RUGBY SEVENS – World Rugby’s Sevens Series returns this weekend with 16 teams participating in this year’s Wellington tournament in New Zealand. At Infostrada Sports, we have developed a world ranking for every Olympic sport with rugby sevens no exception before the sport’s inaugural Olympic Games appearance later this year. Fiji currently have a clear lead at the top of our standings while New Zealand have dropped to seventh position since they lost the number one spot to Fiji just under a year ago. The All Blacks Sevens last tournament victory was at the 2015 Wellington Sevens. Continue reading
Tag Archives for New Zealand
ANALYSE THIS: Germany slight favourites at FIFA Women’s World Cup
FOOTBALL – Germany are the favourites for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, but only just, according to a new analysis from Infostrada Sports. The United States are second favourites and there is nearly 50% chance of the winners being one or the other of these two teams. They are, however, most likely to meet each other at the semi-final stage of the competition.
FIVE FAST FACTS: The Rugby Championship Week 6 (4 October 2014)
RUGBY UNION – The following is a preview for this Saturday’s matches in The Rugby Championship. South Africa host New Zealand and Australia travel to Argentina.
FIVE FAST FACTS: The Rugby Championship Week 5 (27 September 2014)
RUGBY UNION – The following is a preview for this Saturday’s matches in The Rugby Championship. South Africa host Australia and New Zealand travel to Argentina.
FIVE FAST FACTS: The Rugby Championship Week 4
RUGBY UNION – Below are Five Fast Facts on Week 4 of the 2014 The Rugby Championship, in which New Zealand host South Africa and Argentina travel to Australia.
INFOGRAPHIC: All Blacks aim for record winning streak
RUGBY UNION – New Zealand are aiming to record an 18th successive victory in Test matches, which would be an unprecedented achievement for a Tier I nation. Our Infographic has the story. Click on the picture to see the full size version.
REVIEW: England snap All Blacks’ unbeaten streak
RUGBY UNION – England recorded a resounding 38-21 victory over world champions New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday, 1 December. The All Blacks had suffered only one Test defeat by a greater margin, their 28-7 defeat at Australia on 28 August 1999. England’s triumph also ended a 20-match unbeaten streak by the All Blacks, a run that had started in September 2011.
PREVIEW: All Blacks aiming for record 17th straight win
RUGBY UNION – New Zealand’s national rugby team will take on Australia in Brisbane this Saturday, looking for their 17th successive Test victory. That would equal the record for a top tier nation held by New Zealand themselves (1965-1969) and South Africa (1997-1988). The world record by any nation is 18 by Lithuania (2006-2010).
PREVIEW: Habana, Jane chase try scoring records
RUGBY UNION – New Zealand have already won The Rugby Championship, but there are still players that are looking for individual honours on the final matchday of this southern hemisphere rugby competition. Bryan Habana and Cory Jane each scored a hat-trick of tries last weekend and are hoping to equal a competition record.
Most tries by players in single Tri Nations/The Rugby Championship season
Most tries by players in Tri Nations/The Rugby Championship match
PREVIEW: All Blacks can clinch Rugby Championship
RUGBY UNION – Matchday 5 of the 2012 The Rugby Championship is upon us and the All Blacks of New Zealand are looking to secure the trophy as they visit Argentina. Elsewhere in South Africa, two unfamiliar fly-halves will square off. Click Read More for key facts on each match.
South Africa – Australia (29 Sep 2012, Pretoria, 17:00 CET)
> The last time the Springboks suffered defeat at the ‘high veldt‘ was when they were beaten 41-39 by Australia in Bloemfontein in 2010, when Kurtley Beale kicked a match-winning penalty goal as time expired.
> Beale will start at fly-half for the first time in his Wallaby career. In 22 previous starts, Beale had never started in another position than fullback.
> The last time a Wallaby fly-half produced points in a Tri Nations/Rugby Championship match was in this season’s opener when Berrick Barnes tallied 14 points.
> Barnes is the leading points scorer in the 2012 Rugby Championship (40 points). No Wallabies player has finished as the leading points scorer in this competition since Matt Burke in 2001.
> South Africa’s all-time leading points scorer in this competition, Morné Steyn (232 points) has been jettisoned in favour of 20-year-old Johan Goosen at fly-half.
> Australia have won seven of their last eight Test matches against South Africa, the lone exception being a 44-31 defeat in Pretoria on 28 August 2010.
> Bryan Habana joins New Zealand’s Israel Dagg on a leading three tries in the 2012 The Rugby Championship.
> In the previous 16 seasons of the Tri Nations, South Africa have finished third on 10 occasions, second on three occasions and first on three occasions.
Argentina – New Zealand (29 Sep 2012, La Plata, 20:00 CET)
> New Zealand can clinch the 2012 The Rugby Championship with a win against Argentina, or a draw in which the All Blacks register at least four tries. Both results would give them an unassailable lead in the table, regardless of the outcome of the other match.
> In the previous 16 Tri Nations seasons, New Zealand have won the trophy on 10 occasions, have been runners-up on four occasions and have finished third twice.
> The All Blacks have won their first four matches in the 2012 The Rugby Championship. On five previous TN/TRC seasons, a team won all of its matches: New Zealand in 1996, 1997, 2003 and 2010 and South Africa in 1998.
> Dan Carter is set to return for the All Blacks. He is the all-time top scorer in international Test rugby (1,318 points) and the leading points scorer in TN/TRC history (495). He can become the first player in the TN/TRC to reach the barrier of 500 points.
> New Zealand have never lost a Test match against Argentina, winning 14 of 15 and drawing against them in a Test match in Argentina in 1985.
> The All Blacks have scored at least one try in each of their last 41 Tri Nations/The Rugby Championship matches, since a tryless 23-18 defeat against Australia in August 2004.
> Richie McCaw has walked out with a victory in 98 of his 110 Test matches. If he wins the final two matches in the 2012 The Rugby Championship he will become the first player to reach 100 Test victories.
> Argentina have scored 30 points in the first half of 2012 TRC matches, only eight fewer than New Zealand’s 38. In the second half, the All Blacks are outscoring the Pumas by 53-16.
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