Jump to:
- Search box
- Navigation
- Main Content
Win a T-shirt
This week's edition of our newsletter is packed with giveaways!
Team tracker
We give you an ideal tool to compare all the Super Rugby team announcements.
Missing Men
Can you solve the Missing Men? Today, Ulster's class of 2005 versus Leinster.
Loose Pass
This week covers Australia, planning and a curious coaching situation.
Latest Lions news
All of the latest news surrounding the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.
Sorry, this story is unavailable
- International Fixtures
| Fixture | Details |
|---|---|
| All times are local | |
| International Match | |
| Sunday , May 26 | |
| England vs Barbarians | 13:00 |
| Sunday , June 2 | |
| Consur XV vs England | 19:30 |
| Saturday , June 8 | |
| USA vs Ireland | 01:30 |
| New Zealand vs France | 08:35 |
| Japan vs Wales | 14:00 |
| South Africa vs Italy | 17:00 |
| Argentina vs England | 20:10 |
| Saturday , June 15 | |
| New Zealand vs France | 08:35 |
| Japan vs Wales | 14:00 |
| South Africa vs Scotland | 17:00 |
| More International Match fixtures | |
Around Planet Rugby
-
Competitions
Win games consoles, holidays, tickets to sporting events and much more with Planet Rugby
-
Facebook
Sign up to the Planet Rugby Facebook fan page
-
Twitter
Follow Planet Rugby updates on Twitter
Comments
quietbrit says...
McCaw is still #1 - though now it is because of the diversity of skills he brings. He is not the best at the breakdown, merely one of the leaders of the growing pack that now includes individuals like Bismark Du Plessis as the game evolves to favor the side which has 'specialist' fetchers all over the park.
Posted 19:05 18th August 2012
Chubbylugs says...
I don't quite understand why a fetcher of a seven cannot perform against a dominant pack. Surely the point of a fetcher is that they create turnovers at the breakdown. Sure it's harder if rucks are cleaned out quicker, but going backwards or forwards is irrelevant. It's also making a big assumption that the kiwis will win every collision. Great players prevail, we will have to see
Posted 11:33 16th August 2012
Rosbif says...
To steal from Mark Twain: "the reports of [Mr. McCaw's] death have been greatly exaggerated" methinks.
(unbelievably fine player that Pocock is, let's see how we think of him in 10 or 20 years time... after all, the list of Oz open sides who have tried and largely come unstuck against McCaw is long and illustrious indeed!)
@new-j4a . hehehe. the exact same thing happened to me. i went to the fridge a few seasons back and missed cipriani scoring from the half way line!)
Posted 23:28 15th August 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
Ha ha of course Deans is going to say that, he'll claim anything he can right now.. poor guy looks like a washed up alcho, all red faced and haggard since he's taken over that circus. Pocock is good but he's very one-dimensional, he can dominate the ruck but his ball running, tackling and ball skills are very below par for someone who has played 44 tests. It's a telling factor when no other international team plays a straight fetcher anymore, every team has a ball playing, ball running 7. By the time Pocock adjusts to this, 3-4 years time, the game will have moved on again... and chances are Sam Cane will be dominating by then anyway.
Posted 21:25 15th August 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
News4ja: Pocock has captained Oz before with success. Its a non issue. They have other leaders too. Not much difference between these packs. If they can hold off ABs attacks from 10, 12 and 13 Oz can win.
Posted 18:50 15th August 2012
new_j4a says...
@abfuxit, who says "the ABs may have a slight advantage in the pack" Really? A "slight" advantage? The Oz pack will be going backwards as usual...or perhaps a little faster than usual.
Posted 14:14 15th August 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Jonsey: Gorgodzilla is an 8 / flanker. The best 8 in the game. He's phenominal. He basically plays 6, 7 and 8 for Georgia and with their front 3 the four of them consistently give top teams a hard game.
Posted 14:03 15th August 2012
new_j4a says...
@jonesy2 says... "i dont think leading will be a problemo for pocock he has captained the force for a while" Did the force do ANYTHING of merit under his leadership? I must have missed that....probably went to the fridge for a beer and missed that high point in the force season....did they score?
Posted 12:53 15th August 2012
abfixit says...
Usual stuff that gets trotted everytime a Bloodisloe cup match is on. Should learn by now that McCaw, like Pocock is but one player though very good. Just see how the tight 5 and 3 marauders work together. As noted by many others, the ABs may have a slight advantage in the pack so my interest will be in the effect of the tight 5. If they go well, the 7 usually does so too. Otherwise who can back up the 7?
Posted 12:49 15th August 2012
TheTruthHurts says...
You Kiwi's sure are precious when it comes to McCaw, no Wallaby supporter does not respect Richie, in fact we all revere him and hold him in high regard, but we don't like tall poppy's and he is 'one' which is why we want Pocock to tear in!! At this stage Richie is still a more seasoned player with experience and the skills he has learnt over the years as his ally, but Pocock is coming and boy are you Kiwi's not liking someone else start to measure up to "Messiah McCaw" ;)
Posted 12:36 15th August 2012
porridge_time says...
Deans has to say something positive about his charges to help appese the over confident Oz media.
Posted 12:23 15th August 2012
Houston_11 says...
Pocock is an out and out ball stealer. The NH ref may be watching for Ritchie on the floor but he'll have his eyes on Pocock and hands on at the ruck.
Both of these guys are awesome players - I think the reason why NZers get so defensive on the comparative (and rightly so) is because McCaw has been able to develop his game as he has aged. Remember, when he was young, he was an out and out ball stealer as well.... not anymore.
It will be a fantastic contest nonetheless. The fairest comment I've (when the black or gold goggles are removed) is the discussion around the pack. Aus pack goes forward, Pocock could run riot. More likely though, he'll have a solid performance in a weak pack. Expect McCaw to perform.
Posted 12:18 15th August 2012
Trinats2 says...
New Zealand born and bred Deans who developed McCaw into what he is today "proclaimed that Pocock is the world's best openside" and he is improving each year. He has a long way to go to be in the Legend status with the likes of Zinzan Brooke and Co but Pocock is on the right path. 44 tests and he just turned 24. Kiwis can't see it because he is a Wallaby, then again they said Campo would never make it either !!!
Deans also said a few years back that Pocock was more advanced at his age than McCaw was.
Fair call about the packs and Pocock playing on the back foot, but there is a NH ref this time and McCaw wont get to loiter on the wrong side of the ruck !!!
Posted 11:59 15th August 2012
jonesy2 says...
jmanngod -- not that i need to explain how youre so so wrong and so so so so so idiotic but pocock is one of the most powerful ball runners, ferocious tacklers and hardest workers thats ever played the game of rugby
georgesmith -- stupidest thing ive ever read on here and that is saying something. did pocock bang you mrs or something?
ArmchairGeneral -- godzilla? i might be ruining this but who is that or are you saying that the only thing that could come close to those boys is in fact godzilla?
Posted 10:45 15th August 2012
porridge_time says...
There is a wealth of difference between what McCaw has to offer as player and captain than what Pocock does. Pocock is merely a good fetcher, but is easily taken out of the game if he is made to be the tackler.
Posted 10:45 15th August 2012
KiwiLad says...
Should be an interesting contest, I am sure we all remember how effective Pocock was in a recent Semi against Richie.
Trinats, Pococs not that old, and I wasnt aware that he was injured.
Posted 20:48 14th August 2012
jmanngod says...
absolute rot. Pocock is great on the ground... he brings little else to the game frankly and is barely fit to be mentioned in the same sentence as McCaw. Expect the same old, same old this weekend.
Posted 20:15 14th August 2012
three6three6 says...
The real advantage that McCaw will have is playing in a forward pack that is more dominant than the Wallaby eight. Will Pocock shine in a forward packing going backwards and receiving a serious marmalading? In the past predicted 'private battles' between McCaw and Pocock simply have not eventuated for this very reason.... There is no doubt that Pocock is a very fine player but rugby still tends to be a team game.... and a substandard performance from the Wallaby pack will see Pocock under more than the usual pressure...
Posted 17:40 14th August 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Jonsey: agree. To stand out vs Warburton and Lidiate, the best 6 & 7 combo in the NHem for some time, was an outstanding effort. Pocock is the first player on the current world 15 team sheet after Carter although GorGodzilla pushes him for his spot. I'd put Godzilla at 8 ahead of McCaw or Read.
Posted 14:31 14th August 2012
Terry_English says...
The two best flankers in the game! Both are outstanding players but they a very different so comparisons are largely subjective. Pocock is peerless at turnovers on the ground. McCaw is more likely to drive over the ball or hold the player off the deck to gain turnovers for his team.
From an English perspective I would take either of them but at the moment McCaw has a wider range of skills than Pocock. He carries the ball much better and runs superb support lines. His decision making and captaincy are also outstanding.
There is always talk of his enevitable decline but the last time these two met at International level it was McCaw who won the battle by a country mile.
Posted 08:35 14th August 2012