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Today
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15:05
British & Irish Lions

WATCH: Lions belt out Welsh hymn after receiving traditional Maori welcome

The British and Irish Lions are welcomed to Auckland

The British and Irish Lions were welcomed to New Zealand in style on Wednesday and came up with a fine way to show their appreciation.

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Upon arriving at Auckland International Airport, Warren Gatland’s side received a powhiri – a traditional Maori welcome ceremony.

In response, the Lions opted to belt out ‘Calon Lan’ – a stirring hymn often heard ahead of Wales Test matches – with hooker Ken Owens leading the way.

Judging by a subsequent tweet sent by full-back Leigh Halfpenny, the Lions had been practicing. Either way, it all added up to a wonderful spectacle.

https://twitter.com/lionsofficial/status/869725757727223808

 

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Comments on RugbyPass

D
DH 2 minutes ago
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu suffers new injury setback

That's twice he has tried to run at forwards and got his butt kicked. This isn't school boy rugby anymore. Give the ball to the forwards to take up and manage your runners outside of you. Ask Pollard for advice on how, if you don't understand

1 Go to comments
N
NB 35 minutes ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Pure fantasy JW.

170 Go to comments
N
NB 36 minutes ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Yes that comment bewildered me too! The Rand in bad shape.

170 Go to comments
N
NB 37 minutes ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

“I think if you asked me that question maybe three years ago or when I first left Australia, I had so much, I suppose, animosity or professional anger inside of me just because I felt like maybe my talent really wasn’t looked after in Australia.


“But to be honest now I feel like I am where I’m supposed to be, like here in Scotland. And I feel like all those things that happened early in my career were meant to happen because now I’m sitting here talking to you guys in the position that I am.”

From the horse's mouth. It's a better rugby destination.

170 Go to comments
N
NB 40 minutes ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That's a bit of a "NZ" only problem, because those players need to reach such a high standard to be chosen by the All Blacks, were as a country like Ireland wants them a lot earlier like that.

Nah. Ireland had to put in a lot of work on guys like JGP and Lowey to get them to the standard expected. There were areas of their game that were sub-par when they first came over from NZ.

170 Go to comments
N
NB 42 minutes ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

They don't go for money, but for lifestyle, and NZ uses PI's a resource like everyone else. They don't belong to you.

170 Go to comments
N
NB 44 minutes ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Well I'm happy for it to go on until it naturally stops tbh.

Who on earth fo you think you represent JW?🤣

170 Go to comments
N
NB 45 minutes ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

James Lowe is a great example. He may have some Irish ancestors, but he was born, raised, and developed in NZ, and for all intents and purposes is a Kiwi. However, when he was ignored by selectors, he moved to Ireland and only had to wait 5 years before he could play for a different nation. If thats not ridiculous, I don't know what is.

On very thin ice there. I can still recall Frank Bunce , Alama Ieremia, Tuigamala and the Bachops playing for both PI's and NZ in their Test careers! They were interchangeable.


Most guys at this level now are multi-qualified.


And much of Lowe's development as a player occurred at Leinster, so why wouldn't Ireland profit from it?

170 Go to comments
N
NB 51 minutes ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

One of OJohn's Kiwi coaching 'moles'!

170 Go to comments
N
NB 53 minutes ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Stop talking nonsense JW.

170 Go to comments
N
NB 55 minutes ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

👍

170 Go to comments
N
NB 56 minutes ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Thanks G, read your illuminatin post above!

170 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Excellent comment G.

170 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 2 hours ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

500k registered players in SA are scoolgoers and 90% of them don't go on to senior club rugby. SA is fed by having hundreds upon hundreds of schools that play rugby - school rugby is an institution of note in SA - but as I say for the vast majority when they leave school that's it.

170 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 2 hours ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

There is a continued murmur in local circles about reciprocal bi annual tours between SA and Argentine. Whether it's full blooded test tours or development tours or a mixture - ie touring with a "test" 20 and a development 20 the cream of which will be used in tests. We actually really enjoy playing the Argies and I believe they enjoy playing us. It goes back seventy years to the Junior Bok tours to Argentine involving Isaac van Heerden.

170 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 2 hours ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

About 500K of those are schoolboys 90% of which will not go on to play club rugby.

170 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 2 hours ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Exactly. Shoo would that it was so easy to develop competitions.

170 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 2 hours ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

SA wealthy? Compared to which countries. The economy is in tatters unemployment is at record low numbers and you think SA has money to spend on rugby development -0 and remember the SARU was technically bankrupt and was only saved by the COVID tour of the B&I Lions. No Sa doesn't have spare cash lying round for rugby development and given the resources SARU is doing just fine.

170 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 2 hours ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

South African domestic rugby is in great shape. Four top tier franchises fed by a series of competitions ranging from national schools competitions through Varsity Cup to Currie Cup and then to top four franchises is a model Australia would do well to follow. SA should never have more than four top domestic teams.

170 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 2 hours ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That might be the best spin off from SA's involvement north of the line.

170 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'Springbok Galacticos can't go it alone for trophy-hunting Sharks' 'Springbok Galacticos can't go it alone for trophy-hunting Sharks'
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