Rugby Teams - Clarifying Names of Rugby Union Teams

All Blacks - The New Zealand Test Team - very good, very scary.
Barbarians - The title of a team made up of specially invited players that often plays against Test sides on tour in the northern hemisphere. The Barbarians team, also called the BaaBaas, usually includes the best players from numerous countries.
Black Ferns - The New Zealand Women's Rugby Union Team.
Blues - The Super 14 team from Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. Their full name is the Auckland Blues.
Brumbies - The Australian Capital Territories team from Canberra, Australia, known as the ACT Brumbies. They are a part of the Super 14 competition.
Bulls - The Super 14 team based in Pretoria, South Africa. Their full name is the Northern Bulls.
Cats - The Super 14 team based in Johannesburg, South Africa. They are known as the Golden Cats.
Cheetahs - The Super 14 team from South Africa. They are known as the Free State Cheetahs. They are based in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Chiefs - The Super 14 team that hails from the Waikato region on the North Island of New Zealand, their full name is the Waikato Chiefs.
Crusaders - The Super 14 team from the Canterbury region, South Island of New Zealand. They are based in Christchurch and are known as the Canterbury Crusaders.
Highlanders - The Super 14 team from the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. They are based in Dunedin and are known as the Otago Highlanders.
Hurricanes - The Super 14 team based in Wellington, New Zealand. The full title of the team is the Wellington Hurricanes.
Lions - The 'British and Irish Lions' rugby union side comprises a pick of the best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Rugby union circles refer to these four international Rugby Unions collectively as the "Home Nations" and therefore sometimes refer to the Lions team as a "Home Nations" team.
Los Pumas is also the traditional nickname of the Argentina national rugby union team.
Pumas - are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup
tournament.
Reds - The Super 14 team whose full name is the Queensland Reds.
Sharks - The Super 14 team based in Durban, South Africa. The team used to be known as the Natal Sharks or Coastal Sharks.
Springboks - The South African Rugby Union Test Team.
Stormers - The Super 14 team based in Capr Town, South Africa. Their full name is the Western Stormers.
Wallabies - The Australian Rugby Union Test Team.
Wallaroos - The Australian Women's Rugby Union Team.
Waratahs - The New South Wales Super 14 team. Their full name is the New South Wales Waratahs.
W.Force - Western Force (referred to as Emirates Western Force for sponsorship reasons) is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super 14 competition.

All Blacks Haka - or not!

The New Zealand All Blacks heralded a 45-10 win against Wales at Millenium Stadium on 25th November. The Welsh crowd were not treated to the traditional pre-match haka from their visitors after a row with the Welsh Rugby Union resulted in the New Zealand All Blacks performing the routine in their changing room.

Scoring five tries to one in conditions that were soft, the All Blacks posted a record number of points, although not a record margin in Wales. The Welsh threat to take the game to New Zealand foundered on an inability to pierce solid All Blacks defence, and the lack of solidity at the set pieces. Sitiveni Sivivatu's hat-trick against Wales leaves him ranked favourably among All Blacks rugby's greatest tryscorers.

The first points of the game came from a try by All Blacks second five eighth Luke McAlister after a break by wing Rico Gear started an All Black roll of play. There were three converted penalties by Dan Carter, then after 26 minutes Wales put their first points on the board with a penalty conversion. After 33 minutes of play Sivivatu was rewarded with his first try another coming just before half-time making the score 28 - 3 to the All Blacks at half-time.

The second half points started with a penalty conversion by Dan Carter. Fifteen minutes into the half Richie McCaw was sin-binned for allegedly killing the ball at a ruck, following an early warning. While Richie McCaw was off the field Wales flanker Martyn Williams crossed the line for a try. It was converted by James Hook. The All Blacks replied straight after that with another Sivivatu try that was converted by replacement first five eighth, Nick Evans. About six minutes from full-time the All Blacks were awarded a penalty try which was also converted by Evans giving an All Black win of 45 points to 10.

Scorers 45 (Sitiveni Sivivatu 3, Luke McAlister, tries; penalty try; Daniel Carter 2 con, 4 pen; Nick Evans 2 con) Wales 10 (Martyn Williams try; James Hook con; Stephen Jones pen). HT: 28-3.