Latest news with #Kangaroos
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Paul Gallen calls Sonny Bill Williams a 'dropkick', disliked by the All Blacks
Paul Gallen and SBW will finally square off in Sydney on July 16. Photo: Photosport The war of words has gone nuclear. Paul Gallen is looking to inflict as much damage on Sonny Bill Williams (SBW) as possible before the pair finally square off in the ring on 16 July in Sydney. Unleashing a barrage towards his opponent, Gallen said that there is nothing to respect about Williams, and said most New Zealanders want to see SBW lose the highly anticipated fight. However, despite appearances, the former Kangaroo said the feud is not personal. "I don't care. he's just someone in front of me I need to beat. That's all it is. I don't like him, I don't respect him, but I don't care about him. He's got no influence over me. I'm not concerned about what he says or what he does." Traditionally not a fan of trash-talk, SBW has uncharacteristically shown plenty of vitriol towards Gallen, labelling him a "narcissistic p**k," and even accusing him of using steroids. Gallen insisted he's been unaffected by the barbs Williams has thrown. "You've got to respect the person to worry about their opinion and there's certainly no respect for that bloke. He's a drop kick." He alleged that even SBW's fellow countrymen will be rooting against him. "I just think the way he holds himself, the way everything's about Sonny. The amount of Kiwis that I met over in Perth actually during origin that want me to beat him. I just really want to hurt this bloke, I don't like him. There's nothing about him I like. Nothing." A fight ten years in the making, Gallen said his disdain for Williams started even earlier in 2008, when the young prodigy dramatically left the NRL and switched codes to Toulon. "This hasn't started just because of this fight. I haven't liked him for a very long time. Dating right back to what he done at the Bulldogs, he's not a good person and I get to sort that out in a month's time." The pair have been trading verbal barbs for over a decade. Photo: Photosport Gallen has even implied that Williams was not liked during his time with the All Blacks from 2010-2019. "I don't know what happened with him and the All Blacks. I'm not a rugby man. I know the All Blacks is your pride and joy, but I get the feeling that he wasn't the most liked person within the All Blacks arena either. I think when you look at something successful as the All Blacks when they don't like him, I think it says a hell of a lot about who the person is." The 43-year-old admits while his fitness may not be what it once was, he hasn't lost any power. "We all know his chin's not great but I have to get him first, it's easier said than done. Everyone wants to knock someone out, everyone wants to think, they're a fighter. If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it at the end of the day. And then obviously we know people can't, so I'll get to get in there and have a good red crack, and see what happens." Gallen is planning to stand and trade leather with Williams should the Kiwi look to engage in close. "Look, that's my natural type of fighting anyway. I've got to go forward now. He's obviously six four. I'm 5'11'', so I've got to go forward and draw him anyway, so that's the way it's going to be. That's why I've always bought, that's my style of fighting. So, that's what will happen." So will the pair bury the hatchet after meeting in the ring? "There's not a chance mate. I've got no respect for the bloke. I don't want to shake his hand. If he wants to put his hand out I'll shake it out of sportsmanship, but that'll be it."
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘It hurt me personally': Munster inspired by attacks against Queensland coach Slater
Queensland skipper Cameron Munster has leapt to the defence of Billy Slater, admitting the criticism and personal attacks against the Maroons coach galvanised him and his team in game two. Slater was at the centre of a tumultuous 48 hours for the Maroons after the coach took aim at former Kangaroos teammate Aaron Woods after he called him a grub on Sydney breakfast radio a week earlier. Slater's attempted take down of Woods was overshadowed by him referencing the late Paul Green and was forced to call an impromptu press conference on the morning of Origin II to issue a heartfelt apology to Green's family for the offence he may have caused them by dragging him into the war-of-words. Munster said the situation surrounding Slater, compounded by criticism of his coaching and selection from the opening game of the series, triggered a reaction from him and his teammates on the field in Perth on Wednesday night. 'When you get jabs or blokes in the media having a go at your coach … At the end of the day, he's our coach and he's done everything he can and ticked the boxes for us,' Munster said. 'We didn't perform for him in game one and he got a lot of slack for it and a lot of stuff in the media and didn't deserve it. I played with Bill. He's a champion player and champion coach. I've had a great relationship with him and still do and we're really close mates. When you have someone jabbing at him like that, it really hurts. It hurt me personally. 'I don't ever tell him that, but I'm probably telling him now. I love him, and I just want to do the best thing for Queensland and the best thing for him, because he's not doing this for him. He's doing it for Queensland, and he loves Queensland and that's a reason why he's so passionate. 'When you have someone like that at the helm, you just want to play for him. At the end of the day, I just love playing for Queensland and he's the reason why I want to play.'
The Age
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
‘It hurt me personally': Munster inspired by attacks against Queensland coach Slater
Queensland skipper Cameron Munster has leapt to the defence of Billy Slater, admitting the criticism and personal attacks against the Maroons coach galvanised him and his team in game two. Slater was at the centre of a tumultuous 48 hours for the Maroons after the coach took aim at former Kangaroos teammate Aaron Woods after he called him a grub on Sydney breakfast radio a week earlier. Slater's attempted take down of Woods was overshadowed by him referencing the late Paul Green and was forced to call an impromptu press conference on the morning of Origin II to issue a heartfelt apology to Green's family for the offence he may have caused them by dragging him into the war-of-words. Munster said the situation surrounding Slater, compounded by criticism of his coaching and selection from the opening game of the series, triggered a reaction from him and his teammates on the field in Perth on Wednesday night. 'When you get jabs or blokes in the media having a go at your coach … At the end of the day, he's our coach and he's done everything he can and ticked the boxes for us,' Munster said. 'We didn't perform for him in game one and he got a lot of slack for it and a lot of stuff in the media and didn't deserve it. I played with Bill. He's a champion player and champion coach. I've had a great relationship with him and still do and we're really close mates. When you have someone jabbing at him like that, it really hurts. It hurt me personally. 'I don't ever tell him that, but I'm probably telling him now. I love him, and I just want to do the best thing for Queensland and the best thing for him, because he's not doing this for him. He's doing it for Queensland, and he loves Queensland and that's a reason why he's so passionate. 'When you have someone like that at the helm, you just want to play for him. At the end of the day, I just love playing for Queensland and he's the reason why I want to play.'
The Age
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
Where the Kangaroos have improved quickly in 2025
Where the Kangaroos have improved quickly in 2025 We're sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We're working to restore it. Please try again later.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Clarko bullish on Roos despite loss
AFL: Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson has addressed the media following his side's tight loss to the Dockers
