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Joined August 2013
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"Never confuse motion with action."
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It was the Eighties. The final leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhael Gorbachev was more open. He brought glasnost and perestroika. To ramp up…
We are shaped by early lessons; roots and place and sky and sea and most of all, the tales we’re told by family. Three-atoll…
Rugby chatter is obsessed with time. Old-timers and nostalgists bemoan how “slow” the game has become, clogged by box kicks. “The Try From the…
France and Ireland contested the Six Nations this year. It came down to one score between them on a dark night in Paris with…
The chalk dust has settled. The tackle bags are in the lorries. The cards are back in the pocket. Game plans discarded or enshrined.…
What do we gain by going to the game? The deficit is palpable. It costs. A Round 4 ticket to sold-out Twickenham with England…
Efficiency versus obduracy. Sometimes stubbornness wins. Often, it reveals cracks in a smooth machine which functioned perfectly in the lab. Gracious guru of rugby…
France did not come easy or early to rugby union. In the late 19th century, a French journalist - who must have witnessed a…
France measures things. Cream, air, happiness, ascents, scrums. On a moving sidewalk in a small town in the Rhone-Alpes, I saw a small sign:…
South Africa is North Africa? Rugby union is finally in union? How loud does money talk? Arguments about change in rugby leagues are akin…
Ireland goes to Paris this weekend to battle France for northern hemisphere supremacy. If they win, it will be ten Tests in a row,…
Subtract the Italy cakewalks and what does Eddie have? Nine wins in his last 26 Six Nations Tests. Only Italy have fared worse. Whilst…
The Six Nations kicked off in Dublin with Ireland beating reigning champions Wales 29-7. The teams were ... Ireland: Keenan, Conway, Ringrose, Aki, Hansen,…
Scotland won the Calcutta Cup with a gritty 20-17 Six Nations victory over bitter rivals England, a result that can be explained in ten…
The Calcutta Cup headlines the opening weekend of the 2022 Six Nations. Thus, it is time to dust off our familiar tropes about the…
With the Six Nations now just weeks away, it's time to unpack all five teams' chances of taking the crown in 2022, while acknowledging…
Rassie Erasmus bores easily. He has a fertile mind. Innovative is an understatement. Disruptive, vulgar, irreverent, sometimes petty, even childish, but also obsessively interested…
The 23rd iteration of the Six Nations rugby tournament is just around the corner. In preparation, we take a look at the best version…
The 2022 Six Nations looms in four weeks time. Six storylines are apparent. Five are about the rugby. Take your pick. Parity is the…
What a brave pundit I am. Reaching across space, time, injury, illness, and acts of God, I am picking the likely team of the…
Leinster poses a serious obstacle for all! In the QFs, we will see Kitshoff-Malherbe (Stormers) up against Schoeman-WP Nel (Edinburgh) in a tasty scrum battle! Plenty of 🏉 to absorb coming up!
The Wrap: Finals footy arrives two weeks early as Blues and Brumbies slug it out in Canberra
Yes, we are definitely seeing that tactic: defending teams pull the tackled carrier over on purpose, as long as they have the ball cocooned. So, even if the attacker is trying to just make a yard, they give him two! Can’t say I love the new rule. So hard to score a try; seems we would want to do 5 m scrum.
The Wrap: Finals footy arrives two weeks early as Blues and Brumbies slug it out in Canberra
Personally, I’m just mad BBBBB has now learnt how to win a match with a drop goal!
The Wrap: Finals footy arrives two weeks early as Blues and Brumbies slug it out in Canberra
Yes, the Brumbies made a full 80’s worth of tackles in the 1H and yet were still right there. Tough team to break down, and the way they held up the ball three times was magic.
The Wrap: Finals footy arrives two weeks early as Blues and Brumbies slug it out in Canberra
I’ll stick around, mate.
The Wrap: Finals footy arrives two weeks early as Blues and Brumbies slug it out in Canberra
Helpful article.
Super Rugby Finals: Best and worst case ladder positions for every team and predicted quarterfinal match ups
Was highly anticipating this Wrap, given Damongate in Canberra. Clash of styles and level of intensity made it incredibly interesting to the neutral, but it did look to me as if the Blues were “heavier” in contact all night; also, I am sad but understand why the Wrap has no mention of the Stormers finishing second overall in the URC log (winning the SA shield, which is unsuitable for drinking, but courtesy of Frans the Long Bind Malherbe now has a place in the pod trophy case), three Saffa teams making the playoffs (albeit the Sharks and the Bulls will play in one QF) and the Heineken tourney next year, which probably vitiates SARU’s plan to join the Pro14. Long term, the ability to play Euro Cups and get closer to Euro levels of earning, should mitigate the player drain a bit. Maybe a global calendar will be attained in super-gradual little incremental steps.
The Wrap: Finals footy arrives two weeks early as Blues and Brumbies slug it out in Canberra
I think Nic would’ve just tackled himself! Haha! He was gassed!
REACTION: 'Reckon we'll get an apology' - Battered by the ref, bettered by Barrett, Brumbies blow Blues battle
Mine, too! I like getting detailed with players.
Jumping the gun by a few weeks: A Wallabies 23 to face the Poms
Us, too! We are finding it easier + easier to book too guests so something is going well!
Jumping the gun by a few weeks: A Wallabies 23 to face the Poms
Yes, but there was another tackler in position, and Nic had stepped in the quicksand!
REACTION: 'Reckon we'll get an apology' - Battered by the ref, bettered by Barrett, Brumbies blow Blues battle
Had to constrict BLU. They couldn’t hang in an NBA scoring contest.
REACTION: 'Reckon we'll get an apology' - Battered by the ref, bettered by Barrett, Brumbies blow Blues battle
Thanks, pm. Rough crowd! Hang in there!
Jumping the gun by a few weeks: A Wallabies 23 to face the Poms
We often see lopsided penalty counts when running metres (635-120) and tackle counts (108-39) are lopsided. And that’s just just one half of footy. The Blues have been doing this same thing all season to everyone. The Brumbies had the right game plan to negate it, but just didn’t close it out.
REACTION: 'Reckon we'll get an apology' - Battered by the ref, bettered by Barrett, Brumbies blow Blues battle
When we get these tight matches between top 2 teams w clashing styles, it’s time to enjoy the intensity! No ref story here at all. 12-1 in 1H was actually not odd given BLU camped in red zone, held up 3 times, and BRU hanging on tenaciously + cleverly. In the end, BRU needed to close out 2 minutes and BLU snatched it instead. Great match. Awesome advertisement. One feels a rematch!
REACTION: 'Reckon we'll get an apology' - Battered by the ref, bettered by Barrett, Brumbies blow Blues battle
Some excellent ideas, but reducing the value of a penalty would definitely have an unintended consequence of creating MORE of an incentive to commit even more infringements to prevent a try. Three points from kickable positions create a good curb to cynical ball-slowing.
Reduce the value of penalties, and four more law changes that would be game-changing for rugby
Haha! He’s a good ‘un. Paddy missed kicks so he is out as Ginger 10 Man. Rhys P not picked by Pivac. so, it’s Tane at the top!
'We can't be naïve': Tahs give Tane contract update as 'forgotten man' looks to jog memories
Best ginger 20 in WR. Does he have a Saffa nan? Pollard is 28; Elton 32.
'We can't be naïve': Tahs give Tane contract update as 'forgotten man' looks to jog memories
Won’t touch that! Haha
Exclusive: Ned Hanigan on how Japan changed him, Wallabies ambition, dealing with doubters and his 'surreal' Tahs return
That’s good journalism and excellent writing, Big T.
Exclusive: Ned Hanigan on how Japan changed him, Wallabies ambition, dealing with doubters and his 'surreal' Tahs return
They do the right things but the ref seems to see the old (but not too old) guy’s pictures clearer!
Two ends of the same dial: can Angus Bell and Owen Franks star at the World Cup?
We’ve learned we underestimate Duane at our peril. His steal at the death won against the ABs on the Gold Coast. Has that nous.
Two ends of the same dial: can Angus Bell and Owen Franks star at the World Cup?
Yes, but in the heat of battle, that 28-33 ish prop prime still wins out!
Two ends of the same dial: can Angus Bell and Owen Franks star at the World Cup?
Amazing heirloom
Two ends of the same dial: can Angus Bell and Owen Franks star at the World Cup?
The Blues aren’t finding it hard! 60 in a season so far!
The Wrap: Finals footy arrives two weeks early as Blues and Brumbies slug it out in Canberra