View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

By Rickety Knees - Roar Guru[?]
February 9th 2010 @ 2:15am
Get a Roar profile

4
Like it? Cheer it. More cheers, higher up on page.
Loading ... Loading ...

ADVERTISEMENT
View The Roar's top rugby union writers.
New podcast from RuggaMatrix, with Munster Assistant Coach Laurie Fisher as guest. Listen now.

Related coverage

Who will be the next great Wallaby fly-half?

Australia's Stephen Larkham is tackled during the All Blacks v Australia tri nations rugby match at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday July 21, 2007. New Zealand 26 bt Australia 12. AAP Images

Every Rugby World Cup winning rugby team has a world-class general playing at 10. In the past, the Wallabies have been blessed with Michael Lynagh and, of course, Stephen Larkham.

Since the departure of Stephen Larkham, the Wallabies have had mixed success on the field, which has reflected the mixed form of Matt Giteau – one day great, the next day, not so great.

To date, Giteau has not made the Wallaby No 10 position his own.

The 2010 Super 14 season promises to be fascinating. Berrick Barnes has moved to the Waratahs and will take over at No 10. Quade Cooper, with his court adjournment, will play 10 for the Reds.

Giteau is No 10 at the Brumbies, and now with season ending injury to Andre Pretorius, will we see James O’Connor move into the No 10 role for the Western Force?

So who, barring injury, will be the Wallaby 10 come June this year?

Will it be Barnes – who brings a solid all round game with great catching, passing, kicking skills coupled with a great defence?

Or will it be the all-round unpredictable but risky skills of Cooper.

Then, of course, Giteau will be looking to combine his talents in attack and defence which are more easily plied in the Super 14. Or, finally, will it be O’Conner that stands tall and delivers on his potential.

Robbie Deans must be sitting back salivating at the prospect of Barnes Vs Cooper Vs Giteau Vs O’Connor. I cannot remember when Australia had four quality No 10s competing for the Wallaby General’s position.

But who will it be?

Going to the Waratahs v Brumbies blockbuster at ANZ Stadium, Saturday 24 April? If you're keen to meet up with other Roarers, register you interest and we'll keep you informed on the place to meet. Register now.

Get Australia's best Rugby opinion emailed daily.
Like this content? Buzz it up!

Free Email updates:

Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...

 

Crowd Says (84)

  •   Boo Cheers

    Frank O'Keeffe said  | February 9th 2010 @ 2:21am | Report comment

    Despite flashes of occasional brilliance Giteau just isn’t a great flyhalf. See what Mark Ella thinks of him – http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/give-giteau-another-run-at-halfback/story-e6frg7q6-1225790626558

    Barnes should be five-eighth, and the revelation that Giteau will probably play at 10 for the Brumbies is disappointing, because with Barnes at 10 for the Tahs you would expect that Deans would play Giteau at 12 and Barnes at 10. I just hope Barnes can stay injury free as he seems as injury prone as Stephen Larkham.

    I know this is arrogant to say, but I really thought the Wallabies would have won the 2008 if Barnes had have stayed healthy. It screwed things up royally in the Brisbane Test on which the 2008 tri nations was decided. Barnes, at his best, is Australia’s best back. He’s an old head on young shoulders.

    Could he ever be as good as Lawton Sr, Hawthorne, McLean, Ella, Lynagh, or Larkham? Who knows?

    •   Boo Cheers

      Who Needs Melon said  | February 9th 2010 @ 5:19am | Report comment

      C’mon! Barnes is MUCH more injury prone than Larkham was, isn’t he?

      I agree Barnes is the best of the current crop but let me see him run around in the position as a specialist for at least a season before I burden him ‘the next great’ tag.

  • +1 Boo Cheers
    View pothale's Roar profile

    pothale said  | February 9th 2010 @ 3:50am | Report comment

    Danny Cipriani, obviously, after his glittering start with the Rebels who go on to win the S15 in their premier season.

    •   Boo Cheers

      Pajovic said  | February 9th 2010 @ 5:27am | Report comment

      ha ha ha!

    •   Boo Cheers
      View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

      Rickety Knees said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:38am | Report comment

      G’day Pots – Cipriani won’t be at the Rebels – McQueen is looking for good clubmen not show ponies.

      •   Boo Cheers
        View Wavell Wakefield's Roar profile

        Wavell Wakefield said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:44am | Report comment

        What on earth do you know about Cipriani, RK? What on earth do you know about his committment to Wasps or English rugby?

        •   Boo Cheers
          View Bay35Pablo's Roar profile

          Bay35Pablo said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:48am | Report comment

          WW, read the following:

          http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/cipriani-on-the-loose/story-e6frg7mf-1225827298089

          Then talk.

          •   Boo Cheers
            View Wavell Wakefield's Roar profile

            Wavell Wakefield said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:52am | Report comment

            Talk about what? Who do you think you’re quizzing? I’m not an Australian who has seen Cipriani play once or twice, and read some bland ‘journalism’ from the local press. I’m an Englishman who has watched the majority of his games and who has a personal insight into his career. I mean… what exactly is your point?

            •   Boo Cheers

              Justin said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:12am | Report comment

              Well with your “personal insight” do you care to tell us something about him we havent read? Give us the real story about him…

            •   Boo Cheers

              mushi said  | February 9th 2010 @ 2:07pm | Report comment

              Oh well if you’re an englishman then clearly you are far more insghtful and intelligent.

              Can ye tell us ow it werks guv? Our tiny convic noggins just won get it

            •   Boo Cheers
              View Bay35Pablo's Roar profile

              Bay35Pablo said  | February 9th 2010 @ 3:52pm | Report comment

              WW, my point is that this is the press in Oz, which is informing RK’s comment. You are unlikely to know this since you live in the NH, whereas as soon as I saw RK’s comment, I knew where he was coming from, being informed by that article.

              I also knew you knee kerk reaction was made clearly without knowing that.

  • +1 Boo Cheers

    katzilla said  | February 9th 2010 @ 3:53am | Report comment

    Who will be the NEXT great Wallaby fly half?
    No doubt hes playing school boy rugby in NZ somewhere.

    •   Boo Cheers

      Pajovic said  | February 9th 2010 @ 5:27am | Report comment

      But dying to leave………….

      •   Boo Cheers

        Daniel J said  | February 9th 2010 @ 6:27pm | Report comment

        That was awesome

  •   Boo Cheers

    sheek said  | February 9th 2010 @ 6:46am | Report comment

    I agree with Frank – Berrick Barnes looks to have the goods.

    But getting back to Katzilla’s comment – yeah, probably some kiwi raised kid of Pacific Islands background, with an unpronounceable surname….. !

  •   Boo Cheers

    Sam Taulelei said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:08am | Report comment

    ” I cannot remember when Australia had four quality No 10s competing for the Wallaby General’s position.”

    Well you’ve never had four Super rugby sides before and the previous interstate series only involved NSW and QLD and then ACT.

    However I think you’re being a bit premature with your judgement of quality no.10’s. Barnes and Giteau are the only quality 10s with any experience. O’Connor is far too raw and an instinctive attacking player with questionable defence to guide a team around the field and control a game. Cooper is the same and very inconsistent. I’d prefer to see someone like Matt Toomua (there you go Katzilla) playing 10 for the Brumbies with Giteau outside him as a guiding voice.

    •   Boo Cheers

      formeropenside said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:23am | Report comment

      NSW have not had a quality 10 since Mark Ella – and now they have had to poach a Queenslander to fix their 25 year problem. Its enough to make you laugh, if not cry. Toomua, Barnes, O’Connor…all lost Queenslanders.

    •   Boo Cheers

      DingoBob said  | February 9th 2010 @ 11:20am | Report comment

      I have to agree Sam I think that would be the best combination. Puttng Gitaeau a bit wider seemed to work during the last tour when he played outside Barnes. As long as Matt Toomua can handle his part of the kicking game as well.

  •   Boo Cheers

    Short-Blind. said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:25am | Report comment

    Kat – Aaron Cruden’s replacement at AB 10 has just moved out from Apia, Nandi or Nuku’alofa….glass houses please….

    Seriously, the word great is being flicked about a little loosely here. Lynagh and Larkham played at a high level for years at 10 to achieve such status. Giteau has been a great international 12 but never a great 10 (too inconsistent) and never will be (esp with Deans now seeing him as a 12). Agree with Frank and Sheek, Barnes looks like our best 10 but the word great cannot be used until he cements the wallaby 10 and plays a couple of seasons AND wins lots of big matches by controlling a game (a la Carter) – this seems a long way off at present given his tendency to get injured. O’Connor and Cooper are pups who have shown flashes of potential but neither strike me as likely to be great 10’s….maybe 12 or 15. Unfortunately I get the feeling that Barnes is just not going to be around enough to become great (hope I’m wrong). So the next ‘great’ wallaby flyhalf is probably running around in schoolboys somewhere?

    •   Boo Cheers

      katzilla said  | February 9th 2010 @ 1:59pm | Report comment

      Im not having a dig short blind, just a fact of life.
      Its well known that a couple of the OZ franchises have been looking in NZ for players with Australian Heritage.
      And why wouldn’t they? Its the best rugby development system in the world.

      •   Boo Cheers

        Short-Blind. said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:18pm | Report comment

        I guess that’s the case if rugby is religion in your country – fair enough Katzilla :) ps can anyone tell me why rugby in NZ is so dominant and played across all strata of society and in Oz it is mainly a preppy school pastime played predominantly in two east coast states? I’m thinking that is why the development system in Oz sucks – unlike league or AFL. thanks

        •   Boo Cheers

          JF said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:39pm | Report comment

          NZ is the exceptional one here, probably only Wales that can match NZ for penetrating the entire populous. In every other rugby-playing nation, it is supported by a certain rung of society with a strong connection to private schooling and the middle-class. Geographical strongholds are also evident such as in France, England, Ireland and Italy. Can’t really answer why this is – I am more puzzled by the sport’s ability to be free of this stigma in NZ and Wales.

          •   Boo Cheers
            View rugbyfuture's Roar profile

            rugbyfuture said  | February 9th 2010 @ 9:04pm | Report comment

            wales were less stringent to the amateur days I do Know.

  •   Boo Cheers

    Jameswm said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:47am | Report comment

    He’s playing in my club U11s team this year. Quick, good step, excellent catch pass, good boot, vision, bright, coachable, sets up his outside backs, level head. Tackles when he has to…

    •   Boo Cheers

      sheek said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:10am | Report comment

      James,

      That wouldn’t be junior, would it….. ?

  •   Boo Cheers
    View Bay35Pablo's Roar profile

    Bay35Pablo said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:52am | Report comment

    Barnes is the best prospect, with Gits at 12, and Cooper off the bench. use Barnes/Gits as 1st/2nd 5/8 in the Kiwi style.

    O’Connor doesn’t look to be a 5/8. Hell, the boy was shown up in the Test this year. He can’t play full back, and is more a centre but needs a few more years of meat and scars on him.

    Work in progress. Question is whether we can get it sufficiently together by RWC 2011.

    We haven’t had a world class 10 since Larkham, which is part of the reason for the Wallaby malaise since he left (along with the half back issue which Genia appears to have fixed).

    •   Boo Cheers
      View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

      Rickety Knees said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:05am | Report comment

      Thanks Bay – that’s my view also for the RWC Genia-Barnes-Giteau. IMHO Giteau only came good on the last tour when he played second receiver inside Cooper – so Cooper for the bench. I hope that KB steps up at 12 for the Tahs and put pressure on to join the Wallaby bench. At this stage of his career I believe that O’Connor is best played at 15 but that is unlikely to happen with the injury to Pretorius. The next big questions will be who will play 13 and 15 for the Wallabies in the RWC.

      •   Boo Cheers
        View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

        Rickety Knees said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:34am | Report comment

        I have just read that Bartholomeusz is playing 10 for the Force.

  •   Boo Cheers

    Brett McKay said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:53am | Report comment

    put the easy questions out there nice and early Rickety, good one!!

    I think we’ll finally get to see the Barnes-Giteau 10-12 setup this year too. NSW have fallen into line and Barnes looks set to be confirmed as their chief playmaker, goal-kicker, set-piece caller, lineout caller, tactician, scrum coach and CEO.

    Giteau on the other hand seems to have taken on the relaxed elder statesman in Canberra this year, making noises about playing wherever the team and coach needs him, and not being overly worried what number he’s wearing. He may well play 10 in Perth this Fri night, but I think we might see a Toomua-Giteau 10-12 combo down here before too long..

    •   Boo Cheers
      View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

      Rickety Knees said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:07am | Report comment

      G’day Brett – “coach and CEO of the Tahs” hmmm that’s worth considering.

    •   Boo Cheers

      Brett McKay said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:09am | Report comment

      just the scrum coach and CEO mate, you apparently need to serve an apprenticship before getting the top job ;-)

  •   Boo Cheers

    Jameswm said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:08am | Report comment

    AAC will be 13 or 15 – I see him more as a 13.

    15 maybe Cam Shepherd if his body can hold together, or Gerrardo.

    Wings? Fainifo, Turner, Hynes, Mitchell, Nadolo, Cummins, Morahan, Sills – who have I missed? No real standouts though.

    •   Boo Cheers

      reds fan said  | February 9th 2010 @ 10:08am | Report comment

      You left out Digby.

  •   Boo Cheers
    View Wavell Wakefield's Roar profile

    Wavell Wakefield said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:21am | Report comment

    ‘Well with your “personal insight” do you care to tell us something about him we havent read? Give us the real story about him…’

    The whole point is that there is no real story. It just seems that the average Australian salivates at the mere hint of a tabloid breakfast. The average union fan in Australia does not know a single thing about Cipriani and yet apparently sees fit to make various cynical implications. It’s boring and juvenile. If he was a kicking player then you’d get the ‘boring Pom’ jibes, and that he has been in the media means that he is a ’showpony’. This black and white perception of sports stars is curious to say the least.

    Cipriani rarely drinks, doesn’t go to pubs or clubs, doesn’t smoke and he doesn’t have anti-social habits. He is a model professional. As a teenager he paid for sprint sessions with Margot Wells and sessions with a sports psychologist with his own money, and during his own time. He had a marvellous first season and started well for England. A horrific injury struck and he was recalled to the England team far too quickly, something that Martin Johnson admitted. The only incident he’s been involved with has been a fight with Josh Lewsey – something that was so serious that both players laughed about it during a try celebration the next week. He’s good with the kids/fans at Wasps too.

    •   Boo Cheers

      Justin said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:34am | Report comment

      By story I should have said facts. I read the same LD article in the Times yesterday. It seems Johnson doesnt want him so why not take a few years in S14? Experience a different lifestyle and playing culture then head back to England in 2012 and play well and get his Test jersey back. He would only be 25 or something.

    •   Boo Cheers
      View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

      Rickety Knees said  | February 9th 2010 @ 9:40am | Report comment

      KO – is the Times a tabliod?

      •   Boo Cheers

        Colin N said  | February 9th 2010 @ 11:06am | Report comment

        Sort of.

        •   Boo Cheers
          View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

          Rickety Knees said  | February 9th 2010 @ 11:21am | Report comment

          CN – is it or is it not?

        •   Boo Cheers

          PastHisBest said  | February 9th 2010 @ 5:12pm | Report comment

          How in the hell can it ’sort of’ be a tabloid???

          •   Boo Cheers

            Colin N said  | February 9th 2010 @ 6:27pm | Report comment

            Technically it’s a compact format. Nevertheless, you could have found that out for yourself quite easily.

            •   Boo Cheers

              PastHisBest said  | February 9th 2010 @ 6:41pm | Report comment

              Quite. So there is no ’sort of’. But gee, thanks for helping.

            •   Boo Cheers

              Colin N said  | February 9th 2010 @ 6:51pm | Report comment

              Depends on how you interpret it. A compact newspaper is a broadsheet in a tabloid format.

          •   Boo Cheers

            Colin N said  | February 9th 2010 @ 6:30pm | Report comment

            Newspaper* instead of format.

          •   Boo Cheers

            Wavell Wakefield said  | February 10th 2010 @ 3:41am | Report comment

            It can be a tabloid, PHB, because the nature of the journalism is tabloidistic, and not just the sport section. The Times has some vile writers. Obviously Australians wouldn’t know that, but the thing is that The Times is pro-Cipriani. However, conversely no paper is anti-Cipriani, it’s simply that Stephen Jones (everybody knows his line of writing is certainly not informed broad paper material) uses the alleged dropping of Cipriani as irrefutable proof of the conservatism of the current England regime.

            Cipriani has only made four negative headlines: 1: for allegedly going out with a transexual (I think that’s the correct term), 2: handing out tickets to friends who happened to be at a night club, 3: for having a fight with Josh Lewsey and 4: dating Kelly Brook. Nothing cynical and nefarious. He is never in the papers and he is not an English celebrity.

    •   Boo Cheers

      Wylie said  | February 9th 2010 @ 10:55am | Report comment

      “The average union fan in Australia does not know a single thing about Cipriani and yet apparently sees fit to make various cynical implications.”

      I know he plays fly half and his girlfriend is hot – that’s two things.

      •   Boo Cheers
        View pothale's Roar profile

        pothale said  | February 9th 2010 @ 11:09am | Report comment

        Two things?!

        I bet anything that you’re an above-average Australian union fan……

        The average Australian fan just thinks he’s hot and half-fly, they aren’t threatened by the girlfriend.

  •   Boo Cheers

    Jameswm said  | February 9th 2010 @ 11:09am | Report comment

    thanks reds fan – so Digby on one wing, one of the others on the other. I don’t really see Digby as a 13 yet. I’d rather have there and Digby outside him. AAC

    WW are you Cirpriani’s cousin, or agent?

    •   Boo Cheers

      Wavell Wakefield said  | February 10th 2010 @ 3:46am | Report comment

      No, but I have spoken to him, and have mutual friends. I went to a school that was funded by the same charity that funded his school, one of three in the area.

  •   Boo Cheers

    ohtani's jacket said  | February 9th 2010 @ 11:09am | Report comment

    “Robbie Deans must be sitting back salivating at the prospect of Barnes Vs Cooper Vs Giteau Vs O’Connor.”

    This is not a good thing for Australian rugby.

    Some of us warned you lot about Robbie Deans and backlines when he first signed with the ARU and here you see after two years he still doesn’t know where to play these guys or who his 10 should be.

    •   Boo Cheers
      View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

      Rickety Knees said  | February 9th 2010 @ 11:20am | Report comment

      G’day OJ – I know that you are not a fan of Deans. But you have to give him some credit for bringing Carter on – my mail is that he spent countless hours working one on one with him. Carter, with doubt, is the best 10 in the world by a country mile at this moment in time. Deans coached Mehrtens and slowly transitioned Carter into the job. In defence of Deans – given the way the Reds played Barnes and Cooper – he had no choice by to go with Giteau. Deans wanted to play Barnes at 10 on the spring tour but of course Barnes got injured. I will agree with you if he doesnt have 10 sorted by the end of this S14.

      •   Boo Cheers

        ohtani's jacket said  | February 9th 2010 @ 12:21pm | Report comment

        Hi Rickety,

        I think Robbie is an excellent coach when he has a limited player pool to draw from; I just question his selecting ability at the Test level.

        If he chooses one of those guys — say Barnes — where does he play the other guys? How do you fit four 10s into a Test side? I know Deans has said he wants to leave the Australian Super 14 sides alone but really how is it helping the Wallabies having four of their backs play first five this season? Part of the reason why the Wallabies haven’t been successful of late is because the Super 14 sides don’t flow into the national side in the way that Daniel Carter and other players were groomed for Test match rugby. Deans might be successful with an Australian player if he were coaching one of their franchises, but at the Test match level players ought to be closer to the finished article.

        •   Boo Cheers
          View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

          Rickety Knees said  | February 9th 2010 @ 1:06pm | Report comment

          Good point OJ – I don’t expect him to fit 4 x 10’s into the test side. I am just excited that we have four quality guys competing for the job at 10. My preference is Genia/Barnes/Giteau with Cooper coming off the bench. That accounts for 3 of them – I would rather persevere with O’Connor at 15.

          Completely off the topic – have you been up to Hokkaido – and if so what is it like?

          •   Boo Cheers

            ohtani's jacket said  | February 9th 2010 @ 1:33pm | Report comment

            Haven’t been to Hokkaido yet, but I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about it. I believe it’s difficult to travel around without a car, though.

        •   Boo Cheers

          AndyS said  | February 11th 2010 @ 3:58pm | Report comment

          So what you are saying is that Australia has two senior players interchangeable at 10/12, but recognise that one of them is a little injury prone. To cover that they have two younger players, one of which is also developing primarily at 10/12, the other playing primarily 12/15 but (probably) with the long term view towards 10.

          Personally, I would have said that such a situation is exactly the sort of depth any international coach would work hard to achieve. Come one of them getting injured, or flitting off post-2011, it will look a pretty smart arrangement. Still, I suspect that if it were otherwise you’d be finding a way to criticise Deans for his inability to succession plan…

  •   Boo Cheers

    marc said  | February 9th 2010 @ 11:44am | Report comment

    MATT TOOMUA will be the next Dan Carter…..

    •   Boo Cheers
      View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

      Rickety Knees said  | February 9th 2010 @ 12:20pm | Report comment

      Marc if that does to pass it will not be a great surprise – he certainly is a gifted player

      •   Boo Cheers

        Short-Blind. said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:29pm | Report comment

        Marc and RK- I too have been impressed by Toomua and I really hope Friend plays him at 10 with Giteau outside to develop him (or the other way around like Merhtens and Carter a few years ago). My only concern is he looks a bit fragile to defend in the 10/12 channel and has occasionally gone missing in big games…although he is still very young and developing. not sure if he is in the DC class but giving development he could be a wallaby 10. cheers

        •   Boo Cheers
          View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

          Rickety Knees said  | February 10th 2010 @ 7:40am | Report comment

          SB – defence is a combination of attitude and timing. Berrick Barnes learnt to tackle by practising on Shane Webcke – I hope that Toomua adopts a similar regime.

  •   Boo Cheers

    mattamkII said  | February 9th 2010 @ 12:03pm | Report comment

    WW – class act wot wot.

    I say ol’ chap, I do believe that the average person form the colony know a tad more than you give us scaly wags credit for. Most of the Rugger Buggers down here are frightfully aware of Daniel Ciprianis skills. Sadly ma’ boy, we are also aware that he isn’t overly accepted in the mother country because he doesn’t fit the mold….too rah, fox hunt, god save the queen etc etc.

    All jokes aside, if he came down here it would be the best thing for him and English Rugby. He could learn his trade in Melbourne away from the media spotlight and restraint of the tweed boys of the RFU.

    But please dont assume ‘the average Australian’ know nothing about him.

    •   Boo Cheers

      Wavell Wakefield said  | February 10th 2010 @ 3:49am | Report comment

      I presume that the average Australian doesn’t know anything about him, and that has been made abundantly clear throughout the various ‘contributions’ – something that you confirm with your ‘doesn’t fit the mold (sic)’ comment. My thinking is that GP and HC rugby isn’t widely available throughout Australia and given his injury problems the average Australian would not have seen Cipriani at his peak. Did you? Watch many of his games recently? I will stop making assumptions when the Australian side does (celebrity girlfriend, showpony etc).. Yawn yawn.

      •   Boo Cheers

        mattamkII said  | February 10th 2010 @ 11:00am | Report comment

        My lord you come across as a bitter fella.

        Mate, trust me. Every Australian rugby supporter knows about him and has seen or heard about his skills. Even Spiros has mentioned on this forum something like “Cipriani is special”….now for a English number 10 to get that from him is pretty amazing.

        PS – thats for the spelling tips. You come across like an awesome bloke.

        •   Boo Cheers

          mattamkII said  | February 10th 2010 @ 11:01am | Report comment

          thanks* for spelling tips….

          Dont want to get sent home with another letter to mum.

          •   Boo Cheers
            View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

            Rickety Knees said  | February 10th 2010 @ 1:01pm | Report comment

            Mattamkll – WW was formerly known as Knives Out – mate he just loves a stoush especially anything to do with 1 English Rugby 2 NH anything. By the timing of his posts from the UK he always gets first crack at all published articles and just loves firing a broadside to anybody and everybody. He certainly add some spark to the posts.

            •   Boo Cheers

              mattamkII said  | February 10th 2010 @ 1:15pm | Report comment

              Oddly enough I found KO fairly well formed in debate….

              Throwing barbs at a whole country because one or two people think Cipers is a pony seems rich to me…

            •   Boo Cheers

              Sammy22 said  | February 10th 2010 @ 5:16pm | Report comment

              Thanks for that RK, I used to work for a company owned and built up by the real Wavell Wakefield and then Chaired by his daughter some years ago. I just find this guys use of the name distasteful to say the least.
              May as well just change my handle to John Eales …….. I dont think so !!!!

            •   Boo Cheers

              Wavell Wakefield said  | February 11th 2010 @ 3:24am | Report comment

              You have the front to talk about firing broadsides having offered the nonsensical ’show pony’ comment. Wow. I guess Crocodile Dundee wasn’t a myth. Just don’t offer me a game of knifey-spoon. Watch some rugby before you comment, RK. Your stereotypical guff about anything remotely NH is wearing as thin as Mortlock’s hairline.

  •   Boo Cheers

    sheek said  | February 9th 2010 @ 1:02pm | Report comment

    Rickety,

    The Boks WC winning flyhalf in 1995 was Joel Stransky, & in 2007, it was Butch James. Both were highly competent, but I wouldn’t consider either as exceptional.

    I remember my school had a run of very good first XVs from 1970-74. The no.10s were competent without being brilliant. By a great irony, the best no.10 during that sequence was in 1973, when we had our worst year – go figure!

    I wonder if saying “every World Cup winning team has a world class general at 10″ is a kind of oxymoron, like “Army intelligence”.

    After all, by the very nature of its position, a flyhalf must be like a general since he is the focal point in directing the traffic in both attack & defence.

    Sorry, slow day today….. !!!

    •   Boo Cheers

      Short-Blind. said  | February 9th 2010 @ 8:34pm | Report comment

      Sheek whilst I tend to agree with you in general that a competent (by international standards) 10 will do as long as the people around him are very good. There is no doubt that an exceptional 10 will add increased value to a team – but cannot regularly win a game on his own if running with poor cattle or pigs. Unless of course your name is Hugo Porta and you kick 8 penalties to win a game….

    •   Boo Cheers

      AndyS said  | February 11th 2010 @ 4:08pm | Report comment

      I do sometimes wonder about the “world class general” principle myself – isn’t it amazing how often a “great” 10 plays in a great team able to give him time and support?

  •   Boo Cheers

    brad said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:02pm | Report comment

    Wallabies will never have a great flyhalf because their forward will never be able to contain the opposition. Carter and Morne Steyn even wilkinson play off a completely different platform. Larkham is possibly the most overated international in History. The guy was average, made a few breaks here and there but was no Michael Lynagh by a long shot. Brock James is the only credible australian flyhalf out there.

  •   Boo Cheers

    sheek said  | February 9th 2010 @ 7:15pm | Report comment

    Helloooo Brad,

    You just start following rugby a year or two ago? Your above statement is so extraordinarily non-sensical, I won’t even ask you to give yourself an uppercut.

    You’re beyond help…..

  •   Boo Cheers

    Liam said  | February 9th 2010 @ 11:33pm | Report comment

    No one ever will be as good as Stephen Larkham. Not for a long time either, the current Flyhalf stocks are not up to half of his standard.

  •   Boo Cheers

    Armchair Sportsfan said  | February 10th 2010 @ 12:46am | Report comment

    As a Queensland fan who did live in Sydney from 2003 to 2007 i almost went mad with the the hype surrounding the next ‘greatest flyhalf to ever strap on a boot and despite still not having left school yet, the fact that he has played in the Joey’s 1st XV since he was 4 years old means that he will automatically play for Australia for the next 100 years as he’s just such an amazingly talented New South Welshman”

    dont’ think Kurtley Beale has been mentioned on this blog once.

    has something changed NSW?…maybe reality?

    •   Boo Cheers
      View rugbyfuture's Roar profile

      rugbyfuture said  | February 10th 2010 @ 12:48am | Report comment

      (this applies to both nsw and qld joes)

      whats a baby wallaby?

    •   Boo Cheers
      View Rickety Knees's Roar profile

      Rickety Knees said  | February 10th 2010 @ 7:28am | Report comment

      I believe that KB is a bit like Giteau ie he plays better at second receiver. Certainly that was the case when he partnered Tahu towards the end of the last S14 when they won three games on the trot is South Africa, which is no mean feat.

      •   Boo Cheers

        Mike G said  | February 10th 2010 @ 1:02pm | Report comment

        exactly RK – Beale looked great at 12, the extra space & time was perect for him…I hope to see him have a blinder at 12 on Sat night – Go the tahs!!

  •   Boo Cheers

    mattamkII said  | February 10th 2010 @ 1:12pm | Report comment

    tend to agree…Both of them dont seem to like getting the ball with a wall of set D fronting them…they need some momentum from either side to work some magic.

  •   Boo Cheers

    Peter K said  | February 10th 2010 @ 3:06pm | Report comment

    Currently Barnes is the only complete 10 we have. But he is very injury prone, far more than Larkham who suffered most of his i njuries late in his career not every year like Barnes.

    Barnes though is very good rather than Great or brilliant but is young and may improve.

    Cooper has come on far more than Beale. Giteau is a 12 never a 10, probably the same with OÇonnor.
    Cooper has really improved his pass and kick. Still behind Barnes there though. His running game is excellent. Defence still weak. However what he lacks most is the ability to control a team and hence a game. Once he can do this then he may challenge Barnes.

  •   Boo Cheers

    brad said  | February 10th 2010 @ 6:43pm | Report comment

    Sheek being old does not give you more credibility than the rest of us. Larkham played his best years behind a very powerfull pack. Australia will never have a great flyhalf because all the youth want to be backline players and the beefy boys are constantly riduculed by the uninformed press as being unfit. Australia is a league country and unfortunatley rugby is an ameteur sport. It was all evens during the ameteur days and in 1999 most of the rugby world was still ameteur. Now that the world has caught upwith proffesionalism the wallabies can not even beat Scotland! I guess you can still have agreat WALLABY flyhalf, its just that the rest of the world may not think they are that great. Very much like your obsession that 99% of all league players would rip union apart. I always forget that Australia is not a knowledgeable rugby country. They can not even find an Australian coach for their national side.

  •   Boo Cheers

    mattamkII said  | February 10th 2010 @ 6:58pm | Report comment

    Quiet time Brad…quiet time.

  •   Boo Cheers

    SJ said  | February 11th 2010 @ 8:02pm | Report comment

    Brad,

    I would rather be old with no more credibility than the rest, rather than senseless with no credibility.

  •   Boo Cheers

    Terry Kidd said  | February 12th 2010 @ 10:16am | Report comment

    Who cares who will be the best 10? Just bring on the rugby !!!!

    WW … I happen to know a bit of Cipriani and do not think he is a flawed character, however for whatever reason his international career seems to have hit a road block, so why not take a sabbatical with the Rebels, learn some more of his trade under McQueen then go back to NH rugby a more complete player?

    From my point of view it would seem a great option for both Cipriani and the Rebels, and also a great option for England in the longer term.

  •   Boo Cheers

    ilikedahoodoogurusingha said  | February 12th 2010 @ 3:27pm | Report comment

    I think he may be playing in Perth tonight and his initials are MT.

Have your Say

If you like this article, Subscribe! Subscribe to our daily email

Please be sure to enter your name and email before submitting this comment. Please also refer to our comments policy

 

Hot debate

What you're Roaring!

By signing up to the daily The Roar email you'll receive all the new articles and sports opinion that we put up on the website each day - delivered direct into your inbox. For free. We think it's the best way to receive our content.

Our emails contain the article along with the images - just like on the website.