France has a very high standard in Rugby no doubt partly contributed to by nationals from other countries joining French clubs. Healthy competition lifted the standard. International player contributed to lifting standards ; that is why French clubs chase them. The competition is strong and earns big bucks; unlike our struggling RA

Why can’t the young players have it both ways ? The issue here is getting the Wallabies to be of a higher standard, win major games, attract sponsorship and encourage Aussie kids to wannabe a Wallaby. The obvious first step is to open up selections to include in the pool those who have ventured overseas and not restrict but expand choices for selectors. If it increases the odds on Wallabies being successful there will likely be flow on effects. More will want to play and support the game.. It is not right that a good player should think of sacrificing his personal earning capacity to satisfy RA targets especially when it’s unsoundly based.

At Club and state level (eg Shute Shield) money is scarce. Advertising revenue is virtually non-existent, tv channels know they cant sell rugby as it is now. It has been like that for far too long. That is the fact. The so called balancing act between having good local players in local competitions and limiting Wallabies selection, for all the good intentions of RA and its predecessor, has proven hopeless and a failure. Wallabies will only start lifting its standards up on the world stage when RA accepts that today and in the future, at representative level. it is a competitive world game and, remove artificial barriers to player movement. As a good player leaves the gap he leaves in a local team encourages those that remain to step into his shoes. Add to that the proven case that many of our local coaches themselves take work and salaries from overseas and return to coach here with enhanced skills.

So you think it is fair to a promising 20 year old rugby player to say you will never play for your country if you play overseas. There are public policy considerations but the idea that RA can put the heavies on a patriotic ambitious young man to not follow the money and try his hand overseas is grossly heavy handed and to me is akin to actions of a demagogue. It ought be encouraging rugby ambition.

You are all wrong. Journos promote league because they are entertained and follow the dictates of their editors. Nothing to do with how good the sport is, l love rugby and I love league. Rugby refs are pedantic and over ref. RL refs ignore offside rules, scrum rules and keep the game flowing until ad breaks. I don’t envy refs their jobs.

If you look at professional basketball which has been a basket case (ha ha) in promoting their game here, the fact is that the game is popular and growing because of the number of Aussie NBA players in the national team. The only way ahead for rugby is the same. Allow young players to go and play for the money overseas. They will want to play for their country. I agree that the success of the Wallabies is the most important tool in advancing rugby which is now regarded as such a low tier sport commercial tv channels don’t consider it worthwhile to televise due to poor ratings. But the Wallabies self imposed restrictions on selections are self defeating in achieving that goal. Players deserve opportunities not restrictions.

RA has no product if our best players follow the money and travel away to play. Go to any Shute Shield club and you will observe an increasing trend for player to go to play in France, UK, USA, Italy, UK for money their local club can’t afford. An Isolationist policy in the professional rugby world is an anachronism. Look at all the other professional sports. You can’t keep the young bucks down on the farm !

Waratahs very sloppy but will take win points as they will need them unless they greatly improve. In all the reports not one mention of the great games played by the halfback Jack Grant. Always at the breakdown giving speedy service. (English halfback , take note). And the try saving tackle by Jack Grant in the corner, involving him putting his body on the line to stop both ball and man, in the result, was the match winner.

Glued to my seat in thrilling close game in the downpour. Even teams appeared to enjoy the wet. Afraid Waratahs made mistakes at the wrong time, Entry of old experienced journeyman players by Waratahs backfired. They were slow at the defensive line when it counted and were outclassed by Reds backup young players. Time for Horton to lift his game – he has a weak throw in and killed the comeback of the Tahs.

What is it about RA bureaucrats and their repeated policies to saboutage Australian teams at the Rugby World Cup ?
Australian selectors should choose from all not a limited few. To discriminate against an Aussie player who seeks to cash in on his playing skills, is unsound thinking and unfair to players who have a limited playing career. It is not un -Australian to follow the dollars. To oblige him to choose between his country and financial reward is to deny the player a fair go. Like the Giteau policy it will work against local rugby achieving a world standard.
The RA panel ought resign.

Refs are a necessary as are judges. Finality is what is wanted with decisions. Just finish the determination and let the game move on. A ref should be relatively unnoticed like a good restaurant waiter. The problem is that a penalty award is too high given the value of a try and in result teams play for the penalty as with the disproportionate value balance, refs not player skills decide game outcomes.

Rugby is a sport but for financial reasons, it is now an entertainment. TV is the medium and the media is the message. Viewer popularity is a major consideration if the game is to grow.

Penalties deciding games are anathema. Running rugby (even by set pieces) is what viewers want to see. The referee is unfortunately indispensable but decisions based on unseen technical breaches should be banned – especially if only picked up by the often pedantic TMO. Video replays are good but should only occur to determine point scoring doubts.
Unfortunately criticism of referees for ruining the flow of the game has led to far fewer penalties for players being offside. This is killing the game. In turn players are encouraged to rush up in defence from offside positions with impunity which in turn has killed running rugby . I suspect that the trend for the half to box kick has also resulted – don’t pass the ball to the backs but kick a speculative up and under and voluntarily give up possession. To me this is a mind boggling trend.

Coaches are now obsessed with attacking teams getting over the gameline, so we have flat back attack lines supposedly improving the attack but making backs increasingly the successful target of defenders who are never onside.

The best player on the field was Tupou by a mile. He is such a force. Cooper and the backline would not be going forward if Tupou was not there. When he comes off the opposition forwards breathe a sigh of relief. Great to see slick back play but not all opposition would be fooled by the set piece off the back of lineout or scrum involving a winger who is timed to run off a Tupou sucking defenders in. Forwards still win games.

Go Rob

Great game but I wonder what would have happened if Jack Maddocks had been at fullback as he is renown for kicking long accurately better than alternate Aussie fullbacks. Must admit that I would have preferred long territory kicks to box kicks. The South African game is simply for territory then use forwards to steamroll defence and wait for penalties. Cannot understand why Wallabies tried to run ball out rather than exit kick.

Thrilling win. But don’t forget the tries went the Boks way. Wallabies undisciplined in their own half nearly cost the game. As usual ref decisions clear but reasoning aloud destroys continuity of the game.

Not the coaches but the players who faltered. Need better soldiers.

I disagree with the author. The Wallabies in the second half were useless and frequently Impatient in attack. Giving the ABs the ball instead of starving them of it, if that was the plan , was madness. The halfback had guts but was a target of all the AB forwards when they attacked. He was smashed in D. Not a protector in sight. Was Swinton playing oh yes to yet again surrender the ball. In attack just outside the tryline the Wallabies ran one up at a solid wall -not even a plan to latch. The bench of the ABs was again deep, the replacement Aussie forwards never got into the game, or weren’t allowed to. The hype after the first game just fired up the ABs as many feared it would do. No, “ having a go” instead of steadycontrolled football backfired.

Durant has signed with the NETS for 4 years for $US 200 million. Mills has a 2 year deal for $Aus 16 million.

great piece

I have been following Patty for years. Australia has had many good players – 2 Gazes, Heal, Longley to name a few. But Patty is the greatest. For a small man to play a tall man’s game at NBA level is phenomenal in itself. Particularly so when he has repeatedly been under rated by NBA scouts – look at his salary record. For Aussies the pay is great but compared with the big performers, it is peanuts. Popovich initially had 2 great guards in the Spurs, so Patty was a bench warmer until he was sent on to spark the team. The Spurs won an NBA title with greats Duncan Parker and Ginobli but followers will recall the game turned when Patty came on and wham hit threes at a crucial time. Since the retirement of the Spurs great centre and those 2 guards, the Spurs management has failed to find loyal replacements and while Popovich claims he admires Patty’s skills one suspects he only likes big players. Spurs didn’t even make post season.
Frankly Duncan made Popovich and Pop should retire.
Patty was truly the most loyal Spurs player as he stuck with them when they were crashing. He is a gentleman with great character.
Patty now goes to the Nets and I am sure that many of his fans are going with him.

Poor old nuns are blamed for everything in Ireland including the appalling weather.

The commentator misses the most important aspect of the box kick It is the ideal way for a team in possession of the ball to wave the white flag. It sends the message that we give in, your defence is too good, we have no patience, we think we can win the game by giving you the ball. The reality is that referees have been so maligned by the media for stop/starting the game by offside calls, that the referees have thought it better to be less strict and in effect allow offside play with rush defences. The box kick would disappear if, as they once did, at the start of games they made offside calls and put teams on notice they will enforce the law. Not only has the box kick become fashionable but playing hands on running rugby has gone.

The Argentinians would have won if it was a diving competition. Coach better have the squad practice that art for the rest of the games.

This time Lolesio played well behind a set of forwards getting to the breakdown early, winning lineouts, who were going forward, and setting a platform. His goal kicking was reliable. When things go well confidence returns. Obviously both the forwards and he will be tested by the All Blacks.