DESIGN

For a boot that’s specifically designed for those of us lacking in common sense, A.K.A the front 5, the design isn’t a major component when it comes to purchasing a boot. This is just as well, as the nicest thing that can be said about the Stampede is that it looks like a breeze block. While it doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing, the choice to not have a tongue that overlaps the laces on the boot, was a good one. This makes the boot easier to slip on and off, however, the material this tongue is made of means by the end of the game the tongue is closer to your toes than your ankle. The choice of colours the boot comes in is a nice touch, but as the old saying goes, you can’t polish a turd.

PRICE

For a pair of boots these days, at £50 from Lovell, it’s a considerably cheap boot and with that, comes the old cliché, “You get what you pay for”. Now if I was Mako Vunipola I would not be phoning up Canterbury in the hope to get a sponsorship deal so I could get a pair of these. However I’m not Mako, I’m Dave from down the road and for the most part they did the job. At the end of the day, they functioned as a rugby boot.

COMFORT

This is where I can say encouraging things about the Stampede. The boot is probably the most comfortable boot I’ve ever worn. Unlike with other boots I’ve had, I didn’t need any “breaking in time” as such, they engulfed my feet the second I put them on. I didn’t need to wear blister pads on my ankles, (admit it lads, we’ve all worn them at one point or another), nor did I need to wear two pairs of socks. So in this respect, it’s hard to have any criticism.

IN-GAME PERFORMANCE

When it comes to scrummaging there is a fair amount of grip to be had there, yet during wet conditions they tend to slide and as a result, your second row’s head then ends closer to your posterior than it should. It might be worthwhile purchasing some longer studs. They’re very heavy as well, so it doesn’t help those of us lacking in pace in any way, shape or form. On the whole, they aren’t made for anyone outside the front 5 if you’re looking to enjoy your rugby.

DURABILITY

They did start to develop tears in them after 3/4 months of playing in them which is not ideal. The laces ripped on me during a game when I was tying them, I ended up looking like one of those cool kids who won’t let no laces tie their shoes. It would be fair to say these are weak boots, made for strong men.

SKINNY SUMMARY

HIGHLIGHT: Very comfortable

CATEGORY: Comfort, Forwards

WHAT POSITION: Front 5

OVERALL RATING: 4/10

Get your Stampedes here!

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New Zealand scored all four of their tries in a spectacular first spell performance to power 29-6 clear before their momentum was stifled after the break.

A tired England looked like they would be on the end of a rout after conceding two early tries to winger Julian Savea – who finished with a hat-trick – and a double to halfback Aaron Smith.

However, they stiffened their resolve in a stop-start second half as the All Blacks’ error rate multiplied in conditions made slippery by light rain.

The result is a body blow for the tourists who had talked up their progress on the tour and their disappointment at losing the first two Tests by close scorelines – 20-15 and 28-27.

It was the best performance of the series from the world champions, who bombed a number of other opportunities in the first spell.

England’s cause wasn’t helped by a yellow card shown to No.8 Billy Vunipola in the 20th minute for a high tackle on Aaron Smith.

Mistakes and errors marred the second half, which included a late yellow card to All Blacks reserve prop Wyatt Crockett.

A sizzling Jane break after the fulltime hooter sent Savea over for his third try, giving the bulldozing winger eight from four Tests against England and 23 from 22 overall.

Centre Malakai Fekitoa was solid in his first Test start, along with No.8 Kieran Read, who was replaced at halftime in his first Test of the year after battling concussion symptoms for the last two months.

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The Wallabies were slammed following their dour 6-0 win in last weekend’s second Test in Melbourne, but they responded with a five-tries-to-one performance that secured a seventh-straight Test triumph.

Israel Folau scored a double, while lock Will Skelton also crossed the stripe in his Test debut.

Skelton made his presence felt, as he not only scored a try but also laid on one for Folau with a deft pass.

The towering 22-year-old lock received a standing ovation from the home crowd as he was replaced by James Horwill midway through the second half.

The Wallabies were always in command and played with more verve from the kick-off to clinch the series after winning the opening Test 50-23 in Brisbane.

It was the first time since 2000 that the Wallabies have won seven consecutive Tests, while the French are still searching for their first win in Australia since 1990.

While Skelton grabbed the headlines, Folau’s two tries took his tally to 13 tries in 18 Tests and fly half Bernard Foley kicked four conversions and two penalties.

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“Designed for speed, the Asics Lethal Tigreor 6 ST SG Rugby Boot effortlessly fuses style with function for a boot high on performance and comfort. Asics pride themselves on creating footwear made to complement, not correct, how the legs and feet move.”

The Asics lethal tigreor 6 is the latest offering from Asics, who have a great reputation from Marathon runners and they’re bringing across their design and comfort to the rugby pitch. Renowned down under, they’re slowly but surely making a name for themselves in rugby worldwide!

BREAKING IN AND COMFORT

Well, I’m not going to lie. These boots weren’t the easiest to break in; due to the inner lining being a fabric rather (Solyte) than a leather/synthetic material it did take a while to get used to. I found that if the boots were any way loose on your feet, the friction caused blisters and cuts very quickly. It took a solid month of wear to break these boots in fully. But once broken in, they’re extremely comfortable. The biggest issue I have with SG boots is that after a while, I begin to feel the studs through the sole and hurting my feet, but I didn’t have any of this! The leather upper fits great to your foot and doesn’t lose shape easily.

IN-GAME PERFORMANCE

I’ve worn each of these boots for the best part of 6 months now, so I’ve experienced good game time in them. I play both rugby League and Union – Prop in both – and they held up perfectly. Even though they are only 6 studs on the SG models, I had no problem in scrummaging while playing loose head – the fact I’m heavy might have helped! But in loose play they are very enjoyable to wear. Very sturdy, light and forgiving on hard surfaces (in SG and FG) with the right amount of tension across the foot to make it feel like you have a great platform to work off.

I loaned a pair of these to a friend of mine, who is a current out-half, as I wanted to get his feedback. Again it was all positive, and he said while kicking, they gave a great feel to the ball and was able to give very precise kicks with the boots. Asics really have a winner with these boots!

PRICE

When I bought these, they were freshly released, and cost me just under £100 per pair. This may seem a bit on the steep side – but these boots are very well made and they do protect your feet so it’s a great investment in my opinion. My granddad used to have a saying – ‘you buy cheap, you buy twice’… these were so good I bought expensive twice!

CRITICS NOTES

Again I’m coming back to it, and it’s the biggest let down on these boots. and it’s the length of time it takes for these boots to be broken in. Don’t expect a match-ready pair of boots when the box arrives at your front door – you will regret it!

The Skinny Summary

• Highlight: Speed matched with a supple, durable leather upper and geared up with comfort and sg/fg models you could wear all year round.
• Category: Lightweight Speed and comfort.
• Weight: 291g/243g (SG/FG, UK size 8) a decent weight for a leather boot.
• Would I Buy Them: They would be my number 1 choice boot for 2014.
• Player Position: From 1 – 15 (except maybe 3) I would recommend these.

OVERALL:

9/10

To see the whole Asics range from Lovell Rugby, and get your Asics Lethal Tigreor today!

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The Premier Nike FG Boots

The Boot

With rugby slowly ditching grass and mud for rubber and plastic, 3 and 4G pitches are slowly taking over grounds up and down the country, and this poses a new question for boot makers. With huge metal studs no longer needed to wade through swamps and bogs in the winter months of our season, what’s the next step for boots? Well Nike have cracked this problem with the gloriously classic Nike Premier FG Boots.

The black and white classic are a throwback to an era where the only variation in boots was the size, and protein was taken in the form of pre match pints. The design is based on an original 1994 classic named only as ‘The Boot’, which occupied the feet of every player from Dublin to Dunedin, but the modern take on the boots is by no means a step back.

Weighing a meagre 244g (UK Size 8), and with an arsenal of 13 solid mould studs, this boot offers the tools for a fly half to feel and guide every kick with pin point precision with minimal weight resistance, while also allowing props the ability to pack down against a freight train without giving an inch thanks to the stud placement which offers all round foot support.

Breaking In/Feel of the Boots

Initially the lightness of the boots is apparent, feeling comfortable and fitting well. Prospective buyers note that although the boot is a good fit from heel to toe, it is smaller than average across the foot.

While this may not affect the majority of people, if you are stuck in that awkward stage between two sizes, I would recommend opting for a size 11 for example if you are a snug size 10, (or if you visit Lovell Rugby, they are one of a few sites that offer a size 10 and a half).

We’ve all suffered from new boot blisters, but so far, my achilles remains safe from that old agony. As a utility forward I got the chance to test this boot all over the park, and as a sufferer of the plague that is recurring ankle injuries, I felt that this boot did not provide me a strong and safe support to my ankle, especially in the front row, although the grip and traction were fantastic, and far beyond anything I’ve previously encountered that was 100% moulded studs.

There is a mix of goat, kangaroo and cow leather all used in the making of this boot, which makes them as comfy as a normal pair of trainers, but with the extra effort that went into executing the tenants of a petting zoo to make them, this boot truly is a wonderful feeling piece of gear.

Summary

This type of boot will undoubtedly become the norm as pitches change and don’t accommodate to the metal studs we know and love, but while we may soon have to say goodbye to our long time metal friends, the replacement is more than capable of filling the role. While of course the grip is not as strong as metal studs are, it is by far an improvement of previous moulded studs and things can only improve.

Position

While I wore these as a forward, I feel these boots suit numbers 9 to 13, and possibly some particularly pacey loose forwards. It offers the comfort and lightness for an accurate kicking game to be played, and with well placed studs, agility is supported from all angles. Loose forwards would not be totally out of place in these either as they offer solid support and in the times where the burnes really need to be turned on, these boots will not let you down.

Price

At £100 (£90 at Lovell Rugby in the sales), these boots are in the upper regions of most peoples budgets for boots, and all things considered I would say that they are not value for money. These boots are a step ahead in moulds, but you could easily find a pair of solid boots for £30, and the extra £70 is near extortionate when you look at it that way.

OVERALL

• Fit: 7/10
• Performance: 9/10
• Price: 4/10
• Overall Rating: 8/10

You can see the full Nike range from Lovell rugby here, get your Premier Nike FG Boots

HOW DID YOU FIND THIS REVIEW? LET US KNOW! 

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Gambler Combat FG Football Boots

I usually go for a plain pair of black boots, but I decided to be a bit different this time around. I wasn’t sure at the start with them, but did they prove me wrong! Please don’t let the skull and Bones put you off.

Design:

Looks neat to me. Not too flashy and not too plain + the green and black go well together and it doesn’t like like rainbows are stuck on to your feet. Not too keen on the Gambler + skull and bones design but it isn’t that visible and doesn’t repeat constantly on the boots.

Comfort:

On the rugby pitch you always need a comfortable pair of boots as players run about 6-7 km a match. The inside padding is soft and very comfy and your foot adapts to this surface easily, after about a match or two. Inside the boot is pale green, so sweat and water are visible. That doesn’t really worry me, but for some backs it might (sly dig).

In-Game Performance:

The stud layout of the boot is perfect for running, agile players that love pacing past defenders, although at times the studs can let you down with the grip. The boots comfort is perfect, so you can play without a problem from possible tightness/itch’s from the boot. The stud layout( 6 studded boot) contributes to quick movements such as dummies/ side steps but at times the studs fail, as I mentioned earlier. The boots surface is a soft, durable one too, so tears of stitching which are a massive pain, are impossible with this boot, + surface is really easy to clean!

Durability:

As I said, boots are very easy to clean. Easy surface to clean quickly if needs be. Laces constantly get stuck/full of mud on a rainy day, but goes for all laces.

Critics Notes:

In the modern game, nearly every player must be agile. These boots are suited to attacking positions such as wing/loose forwards + centres, full backs and wingers. One flaw (If any) is that I found the triangular hole (MurderHole Cutout)let in a fair amount of water into the foot, yet again the MurderHole does comfort the achilles part of the foot.

Skinny Summary:

• HIGHLIGHT: Useful for swift movements/ Kicking.
• CATEGORY: Swift Movements/Speed
• WHAT POSITION: Loose forwards/Backs
• OVERALL RATING: 7/10

Mark:

1.  Not a big fan of the skull and bones symbol, but then again it’s not that visible/ easy to see
2.  Triangular hole at the back of the boot does tend to let in a bit of water/liquid.
3. Studs don’t have the best of grip on ground, but still well capable.

Overall, I really enjoyed playing with these boots. Would recommend to a friend without hesitation and the boot’s cons aren’t that big of a problem.

Get your Gambler Combat Boots Here!

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