Sio later - but where?

The Brumbies included veteran prop Scott Sio in their list of departing players this week but it’s still uncertain where he will end up. Salary cap issues in Canberra meant the Brumbies couldn’t pay Sio what he’s worth, but Rugby Australia are keen for the 64-Test bookend to stay in Australia at least for another season and be available for a third World Cup.

New Force coach Simon Cron is keen to grab Sio, and there is at least one other Aussie team in the mix. But playing overseas is also an option.

Meanwhile, six-Test halfback Joe Powell is set to fly the coop and become the latest Aussie at London Irish. Powell played 75 games for the Brumbies and 27 for the Rebels.

Lay off the Rebels

Everyone else has weighed into the Rebels-Force should-they-or-shouldn’t-they-have kicked out to end the Highlanders game, so consider this.

Matt To’omua wanted to play on and so did his captain, Michael Wells. The call to kick the ball out and end the game, instead of kicking for the corner and trying to score a try - thereby knocking the Highlanders out of the finals and slipping the Force in - came from the sideline and, presumably, from the coaches’ box.

The players knew what was at stake and wanted to have a crack, as much to exact maximum pain on their opposition and entertain fans as to hand their countrymen a finals spot.

But the coaches knew what was at stake too. It was a low-risk move to play on but recall the 80th minute carnage of two weeks’ prior, when 90 seconds of madness turned the Rebels’ four-point lead over the Blues into a 33-30 loss. And they were again playing a New Zealand team with a similar ability to go end-to-end on counter-attack.

Accusations of unsportsmanlike behaviour are unfair. The Rebels had every right to bank a hard-fought win after a woeful season. The Force could have won more games to keep their destiny in their own hands, instead of relying on another team to help them.

Rugby Australia firm on eligibility

We reported last month there were players in Australia’s Super ranks with concerns about the upcoming Australia A games capturing eligibity, as per World Rugby rules. Some players have mixed heritage and more than one option, and fear losing the ability to play at a World Cup for a smaller nation later on.

But Rugby Australia are set to take a firm stance on the issue, given all Super Rugby players (imports excluded) sign contracts saying they must make themselves available for Australian representative teams. And turning down an Australia A call-up would qualify as a breach of contract. There is a feeling it won’t come to that, and individual cases would be considered if it did.

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July is set to see five Aussie squads in action: the Wallabies, Australia A, the Junior Wallabies and the two Australian sevens teams. And next week, the Wallaroos kick off the Pacific Four series with a clash against New Zealand in Tauranga at 12.45pm on Tuesday (AEST). You can catch all the Wallaroos games in the friendly tournament - they also play USA and Canada - on Stan (owned by Nine, publishers of this masthead).

The (Toy) story behind new Super trophy

That new Super Rugby Pacific Trophy? The one released this week and looks like it has an up-turned collar around the ball? The one eliciting comparisons to Doctor Strange and Zurg, the villain from Toy Story?

Turns out the blue collar is a wave, with the designers aiming to capture the unifying factor of the Pacific Ocean. The important drinkability factor appears low, but there is some talk the trophy can be turned upside down and into a vessel.

Watch every match of the Super Rugby Pacific on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport. Quarter Finals this week with Crusaders v Reds (Friday 4.30pm AEST), Chiefs v Waratahs (Saturday 2pm), Blues v Highlanders (Saturday 4.40pm) and Brumbies v Hurricanes (Saturday 7.15pm). All streaming ad-free, live and on demand only on Stan Sport.