Welcome back to the Taylors Wines Top 5, where we keep you up to date with all of the best player stories being told in the media, brought to you by our good friends at Taylors Wines (and accompanied by a handy wine tip every edition).
It's knockout time at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, with Australia joining Quarter Final opponents England, France, Japan, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and Wales in the last eight. We've played England six times at Rugby World Cups for three wins apiece, and while we come in on the back of a strong defeat of Georgia our opponents' final pool game was cancelled due to the devastating natural disaster, Typhoon Hagibis.
Last week also saw Rob Simmons become the 11th Wallaby to reach a century of Test caps; click here to hear from his wife, Lucy, and teammates James Slipper, Izack Rodda and David Pocock.
It's also knockout time in the NRC, with the Western Force winning the Minor Premiership and with it the right to host Brisbane City in Perth on Saturday, while Canberra Vikings host Fijian Drua in the other Semi Final.
You can watch all the action LIVE on FOX Sports at the following times (AEDT):
Saturday - Western Force vs. Brisbane City (3:00pm), Australia vs. England (6:15pm), New Zealand vs. Ireland (9:15pm)
Sunday - Canberra Vikings vs. Fijian Drua (3:00pm), Wales vs. France (6:15pm), Japan vs. South Africa (9:15pm)
1. Hodge selflessly serves term during suspension
It was suspension which foretold what was to come at the Rugby Word Cup, Wallaby Reece Hodge rubbed out for three weeks for a tackle against Fiji which at the time wasn't deemed to have met the yellow card threshold by the TMO. With the pool stages over, Hodge is now available for selection and certain to come into Michael Cheika's consideration for the clash with England.
Hodge told Wayne Smith in The Australian that he has learnt a harsh lesson about tackling, as had the rest of the squad as World Rugby continues to crack down on any contact above the shoulders.
“I think we’re always working on our tackle technique with the coaches and refining things week to week,” Hodge said. “But as I have said previously, my kind of tackling in the wide channels is always in the low knee-to-hip kind of region and I will still be looking to tackle low coming back into the frame this weekend. I learnt my lesson that it is going to be quite harsh if you stray from that kind of goal, so I’ll definitely be trying to tackle low this weekend for sure.”
It must have been heartbreaking for him to have had his first World Cup interrupted by a trip to the judiciary, with even English identities Sir Clive Woodward and Jonny Wilkinson believing he had done nothing wrong.
“The first couple of days after the decision was handed down were pretty tough, but at the same time I had 30 of my good mates around me and great support staff around to really help me through that time,” Hodge said. “The way I kind of saw it was after the first couple of days there was no point trying to fret about the decision. My role was to prepare the team and the guys around me as best as possible for the three games I missed out on.”
Hodge has drawn universal praise from his Wallabies teammates for how wholeheartedly he threw himself into helping in that role, and he admits he is no guarantee to return to the team this week.
“No spot is guaranteed in the team and over the last three weeks I really pushed myself as hard as I can in training while also helping to prepare guys individually for the last three games,” Hodge said. “I guess this week, the training week, it’s another chance for me to push my case but in saying that the guys who were in the back three positions over the last three games have played really well and there’s great competition for those spots at the moment.”
Click here to read the full story
2. No grumbling amidst change of plans
As already mentioned, Typhoon Hagibis threw the Rugby World Cup into chaos over the weekend, with three matches being cancelled.
While the Wallabies' match against Georgia still went ahead, knowing they had to move quickly and relocate to Odawara meant the post-game formalities certainly had the Wallabies on their toes, as Samu Kerevi explained to ESPN's Sam Bruce.
"It was quite hectic. Looking back it was pretty funny. The boys enjoyed it - well not enjoyed it with how [the typhoon] went off because we wanted to get back to Tokyo today," Kerevi said. "Obviously plans have changed and you have to give massive credit and a pat on the back to staff. They worked really well straight after the games and [Rob] Simmons' 100th cap for our brotherhood. To see him get that with his family was really special.
"Straight after that we got the recovery done and guys were on the go. Ice baths, showers and then we were on the bus. Some of the boys had to do ASADA testing which held us back but all the boys waiting in the bus had meals ready for us. Straight from the stadium we travelled all the way to Odawara which took about two-and-a-half hours, three hours. By the time I was in bed it was about 3am.
"Most of our families were able to get here as well. In terms of safety we didn't want them going back to Tokyo. We had to change plans. You've got to give massive credit to the staff for helping families leave earlier through the game. At about 9.30 some of them left to get on the trains to go to Odawara or Tokyo. We got here and there were no complaints from the boys."
Eddie Jones' side will be well rested for the Quarter Final given their final pool game with France was cancelled and head into the context having won their most recent meetings with Australia, but Kerevi said that history meant little and that playing at the Rugby World Cup was different.
"I love playing England. They're a great team. They have been really playing well, not just in this World Cup but in the last couple of years to get to where they are at now," Kerevi said. "If it is England, we are excited for the challenge ahead. They have some awesome players and some awesome firepower and we're excited to get stuck into the week."
"This is the World Cup. You can talk about all the stats and that, but you saw Japan and Ireland. Anyone can talk about stats at the World Cup but we are just focused on our process for this week, take our learnings from the Georgia game and go hard this week. I can't talk too much about the past. That's why it is in the past. We will just focus on the present."
Click here to read the full story.
3. Aussie link to Brave Blossoms
He is a Brisbane State High classmate of Matt Toomua and a former Western Force player, and his brother Semisi is a Junior Wallaby and Melbourne Rebels rising star.
But those who might lay claim to William Tupou have a fight on their hands - right now, Tupou is well and truly one of Japan’s favourite sons. The 29-year-old is the fullback of Japan’s giant-killing rugby team, who made history on Sunday by downing Scotland and qualifying for the Rugby World Cup finals for the first time.
"It’s unreal,” Tupou said to Rugby.com.au's Iain Payten after they won their fourth straight pool match.
“After doing well against Ireland, the belief in the team is just getting stronger and we are believing in the plans that we have."
A heaving Tokyo Stadium will be a long way from his family home at Dutton Park, in Brisbane, but for those who know Tupou, this is the footballing stage he was always destined to perform on.
Tupou played for the Force in 2012-13 playing 13 games, but injury was a constant plague throughout his years in Perth. In 2014 Tupou moved to Japan to play for the Hino Red Dolphins, and then the Coca-Cola Red Sparks, and the Sunwolves. Tupou fell in love with the country he and wife Jasmine stayed and made a new life. They have two boys.
"When I first came here I had a lot of people who supported me and told me if I stayed longer I might have a chance to play for Japan,” he said. "I never thought I would be in Japan for this long and to have this opportunity to play in a World Cup team for Japan. I am so glad I stayed and just so grateful for the opportunity."
William and Semisi's mother was in Tokyo on Sunday to see Japan play at a packed out Yokohama Stadium, where the win was set to the incredible atmosphere of 72,000-plus fans.
“She hadn’t seen me play seven years now,” Tupou said. "Last game was probably when I played at the Force. She has seen me on TV but not live.
"It’s pretty special it’s a World Cup game as well. It’s been good.”
Click here to read the full story.
4. Ralston at home in the West
Averaging a try a game including a masterful hat-trick against Melbourne, teenage Western Force sensation Byron Ralston is primed for his first finals run with the Western Force after relocating from Brisbane for the NRC this year.
Sitting second behind teammate Jonah Placid on the NRC try scoring charts, Ralston is enjoying the banter from his fellow winger, but both men have only one plan when they run out onto the field – to put the team first.
“There’s a bit of tiff and taff between me and Jonah, we obviously throughout the weeks have thrown a bit of banter at each other and I suppose I’d love to one-up him. But anything to help the team really. Our banter gets pushed to the side for the team,” Ralston told the Western Force website.
“I am loving my footy this year. Playing in teams that have been successful has obviously helped me personally develop and playing under great coaches has helped my development and those are the things I was really looking forward to coming into this year. I can’t wait to finish the season with a bang with the Force.”
The man affectionately nicknamed ‘Ronnie’ by his Force teammates is experiencing firsthand just how important home fans are to a team’s march to the finals.
“At the start of the season, one of the goals was to win all four games at home. Just to do the Sea of Blue proud,” Ralston said. “Obviously, they come down every week in great numbers on top of the hill and fill it out. And as we look over there, they are a sixteenth man for us, cheering us on.
“It’s an awesome atmosphere down there and I just hope we get another great crowd down this weekend.”
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5. Kuenzle shining in NRC
He’s yet to make his Super Rugby debut, but if Bayley Kuenzle’s recent performances for the Canberra Vikings in the NRC are anything to go by, he’ll not be waiting in the wings for long. The Sydney-product joined the Brumbies for the 2019 season but didn’t see any action in Super Rugby, Kuenzle instead continuing his development with Southern Districts in Sydney's Shute Shield.
Brumbies fans got one of their first glimpses of the budding flyhalf’s talents in the Viking’s 41-28 win over the Fijian Drua two weeks ago, when he started in the number ten jersey, then again last Saturday as Canberra bested Sydney 36-26.
Steering the Vikings brilliantly, Kuenzle has shown himself to be more than capable of pulling the strings for a backline that could all feature heavily in Brumbies’ colours in the looming 2020 Super Rugby campaign.
“It’s been really good, and it’s felt natural which I’m happy with,” Kuenzle told the Brumbies website. “I had played with Ryan Lonergan before at U20’s but to get out there with Irae (Simone), Toni Pulu, Leni (Ikitau) and Tom (Banks), it’s been really enjoyable. Even just playing with Bobby (Valetini) and Pete Samu, those types of guys, getting those combinations together is something I’ve enjoyed.”
Kuenzle’s reputation at the Brumbies has been steadily growing, his work in training and form for the Brumbies Runners, key indicators that Kuenzle has the right stuff to make the leap to the next level.
“It was an awesome year, my first year at the club,” Kuenzle remarked. “Obviously, it was my first professional year so I just tried take everything I could from it, and I’ve loved it honestly. Playing in Sydney, that was my choice and I was really grateful that Dan McKellar allowed me to play Shute Shield and I think that helped my rugby, taking that challenge on.
“I’d love to make my Super Rugby debut (in 2020). I believe I’m ready, and honestly it’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid and now, it’s awesome that I can actually see it happening. Now it’s on me to make it happen with a good preseason and with performances for Vikings or wherever else."
Click here to read the full story.
And now, for an exclusive tip from our friends at Taylors Wines, and this week we’re talking about decanters…
Chances are, many of us don't actually have a wine decanter in the cupboard. If you really enjoy your wine, think about buying one for your next dinner party. Otherwise, you can also gain the benefits of decanting wine by looking for a clean water jug or similar wide-mouthed glass serving jug.
Choose a clear (not patterned) glass container that will allow a full 750ml bottle to be contained while ensuring a generous surface area.
