With all the different teams playing across the world doing media each day, it can be hard to keep on top of a lot of the stories coming out.
Rugby is filled with them across all levels of the game and whilst most are covered through some form of media, there are others that might have slipped off the radar as the Bledisloe Cup dominates discussions.
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One Percenters looks at everything you might have missed from the past fortnight of Rugby.
All Blacks captain Ardie Savea has thrown his hand up to play for the AU-NZ Invitational team ahead of the 2025 British and Irish Lions Tour.
The team will play for the first time since 1991 at the Adelaide Oval in just over two years' time.
With the Kiwis scheduled to play France at a similar time, Savea has admitted the prospect of playing alongside the Australians is enticing
“It’s something that’s bloody exciting,” Savea said.
“The only time you get to play with other guys in the Barbarians so to get the opportunity to play with some of the Aussie guys against the British and Irish Lions would be pretty special.
“Whether or not I’ll be there, if I’m strong enough I’d like to put my hand up…imagine being alongside Rob Valetini in the back-row, that’d be awesome!”
In the modern game, there has never been a time when stats have been more prosperous and more available to clubs, coaches and fans.
As data continues to develop, look at some of the more exciting and unique stats heading into the third round of the Rugby Championship, courtesy of Opta.
- Australia has beaten the All Blacks in every Test on home soil during a World Cup year since 2003, where the Wallabies ended up defeating them in the semi-final
- The average age of both squads is almost identical, with Australia (28.4) and New Zealand (28.3) the two youngest sides in the Rugby Championship
- New Zealand have an average attacking ruck speed of 2.96 seconds in The Rugby Championship 2023, the quickest of any team in the competition while Australia (3.61s) are the slowest of any team.
- Will Jordan has scored in every game he has played against the Wallabies
- South Africa have won their last six straight Tests against Argentia.
- South Africa have won their last three men’s Tests in a row when playing at home on the day, scoring exactly 17 points in the first halves of each of those three games.
- The Springboks have only won multiple games in a World Cup year in the Rugby Championship/Tri-Nations, achieving it in 2019
Waratahs prop Archer Holz and Reds scrumhalf Kalani Thomas are the latest in a long line of Australian players to sharpen their skills overseas during the Super Rugby Pacific off-season.
Holz will join Brumbies hooker Billy Pollard at La Rochelle, signing a joker deal.
As for Thomas, he will ply his trade for Auckland in the NPC.
Thomas will start in this week's trial against Northland, with Rebels breakout star Vaiolini Ekuasi starting at number eight
Randwick has established itself as one of the teams to beat in the Shute Shield, and when you look through the grades it's easy to see why.
The club is on an incredible 19-game winning streak across all grades, which has included three clean sweeps in the last three weeks on the road, headlined by the Battle of the East against Eastern Suburbs.
Every single grade is in the top six with two rounds remaining, looking to claim the Club Championship for the first time in 20 years against Southern Districts this weekend.
It was great to see former Wallabies and Good, Bad and Rugby Australia hosts Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper giving back to club land over the weekend.
The trio pulled the jersey on for Queanbeyan in a dominant win as part of the 'Win the Day' charity game.
Speaking on the podcast, the trio are eager to bring along a few fellow Wallabies for next year's event, with senator/Wallabies captain David Pocock and George Smith waiting in the wings.
For those heading to clubland to watch some current Wallabies, they are stacked across the park. Reece Hodge will pull on the Manly jersey for the Battle of the Beaches against Warringah whilst Tom Wright and Pete Samu returned for their respective clubs in the John I Dent Cup last week.
