Roar Guru
Joined December 2012
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The time has come for Australia, South Africa and New Zealand rugby to start working together to make this great competition better for every…
Let me begin by mentioning Spiro's article from Monday morning titled, “Are the Wallabies on the rise as the All Blacks decline?”. It was…
Three distinct problems for the Wallabies also nicely alliterate for purposes of this article, with some poetic licence thrown in. I'm certainly not doom…
A quick glance around The Roar and you would think our hopes against the British Lions systematically come down to the trials of the…
There has been a lot of speculation about the fullback role of recent, mainly because of the key attributes of the two standout fullbacks…
Another ‘best of' list, but this time taking it to a provincial level. I am a Waratahs fan so this will be my only…
We’ve been blessed over the years with cricketing greats who’ve played out not just careers, but almost lifetimes for this country. We watched them…
Throughout this international rugby season there has been one on-field issue that has stood out more than any other: injuries. This is the nature…
Something isn't working. That we can all agree on. For a long time the backs have been the Wallabies strength while the forwards have…
I truly feel sorry for those who seem so clouded by negativity that it seems they would prefer the Wallabies to lose so they…
Cheers for the props ‘Chook!
Although I fear it was just a matter of who got there first.
I’m kinda hoping for an overlap, multi pass, link up situation between the two to test the mettle of the commentary team: “Adam Ashley-Cooper to Dane Haylett-Petty, back to Ashley-Cooper, Haylett-Petty, again Adam Ashley-Cooper, Dane Haylett-Petty (and then if Tawera Kerr-Barlow could magically appear from the stands and intercept that’d be nice).
P.S. Oh and getting in before the “that would never happen as it would require AAC to pass”. 😉
The talking points: Bledisloe 1
The international break did to my tipping what it does to most teams with a weak constitution i.e. caused me to spontaneously combust with some very rash decisions. Merde.
Was the bridesmaid last year and feel like it might be the best I can hope for again this year. As I Tahs supporter I should be used to it.
Anywho… To be brash or conservative? I feel a mix of the two… ‘crash’… is appropriate.
Sod it. At the end of the day only one result matters. Carn the Tahs!
Super Rugby tipping Round 16 – the penultimate desperate tilt
Willie O was the “Tongan Torpedo”, there’s ‘Team Tonga’ at the Tahs. PI Pride runs deeper and more passionately than others. For me personally WASP Willy just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
WATCH: 'Tongan Thor' Taniela Tupou impresses on debut
I’m going to eat my words and say that we really could have used Skelton for the last 20 mins against England. I think he’s best as an impact player and we needed much bigger ball carrying impact late in the game against a very tired (but phenomenal) defence. I have a feeling he might be in the mix to try and get a Chief’s like game out of him on Saturday.
I have to say that with the series already lost I will feel a lot more relaxed watching this one. A whitewash is hard to swallow but the series loss hurts the most and I surely can’t feel as miserable as I did last week… surely. Right? Someone tell me I can’t. Please.
June Internationals tipping Week 3: Nothing to lose now
Duck a l’orange, duck a l’orange, duck a l’orange…
June Internationals tipping Week 3: Nothing to lose now
I really, really want this McMahon pick to be a masterstroke.
I’m gunning for a ‘McBarnstormer!’ Or ‘Magic Mac’ headlines on Sunday.
Am I confident of this? No. But am I confident that McMahon would break every bone in his body in order to try? Absolutely. To be fair it’s primarily all we’ve asked of our team more than anything else over the years. To be fair to your point as well, Benny Mac would do the same.
Fingers crossed.
Cheika makes three cuts to Wallabies squad to face England
TPN is a naturally cheeky interviewee. I wouldn’t take his comments so literally.
Cheika ready to ring the changes as Wallaby beast awakens
It had the look of Larkham to it. Those long balls, just out of reach of rushing defence, were his specialty. I’m really happy to see Foley incorporating some long passing into his game.
Say what you want about Foley but he is always improving, or looking to improve a skill set (goal kicking aside, which can humble the greatest players). This is why he will be the Wallaby 10 for a while yet. We do just need a raking kicker, Latham style, to help with clearance kicks.
Rust never sleeps: Can the out-of-form Wallabies win at Melbourne?
I like Skelton, I really do.
I think he’s got as much potential as his enormous frame. He’s got soft hands and can turn a game in its head single handedly. His scrummaging has come along hugely too.
But he’s not in form. He has had an ordinary year which is why he was dropped to club rugby by Gibson. Cheik wanted to have a look at him in a different team dynamic. He obviously didn’t step up enough.
Two top level coaches think he needs to work harder. So do many of us. He will continue to have the odd influential play, as a man of his size should, but they need to be more regular. He is the least hard done by player in the squad. Coleman has probably more room to gripe being more influential in a lower team.
I hope Big Willy finds his feet as we need players like him, but setting him up to fail if he’s not in form is probably not the best way.
The value of Robbie Farah and Will Skelton
C’mon St. Bernard. Bring home the whiskey!
The June internationals Talking Points: Now that’s a centre pairing!
He responded well with a Horne/ Izzy centre pairing which is a similar dynamic so it’s not too far from recent memory to make it work. If he plays his natural, solid but not spectacular general role and let others do their thing had could be the perfect man for the job.
I’m more concerned with his goal kicking on the night. When he’s hot he’s spot on… But he can get the wobblies.
The June internationals Talking Points: Now that’s a centre pairing!
9.Phipps
10. Foley
11. Horne
12. Kerevi
13. Kuridrani
14. DHP
15. Folau
I’m very happy with that if they all run out. DHP to shift back when Izzy comes into the a-line with a great tactical boot.
Folau likely to stay at fullback
Easily one of my favourite books of all time. Truly great reading.
Searching for Australia's Super Rugby finals hope
I’d say Hunt has done a lot more than Dargaville. Hodge will come of age soon enough and DHP will be somewhere in the mix. There’s something to like about Hunts form and improvement this year. I really would like to see what he could do with a decent 10.
Watch: Beale injured in Waratahs game
That crowd though! Sounded amazing on TV. Awesome supporters.
Highlights: Sunwolves claim first Super Rugby win
Thanks for reminding me about the women’s 7s team! The very, very few opportunities I’ve had to watch them play they’ve been awesome. If they had the same exposure as the Matildas (which says a lot about the need for more women’s team sport on tv) it would be a close run thing.
It would be great if Fox Sports released a sports channel which showcased the best of women’s sports around the world. Would be great for young kids too, boys and girls alike, to choose to watch mens or womens sport at their choosing. Even if it was mostly replays.
Matildas' Rio adventure becomes most anticipated Olympic story
Only my rusted on, lifetime obsession with rugby prevents me from saying they are my number one national team, but my god are they close. So proud of the Matildas.
Matildas' Rio adventure becomes most anticipated Olympic story
Having just returned from a Polish wedding in Krakow and managed to stay up with the locals til 6am doing just what I was told, I approve this message!
Walla-Be prepared: An Aussie fan's guide to preparing for the World Cup final
I wore my Wallaby jersey during the ’03 final and 2011 semi-final. I am going to put it in a cab and tell the man to just keep on driving til the match is over.
Walla-Be prepared: An Aussie fan's guide to preparing for the World Cup final
JOC referred to his ‘brand’ once in an interview in the late 2000s. Geez he’s paid for that more than anyone I’ve ever known.
War of words continues between Greg Martin and James O'Connor
Yes. Because that’s the single part of his comment worth focusing on.
Five talking points from the Wallabies' win over Fiji
Absolutely the right call, however does Hooper as VC suggest he’ll be picked ahead of Pocock? I’m assuming that by picking AAC and Hooper, he expects one of those two to start, or risk having to name another Vice Captain later on.
Or perhaps I’m just over-analysing.
On another note, I wonder if Moore and Giteau are back on decent terms?
Stephen Moore appointed Wallabies captain for 2015
I’d like to say that I picked this one by advocating it, but for the life of me I never expected him to put Foley in at 12.
As I’ve said before think this is Foley’s more natural position for his skill set, but I feared it was way too late to find out. I guess we’ll find out soon! Careful what you wish for and all that.
All things aside, really happy for Coleman, Kerevi and Hodge.
Wallabies team for Bledisloe 2: Quade Cooper to start at flyhalf, Foley inside centre