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Daniel was The Roar's Editor from 2017 until mid-2021.
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Sport has an affinity for the four-year cycle. No matter the code or country, so many of the sports we love flow in eras…
The Queensland Reds are the 2021 Super Rugby champions, having defeated the Brumbies in a 19-16 thriller in the final at Suncorp Stadium. The…
The British and Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa has been announced. Warren Gatland and his coaching team have picked a 37-man squad…
The Brumbies and Reds have both named their line-ups for this weekend's Super Rugby AU final. The Canberrans have paid a heavy injury price…
Dave Wessels' tenure at the Melbourne Rebels has come to an end after he resigned as head coach of the franchise. Wessels' decision is…
The ACT Brumbies and Western Force have named their teams for Saturday night's Super Rugby AU qualifying final in Canberra. The Brumbies welcome back…
Cameron Green's dream summer has ended on a high note, the young all-rounder rewarded for his superb domestic form with a place on Cricket…
The line-ups for Round 10 of Super Rugby AU are in. The Western Force have been given a big boost with star fullback Rob…
The line-ups for Round 9 of Super Rugby AU have been announced. The Waratahs welcome back Wallabies blindside flanker Lachie Swinton to their side…
New Zealand Rugby has granted provisional licenses to two Pacific Island teams, allowing them to join Super Rugby in 2022. Moana Pasifika and the…
The Queensland Reds have been handed a big boost ahead of their top-of-the-table clash against the Brumbies with skipper Liam Wright to make his…
Tom Wright will make his first appearance of the Super Rugby AU season this week after being named in the Brumbies' team to take…
Did you hear the one about the rugby team who let veteran players go, spent well underneath the salary cap, and then sacked their…
The Queensland Reds have given Harry Wilson something of a breather for this week's clash with the Waratahs, choosing to start the young number…
If the AFL can introduce a new rule just one day before the season starts, without properly trialling them, then it's only fair we…
The teams for Round 5 of Super Rugby AU have been announced, with few major changes across the four sides in action this week.…
Australia have lost the second T20 against New Zealand by just four runs, some incredible late-order hitting from Marcus Stoinis and Daniel Sams not…
Beaten finalists last year, the Reds will be looking to go one step better when their 2021 Super Rugby AU campaign begins tonight. Having…
The Brumbies were both deserved and expected winners of the inaugural Super Rugby AU title. Now Dan McKellar's men are tasked with defending their…
The Melbourne Rebels snuck in for a maiden finals appearance last year by the barest of margins. Making it two in a row could…
Apaway, this is a lovely, moving tribute. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Vale Frank Arok: A man ahead of his time
The complaints about that “gardening at the crease” are misplaced. Smith shadow bats and takes his guard like that in the field all the time, and has done for a long time. Absolutely nothing at all in it.
Why Tim Paine's sledging leaves such a bitter taste
Yeah it was hard to watch at times yesterday
Why Tim Paine's sledging leaves such a bitter taste
Yeah it all felt a bit too familiar, didn’t it? The entire side’s behaviour is going to be very closely examined next game, but there’s a bit of symmetry about their next series being away to South Africa (covid things permitting).
Why Tim Paine's sledging leaves such a bitter taste
Surely it’s impossible for anything or anyone to look that sick
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
A typically strong Wrap to finish up the year mate.
I’ll chuck in a couple more very specific highlights: Pablo Matera looking every bit the All Black-beater when he eyed off the haka with a manic delight we don’t see too often, and Angus Bell having an underappreciated blinder of a debut off the bench in Bledisloe 4.
The lowlights have to be every single occasion the Wallabies forced an offload in traffic. No more of that, please.
Any 2020 music wrap is incomplete without a mention of Trivium’s What The Dead Men Say, although my taste is going to place me quite firmly in the minority on that front.
The Wrap: All of 2020’s rugby memorables and unmentionables
Thanks RT. France look real good, don’t they? Home World Cup in 2023… could be a real chance of winning it all.
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
Yeah the schedule next year will be fascinating JD. At any rate, with (hopefully) more Tests there’ll be more of an opportunity to give the youngsters a run
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
Thanks Jacko, some good points there. Reckon I’m on board with your 6/10 assessment.
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
Yeah Powell had a good Super season and could feel a bit snubbed, although it’s hard to give every scrumhalf a run given there are only two spots in the 23 for em.
As for Simone, tricky to fit him in given Paisami had such a good season.
Next Super season will be crucial for selection purposes, particularly the Trans-Tasman section of the schedule.
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
That’s not a bad shout on Wright, Smoothy. Could turn into a handy 15 down the track.
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
Cheers Rhys, appreciate it.
I’d also encourage the liberal use of Simpsons screengrabs.
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
Thanks Chook. An excellent point about actually getting some international rugby in this year. Really, we’re pretty lucky to be having this conversation about how the Wallabies fared at all!
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
Yeah the Hodge outlier is a funny one. I think Nic White had a really strong game then, particularly in the second half, with lots of the play coming off him.
As you say, though, the O’Connor-To’omua combo almost certainly isn’t going to be the one which takes us through to 2023. Really hope one of the two young’uns makes the Wallabies 10 their own next year.
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
Yeah the attack stunk. But again, you have to imagine it would have looked considerably better with O’Connor and To’omua at 10-12 all season.
Seeing so little of Tate was probably the biggest selection surprise, along with seeing so much of Paisami. And I agree r.e. the bench, although I also think it’s completely understandable that there was an element of musical chairs there given there were so few Tests for Rennie to have a look at his players.
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
Cheers Buk. Agree r.e. those three you’ve mentioned. I’m very curious to see how Harrison goes at Test level – he showed he can play fairly well behind a beaten pack at SR level, always a good sign.
And you’re absolutely right: it’s much easier to select a side from an armchair than the coaching box.
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
A bit harsh on Koroibete there, but on the other players I broadly agree.
I think the captaincy questions are a bit overblown – Hooper’s still the best man for the job, even if he needs to learn there’s not a thing in the world wrong with taking the three, particularly early on in Tests.
I reckon it’s a pass, but not by a large margin.
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
He looked good there, TH, but it was just one game. 15 is still very much up for grabs.
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
Cheers Bobby. Yes I don’t think the issue was how many guys were handed debuts, it was more how sparingly some of them were used. Tricky in such a condensed year, but it would have been good to see McDermott and McReight, for example, given some proper minutes during the season.
Breaking down the year that was for Dave Rennie's Wallabies
All the best for next year mate. Everyone’s always enjoyed your AFL contributions, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who hopes yours will be a relatively short writing hiatus.
Go well in 2021, and may whatever comes next contain plenty of footy and Simpsons quotes – preferably both at the same time.
2020 AFL draft: Club-by-club review, my take on every team
Yep, it is his first start there for Australia.
James O'Connor back at 10 for Wallabies' final Test of the year
No, not much of a surprise at all, TSL. Particularly with the game being at the Gabba and India struggling for fitness, was always likely that they’d go for that first-choice trio.
Will Pucovski ruled out of Gabba Test as Australia confirm XI