Why I'm a 'glass half full' rugby fan

After Marinos publicly spanking those players who went back to their club I’m not so sure he’s in a glass even half full. Regardless of the way it may have been taken out of context or not that is a very poor reflection and shows poor leadership. So far everything good with RA that has happened was set up by Castle and I can’t help but feel he hasn’t got much in him. He was pretty crap with SANZAAR and now that complaining and public “not my fault” is coming to RA. Not impressed at all

Tools bring back castle and give apology as didnt do much wrong just an escapegoat for the rotters. How say you tools and padds

I agree with you gatesy. Also, if RA wanted to save more money re Scott Johnson, I’d only need $200K a year to sit in the stands eating hot chips watching the wallabies train

Castle took a lot of flack but being involved at community level she did a lot of work reconnecting RA with grassroots. Plus she hired Rennie plus signed on the bulk of the successful U20 team. However the new regime is travelling well, I am still a little fearful of “ one step forward and 2 steps back” . Perhaps as a result of many false dawns. For me 3-1 is a good pass mark from the Spring tour. 2-2 OK providing the losses still produce a solid performance from the team. And 4-0, that’s my glass half full wish.

Well summed up. . Certainly not the same amount of neglect, BS and poor administration. . McLennan has realised that cooperation works better than confrontation. . Marinos is understandably very low key. . Rennie has finally emerged from under the Johnson albatross and has started to pick our best players. He still clings to at least three losers. . We would be best with Rennie as our Rugby Tsar.

Very much glass half full, for now. Especially re the WBs. But ... thinking long term, the test is in how we develop and grow the game. Otherwise optimism remains largely confined to how the WBs are travelling, and RA does have a tendency to not take some of that buzz and turn it into ... for example, a stronger second tier club competition which people around the country get behind. I know that sounds like utopia, but that has to be the aim doesn't it? Or do we just cede that ground to the NRL and AFL forever and basically say rugby in Australia will always be 100% focused on 5 Super teams that few people care about, whose recognition level rises and falls based solely on how well the national team is going. I think that attitude papers over the cracks. The next WBs coach might fail, and then the number of people watching rugby dwindles again .. and the whinging starts.

Good on you Gatesy, I reckon yours will be a common feeling at the moment. Good times ahead for rugby..

in recognition of our new sponsor shouldn't that make you a glass and half full kind of guy?

Short Arm - that is the issue, the missed opportunity & loss of players to NRLW/AFLW. It really irritates me when you see the how Cricket Australia has invested in the women's game and are now reaping rewards. Rugby AU have really let the players down. I heard Sera Naiqama on a podcast recently saying they are still training twice a week with no light at the end to be playing.

I'm definitely glass more than half full. The unified, polite and humble voice, coming primarily from one avenue (in the coach) is a pleasant change to the previous few years. The consistency in player standards that are required to be consistently selected, combined with a level of care for the "human" element in our players, is also a pleasant change. Thank goodness the complaints, whingeing, whining and white anting from "ex" players seems to be being kept away at the moment. A testament to the standard of coaching across our Super Teams, which has improved and will continue to do so, and none so more evident than in the Wallabies is seeing player's with potential, starting to deliver. Bravo! Go the Wallabies!

I agree Gatesy, and may more Rugby fans move past the last decade of infighting, politics, discontent, disagreement, discontent, disinterest and disillusion. And there’s still a cohort of ex Wallabies out there who, I suspect somewhat out of resentment as much as frustration, still see everything above Club footy as broken. From the outside at least, it looks like there’s considerably less self interest and biased opinions amongst the leadership in Australian Rugby.

We had so much ripping between the states (Force franchise gone) and then infra-team division with Folau. And then the whole ‘no money’ thing. I think this context was ignored between 2016-2019 as to what impact it would have on results. Granted, the EOYT is a good litmus test, but my glass is definitely half full. I think Scott Johnson plays a lot of glue among the others you mentioned.

Yes Hugh, the Wallaroos will be well & truly underdone come WC time. Also, the truncated interstate series was poorly handled with very few games, will not be surprised if we lose heaps of players to league & AFL to never return.

And while I’m feeling bullish, check out this video put out by Team Tah this week. Are we allowed to get a little optimistic about these guys too? https://view.e.waratahs.com.au/?qs=e7eee228bea3eda665a9a65e9b17dd8e46737c70f4ca00c5d9c2c6299460f21d6667a821df7f5367b26cf72da12a50761e735370815dd3978cbfd501bcb4b0b3ec62e4078d72fffa050181dded551ae1

Am also a long term ‘glass half full’ supporter – Rennie doing a terrific job, he and his coaching team have made some great selections Ikitau/ Kellaway, we are getting a few wins, that’s all I need. In some ways Covid has been sort of good for the Wallabies, Rennie has been unable to bring in players from other States, so had to work with who he had and probably wouldn’t have brought in Quade. My only non ‘glass half full’ view is in regards to how little Rugby Australia has done for the Wallaroos. The Wallaroos are 1 of only 3 national teams not playing in Europe over the next month or so. Rugby AU is a long way behind other rugby nations and also other sports in Australia when it comes to the women - missing an opportunity.

I’m with you! Finally we are seeing a mindset of “what do we need to do to win” all coming together at the same time. We’ve had in past lots of narrow thinking at the top that held International Australian rugby back like “only Australian coaches can run the Wallabies” and “super rugby does not include the Pacific Islands” as well as “the Force should be cut from Super Rugby with the Sun Wolves” and to top it of “if you’re not playing in Super Rugby in Australia you can’t play for the Wallabies” causing a weaker national team and narrowing of ways to become a Wallaby. When one looks at these examples in hindsight on thing springs into ones mind “who the hell have been making these really dumb decisions”? Oh and are any of those decision makers and influencers still around trying to cripple Australian rugby. Unfortunately the answer is yes they are, but I don’t think it is appropriate to name names. The good news is that Australian rugby, even though it has lost huge ground to the other Australian winter sports, is not finished yet. It is resilient and it is still producing world class talent despite all of the above. Proof of this is the Wallabies will be playing against quite a few Aussies representing England and Japan as an example, mainly from the narrowing of pathways. Australian Rugby is getting to see what works. There are more big decisions to make to progress the game, like pooling all the Super Rugby players in an NFL or NBA style drafting system, so all the Super Rugby teams are closer, so the NZ teams don’t win all the games, the Waratahs will some games and the Pacific Island teams are properly funded, and all the Asian teams will also be competitive. That would be a great competition and attract a massive audience. Let’s see if they can get that right, it’s not that hard just some persuasion and realising the obvious. So I’m with you Gatesy definitely half glass full.

Next step, wins from the SR franchises. Please

It's the right time to be positive. I am naturally realistic (read pessimistic) but when it comes to the Australian cricket and rugby teams I come over all optimistic and glass half full. I thus jumped on the Cheika bandwagon post-2014 Tahs and despite the fact he's a Randwick bastard (toned that one down for the school hours audience). Doh, lesson learned. With the benefit of hindsight, I should have trusted my natural instincts and realised the Cheika dead cat bounce for what it was. We subsequently had a 4-year Fibonacci pullback to a level where we were a great buy and then got very lucky with the fundamentals aligning with the charts - Castle made two final great calls on a TV partner and a coach and then mates of the incumbent 9 executive took over the top roles when we needed to get that deal done. I'm far from convinced we have taken a step up with Clarke going and Marinos taking over but McLennan seems to be the right guy at the top and Rennie is ticking a lot of boxes. I think, technically we're pushing back up against the peak we made in 2015 and there is time for us to pull back a little to create momentum for the big breakout in 2023. I would accept a 3/1 NH tour result as a sign we're getting ready to crack through the previous high. Buy RA. Buy buy buy. We've aligned the technical with the fundamentals and we are ready to sore to new heights.

Good piece!