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Joined September 2008
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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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It was painfully obvious as the fulltime gong went in Oita on Saturday night, and Michael Cheika knew it himself when he bit at the post-match question about his coaching future.
It doesn’t take much for the National Rugby Championship to quietly slip out of view, but there’s no doubt a simultaneous Rugby World Cup in our timezone has made things especially tough for the NRC this season.
So then, here we are… the Rugby World Cup knockout stage is upon us.
The Wallabies are through to the Rugby World Cup knockout stages and that is an achievement that has carried variable levels of confidence at different points this international season.
It’s ard to believe we’re here already, but the final block of pool-stage games is upon us. For a tournament that has been coming for an eternity, it’s going to be over in a flash.
When we launched the Rugby World Cup tipping panel a fortnight ago, working in one-week blocks of games meant that one thing was always bound to happen. And this is the week for it.
Let’s be very clear from the top. Australia did not lose to Wales in Tokyo because of Romain Poite.
One week down, and we’ve already seen some brilliant rugby. The quadrennial Rugby World Cup has always served up a buffet of quality rugby and the first week of this current edition has well and truly lived up to that expectation.
In the Australian ranges and mountain areas where they’re found, wallabies are timid by nature. Inquisitive perhaps, but only ever up to a point of safety and certainly not aggressive in any way.
I know this little rugby carnival has been coming for some time, but my goodness this has come up quick!
Make no mistake, contributing to this definitive top 50 list was no easy task, and I know from my 50 alone, fifteen players from ten different countries didn’t the cut, and more than a few of them are greats of the game in their respective countries.
It felt like it was up in the air for an eternity, and then suddenly it just became clear.
With the Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup squad – plus a couple of extras – now in Japan, the tournament progression is about to get very, very real.
The Wallabies will be pleased to have come through a bruising encounter with Manu Samoa in Sydney on Saturday night with just that: bruises.
It didn’t take long for the new World Rugby-approved Law Variations to surface on the opening weekend of the National Rugby Championship, and all in all, they seem to have been mostly well-received and reasonably well-utilised.
A Rugby World Cup warm-up match against Samoa in Sydney, two weeks out from the start of the tournament. Anyone else nervous about this? Anyone want to talk about 2011 flashbacks?
It’s taken until season six, but it certainly appears the penny has dropped within the corridors of NSW Rugby as to the best way of integrating the National Rugby Championship into their professional rugby pathways.
So then. The squad has been narrowed down from 35 or 36 to 31, the players left out were largely unsurprising and the Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup campaign is about to start in earnest.
Well then… the completion of the Rugby Championship for the year and the obligatory non-Rugby Championship games last week brings with it one very harsh reality for the southern hemisphere nations.
It’s been a hell of a comedown for Wallabies supporters, with the best chance of claiming the Bledisloe Cup in years swept away in no time at all as a rampant All Blacks side produced a 57-point turnaround to retain the trans-Tasman trophy.
Nice one, keyboard hero… 🙄
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika resigns after quarter-final loss
They’re impacted EFF, sure, but I don’t think you can say a team that finishes minor premiers is struggling!!
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
Ideally, sure, but there isn’t a professional or semi professional comp in the World where every team is a contender..
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
Nice! It’s that sort of rugby; pie, chips and beer!! 🏉 👍
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
Curious decision on a number of fronts, then…
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
Never made a semi, which makes their three titles in five years all the more impressive.
Honestly Jock, you just make yourself look more stupid every time you comment. And you sought this article out yourself, so you’ve gone out of your way to look stupid. Kudos for that at least. 🙄
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
No, only said to be minor RW, but not minor enough that it could wait until the end of the NRC, obviously!
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
Reckon the Force remain firm favourites Chookman. Very good side, playing good rugby..
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
The avenue is there, and there were a couple of Illawarra and/or Newcastle players picked for NSW Country in the first few seasons. But the reality is the cream of the country talent is in Sydney.
My understanding is a bit over half the Eagles squad were Country origin or have Country ties (some came down to Sydney from Qld, for eg)
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
Reilly, the tie-breaking for the NRC is points differential firstly, then the result between the two teams, then most tries scored.
Brisbane and Fiji tied in their game, and had scored one more try going into the last round (they both scored 4 tries in these last games).
Fiji’s win over Qld Country gave them 17 points and a differential of +17, too.
Going into the game, Brisbane City’s differential was +12, but they needed to win the game first and foremost to get to 17 points. A BP would’ve got them to 18pts, obviously, but Melbourne’s second half fightback put paid to that.
So it’s a fair question you raise, because even with the late Melbourne try, City were still in line to get the 4pts for the win, so that gets them into 4th. And a PG would’ve put them ahead of Fiji’s differential by one.
I’d be stunned if they sums hadn’t been done, so I can only wonder the range (and therefore not putting the ball dead) was a reason?
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
And in fairness Andy, this year has seen improvements in the way both NSW teams were structured and played.
NSW Country were unlucky not to play finals, and Sydney were a lot better than their record shows..
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
Yes, a NSW team has made the finals. Ordinary comment, clearly uninformed…
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
In fairness Ethan, NSW Country ran inside the top two for about the first five rounds, and it was only the losses in the last two rounds that saw them drop out. And even then they only missed fourth by one point…
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
Hadn’t thought of that, Andy!
I’ve not seen a Drua side as yet, but I’ve not seen any suggestion any of the RWC stars will be back though..
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
McReight is out AJ, yes. Underwent season-ending surgery last week.
And don’t forget the chips!! 😁
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
Roast pork rolls on one side, Richie, the king of steak sandwiches on the other. Viking Park is rugby nirvana… 😊
Two favourites, the defending champs, and the best Queenslanders: The road to the NRC semi-finals
Certainly am. Road to the semis article out tomorrow..
With a massive selection gamble, Michael Cheika rearranges the deck chairs once again
😡 👎 Them’s fightin’ words, Moa!!
With a massive selection gamble, Michael Cheika rearranges the deck chairs once again
Changing them every week since hasn’t solved much either… 🙄
With a massive selection gamble, Michael Cheika rearranges the deck chairs once again
For the fifth time in as many games, the Wallabies have changed their halves pairing, Cheika and his selectors dropping Nic White to the bench and bringing Will Genia into the run-on side.
It’s quite incredible isn’t it, Dan – and it’s actually worse than that, this is the sixth halves change in consecutive Tests, and the eighth change in the last nine.
Only once this season have the Wallabies halves from the previous week played the next Test: White and Lealiifano played in Perth and stayed on together for Auckland. But there’s been changce every game since… 😯
With a massive selection gamble, Michael Cheika rearranges the deck chairs once again
Surely, Moa, you’re not suggesting I’m tipping roughies out of desperation to bridge a gap?!? 😁 😂
Rugby World Cup quarter-finals expert tips: End the desperation
It was only reading another article just before that made me twig onto it!! We knew who we meant..
Rugby World Cup quarter-finals expert tips: End the desperation
Yeah, and likewise, I’ve just realised this confusion, too. I blame you TC.. 😁
Rugby World Cup quarter-finals expert tips: End the desperation
Big backline calls from Eddie, too, it seems…
Rugby World Cup quarter-finals expert tips: End the desperation
Lots of great comments already, gang, thank you.
I’ve had my say, so I’m going to hit a golf course and let you all have yours..
Cheika's legacy: Consistent inconsistency and puzzling selection to the very end