Hail hearty colleagues all and welcome aboard the Nutta Express for another Thursday adventure jammed full of fun, frivolity and not too much fact. I trust my missive finds you all healthy, rested and now-recovered from your trials and tribulations of last weekend and ready to rip, tear, ruck and roll into this weeks first round of Super Rugby finals followed by a wee chat about rugby in the less mainstream areas in the weekly ‘Around the campfires…’ segment.
I’ll remind folk this is a volunteer writers site – we do this for pure love believe it or not. As such we always welcome contributions from other rugby-writer wannabe’s (even Christy Doran). You can reach out on the links below or just email me at [email protected] if you have an article and, after suffering the merest of editorial over-view, you can join the illustrious ranks of Yowie, KARL, RAWFy, Brissy et al. So go on, give it a go. I dare ya.
Albury Steamers Ball – one to be at no doubt.
Now if you haven’t, you really should go and check out Brissy and his wrap-up of last weekend HERE, RAWFy and his reflections about both a team of the week and a great wrap-up of the Sevens action HERE and for the lovers of the more left-field, poodle over and check out Yowie and his meanderings on referees and South Africans HERE.
For the record, this weeks banner pic is of the 2006 Molong Magpies who won the NSW Country Central West zone Presidents Cup premiership that year. While I can’t find a final score for grand final against Yeoval for the life of me, there is commentary that the result was decided by a Charlie Sullivan (in pic, front row wearing headgear) drop goal from the cricket-pitch area – meaning it was near-enough to a half-field effort. Fair kick that. The victory was a major milestone for the club, as it officially broke Yeoval’s long-running dominance over the competition. So here’s cheers and beers to those lads.
Ok, enough of the pleasantries and preliminaries. Let’s step into it.
Goondi Emu’s – another jersey I now want.
Super Rugby Finals – Week 1.
For clarity, the Super Rugby Finals format for 2026 features a 3-week, 6-team playoff series. The top-finishing six teams all start with the Qualifying Finals, with the highest-seeded team acting as host, and the action is structured like this:
Week 1: Qualifying Finals
Teams seeded one through six battle it out in the Qualifying Finals as per the fixtures below. The three winners advance directly to the Semi-Finals the next weekend and are joined by the “lucky loser” being the highest-ranked losing team from the Qualifying Finals.
Qualifier 1: 1st Seed vs. 6th Seed
Qualifier 2: 2nd Seed vs. 5th Seed
Qualifier 3: 3rd Seed vs. 4th Seed
Week 2: Semi-Finals
Important Rule Change: The “lucky loser” drops to the 4th seed, meaning they will play away for the rest of the finals and lose all hosting rights.
Semi 1: 1st Seed vs. 4th Seed (the ‘lucky loser’)
Semi 2: 2nd Seed vs. 3rd Seed
Week 3: Grand Final – the two winners from the Semi-Finals with the match is hosted by the highest-ranked. Clear as mud?
Right, now my last comment before reviewing the matches themselves is this: there is always an upset on a weekend like this. There always is. It’s just a matter of which game will it be in? But by its very nature, if I could predict the upset, well it wouldn’t be an upset then would it? In fact, by me even mentioning that there may/could/would/should be an upset undoes all that logic. But that’s ok because my tipping this year has been merde. Christ this is like a scene from Inception now. Whatever. Just understand 100% that I AM NOT tipping the Brumbies to jag an upset.
Now the Sooky LaLa list is HERE and let’s get into it.
I think I like that print.
1st v 6th – Hurricanes v Brumbies at 5pm (Syd) on Friday from ‘The Cake Tin’, Wellington
Clearly the Canes have the wood on the Donkeys in this fixture as by definition it’s first versus sixth. Leaving aside the absolutely stellar season the bumble bees have had up until last weekend, the Wellingtonians have won two of their last three outings against the Canberrans and won six of their last seven finals games at home against all comers. They are in good shape, have a well rounded game and are deserved red-hot favourites against a Donkey team that comes into the weekend having won only two of their last six matches against all comers.
But all that said, the Donkeys have caned the Windy Ones in their last three Finals meetings and have a fully-fit squad on-hand. They are the Canes Finals nemesis and the Canes know it. So if the Actarians can execute and get some pay from their now de jour early-game sojourns into opponents red-zones, this script may not go as expected. But I don’t expect it to.
Look, I’m a Brumby supporter, a Steve Bradbury aficionado and know that every rugby match is a two-horse race. But I’m also a realist. So even with Fehi Fineanganofo on the sidelines, the Canes should cruise this in. But I would be ecstatic to be wrong. So I am absolutely not tipping the Brumbies.
HURRICANES (1-15): Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua, Pasilio Tosi, Caleb Delany, Warner Dearns, Brad Shields, Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-c), Peter Lakai, Cam Roigard, Ruben Love, Kini Naholo, Jordie Barrett (co-c), Billy Proctor, Josh Moorby, Callum Harkin
Replacements: Raymond Tuputupu, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Tyrel Lomax, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Brayden Iose, Ereatara Enari, Jone Rova, Ngane Punivai
BRUMBIES (1-15): James Slipper, Lachlan Lonergan, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Lachlan Shaw, Cadeyrn Neville, Rob Valetini, Luke Reimer, Charlie Cale, Ryan Lonergan, Declan Meredith, Corey Toole, David Feliuai, Hudson Creighton, Andy Muirhead, Tom Wright
Replacements: Billy Pollard, Blake Schoupp, Rhys van Nek, Nick Frost, Rory Scott, Klayton Thorn, Tane Edmed, Ollie Sapsford
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
…all the cracks had gathered to the fray
2nd v 5th – Crusaders v Blues at 2.30pm (Syd) on Saturday from One Stadium, Christchurch
The Blues camp this week would not have been a fun place to be. To say they have dropped their bundle in the last month would be an understatement to make even a Waratahs fan raise an eyebrow. The self-reflective moments going on amongst the Bros and their coaching staff both collectively and in deep, dark personal moments would have been the stuff that academics and self-help writers could build careers on. The Blues are three for their last six, have lost their last three matches straight and after riding high in 3rd spot only a fortnight ago, were lucky to make finals at all given they were likely only one week from falling out of Top6 altogether to a fast-finishing Forcies.
Comparatively, while the Cru are hardly stellar themselves with an injury list that reads like half an All Blacks list and only four wins from their last six outings, those wins are four straight and have all been pretty emphatic and the Cru come at the Blues with a win/loss against the Bros of 23 wins from last 26 meetings, including five of last six meetings. And let’s not forget the Cantabrians happen to have this inconvenient habit of winning the whole damn Super show every second year.
Cru to win. And while it will be physical, it won’t be close.
CRUSADERS (1-15): Finlay Brewis, Codie Taylor, George Bower, Antonio Shalfoon, Jamie Hannah, Ethan Blackadder, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Christian Lio-Willie, Noah Hotham, Taha Kemara, Sevu Reece, David Havili (c), Dallas McLeod, Chay Fihaki, Johnny McNicholl
Replacements: Manumaua Leitu, Jack Sexton, Gus Brown, Tahlor Cahill, Dom Gardiner, Kyle Preston, Rivez Reihana, Braydon Ennor
BLUES (1-15): Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Bradley Slater, Marcel Renata, Patrick Tuipulotu (c), Sam Darry, Torian Barnes, Anton Segner, Malachi Wrampling, Sam Nock, Stephen Perofeta, Caleb Clarke, Pita Ahki, Xavi Taele, AJ Lam, Zarn Sullivan
Replacements: Eli Oudenryn, Mason Tupaea, Flyn Yates, Josh Beehre, Hoskins Sotutu, Finlay Christie, Corey Evans, Payton Spencer
Referee: Nic Berry
Victoria’s Dewars Championship ladder this week
3rd v 4th – Chiefs v Reds at 5pm (Syd) on Saturday from Rugby Park / Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Any rational person should not support the Reds in this match, especially with talent like Lynagh, Uru and Paisami not suiting up. The Chiefs have a pretty fit list, have won eight of their last nine Super matches against all comers, including the demolition of an albeit unfocussed Canes outfit last weekend, all alongside a historical context of winning 10 of their last 12 finals played at Rugby Park. And against the Reds in particular, the Waikatoians have won 10 of their last 13 Super outings and five of their last six played in NZ. And D-Mac is back at the tiller. The Chiefs have this in the bag really.
But all that said, there is something about this Reds team even if they’ve only won four of their last nine Super matches all up. If the Reds lineout can fire, they have the scrum and the guns across the park to match the Chiefs. And my gut tells me the Hamiltonians may have emotionally played their final last weekend.
I’m not rational. I never have been. There has to be an upset somewhere. Go Reds.
CHIEFS (1-15): Ollie Norris, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Sione Ahio, Josh Lord, Tupou Vaa’i, Simon Parker, Luke Jacobson (c), Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, Damian McKenzie, Kyren Taumoefolau, Quinn Tupaea, Kyle Brown, Liam Coombes-Fabling, Isaac Hutchinson
Replacements: Brodie McAlister, Jared Proffit, George Dyer, Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Samipeni Finau, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Josh Jacomb, Leroy Carter
REDS (1-15): Aidan Ross, Josh Nasser, Zane Nonggorr, Josh Canham, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Joe Brial, Fraser McReight (c), Harry Wilson, Tate McDermott, Carter Gordon, Tim Ryan, Filipo Daugunu, Josh Flook, Lachie Anderson, Jock Campbell
Replacements: Matt Faessler, George Blake, Massimo De Lutiis, Hamish Muller, Vaiuta Latu, Kalani Thomas, Ben Volavola, Treyvon Pritchard
Referee: James Doleman
If those results go as I have predicted (and I must note here that my tipping this year is scheiße) that would make next week’s semis finals as Hurricanes v Reds and Crusaders v Chiefs. But we’ll see.
Around the Campfires…
First up this week, I want to give a huge shout out to the Crookwell Dogs who recorded their first win of the 2026 season last weekend by knocking over the Yass Rams, in the ACT Monaro & South Coast zone, miraculously coinciding with their Ladies Day! By all accounts, the match had a bit of everything – disallowed tries, cards, big hits and plenty of drama, but at the end of it all Dogs Supercoach Mick Seaman was simply beaming.
With Harry “Bob” Taylor leading the Dogs onto the paddock for his 70th match for the locals, the tone was duly set and the Dogs went to work building field position and possession dominance through strong set piece and owning the physical battle in the middle of the paddock. This led to an Angus Smith penalty and a Harry Hayes pie, duly sauced, to send the lads to oranges at 10-0 up.
It’s wet, muddy, foggy and cold – let’s have another scrum!
The physicality continued in the second spell with the Dogs’ defence being outstanding, shutting down every Yass attack with their trademark “up, slide and whack” approach. Jarred Croke, Jacko White and Angus Dalglish led the way and the crunching tackles kept Yass on the back foot for the majority of the match. So while the cheese shown to Angus Smith caused some reshuffling, order was restored with two more pies for the Dogs to Jack White and Paddy Lowe, sans sauce, while credit goes to Yass for staying in the fight and clawing back two pies and one sauce to not go home empty handed as they collect themselves for their next hit out against ADFA at Victoria Park, Yass next weekend.
The final score of 20-12 to the Dogs in front of the gathered bevvy of local beauties will be a great restorative to the Dogs faithful as they prepare for their next donk-on against the ever-strong Jindabyne Bush Pigs up in what will surely be a bracing and salubrious Jindy next weekend after the long weekend break.
Points went as 1pt to Paddy Lowe, 2pts to Harry Taylor and 3pts and Players Player to Gus Dalglish. And the ever-important Chicks Pick (on Ladies Day no less) went to Paddy Lowe.
So, who’s a good boy then eh?
Crookwell weather at its finest.
Over in Central West Southern Oilsplus Cup, the Travla Beer Player of the Round went to Blayney Rams Zack Farr who represents one of things that are extremely rare – red diamonds, white peacocks, hens teeth, Shakespeare’s signature and… goal-kicking props. In terms of the latter, Blayney Rams RUFC has had a good one in Zack ‘Sniper’ Farr for many years now, and in last weekend’s donk-on against the hitherto also undefeated Coolah Roos, Farr proved his weight in beer, gold, pies and whatever else as he slotted all three of his conversion attempts and, crucially, a late penalty goal, to nudge the Rams home by two points. His marksmanship keeps Blayney unbeaten in 2026, and now four points clear on top of the Oilsplus Cup ladder.
Go you good thing Zack.
Zack Farr of Blayney Rams – a Shakesperean diamond
Up in Hunter Rugby, the University of Newcastle Seahorses want all and sundry to know of their upcoming ReUNIon weekend – One club. Generations of stories. One big weekend to reconnect.
Alongside this long-weekends catch-up fixtures against Wanderers and Southern Beaches, they are also inviting anyone and everyone with a club connection to join them upstairs at the Crown & Anchor on Friday 12 June as past and present Seahorses come together to celebrate the people, memories and history that make Uni Rugby special. Whether you wore the jersey in the 70s, 90s or even just last season, this night is for you.
Tickets include:
Buffet dinner
Special Q&A with Dr David Hughes AM (#693) — Australian Olympic Team Head Doctor & 1986 4th Grade premiership-winning halfback
Old photo slideshows throughout the night
Dress code is retro Uni Rugby — old jerseys & club colours encouraged, with prizes accordingly
Get on it.
Uni of Newcastle Seahorses reunion – no lies will be told.
Elsewhere, the Nyngan Bogan Bulls Ladies & Men’s teams were both pleased as punch to come away with the chocolates last weekend against Bre/Bourke Barbarians. The Ladies were keen to get back out and make amends for their 15-12 loss to Walgett the previous weekend, and were mightily pleased to do so, putting a good effort out and so coming away with a strong 19-10 win that put a smile all over the dial of Supercoach Bryan “Bubbachino” Perry.
And given the tone as set by the ladies, the men were doubly keen to show their “absolutely brutal” 15-14 win over Walgett the previous weekend was no mere fluke, going to work and churning out a tradesman and methodical 21-0 win that had Supercoach Sarah Pearce praising the physical effort of her players and the way they worked together throughout the contest.
But while results come and go, the heart of rugby lies in the connections made and the special moments it creates. And in that vein, the highlight of the day was noting the father and son combination of Doug and Oscar Holmes playing for the Bulls. Onya lads.
Doug & Oscar Holmes. Father & Son. Turning out for Bogan Bulls
And finally for this week, I’ll give a big call out to Eric ‘Ecca’ Whitton of the Temora Tuskers rugby club in southern NSW who racked up his 250th appearance for the locals last weekend. These are big numbers for any player in any club, but especially so when wearing the small numbers for little one-team clubs as there are no ‘double-ups’ to be garnered by reserve/replacement runs in lower or upper grades as you get in larger regional or city outfits. It’s one weekend per game with a lot of miles travelled for it, across good seasons and bad. For context, in a typical eight team comp with a finals match or two every 2nd year or so, that’s a 17-18 year effort and maybe more pending injuries, kids and life. Full balls to you Ecca. That’s heart & soul stuff.
As for the match itself, despite the disappointment of the Tuskers ultimately going down against the defending premiers the Boorowa Goldies at the Temora Recreation Ground, Temora Supercoach Kris Dunstan was keen to point out the effort was one of their most encouraging performances of the season to date.
Despite facing one of the strongest sides in the competition, Temora matched the Goldies for long periods of the match. And tries to flanker Logan McKinnon, fullback Ryan Jordan and an absolute cracker to winger Connor Hawkesworth kept the locals within touch of the visiting heavyweights by a mere 10 points with 20 minutes to go on the clock, before fading in the last phase of the match as they chased the game.
So, although in the end the scoreboard recorded a 44-19 defeat, there were plenty of positives for the long-suffering Tuskers supporters to take from the match, with the side’s continued improvement evident against the defending premiers. The Tuskers will now enjoy the King’s Birthday long weekend break, but their next clash against the Cootamundra Tricolours will not be far from their minds.
Ecca supervising a ruck.
Righto friends, colleagues and countrymen, you’ve lent me your ears for long enough. It’s the June long weekend in NSW so there’s not much country or lower division club rugby about to be involved in this week. But Shute, Hunter, John Dent etc are all still cracking and the Super will be on Stan. So find a game, get along, get involved, buy a beer and a steak sandwich and solve all the worlds problems from the hillside. It’s good for your mental health.
Say ‘Hi’ to your mum for me.
Play hard. Run straight. Tackle brave.