AFTER BEING FORCED to sit out last year’s Champions Cup final in Bilbao, it’s hard to fathom how Leinster can go into their St James’ Park showdown against Saracens without James Lowe in their team. 

The Kiwi winger has missed out on several big days since joining the province at the start of last season owing to the restrictive ‘non-European player’ ruling, but the defending champions can surely ill-afford to leave him out again on 11 May.

Lowe scored Leinster’s opening try against Toulouse. Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Jamison Gibson-Park’s hamstring injury meant the door opened for Lowe against Toulouse and in his first European appearance since December, more than took his chance on the left wing.

Lowe’s first-half try, as he showed incredible power and dexterity to finish in the far corner after a superb team move, improved his prolific try-scoring record to 20 in 27 appearances for the province.

There was also a second score chalked off shortly after but Lowe’s overall contribution to the semi-final victory over the Top 14 leaders extended far beyond his try, with the 26-year-old bringing huge energy and endeavour to the occasion.

Nine breaks over 56 metres and five defenders beaten barely scratches the surface, with Lowe once again demonstrating his capacity to produce big moments on the big stage, but also cause the opposition defence untold problems.

See his quick restart in the first half, or the barnstorming carry shortly after the interval, when he broke through three separate tackles, making hard-earned yards for his side, fighting for each and every inch. 

While Adam Byrne is desperately unlucky to now miss the rest of the season having started each of Leinster’s previous four Champions Cup outings before last weekend and Dave Kearney also enjoying an excellent run of form, Lowe’s presence on the wing adds a whole new attacking dimension to Leo Cullen’s side.

And in a European final against a defence as well-drilled and doughty as Saracens’ rearguard system, Lowe could very well be the weapon Leinster need to make the difference in Newcastle in three weekends’ time.

“He’s such a handful, I’ve said it before,” John Fogarty says. “He is such a handful.

“The play leading up to his try was excellent from the team, but the finish was equally excellent. I’m not sure who else could have scored that try. He’s so much energy on that wing. He put his hand up for sure.”

Surely he has done more than that? 

Before Sunday, Lowe had endured a deeply frustrating couple of months having picked up a red card, and subsequent two-week ban, against Munster and then a shoulder niggle during the Six Nations. 

A DOUBLE FROM lock Vaea Fifita kept the Wellington Hurricanes in touch with the Super Rugby top table when they beat the Auckland Blues 37-27 in the Cake Tin this morning..

Fifita scored the only tries in the second half as the Hurricanes produced a 20-point burst to come from behind to snatch a crucial win.

All Black hooker Dane Coles, returning as captain to Super Rugby after the June internationals against Wales, described the Titanic battle as “like another Test match”.

The Blues set the early pace and by early in the second half they were up 27-17 before the Hurricanes bounced back with Fifita’s tries and a faultless kicking display by Beauden Barrett who finished with 17 points.

Source: SANZAAR/YouTube

“We were guilty in that first half of just playing attack and no defence and in that second half we turned our defence around and got some intent,” Coles said.

The Hurricanes remain third in the New Zealand conference but move to within one point of the Canterbury Crusaders and two behind the Waikato Chiefs.

For the Blues, however, their season is all but over with captain James Parsons blaming a rash of penalties for allowing Barrett to spark the Hurricanes revival.

The game opened up during a rollicking 13 minutes in the first half which produced five tries, three to the Blues and two to the Hurricanes. Japanese international Male Sa’u set the game alight when he broke through the Hurricanes defensive wall to put Kara Pryor in for the opening try.

Reggie Goodes levelled for the Hurricanes only for the Blues to immediately regain the lead with the first of Jerome Kaino’s brace. Coles replied for the ‘Canes only for Kaino to again break the deadlock when he burst from a ruck to gallop 40 metres to the line.

As both sides tightened their defences there was no scoring for the remaining 17 minutes of the half but after a Francis penalty extended the Blues lead to 27-17 early in the second spell the Hurricanes began to claw their way back into the contest.

Two Barrett penalties narrowed the gap to 24-23 before TJ Perenara put Fifita over for his first try to put the Hurricanes in front.

The big lock sealed the outcome with his second try running on to a long pass from Willis Halaholo with nine minutes remaining.

Earlier this morning, the Waratahs romped to a nine-try win over the Sunwolves with scrum-half Matt Lucas and wing Reece Robinson getting two apiece on the way to a 12 – 57 win in Tokyo.

Source: SANZAAR/YouTube

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

WASPS HAVE SEALED the services of South Africa full-back Willie le Roux, who will complete his Premiership switch after fulfilling his commitments with Canon Eagles.

Le Roux, who has 37 caps to his name, was previously playing Super Rugby with the Sharks before joining the Japan-based Eagles.

He was also nominated for the 2014 world player of the year award and will join a club who have already brought in Kurtley Beale, Kyle Eastmond and Danny Cipriani.

“I’m really excited about the move to Wasps and I’m really looking forward to playing in the Aviva Premiership,” the 26-year-old told the club’s official website.

“The recent World Cup in England really hit home just how passionate the fans there are about rugby and in weighing up the move, the recent successes Wasps have experienced, the way they play the game and the facilities they have at the Ricoh Arena were big factors in my decision.”

Wasps finished third last season and have not won the Premiership title since 2008.

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

PETER O’MAHONY HAD a useful diagram drawn for him about two months after he ruptured the ACL in his right knee during Ireland’s 2015 World Cup campaign.

The Cork man was taking his usual ultra-positive approach to the rehabilitation and targeting a return to play as early as possible, but the medical expertise helped him to understand that the journey back wasn’t always going to be smooth.

O’Mahony was at the Pro12 launch on Tuesday. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

“I had a good diagram drawn for me,” says O’Mahony, “and it just goes in cycles and ebbs and flows. It’s just trying to get through the little low points and drive it on when you’re going well.

“It was a good diagram to have drawn because it’s not always an upward graph. Even though you’re going in the right direction all the time, sometimes you might just feel sore for a week and you feel like you’ve lost a week’s training or a week’s rehab or a week off the deadline but you haven’t; it’s just the way it is.”

The worst is over for O’Mahony now, with the back row having been involved in contact training during Munster’s pre-season. He was also part of Ireland’s three-day training camp at Carton House from last Sunday onwards.

O’Mahony cannot clarify yet exactly when the southern province’s fans will see him back in the pitch for the first time since May of 2015, but it’s close now.

Still only 26, O’Mahony’s body has felt the brunt of professional rugby, with both of his shoulders having been operated on in 2014.

The concern is that the explosive, elastic and mobile athlete that the Cork man was when first bursting through with Munster and Ireland has been altered somehow by this run of injuries.

The Cork man has done contact training with Munster. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

“It’s not a worry; it’s probably a fact,” says O’Mahony. “It’s tough but it’s part and parcel of it.

“I have been unbelievably lucky so far. I have mid-30s in terms of Irish caps already [he has 35]. I’ve probably missed out on a few but that’s part of it; you can’t expect – unless your Jamie [Heaslip] who is up there with robustness.

MUNSTER HOOKER NIALL Scannell says he is looking forward to being part of Munster’s ‘smashing’ squad again this weekend under the watch of defence coach Jacques Nienaber.

As part of the South African’s defensive plan for Munster, the squad have been given permission to tear into the tackle with a real freedom, and Scannell is enjoying the challenge.

Scarlets were first to taste Munster’s new-found ferocity, and on Friday night Cardiff Blues are next up at Musgrave Park.

After working with Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus for the last couple of months, Scannell now knows why South African-coached players tackle with a smile on their faces.

“There’s nothing hugely different technically to what we were doing last year but I suppose it’s just that there’s so much energy and enthusiasm, and it’s rewarding if you’re getting off that line and trying to put shots on guys,” said Scannell.

“I think that’s something you will have seen from other teams in the league with a South African coaching influence in the last few years.

“I can kind of see why they love smashing us so much now because Jacques really brings that excitement to it and that reward for getting off the line and making your hits.

“So technically not a huge amount, more the approach he’s brought to it. It’s different and exciting for us at the moment.”

This week was difficult for Scannell and his Munster teammates following the announcement of Johnny Holland’s forced retirement. Scannell says the loss of his Cork colleague is a tough one to take for everyone involved in the squad.

Niall Scannell speaking to the media at UL earlier this week. Source: James Crombie/INPHO

“Personally for me, it was probably a bit more emotional. I came through the academy with Johnny. I’ve known Johnny since we were 16 or 17.

“You know, it hits home a lot when it’s a guy that you’re quite close to since that age. He has been a consummate professional, always done what he is supposed to do; the right things around nutrition, training, work ethic and even his attitude to rehab.

“I was there the night it [the injury] happened against Nottingham and I never had seen Johnny go down like that so I knew it was serious.

“When you’ve gone through all the ups and downs with a player over the years, it’s tough. I just want to wish him the best of luck with whatever he does next. I know he’ll be fine.”

Not a popular choice for some, but Gatland brings experience to Lions roleWarren Gatland officially confirmed as the 2017 Lions head coach

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY (NZR) boss Steve Tew is facing calls to resign over off-field scandals that have damaged the sport’s reputation in the home of the All Blacks.

Pundits turned on Tew after an embarrassing U-turn over a teenage star who escaped conviction for viciously assaulting four people including two women.

After initially backing Losi Filipo, rugby chiefs eventually backed down and terminated his contract Tuesday following a wave of public outrage.

It came just weeks after NZR faced criticism from women’s groups over its handling of sexual assault allegations made by a stripper against Waikato Chiefs players.

“Rugby’s image is in the gutter, and Steve Tew (has) proved hopelessly incapable of lifting it out,” New Zealand Herald columnist Chris Rattue wrote.

He said New Zealand Rugby, for all its on-field success with the World Cup-winning All Blacks, needed an administrative shake-up starting with Tew’s departure.

“The Filipo and Chiefs strippergate cases have exposed a heartless attitude towards those who are victims of player misbehaviour and/or violence,” Rattue wrote.

RadioLive commentator Duncan Garner agreed, saying Tew’s reaction to the scandals appeared defensive and “locked in a time-warp from the 1960s”.

“His continued defence of the indefensible should see him red-carded from rugby union headquarters,” he wrote.

“NZR keeps saying they will not tolerate poor behaviour by players, but those are weasel words — their actions back none of this up.”

Filipo, 18, launched an unprovoked attack on four people in central Wellington last year, stamping on the head of one victim, who was unable to work for eight months.

He dodged conviction because a judge said he did not want to derail his career, with the NZR initially saying the matter had been dealt with sufficiently by the courts.

New Zealand Rugby CEO Steve Tew. Source: YouTube

Tew accepted mistakes were made by NZR and said officials had failed to look into the seriousness of the allegations against Filipo.

He similarly conceded “we could do better” earlier this month, when NZR was accused of brushing aside a stripper’s allegations she was abused at a Chiefs end-of-season party.

“Clearly this is not a good time for us, but I’d ask everyone to remember there’s a lot of good stuff going on in our sport,” Tew told TVNZ on Wednesday.

He told Radio NZ that 150,000 young people played rugby every weekend across New Zealand and it was inevitable some would get into trouble.

Matthew Hooton, a columnist for the respected National Business Review, said Tew should not minimise Filipo’s offence.

“Losi Filipo didn’t ‘make a mistake’ Steve Tew,” he tweeted. “He viciously assaulted four people.”

 – AFP 2016

Contract running out, but Kirchner unsure if he must follow Pienaar out of IrelandInjury setback for Ulster and Ireland as Stuart McCloskey sidelined

IRELAND HAVE BEEN handed a tough draw for the World Rugby Sevens Series tournament in London next month, as Anthony Eddy’s side bid to replicate last year’s exploits at Twickenham. 

As the invitational team, Ireland — who secured a place as a core team on the World Rugby Sevens Series 2020 last weekend — have been paired with hosts England, New Zealand and Scotland in Pool C. 

Eddy’s side created history at the tournament in 2018 when they advanced through to a first-ever World Series semi-final, before beating England to secure a memorable third-place finish. 

Victory at the Hong Kong 7s qualifying tournament earlier this month means Ireland will become one of the 15 core teams contesting the 10-round world series next year.

The London 7s takes place on the weekend of 25/26 May. 

Click Here: South Korea soccer tracksuit

PETER O’MAHONY and Ciara Griffin have been handed Munster Player of the Year awards, while Donal Lenihan has been inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame.

All smiles at the 2019 Munster Rugby Awards. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

The awards were distributed at the annual Munster Rugby Awards at the University Concert Hall in Limerick.

There were 11 awards in total with O’Mahony picking up the Men’s Player of the Year gong ahead of Tadhg Beirne and Joey Carbery, after an impressive campaign.

O’Mahony has made 16 starts for the club so far this season and was instrumental in the province’s run to the Champions Cup semi-final against Saracens at the weekend, as well as the Final Series of the Guinness Pro 14.

The flanker played every minute of Ireland’s 2019 Six Nations campaign and has also been nominated for the EPCR European Player of the Year award.

Meanwhile, Griffin has been named as the Women’s Player of the Year for Munster. The Kerry native made her Munster senior debut in 2012 and captained Ireland during this year’s Six Nations championship.

Donal Lenihan is in the Munster Hall of Fame. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

Munster legend Donal Lenihan has been inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame. During his career, he made over 50 appearances for the province.

At international level, he earned 52 caps for Ireland and won two Triple Crowns and three Five Nations Championships throughout his career from 1981 to 1992.

He also captained Ireland on 17 occasions.  

Other categories announced at Munster’s 2018/19 awards ceremony:

TOMMY BOWE IS a very, very busy man.

So busy, in fact, that he can’t even bring himself to consider adding some coaching strings to his… eh, bow, for a £2 million salary!

Over the past few years, Ulster have pulled out some interesting stops to promote their season ticket sales, but Jacob Stockdale impersonating CEO Jonny Petrie is the pinnacle of the genre.

Though the young wing can barely stop himself roaring laughing, he manages to maintain an even Scottish accent – or so we thought – during his call to Bowe and when forced into a second job offer to Ireland’s second-most prolific try-scorer, he draws an exceptional excuse from the Monaghan man.

“I’m busier than ever at the minute between the television, my clothes and shoes and stuff.”