The News Review:
- Funding cuts hit NZ rugby teams
- Rugby Union News Tigers quick to suspend Ellis
- Dominant All Blacks rebound from rugby World Cup nightmare
- Rugby: McAlister linked with move to Toulon
- Saru names U20 rugby squad for special training
Funding cuts hit NZ rugby teams
Stuff.co.nz New Zealand
The NZRU wants to reduce the budgets of the national teams programme by $1 million which includes spending reductions on the All Blacks assembly costs the Black Ferns national women's team age grade and development programmes the Heartland 15 and the New Zealand Maori programme. Among the changes is the end of the men's competition involving the B sides of the 14 Air NZ Cup provinces. The announcement follows last week's unveiling of an additional funding package to assist the 26 provincial unions. Chief executive Steve Tew said that the NZRU had taken a "deliberately cautious approach" to its 2009 budget with an expectation that economic conditions globally and in New Zealand were likely to worsen further before they start improving.
Rugby Union News Tigers quick to suspend Ellis
Sportbox UK
New Zealander Carter who was making his debut for the French side in the 26-20 victory landed on his head from a height of six feet following Ellis’ challenge. The 26-year-old will miss this weekend’s Premiership match against Newcastle Falcons but still has to face a European Rugby Cup disciplinary committee in Dublin on Friday. “The club accepts Harry’s view that there was no malice and no intent in his actions” said a Leicester statement. “Harry is sorry that the incident happened and he would like to apologise to Dan Carter in respect of the incident.
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Dominant All Blacks rebound from rugby World Cup nightmare
AFP
The All Blacks saw more than 10 players depart for foreign shores after the World Cup but having been given a vote of confidence by NZRU officials coach Graham Henry managed what could have been a traumatic transition to perfection. The New Zealanders won the Tri-Nations and then completed a cleansweep of the four Home Nations on their November tour that also saw them beat Australia for the Bledisloe Cup in Hong Kong. World champions South Africa finished bottom of the Tri-Nations with just two wins from six games. Australia were second behind New Zealand but suffered the ignomy of losing to Wales in the final match of their November tour the sole SANZAR team to suffer a defeat at the hands of a northern hemisphere team.
Rugby: McAlister linked with move to Toulon
New Zealand Herald New Zealand
5 million a season to play for French club Toulon. 5 million a season to play for French club Toulon. Reports out of the UK are linking the midfielder to a lucrative move from Sale to mega-rich French side Toulon. McAlister comes off contract at the end of the season and has reportedly been offered a package worth $1.
Saru names U20 rugby squad for special training
Dispatch Online South Africa
getElementById(“imgGalleryNav”). The preliminary squad will assemble in preparation for the second IRB Junior World Championship next year in Japan. South Africa finished third at the inaugural tournament earlier this year in Wales and the team is seeded top of Pool C for the Japan event. The world cup tournament which brings together the finest international players at U20 level will be played between June 5-21 across four cities with Tokyo Nagoya Osaka and Fukuoka each hosting a pool. The following players were selected at the previous trial matches on October 31 and are to report on January 18 to the High Performance Centre.