NSW close to finalising deals with Folau and Foley; Wallabies smitten by Honey Badger
WALLABIES smitten by Honey Badger’s Bachelor appearances, the Waratahs close in on pair of superstars, the NSW nomads and a young Wallaby returns from 11 months on the sideline. It’s all in Rugby Con!
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THE NSW Waratahs will split their 2019 Super Rugby home matches between different venues, including the Sydney Cricket Ground, Western Sydney and regional NSW, after finally reaching an agreement on where to play while Allianz Stadium is being rebuilt.
While the exact venues for the Waratahs’ eight home games are still being finalised, NSW Rugby has struck a deal with the SCG Trust and other stakeholders after months of negotiations.
“The hard part is over and the key thing is we’ve reached an agreement that is very fair to everyone,” NSW Rugby CEO Andrew Hore told Rugby Confidential.
“We’ve done a lot of consultation with our commercial partners and our members and the wider rugby community and we’ll be in a position soon to announce a package that will appeal to everyone.
“We will certainly be playing matches at the SCG but we’re also going to play at some smaller grounds as well as in Western Sydney and regionally.”
WARATAHS CLOSE IN ON STARS
THE Waratahs are also close to finalising deals with several key players including Israel Folau and Bernard Foley.
Hore said: “The discussions have been going really well and we feel very positive about them.
“There are still some details to be worked out but we hope to be able to make an announcement soon.”
Hore said the Waratahs were only in the early stages of discussions with Adam Ashley-Cooper, who is hoping to return to Australia to push his case for selection at next year’s World Cup.
DEMPSEY FIGHTS BACK
INJURED Wallaby Jack Dempsey has been cleared to make his return to the field after 11 agonising months on the sideline.
The backrower hasn’t played since last year when he ripped his hamstring off the bone while playing against the Barbarians.
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The 24-year-old has been selected on the bench for the Sydney Rays against Brisbane City in the NRC at Woollahra Oval this Saturday.
WALLABIES FALL FOR BACHIE BADGER
NICK Cummins hasn’t played a Test for Australia in more than four years but The Honey Badger is still a cult figure within the Wallabies’ camp.
Like the rest of Australia, the Wallabies have become infatuated by the lovable larrikin starring role in The Bachelor.
Several members of the team have set up a WhatsApp Group to chat about his appearances on the show and the suitors vying for his heart and never miss an episode.
They were horrified when they arrived in New Zealand for the Bledisloe Cup last month to be told the show wasn’t broadcast on the other side of the ditch but managed to find a live-stream to tune in and watch their wisecracking ex-teammate.
INTERNATIONAL REF ASSIGNED TO GPS CLASH
AS one of the world’s best referees, Sydney-based whistleblower Angus Gardner is always in high demand to officiate in the biggest matches.
He was picked to take charge of this year’s Six Nations decider between Ireland and England at Twickenham as well as the Super Rugby final between the Crusaders and the Lions and last month’s Rugby Championship clash between Argentina and South Africa.
But this weekend, he finds himself as the man in the middle of what could be one of the most intense assignments he’s had to handle - the Queensland GPS title decider between Nudgee College and The Southport School.
More than 10,000 rabid supporters are expected to turn out for the match between two schools with 99 years of fierce rivalry so the Queensland referees’ association wanted the best man they could get.
Under GPS rules, they couldn’t use anyone with an affiliation with either school but when they popped the question to Gardner he had no hesitation in agreeing to do it.
BRISBANE HOLD ON TO TEST
BRISBANE is set to be awarded one of Australia’s two home Tests in 2019 despite the disappointing turnout for last weekend’s Rugby Championship clash with South Africa.
Just 27,849 people turned out to see the Wallabies beat the Springboks 23-18 but with Sydney ruled out of hosting any internationals in 2019 because of the planned redevelopments of ANZ and Allianz Stadiums, Brisbane and Perth will get Australia’s matches.
The Wallabies will play New Zealand for the Bledisloe Cup at Perth’s Optus Stadium while Brisbane will host Australia and Argentina and because it’s a World Cup year, there will be just two tests in Australia in 2019.
Ticket sales for Saturday’s Test against the Pumas on the Gold Coast have been slow, prompting former dual international and local resident Mat Rogers to issue an impassioned call to arms, retelling the story about when he was a five-year-old watching his father Steve play for Australia.
SHUTE SHIELD FINAL 2.0
SYDNEY Uni and Warringah are getting ready to square off in a second grand final - this time for the Jack Scott Cup - Sydney’s premier competition for women.
The two clubs faced each other in the men’s Shute Shield grand final two weeks again and will meet again at Woollahra Oval on Saturday as a part of all-day rugby festival that includes the NRC clash. For the first time, the Jack Scott Cup will be livestreamed on nswwaratahs.com.au
Originally published as NSW close to finalising deals with Folau and Foley; Wallabies smitten by Honey Badger