Roar Rookie
Joined April 2017
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Australia needs its own domestic competition, but that doesn't mean it should leave Super Rugby. The lack of domestic competition is a structural deficiency…
If the saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” then what is the logical thing to do if it is obviously busted?…
Me too. I’ve said it before and I think it still holds true – NZ needs rugby in Au to be strong. Long term the status quo is not sustainable.
Also, it’s really hard to find anyone to have a beer bet with for the Bledisloe!
'Meat to the bones': Plenty to chew on for Wallabies fans after best performance of the year
The big question is weather this was the high tide mark of performance for this team or if it is the beginning of a trend.
I thought CG was an improvement. The backline looked more threatening than previously. He didn’t try to over play his hand in general play. Fix up those two major kicking errors and it becomes a solid performance. Better service from HB would also help out a lot.
We saw the ABs drop off a little compared to the last 2 games. It’s difficult to maintain that intensity for every game. With the Wallabies chatting last week about the harder/more intense training I suspect that they won’t be able to match it this week. Happy to be proven wrong but I predict a slight drop off against either the ABs or France due to mental fatigue and injuries.
'Meat to the bones': Plenty to chew on for Wallabies fans after best performance of the year
Agree it was the best they have played in a while. The question will be if that was the peak of performance and they revert next week or if it was a stepping stone on the path of improvement.
The Wrap: Don’t buy Eddie Jones taking the blame for another Bledisloe loss, buy the hope instead
Ha ha just wait till the new management abolishes the state system and removes a whole later of government.
'Tried to scrap him': Ardie's warning ahead of rendezvous with Wallabies rookie
I think you’ll find that Australia gets renamed to the “Western Island” as opposed to NZ become the 8th state.
'Tried to scrap him': Ardie's warning ahead of rendezvous with Wallabies rookie
I think that low posession rugby relies on the FREQUENCY of gaining possession rather than the duration. If you have 3 phases and gain ground then keep the ball in had. Otherwise have a kick. From the kick you need to contest to retain the ball or aim to get a ruck turnover fairly quickly. Failing to get the turnover can be mitigated by advancing your defence and forcing the opposition to kick back to you for a net gain.
The Wallabies are not contesting the kick, rucks or forcing a return kick from a retreating opposition attack. Their possession frequency is too low and they can’t advance into good attacking areas.
The two-week observation: The Wallabies can play low possession rugby OR find the Australian way – but not both
Do you mean Eddie is in a support role for NZ? Like Deans, Castle and Rennie were?! 😱
The conspiracy lives on!
The Wrap: Like Hillary at Everest Base Camp, Eddie Jones has a mountain ahead of him
Unfortunate to be comparing Eddie to a New Zealander. That’s just setting him up for failure 😂
* Toung firmly in cheek.
The Wrap: Like Hillary at Everest Base Camp, Eddie Jones has a mountain ahead of him
Wow. Did you even read the article?
The Wrap: How to fix Australian rugby? It’s all about coaching the coaches
If you’re referring to the Aratipu report that identified that Australia could support 2-4 competitive SR teams then yes I do realise that is what was suggested in 2020. The irony is actually that there were thousands of comments on these pages that the NZRU position was anywhere between clumsy or an attack on the very fabric of Australian society.
Yet here we are 3 years later and there is still no improvement in the standard of the Australian teams and now some people on here are suggesting to ditch a couple of SR teams. Or as you are suggesting to scrap an entire competition.
I don’t agree with how the Aratipu report was communicated or handled by NZRU. However, the content of it seems hard to argue with based on the performance of the Au teams over the last 3 years.
SR is only stale in Australia because the Australian teams are not in a position to win it. As seen with the Reds in SRAU during covid the crowds come back to support a winner.
Fix the AU pathways, establish a performance pyramid and then the results will come. A double round of floggings at SR level won’t fix the issues in AU.
How a new NRC could help save rugby in Australia and what it could look like
You’re not suggesting the same thing that NZ did a few years ago are you??????
Careful, you might get tared, feathered and run out of town!
How a new NRC could help save rugby in Australia and what it could look like
That’s a very entitled opinion. Saying another country has to axe a domestic competition with all the traditions, rivalries, coaches, player pathways and bloody good rugby so that they can accommodate the development of Australian rugby seems a little on the nose.
How a new NRC could help save rugby in Australia and what it could look like
Sheek
I often disagree with what you post but this time I’m aligned with you. Your last sentence hits the nail squarely on the head.
Rugby News: Ex-PM says RA has succumbed to 'moral blackmail' after 'regrettable' Voice stance revealed
People’s point of view is shaped by their past so….
I’m a Kiwi and have been in Au for over 15 years. Of that time I’ve spent the majority living in country Qld, especially in the north west. I’m white, tertiary educated (science) and would be considered affluent by most standards. I have also worked internationally in developing nations.
From my experience Australia is a racist country.
Rights here are already divided by race. If you are an Aboriginal, a minority, live remotely or an immigrant you have fewer rights than an metro based white person.
If you are rich you can have access to power via lobby groups or through incentives for your spending power.
If you are educated and in a metro setting it is much easier to navigate the mechanisms of government and society.
If the Voice has even the smallest chance of rectifying some of these disadvantages then morally it should be passed.
The argument that it could be taken over by activists is moot. Government is already heavily influenced by corporate lobby/activism. That horse has already bolted. Currently Aboriginal people don’t have access to this mechanism because they collectively don’t have the finance to get a seat at the table.
Rugby News: Ex-PM says RA has succumbed to 'moral blackmail' after 'regrettable' Voice stance revealed
Love your work. I do enjoy a good simulation.
The point you make regarding NZ and France having similar probabilities with finishing 1st or 2nd in the pool. Do you have an insight into why this is?
The winners and losers of the RWC 2023 draw - and why the All Blacks are really favourites
Nah what’s that?
Seriously though. AFL is a domestic competition that is the pinnacle of its sport. Being in one country does make it more viable to move the young people around. Since it is the top of it’s own area there are no considerations needed for a leven of competition above it.
RA chief's radical draft plan to revive Super Rugby, including Wallabies free to play for NZ clubs
I don’t think a draft would work for a few reasons. In general telling young kids where they have to go and play is a bit on the nose.
From the NZ perspective
Poor player development in Au
Dilution of the playing pool which lowers the overall standard of play
From the Au perspective
NZ players displacing the development spots in the Au teams. This would be a long term risk to the Wallabies.
An alternative equalisation measure might be opening up the eligibility criteria, introduction of a trade window (publicity) and a salary cap adjustment to favour lower placed clubs.
To keep the local academics strong they could be rewarded for producing ABs or Wallabies. If we equalise the club’s then the revenue of the crusaders might go down and they have less to spend on the academy. That would be a net loss for everyone.
RA chief's radical draft plan to revive Super Rugby, including Wallabies free to play for NZ clubs
With that percentage of ball going to those jumpers they should be easier to disrupt defensively at the pointy end of the season.
The tactical changes Brumbies and Force must make, and the set piece Australians are dominating
I thought the Blues were trending down but the Rebels injuries prevented them from being in a position to capitalise.
I work in Fiji and the wet season conditions are brutal for doing any outdoor strenuous exercise. It’ll be interesting to see if the home ground advantage holds into the dry season.
The Wrap: Where have all the Super Rugby upsets gone?
This year most teams seem to be holding their form trends. In previous years, a team riding high would go through a patch where they would trend downward to a loss. That doesn’t seem to be happening this season (yet).
There are other means of competition adjustment that would align with the national union’s international objectives. Salary cap increases, coaching or management support….. The key would be to finding the leavers to improve the national pool of players/coaches and the franchises that are weaker.
The Wrap: Where have all the Super Rugby upsets gone?
Congratulations on the perfect round last week Brett 👍
Interesting read. For context the last 25 minutes equates to 31% of the game. The total of 35% of tries coming in the last 25 min means that the overall effect of fatigue may not be that high. Some teams are not great, some teams are good.
Given that the total increase in tries (6.9 to 8.4) is much larger than increase in fatigue related tries it might be the ruck speed that is having a greater impact.
'Maybe games aren't long enough for them': The surprising effect of fatigue factor in Super Rugby Pacific
Well I guess there is not much new under the sun! If it has worked before then just tweak it for the modern times and specific needs.
Thanks for all your articles this year Nic. I’ve learnt a lot and it’s increased my enjoyment of the game. Have a great Xmas and New year’s.
Cheers
Rugby in Australia will die in isolation. The only cure is to break out of the circle of insularity, not reinforce it
NZR and RA should get a pot going so that they can buy the next Euro club that goes bust. Use that a a vehicle for controlling their players/coaches while they are off gaining overseas experience.
Obviously they would need to target the right club in the right competition due to national player quota and the like. Possibly even JV into a club that is having some financial trouble.
Rugby in Australia will die in isolation. The only cure is to break out of the circle of insularity, not reinforce it
Do the coaches actually set it up? They can only pick from the players that are in the local talent pool or in the limited overseas quota. Who else would they pick (that they haven’t already) that isn’t going to suffer the same issues?
ANALYSIS: The Wallabies have backed the wrong horse as their No.10 project
That would be fairly poor form if they followed instructions and then got chopped for when the plan didn’t work. Not too many other actions from a coach will have more negative effects.
'Meat to the bones': Plenty to chew on for Wallabies fans after best performance of the year