Roar Guru
Joined June 2017
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Live in Brisbane, Australia, having previously lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina and London, United Kingdom for 5.5 years. Love Football, Cricket, Rugby and Rock'n'Roll.
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‘El Gráfico’ was a hugely influential Argentinian monthly sports journal with a naturally heavy emphasis on football. In 1928 its editor, Borocoto, published an…
The position of football in Brisbane’s hot, humid, sun-soaked and sepia-tinged sporting landscape is, much like peak Thomas Broich, hard to pin down. The…
Having moved to Buenos Aires six months ago, much of my experience here so far has naturally been framed by football, such is my…
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when Guinness suppliers cancel all employees’ annual leave, when dreary Saturdays are spent inside warm pubs,…
The forthcoming Copa Libertadores final between River Plate and Boca Juniors is an unprecedented sporting, cultural and social event in Argentina, with one newspaper…
It is apt that the final, enduring image of Sam Warburton's brilliant career was that of himself and Kieran Read, smilingly as the lifted…
An Australian supporting England in most sporting endeavours is akin to high treason – an act so reprehensible, deplorable and unconscionable that the revoking…
Utter the name Ned Hanigan in the company of Australian rugby fans and instantly the mood shifts, with music screeching to a halt, birds…
Stop me if you think you've heard this one before, but French rugby is still ill with under-performing players, disciplinary issues off the field…
Scotland is a land of stunning natural beauty, indecipherable accents, some of the best sporting and live music crowds in the world, out of…
The historical enmity between Wales and England has been shaped by centuries of cultural, political, economic, and most importantly, rugby union-based mistrust and conflict,…
The commencement of the 2018 edition of the Six Nations heralds the return of international rugby, Eddie Jones, centuries-old gripes against the English, fantastic…
The annual Twickenham Test between England and Australia promises to be as tight as Kurtley Beale's budgie smugglers, and Eddie Jones-like blue language is…
This forthcoming Saturday, at 9:47am, six mates and I will board the Greater Western Railway service at London Paddington station with beers, coffees and…
Karmichael Hunt's professional rugby league debut for the Brisbane Broncos, in Round 1 of the 2004 NRL season, was a seminal moment for touch…
The news of Mario Ledesma's impending departure from the Wallabies coaching set-up has sent the Australian scrum enthusiast community (all ten of you) in…
With it being two years since England's early World Cup exit on home soil, and just under two years until Japan 2019 kicks off,…
After the Wallabies vomit-inducing display during the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney, it looked like only one Tom Petty song would sum up…
Grand final week still manages to stir up the passions of the most casual of casual sporting fans – your mum, the bloke at…
Ireland, France and South Africa are currently duking it out to see who will be crowned host of Rugby World Cup 2023, and the…
Everyone going on about England finishing second “as it’s an easier QF path” – Colombia or Japan (the two most likely to go through from their group) are not pushovers, especially Colombia. If you don’t have the mentality that you can beat anyone to go through the tournament, you won’t win it.
Germany's exit - and Mexico's near-miss - has cracked the World Cup wide open
This is classic England – assume there is an “easy” side of the draw, as if Colombia and Japan are somehow far beneath them ala Iceland. If you don’t have the mentality of thinking you can beat anyone in your path you’re not going to win the World Cup. Reading the press over here you’d think that England have a bye through to the Quarter Finals.
The absurd England-Belgium situation
Obviously Cahill needed to come on but I am bewildered that Mass Luongo hasn’t been on the pitch once this WC! He was by far our best player against Colombia a couple of months back and his energy would’ve been so dangerous.
Did Bert van Marwijk's tactics cost the Socceroos a win against Denmark?
Even thought I currently live in the UK and have the excellent FTA coverage on BBC and ITV, this whole shemozzle with Optus still makes me angry as it punishes all football fans in Aus, not to mention the World Cup is sacred viewing in IMO and should never be messed with.
SBS to show World Cup for the next 48 hours
Personally I believe David Silva should be top 5.
The 50 best players at the 2018 World Cup: 20-11
The Euro’s going from 16 to 24 teams was a disaster – 16 was the optimal number for a clean, efficient tournament structure, likewise 32 with the WC. Some of the dross that finished 3rd in their group and still qualified for the knockouts (Northern Ireland for example) made the quality of the whole tournament diminished. 48 team WC will be so bloated.
BREAKING: Spain just made the completely normal decision to sack their manager a day before the World Cup
Unfortunately Argentina currently churning out a curiously listless display against Wales – getting bossed at the breakdown and lacking inspiration in the backs.
Wallabies win! Aussie underdogs upset Irish 18-9
That was a highly enjoyable test match. I’m absolutely over the moon about the Wallabies defence – some of those hits in the first half were awesome and it looked like everyone was on the same page in terms of commitment and structure.
Not sure if there’ll be a report on here but just watched the South Africa vs England game – test match touch in the first half and a tense ending even though England had absolutely no business being in with a sniff! In one word – weird!
Wallabies win! Aussie underdogs upset Irish 18-9
53 missed tackles for QLD! No-one at any level of the game wins with that many.
Six talking points from State of Origin Game 1
Also if you’d read the Itoje section properly, I said not everyone can be like him at a young age, and that he has the potential (key word) to be like him.
In defence of Ned, the scapegoat for our frustrations
How old are you? What on earth is with the childish term “fanboy”? I think he’ll be good in the next couple of years – hardly the rantings of what you call “fanboys”.
In defence of Ned, the scapegoat for our frustrations
After both the Colombia and Czech games, Luongo is looking increasingly vital and looks to be heading back to his Asian Cup 2015 form.
Final 23-man Socceroos World Cup squad confirmed
Eriksen ran the whole show in the play-off victory over Ireland, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see a man-marking job on him ala Herrera on Hazard in a Man Utd. vs Chelsea game at Old Trafford last year.
Maybe Bert van Marwijk is the best coach for the Socceroos after all?
It’s actually gotten to ‘it’s so bad it’s funny’ level – technical difficulties meaning they can’t show any of the game – which is actually improving the experience!
Izzy reached dizzy heights in record Suncorp try-fest
Was wondering where on here I could mention this – possibly the worst half of international test rugby I have ever seen. Not to mention I don’t think whoever is in charge of the camera crew has ever seen a game of rugby before – it is genuinely like someone filming it on a handicam from the crowd.
Izzy reached dizzy heights in record Suncorp try-fest
Yeah I think what I was trying to get at was he has the fundamental tools to kick-on to the next level, and I’m hoping it happens this calendar year so he can start peaking next year.
In defence of Ned, the scapegoat for our frustrations
To be clear the bits about his hair and his name were meant to be light-hearted and not taken seriously – more a mickey-take of people who nitpick at every single aspect of some players.
In defence of Ned, the scapegoat for our frustrations
You look at that French squad and almost weep at how good it is – Kante alone is worth three men in any team. Still as others have pointed out, no point in waving the white flag now, best look to Senegal in ’02 as inspiration and possibly get someone to recreate the de Jong on Alonso tackle from 2010 final.
A look at France, and what they will do to Australia at the World Cup
Great tactical analysis. Bert must know all the tricks there are in regards to 4-3-3 being Dutch and all so I have faith he will play the right cards against it.
Opponent watch: How Peru shapes up - and how to get over them
Absolutely loving these articles – bringing back some of the most memorable and happiest sporting memories of my life.
Stuttgart will always be the craziest game in Australia's footballing history
Was definitely in the AM as I remember going to school and everyone going nuts about it.
England 1, Australia 3: A scoreline Aussie fans will never forget
As an Aussie currently living in London all my English friends and workmates still remember and bring this game up as well. Arguably re-ignited the passion for the Socceroos after the 2001 heartache.
As an aside I could’ve sworn the match was on SBS as I seem to remember kick-off being delayed for some reason and Les Murray having to fill in the extra time whilst battling conjunctivitis (lucky no HD then!) – if someone can back me up on this that’d be great!
I did buy the DVD but always went back to the VHS version I taped with Martin Tyler on commentary.
England 1, Australia 3: A scoreline Aussie fans will never forget
I’d say this years Six Nations campaign from Ireland was by far the most impressive of any 6N champion of the past 6-7 years at least – after the epic get-out-of-jail win over France they ruthlessly dispatched of the others, although Wales did give them a late fright in Dublin.
I rate them above the England team from two years ago that beat us, and I am bloody envious of how they play (Murray and Sexton are a dream combo to watch), how they carry themselves and especially of Joe Schmidt.
I reckon 2-1 Ireland as some of their squad will be absolutely knackered after an absurdly long season.
What will Ireland bring to Australia in June?
As a non-believer as recently as last week, after last night I feel it could be coming home. Everyone at work this mornings bodies are about 98% Carling. There’s a kind of Leicester feeling about them right now, and winning by penalties means that hoodoo is gone.
Is football coming home to England? Don't bet against it