The News Review:
- Clubs power through the whiff of politics
- Rugby: Europe move could be career killer
- Rugby union round-up: Merhtens gives Quins a shot | Sport | The…
- Wentzel gets his Tigers stripes
- Sunk by Bath
- A Sting In The Tale?
Clubs power through the whiff of politics
Guardian Unlimited – Apr 29, 2007
The Premiership has had its Bristol surprise at the top its yo-yoing mid-table clubs and a return to a proper dogfight at the bottom. No Leeds this year doomed before Christmas. This one has gone to the wire with a Heineken Cup semi-finalist – a former champion of the continent no less – going from the prospect of an all-England European grand final at Twickenham to the drop all in the space of six days. Northampton have every right to enter a period of post-traumatic gloom. At the other end Wasps will go to the Heineken Cup final with it exclusively on their minds. No play-off distractions for them. Leicester’s minds will be buzzing with the magnitude of what may yet be theirs… This one has gone to the wire with a Heineken Cup semi-finalist – a former champion of the continent no less – going from the prospect of an all-England European grand final at Twickenham to the drop all in the space of six days. Northampton have every right to enter a period of post-traumatic gloom. At the other end Wasps will go to the Heineken Cup final with it exclusively on their minds. No play-off distractions for them. Leicester’s minds will be buzzing with the magnitude of what may yet be theirs. The EDF Energy Cup is already in the cabinet. The Heineken Cup awaits.
Rugby: Europe move could be career killer
New Zealand Herald – Apr 29, 2007
The European clubs though can’t be so lenient as they need a signature before June. A recent report by French weekly sports newspaper Midi Olympique suggested Toulouse had already signed McAlister on a two-year deal. But McAlister’s father Charlie dismissed those claims and the Herald on Sunday has learnt that McAlister is also in negotiations with 2006 Heineken Cup champions Munster. Toulouse have the bigger budget and are understood to have put ’400000 ($735000) on the table in their efforts to find a quality replacement for French first-five Frederic Michalak who is joining the Sharks after the World Cup. Munster are just as determined to sign a high-profile All Black following the departure of Christian Cullen and the southern Irish province are willing to break the bank to do it. Because of his relatively young age marketability and considerable talent McAlister can command top dollar even if his All Black career is in its infancy. That value though could rise dramatically in the next few years if he fulfils his potential and as is expected the game in Europe is flooded with more cash as a consequence of either a breakaway competition or a massively expanded Heineken Cup.
Rugby union round-up: Merhtens gives Quins a shot | Sport | The…
The Observer – Apr 29, 2007
There was seventh place up for grabs as well and with it the chance to qualify theoretically for the Heineken Cup should the authorities manage to engineer English participation in Europe next season and Bath not win the Challenge Cup final in three weeks’ time thereby taking the final spot. Not exactly a show-stopping piece of theatre certainly but it would have been important enough to Harlequins and Newcastle who were playing for that reward. Harlequins started the day in seventh and they were the ones who finished there. Their opponents Sale in theory could also have made it to seventh with a big enough win but they fielded a young side at the sold-out Stoop and it quickly became apparent that they were not going to threaten the calculators. In the end they went down 49-0 and Andrew Mehrtens and Andre Vos were able to say goodbye to the Stoop in some style.
Wentzel gets his Tigers stripes
Planet Rugby – Apr 29, 2007
The 27-year-old who has played in the Heineken Cup for the last three seasons with Italian side Benetton Treviso has also played for Boland Cavaliers Cheetahs and Pumas in South Africa’s Currie Cup competition in recent years. Wentzel started his provincial career with the SWD Eagles in birth city of George moved to the Pumas in 2000 and played his first Super (12) Rugby game for the Bulls in 2001. He again played Super rugby for the Bulls in 2002 and earned his two Springbok Test caps on South Africa’s year-end tour to Europe. He moved to the Cheetahs in 2003 played for the Cats that year and joined the Cavaliers in 2006. At 200cm and weighing in at 110kg Wentzel is seen as a line-out specialist who can play at lock or blindside flank.
Sunk by Bath
ic Newcastle.co.uk – Apr 29, 2007
In a moment of madness the day’s work was summed up to perfection. Industry invention then a mistake. Not exactly how John Fletcher had envisaged his men ending the season especially as at the start of the day there was the slimmest of chances of Heineken Cup qualification. As it turned out even a win would have not elicited seventh place as Harlequins smashed under-strength Sale to secure that spot. After the game Fletcher said he had never seen such a devastated dressing room and that reveals a lot about this side’s ambition. Next season his task will be to match performance and results with such lofty aspirations.
A Sting In The Tale?
sportnetwork.net – Apr 29, 2007
A win for us guaranteed a home draw. A bonus-point win (and Gloucester failing to match that five point haul at ‘home’ to Bristol) meant we could still claim top spot in the league and justify my going to Twickenham three times in one season. Oh and at the other end of the table there was an interesting battle involving Stains and Wuss to see who’d be playing in the Heineken Cup next season. To the loser the spoils. OfficialsThe Premiership was forced into a rethink when Lawrence Dallaglio wasn’t named in Wasps 22. The original referee Tony Spreadbury deemed himself unqualified to officiate without Lol’s assistance and bowed out. Wayne Barnes took up the mantle and both sides prepared themselves for a novel interpretation of the laws of the game.