Time for a repeat of the Wallabies' 1984 Grand Slam

It is unbelievable this ridiculous continued criticism of Robbie Deans. I would have thought the current Wallaby record, more than vindicated Deans. Like all coaches, Deans could only select the best available players. I don't remember any particular team he chose, that wasn't more or less inevitable. The two major controversies ( only for Australians) was the non selection of Quade Cooper, who first had a shocking world cup. (Blindly Shocking) Unfortunately injured, did not gain form, publicly blaming his lack of form on the "Toxic atmosphere" in the Wallabies; was still given more chances, put failed to impress! The other was the selection of JOC at first five. There is a huge lacking at fly half, there is a big need for someone with some intelligence and flair, JOC was a very worthwhile experiment, and I would suggest that had it have been immediately successful, it would have solved a great number of problems, and all you Aussies would be crowing as if you had invented the idea. There were many of you out spoken "True Blues" who would've rather seen the Lions beat the Wallabies, than see Deans retained as coach. I do not believe Dean's Wallabies would lose on this UK tour. All the very best to Ewen, I think that if they can get over England, they could be truly on there way to a grand slam win. Cheers!

Sage I'll admit as a kiwi I'm one of the guys who bags out any wallaby thread where it's complimentary and I'll apologise but it's in our nature just as it's in Greg Martin and Kearns nature to call the All Black captain a cheat and any referee that refs a All Blacks vs Wallabies game as incompetent and yes a cheat,my point is that being obnoxious is not all one way traffic .

The ABS .? did I miss a game this year or something ?

You are spot on JB. I would go further to say that the front three are not being supported adequately by the locks in the scrum and, the whole tight five are anything but. It is infuriating to watch props casually binding with the hooker as if they were packing down a league scrum; laziness that is exacerbated by poor front row technique and inconsistent body height and weight from the locks. But I am pretty sure that the scrum coach is watching the same games as me?

Most of the Highland uprisings of the 17th and 18th century involved only a tiny proportion of the Highland clans (Irish-based groups of Scottish descent often played a much bigger part). The 1745 rising was no different. The notion that this represented a Highland V Lowland rift is misguided. That is not to say that the aftermath (in which Clans not involved in the uprising felt the wrath of the Hanoverian reaction) did not contribute to a rift. Other factors, not least the clearances of the 19th Century (often undertaken by Highland lords and lairds against their kin) were a more serious factor in the modern conception of a Highland V Lowland breach. Whilst regionalism is a factor in modern Scotland (and everywhere else in the world), when it comes to Rugby I know no Scots who would question the origins or motivations of a man in a blue jersey, even if he comes from a long-way south of Aberdeen (ie Zimbabwe).

I can only think of 1 game where England smashed the Wallaby pack and didn't win. The first Test in Australia in 2010.

Based on what I have already said in this article and several others over the past few days Justie.

"won heaps of cash." Thats a relative term as he would be winning pacific peso's aka the $NZD. So his "heaps of cash" would amount to no more than a few AUD's, perhaps enough to buy some salt and vinegar to go with his chips.

We've won our fair share against Australia.

I think it's fair to say that Scots can hold a grudge. ;)

By JB Sandbox, are you referring to me? Looks a bit more like Red Kev don't you think?

I wasn't aware I had one mate :)

I bite well often Chivas in case you haven't noticed. My point still stands though and yes we are always confident of improvement and I believe I've seen a little. A little though, not slam winning. My point was about the constant dismissiveness of Kiwi posters and early in the thread to any positive about the WB's. It's rampant at the moment, even though you're winning, it doesn't seem enough to make you happy unless you can bag Aus at the same time. Not you personally I would add, mostly anyway. Happy to be proven wrong though in following threads, we shall see won't we.

Remind me not to get on your bad side there Uncle ;)

Good Morning Jeff, my apologies for the late reply but was not on-line last night and only have read your response this morning. It is a long held 'myth' that the Battle of Culloden was all 'Highlander' vs "English and Lowlander" It was not; "Charles Stuart's Jacobite army consisted largely of Scottish Highlanders, as well as a number of Lowland Scots and a small detachment of Englishmen from the Manchester Regiment. The Jacobites were supported and supplied by the Kingdom of France and French and Irish units loyal to France were part of the Jacobite army." (WIKI) This is further supported in Jacobitism in History; "Allan Macinness Clanship, Commerce and the House of Stuart, 1603-1788 (1996) was the first study to show the importance of the Gaidhealtachd to the culture and society of the Stuart era, and far transcended the outworn stereotypes of 'Highland' and 'Lowland', while my own Myth of the Jacobite Clans (1995, 2nd expanded edition 2009) argued that Lowland Jacobitism was far more extensive than assumed by the caricatures of British history, and that the Jacobite risings were possessed of a 'national', not merely a 'dynastic' quality. The completely rewritten and much expanded second edition of this work provides comprehensive and fresh detail of Jacobite recruitment, arming and local activity, demonstrating (as Stuart Reid and others had begun to do in the 1990s) beyond all doubt that the Jacobite army of 1745 was large, often Lowland and armed with muskets and cannon rather than swords and dirks." Now on the broader issue of Scottish nationalism I would argue that two of the more famous patriots were William Wallace and Robert The Bruce - both Lowlanders. Furthermore if you study a History of the Borders you will often find loyalty was to family not to nation just as in the Highlands. But geography determined that it was the Borderer's that did much of the fighting against the English up until the Union (James I & VI) who clealred out the Borders which the English did to the Highlands about 100 years later called The Highland Clearances. Now mate I would never deny anyone the right of freedom of speach; and you and everyone else from Elgin can called my people Sassenachs all you want. However it is as narrow minded as it is bigoted and misplaced when clearly "Lowlanders" have done much for Scottish Nationalism and Rugby.

based on what exactly UA? all the same issue that have plagued us for over a decade are still apparent. This team is a poor mans 2010 wallabies. Electric backline with a terrible pack and defensive structure except this backline is nowhere near as talented as the one we had in 2010 (bar Izzy and the cooper from sat nite, AAC and genia are not in the same form they were back in 2010). I think you guys have short memories, it just seems we have been following the same cycle since 2003. 2012 is the only year wear we havent had the odd break out game that satisfies the fans for a few more weeks, every other season we'd be served up dross for the most part then the boys would fire up for a game of two, we'd get of their back and then they'd serve up some more dross.

'I think we...are entering into a better era of Australan Rugby' is perhaps another injudicious application of optimism.

A little history Uncle. In the rebellions of 1715 and 1745 against the German King George I and to restore the House of Stuart to the Scottish throne the Highland Clans were defeated not only by the English but also by Scottish Lowland troops who fought with the English. It is considered by the Highland Clans that the Lowlanders betrayed their Scottish heritage and earned the dubious right to be referred to as Sassenachs from then on. Memories are long in the High;lands and these matters are considered far more important than rugby players whether they came from Elgin or not.

I should have said " and won ".

Yes. That is how I would interpret.