Aussies Abroad: Banks Eats Up the Turf as O'Connor Suffers Heartbreak
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The Northern Hemisphere delivered another grueling weekend of rugby, defined by heavy traffic in the engine room and some clinical finishing out wide from the Aussie expat contingent. From forwards putting on tackling masterclasses in the Top 14 and URC, to the backs eating up the turf in open pasture, our boys across the globe left their mark.
Premiership & Champions Cup
In the English Premiership, Northampton 94 vs 33 Bristol was an absolute shootout, and Josh Kemeny was right in the thick of it. Starting on the blindside, Kemeny crossed the stripe for a well-deserved try and found 38 metres through the contact zone, securing a couple of crucial turnovers before heading to the pine at the 52-minute mark.
During Bath 69 vs 12 Newcastle, it was a tough day at the office for the Falcons, but Fergus Lee-Warner refused to take a backwards step. Operating at the base of the scrum, he put in an 80-minute shift of pure defensive starch, logging 14 tackles and grinding out hard-earned metres against the feed. Teammate Jamie Clark added some stability off the bench, anchoring an 86% success rate on their own scrum during his 30-minute cameo.
In Harlequins 41 vs 24 Exeter, the Chiefs' Aussie contingent worked tirelessly. Tom Hooper was a workhorse on the blindside, completing 13 tackles and dragging defenders for 35 metres. Scott Sio was immovable in the dark arts, securing a 100% success rate on the Exeter feed. Meanwhile, Len Ikitau added some polish to the backline, running a beautiful line to grab 1 try and beat 3 defenders in limited traffic.
Meanwhile, it was a heartbreaking afternoon for Leicester’s Wallaby veteran James O'Connor. After massive anticipation for his start in the 10 jersey, JOC was busy early, knocking over 1 shot at goal, taking 2 carries, and throwing a highly debated flat ball that had the grandstand screaming forward. However, in a cruel twist of fate, his shift was cut desperately short. O'Connor went down with a gutting injury just 12 minutes in, forcing him off the park for Solomone Kata. It’s a bitter pill to swallow for the Tigers faithful, as his absence threatens to disrupt their playmaking axis and backline chemistry right on the eve of the playoffs.
URC & Challenge Cup
The URC saw plenty of Aussie muscle, highlighted by Ulster 22 vs 26 Glasgow. Jack Dempsey was an absolute battering ram for the Warriors, eating up 76 metres from 18 carries to lay a dominant platform. Outside him, Sione Tuipulotu provided a try assist and punched over the advantage line for 44 metres. Off the bench, Sam Talakai tightened the screws at tighthead with a 100% scrum success rate. For Ulster, Angus Bell grabbed important minutes off the pine, tackling efficiently in the loosehead channel.
In Bulls 45 vs 19 Benetton, Louis Lynagh was a lethal strike weapon on the right wing for the Italian outfit. Despite the loss, Lynagh crossed for 2 tries, showing his finishing class when given an inch of space.
Over in Wales during Scarlets 35 vs 35 Dragons, Max Douglas put on a defensive clinic. The lock played the full 80 minutes, bringing immense physicality with 14 tackles and asserting total dominance in the air by securing 8 lineouts won. Archer Holz joined him in the tight five, holding down the tighthead side with a flawless 100% own-scrum rate.
During Munster 24 vs 17 Lions, Michael Ala'alatoa was clinical for the Irish province, anchoring a perfect scrum and notching a try assist while getting his hands dirty in the tight exchanges. In Leinster 68 vs 14 Ospreys, Jack Walsh tried to inject some pace from fullback but was largely starved of clean front-foot ball against a suffocating Leinster defense. Finally, during Edinburgh 5 vs 26 Connacht, Finlay Bealham put in a solid 48-minute foundational shift at tighthead and Mack Hansen looked for work around the park, while Mosese Tuipulotu tried to stem the green tide for Edinburgh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6bBXIsXoLs&pp=ygURVWxzdGVyIHZzIEdsYXNnb3c%3D
Top 14 & Pro D2
The Top 14 was treated to some scintillating Aussie backline play this weekend. In Castres 33 vs 36 Montpellier, Tom Banks was utterly electric from the back. The fullback ate up a staggering 122 metres, broke the line, and recorded 1 try and 1 try assist. Defensively, Tom Staniforth was a brick wall for Castres, logging an incredible 20 tackles in an 80-minute display of pure mongrel. Jordan Uelese also did the dirty work for Montpellier, finding his jumpers efficiently before being subbed.
During Pau 24 vs 19 Clermont, Jack Maddocks orchestrated the backfield masterfully. Maddocks was elusive all afternoon, breaking the line, beating 7 defenders, and grabbing 1 try and 1 assist while carrying for 73 metres. For Clermont, Rob Simmons made a surprising but effective late cameo at openside flanker, nabbing a crucial turnover, while Irae Simone also clocked late minutes in the midfield.
In Bordeaux 37 vs 32 Perpignan, Lachlan Swinton provided the grit for Bordeaux with a mammoth 18 tackles and a line break in a classic enforcer shift. Perpignan’s Aussie playmakers kept them in the hunt, with Jake McIntyre setting the tempo (1 try, 1 assist, 52 metres) and Jordan Petaia providing serious impact off the bench to score 1 try and chew up 51 metres.
In Montauban 25 vs 73 Paris, the Alo-Emile brothers shared the loosehead duties to devastating effect. Moses started the onslaught with a meat pie and solid scrummaging before handing the keys to Paul, who came off the pine to add 10 tackles and close out the rout. Over in Racing 92 43 vs 28 Toulon, Taniela Tupou added massive impact in the second half, locking down a 100% scrum rate and carrying with intent. Rounding out the top flight in La Rochelle 38 vs 10 Toulouse, Tolu Latu put his head in the dark places, securing a 95% lineout success rate and tackling strongly against the league leaders.
Down in the Pro D2 trenches, Ben Tapuai pulled the strings at inside centre in Brive 31 vs 29 Nevers, securing a crucial turnover and steering the ship, while Edward Condon added late starch for Nevers with 8 tackles in a tight loss. In Grenoble 17 vs 39 Colomiers, Cameron Holt worked tirelessly in the row, winning 3 lineouts and making 13 tackles. Zack Holmes kept the scoreboard ticking with 2 conversions in Oyonnax 36 vs 25 Aurillac, and Ryan McCauley won important lineout ball in Valence Romans 21 vs 34 Aix, though he'll be reviewing his discipline after picking up a yellow card.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYtZzKbPWUc&pp=ygUWQ2FzdHJlcyB2cyBNb250cGVsbGllcg%3D%3D
Shoutouts from the Back Paddocks
The North American MLR contingent was out in force. In California Legion 26 vs 36 Chicago Hounds, Billy Meakes played his usual abrasive 80-minute game at centre for California. But the Hounds' Aussie pack was the difference-maker: Charlie Abel, Nathan Den Hoedt, and Maclean Jones all went the full 80, laying a brutal physical platform, while Theo Fourie and Jake Turnbull added key minutes to ensure set-piece dominance.
In Old Glory DC 24 vs 23 New England, Jordan Jackson-Hope and Aidan King brought the physicality for DC, with King putting in a heavy 72-minute shift on the flank. For New England, Mitch Wilson went the distance on the wing, supported by back-rower Bailey Wilson and an Ollie Aylmer bench cameo. Meanwhile, in Seattle 57 vs 21 Anthem RC, Baden Godfrey tried to inject late energy from the back of the scrum.
Over in the English Champ during Worcester 35 vs 29 Chinnor, Tim Anstee showed his pedigree with a crucial try in an 80-minute blindside shift, while Hugh Bokenham added solid impact off the bench.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zdKrhJF3-4
This Week’s Aussie Barbarians XV
(Only players eligible for Wallabies are on team, if I have done my research right this week)
- Scott Sio (Exeter)
- Tolu Latu (La Rochelle)
- Archer Holz (Scarlets)
- Tom Staniforth (Castres)
- Max Douglas (Scarlets)
- Josh Kemeny (Northampton)
- Lachlan Swinton (Bordeaux)
- Fergus Lee-Warner (Newcastle)
- James O'Connor (Leicester)
- Jake McIntyre (Perpignan)
- Jack Maddocks (Pau)
- Ben Tapuai (Brive)
- Len Ikitau (Exeter)
- Jordan Petaia (Perpignan)
- Tom Banks (Montpellier)
Replacements: 16. Jordan Uelese (Montpellier), 17. Moses Alo-Emile (Paris), 18. Taniela Tupou (Racing 92), 19. Nathan Den Hoedt (Chicago Hounds), 20. Tim Anstee (Worcester), 21. Zack Holmes (Oyonnax), 22. Jack Walsh (Ospreys), 23. Billy Meakes (California Legion).Anstee (Worcester), 21. Zack Holmes (Oyonnax), 22. Jack Maddocks (Pau), 23. Ben Tapuai (Brive).
Aussies Playing Overseas Last Weekend
(This includes everyone, it's a woulda-coulda-shoulda, so some wouldn't be eligible for Wallabies Selection, but this isn't a Wallabies list)
Loosehead Props: Jamie Clark, Scott Sio, Angus Bell, Moses Alo-Emile, Paul Alo-Emile, Jake Turnbull.
Hookers: Jordan Uelese, Tolu Latu, Theo Fourie.
Tighthead Props: Sam Talakai, Finlay Bealham, Archer Holz, Michael Ala'alatoa, Taniela Tupou, Charlie Abel.
Locks: Max Douglas, Tom Staniforth, Lachlan Swinton, Cameron Holt, Ryan McCauley, Nathan Den Hoedt, Ollie Aylmer.
Blindside Flankers: Josh Kemeny, Tom Hooper, Tim Anstee, Bailey Wilson.
Openside Flankers: Rob Simmons, Maclean Jones, Aidan King.
Number 8s: Fergus Lee-Warner, Jack Dempsey, Edward Condon, Baden Godfrey, Hugh Bokenham.
Scrum-halves: None tracked.
Fly-halves: Jake McIntyre, Zack Holmes, James O'Connor
Inside Centres: Len Ikitau, Sione Tuipulotu, Irae Simone, Ben Tapuai, Billy Meakes, Jordan Jackson-Hope.
Outside Centres: Jordan Petaia.
Wings: Louis Lynagh, Mitch Wilson, Mack Hansen.
Fullbacks: Jack Walsh, Jack Maddocks, Tom Banks.