The beginning of the week has seen some positives for Australian rugby with the resolution of player wage cuts.
It also appears World Rugby has thrown a lifeline to Australia with the backing of our bid to host the 2027 World Cup.
That all leads us to the question of which players will be part of the next two world cup campaigns.
Queensland has a lot of young talent ready to sharpen their teeth on international rugby when it resumes, and Crusaders coach Scott Robertson praised the Queensland pack in a closely fought game in Christchurch earlier this year.
There have been some questions asked this week about Michael Hooper continuing as captain of the Wallabies. With the loose trio of Liam Wright, Harry Wilson and Izack Rodda in top form, it begs the question: could Rodda or Wright lead a young Wallabies squad into the next World Cup?
Certainly all great international sides have great leaders – they have a Martin Johnson or a Richie McCaw type figure. Certainly the Queensland pack under coach Brad Thorn is improving every match.
An article by Daniel Gilhooly highlighted the kicking woes in Australian rugby. This can surely be addressed by a full-time kicking coach or extra training of some nature.
As rugby finds its feet in these troubled times it appears the NRL is unsure of the next positive move after senior playing greats have said no to the concept of leaving families to play matches. I find it interesting that the much-maligned Warriors are now regarded as an asset to the competition as they are willing to participate in a tournament during COVID-19 restrictions.
As Anzac Day approaches I wonder what the old diggers would have made of all of this. One thing is for sure: it may bring Australia closer to its old ally New Zealand in a positive way. Maybe Anzac Tests in both codes should be considered in the future.
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks Alex! To get our kicking going. We should select good kickers :)
Rugby wizard
Guest
Looking forward to seeing how this young group developes in the years ahead. Hockings will become a very good lock in my opinion the best since John Eales. Not the lock pairing of many and more important not that of Rennie for the Wallabies but 4.Hockings 5.Staniforth Could do very well in Wallaby gold. Jones/Brooke type lock pairing? Maybe. Hamish stewart is a player I fear will be overlooked the same way Coterill was,how has Coterill not had at least 20 Caps? he was good for so many seasons especially the Force. I liked Mauger when he played and alot about how Stewart plays reminds me of him.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the read. For a start Rodda is not good enough to be captain. Even BT thinks that. Wright has done zero in his time. His team over all is poor and the results show that. QLD always produces champions, but so does NSW and the Brumbies. The Reds need a new coach, as Thorn is in a par with Richard Graham. FACT. Probably a new Board as well.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
KC, I sit about ten rows back from the Milton Rd ingoal area. I don't like to see the Reds back there waiting for conversions, but there is one thing I have noticed. Over the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Rodda has stepped up in the huddle, has been calm, concise and lifted the players to go back to the kick-off and start hard again. This year rather than lead the conversation, that's Wright's job and he does it well, he has added to the conversation constructively. The players obviously respect what he has to say. Ready for captaincy now? Maybe not, but from where I sit, he shows more than potential.
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Paul - you could but it wouldn't be logical :silly:
Paul D
Roar Rookie
By that logic we can also say that everything wrong with the Wallabies current results is all Queensland’s fault then. Great!
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Alex Let me take a wild guess - you're a Queenslander - right? And sorry to correct you but Rodda is a lock - not a loose forward . Many will argue that Queensland is always the future of Australian Rugby. For sure all of the best WB teams have coincided when the Reds were also very strong :silly:
Markus
Roar Rookie
For previous years where it was a hugely competitive position sure, but Hooper is pretty clearly the front runner for the openside flanker role in Australia now. The closest behind him is Liam Wright but he is well short at present, has only shown one great game this season that would justify getting the starting spot.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
We actually were Allies with Britain, NZ , SA , France and America. We already are almost punch drunk from being beaten up by NZ. I suggest an ANZAC team. Similar to the Lions team. The only way for any of our players to get picked would be on a roster. One year NZ forwards and our backs , next year the opposite. Or two sides.
max power
Guest
incorrect
John
Been a good servantbut it's time he was let go. Yes he co sistently made bad calls
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
While I’m not sure a Queensland bias would be any better for Australia than a NSW bias I do often question how so many people support Hooper. A failure as a captain who took Australia from 2nd in the world to 7th with no ability to work with referees, consistently making poor calls on the field and despite having the heart of a lion pretty bloody ineffective in either defence or attack. How he remains in the lineup is just weird
KCharleton
Roar Rookie
Ok after reading the rest, the article doesn't really say much. Ok Robinson said some good things about the QLD pack, what in this leads you to believe that Rodda or Wright should be the next captain? As Mr Other Leg says, we already have three Anzac Tests. And before you mention the fact the league tests are called "Anzac" tests... They're rarely played on the day. And if kicking woes were so simple to coach out all nations and teams would do it... Sorry, maybe I've just had a poop day at work and am being extra negative...
KCharleton
Roar Rookie
I'm not even bothering to read the rest of the article yet.. There's been an agreement to the pay problem? And world rugby is backing the bid for the RWC? Either you're reading far much into something, I've completely missed some big news, or there is some good stuff going around.
Jmcint06
Guest
Wow. This article started off on one tangent then just gave up and went a different direction.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
We already have ‘Anzac’ tests in rugby. Three of them every year. But they are more like war re-enactments than commemorations. Until recently of course. Lately it has been that one of the teams surrenders at around the 50-60 minute mark.