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Tom Vinicombe

Tom Vinicombe is Southern Hemisphere features editor for RugbyPass. Tom has travelled the world covering rugby and lived in Europe, Asia and Oceania.

New Sunwolves signings show exactly why SANZAAR won't be making a U-turn

SANZAAR should feel no obligation to grant the Sunwolves a lifeline given how they've treated Super Rugby in the past, but even if…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
26 Nov 2019, 20:08

How a schoolboy representative, an old stalwart and an All Black in waiting make the Chiefs squad the pick of the bunch

The Chiefs have done well to secure a few key signatures for 2020 – players who could well push on to stake a claim for higher h…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
26 Nov 2019, 15:58

Richard Kahui has no regrets but 'it would be nice to play even just one more Test'

Calling time on an international career when you’ve still got plenty of rugby left in you is a tough decision to make, but it's …

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
23 Nov 2019, 22:43

Rumoured French tour to Japan should worry All Blacks and Wallabies fans but might spark good news for Pacific Islands

If rumours out of France are anything to go by, then New Zealand and Australia could be in for underwhelming Test schedules in 202…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
21 Nov 2019, 16:32

Prospective All Blacks coaches aren't shunning New Zealand - they're just taking safer options

Warren Gatland, Dave Rennie, Jamie Joseph and, by extension, Tony Brown, have all ruled themselves out of becoming the next All Bl…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
20 Nov 2019, 21:23

List of Chiefs players' careers curtailed by concussion grows

It's becoming an alarmingly regular occurrence now for Chiefs players to find their playing time cut short due to concussion.

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
20 Nov 2019, 18:08

Rassie Erasmus was on the cusp of quitting as Springboks coach after a run of average results

South Africa's inspirational coach may not have been on board to lead the Springboks to their third-ever World Cup win if results …

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
05 Nov 2019, 0:14

NZR's unicorn blood solution to the Chiefs coaching conundrum

It was widely considered an excellent signing when Warren Gatland was announced as the Chiefs coach for the next four years, but h…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
04 Nov 2019, 23:07

Scotland lock in Tests against new Rugby World Cup champions

The 2019 Test season may have ended on a dour note for Scotland, but 2020 is promising to be a big year for Gregor Townsend's side…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
03 Nov 2019, 3:13

New Zealand player ratings vs Wales

Conjecture in the lead up to the bronze play-off match was that the game was unwanted, but there was still plenty to cheer through…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
01 Nov 2019, 7:04

The strange reason why Siya Kolisi was made Springboks captain

Siya Kolisi's appointment as captain of the Springboks has been widely considered one of the best decisions of coach Rassie Erasmu…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
01 Nov 2019, 1:21

Waratahs to spread the love in 2020

One of Super Rugby's growing issues is that stadiums in Australia and New Zealand are often awash of empty seats on match day. The…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
31 Oct 2019, 22:48

Cheslin Kolbe returns for South Africa for Rugby World Cup final

Rassie Erasmus had made one change to the Springboks match-day squad for their Rugby World Cup final with England.

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
30 Oct 2019, 20:18

Steve Hansen quietens down the rumours: 'Thanks, Eddie. I'm not actually coming to Japan to coach that team'

Following Saturday's match between England and New Zealand, Eddie Jones made a few comments about Steve Hansen's future. It turns …

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
30 Oct 2019, 3:32

South Africa left out in the cold for developing 2020 mid-year schedule

The latest 2020 July fixture rumours could spell bad news for South Africa, with the top four European sides all having fairly pac…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
29 Oct 2019, 3:42

Expect a Ben Smith swansong on Friday with All Blacks primed to make changes

Steve Hansen as good as confirmed that we shouldn't expect to see the same All Blacks team trotted out against Wales that waged wa…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
28 Oct 2019, 23:34

The act abolished in the seventies that could prevent another semi-final snore-fest

One for the purists', a 'test of attrition', a 'classic slog'. There are many charitable ways to describe Sunday's RWC semi-final …

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
28 Oct 2019, 22:24

Can anyone stop England from scooping the player of the year award?

Next week, rugby royalty from across the globe will gather to see, amongst other awards, who has won the World Rugby Player of the…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
28 Oct 2019, 2:35

The scariest thing about this English side? Three of their best performers won't peak until the next World Cup - at the earliest

Maro Itoje, Sam Underhill and Tom Curry, three of England's best, were also the three youngest players in their 23 and will be ter…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
27 Oct 2019, 4:10

New Zealand sorely missed the unpredictability of one of the game's most elusive players

A fit Damian McKenzie would have given the All Blacks a threatening ball-runner from the backfield and also allowed the nation's m…

Tom Vinicombe
Tom Vinicombe
27 Oct 2019, 0:52
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