Another interesting week in rugby.
What did you miss on and off the field in the past seven days?
Phipps packing plenty into bye week
Wallabies and Waratahs halfback Nick Phipps won't be taking it easy on or off the field in NSW's bye week.
Phipps is tying the knot next Saturday, marrying long-time partner Ebony Bamford in the south of Sydney.
"It's really exciting. I've been the young one at the club always like having a laugh and a joke around with the older boys getting married," he said.
"It's going to be fantastic, really looking forward to it."
Though it's a lighter week for the Waratahs, Phipps said he wouldn't be asking for any extra days off ahead of the nuptials.
"We made sure it wasn't going to impact any of the training becasue as I said to the boss, that's number one - the boss being the missus," he said.
A bit of push and shove at the end of Friday night's clash with the Lions sent some panic through Ebony as well, the he joked.
Waratahs skipper Michael Hooper and flyhalf Bernard Foley are two of Phipps' groomsmen and both were a tad sore and sorry after the Lions match.
"I saw the 'mitty' on the fence after the game and she might've pointed out that Hoops had blood running down his eye and she said, 'He better fix that up for the photos', she saw Bernard got put to sleep so she was like, 'He better be right for the wedding'," he said.
The pair will delay their honeymoon until the end of the season.
McMahon's new addition
Wallabies flanker Sean McMahon has become a dad, with wife Nia giving birth to son, Mac, this week.
McMahon is currently in Queensland, but will be returning to Japan to link up with Japanese side, Suntory later this month.
The 23-year-old won't be playing for Australia this year, but is yet to close the door on a 2019 Super Rugby return, with changes to the Top League potentially keeping the chance for a World Cup comeback alive.
Cheika visits Nudgee College
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika spent Wednesday afternoon at famous rugby nursery Nudgee College, speaking to both players and coaches.
The chat to the coaches, we hear, was focused on two primary topics.
How to build team culture was at the top of the list but there was also a focus on "selling the dream" to players as they leave school to avoid losing players like star South Sydney Rabbitoh Angus Crichton.
Crichton was a star at Sydney's Scots College and an Australian Schoolboy in 2013 but chose rugby league over the 15 man game when he was reportedly told by the Waratahs that he wouldn't make his Super Rugby debut until he was 23.
Ensuring Australia's best schoolboy talent stays in rugby is essential and Nudgee has a big part to play in that.
Inspiring day @NudgeeCollege @NCActivities with wallabies coach Michael Cheika & 1st XI football dinner pic.twitter.com/BlzpmvliVd
— Peter Fullagar (@NudgeePrincipal) April 18, 2018
Prior to skipper the Force
Force halfback Ian Prior has been announced as the club's captain, ahead of its first World Series match on May 4.
Prior has returned to Australia from England, where he played with London club, Harlequins, on a short-term deal.
The nine played four seasons with the Force before its Super Rugby axing in September last year.
The WA club has also had some fun on social media this week, calling for fans to name a gif of their swan logo dabbing, now dubbed 'U-Swan Bolt'.
The U-Swan Bolt #BeTheForce #SeaOfBlue pic.twitter.com/5rtguYody9
— Western Force (@westernforce) April 13, 2018
They will play their first match against Fiji, on May 4.
Speight's special milestone
Henry Speight receiving his 100th super rugby jersey from his father Sam this morning. Special moment @BrumbiesRugby pic.twitter.com/8ufFzOvGRx
— Laurie Fisher (@LordLaurie58) April 20, 2018
Brumbies winger Henry Speight played his 100th Super Rugby match on Sunday afternoon against the Jaguares, but an extra special prelude to the milestone came on Saturday.
Speight's father Sam was on hand to present his son with his milestone jersey. at the side's captain's run, an extra-special moment for both men.
Korovata continues historic year
Brumbies' Super W player Anna Korovata is adding another spot of history to her CV, recently appointed club captain at the Uni-Norths Owls.
Korovata, who spoke to RUGBY.com.au during the Super W season, is believed to be the first female club captain in Canberra and possibly Australia as well.
Great to see more women making history around the country in rugby.
World Deaf Rugby 7s kicks off
More than 180 players will descend on Sydney this week, to play iin the World Deaf Rugby 7s Championships.
The week-long tournament is the first competition of its kind in Australia since the early 2000s, and the hosts are hot favourites to take out the title.
All matches will be held at the David Phillips Sports Complex at Daceyville in Sydney's south, with Australia's men also playing a Test against Wales on Friday night.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. For more information, click here.
TEAMS
Australian Men’s Deaf Sevens team
Jason Boseley
Damien Boulton
Dave Brighton
Nick Brock
Mathew Cain
Kelly Dobbyn-Dodunski
Joshua Doe
Ronald Franklin
Dale Hynes
David Hoffman
Kyle Howlett
Dave Kearsey
Simote Lauti
Nicholas Marlor
Apenisa Matairavulu
David Page
Anthony Parlour
Jonah Poppe
Alex Readford
Aaron Robertson
Scott Shoesmith
Caleb Transom
Che Williamson
Coach David Hoffman
Australian Women’s Deaf Sevens team
Wing Yin Cheung
Aisha Maria Hitaua
Jamie Howell
Rona Lazo
Haley Martin
Samantha Martin
Oshin Slinn
Lauren Townsend
Beth Weller
Peter Ware
SCHEDULE
Monday April 23; 10am – 6pm
Men’s and women’s Sevens matches
Tuesday April 24, 10am – 4:30pm
Men’s and women’s Sevens matches
Thursday April 26, 10am – 3:30pm
Men’s and women’s Sevens matches
Friday April 27, 5pm – 9pm
Australia vs Wales Test
Super W sportsmanship
The inaugural Super W final was a brutal affair, with neither side shying away from trying to make a physical statement.
Come post-match, though, and it was clear there was a wider sense of appreciation from both Queensland and NSW's women about the event in which they had starred.
Captains Kirby Sefo and Ash Hewson crossed paths between post-match press conferences on Friday and embraced each other, a sign of the goodwill between the sides.
it was a reflection of the respect all the players have for each other and a fitting way to finish a gladatorial afternoon.
