Roar Rookie
Joined April 2019
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It's Tuesday night, the girlfriend is out, I put my dinner on the coffee table, pick up the remote, and search for something amongst…
When you look up Australia's most valuable exports on Wikipedia you'll fine we sell steel to China, coal to India and rugby locks to…
I get it, it’s the end of rugby in Australia as the Wallabies managed to suffer a wet-weather thrashing to *checks notes* the All…
A 57-5 scoreline tells us what many of us feared. While at the start of the season the universal 'rustiness' evened the playing field,…
It’s Tahs vs Brumbies week. We have two of them every year. But for some reason, this one feels different. For the first time…
The discussion regarding how many Australian teams should feature in any future 'super' season has been framed around an accepted truth that is in…
Before I kick off, I need to offer two important caveats. Firstly I need to direct everyone to comments from Rugby Australia's CEO pouring…
There is an old saying in love that one should find someone who makes you stronger, not someone who tries to break you down.…
First of all, most of you won’t know who I am. In fact, none of you will know who I am. I am your…
The sleeping giant of Australian sport? Or a dead horse that has been flogged three different ways? The illusive second-tier provincial rugby competition that…
As a caveat, I'd like to clearly state I am excited about the 2019 Rugby World Cup. I believe the Wallabies can win it,…
One of the greatest criticisms traditionally levelled at rugby union powerbrokers has been their inability to make inroads into the vast potential of Western…
Yeah they really need to change when this game is held
Why club rugby is about to bloom
Saw that, also noted the Waratahs noted the gap in the roster in their press release! He is a welcome addition.
The mystery of the missing Waratahs locks
With no disrespect to those who wore the jersey this year, I feel Rory Arnold has been a huge loss for the Wallabies. His presence in the rolling maul alone is massive.
The mystery of the missing Waratahs locks
I think the back row is very competitive, especially with a lot of people saying positive things about Will Harris. Front row is good, but not a great deal of depth there. We certainly don’t have the Brumbies luxury of having Wallabies on the bench.
But the second row… we don’t really have anything…
The mystery of the missing Waratahs locks
Yeah look a large part of that optimism is based on hope rather than lived experience, if they genuinely have got no young gun or high value transfer in the works then this will surely be one of the great failures in roster building. It’s not like a back line position that can be easily filled. There just aren’t that many 200cm rugby players around.
The mystery of the missing Waratahs locks
Really good write up mate, and I agree with your sentiments. I wrote a few months back how important it was for Rugby to end its abusive relationship with Rugby and whilst it’s early days it’s hard to see them carrying on like anything other than a jealous ex.
There is a sudden burst of optimism around the game that matches what a few of us have been saying for the past year, we are on the cusp of a new golden era in Australian Rugby…
It’s time for Australian Rugby to end its toxic relationship with News Corp
The Wrap: A great new broadcast deal for rugby? Depends on who’s telling the story
For some reason the Roar didn’t publish all the stats I provided, here is every teams record against NZ since 2010
Australia
30 games, 5 wins, 2 draws, 23 losses (13 in NZ, 8 at Eden Park)
Av 31-19
England
9 games, 2 wins, 7 losses (only 3 games in NZ)
Av 23-20
South Africa
22 games, 3 wins, one draw (only 2 games in Eden Park)
Av 29-17
Ireland
10 games, 2 wins (neither in NZ), 8 losses
Av 35-17
Wales
10 games, 0 wins, 10 losses
Av 36-15
France
12 games, 0 wins, 12 losses
Av 33 – 13
Source: Wikipedia
(also can the editor please fix up the grammatical mistakes in paragraph 3 and 7)
The statistics that prove Australian rugby is not dead!
pretty sure they’re only allowed 10% or something? I know GIO stadium is capped at 1500 people
Why Super Rugby AU is the competition we never knew we needed
I agree with your points 1 and 3. I really like Campbell, though I wonder whether he is just too small to play against the All Blacks , but he is definitely in the best form.
Blyth has grown on me this year, there is something about him that makes him seem like one of those abrasive Retallick style locks. Maybe he just needs a little more meat on the bones first.
As for the hooker spot, I think this is a our greatest weakness across the park. Uelese has been the heir incumbent for years, and now he has an injury free period and his throw is not reliable. I think we need to hand the 2 jersey to whoever can hit the mark consistently. Worry about developing a dynamic field player after that.
Waratahs surge onto Dave Rennie's Wallabies radar
I agree it’s difficult to speak for the entire Australian rugby public, but if this season is anything to go by, I think it’s clear that every team (minus the Force) is still in a good position to win this competition. That keeps us engaged.
If this was a regular Super Rugby season we’d probably be hoping, at best, that a 2nd Aussie team might scrape into the finals to play the Crusaders in Christchurch.
Imagine if we had crowds allowed!
Why Super Rugby AU is the competition we never knew we needed
The Brumbies have won… one game in NZ in three years? Yes that’s one more than the Waratahs but hardly proves a point. Don’t get me wrong, I love watching the Brumbies play but they beat a QLD team after the siren and got towled up by the Rebels last week. I wouldn’t count your chickens just yet.
I guess it is deeply subjective, a beautiful game of Rugby is in the eye of the beholder, and I’ve thought Super Rugby AU has had some beautiful rugby this year. Whilst you have lost interest, I have found myself eagerly awaiting 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Why Super Rugby AU is the competition we never knew we needed
Why not have tests played in Western Australia? both teams will have to Hub beforehand, but you’d possibly get a sold out Optus Stadium again!
NZ lockdown threatens trans-Tasman clashes
I guess the point is, if someone like Twiggy really wants the Force to be in a comp, he could plausibly do it without diluting our current domestic playing stocks too much (if he was prepared to match European prices), which is kinda what he’s done in Super Rugby AU by bringing a few overseas players back home.
Debunking the lack of depth myth
again, not suggesting this team would save Australian Rugby, but sprinkle two or three across every super rugby team and they would definitely add strength
Debunking the lack of depth myth
Absolutely, and I’m not suggesting these men would save the Wallabies, I’m suggesting they would strengthen our Super Rugby teams. A lot of these players that never cemented a spot in our national team could have been great club men for our provincial franchises.
Debunking the lack of depth myth
100%. So if Twiggy wanted to make a strong 5th team… all he needs is money.
Debunking the lack of depth myth
I’m not suggesting Australian Rugby is as strong as NZ, the sport is a religion to them, I’m suggesting we’re stronger than only having two professional teams.
Debunking the lack of depth myth
English, French, and Japanese clubs don’t believe they’re sub-standard
Debunking the lack of depth myth
Yep there are a lot of Shute Shield players that don’t quite catch the eye of one of the four super rugby teams, but then go on to have impressive careers overseas
Debunking the lack of depth myth
More clubs more pathways, and more chance of a decent contract
Debunking the lack of depth myth
Absolutely, I would love to see our Stats against the South African teams (not exactly a weak rugby nation) over the same period.
Debunking the lack of depth myth
Respectfully thouh, before he went full biblical, Folau did bring people to the game. For all his faults he was a star and a very marketable face of the game
Joseph Suaalii is the gamble Rugby Australia has to take
I take your point, but I think there is a difference between the fact FTA Network competed for the rights, and the suggestion that Rugby Australia would have had to pay them to take it.
Shut Shield is an amateur club sport so naturally it doesn’t have the same market, but as recently as 2014 the games had bigger average attendances than most NRL clubs.
In any sense, I think at this point it might take someone like Twiggy to provide that financial fix to break Rugby Australia’s dependence on Fox. He has stated he wants a long term investment in Australian Rugby, well ensuring it can actually expand its fan base is a necessity.
It’s time for Australian Rugby to end its toxic relationship with News Corp
I think the constant attacks on Rugby by News Corp has been overt and intentional. This is a company that makes no apologies about the power it wields to influence democracies, it has absolutely no moral reservations about what it does to our sport.
The perpetual stories slamming Rugby Australia for walking away from the initial Foxtel offer and declaring the slow death of rugby has been so damaging. Trying to recruit sponsors and players in that environment is almost impossible.
It’s time for Australian Rugby to end its toxic relationship with News Corp
The two biggest Waratahs crowds of the last four years were at Brookvale Oval (18k and 19k)… and they haven’t gone near it for the last two years.
The North Shore and Northern Beaches is Waratah’s heartland, yet the nearest game is over an hour’s drive away.
If you want fans to come to the games, maybe bring the games a little closer to the fans.
Can New South Wales solve its crowds crisis?