Roar Guru
Joined February 2019
73.5k
Views
53
Published
1.3k
Comments
Former New Zealand journalist teaching in Istanbul. Fave teams - Canes and Jags. Can be found chatting live on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IstanbulWingman
Published
Comments
Last weekend, China booked their place at the Olympics. Hosting the Asian qualifying tournament in the southern city of Guangzhou, the Chinese women amassed…
The Six Nations begin to resemble Wile E. Coyote with their collective failures at the Rugby World Cup. Just as the Looney Tunes character…
I have to confess I did not watch the World Cup final live. That would have required time off work and a trip to…
The international rugby community's attention will be fixed on the World Cup semi-finals this weekend, with many wondering if the Brits can defy the…
South Africa's Bitzbok top the bill as the Safari Sevens return to Nairobi this weekend, thanks to a lucrative sponsorship deal with Kenya Breweries…
In reaching the quarter-finals for the first time, Japan have single-handedly hauled this World Cup out of the flames of disaster. The typhoon-induced cancellations,…
Japan stands on the brink of qualification for the World Cup quarter-finals after victories over Russia, Ireland and Samoa, but still needs to get…
It has been said that the 'real' World Cup begins with the quarter-finals. That is because the tournament is invariably confined by this stage…
The Rugby World Cup's expansion from sixteen teams to twenty after just three tournaments appeared premature, to say the least, but it also gave…
Nothing livens up a World Cup tournament like upsets, and while Fiji were one of the main hopes to produce a surprise in Japan…
Back in the day, it was fashionable for teams to include stop-off Tests in minor rugby-playing nations during overseas tours, and this undoubtedly helped…
Zimbabwe won the Victoria Cup on Saturday with a 41-5 defeat of Zambia in Lusaka. The four-nation tournament was revived this year after the…
World Cup-winning All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has blamed World Rugby for failing to stand up to the Six Nations and force through its…
One question that has certainly been settled in the World Cup era is that of hemispheric dominance. Those of us of sufficient vintage will…
The tiny island of Nauru made its international debut with an 89-5 loss to hosts Papua New Guinea in the Oceania Championships last weekend,…
Tiny Nauru made its Test debut in an 89-5 loss to Papua New Guinea on Friday, Zimbabwe got one hand on Africa's Victoria Cup…
Russia were beaten by Italy in their World Cup warm-up fixture at San Benedetto del Tronto last weekend, predictably enough, though it appears there…
Rugby is the ninth most popular sport in the world but its global appeal is restricted by too many players, complex rules, the widening…
If player numbers per capita are an accurate gauge, the most rugby-mad nation in the world is not three-time World Cup winner New Zealand,…
May the best team win at the Rugby World Cup in Japan this year, but preferably that won't be the All Blacks. Now, firstly,…
Most caps for zero tries in a particular position:
All-time:
Fullback: 33, Billy Bancroft (Wales, 1890-1901)
Wing: 17, LM Notoglia (Italy, 2004-6)
Centre: 29 J Cannon (Can,2001-5)
Flyhalf: 38, Y Tamura^ (Jpn, 2013-19) (Record for a full career is 35, EP Elwood, Ire, 1993-99)
Scrumhalf: 63, G Begadze (Geo, 2011-19) (Record for a full career is 60, LE Pissarra, Port, 1996-2007)
Prop: 108, T Franks (NZ, 2009-19)
Hooker: 51, H Bennett (Wales, 2003-12)
Lock: 72, LC Charteris (Wales, 2004-17)
Flank: 44, TA Wood (Eng, 2011-17)
No. 8: 33, DK Denton (Sco, 2011-18)
Current (capped in 2019):
Fullback: 12, WJE Hooley (USA)
Wing: 16, G Aptsiauri (Geo)
Centre: 18, T Castelo (Italy)
Flyhalf: 38, Y Tamura (Jpn)
Scrumhalf: 63, G Begadze (Geo)
Prop: 68, JWG Marler (Eng)
Hooker: 29, EVT Taione (Tonga)
Lock: 64, BS Davies (Wales)
Flank: 23, R Wilson (Sco)
No. 8: 26 R Wilson (Sco)
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Sure, they played in Krasnodar because Krasnoyarsk is under six feet of snow – as usual.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
Just watched the end of Enisei – Worcester in the Challenge Cup. The latter won 14-57. About 150 people in the stadium.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
I just heard Singapore will indeed be the sixth team. Just looking for confirmation. I suspect this will be very similar to the CANZ series that ran in opposition to the South Pacific Series back in the early 90s. It lasted just a few years but made its point and helped bring about Super Rugby. I am hopeful Rapid Rugby will help bring about something similar in the South East Asia-Oceania region. I’m a big fan of Russia and its rugby team, but their place is clearly in Europe.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
Well, what happens when and if it gets to that stage is another matter and purely conjecture. What is for certain next year is that will only be six teams and Singapore or Shanghai will be the sixth. Krasnoyarsk has no chance at this stage.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
I just checked the schedule which was released this week, and it’s a round robin. No conferences. Mashallah! 😊 👍
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
Conferences for a six team tournament sounds awful, period 🤢
Meanwhile, the South American pro comp scheduled to debut next year is apparently down to five clubs and none from Argentina. At this point Uruguay has two teams, Brazil is down to one and Chile and Paraguay will also be fielding one apiece.
In other news, Johan Diergaardt has been appointed as caretaker coach of the Namibian national rugby team until a permanent appointment is made.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
You’re talking about the men, obviously? Yes, you’re probably right. But China’s women are already qualified and hopefully they do well and generate a little publicity for the sport in the world’s most populous nation.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
We’ll have to agree to disagree. Krasnoyarsk to Apia would take a couple of days each way. I think Krasnoyarsk is locked in a bitter struggle with Moscow right now and is using this prospect for leverage, but it’s not a realistic proposition. Shanghai would be great, and with their women qualifying for the Olympics that will really start to put the sport on the map there. I still suspect Singers, however, and that would be a reasonably compact South Asia-Oceania competition. That’s the way forward.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
Krasnoyarsk won’t be involved. Far to far and too many flights involved. They’d spend half the week in the air. Also, not strong enough and not a recognisable brand. It would be more rugby leaguesque than Greece qualifying for the World Cup 😛
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
Shanghai rumored to be the 6th team though I bet it’ll turn out to be Singapore, who were involved in the pilot series. Exciting times. This could lead Australia and NZ in a new direction in the long-term, away from SA and Argentina and toward Japan and the Pacific Islands.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
Won their division, sorry 😛
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
Mongols, I’m talking . . .
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
Tallest man in the world is Turkish, but the average height here is a couple of inches below Europe. Dutch and Serbs are the tallest nationalities, with an average male height of just over six feet.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
Horsemanship was their strength. They rode smaller horses that could out-maneuver the enemy steeds, and out-distance them on the run. Big dude like that wouldn’t have been much use.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
China even had two men’s XVs teams at one stage – the army one and the civilian one. That’s why they recorded some real poor results, like getting thrashed by India. They’re back to one unified team again and one their division in Asian competition earlier this year – trouncing India along the way.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
Argentina just won its third straight World Classic title in Bermuda, defeating South Africa 16-6 in the final.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Rapid Rugby Teams (well all but one) and fixtures for next season have been announced. As well as prize money. Force, Tigers, Valke, Fiji and Samoa (now known as the Manuma and with the endorsement of the Samoan Union playing out of Samoa itself.). As alluded to, there’s a 6th ‘Team Asia’ (which is just a place holder) to be announced. Rumours suggest possibly based out of Shanghai, though I think it’ll be Singapore, who were in the pilot series.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Early predictions anyone?
If the teams finish in their now customary positions it should be New Zealand or South Africa first, England or France in second, New Zealand in third (if they don’t win), Wales losing in the semis, Australia and Scotland in the quarters – and Ireland dipping out at that stage as per usual. Argentina a 50/50 chance for the quarters, and Wales won’t get that far if they’re drawn in a pool with Samoa.
In other words, some rugby playing nations will probably make the playoffs in some order or another.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
The title was changed and the introduction cut altogether. Another paragraph about the Chinese men finishing 7th at an international tournament in Spain, and Brazil winning a women’s tournament in Uruguay last weekend, was also removed. Don’t worry, I cut my teeth in journalism in rural NZ and have seen it all. Meanwhile, there was also a tournament on Tahiti at the weekend, apparently won by a team from Easter Island.
A disturbance in the Force: China set to shake up world rugby
That’s gobbledygook, Vico. Slow down, take your time and try to separate your stream of consciousness into logical sentences.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
Yes, NZ & SA are far and away the two most successful nations in world rugby. Aussie vies with England for third, but gets the nod on account of its two World Cups to the Pommies’ one. France and Wales contest fifth spot, with Les Bleus’ three World Cup finals trumping Wales’ three semi-finals. After that it’s a dogfight between Argentina, Ireland and Scotland, while Italy is some distance behind.
Collective failure of the Six Nations
I think Italy may have a good tournament and even make the playoffs for the first time, given their form at age-grade level in recent times 👍
Collective failure of the Six Nations