Wendell Sailor predicts emotional return to Brisbane for Wayne Bennett
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Wendell Sailor says Wayne Bennett's homecoming to coach against Brisbane Broncos will be packed with emotion - whether the cagey veteran coach admits it or not.
Friday night's historic "Bennett versus the Broncos" clash at Suncorp Stadium is an improbable head-to-head battle 22 years in the making.
It is also refreshingly unlike anything the veteran coach has experienced in his previous 557 first grade games in the coaching box.
Sailor, a Brisbane cult hero from 1993-2001, marked his rugby league comeback against the Broncos at Wollongong in April, 2008.
He also returned "home" to The Cauldron in round 23, 2008, with both matches ending in Dragons wins.
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Lucas' golden opportunity
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Queensland scrum-half Ben Lucas will use the next three weeks to stamp his name on the Reds No9 position and stake a claim for a berth in the Wallabies squad this year.
The 21-year-old has shared the halfback duties with Will Genia in the Super 14 season to date but with the latter suspended for three matches Lucas has been handed an ideal opportunity to cement the place he earned with an impressive rookie year in 2008.
On the mend from a rib cartilage injury, Lucas's recovery has been aided by the two-week break afforded the Reds by a bye and he is poised to play extra minutes in the absence of Genia against the electric Chiefs at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
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Connor ready to "rip in" against Sharks
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The QR Reds irrepressible "fly in a bottle", Blair Connor is buzzing about being picked to start on the wing against the unbeaten Sharks at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
The 20-year old Norths prodigy is unfazed by the prospect of marking Springbok wing JP Pietersen in his just his fourth match, his first in the run-on side.
“(I’m) pretty pumped to be honest. I just want to get out there and rip in,” Connor said.
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Sailor ready to take on classy Storm
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
WENDELL Sailor reckons he would not be losing too much sleep when thinking about the task facing St George Illawarra against Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League season-opener at Olympic Park on Friday night.
It was not because he does not respect the Storm. It was quite the opposite, in fact, and for someone who will be lining up against the 2007 premier at Olympic Park, he is refreshingly open about his admiration for the team and the culture that Craig Bellamy has built in Melbourne. The dual international yesterday said the Storm was one of the best and most exciting teams he has seen in either rugby code. "At the end of the day you can't go to sleep and worry about Melbourne because to be honest they're one of the better sides I've seen in any competition in rugby league or rugby union," Sailor said.
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Leijer debut leads to Norwich victory
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Adrian Leijer’s first match for Norwich City led to a 2-0 win over Cardiff in England's League Championship.
The former Melbourne Victory defender replaced Jason Shackell at half-time when scores were locked at 0-0.
Leijer’s solid performance in defence allowed players up the ground to become free and dominate possession in the second term.
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Tongan tearaway to play for Province
Monday, March 09, 2009
While the well-built Pacific Islander was in the mix during pre-season for the Stormers’ clash with Saracens and started against Boland a week later, he is yet to find his feet and is clearly being given some time to settle in his new Cape surroundings before being thrust in the tough cauldron that is the Super 14.
But Cape rugby lovers don’t despair. The Tongan Sevens star can be seen in action this weekend when he runs out on the left wing for Vodacom Western Province in the Vodacom Cup.
Vodacom WP coach Jerome Paarwater has picked the flyer to face the Mighty Elephants at Newlands on Saturday 7 March. Kick-off is at 3.00pm.
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Junior lauds Force's historic win
Monday, March 09, 2009
If the Western Force have ever had a better win, then Junior Pelesasa cannot think of one.
Short on form, questioned about their unity and still reeling from the loss of one of the best players in the world to the team they were playing, the Force somehow conjured their first ever win on the east coast against the Brumbies.
Three tries from Wallaby Cameron Shepherd were the cutting edge the Force had been lacking, with Richard Brown adding a fourth try to secure a bonus point win in the nation's capital and possibly spark the season for John Mitchell's side
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