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gatesy

Roar Guru

Joined February 2008

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Rugby Tragic, love all facets of the sport.

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It is a simple equation in my view. You start with a spreadsheet with 17 columns, one for each position and one for utility back and utility forward. The guys in those 2 columns are also entitled to be named in their main position.
You select your best 17 along row 1, then the next best in row 2 and so on until you have every Super Rugby squad member listed.
You move playes up and down the columns based purely on performance, and when it comes time to pick your first squad you take row one and 7 from row 2.
Simples!

Rennie's Wallabies need success from Australia's Super Rugby teams

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2d

Geoff,
Thanks for your comprehensive article and pretty well spot on – as I have separately reported, the teams, themselves, have all turned out looking good, but only one trial against a Kiwi side, Tahs v Highlanders, but the other trials all produced reasonable results and we have had a good look at all the teams.
I do take issue with your notion that Bridget Mackenzie be involved as chair, and I do think that she is potentially “on the nose”. Perhaps that was sarcasm on your part? How refreshing to see the talent from last years crop of u20’s – fresh news – out with the old and in with the new – plus a national coach that has made it clear that he won’t play favourites – everyones position is on the line.
Club comps are strong, it’s all looking up.

The Wrap: Where did rugby’s offseason go?

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2d

Corrected, I stand.

Report card on the Aussie Super Rugby conference

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3d

My final word – I hope that the 50:22 and the line dropout trials make it into the law book.
Same with an offside line behind the scrum and lineout – would never want to see the League requirement for a 10 m separation, but some small separation might open things up a bit.

The dropout concept is great – instead of endless 5m scrums on the spot, where the ball is held up, the defending team gets the kick from anywhere on the line and, in most cases, the attacking team gets it back (not a given) and can launch raids from anywhere – a great tactical challenge for coaches on both sides to get their heads around – never cease to be amazed how creative coaches can get and they are capable of changing the dimensions of the game.
50:22 is a good, but not necessarily great initiative.

But the beauty of it is that Rugby administrators are trying to make our game more challenging and interesting but without dumbing it down or removing the contests, or negating the number one principle of it being a game for all shapes and sizes.

That’s a pretty big deal when you consider that Rugby League made most of its law changes to make the game understandable to the folks in the stands, and what they ended up achieving was to remove most of the contests and fostering a situation where everybody has to have a huge, fast athletic body shape, and many positions interchangeable.

We celebrate the diversity of shapes and sizes. May that never change.

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

Stay on point, Paulo.

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

I wouldn’t know if I am big boned or fat because my mirror stops at the neck! Though I occasionally see the same fat bastard in the same shop windows as I walk to work every day – even dressses just like me – imagine that!

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

.. and they never will – therein lies the beauty of our game!

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

Don’t even need a ball!!

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

To understand that, you need to understand the concept of the gate, which for the tackler can be anywhere in a 360 degree arc, but everyone else has to enter from an onside position. Am I right?

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

IB, the whole point of the article was that the laws are not in need of an overhaul – they are constantly evolving – just look at all the trials going on – the 50:22, the goal line dropout, etc – you might want to bring yourself up to speed, and a good place to start is the World Rugby site – which was the other point of the article.

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

Absolutely – we are all lovers of the game and there is no “rule” that says the ref shouldn’t also enjoy his Rugby day out.

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

When I was coaching at Norths, one of the best referees in the Sydney comp, Flip van der Westhuizen used to come down to Tunks Park on training nights and do his own personal training. He always made himself available if any of the grades wanted him to assist. I used to see him on the bus from North Sydney to the city in the mornings and we used to chat.

At Norths, we saw him as a great ref, because he had wonderful knack of letting a game flow and talking to the players at the same time. When Rugby went professional in 1995, he was on the outer and got relegated by the show ponies in the Sydney refs organisation, because he was a bit of a renegade. We, the little people, actually liked the renegades!

He was so popular with players that David Campese asked him to referee his farewell game -I think it was Sydney v a Barbarian side – scoreline was crazy and a great night was had by all, at SFS, but that was the sort of esteem that we all held Flip in. Not the urgers who displaced him.

See, the players don’t necessarily understand the laws, don’t want to, and just want to get on with the game, so the more knowledgeable the ref, the better the experience, not just for the players, but also for the spectators. Helps if the ref knows the laws.

But as we get older, apparently wiser, we should try to understand them.

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

I prefer to watch it on TV – there is almost no way that I can work out what is going on in rucks, mauls and scrums when I a sitting high up in a grandstand.

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

As they should!

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

Welcome back, Carlos,
I left and never came back – preferred to be in the sheds with the lads as a coach or manager, or just the shed sweeper – best place to be after a game

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

Check out my Rugby calendar – it’s always half time or full time somewhere –

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

Hope springs eterna!

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

Agree with the sentiment, Spiro, but we are in a crisis of our own making and we need to get out of it, by developing capable world class coaches. When that time comes – great!
We also need to go through a period where the coach comes with no baggage and is not all powerful nor plays favourites.

Working closely with Scott Johnson and Michael O’Connor, they should compile a spreadsheet of players in every position (one column per position) – even create one called utility forward/ utility back. then down the column rank every eligible player in that position in merit order.

All the guys on line 1 will be watching, carefully the guys on lines 2,3 and 4, who want their spots.
That is the only fair way to do it.

Maybe we need a dedicated level 3 coaching academy, with full-time programs, even if done in blocks, with some of the best coaching minds etc are asked to be on the panel – maybe that already happens, and I would be interested to see the syllabus and the program.

If we want people to coach the Australian way, we need an Aussie syllabus, but still with the ability to give coaches time in other countries to immerse themselves in other styles of Rugby.

Rennie and Penney should be the last of the NZ coaches in Australian rugby

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1w

One of my favourite stories that I have shared here, before is that lovely apocryphal yarn about a game of park rugby – lots of old experienced blokes running around – one of fancy dancing backs kicks the ball our on the full, it disappears into the bush – down hill and into the river – apparently the only ball that they had.
Ref turns to the lads (the forwards) and says .. “sorry lads, looks like there will be a short delay while they find the ball…

One of the gnarly props who has just got off the ground, hands on hips, says to the ref ..f@!k the ball, ref, let;s just get on with the game ..!

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

Thanks, Dave,
I’ll definitely file your sage advice where it belongs…. and don’t let me keep you from preparing your next Roar article!

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

Great response and Im right with you there’. Brought back a few memories, as my refereeing career finished up about 30 years ago. I had ref’d a Sunday game, half way to Newcastle – ten men and a dog in the crowd – one sided affair so I wasn’t worried that I had cheated anyone out of a win – winning captain offered a beer, which I hurried down, as I had to get back on the road, and as i walked past the winning sheds, I could smell the liniment and hear the lads singing, so right there I decided I wanted be in the sheds as part of a team, rather than outside, getting ready for the lonely trip back on the road. Became a manager first, did my Level 2 coaching course and spend many happy years coaching adults and then finished up with schoolboys, at my sons’ school.
Never really did want to run the whistle after that, but I am always amazed, particularly among the younger referees, the animosity they get from ignorant people up close on the sidelines.
If you want your kids to enjoy their Rugby, then don’t dispagage the kids who are genuinely trying to be good refs.

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

That;’s why Gordon Bray is so good to listen to – he is a ref and he stays current on the laws.

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

Laws!!

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

..Ouch!!

It's time we educated ourselves on the laws of rugby

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1w

I’m no expert in this, and it’s only what I read between the lines.
Nigel Wray was one of the original entrepreneurs when Rugby went professional, and was run by the clubs until the RFU got its act together.. As an entrepreneur, he was, no doubt, resourceful, with right field ideas. Got caught out and has now has now had to resign – must be a bitter pill, and the club has not actually escaped relegation.
Now we will watch the deserters from the sinking ship. Don’t think it won’t happen

English champions Saracens to be relegated for salary cap breach

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1w
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