AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy – Managing Director and CEO of Australian Rugby John O’Neill
Like him or loathe him, as I presume Lote Tuqiri now does, it’s clear John O’Neill rules Australian rugby with a firm hand. (I was going to say “he casts a long shadow”, but that is true only very late in the day!)
I was even going to put O’Neill in my list of “Top 5 Administrative Strongmen”, along with Blatter, Ecclestone, Samaranch and Pound.
Instead, I thought I’d suggest a few other things he might do now he’s ripped up the contract of the Dark Shark (who, incidentally, and perhaps surprisingly to some, will depart as the Wallabies’ third-highest ever try-scorer).
1. Eye gouge Schalk Burger (c)
Roar captain Spiro Zavos has pointed out the ridiculous leniency of the eight-week penalty given to the Springbok No.8 for attempting to blind Luke Fitzgerald in the Lions Test last weekend. Perhaps O’Neill can dish out the justice the judiciary didn’t by sticking any or all of the seven digits from Lote’s shredded salary straight into Burger’s Aryan iris.
2. Break Richard Loe’s nose
O’Neill would be entitled to stab at this notorious former prop’s eyes as well – just ask Greg Cooper, his sometime All Black teammate (who eye-gouges a teammate?). But an ankle tap at a cocktail function followed by a falling elbow to the snout would somehow be more satisfying – call it the Paul Carozza Snozza.
3. Win the Bledisloe
Around 2001 I started feeling sorry for the All Blacks. They hadn’t won the Bledisloe, Les Frogs had knocked them out of the World Cup and we’d beaten everyone – Lions, Boks and Bleus included – to be the champions of the world. I realise now this was like feeling sorry for Queensland because they were struggling in State of Origin and ergo believing the concept is dead. (Yes, I made that mistake four years ago too.) I’m man enough to admit I was wrong – is The Great O’Neill man enough to bring back the cup? Of course, he’s done the most important part already. Not just hiring Robbie Deans, but spearing Alan Jones!
4. Steal the World Cup from New Zealand
Since he’ll be supporting Dingo and the lads in NZ anyway, why not steal the RWC hosting rights while he’s at it? (It would be nice if he could steal the actual World Cup, but I’m told it doesn’t reside there.) It was a neat trick stealing the tournament in 2003 – I wonder if a repeat is achievable?
5. Get Richie McCaw onside
Ok, I admit it. I’m asking the impossible!
What else would you put his To Do list?
amband
Guest
crikey! i repeated the comment without realising
kovana
Guest
When did Jon come back on board? Last year 2009?
Jason
Guest
Wow. Necro bump.
amband
Guest
Best thing O'Neill can do is clear off quote you " Burger’s Aryan iris." Why the anti white statement? I presume now I can make positive statements about Aryans to stand up for my race Yes, Berger should be dealt with. He is a filthy player, but only if the opposition let him. Do you think Arthur Beetson, John Sattler, Dallas Donnelly from our sister code would have let him get away with it Get the private schoolgirls out of our team! Open up western Sydeny. The ARU and NSWRU could find real talent there
jeff
Guest
WCR. Well said. You are the only person who has replied to this story to mention the huge imbalance that exists with funding and resources for the Community game. JON and his leadership team should hang their heads in shame over the ARU track record with cmmunity rugby in this country.
Amband
Guest
Good point Nick. Resignation by O'Neill would do us all a favour
Nick
Guest
Resign.
Alan B'Stard M P
Guest
regarding your remarks about Berger's "aryan Iris"/ Are you making derogatory remarks against the English/Dutch & germanic peoples? It's no worse to be Aryan than japanese, the latyter more racially homofenous If berger was a jew would you say his jewish iris Not a good remark. Lift yer game pal!
Tahriffc
Guest
Shouldn't JOn just tell us what happened - before we worry about him doing anything else I'm not sure that developing a culture of coverups and fear is in the best interests of rugby
ThelmaWrites
Guest
Uh, I posted the above well past midnight and was half asleep. That should read "Rugby Wrap-up at half-time" instead of ""Rugby Watch". So-o-o-ry.
ohtani's jacket,
Guest
Spencer, So is O'Neill OldManEmu or LeftArmSpinner?
Even looser
Guest
westy - Nice report. Trying to outdo the 'Rugby Rap' are we? I'll be tuning in next week to see how their report compares to your's. Sounds as if you're a True Blue of the two blues. It's hard when they aren't travelling well eh? But all we can do is support them & sip the beer. I had many leans years with Gordon but lately they are getting their act together more & more often. Yesterday they had it together for almost 20 minutes. Some fine individual efforts but just letting themselves down with impatience or what ever. Still can't take it away from Warringah they deserved their win. But jeeze it would have been nice for the Highlanders to sqqqqweek home. As the man said "close but no cigar".
Derm
Roar Guru
There's another mad thing JO'N could do given his renowned negotiation skills. Forge an alliance between Australia and Ireland for the development and promotion of the game in both countries by tapping into the existing alliance that's already there under the GAA/Footy brigrades. JO'N needs more bodies to expand his domestic leagues and ensure there's enough talent for his 5th team. In Ireland, there's a growing trend of GAA players switching to rugby - and it's happening with coaches as well. The ball handling and catching skills of GAA are well-admired and GAA coaches are already being used by English and South African teams for some specialist coaching. Oz footy already entices players from Ireland to join the ranks of the Swans and other clubs. JO'Neill might find a good supply of amateur cattle to use if he can draw/persuade some of this Irish GAA flow into the Australian game. Given the players would be Irish they couln't play for Australia (even if they wanted to), and should only be there to provide ballast and numbers rather than displace home-grown talent. The scheme could also be used to counter the threat of footy to the game of rugby. Some of the Irish players might develop well sufficiently to boost the rapidly diminishing club game in Ireland in their later years of their career. They would be allowed (obliged?) to return to an Irish club once they hit the age of 26/27 maybe. Just a mad thought. What do you think, JO'N?
Working Class Rugger
Guest
It was a very entertaining match now if only the Pros could produce performances like that on a consistent basis. Honestly what happens between Clubland and the professional set ups with these guys skills and endeavour.
ThelmaWrites
Guest
I had the TV on ABC to watch the recap of last week's club games, and Rugby Watch at half-time, never intending to watch Gordon v Warrangah. But the match was so fast, with the players running from one end to the other, back and forth, back and forth. Of course, there were a lot of kicking but they were for territory or to turn the defense. Warringah had a comfortable lead in the first half, but began to tire, so that at one point, I think Gordon was behind only by two points. Believe it or not, according to Brett Papworth, there were NO penalties! All the points were from tries and conversions! Wow! I hope we continue to get clear weather on club rugby days. With the Super 14 guys back as well, club rugby is giving us a spectacle!
DaniE
Guest
Nice to see some club rugby talk on The Roar finally. For the past few years it's been as if it didn't exist!
westy
Guest
Parramatta again put up a fight in first grade against Manly at granville Park losing 31 to 14. Second grade was an appalling 92 to nil loss . To tackle from a kickoff is a fairly basic skill requirement in fact to tackle at all would have been a bonus.As you are aware Parramatta does not have a first grade Colts side but the Two Blues "first Colts put up a good fight in second grade Colts competition to go down 36 to 27. There is some hope . Penrith also have no first grade Colts and penrith First Colts lost 113 to nil against the Woodies at Tg Milner. This is a fairly hard feat to achieve but they did it. They turned up that was all. All i can do is pay to go in at Granville and buy a few to many beers. Not said in malice but I will go see NRL parramatta EEls play penrith tomorrow , I have to see some competitive game in the west. first grade was bearable the seconds a tragedy. The problem is some of the manly players thought they were good . One thing I have learned about the Shute Shield a poor team can bring you down sometimes to their level and be careful about singing the praises of some good club players because they are from my experience over the last 3 weeks playing some woeful rugby players masquerading as first and second graders.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
it was a very good game. that prop whitaker, had a very good game as did McCabe, Sheehan, Thomson, and the whole rats backline. the winger H???-Petty also looked good. Pek Cowan had agood one. Gordon's 12, one of the brothers, looked almost lifeless in the first half. The gordon 8 was unstoppable!!! Dave Harvey is a very good player and underrated, skills wise. bottomline, it was a very entertianing game.
Even looser
Guest
That's it chaps. Let's talk about Rugby & not what a so & so this or that guy is or was. As a long time supporter of LT I'll be keeping my opinions to myself & waiting to see how things unfold. Now let's get back to discussing todays televised game (Rats versus Good Guys).
Jolly Jupes
Guest
NSWRU are broke - The clubs too over their own marketing/promotion by appointing their own media manager at the start of the season so perhaps ask him about the promotion or lack of. Holmes playing other positions has been discussed before - if he plays centre for the tahs who is going to play halfback? He has always been a terrific ball runner but poor in half back skills. The move to centre is interesting but he is a weak defender from what I have seen - he has the speed to play on the wing