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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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A week on from Australia’s thrilling 33-30 third Test victory against France in Brisbane, it felt like a good time to ask Rugby Australia’s Director of Rugby, Scott Johnson, about the importance of the series win for the Wallabies.
The “red cards ruin matches” brigade were out early in Brisbane on Saturday night; in the fifth minute to be precise, with match officials conspiring to dismiss Marika Koroibete, and seemingly hand the three-match series to France on a platter.
This time a week ago, anticipating the first Test match of the season, one simple objective was identified. After only one win in Dave Rennie’s first year, the Wallabies needed to beat France by whatever means, by whatever margin, and get their season started on a positive track.
Last week, in part-one, we looked at the wide-ranging responsibilities of a captain, how these have historically been ill-defined, and how informal and formal leadership groups have become en-vogue, so as to spread the load, and to better prepare future captains.
In ten days the 2021 international season kicks off in Brisbane when Australia takes on France in a fixture rescheduled to Suncorp Stadium.
Sean Wainui scoring five tries on Saturday night – a Super Rugby record – was impressive enough, but it was what he said afterwards that was the real story.
A superb kick by Western Force captain Kyle Godwin, converted into an 80th minute try by a flying Julian Olowofela, must have felt like a dagger to the heart of the bonus-point-seeking Crusaders.
Grammarians universally frown upon the modern usage of the word ‘learnings’ as a dubious pluralisation of a singular noun. Meanwhile, rugby players and people aged under 30 wonder what on earth a grammarian is and continue to use ‘learnings’ with gay abandon.
Like George Washington famously fessing up to his father about chopping down a cherry tree, Chiefs’ halfback and captain, Brad Weber is always great value for his frank and honest post-match assessments. Like all good halfbacks, he couldn’t tell a lie if he tried.
There’s a certain apprehension associated with submitting to a neurobiological concussion study.
Even for home viewers, there was a palpable sense of Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium bristling with excitement right throughout Saturday’s Super Rugby final, before things reached a crescendo when James O’Connor sealed a thrilling, 85th minute, 19-16 title win to the Reds.
Talking points came thick and fast this week, not the least being the Brumbies booking their place in next week’s Super Rugby AU final against the Reds. More on their 21-9 win against the Force later.
No-one in rugby league talks sense like Peter Sterling.
The Anzac Day round is always one filled with poignancy, and despite a young bugle boy struggling to hit the right notes in Christchurch, there were moving ceremonies held at all four matches across the weekend.
It is commonly accepted that the well-known saying “the devil is in the detail” was derived from an earlier German phrase, “god is in the detail.”
In the face of widespread concerns over the NRL’s 2021 rule changes contributing to a plague of injuries, CEO Andrew Abdo met with club officials last week to placate their concerns.
On Saturday night in Brisbane the Reds and Brumbies delivered what is becoming routine for Australia’s two best rugby sides: another nailbiting thriller.
In recent times it feels like there have been many watershed moments for Australian and New Zealand rugby. Tomorrow, with the anticipated announcement of a trans-Tasman travel bubble potentially giving the green light to a cross-over Super Rugby round, is one of those moments.
That will no doubt be the case NV, and way off the mark imo.
For one, the ref is the ref, there is not a huge difference in standard between the top 6 or 8. And also, I think O’Keeffe gets a far harder rap than he should. He used to be very uptight, but with experience has learned to relax in big matches (I know some people hate that he low fived a try-scorer), and he communicates well with players and is mostly very accurate.
He’s had some high profile/controversial calls land with him, but as I raised last week, I think it’s more that the processes are flawed and they don’t actually help the referees. What was he supposed to do last week when he had two AR’s tell him it was direct contact to the head?
Maybe Owens and Barnes would have said, “thanks but I disagree” but pretty much all refs aren’t up to that. And Owens is retired now anyway.
I hope he has a good match, and I’m sure he will, but even if he does, there’ll be loud voices on both sides bleating about him, no matter what.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Fully understand, mate.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Yeah. Whatever the Lions bring this week, you’d have to think the Boks will be much improved. And it’s not like they’re building off nothing.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Frankly, I picked you for being more community minded than that KP, but it looks like I was mistaken.
If I had Jennifer Jason Leigh’s number, from when she was in The Hateful Eight, I’d do the right thing and pass that on to you.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
I’m sure a quarter of the usual allocation robbo, is still more than enough to keep everyone happy! 😂
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Hi Muzzo
I think the Olympics and the Lions are not quite the same thing. To the best of my understanding, Great Britain has always performed at the Olympics as a single entity, that’s the basis of their membership of the IOC, so that’s how it is. I’m not aware of any push in the member nations, or from anyone else, to change that.
New Zealand and Australia used to compete as Australasia, but it was our choice to separate, as it is for the GB nations. Maybe it should have stayed that way? NZ would have a whole lot more swimming medals if that was the case! 😂
As for the Lions, they aren’t really competing for any global prize, are they? The individual nations are member nations of World Rugby and compete at World Cups etc as such.
If the Lions are brought together every four years as a traditional concept, then I think most people see that as something that’s interesting, that’s special, that adds to rugby, that has developed it’s own tradition.
Sure there are some who would rather it gone, for example many NH clubs, because it’s viewed by them as another intrusion on their patch. But the SA, NZ and AUS unions obviously want it, the players want it, and the vast majority of fans love it.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
None of us are in the camp so we don’t know, but you’d have to think that he’s still got a very firm hand on things.
Put it another way, it would be a very unusual situation for any new coach to come in, to any side, and for his first match, 18 months or so since the last one under the old coach, that the best he could come up with is to pick exactly the same team and play exactly the same tactics.
Clearly, this is a very unusual situation!
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Well, if you’re asking me to choose, I don’t believe he’s incompetent. 😛
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Yes, Phantom. I note that there’s since been some regret shown by M Poite about the decision, but that’s sport – what happened, happened.
As someone I know says, if you want to have a whinge about something, go write to your local MP…
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
To be honest Ken, it feels like the backwash has far exceeded any level of attention such a throwaway comment deserved… 😂
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Yes, I agree that the Boks camp will be shell shocked at how the replacement front row failed to make any impact, CM.
We should get a fierce response this week, but even so, there’ll be some doubt now, a dent in their self-belief, and that can be hard to work through.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
I’ve warned you before Jock, don’t stop with your meds.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
“I did cringe a little when I saw Ben O’Keefe as assistant ref in Cape Town”
Then get ready to cringe a little more next weekend, WB – Ben O’Keeffe is the man with the whistle.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Whoa there, AH, that may be an unfortunate re-write of history…
Quade was charged with burglary once, on the Gold Coast, it never went to court, he had to pay restitution and undergo mediation and counselling and that sort of thing.
But not drugs. And not enough to kill off a citizenship application one would have thought.
You might be getting him mixed up with K.Hunt?
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
And so, it seems, do some rugby players nowadays as well Peter. One who springs to mind in particular…
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
You paid good money for that seat RT, with high expectation, so your pov is entirely understandable.
And yes, the end of the match was entirely unsatisfactory. But that doesn’t change the point that the Lions put themselves into a winning/drawing position.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Thanks for all that HiKa. Perfectly explained and no doubt, this could be tightened right up if there was any will to do so.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
“They make Saders forwards defending a try line look like choir boys.”
Beautiful work, Ken.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
It was a straight running race, moa, after a big group finished the cycle together.
Wilde looked fantastic until the last km when the Norwegian turned the heat up.
He earned extra kudos too for helping the stricken winner up off the ground afterwards, even at the cost of getting a bit of his vomit on himself. Which made a bit of a mockery of the rules around not being allowed to make contact with each other in the medal ceremony… 😂
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Pretty good list, Peter.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
“If my team was coming out to play high balls I am not sure I’d be tuning in.”
This is such an interesting one, isn’t it, Bourkos? Obviously there are many different ways to win a game of rugby. And none of them are any more ‘worthy’ or less worthy than the other.
But yeah, if that’s how it was here, with any regularity, it’s not hard to imagine crowds switching off in droves.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
That’s great news, Bourkos. Sales for Auckland are good too, and I know that both countries are doing everything they can to see that these games go ahead and both come away with a good gate.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Perhaps if you’d seen it you’d understand better what I was on about, DA! 😂
Let’s just say the contact between the soccer players was a little gentler than being barrelled by Koroibete…
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
Fair call to ask him about some of those deeper aspects a bit further down the track, Muglair/Rob C.
Obviously we’re in the middle of a Test season right now so the interest is rightly concentrated around Wallabies performance. But yes, the job is far broader than that.
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies
“How disappointed was I to realise that “Guru status” is a while off yet.”
Don’t be too hard on yourself mate, you had a lot of very good company!
The Wrap, Scott Johnson exclusive: How Rennie's 'humility' sets solid foundation for Wallabies