Not sure I understand your logic here.

I agree Coetzee is toast, but you can’t criticize the man for only making one SF final and a couple of semis before suggesting he be replaced with a guy who outside one good year (where his team were smashed in the final and faced a very worn out Highlanders team to get there) has been a part of a consistently mediocre team for close to five years.

White and perhaps even Mallett are the only coaches worth considering right now. If Ackermann takes the Lions to another final then (and only then) does he become a plausible option.

Its a dilemma alright. There are so many factors to take into account. Ironically rugby is now suffering because of its own popularity! I have stated reduction is unfortunately not an option, but separation into a purely conference based draw would destroy the competition. I sure wouldn’t be waking up to watch two South African teams play in a format which does not even impact my own team.

I considered having a two tier system, but there are again numerous concerns regarding the level of interest it would generate. I am sure many fans would simply not bother to watch their team if they were not even a physical chance of winning.

Thanks Onside!

As good as that sounds, unfortunately it wouldn’t work. The money is all in South Africa, and if they were excluded not only do you break down a great relationship that took a long LONG time to form, but the competition would be broke within a few years. The NZRU has reinforced this numerous times. The removal of TV deals would mean smaller contracts, and if SA were to join Europe, you would be heaping even more money into the already overflowing coffers of the Northern Hemisphere competitions. IN short, Australia and NZ would not be able to compete with what is on offer. I wager the top players would be gone within two years, which would severely weaken the national sides. NZ is too small, and rugby is not popular enough in Australia to finance the idea.

Unfortunately this really doesn’t come as a surprise. He inherited a Stormers team stacked with talent and failed to take them to one title, most often being eliminated on their home turf. IMO it is the sign of poor coaching when teams fail to fire when it really counts, usually symbolizing a lack of faith in the gameplan. From what I understand, Coetzee was charged with offensive duties, and the Stormers never really appealed as a side founded upon attacking brilliance. They seemed downright awful at times actually. My question is, whatever happened to their defensive coach? He was fantastic, that defense was a force to be reckoned with. Im not sure who it was, perhaps some SA supporters can help me out.

Wholeheartedly agree with your statements regarding the offense (I have written a comment below with my thoughts on the area). Starks even at his best appeals as nothing more than a stopgap, although he may see reduced time seeing as the Packers have just picked up Christine Michael – provided they give him time to learn the playbook. The five wide sets have been lethal, and are very low risk too. If McCarthy insists on using Nelson as a deep threat on every third down, then at the very least he shouldn’t be the primary target. He commands attention, so he’d be a good option for a clear out route that a tackle breaker like Adams or Montgomery can exploit underneath. Even saying this annoys me, there’s so much potential here!

I think Aaron has been partly to blame, in that he seems to be a sensitive person who cannot handle playing on an under performing team. But make no mistake, the Packers woes this year fall squarely on the GM and coaching staff. Thompson’s draft and develop strategy has been thoroughly exposed this year with the injuries to key veterans. The team simply has no leadership out on the field. The secondary has been decimated, and quite frankly its no surprise Gunter, Rollins and Randall cant handle being the starting corners, and who could blame them? They’re forced to play man coverage on experienced receivers, which doesn’t work when the D-Line cannot put pressure on the QB. The pass-rush has been non-existent without Matthews, which again is due to the lack of depth as well as investment in poor players. Capers is a horrible DC, don’t get me wrong, but this scenario was bound to happen eventually. That is Thompson’s job, and its now in jeopardy because of his unwillingness to look beyond the starters.

On Capers, the guy simply has to go. He’s had this job for years, and like almost every other DC with a few notable exceptions, he’s been figured out. Unlike McDaniels or Graham however, he hasn’t adapted. I understand the injury bug has not been kind this year, but when you fail to realise a scheme based on man coverage and a strong pass rush will not work with the poor player personnel you have been given, then you need to go. Its unacceptable. True, Rogers has not been up to par recently, but when you ship 31 points on the first five drives of the game, it doesn’t even matter. You’re toast. Letting a team’s best offensive weapon run 75 yards to paydirt untouched on the first play of the game is beyond bad, it’s comedic.

The offense is a strange case, which again at least in part owes to the failure of Thompson to construct a functional roster that matches the scheme you are trying to pay. Picking up a running back, giving him two weeks to learn a whole new playbook and a single digit snap count to prove his worth before cutting him is just absurd. There’s no way you can successfully evaluate the potential of a player in that time. If you are determined to run the ball on the first few downs, then its an investment that warrants some more time. However, McCarthy’s playcalling is also partly to blame. When the Packers are forced to mount a comeback, Rogers looks unstoppable. The five wide WR sets have been lethal, so why aren’t they using them more often!? There’s no running game to speak of outside Montgomery, who looks far more dangerous out of the slot than he does the backfield, so of course receivers aren’t going to get open when there are rarely more than four defenders in the box. Your O-Line looks fantastic because they can double team all day with the lack of blitzing, and the blame then shifts to the QB when he can’t convert. Well when you’re throwing against nothing nickel defences, i don’t blame him. None of this is rocket science, it’s football 101 and its a mystery why so my pundits fail to see that.

That’s a bit selective. The Patriots have gone after some big names in Belichick’s tenure and turned them into/back into superstars, as have the Broncos. It’s just a matter of coaching and the scheme they’re forced to play in. FA has the potential to be good or bad depending on that.
Im not sure about Thompson’s preferred strategy either. He brought in Charles Woodson one year and he became invaluable, both as a player and veteran who can lead/tutor younger players. The strangest thing with Thompson is that he evidently has a good idea of who to select in the FA, which begs the question of why he fails to do it more often. “Draft and develop” only takes you so far. When your veterans go down – like they have this year – you’re ultimately left with inexperienced players in key positions with little guidance. I don’t like Capers as a DC, but its Thompson’s fault they have no depth.

Hurricanes looking a little like the Denver Broncos superbowl winning team of this season. In danger of missing the playoffs two weeks out from the conclusion of the regular season, only for a couple of late wins (and some fortunate results regarding other teams) sees them top the entire AFC. From there, they ride home on the back of 3 defensive masterclasses and buoyant home support, the former of which became extremely evident 2-3 games prior to the playoffs. The same can be said of the Hurricanes, as only some individual brilliance from Folau and stray boot in a ruck against the Crusaders has seen their line breached. Throw in Barrett playing like a man possessed (Form 10 in the world right now?) and forward pack breathing fire, led by the leadership of Dane Coles, and you have the makings of premiership winning time. They say you have to lose one to win one, so maybe last year’s loss might give them some experience to call on when things get tough later on.

Speaks volumes about professional integrity when one can be passionate about the game without letting one’s emotions get the better of him/her.

I missed that, my mistake. Would probably give DHP a run then. Wing is a gentle introduction to test rugby, worked for Folau quite well.

Agreed though. That dummy by Taufua one was extra embarassing given there was no one inside of him.

Surprised Naivalu hasn’t warranted a mention, has looked good from what iv seen from him. Certainly more upside than Nabuli.

Objectively speaking, Nabuli appears as of the most overrated players in Australian rugby IMO. Very one-dimensional one attack, doesn’t know how to insert himself into the game properly, and defensively porous. Haven’t seen his high ball and kicking skills but one can only imagine. I doubt he’d be a first choice anyway but he’d stick out like a sore thumb if he was in fact selected. Skelton, Hunt, Mumm, Horwill and Palu are others that seem to be riding past glories, in this code or another. Mumm and Palu may be useful in a mentoring type role but I cant for the life of me understand the other two.

On the plus side, there appear some great value selections. Coleman has huge upside, a bit unrefined but could be a force under Cheika’s hard nosed approach given some time off the pine. A very rugged, enforcer type lock would fit well with Simmons, who is still lacking in that area but is a set piece specialist. Morahan as well is very underrated and has been for several years. Great attacking flair, but also a very complete skill set.

If I were a Wallaby supporter, would love to see a line up of:
1. Sio
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Coleman
5. Simmons
6. Fardy
7. Mcmahon
8. Pocock
9. Frisby/Phipps (no real difference for my mind, probably Phipps given his experience)
10. Foley
11. Tomane
12. Harris/Lealiifano (Wouldn’t pair Kerevi with Kuridrani, too one-dimensional and it negates a potentially game-breaking back three. A strong defensive and distributive centre would be best)
13. Kuridrani (cant discount the fact that outside C Smith, he was the best centre in the game last year)
14. Morahan
15. Folau (Cant understand a lot of the criticism of him here. As an AB supporter, hes one player who genuinely worries me chiming n from the back)

If you want a golden standard for sports commentary, look no further than Cris Collinsworth for the NFL. The guy can analyse a play in seconds, and offers some of the most interesting and understandable insights into the highest level of a very technical sport. He commentated superbowl 49 between the patriots and the seahawks, if that rings any bells. Unlike a lot of others, his comments actually reflect his knowledge of the game, and aren’t a) mindless babble that any non-expert could do, or b) completely fundamental statements that dont take 30 years of experience (or any for that matter) to figure out. Probably the best across in any sport IMO. Comes across as non-biased too.
Although he is an outlier, how hard can it be to find decent analysts and commentators for rugby? Grant Fox was terrific before being recruited as a selector for the AB’s (irony anyone?).

Cant do any worse than Greg “Flirting with the touchline/and they cough it up” Clarke and the rest of the Fox Sports team. With the exception of Greg Martin (at times), and Mark Richardson, id say Trans-Tasman commentary is pretty dire.

IMO the majority here need to look at the media through the eyes of a coach/player. These people are payed and charged to promote their brand through the on field product. Your training week is the main concern up until game day where you finally get to put it all together. They know full well what comes out during that 80 minutes is what they will be judged on, and all the while they have these outlets running around, sticking microphones under their noses and generally demanding they account for themselves.

Do you really think they see this as a grand opportunity? Get real. The media are a burden on them, and they are well within their rights to spit out cliches and generally recycled comments. No coach will call out a player (to a strong degree) and risk internal dissent, as well as both their reputations being tarnished, and no player would ever call out a coach and state they had lost faith when their career rests on their shoulders at that moment in time.

Reputations mean a lot, and i assume most want to be judged accordingly from what they are payed to do rather than something else. Why create issues for yourself when a needless dilemma can be avoided by keeping your mouth in check? More so, who and why would someone attempt to buck the trend when they have got next to nothing to gain? SO whilst i agree events like halftime interviews are a waste of time, lets be honest, no-one wants to go through one less than the player who has 40 minutes of rugby to reflect on and a result in the balance.

From someone who loves rugby and studies in Western Sydney, i hate to say it would fail miserably. League and football are so entrenched in the culture you would need to be prepared to lose considerable amounts of money before MAYBE gaining a foothold, but I doubt it would happen. Especially given the dire state the force are in.

IMO this is the weakest draft overall in many years, not just at QB. Theres no one you can point at and say they’re a home run pick, with the exception of Jaylon Smith prior to his injury. This is probably a good year to take a punt in all respects. Its likely Cleveland wouldn’t have traded out of the number two pick if there had been anyone of a supreme character. Agreed on all points about Goff, certainly isn’t in the same boat as Luck, Newton and co were when they were on the board. The best quarterbacks come from successful college teams, cant say that about Cal.

Hard to complain, fitting ban for a player with a good track record. Might be a bit of a blessing in disguise for the Crusaders, given McNicholl and Macilai are both playing fantastic rugby. Not to mention Fruean’s impending return. Blackadder spoiled for choice this year.

England’s turnaround in the last three months has been fantastic to follow and EJ has certainly made his influence felt, but the Grand slam needs to be viewed with a little perspective. Italy arent great, Scotland show sparks before lapsing back into mediocrity 75% of the time, the French are an absolute basket case, Ireland have gone backwards at the rate of knots following POC’s retirement and their injuries, leaving Wales as the one team physically capable of mounting a serious challenge (who England played at home). This is no way compares to a three test series in a hostile country, against a side that must now be considered the second best in the world following their world cup performance. If this was scheduled for next year, there might be an argument to be had, but if Australia play at half their potential it’ll be another whitewash. EJ needs more time, this is far too soon.

Just how much Jonah has done for the image of the game is near impossible to grasp. Those people in countries where rugby is largely a second tier sport will likely know his name, despite not actually following the game. Itll be a long time, maybe ever, before anyone impacts the game like he did. Humble to the bitter end too, what a loss this is. RIP.

This hit like a tonne of bricks. Has done so much to spread the game to all corners of the world, and it may be a long long time before we see anyone just as iconic. RIP big man, the game they play in heaven just got a whole lot tougher.

Id suggest jumping on the NFL bandwagon Harry, i did it two years ago and its been fantastic at filling the meaningless, empty void between the end and start of the rugby seasons. I much prefer rugby, needless to say, but its a refreshing change of pace as most players have their limited roles down to an art form. Once you understand it, its really a great game to watch. And you’re never short of sports analysis to read with the amount of great writers covering it. Their media coverage is something I really wish rugby would take note of.

Unfortunately this is not the first case of assistant referee’s failing to intervene, whether by fear or simply missing the event, when their input could be the difference between a wrong and a right decision. It has become a trend over the past few years, and if it does not cease then in my opinion they should be scrapped. Camera angles can show us where the ball went out on a penalty, we do not need someone on what i assume is an elite salary to do that. World rugby has its hands full already handing down stupid bans and outing its own employees.

History has shown that the team that plays the best in the final 20 minutes will win the match, but if the Springboks are to take this one out then I do not think that approach will suffice. The substitutions phase in the final quarter of the game is what this New Zealand team have mastered better than any team i can remember, at least in the professional era, and thus RSA cannot be locked in an arm wrestle leading into this stage or they will come away second best. Twickenham is not Ellis Park; they will not have a supportive home crowd to ride them home like last year. This match i feel will be all about the opening half hour, and it is here South Africa must give it their all, establish a lead, then hold on for dear life as New Zealand inevitably close out strongly. If this is not done and they give up a few too many points off the start, then I cannot see a way back unless NZ get hit with a few momentum altering injuries given their superior fitness. I agree with your point on their tactics too; as it stands, South Africa are too one-dimensional, and the way Dane Coles stripped the ball from Naikaitaci, before Carter fed Savea for the runaway try should have alarm bells ringing about the perils of running too upright, which they were guilty of over the weekend. That being said, the ruck defence of NZ remains their Achilles heel, and establishing quick ball against them is not a relatively difficult task for top tier teams. Therefore, continuity of possession will be key especially given McCaw is their only specialist thief. The winner of this match will play Australia in the final. I cant see the Pumas going to the big dance, they are too easily beaten mentally if locked in a match with a side in the final few minutes. Provided Australia do not implode early on, they will win comfortably.

Id throw Kessler in here too mate. He’s a good player, but this was probably his worst ever explosion. Two poor interceptions in the fourth quarter with the game on the line isnt acceptable for a 5th year senior.

He does realise the irony in labelling the all blacks the “brazilians of rugby” on the eve of a semi-final right? Given recent events, there arent too many more titles that make me more uncomfortable than that one.

Apologies, I was in the heat of the moment. “Inoperable” was probably too strong a word.

But removal of the hit (which decided scrums in the past), referees calls to put the ball in rather than at the halfback’s discretion, and the constant penalties rather than just a short arm really irk not only myself, but the players too. Seriously, when professional props who have been doing this for 20 to 30 years look up in anticipation after a collapse to see who has won the penalty, it becomes clear something is wrong. Surely someone that experienced should know. Even Mckenzie summed it up best before his exit, it’s a mystery even to the experts.

Don’t know how I forgot about the tuilagi ban. Agree completely, that’s the worst of the bunch. Case in point really.