Not many Australian players in were action this weekend which is as it should be. We’ve all got better things to do over Easter than watch rugby, right? Like queuing in traffic and rationing chocolate.
Nevertheless I was able to get enough of a fix to get me through another week. Without further ado, here are my picks of the bunch this week.
1. Toby Smith
Went well in the scrum against more-fancied opposition and had a pretty decent game around the park. I had to look it up but I believe he is eligible to play for Australia.
2. Nathan Charles
Nathan has played better games and isn’t the pick of the week, but with slim competition this week I’ve got to give it to him over Tatafu Polota-Nau
3. Paul Alo-Emile
Replaced Laurie Weeks early and Weeks might now struggle to get back into the starting side. Like Toby Smith, Paul Alo-Emile went well in the scrum and was good around the field.
4. Will Skelton
Huge game from the huge man. Won three turnovers, made 10 runs for 42 metres, dented the line whenever he had the ball and was damaging in defence. Adam Coleman had another good game for the Force and I thought Caderyn Neville looked good too, trying to get some more game time by impressing the coach.
5. Luke Jones
A bit of a no-brainier this one but Luke has certainly drawn attention this last few weeks and I’m keen to see how he does over the rest of the season and whether he can earn himself a gold jersey.
6. Colby Fainga’a
I’d award this to Jaques Potgeiter if I could but alas. Of the Aussies, Angus Cottrell played well again but I’ve got to again give it to Colby by a nose.
Since that first Rebels game this season Sean McMahon hasn’t really had much game time but the Rebels are being pretty ably served by Colby. McMahon needs to be introduced a little more slowly.
7. Michael Hooper
Matt Hodgson continues to have his best ever season and racked up some impressive stats, including a mammoth 21 tackles, but I’ve still got to give this one to Hooper.
Although I could quote his carries and metre stats as a reason, the stats never tell the story of a good openside. He was the first to so many breakdowns plus he made good metres, won a couple of critical turnovers and I think just lifts the whole team.
Sure, Hodgo does it too but this week in a tight tussle I’m giving it to Hooper. Honourable mention to Fugilister too – all three opensides played well this weekend.
8. Scott Higginbotham
My impression watching the game was that McCalman had the better early but fell away, Higgers had the better second half and basically won the Rebels the game.
Looking at the stats it’s pretty even and in fact on stats alone I’d probably give it to Ben. But while I still feel Scott has holes in his game he needs to plug, I’ve got to give it to him this week.
9. Nick Phipps
Slim pickings this week for halfbacks but Phipps was pretty respectable. He’s not perfect but gutsy – tackled well against the big Bulls including making a few crucial ones.
10. Bryce Hegarty
Bernard Foley missed two tackles and conceded three turnovers. He also had five carries compared to Bryce’s twelve. He also made me to have a Berrick Barnes flashback caused by too much kicking. Sadly he looks to be getting worse instead of better which is a real shame. Bryce was his usual solid, unflashy self.
11. Rob Horne
Rob has battled injury, positional changes, gameplan changes and now finds himself trying to earn redemption with the scraps he receives on the wing. While he’s not flawless, he was the best of the bunch this weekend, beating out much more favoured Nick Cummins and Tom English.
12. Mitch Inman
Beale played alright until subbed early in the second half but made some forward passes through what I think is overplaying his hand. The stats tell the story too: While Kurtley made 7 runs for 37 metres and 14 passes (good on offence), he made only one tackle and missed another. Mitch made more runs for slightly less metres but a very respectable 11 tackles, missing none.
13. Marcel Brache
Adam Ashley-Cooper fans will be fuming at this one but there it is. Marcel had 7 carries to Adam Ashley-Cooper’s six made about the same metres, beat two defenders to Adam Ashley-Cooper’s none, made more passes, and made 15 tackles (one miss) to Adam’s two (two missed).
That’s pretty clear-cut, isn’t it? Not sure about the Australian eligibility – I know he is US eligible. Certainly not a barnstorming performance and I’m not in any way calling for Wallaby selection but best of the two possible Australians on the weekend.
14. Cam Crawford
It often seems much easier to pick the left winger over the right and this week is no exception. Male Sa’u is not eligible for Australia. Pat Dellit was very quiet – was he on from the start? – so I’m giving it to Cam Crawford. I’m a bit of a Cam fan, truth be told, and hope he regains his form from last year.
15. Israel Folau
I just laughed when he scored after 28 seconds. My bet is teams warn each other about him before they play the Waratahs but what can you do? The trick is obviously to stop the half-breaks that lead to him getting the ball in a good position because every time there is a half break he seems to pop up out of nowhere.
Choc
Guest
Good to see Mitch Inman getting consistent acknowledgement for solid performances. A lot of issues the wallabies have is with too many superstars, sometimes you need to revert to old school smash it up the guts with some serious size, as ABs use nonu to get some go ahead before the Talents of copper can come to fruition. His 105kg frame is perfect for this. Inmans defence is one of the best out of aus backs with reliability and consistency hugely important. The rebels of 2013 proved too much flare led to numerous losses. The wallabies need to revert to the 1990's gentleman era where the players played for each other, and became superstars as a team rather than individuals. Eales would never of put up with the shit we see today. At the moment some players seem to feel as though they are larger than that. A few wins in the end of season tour are very easily overlooked with losses to SA and NZ. If we want to win the World Cup we need to be consistently defeating these two teams as they are now the benchmark of world rugby.
LT18
Guest
People like you, Tane, are very sad. Look at some of your previous players, like Joe Rocokoko and Sitiveni Sivivatu, they were both from Fiji and youse scooped them up. Then you have Rodney So'Oialo who was born in Samoa and Sione Lauaki who's born in Tonga. Even Jerry Collins in Samoa. Talk about hypocrites. if you ask me, the all blacks are the worlds biggest rugby talent stealer.
LT18
Guest
HahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha He's an average Super Rugby player. That's as much as I can say about him.
44bottles
Guest
"Williams was born on 3 August 1985, in Auckland, New Zealand" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Bill_Williams "3 February 1975 (age 39), Mosgiel, Otago, New Zealand" (Brad Thorn) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Thorn "Douglas Charles Howlett (born 21 September 1978 in Auckland, New Zealand)" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Howlett "Rokocoko migrated to New Zealand with his family at the age of 5" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Rokocoko Rokocoko is the only one you said who wasn't born in NZ. And he moved to NZ at the age of 5, where we all know our rugby playing potential is professionally evaluated before we get imported. The "NZ is the Pacific Isles XV' argument has been brought up and disproven since the 90's.
44bottles
Guest
Prove he played for Samoa pirates. I did a quick search and all I found was people WISHING that he could have played for Samoa IN LEAGUE.
Jerry
Guest
When did SBW play for Samoa? I recall him playing for the Kiwis both prior to and after his Union stint. Yes, Bunce played for Samoa despite being born, raised and playing all his rugby in NZ. And being of Niuean descent.
Kibz
Guest
Horie is a capped Japanese 15's player. It would be impossible for him to pull on a gold jumper.
Kibz
Guest
what Jeznez said, like Tanaka and Sau, he is capped at intl level. He was pretty good, but Aus has plenty of decent rakes.
PiratesRugby
Guest
SBW played for Samoa. As did Frank Bunce. Brad Thorn played for the Kangaroos. Grew up in Brisbane.
Jerry
Guest
TKB moved to NZ to go to school, didn't he?
Combesy
Guest
Tane... Tawera Kerr-Barlow? People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones bud
Jerry
Guest
SBW only played for NZ in both League and Union as far as I know. Thorn only ever played Union for NZ. The IRB amended the eligibility laws in about 2000 to state that once a player represents a country's first team, designated 2nd team (eg Australia A, Junior All Blacks) or national 7's team, that player can't represent any other country. Representing another country at League (or any other sport) isn't relevant to this regulation, nor are age grade teams (unless a country decides to designate an age grade team as it's 2nd team).
PiratesRugby
Guest
Didn't SBW play for Samoa? Brad Thorn played for Australia. Strauss played for SA and so did Rathbone. Kepu played for NZ. Noriega and Rodriguez played for Argentina.
Jerry
Guest
Well no one can do that in Union, cause the IRB don't allow it.
PiratesRugby
Guest
I'm not saying shame on anyone, except for hypocrites. But I'm not sure how someone who has represented his country, whether it's Samoa, Sth Africa, Argentina or even NZ can turn up a couple of years later playing for another country. I suppose it is possible for someone to emigrate and then continue their trade in a new country. But someone who moves to a new country just so he can get a better run with the national team seems a bit cynical. SBW is the prime example but not the only one. It's even worse if the national union orchestrates the move. I don't think Australia is short of hookers and I'm happy for the Cherry Blossoms to have Shota Horie.
Who Needs Melon
Roar Guru
I haven't actually mentioned Dennis in this article but did make a comment on the live game blog the other day. I wasn't copying anyone and made the comment after watching with what I think was an open mind and I stick by my opinion. Saying that I shouldn't be entitled to that opinion because someone more qualified (I'll admit) had a different opinion months or years in the past... well, that's not forming your own opinion, isn't it? That's NOT an open mind.
Squirrel
Guest
I played with better 3rd graders in the 90s . When you are in NSW and you are the skipper playing in the backrow you are meant to stand out, but Tane he is amazing in front of the media. I was pro deans and mccabe
Billy Bob
Guest
Well put Tane, the number of ex Waratah captains and Wallaby back rowers on the roar who can 'do better' than this one player is astounding. Anonymous heroics from ivory armchairs.
Jerry
Guest
Yeah, shame on NZ for plundering the Pacific Islands of Mo'otueka and Aukalani.
PiratesRugby
Guest
SBW? Brad Thorn? Doug Howlett? Joe Rokokoko? Please, NZ has been plundering the Pacific Islands as badly as English cricket plunders Africa. Is your problem that Australia is merely doing it too? Laughable. Anyway, I was just joking about Shota Horie and merely making the point that he had a good game.