup as their own!”
Round 9 of Super Rugby action sees some Bulls players stick their hands up for Springbok selection while Australia’s Brumbies falter against the Blues!
This week we look at Round 9 of the Super Rugby competition this past weekend and how the top ranked team in each of the three participating countries fared. This weekend New Zealand’s top team the Hurricanes had the weekend off, so we will only be looking at Australia’s Brumbies and South Africa’s Bulls. TheContinue reading “Round 9 of Super Rugby action sees some Bulls players stick their hands up for Springbok selection while Australia’s Brumbies falter against the Blues!”
The European Champions Cup Semi-Finals take place this weekend as Leinster and Saracens go to France looking for miracles!
As Saracens and Leinster travel to France this weekend, they know that they need a bit of divine intervention to pull off what can only be described as upsets if they are to emerge the victors. Marseille will be an exceptionally challenging place for Leinster to pull off a win against a daunting Toulon, andContinue reading “The European Champions Cup Semi-Finals take place this weekend as Leinster and Saracens go to France looking for miracles!”
The Lineout 