Roar Guru
Joined August 2016
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In this article, I will look at the possible back lines that Dave Rennie may decide to opt for in 2020. In a nutshell,…
Going back through the last six World Cup winning teams, every side has opted for big-bodied, tall and powerful players at both number 8…
On Friday Will Knight wrote an article entitled ‘Calm down over Quade’, and it's about time someone put together a rebuttal. Aside from the…
Few followers of Australian rugby would say that the current coaching staff had succeeded in improving the players since Super Rugby. In 2018 the…
The Rugby Championship is almost upon us for another year, and it's no surprise to see New Zealand are primed to take out the…
In the first Bledlisloe test of 2018 Michael Cheika has the chance to start anew. To create a new narrative around his coaching of…
The Brumbies were expected to cruise against the Sunwolves, but the game was a lot closer than expected. Here are five things we learned.…
The 2018 Super Rugby season is almost upon us. While you keep up with all the excitement try and keep an eye out for…
Looking ahead to season 2018, the Brumbies' back row looks like their biggest strength. Strengths Back row David Pocock is the best player Australia…
We've come to the end of another enthralling and surprising rugby year. Here's my report card for each of the teams. 1. New Zealand…
What would once have been considered a fairly straightforward match for the Wallabies is shaping up to be one of the Tests of the…
The Kiwis, England and South Africa all have a very important advantage over Australia: they have enough talent to let them decide what a…
It is clear Bernard Foley will be the Wallabies' first choice 10 unless some Stephen Larkham-esque talent is unearthed. However, it is still necessary…
Michael Cheika brought through a lot of young talent in 2017. Jack Dempsey, Lukhan Tui, Izack Rodda, Jorda Uelese and Marike Koroibete were all…
It is an age of turmoil for Australian rugby. Results are dire. Australian Super Rugby teams were 0-26 against Kiwi opponents in 2017, the…
Dave Wessels’ decision to remain in Australia and coach the Melbourne Rebels shows the measure of the great man that he is, and should…
On very few occasions since Stephen Larkham's retirement after the 2007 Rugby World Cup has the Wallaby backline looked fluid and professional in both…
After the nail-biting Bledisloe 2, Paul Cully in the Sydney Morning Herald wrote the following. Do we pat the Wallabies on the back for…
Following the retirement of legends Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Keven Mealamu, many wondered if the All Blacks would suffer…
The back-row, or loose forwards, are absolutely key when it comes to both dominating the breakdown – and therefore both securing possession and slowing…
I agree Wright could have made a good 7, but I don’t think he’s the type of 7 that Rennie would want given the style of rugby he plays. Someone like Jake White would be more likely to prefer Wright at 7.
Given the shift towards having dual open sides may actually increase due to the new ruck interpretations, it bodes well for Wright who combines the positives of a 7 at the breakdown with the tight defence and line out jumping of a 6.
Gill was such a shame wasn’t he. I guess he just felt he was behind both Pocock and Hooper. I heard that was partly why McMahon went abroad also.
Changing of the red guard bodes well for the Wallabies
Wonderfully said. It is potentially a tragedy of the commons type scenario. I fear we both might both become kings of nothing rather than princes of something greater.
Critics keep coming for NZ Rugby over proposed breakaway comp
Apparently he is going to France next year but will always be eligible for the Wallabies as he played super this year and has signed a two year contract for 2022-23.
Changing of the red guard bodes well for the Wallabies
I think Wright has a good chance at becoming a Fardy-type 6. Australian fans loved Fardy, it was just Cheika who didn’t.
Wright isn’t quite the enforcer Fardy was, but he is similarly smart, a very good breakdown technician, a good leader and has good skills and speed for a 6. If he can force himself ahead of Valetini he may have a long Wallaby career at 6. I don’t think he was going to have that sort of career at 7. I don’t know if it was lack of speed or natural tendency of wanting to play tight (maybe both), but he didn’t look to have the linking skills in attack or the speed in defence that most top 7s who play attacking rugby tend to have.
Changing of the red guard bodes well for the Wallabies
Because realistically the Brumbies are all you can add to the Force and Rebels, Piru. I still do not think it is outside the realm of possibility that my Brumbies end up not existing next year.
Critics keep coming for NZ Rugby over proposed breakaway comp
Contracts have been known to end early, especially in uncertain environments like this. I’ve not heard anything but it isn’t outside the realm of possibility that he’s back earlier than we expect.
I think we should have a foreign marquee player rule. Let the Wallabies coach select one Australian player from abroad, if they think it is required.
Changing of the red guard bodes well for the Wallabies
I think 90% of Australian fans think he is our best current player to be honest
Changing of the red guard bodes well for the Wallabies
I think Rennie may opt for Philip and Salakaia-Loto. He may opt for Simmons but I think it’s probably less likely at this stage. Simmons is an excellent line out technician and a good scrummager but I don’t think he offers enough at the breakdown or ball running compared to the other two. I think he may back the others and just work on Philip’s calling.
Changing of the red guard bodes well for the Wallabies
Yeah, I agree. Ditto with what Daveski says above, I would prefer an in form McCaffrey at 6 over Samu or Wright.
Changing of the red guard bodes well for the Wallabies
Interesting! I think Swinton has exactly the same issues with inconsistency as Rob at this stage. I’d say that Wright and Samu are the frontrunners, depending on what style of play Rennie wants to opt for.
Changing of the red guard bodes well for the Wallabies
I thought Valetini had one of his better games on the weekend, but I’m still not sure he’s quite yet ready
Changing of the red guard bodes well for the Wallabies
I think Philip looks like a lock, if you excuse the pun 😊
Changing of the red guard bodes well for the Wallabies
Yeah he has been quality and a big part of why Lolesio has done so well this season. But it is easier competing with one guy for a position, than 2!
Brumbies dealt massive blow with Noah Lolesio out for two months
Harrison will combine well with O’Connor I think. JOC can come into first receiver when required on attack and Harrison can manage the game better. Left footer and right footer at 10 and 12.
Brumbies dealt massive blow with Noah Lolesio out for two months
I had him a reasonable way in front of Harrison if only because of the way that the Rennie teams I’ve seen have played. He seems to like to play attacking rugby off of 9s and 10s that run the call aggressively and are good at distributing at the line.
But this is a great chance for Harrison and I hope he takes it
Brumbies dealt massive blow with Noah Lolesio out for two months
I wonder whether Pasitoa may switch to 12? He is big enough!
Brumbies dealt massive blow with Noah Lolesio out for two months
Looking forward to see Pasitoa get a run too. But yeah golden opportunity for Harrison, and golden opportunity for the Wallabies to get a quality out of hand and goal kicker at 10! One door closes and another opens I guess. But sad for Noah
Brumbies dealt massive blow with Noah Lolesio out for two months
What is the point I’ll say who I think would make it and you’ll obviously disagree and that will be that.
I don’t think the Wallabies are that much substantially weaker this year than the side was in 2019. I actually think Rennie will choose a stronger team than Cheika usually did last year. And the coaching difference between the two sides are is the biggest difference I think. Our coaching has gone up a lot and I’m not sure the same can be said of the All Blacks’.
The weekend that made Super Rugby AU
I’m not going to give you a list of names as you will just assure me how much better the Kiwi equivalents are. There is no point.
The weekend that made Super Rugby AU
Mate, they conceded 50 points to Cheika’s Wallabies. If you lose by an record score to Cheika’s Wallabies, you’re not that good.
No one is denying they were better than the Wallabies last year, the Wallabies were terrible. But the results of the All Blacks last year indicates you are really overrating their quality.
Add to that we now have a much, much better coaching team than last year and the All Blacks almost certainly has a weaker coaching team than last year.
Not saying the Wallabies will necessarily win any matches against them this year. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they did.
The weekend that made Super Rugby AU
I would be stupendously surprised if both of Cane and Savea are preferred to Hooper. In fact, I’d be pretty surprised if either were.
The weekend that made Super Rugby AU
Mate, the All Blacks conceded 50 points against Cheika’s Wallabies and got pounded by an English side well beaten by South Africa and Wales last year.
The All Blacks, while still very good, are not that great.
I can think of 3-4 Wallabies I think would start for the All Blacks. But more impotently, unlike most of 08-18 I don’t think most of the All Black starters are that much better than their Australian equivalents. Obviously players like Taylor, Retallick, Mounga are exceptions.
The weekend that made Super Rugby AU
There was a story a few weeks/months ago indicating perhaps the US
Nic White could get Super Rugby AU run after returning to Brumbies
Whether we field 1-2 competitive teams isn’t relevant to how the Australian teams perform at an aggregate though. We usually had 2-3 cellar dwellers, even when we had a couple of good teams. Even in 2011 and 2014 our teams has a win rate <50% at an aggregate level.
Dear Rugby Australia, make the NRC the main game
It’s a fair comment. From a win/loss ratio against the Kiwis I wish Australian fans would be honest with themselves and say we will always come off second best at a 1:1 ratio with the Kiwis.
But the Kiwis also need to accept that was is good for them isn’t necessarily good for Australian fans. All rugby fans in New Zealand have a team to follow as I understand it. If you cut one of our teams then only followers in 4 states / territories have a team to follow. Couple that with the much larger distances here. There is understandably an appetite for the biggest geographic footprint we can have, regardless of whether it maximises results.
Critics keep coming for NZ Rugby over proposed breakaway comp