Roar Rookie
Joined April 2010
2.1k
Views
2
Published
57
Comments
Published
Comments
The World Cup has been both a blessing and a curse for Australian rugby. While there is no doubt about the benefits of winning…
On Saturday night in Canberra, something remarkable happened as more than 1000 people rose to their feet and cheered at the top of their…
I agree completely Harry. Rugby Australia have long decided the way for rugby to be successful is to have a successful Wallabies so put most of their effort (and money) into the national team. This worked well when the Wallabies were winning – numbers were up across the board — viewers, crowds at games, playing numbers, schools playing, profile in media etc. But as soon as they started losing it all fell away.
If we are to have a top down approach to the game, rather than building up from the grassroots, then it stands to reason we need to put the best team out each week, regardless of where they play.
Scrap the Giteau Law: Rugby Australia should look to Rassie's 'Boks RWC recipe if it wants to re-join the big boys' table
Reds lineout percentage on own throw is 90.4 percent, the highest in the competition so he’s not doing too badly.
'Be useful': how unrivalled discipline and work rate is lifting the Reds to new heights
“The best 23 for each test match.” He just won me over. Absolutely the right approach. Stop building for the future and start winning in the present!
'We don’t hold any grudges': Why Wallabies star will still be picked in 2024 despite NRL defection
Eddie Jones suggested a couple of years ago a five man bench – three front row replacements, one other forward and one back. Sounds like a good idea to me.
RWC News: 'Cool to try it out' - Nathan Cleary 'excited' by code switch, France rocked by another big name injury
Brilliant effort – give her a statue!
'Hey girl you maybe wanna share this?': Nina's amazing question as Aussie ties for gold in epic pole vault battle
If Jorgensen was playing for any other team apart from the Waratahs he’s not anywhere near the plane to France. Fact!
Exclusive: Quade, Hooper to miss World Cup selection as Jorgensen rockets into squad
And Faessler would hit his lineout jumpers
45 competing for 33 spots: Eddie to name Wallabies captain on Sunday as 'size factor' considered for Springboks
Surely Matt Faessler played himself into the Wallabies squad today. He has got better and better all season.
Thorn's Super Rugby tenure OVER as Queensland go down in nailbiter to Chiefs
Yes, but the competition is now past that grassroots stage. Lions is not a small club.
Is there really such thing as 'The Magic of the Cup' In Australian football?
Not at all
Five things we learned: Brumbies bottle top two hopes, Eddie's must-pick for Wallabies
I think he’s playing really well – I knew nothing about him but gee he’s impressed me. What I am also really impressed with is the understanding and interchange he has with Hamish Stewart at 12. It looks like they’ve been playing together for years, not three games.
Five things we learned: Brumbies bottle top two hopes, Eddie's must-pick for Wallabies
I think he’s playing really well – I knew nothing about him but gee he’s impressed me. What I am also really impressed with is the understanding and interchange he has with Hamish Stewart at 12. It looks like they’ve been playing together for years, not three games.
Five things we learned: Brumbies bottle top two hopes, Eddie's must-pick for Wallabies
Cummins Starc Neser. Harsh on Boland but batting depth much better
Selection conundrum looms as Australia prepares for Ashes
How dare you use statistics to counter my vibes. That’s not playing fair.
Selection conundrum looms as Australia prepares for Ashes
Interesting analysis Max. I see Neser as a Chris Woakes type of player and we know how effective Woakes is in England. I think the least effective bowler in England would be Cummins, but you can’t drop the captain can you? As for openers, leave Warner out. His time has gone, along with his footwork and crucially for him, his eye. Khwaja and Renshaw/Harris for me.
Selection conundrum looms as Australia prepares for Ashes
Is this a generational thing? Those of us who have been around since before the game got super professional can’t see anything wrong with it but younger ones are so used to seeing players kitted up in sponsored training gear they are outraged.
COMMENT: Plenty of excuses but no excuse as Wallabies look like a squad of randoms playing park footy
I think Faessler is developing well at hooker. His lineout throwing is good, he does a lot of work in defence and the Reds scrum was on par last night when he was on. The scrum faltered when Zander came on and struggled.
Crusaders too good for clumsy Reds as Petaia, Wright star to push Wallabies credentials
Green’s hardly set the world on fire has he? 18 tests averaging 33 with the bat and 35 with the ball. He’s hardly used as a bowler, so all his captains haven’t shown much faith in him. The most overs he’s bowled in an innings is 15, when the other quicks are in the high 20s. And his batting against the Windies was woeful.
Warner’s career-worst form not a concern, claims McDonald: ‘He’s in our plans for the immediate future’
I cannot agree with this more. It’s like you have read my mind.
Australian cricket can no longer afford lifeless pitches like Optus Stadium abomination. It's time for CA to act
I often think back to the days before professionalism when Australian rugby began its climb to the top of the heap. We didn’t have a domestic competition. We didn’t have the Brumbies. We had Test matches, Qld v NSW and occasionally a match against the ACT Kookaburras.
Where our players got their experience was tours to play other provinces in New Zealand and Argentina, and their provinces touring Australia. I remember going to see Qld v Tucuman at Ballymore for example and being astounded by the Tucuman scrum. But we played other Argie sides and many different NZ NPC sides as well.
I also saw USSR play at Ballymore, and Bath take on Darling Downs in Toowoomba (six-all draw).
It was great to see Qld and WA tour Japan recently and perhaps if we can’t have a full domestic competition, the state bodies can arrange these tours which are mutually beneficial to both countries involved, and along with NZ and Argentina, we can increase contact with Japan, the South Pacific and other South American sides, and who knows, maybe even US MLR sides.
I know someone will come on here and explain how it can’t be done, but let a man dream.
The surprisingly simple fix to the domestic rugby malaise
It sounds simple KP but the chances of state bodies voting themselves out of existence are slim. Sport Australia want and are really pushing sporting bodies to move to a national body with no state associations to stop them doubling up on resources and services, thereby using their funding more efficiently. Some organisations have gone down this path — golf probably the most prominent — but most are resistant because they believe that their organisation is best placed to provide services to their state. I am on the board of a minor state sports organisation and we don’t want to go this way because we can’t see how a national body can deliver services to our state, which has a very different population distribution to other states. However, judging by the resurgence in golf in recent years, perhaps there are benefits.
But, I could never imagine Queensland and NSW Rugby voting themselves out of existence. I also think WA will never trust RA again and Queensland and the smaller states are all distrustful of NSW.
I think everyone agrees there needs to be a second tier, but not sure your proposal is a realistic option.
The surprisingly simple fix to the domestic rugby malaise
Whoops. Was very emotional when I wrote it.
Stop thinking about France 2023 Australian rugby - think about next week
100 per cent agree KP.
Stop thinking about France 2023 Australian rugby - think about next week
I have no love for the current board, but they are following the requirements of the Australian Sports Commission: https://www.sportaus.gov.au/governance/principles/principle-4.
The ASC wants diverse and independent boards for the national sporting bodies and recommends a nominations committee be put in place. Seeing as the ASC is the body that oversees federal government investment in Australian sport, it would be monumentally stupid to ignore their recommendations because a group of disgruntled people think they know better.
It might be the mix is wrong on the board — it probably is — but I’m not sure the ASC, and through it the federal government, would welcome the course of action that this group is advocating.
And one more thing – the role of the board is not to oversee the day to day running of an organisation. Hamish’s hands on approach was a disaster. The board should agree the general direction the sport should take and then let the management get on with doing the work.
'Definition of madness': Rugby reform must start with total cleanout of RA board - and this should happen next