Roar Rookie
Joined September 2013
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While reflecting on the year of rugby that was, naturally I thought to the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia. The one thing…
You'd be forgiven for not following the Canada versus Maori All Blacks match on Sunday if you live outside of Canada. It was streamed…
With the Bledisloe concluded in style, every rugby tragic would be forgiven for feeling somewhat dejected. Fortunately, the European Test season is just around…
It seems that, for all intents and purposes, this year's Heineken Cup will be the last. Discussions between the English and the French on…
If, heaven forbid, Argentina wins the Test match this weekend, what happens? The reaction to recent results have generated reactions nothing short of apoplectic,…
I think it’s a pretty big stretch to say a poor England performance is somehow indicative of pending success. That would be dependent on a) England getting a big, positive, emotional jump out of losing, rather than the reverse, and b) Australia letting off. I don’t think either of those are likely, under the circumstances. That’s what we heard about the Wallabies going into the Bledisloe after all. Even if we assume it’ll fire up England, you may not be able to put a stat on heart but sometimes it just can’t overcome talent, size, training, and technique.
England set World Cup sting for Kangaroos
Now that, friends, is how you do a promo!
Bledisloe III: How can the Wallabies beat All Blacks?
Personally I’d watch the Wales v Australia game if only to see a potential George North – Israel Folau rematch. Hopefully he gets released from Northampton for that game, since it technically falls out of the off-limits period.
But you’re right, It could prove a preview of the upcoming World Cup, although I expect with a full strength side McKenzie wouldn’t select a lot of the players he’s got now.
Assessing the Northern Hemisphere teams: Wales
Side note Scott; it may seem pithy but in the interests of accuracy I thought it had to be said –
I think you’ll find it’s Cory Jane in the video when you give the example of the winger backtracking to fill space while his cover defence comes across in the game against England near the mid-way point of your video. I don’t think Ben Smith was playing Test rugby last year, and I distinctly recall Cory Jane scoring or almost scoring an amazing try in that game.
Other than that, keep up the good work. Apologies if this has been mentioned before.
Bledisloe III: How can the Wallabies beat All Blacks?
I’m feeling the same way Wal. Conrad was good at that defensive system but I don’t think Ben Smith will have the nous to make that push defence work as well. As a fullback in Super Rugby he might lay back a bit (as Cory Jane, and not Ben Smith as indicated in the video, did against England). That would likely break the push across and leave that space out wide. Interesting to watch how the young wizard goes at 13.
Bledisloe III: How can the Wallabies beat All Blacks?
I remember thinking that Argentina seemed really adept at that last year, although I didn’t notice it as much this year. In hindsight I can see that was probably Sir Graham’s influence at work and might not have been such a novel technique on the Pumas’ part…
Bledisloe III: How can the Wallabies beat All Blacks?
Some things I took away from this:
1. Short inside passes could also work once the AB’s have turned to the touchline to start pushing outwards. If Folau pops up on Cooper’s inside shoulder more often, like he did against the Pumas in Rosario, it could be used to great effect.
2. Will the forwards be able to get across and hit rucks if the do elect to fling it wide? Rosario aside some of them have been ruck inspectors so if the ABs adapt and stop pushing out so easily, and the Wallabies realize that and start attack wide again, would the forwards be able to get over and ready the next phase?
Bledisloe III: How can the Wallabies beat All Blacks?
As both a Melbourne Rebels and Sri Lanka Rugby fan, this is really positive news. I hope Sri Lanka’s newfound international acceptance will help the sport grow. Asian Rugby is lacking someone to challenge the Japanese. The lack of competitiveness is hurting Japan’s development and that of the interest in Asian nations they play.
Imagine if the Rebels had Shota Horie and a Sri Lankan player!
First Sri Lankan Super Rugby player could be a Rebel
I originally thought this rule was pretty uncompetitive but I can see the need for it. If a really large maul like that first one in the video goes down it’s going to be incredibly hard to role away and there’s no sense wasting any time for the scrum half to dig it out. So really, I can see how the choke tackle technique really is an effective way to apply the rules. But I do have a problem with once it goes down, players deliberately smothering it. E.g. if the ball becomes available after the maul goes to ground, there is a player holding on to it as if they had been holding on while the maul had been upright. I think that’s what Genia was saying in the last clip. The ball appears to squirt out but after it goes to ground the Springboks hold on. I recognize it’s a very nuanced area and I have only rarely seen that but I hope it stays that way.
Why the Wallabies struggle with the 'choke tackle'
Well, the size on some of these guys has always made me a little suspicious.
HGH testing a concern for Roosters and NRL
Super Rugby is, in the long-term, likely not feasible. I don’t think it allows for enough depth in test level talent, especially in Australia’s case, and I don’t think it attracts enough local attention (what with the NSW Waratahs, for example, only playing in Sydney and not other parts of NSW). I proposed a Champions League of club rugby below, and I do think that’s the way forward. If Australia had something like that in place, I don’t see why any of the involved SANZAR countries would need Super Rugby. SA would have Currie Cup, NZ would have NPC, Argentina would have the Campeonato Argentino, and Australia would have this comp. Having the winners of each of these comps face of might make sense, but the protracted Super Rugby season is such a daunting task I can’t see it lasting long.
ARU heading towards third tier and FTA TV
Between the lines of what I’ve read about this so far, it seems what the ARU is hoping to set up is a Champions League of clubs (i.e. 3 from Shute Shield, QPR, 2 from Dewar shield and WA Premier Grade, etc.) Right now they couldn’t do that given the gap in publicity, financial power, playing numbers or skills of some of the clubs outside NSW or Queensland, but it sounds like making Super Rugby players play club in their Super Rugby city/state and curtailing payments are means to level the playing field for when that happens.
I can’t imagine the ARU going to the effort of starting up an entirely new national competition given the financial cost and the shortage of domestic talent in most of the regions. Clubs are already set up throughout most of the country. Besides, being involved in the new plan would probably appease the clubs rather than alienate them by going over their heads.
ARU heading towards third tier and FTA TV
I think Cronulla’s ability to “afford” fines should be irrelevant. Punishment is a consequence of breaking the rules. They should have though about this sort of thing before they injected their players with PEDs.
BREAKING: NRL announce Cronulla Sharks sanctions - $1m fine, suspensions