By the 1990′s Cyril’s message had begun to penentrate other clubs such as Eastwood. Howevr Messrs McKensie and Hickey, both products of those fine running rugby clubs fell into the bottomless pit of play ugly, such was the desparate desire to beat other teams also playing ugly at the bottom of the same pit.

What is needed is a sustained campaign, over years, not months, by Spiro and his influential friends to re-introduce the running game. They can start with old movies of Cyril Towers and (not so old) movies of the Ella brothers. Success will then be assured, not only for the Wallabies, but for the return of big crowds to enjoy the game which used to be played in heaven.

I would have Turner at F/B but Micthell will get first digs to fulfill agreements on his signing, He can have a few howlers and then be move to the wing.
The team looks formadible and has potential to run the ball, but skills and poor coaching will prevent that.

01 Robinson
02 TPN
03 Dunning
04 Roodt
05 Caldwell
06 Mumm
07 Waugh
08 Palu
09 Burgess
10 Barnes, agreement on signing and manages team well, better passer and kicker than Beale
11 Turner
12 Beale, plays a lot like Giteau and everyone knows Giteau is far better 12 than 10
13 Horne
14 Anesi
15 Mitchell

Self-control, Kurtley. You’re a professional athlete.

berrick seems a lot more likeable. i think that would help getting media coverage etc. time for hard calls to be made.

im afraid hickey is an ameatuer in a professional game.

Sprio, if you get a chance to see this, im interested in your thought on NSW suburban rugby and the people that run that game?

The Ellas et al didnt spring from the ground able to play “running rugby”. If they spent all their time in teams that played 10 man rugby then thats what they would have been good at playing. By aiming to play running rugby you end up with a better skilled outside backs, who have a chance to be the best in the world.

In soccer the Brazilian’s have a myth of “Beautiful football” and it seems to work well for them.

Hopefully Tom Carter will not even get a bench spot, if this happens the ball should be able to get past the insider centre, which has not happened for a longtime!

Also Beale has come back from the grand slam tour looking fit, lets hope he stays away from the buggers in the off season.

That is one of the things I constantly shake my head at. It does make it easier to protect the ball (if you get it standing still) as your supporters are basically holding you as you get tackled, but I don’t think they do it that way for that reason. It’s just laziness or poor coaching or lack of brains or some or all of the three.

You should see my nuggety hooker do “hammer” (what we call it). He sprints onto it and loves rolling and bouncing off defenders. The trick is for him to have 2-3 mates with him. We have 8 forwards next season (6 last year in 12-a-side) which will help. It will be very simple – one or two hammers and once we’re moving forward (half-back is smart enough to work this out) get it to the 5/8 who can spin it wide – where there is a lot of speed. I’m lucky I have brains at 2, 9 and 10 – and no shortage of skill I might add.

Mate I completely agree re basic skills – especially forwards receiving passes whilst they are stationary. This is mind numbingly simple and I have not understood how in this professional era these guys continue to play this way. I note that the Wallabies were hitting the ball at pace against Wales – hopefully the returning Tahs will bring this amazing revelation back with them.

Face facts, “running rugby” is largely a bloody myth – we played it in the 80s when we had the Ellas et al in their pomp, and it worked. But it worked bacuse we had the best players, not the current crop of also-rans. Likewise with the WC wins in the 90s – they were built on the fact we had the best players, not some imaginary free-flowing style.

If the asthetics of “running rugby” are so important to you Spiro, then go follow ice skating. Personally, I’d rather the Wallabies and Waratahs play winning rugby. In 20 years’ time you won’t hear people saying “Jeez Australia got knocked out in the quarter finals stage of the WC and otherwise couldn’t beat time with a stick. But at least they looked good doing it”. Dire stuff.

Mitchell will play fullback – that is part of why he came to the Tahs, as the Force have Cam Shepherd.

Wings Turner and Anesi – pretty easy. Option of swapping Mitchell and Turner. Nasiganyavi backing up the back 3 I guess.

Outside centre Rob Horne but our weakest position in the backs, unless he starts fulfuilling the promise. Sidey as backup but I’m not convinced there either.

Halangahu backing up Barnes’s suspect body as he does similar (guilde the team round the field) very well and like Barnes is a strong defender. Hangers can also back up Beale at 12.

Tommy Carter might not even make the bench, with Josh Holmes, Hangers, Ratu and Sidey. Maybe as the 3rd back sub, but then who covers the back 3? I guess Kurtley can (fullback and now wing), and Rob Horne to a lesser extent.

If the Waratahs are to play decisive ball-in-hand rugby, who is going to coach it? Do the coaches have the expertise to coach it?

I’m not convinced.

And what about their skills – ever seen Turner try to pass to his right running full tilt?

My U10s backs do it better than some of them – but we practise it a LOT. Draw and pass, 2 on 1s, 3 on 2s, running hard and straight, support players in the right position.

The pros probably think they’re too good to practise the basic skills. We then go back to basic standing still passing and build up to sprinting and draw and pass again every 6 weeks or so. They love the pass under pressure one I made up where I smack them with a tackle bag if they’re too slow!

Build it up to make it harder and more fun, then break it back down to basics and build it up again.

I shold go and watch a training session to see what they actually work on. I am still amazed at how often a forward doing a hitup gets the ball standing still. Do they practise that? We do, and wonder of wonders the boys get the ball already running hard and straight and get over the advantage line.

You’ve got to wonder what they practise sometimes.

Praise be that we see coaches start to instill this sort of “chance your arm, running rugby” from anywhere outside your own red zone.

Heck, I’ve even seen the AB’s run from their red zone if its on. What ever happened to backs showing some “vision” like the Sivi’s.

I reckon the conservative rot of many coaches is to blame!!

Rant, rant!!

Locks look 10000-1 to play together for Aus, Pocock has taken huge steps and may be best in world in 2 years dames as Genia. If you want a slow indecisive crabbing halfback hen by all means pick Holmes.

Mortlock won’t be there and isn’t a 12 and neither is Horne. You have left Ash two dads out who was our best back this year.

In a nutshell I don’t think you are real close.

1. alexander
2. polota nau
3 robinson
4 hand
5 vickerman
6 elsom
7 smith
8 palu
9 holmes
10 barnes
11 turner
12 mortlock/horne
13 ioane
14 morahan
15 shepard

* would consider cooper or oconner for a utility bench spot along with either horne or mortlock

* hand is a late bloomer with a wealth of experience and and is considered by micheal foley as a top lineout general.

thoughts?