Expert
Joined October 2012
1.1m
Views
358
Published
13.6k
Comments
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.
Published
Comments
“Things are seldom as they seem, skim milk masquerades as cream,” are words written by lyricist WS Gilbert for the opera HMS Pinafore.
Ahead of the World Car Rally Cup in Japan, competitors took their wheels in for a final tune-up over the weekend. Results were mixed.
On Friday, bold headlines leapt from the back page of The Australian, spelling out what has long been feared by many Australian rugby fans.
In the wake of the Wallabies World Cup squad announcement from Sydney Airport on Friday, stories emerged of retired World Cup stars being tasked by Michael Cheika with phoning the chosen 31 in the days before to advise them of their selection.
News last week that a Wallabies win by 16 points or more at Eden Park could have the All Blacks slip to sixth on World Rugby’s rankings had the buzzards circling.
Decorated US Army General Douglas Macarthur, never a man short of a quote, once said, in an address at West Point in 1962, “In war there is no substitute for victory.”
You don’t need to be a rugby genius to know why the Crusaders dominated Super Rugby again in 2019 – their third successive championship, and tenth overall.
It’s fair to say that both Rugby Championship matches over the weekend won’t be remembered when Roar readers in ten years’ time argue the toss about great moments in Rugby Championships history.
Losing 35-17 to the Springboks in Johannesburg, the Wallabies kicked off their 2019 Test season by extending a 56-year Ellis Park losing streak.
A popular dance, the Rumba is sometimes referred to as the Latin Waltz because of its slow rhythm and sensual movements.
By any measure it’s been an awful decade for Christchurch. A major earthquake in 2011 killed 185 people, injured many more and left an indelible mark on a city that is still years away from being properly remedied.
In 1978 English rock group Genesis released their ninth album, ‘And Then There Were Three’, signifying the departure in 1975 of singer Peter Gabriel, and in 1977, guitarist Steve Hackett.
Inspired by Israel Folau’s bold move to launch a ‘Go Fund Me’ campaign on Friday to assist him in the ‘battle of his life’ against Rugby Australia, a number of new pages have emerged over the weekend.
Over the last few months, rugby – careering through its first 25 years as a professional sport – found it had arrived at a crossroads.
In 1976 the film ‘The Song Remains The Same’ documented a series of 1973 concerts by legendary rock band, Led Zeppelin, held at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Two weeks ago Vic Masters rugby celebrated one of the highlights of their season, what has now become an annual fixture, a curtain-raiser to the Rebels vs Waratahs match at AAMI Stadium, between the ‘Wannabees’ and ‘Old Blacks’.
Forget about which teams are going to battle their way into the playoffs next week. None of them are good enough to cause any difficulty for the top four sides.
In the lead-up to the 2011 World Cup, Racing Metro (now Racing 92) owner Jacky Lorenzetti met with his contingent of Fijian players, Sireli Bobo, Jone Qovo, Josh Matavesi and Virimi Vakatawa, to pressure them into making themselves unavailable for their national side.
Yes that’s right, for this week at least, you are safe to enter. Today’s column is a Folau-Free Segment.
That seems to be the consensus jcm. Which probably means that it will be something else entirely… 🙂
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
That’s a pretty succinct summary Ken. It’s a shame to be entering the Cup with a key position like 6, still up in the air. A lot of time was invested in Ned, and since then LSL. And even if Cheika thinks he’s locked in, with Pocock available again, he really isn’t.
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
It’s the logical choice WB. But these cups are so hard to win and there are so many variables. Some of which we don’t even know about yet! 🙂
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
I see your point Fox, but I’d be very surprised if both sides don’t go into the match with their best sides, all guns blazing. South Africa and NZ don’t do half-baked matches against each other.
That said, you’re right, as mentioned in the article, it’s far from being terminal for the loser.
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
In retrospect, knowing how you enjoy your Tarantino Chook, I should have ditched the ‘magnificent seven’ and gone for the ‘hateful eight’ instead!
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
I can see the player interviews now Ken…
Cheika: ‘Who do you vote for?’
Player 1: ‘The Greens’
Cheika: ‘Brilliant, here’s your jersey.’
Player 2: ‘Peter Dutton for PM!’
Cheika: ‘Off you go son, try GRR, see if they’ll have you.’
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
Hi SP
I can understand not having Beltin’ in the 23, he’s not a true utility. Let’s hope Pollard stays healthy – potentially he could be one of the stars of the tournament.
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
I’m backing Koroibete, zubrick.
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
4th place is no disgrace Gloria.
But just imagine what they could have done with a Kiwi coach and CEO????
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
I thought it was a clear offside too Fox – Owens didn’t have to catch the ball like he did, even if he dropped it when he realised.
And I disagreed with the decision to overturn the original call and rule a scrum instead.
But what I also saw was a referee who realised the enormity of the situation, not wanting to award a controversial/marginal penalty to decide the series. And while there, both the offside and the accidental part of it were close rather than obvious.
For me, he bottled it. As opposed to remembering he was part of a conspiracy.
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
Exactly Wal. I get that people want to try to apply quantitative measures as much as they can, but it’s much easier to grasp if you accept the subjective nature of the exercise, and, whilst arming yourself with the facts, also ‘go with the vibe’.
The Roar’s 50 greatest players in Rugby World Cup history: 20-16
Cheers RT, I’ll make sure I have a Biru or three on your behalf!
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
I haven’t missed your point at all, Sheek.
You have adopted a set of criteria for your hypothetical assessment, which happens to be different to what this particular exercise is about.
No amount of you repeating the same thing over and over is going to help you accept this exercise for what it is, just as it isn’t going to make the editor think, ‘what an idiot am I, I got this all wrong!’
Relax and enjoy it for what it is, mate.
The Roar’s 50 greatest players in Rugby World Cup history: 20-16
Yes, that’s a given numpty. Whoever wants to win wants to be kicking at 80% or close to it.
Another aspect of the game which Australia currently doesn’t excel at, unfortunately.
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
Not sure I’d be feeling confident about having to rely on Beltin’ Elton at 10 to get me home in a tight final, Riccardo, but to your point, yes Pollard and the two halfbacks are top shelf.
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
John, Paul, George, Ringo.
Not everyone gets the same recognition. Deserved or not.
If we were ranking the 50 most influential musicians in the rock era, how many of them do you think would be bass players and drummers?
Would there have to be an equal amount of each, to make up equal bands, or else that would render the process flawed?
I don’t think so.
The Roar’s 50 greatest players in Rugby World Cup history: 20-16
So which of those sides is making the sudden death phase, Homer? Argentina, Japan or Fiji?
Or all three of them?
That would be a heck of a result.
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
Hi Ed, thanks for the post and no, I don’t believe the media should be acting as cheerleaders for the Wallabies.
I agree that it does happen, but I’d say that it’s really more about the personal biases and hopes of a small number of people, (Kearns etc) who are frustrated by the relative lack of success in recent times, as opposed to being an endemic problem.
The informed, balanced writers and presenters know the reality, but they’re also people and it’s only natural for them to be optimistic and hopeful about Australia’s hopes. So it’s really about striking that balance – which hopefully we do here at The Roar.
I do know what you’re saying, and this was illustrated after the Perth Test and before the Auckland Test, where there was a lot of over-egging.
In general, if anything, media coverage of rugby in Australia is negative. For example, Australia’s only national daily runs a prominent column every single week, which attacks (as opposed to critiques) aspects of the game, people in the game and the games’ administrators.
To be fair, I don’t think Australia’s rugby media is any better or worse than other Australian sports media, or other international rugby media.
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
Hi Muzzo
re Tualagi, I think you might be referencing reports that he was injured prior to the 2015 World Cup and hushed this up? I haven’t heard or seen anything to suggest he’s out of this one.
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
The other thing Jacko, is that the way training is structured, sides need all of their players (or as many as they can) to be on deck to be involved in opposed drills, share the workload when one of the starters has a niggle etc…
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
Perhaps Ralph.
I’m going to show my mental strength by not getting suckered in to going to the match!
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
You really are cheering for Fiji next week, aren’t you OJ?
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup
With all of the momentum with the two new wingers Carlin, going into a World Cup with Rieko Ioane as back-up speaks volumes for NZ’s depth.
But as you say, sides like England and SA have better depth elsewhere – lock an obvious one.
The Wrap: The seven factors that will decide the World Cup