The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
When it comes to rugby in 2020, that we got a season at all is cause for celebration.
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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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When it comes to rugby in 2020, that we got a season at all is cause for celebration.
With the Xmas party season starting to swing into gear, imagine a Wallabies fan on Saturday night, instead of being in front of the television, being stuck at a function with work colleagues.
With apologies to my old English teacher Mrs. Bradbury, Argentina on Saturday night, versed the All Blacks, got nilled and will take some learnings from the game.
Readers who were around in the 1970s will remember The Newcastle Song by Bob Hudson, a number one hit single in 1975 in Australia and New Zealand.
There’s an age-old saying that tackling wins matches. More on Argentina’s famous and inspirational 25-15 win over the All Blacks later.
Interviewed immediately after their 24-22 loss to the Wallabies in Brisbane – continuing a run of poor results in Brisbane in recent years – Beauden Barrett said that “it felt like a bit of a dog-fight out there”, describing how his side lacked composure and didn’t move on from “those moments”.
For years, New Zealanders have had a love/hate – mostly hate – relationship with the maul.
Truth told, I’ve never been a fan of Cher; she of legs that seemed to go on for longer than a French club season, barely concealed by wisps of black fishnet.
If player welfare is supposedly rugby’s current big concern, it appears somebody failed in their duty to pass on the memo to the All Blacks’ Caleb Clarke.
For eight and a half crazy minutes yesterday, the Wallabies and All Blacks duked it out like men, toe to toe, refusing to take the sissy’s way out and win a Test match with a drop goal after the siren.
Four men walk into a bar – Whetu, Kev, Morne and Juan. They find a table down the back, away from all the action.
In the 26th minute of an August 2009 match between the Manly Sea Eagles and Cronulla Sharks, NRL referee Phil Haines faced a testing situation. Manly player Chris Bailey lay prone on the ground after being struck in the head by Cronulla’s Luke Douglas.
In the immediate aftermath of the Brumbies’ 28-23 Super Rugby AU final victory over the Reds – a fitting finale to what grew into a highly enjoyable tournament – Fox Sports commentator George Gregan described how, “the Brumbies are a very proud rugby nation.”
Friday’s announcement that Australia had been awarded hosting rights for the 2020 Rugby Championships was a welcome shot of good news for a sport that has suffered a horrible year.
In May last year, World Rugby updated their high tackle decision-making framework for match officials and players to operate within.
Nobody should be too hard on rugby for taking as long as it needs to navigate a way out of the mess the sport currently finds itself in.
During the final match of the first weekend of England’s resumed Gallagher Premiership, referee Karl Dickson stood over Wasps halfback Dan Robson as he waited for the ball to fully emerge from a ruck.
For Victorians, leadership is a sensitive and all-pervasive issue right now. A locked-down leper state, with business owners told on Friday not to expect to reopen until December – those who aren’t bankrupt before then – everyone has an opinion on how the crisis is being managed by the state’s leaders.
With fans around the world having risen as one to demand the excommunication of ‘Sweet Caroline’ from the match-day experience, the eclectic music selection at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night featured gems such as the theme from the US quiz show, Jeopardy.
I woke indecently early on Sunday morning, at 4:45am, restless and still trying to comprehend the Reds’ 24-22 loss to the Brumbies on Saturday night.
What’s driving it is a genuinely held belief that PI rugby has been ignored/used and abused/taken for granted over a long period of time.
And an acknowledgment from NZ Rugby that they need to do more than what they’ve done.
Whether this is the right way to do that is another question altogether. The fact that there are a lot of great rugby people behind this only makes it a more complex and difficult issue to deal with.
As you’d expect, it’s a complex issue on a number of levels. I plan to examine it in depth in the new year.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Thanks for that Iain. Very interesting.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
To be fair, it’s understandable, up to a point.
But it’s been obvious for a while now that this doesn’t reconcile with them complaining about the increasing toll on their bodies and having their careers curtailed.
I believe that the players have a lot more power than what they credit themselves for, to drive change in this area. But I’m not confident that they have the leadership worldwide to drive this.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
It’s a valid question Micko, one that has mostly been skirted around so far. At some point it’s going to have to be honestly addressed.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Pretty bleak global forecast there, woodart, but very hard to argue with.
We’re a long, long way from resuming ‘business as usual’ like it was before COVID – if that’s even possible any more.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
I saw that report. What a bonus pick-up that would be.
Great opportunity for both parties there, I reckon.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
I don’t know about “another” great Roar man, cs. He’s THE Roar man.
None of us would be here now without Spiro.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Good call on Tupou, Matt. And the scary thing is that I don’t believe we’ve seen the best of him yet.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
I couldn’t help but notice Peter V’Landys stating last week Nicko, in announcing some rule changes in the NRL, that the biggest issue in the game was the wrestle.
If rugby league’s administrators don’t honestly believe that concussion is the biggest issue hanging over their sport (and all contact sports) and don’t wake up to doing something about it, they are in for a very rude shock at some point soon.
Have a great xmas and new year!
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Cheers Tooly, a lot in there!
I actually thought the public wrangling with NZ was a watershed moment for Australian rugby. It’s been battered and downtrodden for a long time now, mostly for good reason, but standing up to NZ like that achieved two important things;
1. it seemed to galvanise rugby followers in Australia, bringing them together, when so many things have been divisive
2. it showed a clear understanding of how best to take professional rugby forward, ie a balance of looking after Australia’s best interests while working within a regional partnership, not in a master/servant relationship.
It’s now up to the players and the franchises to honour this.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Have a great xmas and new year, Tony!
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Probably even a year or two before that, Phil! And seeing as how I mentioned George Gregan’s mangled quote in the article, George deserves a rap for owning up to FFD as one of his favourite musical acts!
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
“Bored of the patronising lip service and excuses.”
A sentiment that I’m sure is widely shared, Perthstayer.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
“How NZR ever thought they could dictate terms I have no idea and their so called “superior comp” comprising of the Kiwi teams, the Force and some Asian teams that do not even exist was laughable.”
It was a low point scrum, but the important thing is that Mark Robinson managed to put it behind him and we’re all now in a better place. The challenge of course is for the Aus franchises to turn some of those green shots into more wins.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
All the best to you too, cs. Catch you in the new year.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
I think where Twiggy differs from us mere mortals RT, is that there is so much money he has to have other people count it for him.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Cheers Rob, and all the best to you and your family too.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Best wishes for a great Xmas Carlos, and a 2021 free of wildfires, red hair and viruses.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Cheers EFF, and here’s hoping things kick on for the Force next year.
Some good signings and definitely better for having this season under their belt.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Very funny DA.
But I side with Tony H!
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Just seen today’s press release from the Tahs, TH, and it’s good to see them making an effort around flexible membership packages at reduced prices.
But the release also states, “Regular season matches will be played in the Sydney Metro area pending ground availability”, so that shows the extent of the challenge.
I’m sure many potential members will be reluctant to commit until they know exactly where the matches are going to be played. Newcastle, Wollongong, Parramatta, Leichardt, SCG???
That’s a huge geographic spread, and for different reasons, all of those venues are problematic.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Good call on ‘The Sound’, Hugh. Not sure about the time-slot, but I guess that doesn’t matter so much these days.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
All the best for the Xmas season, cookie.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Thanks JN, always appreciate your balanced and well rounded contributions.
I’m with you re the Boks, I’d have liked to see them make more of an effort, like Argentina did. And the 500 hour excuse was a bit of an embarrassment, but I do understand why they were reluctant.
And as Harry has suggested, by the time the Lions series comes around, the fact that they missed this competition and another couple of lots of quarantining etc might prove to be a blessing.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables