Rugby
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David Pocock blow for shell-shocked Wallabies
Australia’s hopes of recovering from a chastening defeat to New Zealand and breaking a 26-year hoodoo have been dealt a potentially savage blow with captain David Pocock an injury doubt. Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, who described Saturday’s 27-19...
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All Blacks overpower Wallabies
New Zealand overpowered Australia 27-19 to make a dominant start to the inaugural Rugby Championship yesterday with a string of handling errors gifting the game to the All Blacks. New Zealand led 18-10 at half-time having applied huge pressure to...
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Deans says Wallabies’time to lift cup
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans admitted yesterday that it was a tough task to wrench the Bledisloe Cup from the All Blacks’ grip, but said it was time for a change of guard. Australia have not won the Bledisloe Cup since 2002 and Deans wants that to...
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Hull’s Galea to retire
Hull KR captain Ben Galea yesterday marked his 34th birthday by confirming he is to retire at the end of the season. The Australian forward of Maltese descent joined the Robins from Wests Tigers in 2008 and has been a pivotal player for them ever...
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Argentina join the sport’s elite
A new era for southern hemisphere Rugby Union dawns on Saturday when Australia meet New Zealand in Sydney and South Africa face Argentina in Cape Town as The Rugby Championship kicks off. After 16 seasons of Tri-Nations fare dominated by the All...
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National team maintain 20th place in world rankings
The Malta Rugby League national team maintained their international ranking of 20th when the RLIF list was released earlier this week. Australia head the rankings with New Zealand and England in pursuit and Papua New Guinea and France round off the...
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All Blacks coach suspected 2007 WCup match-fixing
Former All Blacks coach Graham Henry has revealed he suspected possible match-fixing in the All Blacks shock 2007 World Cup loss to France but his plea for an investigation was rejected. Henry’s suspicions are revealed in advance excerpts from his...
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Wallabies edge Wales in thriller to win series
A Berrick Barnes penalty five minutes from time gave Australia a 20-19 win for a clean sweep in the three-Test series against Six Nations champions Wales in Sydney yesterday. Only 11 points separated the two teams over a fiercely-fought series...
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Carter saves All Blacks
New Zealand snatched a 22-19 victory over Ireland with a desperate 79th-minute goal by Dan Carter as a bruising rugby Test reached a nail-biting finish in Christchurch yesterday. The All Blacks were reduced to 14 men in the closing 10 minutes and...
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Wallabies win with last kick
Replacement Mike Harris kicked a penalty goal after the full-time siren to give Australia a thrilling 25-23 win over Six Nations champions Wales to claim the three-Test series in Melbourne yesterday. Wales outscored Australia two tries to one...
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Stompers beat Malta Origin
Sliema Stompers completed a clean sweep of the Maltese domestic competition with a 46-24 victory over Malta Origin at the Balzan Youths ground this week to clinch the 2012 MRL Dove Men+Care Champion-ship in their debut season. Missing internationals...
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Malta topple Denmark
Malta came from 12-4 down at half-time to claim a 24-12 victory over Denmark in the first leg of the 2012 Dove Men+Care International Series at Victor Tedesco Stadium on Saturday. Viiga Lima scored a brace of tries to put Denmark ahead at half-time...
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All Blacks thrash Ireland
Powerful young winger Julian Savea – often compared with rugby great Jonah Lomu – scored three blockbusting tries as the All Blacks destroyed Ireland with a 42-10 victory at Eden Park yesterday. The runaway win shattered any illusions Ireland had of...
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Wales go down in Brisbane
Wales lost their opening Test against Australia 27-19 despite a spirited second-half fight-back in Brisbane. Alex Cuthbert crossed for a try and Leigh Halfpenny kicked 14 points as the Six Nations champions threatened to pull off an historic...
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Malta play Denmark today
Malta play Denmark in the opening match from the 2012 Dove Men+Care International Series at the Victor Tedesco Stadium, Ħamrun, today (kick-off: 5 p.m.). The Danes, currently 20th in the international rankings, will host the return match in...
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Italy to continue playing at the Stadio Olimpico
Italy will keep playing their Six Nations matches at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico until at least 2015, the Italian Rugby Federation said this week. Italy attracted a total of more than 125,000 spectators to their two home Six Nations matches against...
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MRFU renew Cisk sponsorship deal
Simonds Farsons Cisk have renewed their sponsorship agreement with the Malta Rugby Football Union (MRFU) for the next three years through its flagship brand, Cisk Lager. Cisk Lager has been supporting the MRFU since the very beginning when rugby was...
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Marauders win rugby friendly
The Malta Marauders veterans, led by captain Roy Newbould, 65, and with 57-year-old Phil Gibbs also in the side, beat visiting rugby team Dorchester Gladiators 24-14 in a friendly at Marsa played earlier this month. After the match, Dorchester...
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Impressive Leinster retain European Cup
Leinster overpowered Irish provincial rivals Ulster 42-14 to defend their European Cup title at Twickenham yesterday, becoming the first team to win the trophy three times in four seasons. Leinster, with a gameplan based on slick handling and a...
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Ashton plays down links with England set-up
Brian Ashton appears to have ruled himself out of becoming part of Stuart Lancaster’s England coaching set-up, claiming there is “nothing in the pipeline” between him and the Rugby Football Union. Ashton, who coached England to the final of the 2007...
