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Rugby

Crusaders without Richie McCaw until April

Home playoff key target of season

LIAM NAPIER - © Fairfax NZ News

Richie McCaw could miss the first five rounds of this year's Super Rugby competition.

How Nic Henderson turned tragedy into success

STATHI PAXINOS - © Fairfax NZ News

There is a point on the Olympic Highway near Gerogery in southern NSW that Nic Henderson avoided for a decade.

Hopes fans hit the couch for Super Rugby season

DUNCAN JOHNSTONE - © Fairfax NZ News

Rugby bosses hope they can reverse a declining trend in TV viewership for Super Rugby matches on the back of NZ's World Cup success.

South African whinges will get them nowhere

GREG GROWDEN

OPINION: The Super Rugby season is about to start, and - shock, horror - the South African provinces are having an almighty whinge.

Richie McCaw puts pen to panties

'Luckily they were red'

Desperate for an autograph and with nothing for him to sign, Pahiatua mum Toni Andersen asked All Blacks captain Richie McCaw to put his name on her knickers.

Otago Rugby Union slashing wage bill by 400K

The Otago Rugby Football Union hopes to alleviate financial concerns by cutting about $400,000 off its player wage bill this year.

Microscope on Super Rugby tackle - again

Promise of less talk, more action

RICHARD KNOWLER - © Fairfax NZ News

Sanzar referees are once again promising to hammer teams that refuse to clear up the problematic tackled-ball area.

Question mark over France-Ireland date

France and Ireland's postponed Six Nations match will not take place this weekend, tournament organisers said.

Super franchises in battle for hearts and minds

RICHARD KNOWLER - © Fairfax NZ News

OPINION: It is not just rugby's dancing girls who are dusting off their pom-poms.

Lachie Turner to miss six months of Super Rugby

The Waratahs have confirmed strike weapon Lachie Turner will likely miss the entire Super Rugby season after tearing his hamstring off the bone.

Tough call ends Kiwis' winning run in Vegas

MARC HINTON IN LAS VEGAS - © Fairfax NZ News

Just a few kilometres away on the Strip, it's the luck of the cards you need to go your way. Here at the Las Vegas sevens, it's the referee's shuffling of the deck that makes all the difference.

Conrad Smith's body still a work in progress

TOBY ROBSON - © Fairfax NZ News

Conrad Smith says his body remains a work in progress, but that his mind has never been more focused.

Melbourne Rebels excited for big guns' arrival

MELISSA WOODS - AAP

All the talk ahead of the Melbourne Rebels' second Super Rugby season can be summed up in five words; James O'Connor and Kurtley Beale.

Faingaa ready to tackle 2012 with Reds

Reds tackle machine Anthony Faingaa will on Thursday make a timely comeback from shoulder surgery brought upon by his defensive hunger.

Turner, Mitchell likely to miss Waratahs' opener

GREG GROWDEN - (Live Matches)

The Waratahs are in danger of being without their two Wallabies wingers - Lachie Turner and Drew Mitchell - for their opening Super Rugby match.

Pat Lam still mum on Piri Weepu's Blues role

'It's whatever we think is best for the team'

CHRIS BARCLAY - © Fairfax NZ News

Blues coach Pat Lam must put on his thinking cap heading into their final Super Rugby warmup against the Highlanders.

New Hurricanes prop tested by best in business

GEORGE HEAGNEY - © Fairfax NZ News

It doesn't get much tougher than learning your trade against an All Black front row as new Hurricanes prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen did on Saturday.

New Zealand lose Las Vegas final to Samoa

Halai, King missed by Tietjens' men

MARC HINTON - © Fairfax NZ News

New Zealand’s luck ran out in Sin City as injuries and a committed Samoa saw their sevens streak come to a halt.

South Africans agitated about Super future

DUNCAN JOHNSTONE - © Fairfax NZ News

South Africa's five Super Rugby franchises are turning up the heat on expanding the competition to 16 teams next year, clearly worried about their own futures.

Jonah Lomu seeking new kidney donor

Jonah Lomu confirms he needs a new kidney and has lost 30kg in his latest health struggles.

Wales outclass Scotland 27-13 in Cardiff

JUSTIN PALMER - Reuters

Wales overcame a sluggish start to crush an error-prone and ill-disciplined Scotland 27-13 and make it two from two in the Six Nations.

Mission accomplished: one down for Crusaders

RICHARD KNOWLER - © Fairfax NZ News

Robbie Fruean was the only casualty during the Crusaders' 19-8 victory over the Hurricanes in their hit-and-run mission on Saturday.

Mackintosh working hard for start of season

NATHAN BURDON - © Fairfax NZ News

Highlanders and Stags skipper Jamie Mackintosh hopes to be fit in time for the Super rugby season opener against the Chiefs.

Uncertainty over Smith's start for Hurricanes

TOBY ROBSON - © Fairfax NZ News

The curious case of Conrad Smith continues with the Hurricanes captain not planning to take the field for his side's final warmup match.

Chiefs still have work to be done despite win

EVAN PEGDEN - © Fairfax NZ News

The Chiefs will revisit their breakdown work after being heavily penalised despite a 38-36 pre-season trial victory over the Highlanders.

NZ Sevens team through to semi in Las Vegas

NZ sevens skipper DJ Forbes was looking on the positive side of a tough but successful day at the office for his team in Sin City.

Piri Weepu stakes his claim for Blues No 10

Ownership of the Blues' No 10 jersey is still a three-horse race after Piri Weepu staked his claim on debut for his new team.

Piri Weepu stakes his claim for Blues No 10

Ownership of the Blues' No 10 jersey is still a three-horse race, publicly at least, after Piri Weepu staked his claim when debuting for his new Super 15 team.

Rudi Wulf eyes Rokocoko's spot with Blues

DAVID LONG - © Fairfax NZ News

Blues wing Rudi Wulf wants to take over Josevata Rokocoko's role during his second stint with the franchise.

Blues' Faumuina up for tighthead challenge

DAVID LONG - © Fairfax NZ News

Blues prop Charlie Faumuina has some big shoes to fill in the front row of the scrum this season.

Blues preparing for Highlanders challenge

Blues coach Pat Lam was pleased with his side's win over Melbourne but wants to take it up a notch for Friday's Highlanders match.

Crusaders signal their intent

The setting was unusual for Super Rugby even if the result was no surprise as the Crusaders beat the Hurricanes 19-8 in a preseason match yesterday.

France v Ireland postponed due to frozen pitch

Today's Six Nations encounter between France and Ireland was called off because of a frozen pitch, 10 minutes after the game had been due to kickoff.

Highlanders import makes his mark

NATHAN BURDON IN QUEENSTOWN - © Fairfax NZ News

Phil Burleigh faced one of the faster rugby turnarounds this past week.

Attitude key as Rennie gives wrinklies the boot

LIAM NAPIER - © Fairfax NZ News

With a sharpened scalpel, the Chiefs have undergone a much-needed facelift.

England fight back to edge Italy in Six Nations

Holders England needed Owen Farrell's assured boot and Charlie Hodgson's opportunism to survive a Six Nations fright and beat Italy 19-15.

Strong finish sees Blues outlast Melbourne Rebels

MELISSA WOODS - AAP

A last qaurter flurry has seen the Blues take a 31-21 win oer the Melbourne Rebels in their Super Rugby trial match.

Queensland get 2012 season underway with win

JIM MORTON - AAP

Super Rugby champions Queensland kicked off their 2012 campaign with a 27-20 trial victory over the Brumbies.

Chiefs take narrow victory over Highlanders

The Chiefs have beaten the Highlanders 38-36 in typically perfect Central Otago conditions.

Cooper says tactics contributed to his poor RWC

GREG STUTCHBURY - Reuters

Australia's conservative tactics may have contributed to his disappointing display at last year's rugby World Cup, Quade Cooper has said.

Crusaders beat Hurricanes in annual warm-up

The Crusaders have beaten the Hurricanes 19-8 in the annual pre-season match played in a Mangatainoka farmer's paddock.

Italy look to shock England in Six Nations

Despite never having beaten England and having lost heavily in its Six Nations opener against France last week, Italy heads into tomorrow's match against the defending champion believing it can produce a major upset.

Nerves or not, Chiefs' Tex has set his goals

New Chiefs outside back Asaeli Tikoirotuma admits he is nervous about his step up to Super Rugby.

Kurt Baker keen to play full Super season

Kurt Baker hopes to repay some of the faith the Highlanders have shown in him.

UK league coach searches for Crusaders' secret

Copping a hiding from Kurt Sorensen was one memory Brian Noble failed to shake when he joined the Crusaders this week.

Wyatt Crockett working to shed specialist tag

Prop Wyatt Crockett has buried an early-season dart into Steve Hansen's hide.

Canes have much to gain against Crusaders

It's not quite a job interview, but there is little doubt the Hurricanes' every move will go under the microscope when they play the Crusaders.

Rebels look to lift for Blues in Super trial

The steep learning curve may have hit a speed bump last week but rookie Melbourne Rebels coach Damien Hill feels his men are on track for an improved performance in their second Super Rugby trial game.

Quade Cooper's fixed-up knee gets early test

Quade Cooper will officially test his reconstructed knee for the first time on Saturday - but a desperate airport dash has already seen the Wallabies playmaker take a significant leap forward on the comeback trail.

John Kirwan interested in Ulster coaching job

John Kirwan has expressed interest in the Ulster job as the Irish club hunts for a new coach.

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