Sidestepping cowpats and garbage, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-east-asia/myanmar-army-drops-lawsuit-against-religious-leader-who-complained-to-trump-of-persecution-248749">Myanmar</a>'s only home-grown junior rugby side train on the outskirts of Yangon, preparing to take on children from the city's well-heeled international schools.

When the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-university-suspends-student-for-being-rohingya-248479">Little Dragons</a> aren't running barefoot on the litter-strewn dirt, the makeshift field on the outskirts of Yangon is sometimes used as a cockfighting ring or a fairground.

But every Sunday, boys and girls aged five to 18 from Yangon's North Dagon township can be seen playing touch rugby, an incongruous sight in a country where the sport is barely known.

As novice monks file past collecting alms, the players shoo away cantankerous cattle to begin warm-up drills under the tutelage of their coaches, a mix of locals and expatriates.

In the monsoon, the training ground is shin-deep in mud, but during the hot season, the surface is baked into an unyielding, crusty mosaic.

Yet many of the Little Dragons play in bare feet.

Youth worker-turned-coach Aung Kyaw Lin, 24, helped set up the team four years ago to run alongside English and maths lessons, and workshops on fire safety and health.

"Children here used to spend their free time in gaming shops," he says.

"When they started playing rugby, they stopped arguing and worked together."

Although the organisers ran out of funding to keep their education centre going, the rugby continued.

Few women play sport in conservative Myanmar, yet half of the 40 or so Little Dragons are girls.

Nann Shar Larr He's older sister used to scold her for wanting to play with the boys, but now most of her family come to watch the training sessions.

"There's no difference between girls and boys when we play rugby," the 15-year-old smiles

Second-hand trainers

As the only homegrown junior team in the country, the Little Dragons look to Yangon's international schools for matches.

In May, they took part in Myanmar's first junior tournament partly played on a full-sized, artificial grass pitch at one of the schools.

Out of 10 teams in each age group, Little Dragons sides finished second and third in the Under-14s, and second in the Under-11s.

"These kids ran rings round them," says coach Bradley Edwards.

One baffled team even tried removing their trainers to see if that was the key to the Little Dragons' agility-an an experiment that lasted only a couple of minutes on the hot, rough surface.

"We felt like crying when they scored, but we just tried even harder," says 12-year-old Dragon Kyaw Kyaw Lin.

The schools are helping out the team, donating second-hand trainers and sharing transport.

But the Dragons are looking for sustained funding to support them and resurrect the now-closed education centre.

An interested international sponsor-backed away last year, concerned about Myanmar's "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nasa-pioneers-malaria-predicting-tech-in-myanmar-248770">political climate</a>"-&nbsp;a reference to the global outcry triggered by the mass expulsion of Rohingya Muslims in 2017.

Edwards sees this as counter-productive, arguing that sport can be a unifying force.

"There are so many things separating communities now in Myanmar and in rugby one of the key values is respect," he says.

The next step is to introduce the players to rugby sevens- but fellow coach Josh Peck says they are eager for more.

"These kids are fired-up and ready. They want to play (full) contact."

Sidestepping cowpats and garbage, Myanmar's only home-grown junior rugby side train on the outskirts of Yangon, preparing to take on children from the city's well-heeled international schools.

Sidestepping cowpats and garbage, Myanmar's only home-grown junior rugby side train on the outskirts of Yangon, preparing to take on children from the city's well-heeled international schools. When the Little Dragons aren't running barefoot on the litter-strewn dirt, the makeshift field on the outskirts of Yangon is sometimes used as a cockfighting ring or a fairground. But every Sunday, boys and girls aged five to 18 from Yangon's North Dagon township can be seen playing touch rugby, an incongruous sight in a country where the sport is barely known. As novice monks file past collecting alms, the players shoo away cantankerous cattle to begin warm-up drills under the tutelage of their coaches, a mix of locals and expatriates. In the monsoon, the training ground is shin-deep in mud, but during the hot season, the surface is baked into an unyielding, crusty mosaic. Yet many of the Little Dragons play in bare feet. Youth worker-turned-coach Aung Kyaw Lin, 24, helped set up the team four years ago to run alongside English and maths lessons, and workshops on fire safety and health. "Children here used to spend their free time in gaming shops," he says. "When they started playing rugby, they stopped arguing and worked together." Although the organisers ran out of funding to keep their education centre going, the rugby continued. Few women play sport in conservative Myanmar, yet half of the 40 or so Little Dragons are girls. Nann Shar Larr He's older sister used to scold her for wanting to play with the boys, but now most of her family come to watch the training sessions. "There's no difference between girls and boys when we play rugby," the 15-year-old smiles Second-hand trainers As the only homegrown junior team in the country, the Little Dragons look to Yangon's international schools for matches. In May, they took part in Myanmar's first junior tournament partly played on a full-sized, artificial grass pitch at one of the schools. Out of 10 teams in each age group, Little Dragons sides finished second and third in the Under-14s, and second in the Under-11s. "These kids ran rings round them," says coach Bradley Edwards. One baffled team even tried removing their trainers to see if that was the key to the Little Dragons' agility-an an experiment that lasted only a couple of minutes on the hot, rough surface. "We felt like crying when they scored, but we just tried even harder," says 12-year-old Dragon Kyaw Kyaw Lin. The schools are helping out the team, donating second-hand trainers and sharing transport. But the Dragons are looking for sustained funding to support them and resurrect the now-closed education centre. An interested international sponsor-backed away last year, concerned about Myanmar's "political climate"- a reference to the global outcry triggered by the mass expulsion of Rohingya Muslims in 2017. Edwards sees this as counter-productive, arguing that sport can be a unifying force. "There are so many things separating communities now in Myanmar and in rugby one of the key values is respect," he says. The next step is to introduce the players to rugby sevens- but fellow coach Josh Peck says they are eager for more. "These kids are fired-up and ready. They want to play (full) contact."

Dung and Dragons: Myanmar kids dodge cows to play rugby

In this segment of WION, Know about the story of a girl named Sarita who covers a struggleful journey from Rags to Rugby. Watch this video to know more.

A Journey From Rags To Rugby

The LMAX Exchange Everest Rugby Challenge, arranged by Wooden Spoon the children's charity of rugby, has broken a world record for the highest game of rugby in history.

The match was played at 6,331m, on the East Rongbuk Glacier, near Everest Advanced Base Camp and raised over 250,000 ponds, which will help fund charitable projects for children around the UK and Ireland.

Former international rugby players Lee Mears, Shane Williams, Ollie Phillips and Tamara Taylor were among the participants who spent two weeks acclimatising, slowly advancing up the mountain.

The group progressed to Advanced Base Camp (6,200m) from where they trekked to the East Rongbuk Glacier, at 6,331m, setting up a full-sized rugby pitch, including flags and make-shift posts, in accordance with Guinness World Record specifications.

Facing severe shortage of breath, with oxygen levels estimated at around 40 percent at Advanced Base Camp, the group then battled hard in a fiercely contested game of full contact Rugby Sevens.

The game builds on an earlier record set by the group for the highest ever game of touch rugby, at 5,119m.

The LMAX Exchange Everest Rugby Challenge, arranged by Wooden Spoon the children's charity of rugby, has broken a world record for the highest game of rugby in history.

The LMAX Exchange Everest Rugby Challenge, arranged by Wooden Spoon the children's charity of rugby, has broken a world record for the highest game of rugby in history. The match was played at 6,331m, on the East Rongbuk Glacier, near Everest Advanced Base Camp and raised over 250,000 ponds, which will help fund charitable projects for children around the UK and Ireland. Former international rugby players Lee Mears, Shane Williams, Ollie Phillips and Tamara Taylor were among the participants who spent two weeks acclimatising, slowly advancing up the mountain. The group progressed to Advanced Base Camp (6,200m) from where they trekked to the East Rongbuk Glacier, at 6,331m, setting up a full-sized rugby pitch, including flags and make-shift posts, in accordance with Guinness World Record specifications. Facing severe shortage of breath, with oxygen levels estimated at around 40 percent at Advanced Base Camp, the group then battled hard in a fiercely contested game of full contact Rugby Sevens. The game builds on an earlier record set by the group for the highest ever game of touch rugby, at 5,119m.

UK based children's charity breaks world record for highest ever rugby games in history

All Blacks star&nbsp;Sonny&nbsp;Bill&nbsp;Williams paid tribute to the&nbsp;victims of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-mosque-shooting-4-people-in-custody-police-recover-ieds-strapped-to-vehicles-203447">Christchurch shooting</a>, sharing an emotional video.&nbsp;

Williams took to Twitter to offer condolences to those who lost their lives in the&nbsp;shootings.&nbsp;

Tearful rugby star&nbsp;hoped the victims of the Christchurch mosque massacre were in "paradise".&nbsp;

The devout Muslim, wearing a skull cap, wiped away tears several times in the brief footage which he filmed sitting in a car.&nbsp;

Watch the video:&nbsp;

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My heart is hurting about the news coming out of Christchurch. Sending love &amp; prayers to the effected families❤️😢 <a href="https://t.co/7PX9wc56b8">pic.twitter.com/7PX9wc56b8</a>
— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) <a href="https://twitter.com/SonnyBWilliams/status/1106401139828785152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Police reported multiple deaths in attacks on two crowded mosques during Friday prayers in Christchurch, where&nbsp;Williams&nbsp;played for the Crusaders earlier in his career.&nbsp;

"Just heard the news. I couldn't put it into words how I'm feeling right now," the World Cup-winning All Blacks centre said in the video posted on Twitter.

"Inshallah (God willing) everyone who's been killed today... you guys are all in paradise," he added.

"Just deeply, deeply saddened that this would happen in New Zealand."&nbsp;

The third cricket Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh has been cancelled in the wake of a shooting.&nbsp;

The visiting team narrowly avoided the shooting after arriving at the mosque for prayers.&nbsp;

New Zealand Cricket said they had decided to cancel the Test, which was scheduled to start at Hagley Oval on Saturday, after discussions with the Bangladesh Cricket Board.&nbsp;

All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams paid tribute to the victims of the Christchurch shooting, sharing an emotional video. Williams took to Twitter to offer condolences to those who lost their lives in the shootings.

All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams paid tribute to the victims of the Christchurch shooting, sharing an emotional video. Williams took to Twitter to offer condolences to those who lost their lives in the shootings. Tearful rugby star hoped the victims of the Christchurch mosque massacre were in "paradise". The devout Muslim, wearing a skull cap, wiped away tears several times in the brief footage which he filmed sitting in a car. Watch the video: My heart is hurting about the news coming out of Christchurch. Sending love & prayers to the effected families❤️😢 pic.twitter.com/7PX9wc56b8 — Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) March 15, 2019 × Police reported multiple deaths in attacks on two crowded mosques during Friday prayers in Christchurch, where Williams played for the Crusaders earlier in his career. "Just heard the news. I couldn't put it into words how I'm feeling right now," the World Cup-winning All Blacks centre said in the video posted on Twitter. "Inshallah (God willing) everyone who's been killed today... you guys are all in paradise," he added. "Just deeply, deeply saddened that this would happen in New Zealand." The third cricket Test between New Zealand and Bangladesh has been cancelled in the wake of a shooting. The visiting team narrowly avoided the shooting after arriving at the mosque for prayers. New Zealand Cricket said they had decided to cancel the Test, which was scheduled to start at Hagley Oval on Saturday, after discussions with the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

Christchurch shooting: Rugby player Sonny Bill Williams pays tearful tribute to victims

New Zealand's football body announced a new deal Tuesday that gives the national women's team the same pay and conditions as the men's side, becoming one of the world's first countries to do so.

Providing equality between the male All Whites and female Football Ferns was "a landmark moment for football in this country", New Zealand Football said.

"Today's announcement signifies that we as an organisation are committed to parity for the men's and women's game and to continuing the growth in all areas of our sport," chief executive Andy Martin said.

The deal is unlikely to bring vast sums to female players as the New Zealand men's side, ranked 133rd in the world, earn only a fraction of their high-profile international counterparts.

But Football Ferns striker Sarah Gregorius said it still represented an important principle that recognised the effort women put into their sport.

"It's such an awesome line that we've now drawn in the sand," she told Radio New Zealand.

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NEWS | <a href="https://twitter.com/NZ_Football?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NZ_Football</a> is pleased to announce a ground-breaking agreement for equality and parity across its elite men's and women's national teams <a href="https://t.co/AZJ4WYiY96">https://t.co/AZJ4WYiY96</a> <a href="https://t.co/XpeBo9QQx3">pic.twitter.com/XpeBo9QQx3</a>
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) <a href="https://twitter.com/NZ_Football/status/993642418095308801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"No matter who you are, whatever gender, when you pull on a New Zealand football shirt you're entitled to the same treatment and respect no matter what."

The move comes after Norway's football association signed an agreement last year giving its men's and women's teams pay parity.

In practical terms, the New Zealand deal means women will receive the same match payments, equal fees on image rights and a similar proportion of tournament prize money.

They will also enjoy the same travel arrangements, meaning women will no longer have to fly economy to tournaments while male players enjoy the business class.

New Zealand Rugby announced earlier this year that the Black Ferns, the five-time women's world champions, would be offered professional contracts for the first time. 
&nbsp;

The deal is unlikely to bring vast sums to female players as the New Zealand men's side, ranked 133rd in the world, earn only a fraction of their high-profile international counterparts

New Zealand's football body announced a new deal Tuesday that gives the national women's team the same pay and conditions as the men's side, becoming one of the world's first countries to do so. Providing equality between the male All Whites and female Football Ferns was "a landmark moment for football in this country", New Zealand Football said. "Today's announcement signifies that we as an organisation are committed to parity for the men's and women's game and to continuing the growth in all areas of our sport," chief executive Andy Martin said. The deal is unlikely to bring vast sums to female players as the New Zealand men's side, ranked 133rd in the world, earn only a fraction of their high-profile international counterparts. But Football Ferns striker Sarah Gregorius said it still represented an important principle that recognised the effort women put into their sport. "It's such an awesome line that we've now drawn in the sand," she told Radio New Zealand. NEWS | @NZ_Football is pleased to announce a ground-breaking agreement for equality and parity across its elite men's and women's national teams https://t.co/AZJ4WYiY96 pic.twitter.com/XpeBo9QQx3 — New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) May 8, 2018 × "No matter who you are, whatever gender, when you pull on a New Zealand football shirt you're entitled to the same treatment and respect no matter what." The move comes after Norway's football association signed an agreement last year giving its men's and women's teams pay parity. In practical terms, the New Zealand deal means women will receive the same match payments, equal fees on image rights and a similar proportion of tournament prize money. They will also enjoy the same travel arrangements, meaning women will no longer have to fly economy to tournaments while male players enjoy the business class. New Zealand Rugby announced earlier this year that the Black Ferns, the five-time women's world champions, would be offered professional contracts for the first time.

New Zealand to pay women footballers same as men

By

Khalid Shah

A delegation of Sri Lankan rugby veterans has <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-sri-lankan-ex-presidents-son-namal-rajapaksa-offers-to-coach-jk-womens-rugby-players-36026">landed in Jammu and Kashmir </a>to hold a seven-day training workshop for the girls rugby team of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;

The delegation is sponsored by the Sri Lankan politician and rugby player Namal Rajapaksa, 32, the son of former president of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa.&nbsp;

<a 560="" href="<iframe width=">Watch:&nbsp;Namal Rajapaksa on J&K women's rugby team</a>

Namal Rajapaksa after watching the story on WION had got in touch with the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council to organise the workshop. Namal Rajapaksa will be travelling to Srinagar city on April 21st to join the delegation to train the rugby team of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;

Namal Rajapaksa, an alumnus of Saint Thomas College, played for the school rugby team in different categories.&nbsp;

He has also played for the national under-16 and under-19 rugby team of Sri Lanka.&nbsp;

In the year 2013, he became the captain of Sri Lankan Union Rugby team. Apart from playing for the Cardiff University team, he was also a part of City University London team from 2006 to 2009.&nbsp;

As per a close aide of Rajapaksa, he is a rugby enthusiast, seeing the passion of young Kashmiri girls on screen he decided to travel to Srinagar and sponsored the workshop.&nbsp;

"The ground is full of excited people today. All players are excited. You can see it is visible on the ground. The coaches who have come from Sri Lanka have a whole new and different level of skills. They have coached the teams at the international level. They have so many achievements and their achievements are inspiring us and we have that thrill to play and make our game better," said&nbsp;Muskan Latif, a young player.&nbsp;

Another player Shabeena Khan said that the training is totally different with the Sri Lankan coaches. "Their way of training is different, their skills are much better. That might be&nbsp;lacking in our game, we will try out best to train with them," she said.&nbsp;

While Rajapaksa joined active politics in Sri Lanka after quitting rugby in 2014, his&nbsp;love for&nbsp;the game hasn't waned.&nbsp;Last month speaking to WION, Namal Rajapaksa had said a country like India is widely popular for cricket and football.&nbsp;

"When you all of a sudden you see kids get together to play rugby and that too girls it gives me great joy,"&nbsp;Rajapaksa said.&nbsp;

The delegation from Sri Lanka is impressed with talented players of the Valley and now helping them to finetune their game.&nbsp;

"I can feel they love the game, both girls and boys love the game. They need to improve their skills and we are here to help them with that. They invited us to help them to make the game better through our MP Namal Rajapaksa, so we thought to come and help this rugby team," said Ronny Ibrahim, the Sri Lankan coach.&nbsp;

While conflict and turmoil has been the mainstay of Kashmir for many decades now, these young girls are turning the tide through the sheer love of rugby.

While Namal Rajapaksa joined active politics in Sri Lanka after quitting rugby in 2014, his love for the game hasn't waned

By Khalid Shah A delegation of Sri Lankan rugby veterans has landed in Jammu and Kashmir to hold a seven-day training workshop for the girls rugby team of Jammu and Kashmir. The delegation is sponsored by the Sri Lankan politician and rugby player Namal Rajapaksa, 32, the son of former president of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa. Watch: Namal Rajapaksa on J&K women's rugby team Namal Rajapaksa after watching the story on WION had got in touch with the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council to organise the workshop. Namal Rajapaksa will be travelling to Srinagar city on April 21st to join the delegation to train the rugby team of Jammu and Kashmir. Namal Rajapaksa, an alumnus of Saint Thomas College, played for the school rugby team in different categories. He has also played for the national under-16 and under-19 rugby team of Sri Lanka. In the year 2013, he became the captain of Sri Lankan Union Rugby team. Apart from playing for the Cardiff University team, he was also a part of City University London team from 2006 to 2009. As per a close aide of Rajapaksa, he is a rugby enthusiast, seeing the passion of young Kashmiri girls on screen he decided to travel to Srinagar and sponsored the workshop. "The ground is full of excited people today. All players are excited. You can see it is visible on the ground. The coaches who have come from Sri Lanka have a whole new and different level of skills. They have coached the teams at the international level. They have so many achievements and their achievements are inspiring us and we have that thrill to play and make our game better," said Muskan Latif, a young player. Another player Shabeena Khan said that the training is totally different with the Sri Lankan coaches. "Their way of training is different, their skills are much better. That might be lacking in our game, we will try out best to train with them," she said. While Rajapaksa joined active politics in Sri Lanka after quitting rugby in 2014, his love for the game hasn't waned. Last month speaking to WION, Namal Rajapaksa had said a country like India is widely popular for cricket and football. "When you all of a sudden you see kids get together to play rugby and that too girls it gives me great joy," Rajapaksa said. The delegation from Sri Lanka is impressed with talented players of the Valley and now helping them to finetune their game. "I can feel they love the game, both girls and boys love the game. They need to improve their skills and we are here to help them with that. They invited us to help them to make the game better through our MP Namal Rajapaksa, so we thought to come and help this rugby team," said Ronny Ibrahim, the Sri Lankan coach. While conflict and turmoil has been the mainstay of Kashmir for many decades now, these young girls are turning the tide through the sheer love of rugby.

Lankan ex-president's son Namal Rajapaksa sponsors rugby workshop in J&K

Australia&#39;s Wallabies face an acid test against the rejuvenated Springboks in the Rugby Championship on Saturday to gauge whether they are on the rise after taking the All Blacks to the limit.

The world champion New Zealanders had to pull out all the stops to overcome Australia 35-29 with a try two minutes from time in Dunedin a fortnight ago.

The Wallabies have already lost the trans-Tasman Bledisloe Cup series, but take on the regenerated Springboks in Perth, with the South Africans yet to lose in 2017.

Fly-half Bernard Foley said every member of the Wallabies&#39; squad knew the importance of not undoing all their good work from Dunedin against the South Africans.

&quot;I think that&#39;s probably been a hurdle of Wallaby teams in the past, is not being able to be consistent,&quot; Foley said.

&quot;We&#39;ve definitely spoken (about) that and challenged every player to go up a level from where he was in Dunedin.&quot;

While the Springboks have vanquished Argentina and France over five internationals this year they have not beaten the Wallabies in Australia since their 38-12 romp in Brisbane in 2013.

It has been a torrid year for Australia, winning only two of their five internationals and coming off a miserable Super Rugby season climaxed by the contentious axing of Perth-based Western Force from next year&#39;s competition.

There have been reports that the Perth rugby public may boycott the Test on Saturday as a way of protesting against the Australian Rugby Union&#39;s vexed decision to cull the Force, or wear their blue Western Force jerseys instead of the Wallabies&#39; gold.

&quot;Playing in your home town in front of your club team fans and Wallaby fans, it&#39;s a very special occasion,&quot; Wallabies and Force lock Adam Coleman said.

&quot;The fans in Western Australia are amazing. I&#39;m sure they&#39;ll turn out in numbers.&quot;

- Desire to get better -

The Wallabies are looking to stifle the Springboks playmaker and fly-half Elton Jantjies, who has been impressive in his team&#39;s two wins over Argentina so far in the Rugby Championship.

&quot;For us shutting him down is not allowing him momentum, doing the job up front, pushing him backwards and that probably takes down his time and space,&quot; Foley said of his opposite number.

Scrum-half Ross Cronje has overcome an ankle injury and partners Jantjies with Francois Hougaard dropping back to the reserves.

In the only other change to the starting team, Pieter-Steph du Toit comes in at lock for Franco Mostert.

&quot;Even though we travelled to three continents in 10 days, this group has the desire to get better, and learn from previous experiences,&quot; coach Allister Coetzee said Thursday.

&quot;The Wallabies are a well-coached side, with great deception on attack. Their playmakers and strike runners complement each other very well and we will have to be very sharp on defence.

&quot;If you look at their performances against New Zealand, you will see how well they have functioned in scoring nine tries and 63 points in two matches.&quot;

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika made four changes to his starting XV with Tatafu Polota-Nau at hooker, Sekope Kepu at tight-head prop, Adam Coleman at lock and Reece Hodge on the left wing.

The Australians are without their 122-Test hooker Stephen Moore, back at home awaiting the birth of his third child, while winger Dane Haylett-Petty is out for three months following biceps surgery.

Teams (15-1)

Australia - Israel Folau; Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani, Kurtley Beale, Reece Hodge; Bernard Foley, Will Genia; Sean McMahon, Michael Hooper (capt), Ned Hanigan; Adam Coleman, Rory Arnold; Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Scott Sio.

Replacements: Jordan Uelese, Tom Robertson, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Simmons, Jack Dempsey, Nick Phipps, Samu Kerevi, Curtis Rona

South Africa - Andries Coetzee; Raymond Rhule, Jesse Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Courtnall Skosan; Elton Jantjies, Ross Cronje; Uzair Cassiem, Jaco Kriel, Siya Kolisi; Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth (capt); Coenie Oosthuizen, Malcolm Marx, Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Trevor Nyakane, Lood de Jager, Jean-Luc du Preez, Francois Hougaard, Handre Pollard, Damian de Allende

Referee: Glen Jackson (NZL)

The world champion New Zealanders had to pull out all the stops to overcome Australia 35-29 with a try two minutes from time in Dunedin a fortnight ago.

Australia's Wallabies face an acid test against the rejuvenated Springboks in the Rugby Championship on Saturday to gauge whether they are on the rise after taking the All Blacks to the limit. The world champion New Zealanders had to pull out all the stops to overcome Australia 35-29 with a try two minutes from time in Dunedin a fortnight ago. The Wallabies have already lost the trans-Tasman Bledisloe Cup series, but take on the regenerated Springboks in Perth, with the South Africans yet to lose in 2017. Fly-half Bernard Foley said every member of the Wallabies' squad knew the importance of not undoing all their good work from Dunedin against the South Africans. "I think that's probably been a hurdle of Wallaby teams in the past, is not being able to be consistent," Foley said. "We've definitely spoken (about) that and challenged every player to go up a level from where he was in Dunedin." While the Springboks have vanquished Argentina and France over five internationals this year they have not beaten the Wallabies in Australia since their 38-12 romp in Brisbane in 2013. It has been a torrid year for Australia, winning only two of their five internationals and coming off a miserable Super Rugby season climaxed by the contentious axing of Perth-based Western Force from next year's competition. There have been reports that the Perth rugby public may boycott the Test on Saturday as a way of protesting against the Australian Rugby Union's vexed decision to cull the Force, or wear their blue Western Force jerseys instead of the Wallabies' gold. "Playing in your home town in front of your club team fans and Wallaby fans, it's a very special occasion," Wallabies and Force lock Adam Coleman said. "The fans in Western Australia are amazing. I'm sure they'll turn out in numbers." - Desire to get better - The Wallabies are looking to stifle the Springboks playmaker and fly-half Elton Jantjies, who has been impressive in his team's two wins over Argentina so far in the Rugby Championship. "For us shutting him down is not allowing him momentum, doing the job up front, pushing him backwards and that probably takes down his time and space," Foley said of his opposite number. Scrum-half Ross Cronje has overcome an ankle injury and partners Jantjies with Francois Hougaard dropping back to the reserves. In the only other change to the starting team, Pieter-Steph du Toit comes in at lock for Franco Mostert. "Even though we travelled to three continents in 10 days, this group has the desire to get better, and learn from previous experiences," coach Allister Coetzee said Thursday. "The Wallabies are a well-coached side, with great deception on attack. Their playmakers and strike runners complement each other very well and we will have to be very sharp on defence. "If you look at their performances against New Zealand, you will see how well they have functioned in scoring nine tries and 63 points in two matches." Wallabies coach Michael Cheika made four changes to his starting XV with Tatafu Polota-Nau at hooker, Sekope Kepu at tight-head prop, Adam Coleman at lock and Reece Hodge on the left wing. The Australians are without their 122-Test hooker Stephen Moore, back at home awaiting the birth of his third child, while winger Dane Haylett-Petty is out for three months following biceps surgery. Teams (15-1) Australia - Israel Folau; Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani, Kurtley Beale, Reece Hodge; Bernard Foley, Will Genia; Sean McMahon, Michael Hooper (capt), Ned Hanigan; Adam Coleman, Rory Arnold; Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Scott Sio. Replacements: Jordan Uelese, Tom Robertson, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Simmons, Jack Dempsey, Nick Phipps, Samu Kerevi, Curtis Rona South Africa - Andries Coetzee; Raymond Rhule, Jesse Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Courtnall Skosan; Elton Jantjies, Ross Cronje; Uzair Cassiem, Jaco Kriel, Siya Kolisi; Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth (capt); Coenie Oosthuizen, Malcolm Marx, Tendai Mtawarira Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Trevor Nyakane, Lood de Jager, Jean-Luc du Preez, Francois Hougaard, Handre Pollard, Damian de Allende Referee: Glen Jackson (NZL)

RugbyU: Confident Springboks put Wallabies to the test

All Blacks coach Ian Foster admits the world champions paid the price for being &quot;too predictable&quot; when they went down to a landmark defeat by Ireland at the weekend.

The charge has been levelled by Bryan Lochore and Foster said Tuesday he had no problem with the All Black legend&#39;s damning verdict.

&quot;I think it is fair based on the Irish game. I think the Irish probably found us a bit predictable too,&quot; the number two to head coach Steve Hansen told reporters in Rome.

&quot;We struggled early in terms of ball supply and we were not able to paint some pictures that we needed to paint.

&quot;So when we did eventually get the ball we did become predictable.&quot;

Weakened by injuries, the All Blacks were out-fought and out-thought in a 40-29 defeat in Chicago that represented Ireland&#39;s first triumph over New Zealand in 111 years of matches between the two sides.

Mental fatigue also looked to have played a part in a record 18-Test winning streak coming to an end at Soldier&#39;s Field.

&quot;It was not what we have been doing for most of the year but we have to recognise that it was our 11th Test of the year,&quot; Foster said.

&quot;So while we were feeling pretty good about how things were going, the opposition had plenty of time to look at us and we have got to be smarter than that.&quot;

&#39;O&#39;Shea surprises expected&#39;

Foster said the defeat would not however affect Hansen&#39;s plans to use Saturday&#39;s clash with Italy as an opportunity to give some of the less experienced members of his squad playing time.

&quot;Our belief has always been that we need a lot of freshness to get our performance right.

&quot;Coming off a loss - that hurts. But it doesn&#39;t change our attitude about using the full resources of our squad to get through this tour.

&quot;If you bring guys over you really want to give them an opportunity.&quot;

Foster says he has been impressed by how Italy have started life under Irish coach Conor O&#39;Shea.

&quot;He seems to want to use the traditional (pack-led) strengths of Italian rugby but he has certainly added a few other things around the park,&quot; Foster said.

&quot;So I think there will be some surprises for us on Saturday and that is not a bad thing for us because we have to go in there with our eyes open and make better decisions on the run.

Retallick return? 
&nbsp;

&quot;We have played Italy enough to know that if we allow their strengths to get on top of us that we can struggle against them.&quot;

The All Blacks&#39; line-out, which malfunctioned badly against the Irish, could be bolstered by the return of Brodie Retallick.

The giant lock has joined the squad in Rome after missing the Chicago trip due to the concussion he suffered after being struck by Australia flanker Dean Mumm as the All Blacks notched up their 18th consecutive victory in Auckland last month.

&quot;So far, so good,&quot; Retallick said of his recovery from an incident which he admitted had left him suffering from severe headaches and disconcerting pressure in the head.

&quot;I am running fine but have not done any contact or collision stuff yet,&quot; he said.

Saturday&#39;s match may come too early for Retallick&#39;s usual second-row partner Sam Whitelock, who is recovering from an ankle sprain.

&quot;The next couple of days will be critical,&quot; Whitelock said of his chances of seeing some action before the November 26 rematch with the Irish in Dublin.

For his first Test in charge on home soil, O&#39;Shea has handed Treviso&#39;s Giorgio Bronzini an international debut at scrum as part of an untested half-back partnership with Carlo Canna, who has only 12 caps to his name.

Skipper Sergio Parisse will win his 120th cap in the back row, breaking the appearances record he had shared with prop Martin Castrogiovanni.

(AFP)

Foster said on Tuesday he had no problem with the All Black legend's damning verdict

All Blacks coach Ian Foster admits the world champions paid the price for being "too predictable" when they went down to a landmark defeat by Ireland at the weekend. The charge has been levelled by Bryan Lochore and Foster said Tuesday he had no problem with the All Black legend's damning verdict. "I think it is fair based on the Irish game. I think the Irish probably found us a bit predictable too," the number two to head coach Steve Hansen told reporters in Rome. "We struggled early in terms of ball supply and we were not able to paint some pictures that we needed to paint. "So when we did eventually get the ball we did become predictable." Weakened by injuries, the All Blacks were out-fought and out-thought in a 40-29 defeat in Chicago that represented Ireland's first triumph over New Zealand in 111 years of matches between the two sides. Mental fatigue also looked to have played a part in a record 18-Test winning streak coming to an end at Soldier's Field. "It was not what we have been doing for most of the year but we have to recognise that it was our 11th Test of the year," Foster said. "So while we were feeling pretty good about how things were going, the opposition had plenty of time to look at us and we have got to be smarter than that." 'O'Shea surprises expected' Foster said the defeat would not however affect Hansen's plans to use Saturday's clash with Italy as an opportunity to give some of the less experienced members of his squad playing time. "Our belief has always been that we need a lot of freshness to get our performance right. "Coming off a loss - that hurts. But it doesn't change our attitude about using the full resources of our squad to get through this tour. "If you bring guys over you really want to give them an opportunity." Foster says he has been impressed by how Italy have started life under Irish coach Conor O'Shea. "He seems to want to use the traditional (pack-led) strengths of Italian rugby but he has certainly added a few other things around the park," Foster said. "So I think there will be some surprises for us on Saturday and that is not a bad thing for us because we have to go in there with our eyes open and make better decisions on the run. Retallick return? "We have played Italy enough to know that if we allow their strengths to get on top of us that we can struggle against them." The All Blacks' line-out, which malfunctioned badly against the Irish, could be bolstered by the return of Brodie Retallick. The giant lock has joined the squad in Rome after missing the Chicago trip due to the concussion he suffered after being struck by Australia flanker Dean Mumm as the All Blacks notched up their 18th consecutive victory in Auckland last month. "So far, so good," Retallick said of his recovery from an incident which he admitted had left him suffering from severe headaches and disconcerting pressure in the head. "I am running fine but have not done any contact or collision stuff yet," he said. Saturday's match may come too early for Retallick's usual second-row partner Sam Whitelock, who is recovering from an ankle sprain. "The next couple of days will be critical," Whitelock said of his chances of seeing some action before the November 26 rematch with the Irish in Dublin. For his first Test in charge on home soil, O'Shea has handed Treviso's Giorgio Bronzini an international debut at scrum as part of an untested half-back partnership with Carlo Canna, who has only 12 caps to his name. Skipper Sergio Parisse will win his 120th cap in the back row, breaking the appearances record he had shared with prop Martin Castrogiovanni. (AFP)

RugbyU: 'Predictable' All Blacks suck up criticism

A sophisticated bugging device has been found in an All Blacks&#39; hotel meeting room ahead of their test against Australia in Sydney, officials confirmed on Saturday. 
 
The device was planted inside a chair and found during a routine sweep of the room in the lead up to the opening Rugby Championship clash on Saturday night. 
 
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) said in a statement that police have been called in to investigate. 
 
&quot;A listening device was found in a meeting room this week during a routine security check,&quot; NZR chief executive Steve Tew said. 
 
&quot;The hotel immediately launched an investigation, we have informed the Australian Rugby Union, and jointly we have now decided to hand over the investigation to the Australian police. 
 
&quot;We are taking this issue very seriously, and given it will be a police matter, it would not be prudent to go into further details.&quot; 
 
The device -- described as similar to that used by law enforcement and spying agencies -- was found inside a chair in the hotel on Monday, a day after the All Blacks arrived. 
 
The foam of the seat appeared to have been deliberately and carefully cut to make way for the surveillance device and then sewn or glued back together to be almost undetectable, according to the New Zealand Herald. 
 
It was discovered after team management asked the security detail looking after them in Australia to sweep the room for bugs. 
 
The Herald said it had been told that hiding the device &quot;was a highly skilled and meticulous act and whoever put it there would have needed a significant amount of time to have pulled off such an accomplished job.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The device was found inside a chair in the hotel a day before the opening Rugby Championship clash

A sophisticated bugging device has been found in an All Blacks' hotel meeting room ahead of their test against Australia in Sydney, officials confirmed on Saturday. The device was planted inside a chair and found during a routine sweep of the room in the lead up to the opening Rugby Championship clash on Saturday night. New Zealand Rugby (NZR) said in a statement that police have been called in to investigate. "A listening device was found in a meeting room this week during a routine security check," NZR chief executive Steve Tew said. "The hotel immediately launched an investigation, we have informed the Australian Rugby Union, and jointly we have now decided to hand over the investigation to the Australian police. "We are taking this issue very seriously, and given it will be a police matter, it would not be prudent to go into further details." The device -- described as similar to that used by law enforcement and spying agencies -- was found inside a chair in the hotel on Monday, a day after the All Blacks arrived. The foam of the seat appeared to have been deliberately and carefully cut to make way for the surveillance device and then sewn or glued back together to be almost undetectable, according to the New Zealand Herald. It was discovered after team management asked the security detail looking after them in Australia to sweep the room for bugs. The Herald said it had been told that hiding the device "was a highly skilled and meticulous act and whoever put it there would have needed a significant amount of time to have pulled off such an accomplished job." (AFP)

Bugging device found in All Blacks' hotel room ahead of Australia match

Ben Barba inspired the Cronulla Sharks to their 15th consecutive victory with a 36-4 hammering of bottom team Newcastle Knights in Australia&#39;s National Rugby League today. 
 
Barba scored two of Cronulla&#39;s eight tries to continue his team&#39;s winning run and maintain a two-point lead over Melbourne Storm after 18 rounds. 
 
He set up two other tries and had another two tries denied by the video referee. 
 
Melbourne kept within reach of the Sharks with a 26-10 win over the Sydney Roosters at home. 
 
The Storm grabbed two late tries, through Tohu Harris and Kevin Proctor, to ease to victory after they were pushed for much of the contest by the lowly Roosters. 
 
Champions North Queensland are in third spot after a commanding 36-0 win over fellow finals contenders Canterbury Bulldogs in Townsville. 
 
The easy win was marred by a hamstring injury to their inspirational skipper Johnathan Thurston, who could miss the next two matches. 
 
Ricky Stuart&#39;s Canberra Raiders fill out the top four after a 26-22 golden point win over the New Zealand Warriors at home.&nbsp;Skipper Jarrod Croker scored the match-winning try in extra time - his third of the game - to seal a fourth consecutive win. 
 
Anthony Griffin enjoyed a triumphant return to Brisbane as Penrith moved into the top eight with a 31-12 win over the Broncos.&nbsp;Griffin was axed two years ago as the Broncos coach making way for the return of Wayne Bennett. 
 
Wests Tigers moved into the post-Robbie Farah era with a 25-12 win over St George Illawarra today. 
 
Tigers coach Jason Taylor made the big call during the week to dump State of Origin hooker Farah to reserve grade and threaten his chances of staying at the club where he has played 247 top grade games. 
 
(AFP)

Barba scored two of Cronulla's eight tries to continue his team's winning run and maintain a two-point lead over Melbourne Storm

Ben Barba inspired the Cronulla Sharks to their 15th consecutive victory with a 36-4 hammering of bottom team Newcastle Knights in Australia's National Rugby League today. Barba scored two of Cronulla's eight tries to continue his team's winning run and maintain a two-point lead over Melbourne Storm after 18 rounds. He set up two other tries and had another two tries denied by the video referee. Melbourne kept within reach of the Sharks with a 26-10 win over the Sydney Roosters at home. The Storm grabbed two late tries, through Tohu Harris and Kevin Proctor, to ease to victory after they were pushed for much of the contest by the lowly Roosters. Champions North Queensland are in third spot after a commanding 36-0 win over fellow finals contenders Canterbury Bulldogs in Townsville. The easy win was marred by a hamstring injury to their inspirational skipper Johnathan Thurston, who could miss the next two matches. Ricky Stuart's Canberra Raiders fill out the top four after a 26-22 golden point win over the New Zealand Warriors at home. Skipper Jarrod Croker scored the match-winning try in extra time - his third of the game - to seal a fourth consecutive win. Anthony Griffin enjoyed a triumphant return to Brisbane as Penrith moved into the top eight with a 31-12 win over the Broncos. Griffin was axed two years ago as the Broncos coach making way for the return of Wayne Bennett. Wests Tigers moved into the post-Robbie Farah era with a 25-12 win over St George Illawarra today. Tigers coach Jason Taylor made the big call during the week to dump State of Origin hooker Farah to reserve grade and threaten his chances of staying at the club where he has played 247 top grade games. (AFP)

Rugby League: Barba stars as Cronulla Sharks stretch winning streak

Rugby League World Cup chief executive Michael Brown said he has resigned, admitting he &quot;stepped across the line&quot; when he left an angry voicemail for the Penrith Panthers chief. 
 
Brown reportedly left an abusive message for Panthers chief executive Corey Payne after Payne complained his team was snubbed for a World Cup game following Tuesday&#39;s draw for the 2017 tournament. 
 
The recording was reportedly sent to National Rugby League (NRL) executives for review. 
 
&quot;I left a voice message that I&#39;m really disappointed and pissed off and I&#39;m going to go for you and I was going to tell the world about the lies,&quot; Brown told Sydney&#39;s Daily Telegraph newspaper on Friday. 
 
&quot;I didn&#39;t respond like I should have and I&#39;ve got to take responsibility for my action. It&#39;s not the normal way I behave,&quot; the former AFC Asian Cup chief added. 
 
&quot;I stepped across the line. I&#39;ve loved the game and this has made me cry but I&#39;ve made the right decision.&quot; 
 
Australia&#39;s National Rugby League said on Saturday that Brown was stepping down for family reasons, without providing details. 
 
Brown, who also quit his role as chief commercial officer for the NRL, said he was reluctant to move on, especially with the World Cup in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea 15 months away. 
 
&quot;However, the task of taking on two such senior roles, especially away from my hometown of Melbourne, has been particularly stressful,&quot; he said in a statement. 
 
&quot;The World Cup preparations are well advanced and I am very confident the foundations are in place for a successful tournament.&quot; 
 
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and World Cup chairman George Peponis said they understood Brown&#39;s position and had accepted his resignation. 
 
The board of the 2017 World Cup will consider plans to replace Brown, the NRL said. 
 
The World Cup is scheduled to kick off in October 2017. 
 
(AFP)

'I stepped across the line,' Michael Brown said about leaving the abusive voicemail for Panthers chief executive Corey Payne

Rugby League World Cup chief executive Michael Brown said he has resigned, admitting he "stepped across the line" when he left an angry voicemail for the Penrith Panthers chief. Brown reportedly left an abusive message for Panthers chief executive Corey Payne after Payne complained his team was snubbed for a World Cup game following Tuesday's draw for the 2017 tournament. The recording was reportedly sent to National Rugby League (NRL) executives for review. "I left a voice message that I'm really disappointed and pissed off and I'm going to go for you and I was going to tell the world about the lies," Brown told Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper on Friday. "I didn't respond like I should have and I've got to take responsibility for my action. It's not the normal way I behave," the former AFC Asian Cup chief added. "I stepped across the line. I've loved the game and this has made me cry but I've made the right decision." Australia's National Rugby League said on Saturday that Brown was stepping down for family reasons, without providing details. Brown, who also quit his role as chief commercial officer for the NRL, said he was reluctant to move on, especially with the World Cup in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea 15 months away. "However, the task of taking on two such senior roles, especially away from my hometown of Melbourne, has been particularly stressful," he said in a statement. "The World Cup preparations are well advanced and I am very confident the foundations are in place for a successful tournament." NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and World Cup chairman George Peponis said they understood Brown's position and had accepted his resignation. The board of the 2017 World Cup will consider plans to replace Brown, the NRL said. The World Cup is scheduled to kick off in October 2017. (AFP)

Rugby League chief resigns after abusive voicemail

England won their first series win on Australian soil on Saturday produced a sustained and outstanding defensive effort to keep Australia at bay before a late Owen Farrell try clinched a 23-7 win to take the three game series 2-0. 
 
England clung on to a six-point lead for much of the second half and stood firm in the face of relentless Australian attacks, though the Wallabies will face questions after their refusal to take kickable shots at goal with the scores so tight. 
 
It was England&#39;s relentless defence under suffocating pressure that was ultimately decisive as they repelled wave after wave of assaults on their line from a Wallabies side desperate to square the series. 
 
England now leapfrog Australia into second in the world rankings and have set their sights on dethroning world champions All Blacks, who earlier sealed their series over Wales 2-0. 
 
&quot;We want to be the best team in the world and we want to win the series 3-0. If the All Blacks were in this situation now what would they be thinking? You know, if doesn&#39;t mean you cant change the team, they&#39;d be thinking 3-0. So they beat Wales, didn&#39;t they? They&#39;d be thinking 3-0. If we want to be the best team in the world we want to think 3-0. We know Australia will come back, they&#39;re a well coached, driven team so we&#39;re anticipating quite a feisty encounter at Sydney,&quot; England coach Eddie Jones said to journalists. 
 
The series win was a personal triumph for Jones, the former Wallabies mentor who was left heartbroken by Jonny Wilkinson&#39;s last minute drop-goal in the 2003 World Cup final that gave England victory over the hosts in Sydney. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a win for English rugby in total, it&#39;s a win for the fans, it&#39;s a win for the Rugby Football Union (RFU), it&#39;s a win for the supporters. You know, we&#39;re all in this together. It&#39;s a win for the English media, now you got bragging rights over the Australian media,&quot; he said with a grin to the reporters. 
 
Crestfallen Wallabies coach Michael Cheika lamented his side&#39;s failure to find a way through despite their dominance of possession. 
 
&quot;You have to pay credit to England, they played very well. In both games so far they&#39;ve played very smart, you know, and they&#39;ve played in the right areas and they&#39;ve played well at the ruck.They spoiled a lot of good ball for us, lot of balls squeaking out and that&#39;s well done to them, you know what I mean,&quot; said&nbsp;Cheika. 
(Reuters)

England are now second in world rankings and have set their sights on dethroning world champions All Blacks

England won their first series win on Australian soil on Saturday produced a sustained and outstanding defensive effort to keep Australia at bay before a late Owen Farrell try clinched a 23-7 win to take the three game series 2-0. England clung on to a six-point lead for much of the second half and stood firm in the face of relentless Australian attacks, though the Wallabies will face questions after their refusal to take kickable shots at goal with the scores so tight. It was England's relentless defence under suffocating pressure that was ultimately decisive as they repelled wave after wave of assaults on their line from a Wallabies side desperate to square the series. England now leapfrog Australia into second in the world rankings and have set their sights on dethroning world champions All Blacks, who earlier sealed their series over Wales 2-0. "We want to be the best team in the world and we want to win the series 3-0. If the All Blacks were in this situation now what would they be thinking? You know, if doesn't mean you cant change the team, they'd be thinking 3-0. So they beat Wales, didn't they? They'd be thinking 3-0. If we want to be the best team in the world we want to think 3-0. We know Australia will come back, they're a well coached, driven team so we're anticipating quite a feisty encounter at Sydney," England coach Eddie Jones said to journalists. The series win was a personal triumph for Jones, the former Wallabies mentor who was left heartbroken by Jonny Wilkinson's last minute drop-goal in the 2003 World Cup final that gave England victory over the hosts in Sydney. "It's a win for English rugby in total, it's a win for the fans, it's a win for the Rugby Football Union (RFU), it's a win for the supporters. You know, we're all in this together. It's a win for the English media, now you got bragging rights over the Australian media," he said with a grin to the reporters. Crestfallen Wallabies coach Michael Cheika lamented his side's failure to find a way through despite their dominance of possession. "You have to pay credit to England, they played very well. In both games so far they've played very smart, you know, and they've played in the right areas and they've played well at the ruck.They spoiled a lot of good ball for us, lot of balls squeaking out and that's well done to them, you know what I mean," said Cheika. (Reuters)

England beat Wallabies 2-0 and sweep Rugby series

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