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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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Incredible as it may seem, New Zealand rugby has seen many worse weeks than this last one. The All Blacks' 2007 World Cup quarter-final…
With World Rugby currently fighting brush fires on multiple fronts – high contact laws and sanctions, TMO involvement, intentional knock-ons, concussion and global season…
In the week following an All Blacks loss, the literal English translation of Aotearoa changes to ‘the land of the long, dark cloud’. While…
First things first; leading last week’s column with the four southern hemisphere, Rugby Championships nations all winning, demands the same attention be given this…
It’s an old truism to say that records exist to be broken. Ireland were yet to win in New Zealand. The All Blacks were…
The second saddest sight from Perth on Saturday night was Wallabies manager Chris Webb reaching over the top of Quade Cooper to grab the…
As far as July evenings in New Zealand go Auckland turned on a perfect night overhead, albeit Eden Park being a little slippery underfoot.…
In 1983 Australia famously won yachting’s America’s Cup. Following in the wake of John Bertrand and his crew, accomplished sailors like Jimmy Spithill, Adam…
In a week where scabs were picked off barely healed trans-Tasman wounds and Rugby Australia made waves about turning their back on Super Rugby,…
There is always something epic overhanging a semi-final. For the winners, it's muted elation, knowing that they’re off to the big show albeit with…
It’s been pointed out ad nauseam that having eight teams qualify for the finals from a 12-team competition is farcical. And with the top…
Super Rugby's regular season came to a thrilling conclusion in a round full of emotion, upsets and late drama.
Let’s get the disclaimers out of the way up front. There’s no disputing that Royce Simmons is a salt-of-the-earth rugby league character loved by…
As they say in the classics, it’s been one hell of a week. Turns out Craig Kelly didn’t become prime minister after all; old…
A clean sweep for New Zealand’s Super Rugby franchises over the weekend saw Australia’s rugby renaissance put on hold for another week. In normal…
Offering Brumbies coach Dan McKellar the opportunity to single out the area of play he was most satisfied with, from his side’s comprehensive 38-28…
If you’d tried to convince anyone a few years ago that the National Stadium in Suva and Leichhardt Oval in Sydney would be the…
Welcome to the second in a new monthly series of articles from rugby’s coal face. These are the stories of people who live and…
SANZAAR’s twice delayed Super Round finally saw the light of day in Melbourne across Anzac Day weekend, albeit with a few caveats and obstacles…
Rugby has always been a game of contrasts and tensions. Brute strength and forward power versus fleet-footed pace and light-fingered ball movement. North versus…
Out of all those Moa, the only one I saw happen wash Ashby’s.
The pitch def wasn’t a factor, it was just a really awkward fall in contact.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
For this purpose I’m essentially putting RA and and the state unions in the same basket, Andy.
I know that’s not quite technically right, but if we cut to the chase, they’re both responsible for administering the sport and either could and should ensure that these types of programs are in place and are thriving.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
The way the Drua came out after half-time, and with the scrum dominance they had, I genuinely thought they were going to run over the top of the Force, Perthstayer.
But you’re right, they didn’t put the work into the breakdown that the Force did, and got blown away as a result.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Fair point Rocco, with respect to the wider squad, if Joe Schmidt wants him in.
But if he’s borderline (and particularly if Schmidt wanted Valetini at 8), then this is definitely a setback.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Don’t need to be Miss Marple to figure that out Jez.
Where would a franchise get that kind of unspecified “other revenue” from?
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
“Also I would not be worried about the NRL, the Storm are far too busy on the Sunshine coast to worry about Victoria.”
Simply not true, Jack. Rugby league is indeed getting its act together down here and are in the process of picking the eyes out of girls rugby right at the moment.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
I think that all went out the window when Greg Dyer “caught” Andrew Jones in 1988…
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
It was a very strong win, mate. Enjoy!
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
The interviews with coaches are generally very good, Side – particularly the head coaches. They almost always offer something insightful and honest.
But grabbing players as they run off at half-time? That’s just a bit of theatre, a total waste of time, and most sensible people would already be well on the way to the fridge and/or the toilet when that’s happening.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Because Jack, what is important here is getting this potentially huge cohort of kids, in some of the fastest growing corridors in Australia into rugby before rugby league gets their teeth into them.
For the life of me I don’t understand why people don’t see the urgency to prevent what happened in western Sydney happening all over again in Melbourne.
There are people here busting their backside trying to prevent that happening, putting their own money and time into doing so, but the more important priority is to cheer on RA trying to shut down the Rebels?
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Ethan Dobbins travelled with the side, so when the commentators mentioned that Mafi had been injured in the warm-up I was as confused as anyone as to why he hadn’t been replaced by Dobbins on the bench.
But it transpired later that he was injured (calf muscle tear) after the match had started, in one of the runs throughs the bench players do behind the posts. Obviously, by then it was too late to replace him.
Nothing more than sheer bad luck, particularly when Uelese was forced off for 14 minutes and they didn’t have a line out thrower. Agree that Uelese stepped up. He and Talakai were terrific.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Very funny, mate! 😂
I’m surprised that a few sites (including this one) haven’t got ‘Live Kurtley Watch’ coverage going. I don’t think there’s another player in Australia who orders coffee with the class that Curtly does, and Joe Schmidt needs to know about this.
I’m happy enough to see him go around but it’s all a bit much for me.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Plan to catch up on the U20’s match this afternoon, B/fan.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Seriously, you have no idea, kirsty. It is not the job of the Rebels or any of the professional franchises to develop lasting educational and rugby programs in schools. If Australian rugby actually wants to develop the sport in the public school system, this is the task of Rugby Australia, through its state bodies – either directly, or by subsidising suitable private operations like Academy Movement.
The only reason that Academy Movement became a creditor of the Rebels, is because, in the absence of funding and support from the national administration, the only way to keep it running (and growing, with more schools added this year) and to provide the very important kit for the kids, was to link it into the Rebels.
If you want to have a shot at the Rebels directors for their supposed crimes (and at some point you’ll find out that’s not quite what you think it is either), then that’s your prerogative. But it’s a very misguided attempt to link a negative to something that is nothing but positive for rugby.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Speaking of rugby events, a wee plug for a dinner on Weds 10th, at the Olympic Room, MCG, ahead of the 2nd Wallabies v Wales Test in Melbourne. The headline act is a panel discussion with Warren Gatland and Joe Schmidt, with other entertainment provided by a Welsh choir. Should be a brilliant night.
The link below to the Rugby Club of Victoria website is the place to go for further details and to purchase tickets…
https://www.rugbyclubvic.com
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
I really feel for those sevens girls Hugh. All long-term injuries are bad, but when it’s an Olympic sport, and you’re a realistic chance of a gold medal, which only comes around every four years, that’s just a brutal thing to have to deal with.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
If he has shrunk KFTD, I’m sure I’ve shrunk more…
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Maybe you need to educate yourself on what this private academy actually is, what the benefits are to Victorian and Australian rugby are, and what the educational and social benefits are for hundreds of kids are before making snide comments.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Maybe see if you can get a word through to the Brumbies players Crusher, about them improving their individual skills – and then they might get a mention… 😛
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Fair call on the Crusader’s discipline, Coker. And good to see the Highlanders punishing them for it, building up a score the old-fashioned way by taking the points on offer.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
One thing I’ve learned in all this time on here Scott, is that we all see something different.
So fair enough, it wasn’t so obvious to you, and obviously the TMO agreed.
But another one for me was the immediate reaction of the players in the area – instinctive rather than gamesmanship. They know when something isn’t right.
At the end of the day, thankfully it had no impact on the result and we all move on…
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
He’s very close to becoming yesterday’s man, Mirt.
Time for another new ‘young gun’ to step up!
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Talataina I mention in the article, Chips. The plan was always for him to be fit for the U20 WC, and he looks to be on schedule for that.
Saumaisue got a bit banged up a couple of weeks ago. I stand to be corrected on any of this, but it looks like a shoulder issue. I’m not exactly sure where he is with it but I don’t think it’s a long-term injury. He’s got an absolute beast of a body for someone of his age,
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
Whatever the Crusaders’ ladder position, they’re not a poor team by any stretch, OM, perhaps other than relative to their own high standards. So I wouldn’t be discounting that win as some might, it was an excellent performance. Enjoy the moment!
As for Fakatava, I think he’s still got issues around his kicking game – both execution and his decision making around when to kick. Shame, because the rest of his game is excellent.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview
I know every player understands the risk of injury Muglair, but that doesn’t make it any less devastating when it happens and it’s career ending or limiting. I know he’s not the only one but that was awful for HJH.
The Wrap: Spare a thought for injured players as Super Rugby’s two rutting rhinos deliver an epic final preview