Greg Holmes puts in effort with no reward
Roar Guru By Uncle Argyle, 11 Aug 2011 Uncle Argyle is a Roar Guru
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- All Blacks, Crusaders, Greg Holmes, Reds, Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup, Super Rugby, Super Rugby 2011, wallabies
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As the deadline looms for places in the much anticipated Rugby World Cup 2011, I am perplexed as to why Robbie Deans appears to be even considering selecting Benn Robinson or even Salesi Ma’afu for the tournament.
Clearly Robinson is injured, and Ma’afu even when fit is a questionable selection.
Deans, who has often espoused the ‘reward for effort’ policy, has clearly overlooked Red’s journeyman Greg Holmes as a possible World Cup bolter.
Holmes posesses what is needed to bolster the Australian scrum. Just ask Red’s messiah Ewen McKenzie who pulled Holmes aside prior to the Super Rugby Final and told him “This will be your finest hour.”
As history shows Holmes scrummaged with nous and the mettle of a player who already has 13 Test caps and has played Super Rugby since 2005.
The much-vaunted Crusaders scrum, who oddly enough make up most of the All Black scrum, were not the weapon they were previously allowed to be. Coincidence?
What more impresses me about Holmes is the fact he goes about his business as a team man. He stuck by the Red’s when all else jumped ship, and gave praise to Reds past such as Sean Hardman, John Roe and Chris Latham when the title was won.
Reconising the role of others in the victory shows Holmes has not forgotten he is part of a team; that he is willing to stick by his mates through thick and thin.
This is the strength of charachter our pack needs is it not? Perhaps Greg Holmes’ finest hour is actually yet to come?
However that would depend on the Wallaby brains trust actually rewarding players for their efforts.
It defies logic that the tight head prop of the Super Rugby champions can’t get into the Wallaby squad, yet a bloke with a bung knee and another with questionable fitness and scrummaging technique can.
Reward for effort? Not in my book.
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- All Blacks, Crusaders, Greg Holmes, Reds, Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup, Super Rugby, Super Rugby 2011, wallabies
August 11th 2011 @ 6:35am
johnny-boy said | August 11th 2011 @ 6:35am | Report comment
Unc – there are quite a few Reds players who have busted their guts this year giving Australian rugby hope. And what do they get in return ?. Nothing. Shafted by the worst coach in Australian rugby history and not even Australian just to make it even more unpalatable. No wonder the other Reds players in the Wallabies aren’t happy. What has Elsom done this year to deserve his position ? Nothing. What has Maafu done ? Nothing. If you were trying to deliberately destroy team morale, Deans would be ideal guy to turn to. It’s a classic case of John O’Neill trying to be too smart by half thinking he had brilliantly poached NZ’s leading coach. Trouble is he turned out to be a complete dud. Now, unfortunately for Australian rugby, John ONeill and Robbie Deans are going to (actually they already have) sacrifice the Wallabies to protect their own egos being hurt. That sort of self interested arrogance is sickening and cowardly.
August 11th 2011 @ 8:30am
Chris said | August 11th 2011 @ 8:30am | Report comment
Worst coach in Australian rugby history?!? You do know the Wallabies are ranked second in the world and actually beat the All Blacks the game before last don’t you? Hardly the sign of the “worst coach in Australian rugby history”…
August 11th 2011 @ 8:58am
formeropenside said | August 11th 2011 @ 8:58am | Report comment
How many games before that win did they lose in a row? Losses to Samoa, Scotland, a Grand Sham, consistent EOYT losses to England, Wales and Ireland.
August 11th 2011 @ 9:01am
Jiggles said | August 11th 2011 @ 9:01am | Report comment
And a 53% success rate…
August 11th 2011 @ 6:33pm
Whatty said | August 11th 2011 @ 6:33pm | Report comment
Chris, Are you for real??
August 11th 2011 @ 10:47am
guinness14 said | August 11th 2011 @ 10:47am | Report comment
johnny-boy are you a happy person, because the only thing that comes out of your mouth is crap. Negative all the time. All you want is to put some one in the firing line, and to have an excuse if the Wallabies play badly. What your Wallabies need mate is your support 100% you moron, and I am an All Black supporter. Now show them your support.
August 11th 2011 @ 6:50am
warrenexpatinnz said | August 11th 2011 @ 6:50am | Report comment
Good point Uncle. How much input or is it how much faith has Deans put in his forward coaches to come up with the right soup mix?
The improved performances over the past two tests of the Wallabies is pleasing and I hope it is a new benchmark/platform they are working from. Sunday morning shapes up to be a good test of the eight with Kepu my stand out as he has become very much like TPN, and in TPN’s absence this means the battering ram, the guy that makes 10-15m on a carry with nice recycling. I am looking forward to seeing these two work together with either a fit Palu or a rampaging Samo as it gives us the muscle and the power we lacked against the ABs in the first 30m.
August 11th 2011 @ 7:22am
johnny-boy said | August 11th 2011 @ 7:22am | Report comment
I should also add why on earth is Lachie Turner in instead of Rod Davies. Sure Davies had an ordinary game against Samoa but all he was handed were hospital passes in front of an enraged yeti. (no offence mr yeti – i love yetis truly)
Lachie Turner would have to be the most innocuous winger in world rugby, or club rugby for that matter. Could Lachie Turner have scored that try Davies scored against the Crusaders on the end of Coopers bulllet pass ? Never in a million years. But Turner is another Deans pet that Deans is determined to ‘nurture’ in to something ‘respectable’. Do I sound mad as hell ?
August 11th 2011 @ 8:26am
formeropenside said | August 11th 2011 @ 8:26am | Report comment
No. I’d have loved to see how JOC went on that wing as originally named.
August 11th 2011 @ 8:23pm
Ooaahh said | August 11th 2011 @ 8:23pm | Report comment
Davies isn’t test material.
August 11th 2011 @ 7:43am
formeropenside said | August 11th 2011 @ 7:43am | Report comment
I can see you’d give Benn Robbo every chance, as at his best he’s one of the best LHP’s going around. But Holmes should be there, AWH ahead of Timani for a real second rower who can run a lineout, and Ben Taps can count himself a little unlucky too.
Deans makes poor selections as a rule, and if we win the RWC it will be despite him, not because of him.
August 11th 2011 @ 8:53am
johnny-boy said | August 11th 2011 @ 8:53am | Report comment
Fos good points re AHW – in fact why would you take a greenhorn like Timani from a losing team like the Tahs when you have a skilful experienced guy like AWH roaring to go. Taps is pretty young but it’s an interesting thought. It appears Cooper is needing a bit more support round him so a few mates to play with as he expresses so well might help. He’s obviously not getting it from Deans or Elsom. They are clearly not Coopers fun kind of guys. Link is no stand up comedian but I reckon his dry wit would be good for a ribbing or two. If you tried that with Deans and Elsom all you’d get would be a wtf blank stare. The only thing that is going to save the Wallabies at this rate is for them to ignore Deans and Elsom as much as possible and just do it for themselves, and Australia.
August 11th 2011 @ 8:40am
Jiggles said | August 11th 2011 @ 8:40am | Report comment
How does Cowan make into the squad to? I’m convinced Deans is a NZRU sleeper agent.
August 11th 2011 @ 9:56am
Dasher said | August 11th 2011 @ 9:56am | Report comment
Simple. Deans thought he was picking Jimmy Cowan.
August 11th 2011 @ 9:56am
Dasher said | August 11th 2011 @ 9:56am | Report comment
Don’t forget Laurie Weeks.
August 11th 2011 @ 10:22am
Gary Russell-Sharam said | August 11th 2011 @ 10:22am | Report comment
As I have said before on other posts I can’t help thinking that Deans selections may be based on his NZ heritage eg Maafu Cowan being either NZ or Islander heritage. Holmes has out performed them in the Super season and is an ex Wallaby, surely he would be a selection as a bench player at least for the WC. The selection policy of Deans has me baffled. I have to say I’m getting very bitter about Deans being the coach of the Wallabies. His win Loss ratio is second to the worst by a Wallaby coach and JON is blatantly chasing him to sign him up for the next two to four years before we play the WC, defies imagination on how to run a successful operation doesn’t it. If it was a business (its supposed to be) you would be thinking of sacking Deans not re hiring him
August 11th 2011 @ 10:49am
Jiggles said | August 11th 2011 @ 10:49am | Report comment
Gary, I know there are many parts of the Australian rugby public that have been critical of JON for a number of years, but I have never been one of them. He took Australian rugby kicking and screaming into professionalism and was then tossed out by amateur factional leaders despite glaring success. His replacement squandered rugby’s standing as the number 1 national code and a massive war-chest which went with it. JON was begged to come back in to clean up this mess.
However since the beginning of the Deans Era, I have been less convinced of JON and in particular the last 2 years. I still think he is a good administrator however the one thing I don’t get is Ego, and JON has it in spades. He cannot admit he was wrong, this to the detriment of the Wallabies, and he seems to be slicing off his nose to spite his face. I would have more respect for the guy, and I think 99% of invested parties would too, if he put up his hand and said, “Hey, I got it wrong with Deans.”
August 11th 2011 @ 11:11am
jeznez said | August 11th 2011 @ 11:11am | Report comment
Gazza – if that was the case then Tim Fairbrother would be a Wallaby and Mike Harris would be in the squad. Actually I wouldn’t mind Harris being involved – is he over his injuries?
August 11th 2011 @ 10:56am
eatbingo said | August 11th 2011 @ 10:56am | Report comment
RD is a frail imposter.
August 11th 2011 @ 1:15pm
Jimbo Jones said | August 11th 2011 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
Geez you blokes can be a bit rough on Deans and Australian Rugby. What would make you happy? Do you honestly expect us to beat the All Blacks everytime?
Hold your judgement until the end of the World Cup. Until then get behind the team, and give them your support instead of having potshots at them.
We all the know the Kiwi’s have a knack of not winning it so we are in for a real good chance!
August 11th 2011 @ 1:33pm
johnny-boy said | August 11th 2011 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
JJ we’d just like a little bit of commonsense and logic. Is that too much too ask ? Apparently so.
August 11th 2011 @ 9:57pm
Hansie said | August 11th 2011 @ 9:57pm | Report comment
I don’t expect the Wallabies to beat the All Blacks every time, but I do expect a success rate of better than one win from the last 12 clashes. Deans is being paid big money and being given a lot of support, but isn’t delivering.
August 11th 2011 @ 1:41pm
PeterK said | August 11th 2011 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
I notice the very one eyed parachialism of the reds supporters.
Only Qld players are getting pushed for selection.
Holmes, AHW, Davies, Tapui.
If the same poster also pushed for players from other teams then there would be more credibility.
Holmes is only a LHP. I would prefer Slipper and Daley ahead of him, but they are both injured.
Cowan is in there because he covers both sides (poorly, I wouldnt have him either).
AHW cannot make the reds starting team, Wykes, Pyle easily ahead of him let alone all the other locks in the squad.
Davies really blew his chances by falling over all the time. However I would of given him 1 more chance ahead of Turner and if he played poorly again then drop him.
Tapui forget it no where enough experience.
Bottom line the pack is too soft or physically weak.
I would pick the toughest pack we can.
Props needs to be Kepu and Slipper when fit.
Hooker starting TPN Moore on bench.
Locks Horwill and Vickerman with TBD for the bench.
Blindside Higginbotham Elsom bench
Openside Pocock
No 8 Samo starting Palu on bench or perhaps other way round.
August 11th 2011 @ 2:49pm
Mike G said | August 11th 2011 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
Ah, point of order, PK – I’m pretty sure Holmes was the THP in the Super final ( with Daley the LHP), wsn’t he?
But I like your idea of getting the most physical forward pack we can, but please don’t confuse physical with big!! On that point, I’d have Kepu at TH (where he was outstanding this year), and Daley at LH (he’s an angry little bugger…and we need that!!)
August 11th 2011 @ 4:55pm
PeterK said | August 11th 2011 @ 4:55pm | Report comment
Holmes WAS the THP in the final AND he was smashed he went very poorly at THP.
He however is a genuine LHP.
August 11th 2011 @ 9:32pm
Red Rooster said | August 11th 2011 @ 9:32pm | Report comment
Peter – watch the final again and mark down the scrums that got smashed – all last 20 mins when faingaa went off – up an till then the Reds negated the strength of the Crusaders and this is where the game was wrong. He also played tight head in the semi v the Blues which had the other All Black front rowers – Dont let the facts get in the way of your arguement. Slipper is a loosehead and so is Alexander and so is Kepu so whats your point?
August 11th 2011 @ 10:15pm
PeterK said | August 11th 2011 @ 10:15pm | Report comment
The reds scrum was under pressure the whole game especially on the tight head side.
Jeznez rates the props in another article, and he knows a lot about scrumaging, and I agree with his assessment that Holmes is only a LHP.
August 12th 2011 @ 11:19am
Mike G said | August 12th 2011 @ 11:19am | Report comment
I don’t think anyone disputes the fact that Holmes is a better LH than he is at TH, but, with Slipper out, someone had to fill the breach…and personally I reckon Holmes did a great job in the semi and final.
As RR says, watch the final again as the Reds scrummed really well against probably the best pack in the world…I reckon that Crusaders S15 final pack would belt all other scrums around, both at provincial and test level.
August 11th 2011 @ 4:06pm
Uncle Argyle said | August 11th 2011 @ 4:06pm | Report comment
Mate I am one eyed – for common sence! you are quiet right that Holmes did start his career as a LHP however under the tutorlidge of Ewen McKenzie Holmes has now learnt how to play THP as well. He did pack against Crockett and Franks in the Super Rugby Final as a THP and got the job done.
He would not be my first choice prop, however I think he would be an ideal WRC Squad player as he has experience and can play both sides of the scrum if required. Ben Daley, rate him but he is only a LHP and I think we should take 4 props who can play both sides. Due to an injury to Benn Robinson I would take Kepu, Slipper, Alexander and Holmes.
August 11th 2011 @ 4:56pm
PeterK said | August 11th 2011 @ 4:56pm | Report comment
Holmes did NOT get the job done the scrum was pushed back on his side time and again.
Holmes is a good LHP but not a THP.
He was only used there due to the number of injuries at THP.
August 11th 2011 @ 6:39pm
Whatty said | August 11th 2011 @ 6:39pm | Report comment
What happened to your rating PEterK. Still giving Genia a 3/10?
August 11th 2011 @ 9:35pm
Red Rooster said | August 11th 2011 @ 9:35pm | Report comment
So why was Pek Cowan on the Wallaby bench? he is a loosehead – are you seriously saying he was better than holmes in any facet of the game this season?
August 11th 2011 @ 10:13pm
PeterK said | August 11th 2011 @ 10:13pm | Report comment
Cowan supposedely plays both sides. He is a poor scrumager either side, I would easily have Holmes ahead of Cowan.
August 11th 2011 @ 4:50pm
johnny-boy said | August 11th 2011 @ 4:50pm | Report comment
PK – AWH couldn’t make the starting team because the Reds locks were Horwill and Simmons. Hardly a fair criticism.
August 11th 2011 @ 5:27pm
PeterK said | August 11th 2011 @ 5:27pm | Report comment
Simmons is very overrated, only a new Wallaby, has not had that much impact , hardly sighted in fact.
There are easily a number of better locks than AWH, he could barely crack it at the brumbies, he was behind Chisholm etc.
August 11th 2011 @ 9:41pm
Red Rooster said | August 11th 2011 @ 9:41pm | Report comment
AWH played the Brumbies season in the backrow which would suggest he had more strings to his bow than Chisolm as a footballer and he went on a Wallaby tour which is more than Wykes and Pyle have achieved so if you want to use history as justification then it does not support your arguement
August 11th 2011 @ 10:24pm
TD said | August 11th 2011 @ 10:24pm | Report comment
I hear Daley is no longer injured and came back strongly on the weekend, to be over looked for the SA game in favor of Cowan and Maafu is very strange indeed.