Great Scott! Higginbotham is a liability
Columnist By David Lord, 23 Oct 2012 David Lord is a Roar Expert
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Backrower Scott Higginbotham may miss the entire Wallaby spring tour after copping a two-match suspension for kneeing and head-butting All Blacks skipper Mark McCaw during last Saturday’s international at Suncorp.
The big Queenslander can’t seem to tell the difference between playing with acceptable mongrel and unacceptable dirty behaviour.
Higginbotham has form, such as April last year when he deliberately impeded Drew Mitchell’s path which left the Waratah screaming in agony on the ground with a badly broken ankle.
Punishment? Zero.
As it sits, Higginbotham will definitely miss the France and England games, but coach Robbie Deans said two weeks ago any player who can’t play in all of the tour games won’t be selected.
Deans was referring to injured players, but Higginbotham has widened that base.
And he was damn lucky to only cop two games, so blatant were his actions.
It begs the question as to what Higginbotham was thinking at the time?
These days there are so many television cameras covering rep rugby, any stupidity will be picked up and punished.
His stupidity was in keeping with the four penalties the Wallabies gave up to turn a 15-6 lead into an 18-15 deficit, and the no drop goal decision during 28 pick and go phases at 18-all that could have won the game for the Wallabies – a game they thoroughly deserved to win.
No wonder Deans looks five years older than last year.
He has, at last, got the Wallabies to believe in themselves and show the necessary passion and commitment, only to have moments of sheer lunacy to undo all the positive work.
There’s absolutely no reason why the Wallabies can’t beat France, England, Italy, and Wales on the coming tour. None whatsoever.
The fourth captain in a year, Nathan Sharpe, has sharpened up the pack, and Kurtley Beale has done the same with the backs. All Deans is missing is a halfback to give some half decent service.
Both Nick Phipps and Brett Sheehan are way short of the mark.
Will Genia on one leg is a far better proposition to give Beale the extra time and space he deserves.
But all up, there are many pluses for the Wallabies to end the year on a high note and be ready and waiting for the Lions next season.
Just keep the brain explosions out of the equation.
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October 23rd 2012 @ 7:13am
post said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:13am | Report comment
Mark McCaw?
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:26am
Jerry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:26am | Report comment
http://images.tvrage.com/people/102/305049.jpg ?
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:28am
Hopperdoggy said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:28am | Report comment
I think that’s the Moose in Merry Melodies.
Richie seems to attract a lot of niggly behaviour. I wonder why?
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:30am
Jerry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:30am | Report comment
Cause he’s arguably the best and unquestionably the most successful rugby player in the history of the game? Just guessing.
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:40am
jameswm said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:40am | Report comment
Or cause he pushes the laws and steps over the line so much the opposition get sick of it. Might be a bit of that in there too.
October 23rd 2012 @ 9:40am
Jerry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 9:40am | Report comment
Perhaps – but then more often than not, he’s not actually cheating when he gets targeted. So, unless the opposition is stupid enough to be listening to Phil Kearns’ or Bobby Skinstad’s commentary while playing, I’m not sure that stacks up.
October 24th 2012 @ 11:14pm
yahyah said | October 24th 2012 @ 11:14pm | Report comment
“listening to Phil Kearns’ commentary while playing” = GOLD haha
October 23rd 2012 @ 11:13am
Ai Rui Sheng said | October 23rd 2012 @ 11:13am | Report comment
He does not push the limits of the law. He merely plays to the whistle. If the referee is ignoring some aspect of the law why should he not adapt? This as silly as the English complaining that they were beaten by Jonah. While the rest of the world is name calling and generally demonstrating poor sportsmanship, Ritchie is listening very carefully to Sir.
October 23rd 2012 @ 1:38pm
garth said | October 23rd 2012 @ 1:38pm | Report comment
Still no reason for knees, flying forearms, headbutts or anthing else to be aimed at a players head, no matter who he/she is. (Included the “she” because some of women’s games I have seen have been unbelievably brutal).
October 23rd 2012 @ 10:42am
Mike said | October 23rd 2012 @ 10:42am | Report comment
Carter is just as good as Richie, so are Nonu and Read. None of them get targeted.
Richie seems to attract it, from a lot of countries.
Anyway, targetting one player for niggle will not beat the All Blacks.
October 23rd 2012 @ 10:47am
Jerry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 10:47am | Report comment
Well, the statistics say Carter isn’t as good. McCaw’s absence hurts the team far more than Carter’s or Nonu’s or Read’s.
October 23rd 2012 @ 12:14pm
Rob from Brumby Country said | October 23rd 2012 @ 12:14pm | Report comment
Ah, but that could just as easily have been because flyhalves are easier for the All Blacks to replace.
Just look at how things are now: the only openside giving Richie any pressure at all is Sam Cane. Carter has to compete with Cruden, Barrett, and Slade.
October 23rd 2012 @ 12:25pm
Jerry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 12:25pm | Report comment
Yeah, but that’s now. McCaw’s won tests with Stephen Donald, Luke McAlister, Aaron Mauger and Leon MacDonald at 10 (the last 3 are good players, but not fly halves by any means).
October 23rd 2012 @ 12:45pm
all7days said | October 23rd 2012 @ 12:45pm | Report comment
He attracts more attention because he’s in the most rucks being the most effective. speaking of Carter, he has had his fair share of targeting. Just ask Butch James and Matfield
October 23rd 2012 @ 6:52pm
ohtani's jacket said | October 23rd 2012 @ 6:52pm | Report comment
Higginbotham has targeted Read before. This isn’t the first time Higginbotham has been involved in off the ball stuff.
October 24th 2012 @ 9:20am
BetterRedThanDead said | October 24th 2012 @ 9:20am | Report comment
McCaw should just HTFU. Any good number 7 – and he is arguably the best there is – has to get used to personal attention of this type. And Higgers is just doing his job trying to rattle him!
This isnt the Woman’s Auxiliary Balloon Corp here people!
October 24th 2012 @ 11:18pm
yahyah said | October 24th 2012 @ 11:18pm | Report comment
dont think he even really complained at all at the incident. i wonder if you’ll say the same about Nathan Sharpe’s reaction at something considerably smaller than a niggle by a 20y/o Saffa
October 24th 2012 @ 11:27pm
biltongbek said | October 24th 2012 @ 11:27pm | Report comment
Yeah, if there ever was a planned situation then that was it.
Sharpe niggled Etzebeth the whole game just waiting for something to make a fuss about, and when it happened he made sure everyone and his dog knew something happened.
October 23rd 2012 @ 3:59pm
sph45 said | October 23rd 2012 @ 3:59pm | Report comment
David Lord, you are incredibly critical in your posts. Before you criticize others perhaps you should learn to proof read. Mark McCaw? This is supposedly your trade and yet you consistently make such silly errors.
October 23rd 2012 @ 5:04pm
Tom said | October 23rd 2012 @ 5:04pm | Report comment
Sadly, that is one of the smaller errors that you’ll find…
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:22am
David Lord said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:22am | Report comment
My own brain explosion post, appreciate the correction. Apologies Richie, nice editing.
October 23rd 2012 @ 9:33am
Justin2 said | October 23rd 2012 @ 9:33am | Report comment
I loved your line about Higgers having “form”. It intrigued me no end as he has never been cast as a “dirty player”. So imagine my surprise when the tenuous link to his “form” was the Drew Mitchell incident!
This has led to my first chuckle of the day. Cheers David.
October 23rd 2012 @ 11:14am
Ai Rui Sheng said | October 23rd 2012 @ 11:14am | Report comment
I do not understand why H’botham was picked anyway. He slapped so many All Blacks in the first game, that when the ball was thrown to him he dropped it because his hands were so sore.
October 23rd 2012 @ 11:26am
Halleys Comet said | October 23rd 2012 @ 11:26am | Report comment
Justin I have observed throughout the TRC this year Higbum indulging in minor dirty plays, this time he went too far and got caught, “do the crime, be prepared to do the time”….
October 23rd 2012 @ 12:35pm
Justin2 said | October 23rd 2012 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
HC – from the judicial hearing – “The Player has an exemplary disciplinary record and at the age of 26 it was his first appearance before a Judiciary.”
I rest my case…
October 24th 2012 @ 11:23pm
yahyah said | October 24th 2012 @ 11:23pm | Report comment
no J2 youre just blind then. when Read ripped that ball away from Nathan SHarpe(?), Higgs was in there trying to rip off Read’s head. I’ve seen this on other occasions in the previous tests against the ABs this year. same culprit.
October 25th 2012 @ 8:36am
Mike said | October 25th 2012 @ 8:36am | Report comment
You may have misread Justin’s post. Your opinion that Higgers was “trying to rip off Read’s head” (even if correct) doesn’t contradict Justin’s point. Unless you are suggesting that Higginbotham was actually cited for that incident, and did appear before a judiciary for it…? If so, please share the details!
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:23am
mania said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:23am | Report comment
higgers i usually have some respect for but this act was pure cowardice. higgers deserved more.
October 23rd 2012 @ 1:17pm
strupper2003 said | October 23rd 2012 @ 1:17pm | Report comment
you know u r doing something right when the opposition targets u. this principle applies to mccaw AND higginbotham.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:26am
KevKom said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:26am | Report comment
A game they thoroughly deserved to win? Really.
As committed as the Wallabies played, arguably AB bombed tries (lack of patience and Wallaby infringements) and Carters off day with the boot cost them the game.
Plus Higgenbotham’s cowardice would have been red-carded if seen and would have impacted the result.
A draw was the deserved outcome of a mistake-riddled game not managed well by an inconsistent referee (one of Joubert’s most average performances IMO).
Funny though, I still loved it and the drama in the end made it an enthralling experience.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:46am
mace 22 said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:46am | Report comment
Yes agree most riveting game i’ve seen since the RWC final ( if not the most skilled ). Kept me on the edge of my seat. Didn’t see that coming, left with conflicted feelings, glad we got away with a draw or pi$$ed off we didn’t win.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:27am
Jerry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:27am | Report comment
“Higginbotham has form, such as April last year when he deliberately impeded Drew Mitchell’s path which left the Waratah screaming in agony on the ground with a badly broken ankle.
Punishment? Zero.”
That was a freak accident – impeding a chaser is hardly an act of thuggery.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:34am
Olddantucker said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:34am | Report comment
Hardly a freak accident – Higginbotham deliberately ran into his path. He deserved more of a ban.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:35am
David Lord said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:35am | Report comment
Freak accident my foot Jerry, Higginbotham deliberately changed direction to take Drew Mitchell out. To give the Queenslander the rough benefit of the doubt, the very rough, I doubt he intended to maim, but definitely take him out.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:38am
Jerry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:38am | Report comment
Yeah, he changed direction to impede the chaser. Happens all the time – TPN did it to Cory Jane in the weekend, Ben Smith did it to a Wallaby before Dan Carter’s drop goal attempt, Luke McAlister got binned for it in the 07 RWC 1/4 final etc etc
It happens constantly – it’s illegal, but it’s not thuggery because 99% of the time all that happens is the impeded player falls over and appeals for a penalty. It doesn’t become automatically become thuggery cause Mitchell got injured.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:46am
Wally James said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:46am | Report comment
Hear hear
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:44am
jameswm said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:44am | Report comment
Dead right Jerry – it’s subtle, usually deserves a penalty but no more – but it is most certainly not thuggery.
Lordy has lost the plot comparing that obstruction with a head butt.
I was as livid as any Tahs supprter that Mitchell got so severely injured when he was in career best form but whilst it was unnecessary, it was just one of those things that happens every game. Mitchell doesn’t bear a grudge.
October 23rd 2012 @ 10:23am
Nick Cross said | October 23rd 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
YOu forgot Richie McCaw does it every 25 times a game.
October 23rd 2012 @ 12:24pm
JIM said | October 23rd 2012 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
I happened right in front of me and there is no way Higgers should have been disciplined for this. Yes he changed direction, but only mildly. The reality is that Mitchell tried to hollywood for a penalty and ended up hurting himself. If anything Mitchell should have been disciplined for bringing the game into disrepute.
While unfortunate for Mitchell, it was Karma for trying to milk a penalty.
October 23rd 2012 @ 12:44pm
Drop Kick said | October 23rd 2012 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
So Mitchell deliberately changed direction to run into Higgenbashem and milk a penalty? I think you need to change the shade of red in your glasses.
October 23rd 2012 @ 1:24pm
jameswm said | October 23rd 2012 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
Nah Higgers changed direction no doubt and it deserved a penalty, but it’s hardly thuggery. More unlucky than anything else.
October 23rd 2012 @ 9:37am
rl said | October 23rd 2012 @ 9:37am | Report comment
take a pill Lordy, are you Mitchell’s manager? Jerry’s right – deliberate interference, yes. Thuggery? Hardly.
October 23rd 2012 @ 12:52pm
Cattledog said | October 23rd 2012 @ 12:52pm | Report comment
David, you’re really drawing a long bow here. Higgers a liability because he gave a bit of niggle to a serial pest who deserves everything he (legally) gets, great player and captain that he is. Mark’s (sic) probably chuckling all the way to Europe. Higgers no doubt went about things the wrong way and now regrets it. That’s life, but a liability; get real.
And as for your ‘form’ comment because of the Mitchell incident. I’m now starting to see why so many Roarers are paying less attention to your articles, or at least trying every conceivable reason to find fault with them. I respect your journalistic knowledge and skills but just sometimes you appear to do a ‘Higgers’ and lose it. But maybe there’s a method to your madness…
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:25pm
zhenry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:25pm | Report comment
Go back to your Cattledogs. You f saintly self-righteous name caller – “a serial pest who deserves everything he (legally) gets” – Anyone who describes McCaw like that should have his backside slapped, as the Auustralians are doing to the New Zealand players. Its a special kind of dirty play that is endemic amongst ‘the crude raging scapegoaters’ who specialize in, not just dirty play, but a unique kind of public humiliation of New Zealanders, and not like you, who deserve it, but because they have no answer to the superior play of the New Zealanders. It’s the only way they can feel superior.
I noticed that Jane was the only other All Black present as about 8 Australians held down McCaw, as Bottomhiggen blatantly did his dirty stuff. Good old Robbo, he was doing a bit of writing, and the refs did not see it; a photograph shows one of them bending down to watch and McCaw looking back at him as if to say: Do your job ref and stop it!
Its been said here that it was all justified because McCaw was previously on the wrong side of the ruck and had pushed Bottomhiggers leg. Well Well.
Rather than Jane looking on like an interested tourist, I want to see the All Blacks on-mass attacking these foul and serial Australian offenders. Also I want to see the All Blacks of old, retribution (un-noticed of course) of errant players who target McCaw or other All Blacks: They’ll stop.
Officialdom wont act, especially at Suncorp: It’s no surprise that referees put in bad performances here, Jouberts effort was another reason why it was not an All Black win, including the only try scored in the match, appalling adjudicating.
By the way 174 is not a bad haul.
October 23rd 2012 @ 11:10pm
Cattledog said | October 23rd 2012 @ 11:10pm | Report comment
Ah Zhenry, that time of the night where you need to stoop to name calling rather than a rational appraisal of a post. Your ramblings make little sense so no use in pursuing.
An example, ‘Jouberts effort was another reason why it was not an All Black win, including the only try scored in the match, appalling adjudicating.’ The scary thing is, I think you may be serious. Either that or just delusional.
October 24th 2012 @ 8:42am
Mike said | October 24th 2012 @ 8:42am | Report comment
“I noticed that Jane was the only other All Black present as about 8 Australians held down McCaw, as Bottomhiggen blatantly did his dirty stuff.”
There you go again zhenry, sugarcoating it just to be nice to the Wallabies. I distinctly saw 16 Wallabies holding Richie down while Higgers went for him!
He speaks to you:
Sir Richie. But this eternal blazon must not be
To ears of flesh and blood. List, zhenry, O, list!
If thou didst ever thy dear fellow All Black captain love—
Zhenry. O God!
Sir Richie. Revenge his foul and most unnatural scragging.
Zhenry. Scragging!
Sir Richie. Scragging most foul, as in the best it is,
But this most foul, strange, and unnatural.
Zhenry. Haste me to know ’t, that I, with wings as swift
As meditation or the thoughts of love,
May sweep to my revenge
And decry their guilt upon THE ROAR!
Sir Richie. I find thee apt;
And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed
That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf,
Wouldst thou not stir in this.
October 24th 2012 @ 11:34pm
yahyah said | October 24th 2012 @ 11:34pm | Report comment
Higgers is the biggest liability in the team. a lot of comparisons can be drawn with Pierre Spies. God given physiques yet hardly recognised in a crucial game. really what is he good for? he disappears completely against the ABs those last three tests. you only need to look at the Israel Dagg try in the second test. He missed more tackles in the lead up to that try alone than quade cooper did all game.
October 23rd 2012 @ 1:42pm
Rhino said | October 23rd 2012 @ 1:42pm | Report comment
You sure do make up some rubbish David. “Deliberate thuggery against Mitchell” – you’re lucky defamation doesn’t seem to extend to internet bloggers.
Higgers admitted he did the wrong thing against McCaw (identified as low-level by judiciary) and has copped his punishment. He was a goose. For you to suggest that he’s got form and he took out Mitchell on purpose is a far more malicious act than anything he’s ever done.
October 23rd 2012 @ 1:46pm
Thomas said | October 23rd 2012 @ 1:46pm | Report comment
It happens in every game, David. Mitchell tripping over was an accident.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:45am
Wally James said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:45am | Report comment
When Mitchell was injured, Higginbotham did nothing more nor less than is seen at least 10 times a match. He ran to obstruct a kick chaser. It tests the limits of the law and should have been penalised for obstruction.
But to say obstruction is tantamount to head butting draws a long bow. The former is an automatic send off and likely to cause serious injury. The latter will normally not even cause a yellow card with any resulting injury being an act of god rather than the result of an intention to maim.
Nothing happened to Higginbotham as a result of Mitchell’s injury and rightly so. It has no relevance to his current penalty.
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:42am
jameswm said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:42am | Report comment
The ABs spend their lives impeding chasers. Note that final field goal attempt from Carter – NZ had set up a line of players to block those trying to charge it down, and a couple of them deliberately moved laterally to further impede chasers.
October 23rd 2012 @ 9:41am
Jerry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 9:41am | Report comment
And TPN did the same thing to Jane (directly before the Higgers incident funnily enough) – it’s hardly an NZ thing.
October 23rd 2012 @ 1:25pm
jameswm said | October 23rd 2012 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
No they’re certainly not the only ones but they do it more. Remember Mccaw deliberately blocking Horne so one of his runners could get through the line?
How many rucks did McCaw enter from the side rather than through the gate?
October 24th 2012 @ 11:47am
WQ said | October 24th 2012 @ 11:47am | Report comment
The All Blacks do ‘more’ of everything jameswm, in particular – winning!
October 23rd 2012 @ 2:00pm
Gpc said | October 23rd 2012 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
Exactly. He wanted to impeded him. He didn’t want to hurt him.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:34am
John Doe said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:34am | Report comment
We (and I mean all rugby supporters) all cry out for mongrel in our teams’ packs, and this is the inevitable result. For mine, the sooner we get rid of the thugs the better, and this includes coaches manning up and condemning their own players (see Deans of late, but Henry with Mealamu too). The “he’s a nice guy, it wasn’t deliberate” excuse in particular needs to be kicked to touch.
The best things to watch in rugby are fast free-flowing tries and clean hard tackles. Spectacle wise, hard disciplined forward play is awesome too, but there’s a line, and if these guys are getting paid, they need to learn not to cross it.
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:42am
Jeff said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:42am | Report comment
I agree John.For years I have condemened this sort of thuggery and was delighted when Richard Loe got banned for 12 months for foul play.
But what is concerning me is that in the last 12 months we have seen 4 blatant instances of attacks on McCaw’s head.Now McCaw love him or hate him is a player who has never indulged in foul play and is so disciplined that he won’t even retaliate.
Firstly Quade Cooper put his knee into McCaw’s head and even thogh cited was not even punished.
Then in the final of the RWC Rougerie committed a blatant eye gouge on McCaw and wasn’t even cited.
Fast forward to 2012 and Dean Greyling tries to take McCaw’s head off in an action so blatant and dangerous that the Springbok coach issued a public apology.Result the judiciary gives him a one match suspension.
And now Higginbotham’s actions on Saturday night.Firstlly kneeing McCaw and then headbutting him.And only a two match suspension.Unless the penalties are made more realistic these blatant acts of thuggery will continue.
Interestingly there apparently has not been one case of eye gouging in NZ rugby since Loe got his 12 months suspension for this offence.
My other concern is that a few years ago I would have said that this sort of foul play was not the Wallaby way.Now in the space of a year we have two Wallabies attacking McCaw’s head.The only way for us to stamp out this sort of play is to make it clear to our international players that if they indulge in it they will not be selected.I hope this is what happens to Higginbotham.
In my opinion he is a thug.
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:45am
jameswm said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:45am | Report comment
McCaw has form with foul play. But not for a while and not often.
October 23rd 2012 @ 2:07pm
Jeff said | October 23rd 2012 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
When ??
Time and place please.
Ever cited,or warned or yellow carded or red carded for foul play.
October 23rd 2012 @ 2:44pm
Campbell Watts said | October 23rd 2012 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
Keyboard locked up James???
Power cut??
October 24th 2012 @ 12:00pm
jameswm said | October 24th 2012 @ 12:00pm | Report comment
He’s thrown punches at least guys. He’s taken guys out in the air and had high shots. He’s not in the higher range of dirty players.
Didn’t realise there was some sort of time limit on my reply. Had a busy afternoon at work, if that’s ok.
And I’m afraid you self-righteous Kiwis will have to accept that others feel that a guy who spends his playing life cheating eserves the odd bit of biggle, which is more what he copped than outright thuggery.
I’d love to sit some of you down and go through a match like that, watchinfg solely McCaw. You should tape a match and do this with the other eye open. He rarely came into a ruck through the gate on the weekend.
October 24th 2012 @ 11:39pm
yahyah said | October 24th 2012 @ 11:39pm | Report comment
i have bad news for you james. you might need to make a visit to the optometrist.
October 23rd 2012 @ 5:35pm
nickoldschool said | October 23rd 2012 @ 5:35pm | Report comment
hmmm, i see what you mean jameswm. most of us, non kiwis, always complain about McCaw being offside or slowing the ball. he himself said he was often adapting to the ref he faces and plays to the limit trying to bend the rules as much as he can.
The guy is one of the smartest player to have ever played our sport and Ali Williams once said he might be the only person to actually know all rugby rules. Which means he often gets away with being offside and when he gets caught, this doesnt warrant a yellow etc. I see him as the greatest con-artist to have ever played the sport.
October 23rd 2012 @ 3:59pm
PJ said | October 23rd 2012 @ 3:59pm | Report comment
I think prior to Quade kneeing Richie you will find that Richie gave Quade a quick uppercut in a preceeding ruck. McCaw deserves everything he gets
October 23rd 2012 @ 5:45pm
Jerry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 5:45pm | Report comment
I think prior to the ruck where Richie gave him a quick uppercut, Quade gave Richie’s nuts a squeeze, dropped a revolting fart, and then claimed pavlova, Split Enz and Phar Lap were all as Australian as Rolf Harris.
Well, if you’re gonna make shit up, it may as well be interesting.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:42am
Tui said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:42am | Report comment
Good. As I said before it was an absolute Dog act
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:00am
Tarragon Fields said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:00am | Report comment
Yes, but on a scale where the size of the dog is a proxy for severity of the act: Higgers (Miniature Fox Terrier) Richard Loe (Neapolitan Mastiff).
October 23rd 2012 @ 12:57pm
Cattledog said | October 23rd 2012 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
Nice analogy, TF
October 23rd 2012 @ 1:32pm
Billy Bob said | October 23rd 2012 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
Tarragon well said. Too much talk about too little crime. Wrong. Stupid. In excusable but not intended to hurt.
Tana and BOD should write about this one.
Perspective. I’m not defending Higgers or Quade, but ‘thugs’?
Uh?
No – they wereidiots who niggled the saint off his game. They certainly didn’t hurt him.
Higgers his having a rest. Can we all move on now?
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:43am
lex said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:43am | Report comment
If Deans doesn’t select him for the tour, will tour games count for the purposes of his 2-game ban? I can’t see why they would. Would that mean that he misses the first 2 Super15 games instead?
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:53am
Red Kev said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:53am | Report comment
No. he is ineligible for the first two tour matches, whether Deans takes him on tour or selects him for the next two is irrelevant.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:47am
Salada said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:47am | Report comment
DAVID – dead solid perfect re the halfback situation. The talent falls off a cliff after Genia. Extraordinary that nobody was groomed to be his understudy. A legacy of Georgie holding on for all those seasons?
Here’s an important question for you and the Aussie rugby mafia – has the ARU definitely, absolutely ruled out Giteau for the spring tour?
He’d be a very welcome utility man. He did okay at half in a couple of Wallaby tests.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:56am
Red Kev said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:56am | Report comment
It would be a case of ruling him in. As it stands he can’t be selected. Unless the ARU issue a directive that their policy has changed both Giteau and Burgess are ineligible.
October 23rd 2012 @ 10:28am
Cliff said | October 23rd 2012 @ 10:28am | Report comment
You are seriously blaming Gregan for a lack of depth at 9? He retired 5 years ago.
October 23rd 2012 @ 11:17am
Markus said | October 23rd 2012 @ 11:17am | Report comment
Plenty of people have been groomed, they just aren’t available at present. Genia, Nic White and Ben Lucas through injury, and Luke Burgess due to his recent move overseas.
Phipps and Sheehan are the 5th and 6th choice scrumhalves.
And how was Gregan holding on? Connolly spent two years trying to find a way to drop Gregan, only to finally accept that he was still the best player in the position.
October 23rd 2012 @ 4:45pm
Cliff (Bishkek) said | October 23rd 2012 @ 4:45pm | Report comment
Are we agreeing with David that Genia will give Beale more time?
Not when he is HATCHING EGGS. Genia’s form has slipped and slipped badly.
Personally I believe that both Phipps and Sheehan have done a very good job in filling a void and both are capable of filling the spot on the Northern Tour.
Genia in my opinion has let his — STAR GO TO HIS HEAD. When we do not HATCH THE PILL — we move as a team very well
Genia — I have very serious doubts to his worth — AS IT IS SLIPPING.
October 23rd 2012 @ 4:55pm
Jutsie said | October 23rd 2012 @ 4:55pm | Report comment
Genia is still our best 9 but yes it is frustrating when he “hatches eggs” however it wont be an issue once the new breakdown rules come in as you only have 5 sec to clear the ball once it is available.
Also agree that phipps and sheehan have not been as bad as some have made out, I like phipps’ endeavour and fast service but he has to work on his service and decision making (hopefully this comes with more experience).
Disagree about genia getting ahead of himself, he sometimes may come across as cocky or arrogant but I think that (like gregan before him) it is because he is a fierce competitor and is not willing to take a backward step. You need that when your the smallest bloke on the field.
October 23rd 2012 @ 7:57am
undertheposts said | October 23rd 2012 @ 7:57am | Report comment
I’m a little confused. If Higgers was an act of thuggery (no hint of Ritchie milking it, either, was there?), what do you call leading with a fist and knee to one person and elbow to the second?
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:03am
mania said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:03am | Report comment
that was accidental contact at hi speed. are you suggesting that higgers contacted mccaw accidentally?
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:09am
Jerry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:09am | Report comment
Oh dear, bit desperate aren’t you?
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:11am
allblackfan said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:11am | Report comment
that was purely accidental, UTP. Parra should have rolled away immediately (although to be fair McCaw gets to the breakdown pretty quickly). It’s obvious to the nonbiased that there was no malicious thought in the action unlike the rucking stomp later (or earlier) delivered to McCaw’s back in the game that went unseen and which McCaw simply shrugged off as part of the game.
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:21am
Jerry said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:21am | Report comment
No, McCaw is so awesome he can anticipate that Parra will raise his head at that exact moment and time his run so perfectly that he hits him with both the ‘fist’ and the knee – without breaking stride, mind you – and still perfectly hit Dusautoir with the shoulder to clean him out. Man, he really is amazing.
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:59am
Red Kev said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:59am | Report comment
STOP! I want everyone to note that, an All Black fan said that people should roll away from the breakdown immediately (and that what happens to people that don’t is accidental). Please pause for a moment and appreciate the humour in that statement. Okay, you can go about your day now.
October 23rd 2012 @ 12:12pm
Funk said | October 23rd 2012 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
Hahahahahahahahahahaahaha…very well spotted RK!
October 23rd 2012 @ 1:04pm
Cattledog said | October 23rd 2012 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
Nice one RK…but would you really expect anything different regarding their heart throb…lol
October 23rd 2012 @ 4:57pm
Jutsie said | October 23rd 2012 @ 4:57pm | Report comment
lol gold!
that parra incident along with the darcy incident earlier this year only proves that mccaw is an expert at making his indiscretions appear accidental. THat was higgy and QC’s because fault they made it so blatantly obvious.
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:14am
KevKom said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:14am | Report comment
Is that really the best you can do? – evidence for the defence surely!
October 23rd 2012 @ 8:22am
Riccardo said | October 23rd 2012 @ 8:22am | Report comment
You’re more than a little confused.