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Brett McKay is one of The Roar's good news stories and has been a rugby and cricket expert for the site since July 2009. Brett is an international and Super Rugby commentator for ABC Grandstand radio, is the voice of ACT club rugby, has commentated on Under-20s Championships, Women's Uni Sevens and National Rugby Championship coverage, and has written for magazines and websites in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK. He tweets from @BMcSport.
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Super Rugby is done, and the tipping panel’s attention now becomes international – and with far bigger fish to fry with a Rugby World Cup rapidly approaching.
Soon enough, maybe even as soon as this week, we’ll find out what kind of poker player Wallabies coach Michael Cheika really is.
And then there was one. A tenth successful Crusade for the people of the northern half of the South Island of New Zealand, and a long ride home for a very proud Jaguares playing group.
There’s one pretty important little element about dynasty teams, and it often gets overlooked with all the emotion and the what-ifs and the case-making for the underdog in the lead-up to finals matches.
After 18 rounds and two weeks of knock-out contests – and with only mixed success among it all – the final week of tipping Super Rugby in 2019 is upon us.
There’s a classic pick-up line in the last season of Seinfeld, where Jerry starts talking to a quite attractive woman at a party, and says, “You wouldn’t know it to look at me, but I can run really, really fast!”
The quarter-finals went with the seeds, and that can only mean one thing this weekend for the semis.
So often in the knockout stages of rugby tournaments – indeed, most sports if we think about it – the games themselves can become dour, overly-defensive, minimise-mistakes-at-all-costs affairs as teams knuckle down to progress to the next stage by any means necessary.
They say that the knockout stages are a whole new competition, then I can’t think of a better idea than winding the scoreboards back to zero from this weekend and starting again.
This column originally was going to be the one that lamented the decision-making of experienced Melbourne Rebels and NSW Waratahs players that frankly should know better, but it’s not.
If Round 18 will decide the clubhouse lead heading into the Super Rugby playoffs – we’re going all the way, baby! – then last weekend’s penultimate round was indeed the tipping panel equivalent of ‘Moving Day’.
Though it’s been one of the tightest – and best – seasons of the Super Rugby in recent years, the weekend’s results have left a funny, almost underwhelmed feeling, with all three conferences now wrapped up.
It’s not just the likes of the Crusaders, Rebels, and even the Bulls who have seen leads trimmed, eroded, or even outright disappear in recent weeks.
Daryl Gibson’s brutally honest intent to delay the final game for his Wallabies contingent has sparked an interesting little situation.
If it’s true that the only way to reel in big leads is to do it in small steps, then Nobes battling away last week and compiling a lowly five from seven is exactly the sort of chance the rest of us have been waiting for!
If there’s something about rugby that never fails to bewilder, it’s the demands for national action to address problems in Australian rugby that are mostly local.
A month out from the Super Rugby finals, I reckon it’s time we start seeing some cream rise to the top as expected. Enough of this anyone-can-beat-anyone business!
It really only feels like a few months ago that Australian cricket fans were on edge about the relative elasticity of Michael Clarke’s hamstring, but the 2019 Cricket World Cup starting later this month confirms the harsh reality that Clarke’s hammy lost national interest four years ago.
Not that long ago – only five weeks ago, in fact – the Melbourne Rebels had opened a seven-point lead over their next-closest challenger for the Australian conference, the NSW Waratahs.
So Round 13 really was lucky for some of us, but I kind of fear the worst for Round 14 in much the same way Saturday the 14th wasn’t exactly the greatest horror-comedy-parody film to follow Friday the 13th.
Some thoughts on the Wallabies side, now that it’s out: I like it!
There’s a few quibbles, there always are, but overall there’s a decent balance to it.
It’s a well-earned start for James Slipper. I’m excited to see Isi Naisarani at Test level. I’m looking forward to seeing the evolution of Nic White.
And I think Hodge-DHP-Banks will work as a back three – Hodge up in the front line, Banks and Haylett-Petty attacking from the back. I do get the concerns about speed on the wings, but I don’t see finishing as one of DHP’s jobs. Hodge, Kerevi, Kuridrani, Banks can all do that.
Haylett-Petty can chime in from the back and use his footballing ability to create opportunities with his offload and passing game.
It’s the first Test Match of the year, and there’s no feeling of anxiousness going into the game now that the team’s been named.
It’s nice!!
The Rugby Championship Week 1: Blow out the cobwebs
I don’t think success is ever a bad thing, even in RWC years..
The Rugby Championship Week 1: Blow out the cobwebs
yeah, saw the side about half an hour ago Muzzo, still pretty solid!
The Rugby Championship Week 1: Blow out the cobwebs
isn’t the capacity up near 50,000 Anibal?
The Rugby Championship Week 1: Blow out the cobwebs
Really good point about the kicking, RS69, but again, we wait on selections for the possibility of an improved kicking game…
The Rugby Championship Week 1: Blow out the cobwebs
Wallabies team will now be named 5.45pm AEST, Jacko. Was originally going to be 7:30pm..
The Rugby Championship Week 1: Blow out the cobwebs
Just blend the two, and make it a boat race as the decider…
The Rugby Championship Week 1: Blow out the cobwebs
Surely there’s room for a kicking comp in there somewhere, Chookman!
The Rugby Championship Week 1: Blow out the cobwebs
It’ll be just as intriguing to seen what Erasmus trots out, as it will be to see the Wallabies team today this evening, Ulrich, for sure…
The Rugby Championship Week 1: Blow out the cobwebs
It’s a no from me, Sandy.
I don’t want to sacrifice wins during TRC for the hope that it suddenly comes good in time for the RWC. There’s only a handful of Tests between now and then, it needs to start now..
The Rugby Championship Week 1: Blow out the cobwebs
Saw this this afternoon Jez, and you’re right, the Waratahs alignment is the big ticket item for me:
With the Rays organisation ceasing involvement, Sydney is now under the roof of NSW Rugby and the Eagles are affiliated with NSW Country Rugby Union.
And mirroring the set-up in Queensland, both Sydney and Country will train out of the Waratahs’ headquarters at Daceyville.
So with the Rays no more, finally, NSW has two genuine Sydney and NSW Country rep sides.
In a RWC year, what are Cheika’s future-proofing obligations?
Here’s an unpopular opinion, Armchair, especially given how easy a target Hanigan is.
On 2019 form, a Wallabies recall wouldn’t be completely undeserved…
In a RWC year, what are Cheika’s future-proofing obligations?
It fairness Terry, it’s not a normal Tuesday, being after Super Rugby but before The Rugby Championship has started..
In a RWC year, what are Cheika’s future-proofing obligations?
Completely agree Nick. And continuity next year, the first year of a new cycle, will be important..
In a RWC year, what are Cheika’s future-proofing obligations?
Which is the point I made as well Waxy, agree..
In a RWC year, what are Cheika’s future-proofing obligations?
Narrator: “It was made up…”
In a RWC year, what are Cheika’s future-proofing obligations?
Afternoon everyone, a really interesting response to this question, and I’ve very deliberately held back and just watched where the conversation goes.
And it’s pretty clear that it’s something plenty of us are wondering about.
On one hand, you couldn’t really argue with Cheika just wanting to build toward the RWC and ensuring his strongest possible side is in form to progress through to the knockout stages.
But then as a custodian of the game, and as someone responsible for shaping the direction of the national team, there has to be some longer-term thinking as well.
As I’ve said, I don’t know the answer; it’s probably ‘both’. And the number of different opinions and perspectives here today shows that there is a delicate balance to be found…
In a RWC year, what are Cheika’s future-proofing obligations?
I still wonder about this mate, and both RA and NZR have been just as quick as SANZAAR to trot out the “SARU remain committed to the partnership” line.
But I still wonder. I seriously wonder whether the answer from SARU would be just as unequivocal if framed simply as “Can you guarantee you won’t send more teams north?”
In fact, the more I hear the “SARU remain committed to the partnership” line, the more the doubts rise in my mind..
The Wrap: SANZAAR perfects the art of the Rumba when it needs to Tango
I don’t believe there any contracts around the partnerships per se, Jacko, no…
The Wrap: SANZAAR perfects the art of the Rumba when it needs to Tango
No, that’s certainly true mate, and is precisely why I left TRC in the cake/eating analogy.
And it’s a good point you make about the concurrent seasons..
The Wrap: SANZAAR perfects the art of the Rumba when it needs to Tango
Nice one Geoff…
“..all four nations have pledged commitment to SANZAAR. What this means is that while South Africa may continue to explore various options with regard to participation in northern hemisphere competitions, there will be no substantive change in the forseeable future.”
I still wonder about this. South Africa are indeed still committed to SANZAAR, but they can remain committed to SANZAAR and still pull out of Super Rugby.
The two aren’t mutually exclusive. It’s entirely plausible that SARU have their northern hemisphere cake with yet more teams in the Pro14, and eat it during The Rugby Championship in the south…
The Wrap: SANZAAR perfects the art of the Rumba when it needs to Tango
Yeah, that’s the idea Bobby. To keep developing young players into (now) SR frontline players.
That’s what you want to sacrifice..
Maybe Rugby Australia know what they're doing
Jantjies and Jantjies haven’t played much rugby together at all, as I understand it, Hairy Man?
The Rugby Championship Week 1: Blow out the cobwebs