It was my first rodeo. The idea was to have untrained cowboys from other sports compete in the traditional events.
A young middleweight boxer, a bearlike wrestler, a wiry pole vaulter, a scrawny basketball guard, and a rogue rugby player; we paced behind bars awaiting our gladiatorial walk up music.
A skillet of rattlesnakes were chicken-fried nearby. The smell of expectorated tobacco cut as hard as a barrel racer. Sawdusted cowflop paved our way. A din of bedlam, bells and boots twanged on fuzzy speakers, hiding looming dangers.
Rodeo, like rugby, is a collision and elusion sport of mismatched shapes and sizes. The bulls of the rodeo have mega Mallia hips and that’s no lie. We leaned on the rails, watching a boxer and wrestler turn into mush.
Counting all the hairiest situations I’ve been in, this was near the top.
I could not vacate the saddle fast enough. Eight seconds was seven too long. The impact of one buck and one sick landing was a wrap.
The meal that night was hallucinatory. Two impacts on my rodeo season stat sheet; I still have a bit of a neck crook.
Tackling Shannon Frizell is not as brutal a task as bringing down a bull. But it has serious similarities, starting with G-forces.
When a car crashes at 65 km/h, the force is about 35 G.
A study in New Zealand in 2013 led by Doug King with amateur players at Hutt Old Boys Marist club found rugby collisions average 23 G but can go as high as 200 G or more, equal to a Formula One smash. Many side-on tackles hit 90-100 G-force; those are the type that tend to be concussive to the brain.
Australia’s current pattern of high tackle counts will test how many Gs their forwards can absorb; the MCG is known as the G for a reason.
England (post Eddie) finished the 2023 Six Nations leading the competition in missed tackles: 147 (or 29 a Test) even though they attempted the second least. Brave Scotland were the busiest tacklers (attempting 181 and making 166 a game).
Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
That tackle tally would equate to about one half of rugby for Eddie’s low possession Wallabies who have jumped in 50 tackle attempts Test on Test thus far: 289 at the MCG.
Rob Valetini has been on a year’s worth of bull riding: 53 tackles. Dave Porecki playing hooker minutes has made 45. Hobbled Allan Alaaatoa and heavily strapped James Slipper are in the thirties; young Tom Hooper made thirty tackles in one Bledisloe. Thousands of G-forces have battered the most vital Wallabies, and young Hooper, the experimental seven.
He is so fresh SANZAAR has no picture of him in the stat sheet. He’s averaging a tackle every three minutes. At this rate he’ll finish his career at a metre seventy, instead of one ninety. Even greenhorn cowboys don’t take that sort of early beating. They are saved by the bell.
The 2023 Rugby Championship beat the Wallabies up, robbed them of their first and easiest tight forward selection, put a year’s mileage on the tacking tyres in a month, and the flogging did nothing for flagging morale.
In fact, a player like Valetini, tackling twice as much as he carried, within a team tackling three times as much as it carried, cannot have benefitted from this Rodeo Championship
.
Little niggles turn into nagging hurts which become ticking time bombs of stiff or scarred ligaments, waiting to burst.
English clubs were irate during Eddie Jones’ tenure as national coach because of how rough his training rodeos were. Short on time, his Wallaby plan appears to be work hardening in games.
Nobody can draw a straight line from high tackle counts to physio table but chief among the reasons Dave Rennie is gone was astronomical injury counts. Could his successor unintentionally find his way to the same result?
In Dunedin, the head coach and his quiet assistants need to open the chute to more phased attacks before lobbing the ball back to the All Blacks for additional G-force bull riding. Fewer lonesome doves and more coordinated cattle drives.
This self-imposed gauntlet must ease or cease if the French caper is to be anything more than a crêpe on crutches.
metalisticpain
Roar Rookie
I'm terrible at putting them in haha, I need a mirror! I usually just played blind at that point ???? I was hooker, so just hit all the rucks and support ball carrier into contact
Rolando
Roar Rookie
I agree. I hated the way DR was treated. I also think Rennie’s concentration on the breakdown was starting to pay dividends and I’m confident he would have reduced the incidences of penalties in time. Yes, also, the hype about smash and grab was supposed to be about THIS World Cup, Rennie’s 38% winning rate being the pretext. The extraordinary run of injuries the WBs had with Rennie and the trajectory of improvement under Rennie was blithely discounted. RA showing fake ( and dishonourable) leadership in my opinion
jeznez
Roar Guru
So Hamish should resign in shame. EJ could have kicked off plans for 2027 after this World Cup, after Rennie’s contract fell due. Sacking early and making the relevant payouts was to perform better at this World Cup not the next one.
Rolando
Roar Rookie
So now we know JN. It was never really about this RWC anyway. EJ is just trying out younger players to build toward British and Lions tour and RWC2027.
Wizz
Roar Rookie
Actually UFC safer than boxing incredibly...knocked out is safer than sustained hits from gloved hands.
Guess
Roar Rookie
True but it's not about fans, I mentioned them to mean that it's unprofessional of McLennan. I just don't get are you saying Mclennan thought so as well?
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Harry, it would be hell for this 80 kg blob of memories also. :laughing:
Otago Man
Roar Rookie
Yes :laughing:
cinque
Roar Rookie
Sure. Mid to long term it will catch up with all of them. Faster with the big guys.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Ah, ffs... :shocked:
Rogue Estate
Roar Rookie
I agree - happy to give him the benefit of doubt as he has a very hard job at the moment and a lot of people on his back. I won't change my opinion of liking the guy based on one flicker run in. Mentally he's copping a lot - that's got to be hard. He's just a bloke doing a job like most of us. It just happens many people love the game his job manages a team for. Sometimes I feel happy I never progressed coaching past year 13 with the way people throw things at you. But I miss not being a part of developing people in sport. Still do so in work but sport just seems nicer.
Rogue Estate
Roar Rookie
Nah - it was the way he didn't want to acknowledge some kind words to be honest. When I visit new places I stop and talk to people if I'm approached. I just wouldn't be boarding on rudeness - I'm not going to say he was rude but a few words would have been nicer. Wasn't silly or anything - I just expected a moment of human beings having a sentence each way. That is why I don't treat people as randoms, I also don't expect much with their busy lives and level of importance he has ahead of him. But I don't expect people to make themselves more important than others at the same time.
Rogue Estate
Roar Rookie
Thanks for that savant. I just love the game and know it is harder now than ever physically, mentally and with the professional aspect economically a nightmare. So we kind of have to stay together and respect everyone for the game we love. We don't want the any divides within the rugby community. I say let's just love the game and watch people grow in it and around it - this can be an opportunity to make us better. Doesn't mean we don't want to win or have to make hard selection calls - but it will be what it will be if I ain't got any control in the set ups who create their own destiny. The best thing about rugby is no one ever agrees 100%, and as a kiwi I love this site for that. Wished I had been here years ago.
Rogue Estate
Roar Rookie
I hear you - I felt this way with Fozzie once. I think you have to judge him at RWC - he hasn't had long to do what he wants. The question will be, what does he want to do? Hopefully will answer a few questions when the squad is officially named.
moaman
Roar Guru
Thanks for sharing that Ken. Lutz must be contemplating the current state of American politics with some concern (shall we say?) if doublespeak from official sources nearly consumed his book in '89. :unhappy: Enjoy the game and look forward to reading your comments later.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Ian Smith and Tony Johnson, gentlemen both.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“ one bloke even suggested that I had head injury issues ! I guess he typifies the Social media warrior I have heard about” Look, the chook doesn’t usually attack. He’s just a bit tired and emotional. He’s been spotted hanging around with all types at test matches. Bok fans, boo fans (yknow kiwi types) The bloke has no shame. It’s just a case of the chook calling the kettle black. Btw, I assumed that everyone here has head injury issues…….
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
It’s heading towards volcanic Harry. I’m dismounting from this bull before any more innocents get hurt (I’m including you in that, if that’s okay?) Btw my bull’s name is Vesuvius. Much more poetic, unpredictable, (and objective), than Satan.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Sharing is caring Moa. As it happens I just discovered an old clip that centres on the power of language. Thought of you my feathered friend (hey! has anyone seen Chook and Moa in the same room together? The thick plottens, even while the pomposity pustulates). https://www.linkedin.com/posts/docreichenbach_williamlutz-manipulation-words-activity-7092972931835703296-j-B_?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios
Android-angler Cartman-brah
Roar Rookie
Pleasure to be here from SA. Always enjoy the banter and content. May Roar be even more successful next year and beyond. Special thanks to compatriot HJ.