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Armchair Halfback

Roar Rookie

Joined December 2019

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Armchair Halfback is the musings of a long time rugby tragic - a devotee and thinker about all things pertaining to the running game.

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Going the other way, Joe wasn’t a fan of the wonderfully talented Simon Zebo, for Joe it’s all about reliability and sticking to systems.

Joe Schmidt's search for a 'cold-hearted bastard' - and the issue he'll lose most sleep over

Attitude and tenacity all the way!

Joe Schmidt's search for a 'cold-hearted bastard' - and the issue he'll lose most sleep over

Did you give him one of your famous bear hugs? 😂

Joe Schmidt's search for a 'cold-hearted bastard' - and the issue he'll lose most sleep over

Nice work Harry, Sione Tuipulotu is another you could add to the list of exports excelling elsewhere. Will be interesting who gets the nod at 10, but some optimism growing from a competent Reds team doing well in Super Rugby. What about McReight as captain? He’s a determined competitor, perhaps just the man for the job. I’d like to see Darcy Swain & Nick Frost under the tutelage of Joe, they could become world class. Gordon at 12 is great idea, it’s not a position of strength atm and ball player there could be a real asset.

Joe Schmidt's search for a 'cold-hearted bastard' - and the issue he'll lose most sleep over

Tough times. No option is really palatable. If worst happens perhaps Brumbies & Rebels could merge? That takes care of Rebels debts and Brumbies poor crowds with 50:50 home game shared between Melbourne & Canberra. It’s a logistical nightmare no doubt. (Please don’t shoot, I’m friendly)

Rugby Australia is back where they hoped they would never return - and their next move could make or break the game

Rugby seems to have few friends in the public space atm with rugby derided and rubbished at every opportunity, often by league and for once we can’t blame them, it’s been all RA’s own doing. With Eddie in charge I think I changed my sports allegiance to something obscure like lacrosse. Who hates lacrosse fans after all? ????????

Nobody Goes For Pints with Joe: 'Cult-like figure' with an 'exhausting' style who might just restore pride to a rabble

Thanks MZ, last year was a tough one in rugby, even cancelled my Stan subscription in despair and disgust! 😂 but maybe Joe can stoke the embers of hope once again!

Nobody Goes For Pints with Joe: 'Cult-like figure' with an 'exhausting' style who might just restore pride to a rabble

Know Joe’s coaching well. Certainly Faz has the team that Joe built and Ireland holds him in much admiration. Could be a good fit for the Wallabies, the certainly won’t spent time talking rubbish about poaching players from other codes or igniting media controversy. He will back his players and be loyal to them too.

Nobody Goes For Pints with Joe: 'Cult-like figure' with an 'exhausting' style who might just restore pride to a rabble

Ok, thanks for the rugby lesson, I’ll head back to watching bash n’ barge on Ch.9

COMMENT: 'Australia is a tier-two nation' - Eddie must pick former All Blacks star for 'smash and grab' World Cup

Fair point French second rows tend to be monsters like Willemse, Skelton & Meafou so perhaps playing as an orthodox second row may have been unfamiliar. Selton certainly wasn’t in an environment most conducive to him, which is analogous for TKB, not knocking him…

COMMENT: 'Australia is a tier-two nation' - Eddie must pick former All Blacks star for 'smash and grab' World Cup

It’s an interesting and enticing prospect. TKB biggest challenge is lack of time to get into Wallabies camp prior to RWC to learn the culture, learn the playbook and forge connections. Particularly as a scrum half who touches the ball most often. If you can only have a handful of o/s players do you then trade TKB for a Richie Arnold or a Sean McMahon particularly when scrum half might not be an arena of glaring weakness? It’s an interesting debate, certainly when Skelton played on the last spring tour he looked undercooked and unfamiliar with some of the plays so time or the lack may be the biggest factor.

COMMENT: 'Australia is a tier-two nation' - Eddie must pick former All Blacks star for 'smash and grab' World Cup

Staying alive with the ball probably 😛

Waratahs continue second half season surge as 'forgotten man' helps put away Rebels

Agreed. Just not mentally in the zone, just too many unforced errors at scrum, line out (two Tahs tries directly from Rebels lineouts) and lots of handling errors…

Waratahs continue second half season surge as 'forgotten man' helps put away Rebels

Hi Harry – has Nick defected? Such an erudite man. Might be time to see if tugboat Kafer wants to join The Roar…. 😁

Killer instinct and precision: Which young star is poised to become Australia's long term No.10?

Lynagh looks like a real prospect, I think his heyday may be closer to the 2027 RWC.

Killer instinct and precision: Which young star is poised to become Australia's long term No.10?

I think there has to be tenacity and competitiveness. I was watch Munster play a few months ago Carbery and Crowley were together in the Munster backline faced with the same defensive set. Carbery makes an ineffective tackle, Crowley makes a hugely effective tackle holds up the ball player and gets a turnover. That’s why Faz has Jack Crowley ahead of Joey Carbery in the Ireland pecking order. Who then is the most tenacious and competitive Australian out half?

Killer instinct and precision: Which young star is poised to become Australia's long term No.10?

I don’t think that’s quite accurate in Finlay Bealham’s context – he played lower league amateur club rugby in Ireland before getting a pro contract. He was never in any Australia pro squads or academies.

Hansen held up by Dupont again, two Australian born players in Six Nations team of the tournament

Played for Belfast Harlequins I think, so lower leagues off the AIL. Similar story to former Ireland flanker Andy Ward.

Hansen held up by Dupont again, two Australian born players in Six Nations team of the tournament

Nice Harry – thanks for borrowing my comment about Blackrock College from your last article… 😂 😂

The Wallabies desperately need a template to help them rise through the rankings - so why not copy Ireland?

Wise words from Mr Doyle – the highlights of Wal v Irl 1985 is on Youtube – some wonderful tries. Paul Dean was a wonderful out half, soft hands and great game management along the three-quarter line.

'Ireland is the new New Zealand': Top dogs and proud of it, the emerald isle is locked in passionate embrace of rugby

Sounds from Mr Doyle that wisdom comes with age! I have a link below to the Wales v Ireland game from 1985 when lives in the memory, wonderful try from Crossan and others. Yes good time to be Irish, though I remember the terrible 90’s so not crowing too much. Here’s that Irl v Wal 1985 link: https://youtu.be/yP49MLs34jE

'Ireland is the new New Zealand': Top dogs and proud of it, the emerald isle is locked in passionate embrace of rugby

Reckon you’re an O’Donoghue’s man Henry 😂 😂

'Ireland is the new New Zealand': Top dogs and proud of it, the emerald isle is locked in passionate embrace of rugby

Hope you went to the Leinster Schools cup final! Gonzaga (crap at rugby when I was a lad) beat the great Blackrock College to win their their first cup. 😁

'Ireland is the new New Zealand': Top dogs and proud of it, the emerald isle is locked in passionate embrace of rugby

Hey MZ – when you come back ready my comment on Mick Doyle! Similarities between Doyle and Faz, only Doyle built his team around a dominant Ulster side rather than Faz & Leinster. Other random comment is that English full backs often have an awful time in Lansdowne Rd I think the 1985 England full back Chris Martin is still in therapy… 😂

'Ireland is the new New Zealand': Top dogs and proud of it, the emerald isle is locked in passionate embrace of rugby

Nice work Harry! A couple of comments. First: I wish you could have met former Irish test coach Mick Doyle on your visit. Mick Doyle’s Ireland has great success in the mid-1980’s playing free-flowing rugby based in the immutable principle of “give it a lash”. I suspect Doyler and Faz might be kindred spirits.
Second: in March 2016, former AB Francis Saili (then playing for Munster) boldly declared that Ireland would never beat the AB’s due to deficient skills and lousy Irish weather. However Ireland have one 5 out 8 against the the AB’s since Saili’s foolhardy prediction. Sadly no career as a pundit for bud Frankie. 😂

'Ireland is the new New Zealand': Top dogs and proud of it, the emerald isle is locked in passionate embrace of rugby

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