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Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

There aren’t many designers who are recognised in every single part of the world. Giorgio Armani, however, is exactly that. Ask anyone, chances are that they’ll not only know of Armani himself, but be able to picture one his perfectly tailored suits, his love of good-taste ‘greige’ or his countless Hollywood moments. That kind of global star power is rare in fashion, especially for a house that is still owned and operated by its founder. And yet Mr Armani — as he is always referred to; never just Giorgio — has built one of the world’s largest independently-owned fashion empires, which, at the age of 85, he still personally oversees. 

It couldn’t be more well deserved, then, that this December, Armani will be honoured at The Fashion Awards with the Outstanding Achievement Award. Right from the start, Armani shifted the conversation around tailoring and shaped the look of the late 20th century. He ushered in a new era of softer, more unstructured and most significantly, lighter suiting. In doing so, he became the architect of modern masculinity, a go-to for a new kind of man. He did just as much for women, too, using menswear fabrics to create a powerful uniform — the relaxed, minimalist trouser suit. Armani is the designer who blazed the trail for those such as Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Jil Sander.

He was a pioneer when it came to establishing a relationship with Hollywood, too, placing dedicated publicists and celebrity liaisons in his Rodeo Drive boutique early on. In 1980, he dressed Richard Gere for the film , with every scene choreographed to work for Armani’s clothes, prompting Gere to ask, “Who’s acting in this scene, me or the jacket?”. Since then, his designs have appeared in more than 200 films, and have been worn by a constellation of megawatt stars, long before red-carpet dressing became industrialised. Back then, it was Diane Keaton, Jodie Foster and Michelle Pfeiffer in Armani. Today, it’s the likes of Cate Blanchett, Celine Dion, Alicia Keys and Elizabeth Debicki. 

Armani’s central tenets of classicism, style over fashion, Italian craftsmanship and ease have endured. In 1975, he sold his Volkswagen Beetle to set up the brand. The first year of business saw sales total US$14,000 and within a decade, they were topping US$100 million. Today, Armani has an annual turnover of around US$2 billion; and the empire spans every layer of the product pyramid, from the crescendo of Armani Privé haute couture to Giorgio Armani ready-to-wear tailoring, Armani Exchange jeans, Armani/Casa furnishings, Armani hotels, Armani cosmetics… The list goes on, but each product is distinctive for that signature Armani simplicity.

In a rare interview, speaks to Armani about the secrets to his success and navigating an ever changing fashion industry.

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

Congratulations on receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2019 Fashion Awards. When you look back over your career, what are you most proud of and why?
“Having created a style that everybody immediately identifies as mine is certainly an accomplishment, and something that makes me extremely proud. I have worked hard all my life in order to build something true, substantial and enduring. I liberated men and women from many constrictions, turning into the sartorial companion of an epochal change. The fact that my creations have survived the test of time is another thing that makes me proud. Ultimately, my work speaks for itself, and that is the best thing for me.”

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

The fashion industry has changed dramatically since you started as a young designer. What has most inspired the way you work? And what changes – if any – do you feel less enthused about?
“The fashion system has changed so much, I sometimes feel I inhabit a completely different environment, compared to when I started. The pace has become faster and faster, and we, as designers, are forced to dish out products at an alarming rate, something I do not like that much. I sure like the competition, as there are more and more designers, just as I like the fragmentation: today there are almost as many styles as there are designers. What I really dislike is the fact that today fashion is mostly about entertainment and communication, sometimes to the detriment of the product. Let’s not forget that we are here to dress people with something authentic, useful, beautiful.” 

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

When you launched Armani, you redefined the way men and women dressed. Do you think it’s possible for a designer to create such seismic shifts in fashion today? Is there still such a thing as an original idea?
“Back when I started my revolution, I saw men wearing stiff jackets that concealed the body and looked more like cages than anything else. I was looking for the exact opposite: clothes that created ease of movement and comfort. That’s how I came to create the first unstructured jacket in the mid-1970s, getting rid of lining and padding. Bit by bit, I also changed the arrangement of the buttons and modified the proportions: a process that radically transformed this garment, at the same time as men were exploring softer ways to be masculine. It was a moment of deep change, and I was part of that wave. Today, we have the impression that everything has been done and there is no such thing as an original idea or an original silhouette. I believe the contrary: there is still room to create something relevant and new, but doing so requires focus, and the awareness that fashion is first and foremost about hard work, not fame. Authenticity is key, but it is becoming increasingly rare.”

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

Who do you have in mind when you design, and has that person changed over time?
“I have always had in mind not a body, but an attitude, when designing. I am catering for the modern man and the modern woman: people who fully live their time and value elegance, thus appreciate my aesthetic. I want to provide my clients with a sense of quiet confidence. The person I design for hasn’t changed over time, but it sure has evolved, in sync with the times.”

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

Your design repertoire goes far beyond fashion. What drives you to create and how do you maintain such unwavering momentum?
“As a creative person, what I like best about my job has always been seeing the results of my creativity. The urge to create is innate, I believe. I follow it because creation, for me, means producing something that touches the lives of real people. It can be a jacket, or the impeccable service and elegant furnishing in a hotel. It can even be a piece of chocolate. What keeps it all together is my taste, my constant quest for soulful, sophisticated simplicity. The more I work, the more I feel inspired. Work is also a wonderful anti-ageing serum.”

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

Over the years, you have created some brilliant advertising campaigns. Are you relieved to have built your brand pre-social media, or do you wish, like today’s rising designers, that you were able to connect directly with your audience?
“I built my empire bit by bit, not in a rush, and that makes it solid. I have built it on the observation of reality, too, right from the very start. I wanted to dress real men and women. I wanted to see them all on the street, not just on the pages of magazines or in the illusive world of television; I wanted my clothing to bring them a new awareness of their worth; I wanted it to suit the changing roles of a society in a constant rush. The imagery I created back then is still relevant, because it feels authentic. Social media is quite fickle, and sometimes too mercantile: I am fine with the way I connected with my audience. I don’t blame the new ways to connect with the public, but I still prefer mine.” 

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

Do you look at, or use, social media yourself?
“I do look at social media, but don’t use it, as I have better and more urgent things to do. Being a public figure, of course, I created a company profile on Instagram, which is the platform I am most interested in – it’s where we tell the story of the Armani universe. I have no plans to open a personal profile, however; I am a very reserved person and I’ve always protected my private life. Besides that, I don’t want to be influenced by influencers!” 

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

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What is most important to you today?
“Hard work is important, but it’s not everything. Spending time with those that matter to me is important. I do this job out of passion — an absolute, burning, visceral passion. I do it with enthusiasm, commitment and dedication. I never thought that I would achieve such world fame by being a designer. Of course, fame is not what pushed me towards this path. It wasn’t money either — it can’t buy elegance. Making things: that’s what has always motivated me.”  

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

What, if anything, do you regret?
“I don’t really suffer regret, as it is a fairly pointless feeling. However, if I were to relive my life, I’d spend more time with my loved ones.”

The Armani suit is era defining. What was on your mind at that time: what music were you listening to, who were you surrounding yourself with? What fuelled that aesthetic?
“I am an extremely pragmatic creator: first and foremost I look at what’s around me. I did so when I created those famous suits, looking at men of my age – I was 40 at the time – and what they wanted to wear, which were not the suits of their fathers. My sister and her friends caught up on the same jackets, and the rest is history. It might sound funny, but the sound of modernity was disco, and I was listening a lot to that.”

Image credit: Getty Images

What music do you listen to today, and is there anyone you would still like to dress?
“I listen to any kind of music, from pop to classic, from old to new. I like rhythm. As for the musicians I’d like to dress, there are many – but to tell you the truth, I find the idea of a man buying his first important suit, or a woman choosing her attire for a meaningful career advancement, finding what they need at an Armani store, far more rewarding than the idea of dressing another celebrity. I’ve been there and am still there with pleasure, but dressing real people in real life is my ultimate goal.”

What makes you smile when you wake up in the morning?
“I like to do things, to work: that puts me in a good mood. It’s no coincidence that my happy place, where I feel the best, is my office: it’s where I achieve my visions, where what’s in my head becomes real and tangible. It’s the most incredible feeling; it fills me with energy and adrenaline every single time.”

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

How do you quieten your mind at the end of the day?
“At the end of the day I take time for myself, just to think. I usually have a simple dinner at home, after which I like to relax in front of the television watching a good film or a TV series. I try not to stay up too late, because I have another busy day ahead of me the next day.”

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

What is the biggest misconception about you as a designer?
I think most of the people have an almost ascetic idea of me. Sure, I love sobriety and can do less is more, but I am also a bon vivant and an eccentric. As I told you, I was listening to disco when I created my famous suits. Today, from time to time, I go to Giorgio’s, the exclusive members-only evening at the Armani/Privé Club in Milan.” 

Image credit: courtesy of Giorgio Armani

What advice would you give young designers wishing to follow in your footsteps?
The scenario today is much more complex. Standing out requires utmost dedication because the competition is fierce. For a new designer, I would suggest, first of all, to thoroughly study people’s demands and then to respond to these needs with something that is new, fresh, meaningful. It is the only way to tackle today’s fashion world without ever getting discouraged.”

Other than fashion, what makes you happy?
I am simply happy to live, to have people who I trust at my side, to be healthy. I am a simple person, with simple, yet deep, feelings.”

Several times a day, a catamaran rounds the Battery with a great, glowing billboard on its back. The L.E.D. screen—sixty feet long and almost two stories tall—flashes with ads for Broadway plays, beer, and children’s movies, as the boat circumnavigates lower Manhattan. On Twitter, the boat has been branded as “a piece of digital garbage”—an assault on our inner Whitmans while crossing Brooklyn IKEA ferry. New Yorkers have called for the city to impound the floating billboard, or, better yet, “sink that fucking thing.” “Anybody got a spare torpedo they don’t need?” one commenter wrote, on a Gothamist article.

Last month, Governor Andrew Cuomo, seemingly unable to find a torpedo, signed a bill banning any craft operating “a billboard that uses flashing, intermittent, or moving lights” from the navigable waters of New York State. The days of the billboard boat, it seemed, were over. But Adam Shapiro, the C.E.O. and president of Ballyhoo Media, said that he is “undeterred” by the legislation, which doesn’t prohibit his company from operating the boat, but rather places limits on what can be displayed on it.

Ballyhoo is a small family startup led by the Shapiro brothers, Adam and Nate. In 2016, the Shapiros launched the company in Miami. Then, in October of 2018, they expanded to New York, where they were hit with zoning lawsuits after just three months of operation. In January, a judge ruled that Ballyhoo had the right to operate so long as its craft stayed fifteen hundred feet offshore when in sight of a highway—ostensibly to avoid distracting drivers. This ruling effectively barred Ballyhoo from the East River, but the Shapiros simply changed the boat’s route, and continued on.

The brothers have been slammed online as the “scourge of our waterways,” but they’ve also been heralded—begrudgingly—as pioneers. The Gothamist article, citing industry experts, wrote that “it’s the first time that a watercraft dedicated to advertising has taken up station on the city’s rivers.” Ballyhoo’s website claims that it’s “changing the landscape of outdoor advertising.”

But someone beat them to the punch, about eighty years ago. When Cuomo signed the recent ban into law, he stated, “These floating billboards are a nuisance that blight our shores and distract from the great natural beauty of our waterways.” Those words could well have been spoken by Robert Moses, circa 1939, when an analog version of the Ballyhoo battle played out in Brooklyn. For much of that summer and the one after it, Moses fought a pitched sea battle with a real-estate wheeler-dealer whose giant billboard boat was playing the shores of Coney Island and Brighton Beach. That man, not yet thirty-five years old, was already one of the biggest developers in Brooklyn. His son currently occupies the White House.

Fred Trump was a creative dynamo, as skilled at inventing new ways to create and market real estate as he was at absorbing the good ideas of others. In the decade before the Second World War, he built thousands of single-family brick-bungalow homes in Brooklyn and Queens. He was called the “Henry Ford of the home-building industry” for his mass-production building techniques, even though he had almost certainly copied them from William Greve, an earlier Brooklyn developer whose ads for “Henry Ford Houses” nearly got him sued by Ford himself. Trump sent staff to scour exhibits at the New York World’s Fair for ideas that might make his houses “more modern, more comfortable, more livable.” He reeled in new residents by offering cash prizes for babies born in his homes, equipping kitchens with “domestic science cabinets” and organizing resident softball leagues. A few years after the war had broken out, he generated good will—and free advertising—by turning idle building lots into victory gardens.

Trump’s most memorable marketing campaign took place not on land but on sea. On July 8, 1939, a sweltering summer day, hundreds of thousands of people crowded Brooklyn’s beaches seeking respite from the heat. Trump chartered a sixty-five-foot motor yacht out of Shell Bank Creek, on which his men installed a P.A. system and fifty-foot-long back-to-back signboards. On these, ten-foot-tall letters spelled out TRUMP HOMES. It was christened the Trump Show Boat. That day in July, the skipper Robert Woods guided the yacht up and down the beach. Trump’s “floating broadcasting station,” as the Brooklyn Eagle called it, unleashed a music-and-infomercial sound storm so loud that it could be heard nearly a mile away.

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As the Trump Show Boat cruised the beach, the crew tossed hundreds of inflatable swordfish toys overboard. “Along the whole shoreline there was a series of near-riots just outside the surf,” the Eagle reported, “for possession of the big balloons as they floated in.” This was because each was stamped with a dollar value, from twenty-five dollars to two hundred and fifty dollars, acceptable “as a payment on a new Trump Home.” By late afternoon, Moses, the city’s autocratic park commissioner, had learned of Trump’s antics, and a police boat was sent out to end the show. A Parks Department official delivered two summonses—one for sailing within a bathing area, the other for advertising without a license. But the boat was back the next day, this time farther off the beach and with Trump himself on board. His lawyer had advised him that the city had no authority beyond a thousand feet offshore. The fishing was better there, anyway: Trump and his buddies fished all day long, hauling in fluke, weakfish, and porgies, while beachgoers admired the boat from afar. “When the music stopped playing,” reported Trump, “the fish stopped biting.” The Show Boat was out again the following weekend, blaring aquacade music to eager formations of swimmers.

The Show Boat worked. By early August, more than half of the two hundred homes that Trump built in East Flatbush had been sold. Meanwhile, the Park Department tickets piled up. Trump’s attorney, Walter Butler, contested the charges in nine separate appearances at the Coney Island Magistrate’s Court, citing case law suggesting that city land ownership ended at the low-water mark. (The arm of Robert Moses was long, but it had limits.) “The controlling and policing of all navigation waters,” Butler argued, “lies in the hands of the Federal authorities.”Magistrate Francis Giaccone disagreed, and fined the boat’s owner three hundred dollars. By the weekend of September 2nd, the Show Boat was back on the water. Trump invited Moses to join him on board, to see for himself that the ship was cruising sufficiently far from shore. It is not known if Moses responded.

The following summer, the Show Boat plied the Brooklyn shore again, blasting patriotic tunes instead of dance music and collecting a stack of new summonses for noise-ordinance violations. In a court appearance, the Park Department counsel argued that the playing of patriotic music was disturbing the peace “inasmuch as every bather felt it necessary to rise to attention whenever the band played ‘Star Spangled Banner.’” One inspector testified that bathers who didn’t rise to their feet were shouted at and called Fifth Columnists, and thus compelled “to get up at once.” Judge Jeanette Goodman Brill—Brooklyn’s first woman magistrate—ruled against Trump, but marvelled at his idea to “advertise homes on the ocean.” She then asked Butler whether his client had any more units for sale on East Thirty-Seventh Street and Foster Avenue. “I have a friend who is very much interested in purchasing a home,” Brill said, “and I will send her over to see Mr. Trump personally.”

Unlike the Show Boat, the Ballyhoo boat plays no music; it twinkles and bobs quietly about the harbor. I often see it from my window in the Standard Oil Building, in the Financial District, where my college has a teaching facility. The boat silently appears, and then quickly vanishes from view. The same cannot be said of the jet skis tearing through the bay, or the tour helicopters flying overhead.

But in the face of Cuomo’s ban, the Shapiro brothers might want to borrow a page from Fred Trump’s playbook, perhaps by inviting the governor and Attorney General Letitia James on board for some angling. (The two killed it salmon fishing on Lake Ontario last month.) The Shapiros certainly played a smart hand on August 28th when a craft of a different sort entered New York harbor—the zero-carbon Malizia II, carrying aboard Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Thousands gathered to welcome the sixteen-year-old at North Cove Marina in Battery Park City. On hand, too, was the Ballyhoo, which photo-bobbed the event flashing not ads for Heineken or Uber but the United Nations’ Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, as if to show its haters that the medium is not necessarily the message.

Hey, I’m Farah! And the first thing you need to know about me is that I’m obsessed with exploring the world, traversing unforgettable landscapes, and experiencing food from all over the globe—through other people’s Instagram stories.

I like to take no days off from sitting on my couch with the air-conditioner on high and sightseeing anywhere from the coasts of Vietnam to the island of Capri, mostly through the IG account of my friend Hannah who got a lot of money when her grandpa died and has a lovely boyfriend, Mark.

I highly recommend the penne pomodoro at Mercato Centrale in Florence. It’s incredibly authentic. You can really sense the unique depth of flavor through the pic. Don’t cheat yourself—get the tiramisu. They bring it out on a chocolate-lined plate! Seriously, it looked so good, I ordered some for myself via Seamless.

You simply cannot miss the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the largest arts festival in the world, and a fantastic way to catch up-and-coming artists showcasing their work in the U.K. I know this because two people I met while doing an open mike in 2012 are there right now and keep posting about it.

If you’re travelling with children, you’re going to want to check out Melbourne, Australia. Extremely family-friendly. Marcia’s kids were blown away by the Scienceworks museum. I didn’t feel like I really needed to see every exhibit, but she posted them all and I have a deadline I’m avoiding.

Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland, should be added to your bucket list immediately. The active volcano is unlike anything I have ever encountered. I got an especially detailed view, because Sean and his girlfriend are going through a rough patch, so he posted a lot of closeups of the lava. Usually, he includes his girlfriend in every photo and you can’t see the nature that well. I hope they don’t break up.

I recently had the privilege of spending two weeks in Seville through watching Jayne’s story. The culture was exquisite. The classic façades are juxtaposed with the modern architecture in a truly spectacular way, and there are beautiful secret courtyards to be found around every corner. I feel like I learned a lot about myself on this trip.

Feel free to skip Melissa Solomon’s stories. She was a bitch back in high school and nothing has changed. The trips she goes on are really underwhelming. Last week, she was in Maine. . . .

If you enjoy venturing off the beaten path, may I suggest giving Drew a follow? I went to the urgent-care center on my block and got a yellow-fever shot before the long weekend I spent intently following his trip to Ecuador. You can never be too safe. Ecuador has always been a dream destination for me, and Ben & Jerry’s just released a new core flavor.

When it comes down to it, don’t underestimate the amazing adventures right at your fingertips, thanks to modern technology. I always yearned for a life of travel without having to walk too much or at all. I want incredible experiences without spending one minute in an airport. I absolutely live for breathtaking views on a screen. I think it’s fair to say that travel is my life and my life is sad.

Rugby AU and Waratahs to meet with Folau

September 18, 2019 | News | No Comments

Rugby AU CEO Raelene Castle and NSW Rugby CEO Andrew Hore will meet with Israel Folau over his social media use.

Folau caused a social media stir on Wednesday, over a now delted Instagram comment in which he suggested that God’s plan for gay people was ‘HELL…Unless they repent of their sins and turn to God.”

It’s the second time in six months the devout Christian has created controversy with his comments on social media, after tweeting his opposition to same sex marriage in September last year.

That tweet prefaced his opposition with the comment, ‘I love and respect all people for who they are and their opinions’.”

His most recent post created polarising reactions, with some commenters agreeing with his religious views, but most criticising his stance and the public nature of the message.

Rugby Australia and the Waratahs had been criticised for not taking a stronger stance on the matter, after a spokesperson on Wednesday night said the national organisation did not agree with Folau’s views, reinforcing the principles 2014 Social Inclusion Policy.

Folau’s club and national teammate Nick Phipps, speaking on FOX SPORTS’ Kick and Chase on Wednesday night, echoed the organisation’s stance, saying the team as a whole did not necessarily agree, but respected his beliefs on the topic.

Major Wallabies sponsor Qantas, whose CEO Alan Joyce is gay and is a vocal supporter of marriage equality and inclusion, reportedly said on Thursday they found the comments ‘disappointing’. 

Rugby Australia was one of the founding signatories on an anti-homophobia in sport policy back in 2014, and the Waratahs fined one of its players, Jacques Potgieter, $20,000 for a homophobic slur in a game in 2015.

Rugby AU CEO Castle reiterated  the views of Folau did not align with Rugby AU and NSW Rugby, promising to ‘discuss the matter with him as soon as possible’.

“Israel’s comment reflects his personal religious beliefs, however it does not represent the view of Rugby Australia or NSW Rugby,” Castle said in a statement.

“We are aligned in our view that rugby is a game for all, regardless of sexuality, race, religion or gender, which is clearly articulated in Rugby’s inclusion policy.

“We understand that Israel’s comment has upset a number of people and we will discuss the matter with him as soon as possible.” 

Folau has previously appeared on the cover of gay publication the Star Observer, as a supporter of the 2014 Bingham Cup, a global tournament for gay rugby teams, started in Sydney.

While the rest of his teammates are in Tokyo to face the Sunwolves, Folau will remain in Sydney, sidelined for four weeks with a hamstring injury.

Folau is off-contract this year and currently in negotiations with Rugby AU over a new deal to take him through to the 2019 Rugby World Cup,with his retention one of Rugby AU’s highest priorities.

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The Reds backrow plans have been thrown into turmoil with Caleb Timu unavailable for their clash with the Rebels after a send-off in club rugby.

For the most part,  Timu responded perfectly to his Super Rugby omission with a double for Souths in Queensland Premier Rugby  in a first-up win.

The backrower crossed twice for the Magpies in a clash with Sunnybank but was embroiled in a to-and-fro with Sunnybank centre Nick Kepu, with both players sent off.

With his judiciary hearing not until next Monday, Timu will not be available to play Super Rugby this weekend as the Reds host the Rebels.

Timu’s absence compounds news that Angus Scott-Young was cited in their win over the Brumbies for a punch on  prop James Slipper. 

Scott-Young faced a SANZAAR hearing via videolink on Monday night with the result of that hearing yet to be confirmed.

If he is suspended, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto would likely come into blindside flanker with Harry Hockings able to start at lock.

Reds squad hooker Efi Maafu made his presence felt for Wests as the Bulldogs made a round one statement in Brisbane, beating Norths 49-0.

Aidan Toua was at fullback for Brothers as they nabbed a 26-20 win over Bond Uni on Saturday afternoon.

Reds duo Jock Campbell and Adam Korczyk crossed for UQ as last year’s runners-up opened their year with a big win over Easts, going up against recent Reds debutant Jack Hardy, who was at fullback for Easts.

RESULTS

Brothers 26 – Bond Uni 20

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Sunnybank 14 – Souths 26

Norths 0 – Wests 49

UQ 38 – Easts 12

NSW Rugby boss encourages SANZAAR to keep Sunwolves

September 18, 2019 | News | No Comments

NSW Rugby CEO Andrew Hore has encouraged SANZAAR to retain the Sunwolves in Super Rugby as the joint venture partners met in Dublin overnight.

The future of the Sunwolves has reportedly been under question as SANZAAR’s bosses continue to debate the format of Super Rugby in the next broadcast deal, starting in 2021.

SANZAAR’s executive met in Dublin over the weekend to continue those talks, ahead of Thursday’s World Rugby meeting around the proposed World League, set to kick off in 2022.

All of Australia’s Super Rugby franchises have sponsorship arrangements with Japan and both the Brumbies and Waratahs travelling to Japan for showcase matches in the past two years.

The Rebels recently signed a partnership with the Sunwolves, with the Japanese side visiting Melbourne to train against the Aussies.

While Hore said NSW Rugby weren’t concerned about commercial backlash in the absence of a Japanese franchise per se, but rather felt their presence presented a crucial chance for Australian rugby to benefit financially as well.

“It’s not so much repercussions but opportunity, we want to maximise opportunity,” he said.

“We’re a global game, not kicking around in a tiddly wink competition like the NRL that’s only played in this part of the world, we’re a global sport.

“And so, ultimately that means there’s opportunity for global revenue and that now that we’re one Waratahs and NSW means that we can feed the game using that commercial revenue.

“That’s our biggest opportunity with Japan. Any new territories hold opportunities.”

It is believed that South Africa are the biggest opponent to a Japanese side, concerned about the travel load for their players in the current competition.

Hore said he hoped there was some middle ground able to be reached, but that the teams were ultimately at the behest of the SANZAAR partners.

“You can’t comment not being in the room, you can only hope that a decision, might even have to be a compromise, is reached so that we can do what we need to do.

“It doesn’t mean, you might do everything from blowing it up to adhering to what they want to a middle ground, isn’t it?  That’s their job in the room to sort it out.”

Hore admitted that there had to be a balance between commercial revenue and the quality of competition but pointed to the Sunwolves’ apparent improvement in 2019 as a reason for patience.

“We’ve always said our issues are more around the governance model which allows the competition to thrive no matter where you have a team,” he said.

“Sixty-two per cent of respondents that were surveyed said they wanted close fixtures.

You could play it on the moon and if it’s a good fixture people want to watch it. So, it’s how do we create a competition like when we had Super 12 that has that balance.

“I think Jamie’s (Japan director of rugby Jamie Joseph) done a great job this year with the Sunwolves, they’re going toe to toe home and away aren’t they? And so, like Super W, you’ve just got to sometimes give things time.”

“We’re excited by the Japanese and we enjoy going up there but there’s a lot of things they need to consider.”

Hore reiterated his support for a commission-style governance model that gave Super Rugby teams a seat at the table.

“There’s discussions always ongoing in and around the various aspects of Super Rugby from laws to governance and so I think we’ve just got to keep talking and I think there’s opportunities coming with these milestones around broadcasting that opens the door for more discussion,” he said.

Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle was not commenting publicly on the latest SANZAAR meeting but last month reinforced Australia’s support for the Japanese side.

“We see enormous value in the Japanese market,” she said.

“There’s not that many countries in the world that have an interest in rugby and are in the top four economies in the world so that for us, to make sure we take a base that’s established, they’ve got player development systems and structures in place.

“To help them grow and develop to become competitive on the world stage is an important part of what we see SANZAAR’s role in and Rugby Australia supporting that.

“We saw the success of that happening with Argentina so bringing Argentina into Super Rugby and the improvement that they’ve had on the world stage with their international team with the Pumas because of that so we see there’s that same opportunity with Japan.”

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Lealiifano not rushing call on future

September 18, 2019 | News | No Comments

Christian Lealiifano may ride off into the sunset at the end of this Super Rugby season, with a decision on his playing future in Australia yet to be made.

The Brumbies skipper has signed with Toyota Shokki for the upcoming Top League season but as far as Australian farewells go it would be fitting for Lealiifano to disappear with little fanfare given he is the leader of the head down, bum up attitude which shapes the Brumbies.

The desire to add to his 19 Test caps remains, though, having been overlooked for the 2015 World Cup squad.

That has been a tough one,” Lealiifano said.

“Obviously I’m getting on a bit now – I’ll be 32 next year – and a World Cup would be the biggest drawcard.

“It’s definitely something that I have been chatting to my family about and something that interests me.”While Saturday’s clash against the Hurricanes may well be his last match at GIO Stadium, the 30-year-old isn’t approaching the game in that light.

Every game I get to play for the Brumbies is special – especially after the illness – so tomorrow is no different,” Lealiifano said.

“You never really think if this will be your last game because it could be every week.

“It’s not about rushing or pressuring myself to make a decision.

“I’ve been at this club long enough to not worry about farewelling or anything like that.“It’s about doing what is best for my family and hopefully getting a win tomorrow.”

Lealiifano’s future may be up in the air but Joe Powell has put pen to paper on a fresh deal which will keep him in Canberra until the end of 2020.

The 24-year-old never entertained playing anywhere else, such was his desire to stay in the nation’s capital.

There was never any other way – I was never going anywhere else,” Powell said.

I’ve really enjoyed my rugby here – the setup and the system is really good.

“I’ve been playing good rugby here and I wouldn’t want to try and play somewhere else.”

The Brumbies take on the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium on Saturday night, kicking off at 7:45pm AEST, broadcast LIVE on FOX SPORTS and RUGBY.com.au radio.Click Here: habitat tord boontje

The Reds have swum against the tide and named all but one of their returning Wallabies to play against the Chiefs in their final trial of the pre-season at Ballymore on Friday night.

In a World Cup year, the Waratahs and Brumbies decided to rest their big names ahead of round one but the Reds have included four players from last year’s spring tour.

Samu Kerevi, Taniela Tupou, Sefa Naivalu and Jordan Petaia have been named in the starting side for the Ballymore clash, while Alex Mafi, will come off the bench in his first appearance back from Japan.

Izack Rodda (rested) is the only member of the Reds’ sprint tour contingent missing in a match the Reds believe is crucial to their Super Rugby preparations.

Attack coach Jim McKay said with Queensland facing a round one bye, it was vital the Wallabies be involved in the trial to gain momentum ahead of the Reds’ opening Super Rugby clash against the Highlanders.

“We respect the national program but for our program it was critical they play this week,” McKay said.

“They’ve been training with us for a couple of weeks now but they’ve got to play with us and get some combinations and synergy with the other guys.

“We have a bye in the fist round of the competition, so it was really important they play with us this week.”

The Reds lost their opening trial in Ballarat last week to a Rebels fightback after the siren.

And while there were some positive signs, McKay expected the team would build on that showing against the Chiefs.

“We’re expecting some growth from last week from the Rebels game and we’re in the (early) stage of building our game,” he said.

“We’re expecting from the Chiefs, a good game, and it suits us entering the season because our first two games are against the Highlanders and Crusaders, so I think they’ll have a similar style.

“So it’s an important game for us and a really important game for where we’re at.

“And in the context of the opposition, it’s ideal preparation for us.”

Reds coach Brad Thorn agreed that engaging a New Zealand side before facing Kiwi teams back-to-back in the competition proper provided his team with a perfect preparation.

“It’ll be the Chiefs’ last hitout before they play the following week, so they’ll be coming with real intent,” Thorn said.

“It’s also our last (pre-season) hitout, so I’m looking for the guys to step up from last week.”

The Chiefs have named a familiar face in the form of Jack Debreczeni, the former Rebels and Australian under 20s fly-half.

The Reds take on the Chiefs on Friday at Baltimore, February 8 at 7pm local, 8pm AEDT.  The game will be live streamed on Redsrugby.com.au

Queensland team

1 Feao Fotuaika 

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2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa 

3 Taniela Tupou 

4 Harry Hockings 

5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto

6 Angus Scott-Young 

7 Liam Wright 

8 Scott Higginbotham 

9 Moses Sorovi 

10 Hamish Stewart 

11 Jordan Petaia 

12 Samu Kerevi 

13 Chris Feauai-Sautia

14 Sefa Naivalu 

15 Bryce Hegarty 

 

Bench

16 Alex Mafi 

17 Harry Hoopert 

18 Ruan Smith 

19 Angus Blyth 

20 Caleb Timu 

21 Tate McDermott 

22 Duncan Paia’aua 

23 Isaac Lucas 

24 Adam Korczyk 

25 Teti Tela 

26 Jack Hardy 

27 Filipo Daugunu 

Chiefs team

1. Atu Moli

2. Samisoni Taukeiaho 

3. Jeff Thwaites 

4. Michael Allardice (C) 

5. Tyler Ardron 

6. Mitchell Brown

7.Lachlan Boshier

8. Taleni Seu

9. Brad Weber

10. Jack Debreczeni

11. Etene Nanai-Seturo

12. Alex Nankivell

13. Bailyn Sullivan

14. Malo Tuitama

15. Shaun Stevenson

Reserves

16. Sekope Moli

17. Aidan Ross

18. Tevita Mafileo

19. Laghlan McWhannell

20. Jesse Parete

21. Jack Stratton

22. Tyler Campbell

23. Orbyn Leger

24. Sosefo Kautai

25. Mitchell Jacobson

26. Pita Gus Sowakula

27. Quinn Tupaea

Chiefs edge hard-working Reds in final trial

September 18, 2019 | News | No Comments

Reds coach Brad Thorn has found genuine depth in his squad but a dominant forward showing could not propel Queensland to a pre-season win against the Chiefs at Ballymore on Friday night.

A quartet of returning Wallabies was not enough to get the Reds past the visitors, who won 21-19 in front of 4812 fans at Queensland’s spiritual home of rugby after a two-try blitz in the opening 10 minutes.

Thorn summed up his side’s entire pre-season when he said they “worked hard for a loss” – unable to convert a dominant scrum into points in a messy first half in which the visitors scored two early tries against the run of play.

The returning Taniela Tupou helped the front row dominate the Chiefs in the opening stanza and there were further good signs when the Reds lost nothing as Thorn rolled his bench forwards into the game.

“Obviously the scrum had some dominance, I thought our conditioning, I was pleased with the body language of the guys on a muggy sort of night,” Thorn said.

“It’s competitive and that’s where we’ve been aiming to get to.

“Ideally, we’re competitive across all positions and we’re getting, I feel, closer to that.

“You saw the second front row come on and do well, and some other guys.

“JP (Smith) wasn’t playing, the locks changed, they did reasonably well, the loose forwards, so across the team you’re looking for that depth and that competition and you’re hoping that helps your standards to be high.”

The night started poorly for the Reds, who conceded a try in the second minute to Chiefs fullback Shaun Stevenson after a loose pass from Wallabies winger Sefa Naivalu led to an early turnover.

And things improved little in the opening 10 minutes, with Stevenson again in the thick of the action, putting through a neat grubber for outside centre Bailyn Sullivan to pounce.

The Reds held their own for the next 20 minutes and while they dominated the scrum, they were unable to convert that pressure into points.

“Just with our attack, there wasn’t much going on and then finally, some life started to get breathed into our attack and we started to get to have some structures and play out some footy,” Thorn said.

“It was good to finally see some footy played.

“The first half, I imagine, would have been a tough one for the fans.”

Things opened up more in the second term, with the Reds finally finding some space but they squandered possession through turnovers and poor kicking options.

Harry Hoopert opened Queensland’s account in the 50th minute as the Reds barged over following after Caleb Timu rumbled his way forward off the back of the scrum.

Timu was outstanding in the second half and his efforts helped lead to a penalty from which Tate McDermott darted over after playing on quickly.

But the Reds’ efforts to get back into the game were in vain after they conceded a third easy try to Tyler Campbell from a neat Sullivan cross kick.

“It was disappointing because if someone’s going to score against you, you want it to be an absolute tussle to get that try. They were two easy ones,” Thorn said of the opening stages.

“And then we spent the rest of the game getting back to that space and then (we conceded) another easy one there.

‘It’s a little bit frustrating but there was good stuff to take out of the game and there were bigger, more stuff to learn for the future.”

Kerevi, who had 40 minutes in his return, was pleased with his hitout and while disappointed with the backs’ inability to keep the ball in hand, felt standards had been set, particularly in defence.

“The lungs are ticking over, it felt good out there with the boys, the boys are really fit, so (there are) just little lessons for us in attack and holding on to the pill, especially down their end, especially in Queensland where it’s pretty dewy with the humidity,” he said.

“But watching the forwards have a go in the scrums was pretty impressive.

“It was an awesome performance from the forwards and us backs have just got to clean it up.”

The pre-season efforts of defensive coach Peter Ryan and the Reds’ fitness team showed, Kerevi said.

“I think (cohesion will come) just knowing our own roles in the team, I think our connection in defence really showed,” her said.

“We held them off at the line for quite a while and that’s the culture that we’ve set.

“We want to back our game on defence first and then our attack will come off the back of that, so I thought that really showed.”

Queensland play the Highlanders in Dunedin in the round two of the Super Rugby season on February 22.

RESULT

Chiefs 21

Tries: Stevenson, Sullivan, Campbell

Cons: Sullivan 2, Stevenson

Reds 19

Tries: Hoopert, McDermott, R Smith

Cons: Hegarty, Daugunu

Why you need to try a kitchari cleanse this spring

September 18, 2019 | News | No Comments

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17th Sep 2019

Spring may have sprung but the nights are still chilly and there are some cool days ahead. While the urge to spring cleanse and get your summer body underway may be strong, it pays to take things slow and steady rather than swing wildly from one season to the next.

Rather than switching abruptly from stodgy heavy winter foods to a full liquid diet (aka juice cleanse), there is a gentler way to transition into the new season and feel lighter.

“Freshness in the air and lightness in the nature brings on also awakening in our body,” says Sydney naturopath and author of Intuitive Eating, Jana Brunclikova. 

“This is the perfect time to prepare your body for cleanse or lighten your digestive system after few months of rich, nourishing comfort food. As nature changes from heavy to light, the same happens in your bodily functions.”

Often our bodies can feel slow and heavy in early spring which is known as the Kapha season in the ancient Ayurvedic eastern medicine system. Some common Kapha symptoms include bloating, sugar cravings, constipation, low energy, bad breath, irritability, mood swings and belly fat. 

“All of this can result in a feeling of not just physical, but emotional heaviness – an unsatisfied feeling of being stuck somewhere. Sometimes there is also an inability to react to the coming of Spring with the get-up-and-go excitement of this renewal period,” Brunclikova says.

She says just as we might clean our houses in spring, we need to clean out the excess Kapha (in the form of mucus, phlegm and dampness) from our bodies.

And that’s where kitchari comes in. Made from mung beans, split or red lentils, rice and spices, this healing Ayurvedic one-pot dish is cleansing, nourishing and easy to digest. Best of all, this restorative Indian water-based curry is warm and you can do it for just one-day or a whole week, depending on your schedule and how you feel.

“Kitchari has long been used to nourish babies, the elderly and sick and during times of detoxification, cleansing and deep spiritual practice,” says Brunclikova, who makes kitchari for Sydney’s Orchard Street juice bars.

Amidst all of the modern no-carb, low-carb and grain-free diet trends happening today, kitchari might seem like an unusual cleansing food. 

However, Brunclikova says the combination of rice and mung dal provides all the amino acids we need to form a complete protein. “The protein content of kitchari supports stable blood sugar levels so that energy and mental clarity are balanced during the cleansing process,” she says. Plus it contains all essential macronutrients: carbohydrate (beans and rice), complete protein (mung dahl), and fat (ghee). 

“Ghee contains butyric acid, a metabolic by-product produced in the gut that helps to maintain a healthy intestinal wall,” she says. “Ghee is packed with omega-3 fatty acids; fat-soluble vitamins plus short, medium and long-chain fatty acids. It helps lubricate and soften the inside of the digestive tract, helping with absorption and regularity.”

Meanwhile, she says the astringent mung dhal helps to remove toxic build-up from the intestinal lining. “But it is much gentler than the harsh or abrasive scraping action that happens with raw or cold foods, especially raw vegetables,” she says.

The kitchari spices – ginger, cumin, coriander and turmeric and a little salt – encourage production of healthy digestive enzymes. And they are ‘tri-doshic” meaning they help balance all three Ayurvedic doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha). So you can adjust the spice ratios to suit your dosha and then dial them up or down to suit you.

How long does a kitchari cleanse take? 
“The beauty of this dish is that you can eat it for a single meal to give your digestion a break or do a full cleanse of three to five days where you really begin to release stored toxins and accumulation,” Brunclikova says. 

How do you do a kitchari cleanse?

Plan ahead and decide how many days you want to do it for, making sure it doesn’t clash with other events in your calendar. A few days before your cleanse, begin to eliminate or reduce common foods that cause imbalances such as alcohol, caffeine, sugar, meat, processed foods, unrefined carbohydrates and dairy.

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Make kitchari daily (if possible) and eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. See if you can get a friend on board to take turns making batches. Drink warm, herbal teas and water throughout the day and get plenty of rest and take time for self care (oil massage, warm baths, yoga, meditation). 

Other ways to kickstart spring cleansing includes keeping an eye out for the first bitter roots of spring at your farmer’s market – think dandelion root, burdock root, goldenseal, turmeric root and ginger to name a few. These all help scrub the intestinal mucosa and help your liver detox. 

“These roots can be brewed into a tea, added to soups and stews, or taken as a supplement to boost your spring root intake,” Brunclikova says. “This is also the time to start dry skin brushing and vigorous massage to kickstart your lymphatic system and get ready for detoxification and healthy glowing skin.”

In the mornings drink a cup of warm water with lemon followed by another glass of warm water to flush the system. And finally, don’t forget to chew your cleanse. “Digestion and first enzymes production starts in the month,” Brunclikova says. “By proper chewing you also kick start your proper digestion/elimination.”

Ayurvedic healing kitchari

Serves four
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Published in Intuitive Eating

Ingredients

½ cup yellow mung beans or split peas (soaked for 24 hours)
½ cup basmati rice (rinsed and uncooked)
2 tbsps of coconut oil or ghee
1 ½ tbsps of cumin seeds
1 ½ tbsps of fennel seeds
½ tbsps of fenugreek seeds
1 ½ tbsps of coriander powder
1 tbsps of ginger (freshly minced)
½ tbsps of garam masala
1 – 2 bay leaves
Pinch asafoetida (optional)
4 cups of vegetable stock or water
1 inch stick of kombu
2 bunches spinach
½ cups of sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
1 lime
Fresh coriander
Coconut yogurt
Sea salt (to taste)

Method

1. Heat coconut oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the cumin, fennel and fenugreek seeds and cook for a few minutes to release their aromatics, or until the seeds have popped. Add the rest of the spices and stir to combine.
2. Pour in a cup of vegetable stock followed by the mung beans, rice, and kombu. Add the rest of the stock on top. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 40 minutes.
3. Check the pot and stir periodically to avoid the rice sticking to the bottom. For a soupier consistency add more water, or simmer a bit longer for a thicker stew.
4. Add chopped spinach and sun-dried tomatoes to the pot just before it’s finished cooking.

Serve with fresh coriander folded through, coconut yogurt and a drizzle of lime. Add salt to taste.