The heat again falls on Karl Bryson to run the Manawatu ship at the national sevens tournament at Queenstown this weekend.

The All Blacks' dramatic win in the Rugby World Cup has made them strong contenders to be nominated for team of the year.

Gordon Tietjens is demanding some mongrel comes back into the New Zealand Sevens team as they look to get their world series campaign back on track.

RUGBY - GEORGE HEAGNEY - © Fairfax NZ News

The Manawatu Turbos have again been overlooked by the Hurricanes after no Turbos were named in the franchise's wider training squad for next year, which was named on Friday.

Even if Feilding's Kelvin Tantrum had very long arms, there still wouldn't be room for all of his coaching credentials to be tattooed on them.

Manawatu's Asaeli Tikoirotuma will be rubbing shoulders with Sonny Bill Williams when it comes to midfield positions in the Chiefs next year.

OPINION: Eden Park might have been the only piece of turf on earth on which the All Blacks would have beaten France in last night's World Cup final.

© Fairfax NZ News

Former Canterbury player and current Canterbury Colts coach Craig Philpott is after the Hawke's Bay job made vacant by this week's axing of Peter Russell.

There is a coaching life after rugby for a former Turbos halfback.

Manawatu's under-16 team lost the first game of its Hurricanes tournament to Wellington at New Plymouth yesterday.

OPINION: When a year ago Dave Rennie predicted the All Blacks would need Aaron Cruden at the World Cup, many of us wondered about it.

PETER LAMPP - © Fairfax NZ News

The Pumas yesterday claimed the All Blacks were the sum of all of their players and would not be put off their stride without Daniel Carter.

The table-topping Southern Scorpions had too much sting for the Central Vipers, winning their premier national rugby league match 38-10 at Tikorangi, North Taranaki, yesterday afternoon.

A bloodied captain Felipe Contepomi says his Argentinian players will have to recover from the knocks and bruises inflicted by the Georgians before thinking about the All Blacks and their quarterfinal next Sunday.

While rugby takes centre stage around the country, Manawatu Turbos captain Nick Crosswell is just enjoying time off.

Prop Gene Ropoama has been a mainstay of the unbeaten Manawatu under-20 team and coach Potene Paewai hopes he stays that way.

After 20 years of refereeing, leading Manawatu referee Chris Rooney might have hung up his boots but his whistle will remain within reach.

The Rugby World Cup teams from Argentina and Georgia should be the firm favourites with the Manawatu public next week.

An incident at the end of the Manawatu club final has seen Te Kawau player Vili Dakunimata suspended for 10 weeks.

Over-exuberant Manawatu rugby fans caused problems for police at the ITM Cup final in Palmerston North, with some arrested for disorder and alcohol-related offences.