These are your rugby headlines on Saturday, August 27.
Wallabies stun Springboks
Australia have stunned world champions South Africa with a 25-17 victory in the third round of the Rugby Championship.
The Wallabies ran in three tries in Adelaide, with Fraser McReight scoring in the opening two minutes after the home team won the ball back straight from the kick-off.
Australia led 10-3 at the break and began to pull away in the second-half. Marika Koroibete crossed in the 48th minute, leaving Handre Pollard for dead with a swivel of the hips after some lovely work from the Wallabies backline.
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McReight crossed for his second within the hour before a Noah Lolesio penalty made the score 25-3.
The Springboks did muster an energetic finish to add respectability to the scoreline as Kwagga Smith crossed twice in the final five minutes to make it an eight-point game.
It was South Africa's second consecutive defeat after the loss to the All Blacks in round two, while Australia bounced back from the 48-17 humiliation in Argentina in some style.
Cattigan's parents call for independent inquiry
The parents of late Scotland rugby player Siobhan Cattigan have called for an independent inquiry into the circumstances of their daughter's death and renewed their criticism of the Scottish Rugby Union.
Cattigan passed away last year at the age of 26, with parents Neil and Morven Cattigan believing she did not get the adequate care following injuries to her brain. They believe these injuries led her to “the point where she could no longer live with the pain in her head and Siobhan succumbed to an irrational thought and impulsive action”.
Speaking two weeks ago, Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson said he saw no need for an external inquiry. But Neil and Morven are adamant that is the best course of action.
“We cannot understand why the SRU are resisting an independent inquiry into the circumstances leading up to Siobhan’s death,” they said. “We believe this is the best way for the facts to emerge.
“We are firm in our belief that Siobhan was not given the support and assistance she required in the aftermath of injuries she suffered both during training and rugby games. We also feel that the SRU has been callous and uncaring in its treatment of our family since Siobhan’s death. They have attempted to erase Siobhan from history, our beautiful, precious child.
“If this is taken to court, then, as we have stated before, any settlement will go into a foundation in Siobhan’s memory. Our hope is that the SRU will concentrate on embedding positive changes in the wake of Siobhan’s death — and start showing compassion and dignity to respect her memory and our grief. An independent inquiry would be a good place to start.”
Dragons beaten by Bristol
The Dragons went down 28-45 against Bristol Bears in a lively pre-season friendly at Rodney Parade.
A high-scoring affair saw the visitors run away with it late in the second half after trailing 21-19 at the break.
The home side were forced into a late change just before the match, with back row Ross Moriarty pulling out of the matchday squad, with his partner about to give birth.
The Wales star was originally named on the bench with the game pencilled in as his comeback-from-injury date. That will now have to wait. He was replaced by Ben Moa who took his place among the replacements.
And it was a clinical start from the away team; fly-half Callum Sheedy kicked for the corner in the third minute and a powerful five-metre drive saw hooker Bryan Byrne crash over the whitewash. Sheedy converted.
But the hosts hit back soon after, with Angus O'Brien racing underneath the posts after good work from JJ Hanrahan. The creator added the extras.
John Hawkins was then sent to the bin for a 10-minute rest for going off his feet before the Dragons took the lead for the first time on the night. Ollie Griffiths powered over and Hanrahan once again converted.
Sean Lonsdale was the next to get in on the action, with the former Exeter Chiefs man breaking through Bristol's defence to touch down. Hanrahan slotted from wide left to convert.
The visitors were the next on the scoresheet, with Joe Jenkins stepping his man to cross the line. Sheedy did the honours, with the scores close at 21-19 at the turnaround.
It was the home side who came out of the blocks quickest in the second period. Bradley Roberts crowned his first appearance with a try and Hanrahan extended the hosts' lead.
Wales international Ioan Lloyd was introduced to the fray just before the hour mark and he made an immediate impact, and Bristol were next to add to their points tally. A catch and drive from five metres out saw Will Capon crash over to reduce the deficit and make it a four-point game with 20 minutes left on the clock.
A lively encounter showed no sign of tailing off with both teams going at it and with six minutes left Harry Randall sniped in on the blindside to snatch the lead. And a brace of tries from Henry Purdy in the final throes of the game gave the scoreline a bit more of a shine.
Rennie on Kerr-Barlow switch
Wallabies rugby coach Dave Rennie has entered the player eligibility debate, pouring cold water over former All Black Tawera Kerr-Barlow featuring for Australia.
Kerr-Barlow said earlier this week he would love to play for the Wallabies now that World Rugby have changed the eligibility rules. But Rennie says he wants to stay loyal to the players he already has
"Obviously he's born in Australia, he's a former All Black, but with the change of rules makes him eligible and he's a helluva player," Rennie said ahead of his side's Rugby Championship clash with South Africa on Saturday.
"At the moment we'll be loyal to the guys we've got, it's probably our strongest position to be fair, we've got three excellent nines here (Nic White, Tate McDermott and Jake Gordon) and Ryan Lonergan in behind that."
Only a horror run of injuries could possibly change things, Rennie added.
"I had a conversation with him maybe four, five, six months ago, where he rung up just to say that if we ever got under any pressure, if there were injuries," he said.
"As we've seen this year things can change quickly, so we'll certainly keep in contact with Tawera. It's a helluva resource in behind what we've already got. Tawera's making a big chunk of change over at La Rochelle, that's where his future lies."
He made 29 appearances for the All Blacks and won the World Cup with New Zealand in 2015.
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