Roar Guru
Joined August 2016
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Of all the problems plaguing the Wallabies' backline, one of the most important is the lack of a settled second playmaker. » WESTERN FORCE…
Michael Cheika finalised his 33-man Wallaby squad yesterday. Somewhat unsurprisingly, given the current nature of Australian rugby fandom, many comments were directed towards the…
The unveiling of the Wallabies' first Indigenous jersey moved Kurtley Beale close to tears. I must admit, I felt overcome by emotion when first…
Momentum is one of the most important factors in sport. Often, a player or team will be dominant for part of a match, and…
The 2019 World Cup draw appears to be a blessing for the Wallabies, as they managed to avoid the pool of death. If teams…
Australia's 2015 world cup semifinal against Argentina started well for the men in gold – Rob Simmons scored the first try one minute in,…
It is often said that Australian rugby fans cannot stand losing, especially to New Zealand sides. This was true, to an extent, but only…
In Round 6 of Super Rugby, four Aussie teams lost to four Kiwi teams. The only exception to the rather depressing result was the…
The Wallabies' problems in 2016 were many and varied. That being said they can be boiled down to four major issues. 1. Over-reliance on…
The best book on tennis strategy ever written is called Winning Ugly by Brad Gilbert. It is advertised as being “mental warfare in tennis”,…
The Roar's Spiro Zavos wrote in a recent article ‘Given its great number of players, about 500,000, and the great wealth within the rugby…
Are England really as good as some commentators have suggested? Are they worse? While the Six Nations has not definitively answered this question, England…
The single best thing that can be said about the Wallabies in 2016 is that its best players have, by and large, been its…
Over the last six months there has been a lot of talk as to where Israel Folau should play. Upon moving to rugby and…
I am dismayed at the continuing deterioration of trans-Tasman relations as was evidenced by Michael Cheika's post-Bledisloe press conference. This deterioration is not good…
Since bursting onto the scene a number of years ago Nick Kyrgios has rarely stayed away from controversy for long: in fact, he has…
Throughout the 2016 season, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has taken a chop-and-change approach to the Wallabies pack that is bordering on farcical. The Wallabies'…
After the first Bledisloe Test I was incensed. The performance against the All Blacks was somehow so poor that it managed to outdo the…
David Pocock is still clearly Australia's number 7. The loss of a team's most influential player is never a blessing. However, the injury may…
Since Quade Cooper's return to the Wallabies line-up in Bledisloe 2 a large amount of the chatter among Wallabies fans has been about whether…
Yeah, there are lots of good arguments for five teams. Unfortunately, lots of people don’t want to admit to concede the arguments against give teams either. Think everyone needs to be honest about the pros and the cons, then the best policy can be made.
Wessels slams talk of Rebels axing
I reckon Kata is better than MK. Certainly he’s been better at super level. Kata is a gun, he really gets rugby, such a shame he isn’t wallaby eligible.
Short season means the stakes are already high for the Rebels
I reckon Lance is unlikely but I would love to see him become a Wallaby.
Short season means the stakes are already high for the Rebels
Moore mistakes made me think of something else 😁
The main criticisms that can be made of Harrison is that he isn’t showing he can turn attacking opportunities into tries consistently / he isn’t threatening the line enough. He will be the right man if we are opting for a game plan like Wales or South Africa.
Short season means the stakes are already high for the Rebels
All very well Jacko and it’s fine for people to make that argument. But I think it’s a bit different when some people (and I’m not saying you here) overrate Lolesio‘S and Harrison’s performances and underrate Toomua’s).
Short season means the stakes are already high for the Rebels
It really comes down to what Rennie wants to achieve this year. If he makes the decision that Lolesio and/ Harrison are ready for the physicality required to start at Wallaby level (which I am not sure of, especially with the latter), then the question becomes does he want to try and maximise results this year or plan for the future.
If the latter he will opt for Harrison or Lolesio. If the former, then I suggest he will not want to pick either rookie. The learning curve will be huge.
Short season means the stakes are already high for the Rebels
I think it’s fair to say that Harrison’s game management has been better than Toomua’s since the break. But I also think it’s fair to point out that he hasn’t yet been capable of turning long periods of Tahs having possession and territory into many points.
Toomua has better demonstrated the latter, although unfortunately not that much this year.
Short season means the stakes are already high for the Rebels
He was excellent against Wales in the World Cup. He isn’t playing his best, but that may say something about the Rebels.
Short season means the stakes are already high for the Rebels
Lots or Roarers continue, in my opinion, to be overly critical of Toomua and relatively overly praise Lolesio and Harrison. The latter two have been excellent, but lots of it is people holding Toomua to a much higher standard.
Short season means the stakes are already high for the Rebels
Just read that apparently Lonergan is recovering from an ankle injury. Tough for whoever misses our between he and Fines.
I eventually think Pasitoa might end up at 12 if he stays at the Brumbies. He has the size already and his running game is meant to be his main strength. Tough being behind both Lolesio and Kuenzle too.
Yes we are very lucky in the backs especially, but also with some excellent young forwards. Excited to see Frost this week!
Super Rugby AU Round 4 teams: Changes aplenty across all four sides
Would you have put Wright on the bench or let Kata ease himself back in from the 23 jersey?
Super Rugby AU Round 4 teams: Changes aplenty across all four sides
Do you think he will fill out enough to ever play in the centres? I’m sceptical be quite has the right build for 13. Looks like an outside back to me, either on the wing like Roff or at fullback.
The best of Joseph Suaalii - the teen sensation wanted by league and union
Where did you get those stats from by the way?
After the Aratipu report, can’t we all just get along?
I think it’s worth considering that the win rate of the Brumbies and the Tahs are bolstered by their relatively better performances when we had three or four teams. Also remember the Kiwis have usually had at least one weak team.
Since 2006 the only year our teams had a combined win rate > 50% was 2010. That’s really not very good.
After the Aratipu report, can’t we all just get along?
Our top team has generally been pretty successful regardless of whether we had 3, 4 or 5 teams. The problem is that our quality just fell away so quickly after expansion, particularly with 5 teams. We often had 3+ really poor teams.
After the Aratipu report, can’t we all just get along?
Yes I guess that makes sense, but concerning if Kuenzle is injured!
Is Ryan Lonergan injured?
Super Rugby AU Round 4 teams: Changes aplenty across all four sides
Interesting that Hansen, not Pasitoa, is obviously seen as the next 10. I remember a few years ago Hansen was often spoken of as a future 10, but rather like Maddocks it seemed to me like that had sort of disappeared and he was seen solely as a fullback.
Super Rugby AU Round 4 teams: Changes aplenty across all four sides
Muirhead unlucky to find himself on the bed after how good he was last week
Super Rugby AU Round 4 teams: Changes aplenty across all four sides
How about just showing some thankfulness that you live in a covid free state, and showing a bit of empathy for those in the eastern states (especially Victoria). Having to watch the Force play on TV isn’t a big price to pay.
Super Rugby Week 7: Movers and shakers week
I wonder if Ian Foster wouldn’t be upset to the see Crusaders lose one 😛
Super Rugby Week 7: Movers and shakers week
I’ve been thinking that the law of averages should work with the Brumbies vs Crusaders for about 15 years 😂
Super Rugby Week 7: Movers and shakers week
It is a benefit of living somewhere small and boring, Drew. Only a certain type of person wants to move to Canberra compared to Sydney or Brisbane.
Critics keep coming for NZ Rugby over proposed breakaway comp
I must say I find the very public tug of war over a 16 year old while we (and our sporting codes) still find ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic somewhat bizarre, but I guess that’s the world we live in.
On Suaalii, I thought his highlight package was awesome. He has that balance that O’Connor had when he was a young kid and which Daugunu has now where you think he’s been tackled and he just shrugs it off and wriggles through. In some ways it’s not dissimilar to what Djokovic possesses in tennis terms, the ability to get wherever he needs to be with seconds to spare, despite looking like he hasn’t bothered sprinting or working up a sweat.
I do question whether anyone is ready for a physical game like professional rugby or certainly rugby league before at least 18-19 though. I know O’Connor did it, but the sport is more physical now and JOC had a lot of injuries in his early career.
If Suaalii goes to the Tahs then in 4-5 years time they will be seriously well served for fullbacks and wings, with Nawaqanitawase too. Maddocks will have to be on his toes.
The Wrap: Truth proves elusive as Superman Suaalii saga rages on