Lose-lose for the Wallabies against the Azzurri
The thing about pass marks is that they have to be possible, achievable, and believable. But either way, rendering a pass mark ‘unattainable’ at the first attempt is never a good look.
Brett McKay
Expert
Joined September 2008
3.01m
Views
975
Published
20.7k
Comments
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.
Published
Comments
Lost: Wallabies’ game management nous
In one of the great displays of post-match remorse, Wallabies Captain Michael Hooper sat dressed in the ‘number ones’ next to Michael Cheika after the 9-6 loss to Wales in Cardiff, and gave a straight-faced answer to the question that was always coming.
Three opportunities for the Wallabies to experiment. But will they be taken?
Maybe it’s because I’ve been pushing myself into cricket mode over the last week, and maybe it’s because they’re always a bit ‘out of sight, out of mind’ in the lead-up to the first Test of a Spring Tour, but I haven’t heard a lot from the Wallabies as they steel themselves for Wales this […]
For my generation, a cricket summer dawns like no others
When the very first season of World Series Cricket launched in the summer of 1977-78, I was two years of age.
Character over runs? A good theory, but theories rarely top the run aggregates
It’s the first week of November, the mercury has stuck its nose just above the 30-degree mark for the first time in yonks, and the smell of freshly cut grass is being wonderfully complemented by the warbling sounds of petrol-powered cricket rollers.
How I missed out on watching Shane Warne's 'Ball of the Century'
1993 was a big year for this kid from a speck-on-the-map town in the middle of New South Wales.
Michael Cheika’s biggest Spring Tour questions
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, Wallabies fans.
The match-ups that will decide the NRC final
The National Rugby Championship’s fifth end-of-season decider is here, and we could either finish with a maiden title for the Fijian Drua, or a second consecutive crown for Queensland Country.
The NRC has shown us how to improve the Wallabies. Will we listen?
An interesting narrative emerged through the commentary across both National Rugby Championship semi-finals on the weekend, even if the conversation would have been more appropriate in better weather conditions.
The dos and don’ts of the NRC semis
Tuesday’s stats dump for the four National Rugby Championship finalists was interesting to compile – and to read when all put down on paper.
The four we always suspected are through, but who makes the NRC final?
Before the National Rugby Championship kicked off for 2018, and as the squads started trickling through in the weeks before the season began, it looked on paper at least that there were four pretty obvious standout sides.
Another great NRC season, but we know it could be better
The final round of the National Rugby Championship is upon us, and once again, it’s been another belter of a season, with some incredible tries scored, some wonderful rugby played and entertaining matches throughout.
Wallabies do it to us again. So what now?
With the Wallabies 31-7 down at halftime on Sunday, I said to my wife that I was getting angry and yelling more at a replay than any sane adult really should.
The NRC stars of 2018
If there’s been a constant about the National Rugby Championship over its five seasons, it’s that the next wave of young talent has always found a way of shining through.
Progress starts by fixing things that have fallen off along the way
Coaches will always try to find positives when asked how they’re going to move on from a loss; this is not an earth-shattering development.
The NRC report card at the halfway point
So then, one month down, five weeks to go. With three more weeks of regular season and two weeks of National Rugby Championship finals to come, we’ve hit the halfway point of the season.
League of Nations is an idea worth discussing, but…
I was taken aback by the comments earlier this week from World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper, in which he inadvertently or otherwise suggested that internationals are not necessarily as equal as we thought.
The NRC bridge must be kept open. That was the whole point…
It was a truly eye-opening read this week, with an ex-NRC and Super Rugby player under the moniker ‘Johnny Football’ highlighting the reasons why a further consolidation of NRC sides based in NSW hadn’t necessarily produced two significantly stronger sides over the opening rounds of 2018.
Fan abuse is never great, but the message to the Wallabies is clear
There is simply no condoning the carry-on a Wallabies jersey-clad man dished out to the Australian players after Saturday night’s loss to Argentina.
Battle of the backrows lighting up the NRC
The third round of the National Rugby Championship looms as a belter of a weekend with four matches that could genuinely go either way.
Sadly on the blink after it failed to deliver Powerball numbers last week…
But, by all means: https://www.theroar.com.au/contribute/
Lose-lose for the Wallabies against the Azzurri
Can’t disagree with any of that, Akari..
Lose-lose for the Wallabies against the Azzurri
Your encouragement means everything, Hoy! 😆
Lose-lose for the Wallabies against the Azzurri
“Sure they lose a lot but they can play well for patches..”
Where have I heard that before, Cookie… 😆
Lose-lose for the Wallabies against the Azzurri
Castle is hardly the first sports CEO to dabble in corporate speak, CS. She’s not even the first rugby CEO…
Lose-lose for the Wallabies against the Azzurri
Appreciate all the comments once again, guys. Will be really interesting to see a). what team is rolled out when named later tonight, and b). how on earth they play…
Lose-lose for the Wallabies against the Azzurri
How would you propose I’d have done that, Piru, given it was announced several hours after this column went live (never mind when I submitted it)?
Lose-lose for the Wallabies against the Azzurri
Yep, I’m on ABC Grandstand radio update duty across the weekend…
Who can add the needed steel to Australia's fragile ODI batting?
Really good question, LS.
My immediate thought is that it would be around a win borne out of many past losses and draws (where points were ignored), but with alarm bells raided about a non-threatening attack.
But it’s a genuinely good question…
Lost: Wallabies’ game management nous
I’d be happy with two of Ferguson, Handscomb and Burns currently, Ronan, and I don’t even care which two. They’re all capable of being the middle order anchors that Australia desperately need..
(As could Khawaja at the top, when fit again..)
Sidenote – looking forward to the NSW-Qld Shield game in Canberra this weekend, where Labuschagne, Burns and Renshaw will be facing the Australian Test bowling attack!
Who can add the needed steel to Australia's fragile ODI batting?
That’s some quality cherry-picking there to try and make you’re broad-brush point stand, Feff…
Lost: Wallabies’ game management nous
Thanks everyone for the comments today, I’m sorry I’ve not been able reply to more than I have.
Certainly, we are entering desperate times, but worryingly, I fear that we still aren’t at rock bottom…
Lost: Wallabies’ game management nous
Thanks everyone for the comments today, I’m sorry I’ve not been able reply to more than I have.
Certainly, we are entering desperate times, but worryingly, I fear that we still aren’t at rock bottom…
Lost: Wallabies’ game management nous
Thank goodness you’re around to share your knowledge, Sheek…
Lost: Wallabies’ game management nous
Faff, Toomua is n the third image only. It’s Foley in the first two, as is clearly stated.
Secondly, and again, as stated, Foley took both kicks for touch inside or on the Welsh 22. That’s well within his range. Comfortably within.
Thirdly, Foley has kicked very well in 2018 – at 80% +/- for the Waratahs, and it might even be a touch better for the Wallabies this year.
“Foley is 50/50 at getting any kicks” is an absolute fallacy…
Lost: Wallabies’ game management nous
CB2, I only picked up Genia’s interaction when going back to find the positioning of the kicks – and even then I had to check that he wasn’t pointing to the corner, too!
But he was clear – we tried before, so let’s just relax and make sure we take something away this time. And it would have been the first time the Wallabies led in the game..
(Also, on Toomua’s kick, you can see on the image above the 22m line in front of him – I put it at about 30m from the try line, around 5m in from touch. So maybe 40-42m on the angle..)
Lost: Wallabies’ game management nous
Like a MWS, SMI?
Three opportunities for the Wallabies to experiment. But will they be taken?
The setting of a pass mark in itself is interesting Sherry. It’s effectively the first time Castle has stated something that wouldn’t fit comfortably with Chieka..
Three opportunities for the Wallabies to experiment. But will they be taken?
It’s a by-product of the RWC cycle, unfortunately Baz, and these are exactly the sort of Tests that would’ve been counted in World Rugby’s ‘friendly’ tally, even if calling them meaningless is still a long way off…
Three opportunities for the Wallabies to experiment. But will they be taken?
Oh, that’s absolutely spot on Neil, and if anything, the size and status of this game this weekend fuelled the question about experimentation.
In all honesty, I don’t think we’ll see a different Wallabies side at all – but that doesn’t change the fact these three Tests are the lost opportunities to try things..
Three opportunities for the Wallabies to experiment. But will they be taken?
Imagine how much stronger they’d be…
Three opportunities for the Wallabies to experiment. But will they be taken?
It just makes sense..
Three opportunities for the Wallabies to experiment. But will they be taken?
All valid points here, JC…
Three opportunities for the Wallabies to experiment. But will they be taken?
You’ll recall I mentioned a few weeks ago that I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of AAC being recalled Fionn, but that I could see the benefits. And now that he’s on tour, we might as well try to get proper pay from those benefits..
Three opportunities for the Wallabies to experiment. But will they be taken?
Cummins and Hazlewood looked really good today, they bowled a spell in tandom through the middle session, and tied Qld right down, at one point there’d been only 18 scored in ten overs.
Cummins, in particular, looked to be sending them through nicely…
Renshaw fails as Lyon fires in Shield