Mese: giugno 2012

Harley all’ultimo minuto e la Scozia doma Samoa 17 a 16

Una meta al 79′ e la conversione di Laidlow regalano una vittoria importantissima agli scozzesi, che faranno un nuovo salto in avanti nel ranking mondiale. Magari mi sbaglio, ma la Scozia non era mai tornata da un tour nell’emisfero sud con uno score di sole vittorie…

The scorers:

For Samoa:
Try:Pisi
Cons: Pisi
Pens:Pisi 2
Drop: Pisi

For Scotland:
Tries: Ansbro, Harley
Cons: Laidlaw 2
Pen: Laidlaw

Samoa: 15 Fa’atoina Autagavai, 14 Paul Perez, 13 Fautua Otto, 12 Paul Williams, 11 David Lemi (c), 10 Tusi Pisi, 9 Kahn Fotuali’i, 8 Kane Thompson, 7 Maurie Fa’asavalu, 6 Ben Masoe, 5 Daniel Crichton, 4 Fa’atiga Lemalu, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Ti’i Paulo, 1 Sakaria Taulafo.
Replacements: 16 Wayne Ole Avei, 17 Logovi’i Mulipola, 18 Joe Tekori, 19 Afa Aioni, 20 Jeremy Sua, 21 Ki Anufe, 22 Lolo Lui.

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 Joe Ansbro, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Greig Laidlaw, 9 Chris Cusiter, 8 Richie Vernon, 7 Ross Rennie, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Alastair Kellock, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Ryan Grant.
Replacements 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Geoff Cross, 18 Tom Ryder, 19 Robert Harley, 20 Mike Blair, 21 Duncan Weir, 22 Max Evans.

Venue: Apia Park, Apia
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Ian Smith, Andrew Lees (both Australia)

L’Australia vince ancora di piede: Galles ko 20 a 19

Ancora un piazzato nei minuti finali regala la vittoria all’Australia sul Galles. Tre ko per i dragoni nei tre test-match con i wallabies, ma l’unica sfida in cui i padroni di casa hanno avuto il vero controllo è stata solo la prima. E il ct australiano Robbie Deans può gongolare: ha trovato un’apertura – Berrick Barnes – in forma smagliante. Doveva essere un rincalzo, e invece…

The scorers:

For Australia:
Try: Horne
Pens: Barnes 5

For Wales:
Try: R. Jones
Con: Halfpenny
Pens: Halfpenny 4

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Will Genia, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 David Pocock (c), 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Dave Dennis, 20 Michael Hooper, 21 Nic White, 22 Anthony Fainga’a.

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 George North, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Ryan Jones, 7 Sam Warburton (c), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Bradley Davies, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Matthew Rees, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Paul James, 18 Luke Charteris, 19 Justin Tipuric, 20 Rhys Webb, 21 James Hook, 22 Scott Williams.

Date: Saturday, June 23
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 15:00 (06:00 BST)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Jonathon White (New Zealand)
Television match official: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)

IRB Junior Player of the Year 2012: il premio va a Jan Serfontein

Il Sudafrica che per la prima volta vince il Mondiale U20 e un sudafricano che fa suo il premio quale migliore giocatore dell’anno. Jan Serfontein si è infatti aggiudicato l’IRB Junior Player of the Year 2012.
Dietro di lui l’irlandese JJ Hanrahan e un altro baby boks, Shaun Adendorff .

Previous Winners
2011 – IRB Junior Player of the Year: George Ford (England)
2010 – IRB Junior Player of the Year: Julian Savea (New Zealand)
2009 – IRB Junior Player of the Year: Aaron Cruden (New Zealand)
2008 – IRB Junior Player of the Year: Luke Braid (New Zealand)
2007 – IRB International U19 Player of the Year: Robert Fruean (New Zealand)
2006 – IRB International U19 Player of the Year: Josh Holmes (Australia)
2006 – IRB International U21 Player of the Year: Lionel Beauxis (France)
2005 – IRB International U19 Player of the Year: Isaia Toeava (New Zealand)
2005 – IRB International U21 Player of the Year: Tatafu Polota-Nau (Australia)
2004 – IRB International U19 Player of the Year: Jeremy Thrush (New Zealand)
2004 – IRB International U21 Player of the Year in association with Waterford Crystal: Jerome Kaino (New Zealand)
2003 – IRB U19 Player of the Year: Jean Baptiste Payras (France)
2003 – IRB U21 Player of the Year in assoc. with Waterford Crystal: Ben Atiga (New Zealand)
2002 – IRB U19 Player of the Year: Luke McAlister (New Zealand)
2002 – IRB U21 Player of the Year, in assoc. with Waterford: Pat Barnard (South Africa)
2001 – IRB Young Player of the Year: Gavin Henson (Wales)

Mondiali Juniores: il Galles doma i Pumitas, l’Irlanda si lascia alle spalle la Francia

Italia retrocessa, la Scozia che schianta Samoa. E poi Inghilterra, Irlanda e Galles che rispettivamente hanno la meglio su Australia, Francia e Argentina.
Ecco come è andata l’ultima giornata del torneo.

11th Place Play-Off
22 Jun, 14:15 Italy 17-19 Fiji University of Western Cape Stadium, Cape Town
9th Place Play-Off
22 Jun, 12:00 Scotland 62-28 Samoa University of Western Cape Stadium, Cape Town
7th Place Play-Off
22 Jun, 16:30 England 17-13 Australia University of Western Cape Stadium, Cape Town
5th Place Play-Off
22 Jun, 14:15 Ireland 18-7 France Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
3rd Place Play-Off
22 Jun, 16:30 Argentina 17-25 Wales Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
Final
22 Jun, 18:45 South Africa 22-16 New Zealand Newlands Stadium, Cape Town

Mondiali Juniores: Sudafrica campione, i Baby Blacks piegati 22-16

Partita bellissima, due squadre una spanna sopra tutte le altre. Due nazionali dal futuro assicurato. Il tutto in una cornice di pubblico fantastica: 35mila spettatori.