Singapore to pip Japan as Super Rugby’s 18th team; Israel Folau’s haircut homage to Neymar

SINGAPORE’S bid for the 18th Super Rugby team has surged ahead of Japan — and All Black legend Tana Umaga could be their inaugural coach.

NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND - SEPTEMBER 07: Head coach Tana Umaga of Counties Manukau looks on during the round four ITM Cup Ranfurly Shield match between Hawke's Bay and Counties Manukau at McLean Park on September 7, 2013 in Napier, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

SOUTH Africa is set to wield its unflinching power yet again to ensure Singapore’s bid for the 18th Super Rugby team is approved ahead of Japan.

We can reveal that the Singaporean bid has surged ahead as the likely 18th team, with South Africa’s teams howling down calls for a Japanese team because of excessive travel.

The team from Singapore will be known as the Asia Pacific Dragons, and there is even talk that All Black legend Tana Umaga could be their inaugural coach.

It is expected to feature a heavy smattering of Pacific Island players.

South Africa is opposed to playing in Japan because there are no direct flights between the countries and travel would take up to 23 hours one way.

SARU is arguing that its teams would be at a significant disadvantage by losing two days just in flying back and forth, while their players would be more prone to exhaustion and less likely to recover from injury if forced to sit for an entire day on planes.

By contrast, Singapore can be reached in 11 hours.

Tana Umaga has been mentioned as a possible coach of a Singapore Super Rugby side.

The 18th team will play in the second South African conference, under the new four-conference system to be introduced from 2016, primarily to appease South Africa who demanded having a sixth team in the competition despite already boasting a weak singular conference.

As for Singapore, it is interesting to note the warning given by basketball identity Bob Turner to us a few months ago. As you might recall, Turner set up the Singapore Slingers team which played in the NBL but lasted just two seasons.

“We were the first professional team there and within a short space of time, the expats loved it because they were seeing good sport,” Turner said.

“But the Singaporeans who loved basketball still wanted to see their own.

“That was very difficult given the quality of the game that Singaporeans could play at that level.

“So it was almost like we were renting the Singapore name, rather than being Singapore.”

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WE had to do a double-take at Waratahs training on Thursday when we thought Brazilian superstar Neymar had rocked up to wish the boys well in their finals campaign.

Lo and behold, it was rugby’s version of Neymar, Israel Folau, sporting a very similar haircut to the World Cup king.

Izzy’s blond highlights will be on show in the Sunday afternoon sun when the Tahs host the Highlanders at Allianz Stadium, but hopefully the diving remains in Brazil.

Brazil World Cup star Neymar and his trademark haircut.

Israel Folau’s new haircut bears a resemblance to Neymar’s.

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COMMENTS from Channel Ten boss Hamish McLennan this week in The Daily Telegraph would have sent Arctic shivers down the spine of Bill Pulver.

Pulver has been touting competitive tension as the catalyst for a big spike in broadcast revenue, and to stave off financial disaster.

But their existing FTA broadcast partner appears to have no interest in taking on Fox Sports for any more content; as SBS did to help the FFA get $40m a year in their last deal.

Talking about Ten’s ambition to chase AFL games and other TV rights issues, the report said McLennan “played down talk he would be chasing rugby union’s ‘Super League’, suggesting it was still too much of a niche offering”.

“It comes down to the price — we might try to carve the Wallabies off, it just depends,” McLennan said.

“The NRL and AFL are more mainstream which appeals to us. Whilst I love union as a game it doesn’t have the broad-based appeal AFL and NRL have.”

Nurse!

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THE Waratahs have locked in teenage superstar Andrew Kellaway for next year.

Kellaway recently broke the record for most tries by an individual at any under-20s World Cup, and when you consider that it was previously held by All Blacks Julian Savea and Zac Guildford, it gives you an idea of how exciting a prospect Kellaway is.

The 18-year-old has already been touted as the most exciting Sydney schoolboy rugby prospect since Kurtley Beale, and he continues to live up to the hype.

While we can expect to see him in the Tahs jersey next year, Australian Sevens coach Geraint John is also making enquiries about Kellaway as part of his 2016 Olympic Games planning.

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THE French exodus is now hitting Sydney’s club rugby scene, with young talents Fabian Natoli (Manly) and Keliti Vaingalo (Eastern Suburbs) heading off-shore.

Halfback Natoli has signed to Bordeaux, while backrower Vaingalo has been pinched by Perpignan.

They follow the well-known Wallaby and Super Rugby stars that have already committed to French rugby next year, but it is just the beginning.

The number of high-profile players talking openly about defecting to Europe after next year’s World Cup is staggering and will rock Australian rugby.

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Ben Mowen is off to French rugby next season.

BEN Mowen has revealed that he felt like he was merely keeping the Wallabies No. 8 jersey warm for rival Wycliff Palu last year.

Mowen rose to the starting backrow position and Wallabies captaincy in 2013 while Palu was sidelined with injury, but saw Palu win back that jersey after he announced earlier this year he was off to French rugby next season.

After meeting head on last weekend in what was Palu’s most dominant performances in years, Mowen said: “I think Ben McCalman has had a really good year, but in my mind I thought that was Cliff’s jersey anyway, I thought I was keeping it warm while he was injured.

“He’s been the premier eight in the country for a long time now, when he is performing he is one of the best players in the world.”

Palu revealed the secret to his sensational performances for Australia and NSW in the past two weeks has been sleep — he was tucked in at hotel beds the night before the games, as opposed to being woken in the early hours by his young brood.

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WE’RE guessing Waratahs five-eighth Bernard Foley has lost a bet with his mates from “The Pentagon” with that dubious moustache he has been sporting.

But he was coy when quizzed about the soup-strainer this week.

“It’s something a bit special, something for mum to rev me up about,” Foley said.

Foley is part of the Tahs’ so-called Pentagon, an alliance with housemates Nick Phipps, Jono Lance and Michael Hodge, who are known for social media stunts and banter.