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Where’s Cale going?
'Toughest decision': Wallaby's blunt admission over form as Force land Brumbies lock, teammate brought to tears
“sodden surface” is a very kind way to describe the ground conditions in Tonga. 😊 Took me back to the 1970s.
So I was pleasantly surprised to see the Highlanders get up, given that they’re used to playing in a totally different environment. Dunshea has made quite a difference to their tight-5 and is allowing Holland to start realising some of his real potential. A similar comment applies to Miller, who although having a long way still to go, looked more comfortable than previously, despite the difficult conditions. So while not exactly battle of the giants this season, it should be a good game between the Highlanders and Crusaders this weekend.
Speaking of the Crusaders, it wasn’t just Barrett they lost. By halftime, McAlister, Lio-Willie and Blackadder had all succumbed to injury — losing 4 forwards would sink any team. That said, I thought the Reds loose trio was superb — McReight an ever-present danger at the breakdown and a brilliant link player, Wilson doing an excellent imitation of the energiser bunny (belying his slightly podgy-looking frame) and also showing some excellent subtle touches, and Wright just doing the unseen but vital tasks efficiently and well. They’ve surely got to be a blueprint for the Wallabies, and it’s not easy to go past them as a combo as well. Maybe, and it’s a big maybe, Swinton at 6 if more mongrel was desired. Perhaps, if sheer athleticism was an important criterion, Cale at 8. But they seem to be more like bench options at the moment.
The Wrap: Rugby Australia gaslights Rebels staff and why ‘I Can’t Go For That’
I guess the thing about the Rebels fiasco is that it’s a big deal, understandably, to those closest to it, so us long-suffering readers just have to grin and bear it. But hopefully not for too much longer…
From what I saw, Havili could be the short-term answer at 10 for the Crusaders. One game is difficult to judge, and he at least looked more assured than everybody else they’ve tried. And I’m not sure getting Burke back would help much — he was ok last year at 15 with Mo’unga and Havili in front of him, but that’s a lot different to playing 10 on your own. He seems to have a really good rugby brain, but isn’t quite quick or athletic enough for a soup 10 (so he should do well in the NH). The simple fact is that Mo’unga is irreplaceable. The good news for the Crusaders is that, unfortunately for us Highlanders fans, the Highlanders have their own issues at 10.
On which note, the most concerning sights of the weekend had to be Barrett (especially) and McKenzie wandering off injured. Add in Ioane, Blackadder and Finau and it was a round to remember for all the wrong reasons.
The Wrap: Rugby Australia gaslights Rebels staff and why ‘I Can’t Go For That’
Or maybe the Canes were just really good…
Tahs hammered by Hurricanes as finals hopes hang by a thread
Totally agree on Cale, and Ryan’s certainly had an impressive debut but that’s all, while the rest are works in progress with quite long distances to go.
The five Aussie young guns who should be celebrated - and the one who is ready for the Wallabies
Isn’t he saying exactly the same thing as Robertson? That is, keep an open mind.
Why Schmidt isn't sweating about Wallabies star's cross-code temptation
It’s possible, although unlikely given the generally weaker standard of teams in Europe, that Oz soup players have fewer ‘high level intensity’ games than their European counterparts. But exactly the same calculus applies to NZ soup players and they don’t seem to be ‘set up to fail at test level’ (even if Foster did do his best to change that). So whatever the failings of RA administrators, this doesn’t seem to be one that can be laid at their door.
Why Schmidt isn't sweating about Wallabies star's cross-code temptation
That would be a major shame — Paisami is far and away the best Oz 12 going around.
Rather than going all the way to England, the Highlanders would love to have him and he could stay in a better competition. All we need are the $$$…
Exclusive: Wallabies star weighing up big move to England
Totally agree. The idea that Hodge should be immune from criticism just because he’s a nice bloke is, frankly, bizarre.
Rugby Australia announce $9.2m deficit, board member fails to be re-elected but coup falls over
Two 6s selected and neither of them is Swinton??
Five things: Aussie sides finally discover what it takes to compete against Kiwis, rookie outshines World Cup Wallaby
NZR offered the rough equivalent of NRL (5 NZ teams, 2-3 Oz teams, so very generous to Oz), but RA rejected it.
Super Rugby shows that the Bledisloe Cup isn't going anywhere - one selection could give the Wallabies hope
The point about McKenzie is fair, if exaggerated. But who else is there? The Crusaders and Highlanders have vividly illustrated the problems created by inexperienced 10s, and while the Hurricanes’ dominance in other areas has enabled them to get by with a journeyman 10, that got found out in Canberra. Maybe a fit Perofeta might provide a viable alternative, but in reality he’s McKenzie-lite. So McKenzie it has to be, and hope that Robertson can straighten him out a bit.
The real bit of comedy value came in the claim that de Groot is “world class”. This season he again hasn’t even been soup-class. Numia and Bower, to name just two, have been streets ahead as NZ looseheads. With Williams about to return, de Groot will be under pressure to even make the ABs squad, depending on how Robertson decides to weight hype vs form.
Agree on the Brumbies, but the point about the Oz forwards is old hat and not well supported by the evidence. For decades, the Wallabies tight-5 has almost always looked weak on paper, but has usually managed to more or less hold it together on grass. I see no reason why that shouldn’t be the same this year, especially if Bell is fit. As far as the loosies are concerned, surely Swinton is the modern embodiment of Finnegan, albeit with a few more rough edges. A back row of Cale/Wilson, Swinton and McReight would match up pretty well with anything the ABs can throw together.
Super Rugby shows that the Bledisloe Cup isn't going anywhere - one selection could give the Wallabies hope
Valetini “brilliant” — que?! Certainly it was easily his best ball-carrying game of the season, and he sometimes did more at a ruck than just lean on it. But just 4 tackles in 80 minutes is not great output from a 6.
Brumbies knock over Hurricanes in statement win as Wright shines again behind forward pack
“pasted” seems a bit hyperbolic. The Brumbies were well worth the win, but before getting too carried away it might also be worth remembering the Hurricanes were without 3 vital players through injury or resting.
Brumbies knock over Hurricanes in statement win as Wright shines again behind forward pack
The thing is though, since you mention Nawaqanitawase and Jorgensen, is that both had very similar debuts to Ryan, and in Nawaqanitawase’s case it was against the Crusaders in Chch.
'Run-on debut like no other': Junior Wallabies flyer announces himself to the world after stunning hat-trick
Really? But we keep getting told that the ‘problem’ with SRP is that it’s too predictable. Now you’re saying it’s completely unpredictable.
Where does the truth lie?
'We got our pants pulled down': Rebels smashed in reality check as Crusaders keep finals hopes alive
How so? The Crusaders had only had 2 previous home games, in one of which they beat the Chiefs and the other they lost to the Hurricanes by just 4 points. While the Rebels had shipped 50 points to the Hurricanes in their only other match in NZ.
So the outcome was exactly what past performance predicted. Which is presumably why the Crusaders were 5 to 1 on at the TAB.
'We got our pants pulled down': Rebels smashed in reality check as Crusaders keep finals hopes alive
With Taylor back, the Crusaders could have an edge in the tight-5 (although probably not dominant), but the loosies look pretty even.
The big difference though would be in the backlines — the Blues’ is generally operating pretty smoothly while the Crusaders’ still looks like a car running on very low-octane fuel.
'We got our pants pulled down': Rebels smashed in reality check as Crusaders keep finals hopes alive
Most similar tackles have only got yellows, and and Sinclair copped nothing at all, so there you go…
But yes, Nanai-Seturo (that’s his name btw) could easily have got a red. Another fine line.
'Purely coincidental': Chiefs coach defends bruiser after ANOTHER late shot leaves Tah flattened - but was it legal?
I suppose the thing that worries me most about this is where the funding would come from for the domestic competition. With 8 teams there + 2 soup teams to fund, that’s twice as many as currently. But presumably RA broadcast revenue from soup will be lower with only 2 teams, so a good deal has going to be found somewhere for the domestic comp. Because without it I fear your downside will hit home with a vengeance, at least initially.
UPDATE: RA say they were blindsided over Rebels' finances, reject private consortium claim as administrator backs club's survival
True enough, but equally true is that plenty have shrunk to nothingness as the result of expansionary hubris.
UPDATE: RA say they were blindsided over Rebels' finances, reject private consortium claim as administrator backs club's survival
Nor will 1, unless he’s found a way of changing history. 😛
UPDATE: RA say they were blindsided over Rebels' finances, reject private consortium claim as administrator backs club's survival
You don’t want Australian teams to be competitive against NZ ones? Really?
UPDATE: RA say they were blindsided over Rebels' finances, reject private consortium claim as administrator backs club's survival
Agreed. He’s not even close. As the Highlanders have found with Burns and Patchell. And the Crusaders with Halfpenny.
Jorgo injury adds to Tahs' pain as DC forced to turn to club land to cover FOURTH season-ending hooker blow