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The Roar

Geoff Parkes

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Joined October 2012

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Geoff is a Melbourne based sports fanatic and writer, who started contributing to The Roar in 2012, originally under the pen name Allanthus. His first book, A World in Conflict; the Global Battle For Rugby Supremacy was released in Dec 2017 to critical acclaim. For details on the book visit www.geoffparkes.com Meanwhile, his twin goals of achieving a single figure golf handicap and owning a fast racehorse remain tantalisingly out of reach.

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Hi TF, yes the franchises can bring up what they like, but there is no formal, regular process.

Sometimes they might get a worthwhile explanation, usually it’s a meaningless motherhood statement, and of course it’s all too late anyway. Which is really what BT is saying, nothing is going to change, better to get on with the job.

Super Rugby Round 4: Short and sweet

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‘What happens if say Toomua gets injured and the back up 10 has been sitting on the bench all season’

Very harsh, you boys. He hasn’t and he isn’t. The Deegan situation is nothing like Mason from last year.

For a start, it’s only round four, he got some good minutes in round one, scored a try and kicked a couple of goals, he also played the week before in the trial, and he has been training at 10 all week. No way he’s coming in cold.

He didn’t play in weeks 2 and 3, not because he isn’t trusted, but because Wessels likes a 6-2 bench, which means a halfback and outside back only as cover.

Super Rugby Round 4 teams: Rebels smashed by two huge outs

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Rebels v Sharks a nil-all draw Carlin?

Super Rugby Round 4: Short and sweet

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Gee, that’s very generous of them Nick. I thought Loveridge was great, I almost got to play against him, right at the end of his career, he was playing for Taranaki and I was on the bench for King Country, this was in the day of course when you only came off the bench when there was a true injury… anyway just before halftime our halfback got a stinger to his shoulder and it looked bad, and I was sent down to warm up and go on, but he stayed on for the next play, the half-time whistle blew, and he recovered during the break… 😢

I never saw Gareth play live but used to watch all of the 6N with Bill McLaren commentating, plus Wales v AB’s and I reckon he’s just about the best halfback for me, of all time. He was ultra competitive and he had the full range of skills.

The problems with the Waratahs' spine

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Lots of love for the Blues around, mate!

Super Rugby Round 4: Short and sweet

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It’s one or the other, Paul.

Either the competition uses ‘neutral’ referees, which would mean that for every single match that isn’t a ‘derby’ match the referee and TMO must not be from the country of one of the competing sides.

Or, the competition takes the view that they use a pool of the best referees and then allocate them without fear or favour. In which case you sometimes end up with a situation like this.

I understand why SANZAAR does it this way. Obviously it’s far easier logistically, it allows them to develop pods of officials who work together more often, and it uses the logic that just because a referee is from Queensland for example, what reason would there be for him to favour the Waratahs over a side from another country?

Is ‘neutrality’ supposed to start and end at country of birth? In a franchise competition? People used to arc up at Glenn Jackson refereeing the Chiefs for example.

All of that said, there is some data on SA referees that makes for uncomfortable reading, and it might be an aspect of the game where SANZAAR good gain a lot of goodwill from fans for not a lot of cost.

Super Rugby Round 4: Short and sweet

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Gelant… The Arse Kicker!

Super Rugby Round 4: Short and sweet

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Cheers AJ

The problems with the Waratahs' spine

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Don’t exaggerate Nick, it was actually 20-1 against!

The problems with the Waratahs' spine

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You’re missing Dave Loveridge off that list Ben. Beautiful passer.

The thing about the speed of pass from the base, it’s not just about the hands. Aaron Smith’s points of difference are 1) his understanding of his role and will to get to each breakdown quickly, and 2) his uncanny ability to position his feet correctly at the point at which he arrives.

Inferior halfbacks arrive, locate the ball, then get their feet in position to make the pass.

The problems with the Waratahs' spine

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Hi Nick

I really rate Scott Malolua, who got a couple of starts at the end of last season, was picked for the World Cup for Samoa, but cruelly dislocated his shoulder in the warm-up Test against Australia.

Not sure how his recovery has gone but hopefully we see him soon. That said, McDermott has put on a bit of condition (not as ripped as Ryan Louwrens admittedly 😂 ), and has started the season well.

The problems with the Waratahs' spine

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GDP is less relevant Matt than the respective size (and potential size) of the rugby market. NZ is a small economy but because rugby is the dominant sport, the commercial value of their rugby market is relatively higher than AUS, because the market here is dominated by AFL, League and Cricket.

Both countries pale by comparison to England and France, with SA falling somewhere in between.

I too endorse SA being in Super Rugby and staying in SANZAAR. The timezone objection is way overstated. Only two matches featuring Australian teams this year start after 1.00am, and there are another two that start at midnight. That’s really no big deal if people want to have an honest discussion about why they aren’t engaged.

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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4d

You can be technical advisor in charge of red wine and beef selection.

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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It’s a tricky one RCT because Australia clearly had the wood on NZ around the turn of the century, and when NZ got back on top, nobody could have predicted that the period of dominance would last for so long.

So at what point does NZ say, ‘we need Aus rugby to be stronger, therefore we must help them’ but not go so far as to help them too much, so that Aus starts beating them again?

Clearly SR would benefit from free movement of players, but I do understand NZ’s wish to keep their players within their own system, in front of their own fans. This argument is weakened however when they implement protocols that force their best players to stand down from SR anyway, thus depriving fans of seeing them.

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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Very interesting, Sarge.

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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Not that I’m aware of Jacko. The new broadcast cycle will confirm the number of sides for the next 5 years.

That said, there’s widespread agreement that a 2nd side would benefit Argentine rugby greatly.

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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How will it flourish lg if players can only be paid a fraction of what they’re worth on the open market? Professional rugby is a global sport, whether you like it or not.

In your domestic league solution, where does the money come from to pay the players and coaches?

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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4d

Hi Nick, probably the best way to answer your question is

1. you have it roughly right
2. the comments from the guys about the money flow are pretty right
3. what hasn’t yet been discussed… as anyone who has been involved in business with Japanese companies over the years will understand, they are unfailingly polite and agree to everything discussed in meetings, and then go away and do whatever it is that satisfies their domestic needs.

So yes, the JRFU is far more interested in their own league than Super Rugby, AND they realise the massive commercial potential and the possibility of creating a rich domestic league to match England and France. They already have commercial partners trying to finalise deals in that regard.

That said, they have huge gaps in expertise in rugby administration and know how, and have asked Australia and New Zealand to provide them with expertise and support. So in that sense, it is hoped that instead of being an antagonist, Aus/NZ can bring Japan into the tent as a partner. That’s why we will see Japan in the Rugby Championships.

But between all of them, they’ve definitely got the Super Rugby piece wrong. The Japanese rugby public clearly wants to be in Super Rugby.

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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Obviously there is a high degree of dissatisfaction Dwards, NV and others about SANZAAR’s refusal to adopt neutral referees. I agree that removing the perception of bias, as has been done in Test rugby and cricket goes a long way to removing officiating as an issue.

It doesn’t go all the way however. Referees were still the biggest topic during the first half of the World Cup for example. Personally, I’m in the camp that wants to see the best referees appointed, regardless of where they come from. Based on the referees I’ve met and observed closely I have no doubt whatsoever that they have no inbuilt bias. (To be fair, I haven’t met Egon Seconds 😂 )

There’s also the issue about, in a franchise competition, what exactly defines neutral? Why do we assume that a referee from one province or city has a bias to another province/city in their country over a visiting international side?

That said, even if they didn’t believe it’s an issue, it wouldn’t take much for SANZAAR to take it off the table and make fans happy.

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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It’s a good point you make Joe. 18 years without a Bledisloe Cup, some poor international results, very few Super Rugby wins… it all takes a toll.

I made the comment somewhere below that I personally don’t understand about deserting your team, I follow all of my teams in various sports through thick and thin – heck I even continue to watch every single Warriors match – but I do accept that other people are different and do get so disillusioned they clock off.

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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Richard Loe has a lot to answer for Chivas… 😂

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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Yes, that would be a compelling piece of evidence… 😂

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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Yes!!!!! And you support them through thick and thin too!

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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Good comment about the refs NV. They were very good in the back half of the WC, and in the first two rounds of SR.

I didn’t think things were bad enough on the weekend to make a comment in the article, but obviously the Reds believe that they were short-changed, and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing when Nick Berry said that Sio Tomkinson’s shoulder charge did not make contact with Tom Banks’ head. At least the citing commissioner has come out and fixed that one up, but off to Specsavers for Nick and his TMO…

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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You’re always welcome TLN!

The Wrap: The Sunwolves and Super Rugby’s shame file

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