With the Australian rugby preparing for the grueling season of Super Rugby and the inaugural Rugby Championship, my appetite was satisfied by ESPN over the weekend with a three course Six Nations meal.
From the opening week of the tournament, here are a few points that stood out for me:
1. Where was Julian Malzieu at RWC?
Clermont winger Julian Malzieu scored a fantastic try against Italy, displaying a combination of speed and brute power to evade four hapless Italian defenders. Having been involved on the Sevens circuit before, Malzieu showed he has the uncanny ability to finish off the limited opportunities he receives.
With all due respect to Alexis Palisson, one can only wonder why he wasn’t in New Zealand last year. maybe because of that fellow by the name of Lievremont?
2. Italian backline will finally touch the ball.
New coach Jacques Brunel promised to change the country’s fortunes in the Six Nations, and he seems determined to integrate his backline into a previously forwards-dominated game plan.
They have some young and physical players like Alberto Sgarbi, Tommaso Benvenuti and Giovanbattista Venditti. Former coach Nick Mallett finally found some decent scrum halves, now its Brunel’s turn to unearth a fly-half.
3. Scotland can’t score tries.
Okay, obviously most rugby fans already knew this but, it never ceases to amaze me how Scotland can continually find ingenious ways of butchering tries. Even I could hear the groans of Murrayfield on television every time they turned the ball over. It’s only a matter of time before Andy Robinson snaps and embarks on a murderous rampage in the coaching box.
One can only imagine the celebrations when a fortunate Scotsman happens to cross over the white line at Murrayfield – that’s if anyone actually survives Robinson’s fists.
4. Robshaw right man to lead England.
Having only boasted one Test cap prior to his appointment as England captain, Robshaw repaid interim coach Stuart Lancaster’s faith and showed why he deserves to be the man to lead his country’s long road to recovery. Against Scotland the Harlequins flanker was absolutely everywhere and admirably rallied his newbies in a game that resembled trench warfare at times.
But there was no one need to pick on scrum-half Chris Cusiter. Did anyone back the Scottish scrum-half?
5. Ireland will struggle without Brian O’Driscoll (‘BOD’).
Yes, they were sixty seconds away from a rousing victory until Stephen Ferris committed rugby suicide with a dangerous tackle right in front of the posts. However, Ireland may have been in front by more had their inspirational captain been there. Leinster teammate Fergus McFadden played well, but it’s just not the same without ‘BOD’.
6. Get out of George North’s way.
North experienced a breakthrough season in 2011 and was one of the stars at the RWC, and at the Aviva Stadium he showed everyone why he is Wales’ answer to Jonah Lomu with some devastating runs. North has it all – strong, fit, fast and possesses a sound rugby brain. Also he produced some bone-shattering hits on some unfortunate Irish players.
One can only feel for Scottish winger Max Evans this weekend.
mattamkII
Guest
Was actually going to mention Matthew Rees. Quality player. But again, would have always had 3 or 4 hookers ahead of him in a world 15 selection
Ben S
Roar Guru
Matthew Rees & Adam Jones?
Ben S
Roar Guru
Betsen was a tackling machine. That's it. People would say Dusautoir is world class, but I've seen Williams absolutely destroy him at the breakdown.
Ben S
Roar Guru
Nope. We're saying totally different thing.
mattamkII
Guest
Colin, like I said on one of my first post, we are talking about two peoples different view of what world class means. I never said Williams wasn't a fine player. He was jsut always behind quite a few others at any time of his career. To me that's not world class. To me world class is a term reserved for the real greats of their generation. Betsen, McCaw and George Smith were and are world class and now fit into the Great category. Brussow and Pocock are world class....5ish more seasons like they have had and they become greats.
Colin N
Guest
"Williams was a fine player as are/was all the players I listed above. Its just that Williams never ever would have made a world 15 at any time in career." Well, if we did a world 15 for the past 10 years, no one would get in above McCaw at openside!! "maybe on the bench for a world 2nd 15 at best." Even though I disagree, to be apart of the world' best 44 players is pretty impressive. There's also a question of depth. If you look at the number of great eights in world rugby for example: Parisse, Fernandez-Lobbe, Read, Faletau, Heaslip, Harinordoquy - wouldn't you say all those guys are world class? It's surely about ability as well as how you compare with the guys at that time? McCaw is far above the rest in terms of ability but also consistency, but below that, there's a list of very good sevens including Williams.
mattamkII
Guest
haha. jesus, his he your son or something? Williams out played Brussow in one game...ok, good on him. Ah yes, you got me. I am a man 'desperate' to prove Williams as a bad player...my life is that really that boring. Colin, like I said, Williams was a fine player as are/was all the players I listed above. Its just that Williams never ever would have made a world 15 at any time in career....maybe on the bench for a world 2nd 15 at best....that my fiend, is not world class.
Colin N
Guest
Waugh - no chance. Smith isn't a seven and very rarely plays/played seven. And even when he did, he's not someone who acts/plays like a seven. He is a wonderful player and criminally underrated, but is not an openside. It is the suggestion of a man who is desperately searching for someone who is better than Williams. Agree about Betsen, Smith and McCaw. I rate Brussow when fit but was outplayed by Williams in the third Lions Test. Even so, pretty impressive that you can only find a select few when Williams transcends two eras. So, world class he was then.
mattamkII
Guest
Here is a list of 7's I would have picked above williams. Waugh (better at ruck time, tackle and similar around the park) Betsen (better all round) Smith (far better) McCaw (far better) Burger (not traditional 7 but much better at ruck time, tackle and round the park) Juan Smith (played a fair bit at 7. Not so good at break down but offers more around the park) Brussow (only played in few seasons at the same time bit clearly a better player) There is one other french fella whos name eludes me... I put williams in the same batch as blokes like Croft and Braid. Big engines but not hard enough on the ball and just not skillful enough ball in hand.
Colin N
Guest
"But world class? no way. There were 5-10 number 7′s around the world I would have picked ahead of him." Like? I would say McCaw and George Smith in terms of a natural fetcher, but apart from that.................. Possibly Burger depending on what you wanted your seven to offer. Back, obviously, but Williams played through a couple of eras really, which shows how good he was. I thought R. Jones was excellent between 05 and 07 but there you go. I've just been watching highlights of the 05 Six Nations and he stood out in a good Wales side.
mattamkII
Guest
As for world class forwards, I actually think wales haven't many until very recently in Warbarton. Jekins was about the only on. Delve could have been but injury and the astonishing preference of Jones saw and end to that. Also Charvis was up there in his day. Backs, there have been a few over the last decade. Roberts, Shane Williams (other than his last few years which we cringeworthy to watch) and Phillips is up there with the best scrum half if you ask me. To me World Class means as good or fractionally off anything anywhere else in the world.
mattamkII
Guest
Colin N. Williams was a great player, no question. But world class? no way. There were 5-10 number 7's around the world I would have picked ahead of him. Maybe we have different understandings of world class. Jones, just dont and never have seen it. 05 Lions tour? yes, watched every second of it. Didn't see much to talk about at all. The guy has some darlings in the media box and if he looks at the ball they talk him up like a god. We have plenty like him in Australia. Mumm and Chilsom just to name a few. Mumm in particular shouldn't have made it past club rugby. He built a rep on BS. Much like Jones.
Colin N
Guest
"Wales has and has had some real world class now and in the last few years." First of all, which Welsh forwards would you consider to be world class in the recent past then? Martyn Williams was a class performer in his career, I don't see how you can't see that, but there you go. Ryan Jones was very good between 05 and 07 - did you not watch the Lions in 05? His form has been intermittent in the last few years but is starting to play consistently well again, hence the comment that he is starting to get back to his 05 form.
DC
Guest
Don't forget Rougerie ! Scored a good try ...that dude is a menace ...
mattamkII
Guest
sorry pressed send to early. Wales has and has had some real world class now and in the last few years. Martyn Williams and Ryan Jones are not among them. The Welsh love of these two is simply staggering. Martyn Williams was a fine play - world class ? no chance. Jones...pfft.
mattamkII
Guest
Ben - are you fighting with me again on a topic we agree on...;) Colin N - Ryan Jones is perhaps the longest and funniest running joke for most of us outside the UK. I personally am amazed that the guy actually plays pro rugby.
Ben S
Roar Guru
You didn't make any reference to how good the 7 was you made reference to the style of the 7. Both sides have had pilferers for years and years. SA doesn't play with a 'traditional' SH 7 either. The only real over the ball they've had in years has been Krige, and now Brussow. If you want to explain the 'improvement' in Welsh rugby then you need to look deeper at the regional academies, the knock-on effect of the streamlining of the regions and the increased professionalism that Gatland has instilled.
Colin N
Guest
Martyn Williams was a world class forward, it's just the rest of the Welsh pack was never up to his standard. Warburton's fellow back-row colleagues Lydiate (currently Ryan Jones, who is getting back to his '05 form) and Faletau are outstanding players in their own right, with a front-five who can now compete with the best. Scotland seemed to struggle to find a very good openside until Barclay came along in 07, who I think is a fine player, and who I rate above the current incumbent. Robinson seems to prefer Rennie who has done very well to be fair, but I personally think Barclay is the better option.
mattamkII
Guest
beg to differ. Perhaps they were pilferers but they we light years behind what Aus, NZ and to some extent SA have produced over the last 15 years... I might be a tad bias but the Tri-Nations 7's have really been miles and miles in front of our northern mates.
Ben S
Roar Guru
Scotland and Wales have had pilferers at 7 for the best part of the last decade.