Welsh unchanged for Sydney

Updated June 21, 2012 15:23:42

Wales will field an unchanged starting team to pursue a keenly-sought consolation victory in the third rugby union Test against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday.

The only change to the squad named on Thursday was on the bench, where hooker Ken Owens came in for Richard Hibbard.

With the Wallabies having already clinched the series after wins in Brisbane and Melbourne, Six Nations champions Wales still have plenty of pride at stake at Sydney Football Stadium.

The last-gasp 25-23 second Test loss was the sixth straight loss Wales has suffered against the Wallabies and their 10th in a row on Australian soil.

"We know what we have to do to beat Australia, but there is a difference between knowing how to win and achieving that aim," said Wales caretaker coach Rob Howley.

"This Wales team was within around 30 seconds of beating the Wallabies on their home patch for the first time in 43 years (in the second Test in Melbourne).

"The challenge now is to go one better than that and make sure we are ahead on the scoreboard, not just when the hooter goes, but when the game finishes this weekend.

"The players can take some credit for the way they played for the large part of the match on Saturday, but that will be scant consolation if we don't come home with a win in this series.

"We have risen to our highest position (fourth) in the IRB World rankings because of our performances so far this season, which can have positive repercussions for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

"But now we want to stay there and that means coming away with the spoils on Saturday afternoon."

Wales squad:

Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Ashley Beck, George North, Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips, Ryan Jones, Sam Warburton (c), Dan Lydiate, Alun Wyn Jones, Bradley Davies, Adam Jones, Matthew Rees, Gethin Jenkins

Reserves: Ken Owens, Paul James, Luke Charteris, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb, James Hook, Scott Williams

AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted June 21, 2012 14:22:05

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Football legends farewelled in Sydney funerals

Updated June 24, 2011 14:51:00

Hundreds of mourners have gathered on Sydney's northern beaches to farewell rugby league and rugby union dual international Rex Mossop.

The service for Mossop, known to many as the Moose, was held at St Matthews Anglican Church in Manly.

Mossop died in a Sydney hospital a week ago after long suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

He was 83.

The combative forward played eight tests for the Wallabies while a member of the Manly rugby union club between 1948 and 1951.

He then switched to rugby league, playing for the Manly Sea Eagles and earning nine caps with the Kangaroos before his retirement in 1963.

Mossop followed his playing days with a long and successful career as a commentator, working for Channels 7 and 10 from the 1970s through to 1990.

His former commentating partner Ferris Ashton says Mossop was one of the best.

"I think he brought sports broadcasting, particularly rugby league, right up to the front. I think he was hard to beat. He was a terrific bloke," Mr Ashton said.

Tributes are also being paid to Mossop's former Wallabies team mate, David Brockhoff.

Brockhoff, also 83, died last weekend.

The pair helped the Wallabies to victory in the 1949 Bledisloe Cup, the first time Australia had won on New Zealand soil.

Brockhoff went on to also coach the Wallabies during the 1970s.

A funeral service will be held at the University of Sydney later this afternoon.

Tags: sport, rugby-league, rugby-union, australia, nsw, manly-2095, the-university-of-sydney-2006

First posted June 24, 2011 14:31:00

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Sydney v NSW Country Preview

Posted June 10, 2011 17:06:00
Updated June 10, 2011 17:36:00

One of the most anticipated matches of the 2011 NSW rugby season is upon us with the June long weekend marking the traditional Sydney-NSW Country clash at Coogee Oval.

It's the first time these sides will go into battle since 1995 and Sydney will go into the match as favourites, fielding some of the best players from across the Shute Shield.

Eleven clubs will be represented throughout the 22-man squad, however no Sydney University players are on show for the hosts, while NSW Country has brought in the services of a number of premiership players who have their roots in the bush.

Australian Sevens star John Grant joins West Harbour flyer Henry Seavula in the backline, while the scrum-base pairing of Mick Snowden (Eastwood) and Toby Browne (Randwick) will look to launch the attack.

Norths locks Ben Matwijow and Rory Walton will sure up the Country pack where these matches are traditionally won and lost.

The curtain raiser is a women's fixture which will kick-off at 1:10pm (not televised), before the main game at 3:10pm.

Join the ABC Grandstand commentary team of Peter Longman, Brett Papworth, John Morrison, Stephanie Brantz and Louise Ransome as they bring you all the action live from Coogee Oval in NSW and the ACT at 3pm on Saturday June 11 on ABC 1. Interstate viewers can catch-up on every minute on ABC iView.

Sydney

15. Tyler Stevens (Parramatta); 14. Dion Berryman (Gordon), 13. Henari Veratau (Northern Suburbs), 12. Tim Bennetts (Eastwood), 11. Dylan Smouha (Warringah); 10. Dave Harvey (Gordon), 9. Dewet Roos (Southern Districts); 8. Talalelei Gray (Eastern Suburbs), 7. Sam Latunipulu (Southern Districts), 6. Mitch Greenway (Gordon); 5. Phil Mathers [c] (Eastern Suburbs), 4. Tom Alexander (Eastwood); 3. Rob McMickan (Eastern Suburbs), 2. John Fonokalafi (Randwick), 1. Simon Norris (Eastwood).

Reserves: 16. Elvis Levi (Penrith), 17. Barry Fa'amuasili (Eastwood), 18. Richard Aho (Penrith), 19. Cadeyrn Neville (Manly), 20. Seilala Lam (Randwick), 21. Jeremy Su'a (West Harbour), 22. Maurice Kennedy (Warringah), 23. Anton Lavin (Eastern Suburbs).

NSW Country

15. John Grant (Eastwood/Central West); 14. Henry Seavula (West Harbour/Southern Inland), 13. Shaimus Lautimi (Hamilton/Newcastle Hunter), 12. Sam Stewart (Lennox Head/Far North Coast), 11. Chris Jack (Avondale/Illawarra); 10. Toby Browne (Randwick/Central West), 9. Mick Snowden (Eastwood/Central North); 8. Lachlan Brown (Walcha/Central North), 7. Alex Burnheim (Coonamble/Western Plains), 6. Jeff Wilson [c] (Lennox Head/Far North Coast); 5. Ben Matwijow (Northern Suburbs/Newcastle Hunter), 4. Rory Walton (Northern Suburbs/Mid North Coast); 3. Shannon Beavan (Kariong/Central Coast), 2. Anthony Allport (Woonona Shamrocks/Illawarra), 1. James Smith (Northern Suburbs/Illawarra).

Reserves: 16. John Adams (Moree/Central North), 17. Chris Plunkett (Bathurst/Central West), 18. Matt Dun (Newcastle University/Newcastle Hunter), 19. Josh Stewart (Tamworth Pirates/Central North), 20. Tom Hollis (Bathurst/Central West), 21. Ben Damen (Wollongbar Alstonville/Far North Coast), 22. Jay Strachan (Merewether-Carlton/Newcastle Hunter), 23. Matt Liddle (Lennox Head/Far North Coast).

Referee: James Leckie.

SYDNEY WOMEN v NSW COUNTRY WOMEN 1:10pm kick-off (not televised)

Sydney: 15. Kelly Ducker (Sydney University); 14. Clare Illsley (Rockdale), 13. Lakeisha Tipene (Rockdale), 12. Sarah Jean (Sydney University), 11. Hayley Tipene (Rockdale); 10. Tui Ormsby (Warringah), 9. Faryaneh Hayati (Sydney University); 8. Danni Cormican (Sydney University), 7. Temahia Parker (Rockdale), 6. Michelle Bailey (Sydney University); 5. Haruka Takahashi (Sydney University), 4. Elisha Single (Sydney University); 3. Tuaine Ina Mata (Sydney University), 2. Victoria Meki (Merrylands), 1. Lilin Tay (Warringah).

Reserves: 16. Janelle Shepherd (Penrith), 17. Kim McKenzie (Waverley), 18. Annie Crichton (Penrith), 19. Natalie Maclarn (Warringah), 20. Iliseva Batibasaga (Sydney University), 21. Tika Yeend (Rockdale), 22. Beatriz Muhlbauer (Sydney University), 23. Marjorie O'Neill (Sydney University).

NSW Country: 15. Erin Green (Newcastle University); 14. Lauren Denniss (Newcastle University), 13. Candice Clay (Newcastle Wanderers), 12. Sarah Riordan (Newcastle University), 11. Emma Gillogly (Armidale); 10. Vanessa Foliaki (Orange Emus), 9. Renee Cross (Newcastle University); 8. Megan Shanahan (Orange Emus), 7. Dayle Clampitt (Newcastle University), 6. Angela Hipwell (Moree); 5. Cassy van Rythoven (Newcastle University), 4. Ali Simon (Warialda); 3. Kimberley Fyfe (CSU Bathurst), 2. Margaret Watson (Newcastle University), 1. Tammy Clay (Newcastle Wanderers).

Reserves: 16. Karissa MacGregor (Hamilton), 17. Charmaine Buckley (Grenfell), 18. Katrina Sager (Newcastle Wanderers), 19. Miranda Falk (Newcastle University), 20. Ashley Adams (CSU Bathurst), 21. Steve-Lee Shiels (Newcastle University), 22. Jessica Scadding (CSU Bathurst), 23. Lauren Diduszko (Orange Emus).

Referee: Dale Harding.

Tags: sport, rugby-union, nsw-club-rugby, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

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