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Ben

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It’s the failure of the Australian rugby establishment to spread the game beyond it’s elite. There, I fixed it for you.

A disastrous decline: 10 Years since the Waratahs won the Super Rugby title and reasons behind growing list of problems

Don’t ask what Super Rugby has done for you but what have you done for Super Rugby? I think there has been a real lack of appreciation for Super Rugby from the Australian public. I base that on commentary I have seen on this thread for the past 20 years, a lot of which always had a problem with South Africa’s involvement. Always Yarpies this and Yarpies that. Australian rugby in dire straits? Good. Couldn’t happen to a better bunch.

A disastrous decline: 10 Years since the Waratahs won the Super Rugby title and reasons behind growing list of problems

Excellent article if it wasn’t so unfortunate to have all these parochial Australians comments with their heads in the sand.
God forbid anyone here admit that South Africa’s, Japan and Argentina’s departure did not completely wreck any semblance of an international competition that was Super Rugby. It must have been a complete financial trainwreck as sponsors and corporates reassessed their involvement with what is now basically an expanded NPC.
With Australians it is all corporate speak and no soul. Where is your Rassie Erasmus, your Siya Kolosi, playing for the people and all that. God it must be excruciating living in the past like many Australians seem to do.
Australia Rugby where is your Why?

A disastrous decline: 10 Years since the Waratahs won the Super Rugby title and reasons behind growing list of problems

I do not live in Australia and have no real knowledge of Hamish McLennan apart from what is in the press but I have to admire the man’s chutzpah. Is the chairman of the RA board a permanent, salaried position for him to be so involved? The hospitality must have been something special in Paris.

The 2023 Wrap: Man who was 'dropped from heaven' and the abject s--t show that followed in his wake

Thank you very much for the interesting article and perspective.

Is it really a rugby issue or a world cup phenomenon?

And are we not just dealing with a unique World Cup knockout style format that most teams are just not very good at?

Contrary to popular belief, South african teams, from school to varsity to URC absolutely LOVE running rugby.

Since the BIL tour to SA, the Boks actually increased tries per game, running meters gained and defenders beaten.

It is my belief that the Boks, by and large, are more than willing to have a 60% winning record between Cups purely to set themselves up for a tight, forward dominated knockout style tournament. 4 years is a long time to have bragging rights

As an aside, the Boks outscored both the French and English teams in tries in crucial knockout games. This is not a binary issue in terms of teams being rewarded or not for ball in hand, the world cup rewards resilience and mental fortitude.

The Boks are not perfect but have generated enormous interest in the game through innovation, from 4 scrumhalves to 7:1 splits, Bomb squads, scrum penalties from marks in their 22 and having rugby’s biggest star in Siya Kolisi. By comparison some of the other top 6 teams almost came accross as entitled (looking at you Ireland and France) to win the tournament and showed that they don’t yet have the mental fortitude to go all the way.

Possession Rugby is on life support - and the stats from the World Cup prove it beyond doubt

If ever a article was written to clickbait South Africans to lose their minds then well done sir you have succeeded with this Saffa.
Quoting the great Oracle Matt Williams gives this all the legitimacy required.

Five things: World Cup final represents good and evil as All Blacks and Springboks face off

Look. I say this respectfully. The Boks don’t give a toss about ball in play, scrum rules, lineouts, kicks, gainline success, “the good of the game”, freeflowing rugby, etc etc. They also don’t want to change rules every 5 minutes if it suits them. They know the laws and simply adjust. They just want to win.

Five things: World Cup final represents good and evil as All Blacks and Springboks face off

England kicked 93% possession away and made zero linebreaks. Is that the blueprint for the All Blacks?
The Boks scored 5 tries to 1 against the All Blacks at Twickenham and was lauded internationally for their expansive play.
Is that what the All Blacks should try again?
I simply cannot understand this shallow understanding of what these Boks are all about. They play each game with a different playbook.
Yes they might lose the Final but they try different tactics and strategies were THE talking point of the entire tournament.
All I am saying is, please dig deeper because this good vs evil bull is just not correct. Try harder.

Five things: World Cup final represents good and evil as All Blacks and Springboks face off

It’s not ONLY a mechanism to restart play. It is also a contest for possession. A weak scrum is an Achilles heel which should be exploited by the opposition as scrumming has technical laws.

If you remove the sanction of penalties then weak teams will cynically infringe without the fear of penalties.

You are confusing Union with League.

UK VIEW: 'Utter heartbreak' for 'brilliant, cunning, courageous' Poms in WC semi 'undeservedly' won by Boks

His name is literally BOK.

UK VIEW: 'Utter heartbreak' for 'brilliant, cunning, courageous' Poms in WC semi 'undeservedly' won by Boks

Look. Fantastic effort from England to try and squeeze the living daylights out of this game.
But to hail this England effort with it’s endless kicks as the second coming is a bridge too far.

Never looking close to scoring a try and coinciding with the worst Bok performance in 4 years this England team is a one trick pony of note.

UK VIEW: 'Utter heartbreak' for 'brilliant, cunning, courageous' Poms in WC semi 'undeservedly' won by Boks

Any serious observer would have predicted this disastrous World Cup campaign right from the onset. Australia beat the Springboks twice in 2021 in Australia playing pragmatic, winning rugby. Frustrated the hell out of me but I respected their tenacity and verve. Continued to lose against the All Blacks and Dave Rennie was vilified by Australian supporters who bayed for his blood. Many applauded Eddie Jones’s return as some kind of messiah. Now the entire sport is in danger of disappearing according to this article. Incredible how brittle the Australian rugby landscape is.

'Laughing at us': Wallabies legend fears doomsday scenario for Australian rugby, urges 'bold' solution

Very good comment, this is typical of how the corporate winds of change influence the spinned narrative of what is “good” and “bad” for the sport.
RA is being politically and financially pragmatic.

Exclusive: 'Seismic shift' as Waratahs to hand over keys to RA in boost to reform push - others to follow

Very possible but highly unlikely. They are the world’s most successful team for a reason. They hate losing but I have never seen an AB team as physically dominated as at Twickenham.

DMac delivers iconic World Cup moment as All Blacks charge into quarters - but big concerns over injured props

Not sure about that but I have never ever heard any northern hemisphere or Springbok team seriously complain or even mention the speed of the game as a concern. Curiously only a recent Australian and New Zealand phenomenon.

DMac delivers iconic World Cup moment as All Blacks charge into quarters - but big concerns over injured props

I do like the All Blacks. In a jealous kind of way. Hate how they always seem to find a way back. Begrudgingly admiring them.

DMac delivers iconic World Cup moment as All Blacks charge into quarters - but big concerns over injured props

Mount Smart against the Boks were epic. Ruined my weekend but I was very impressed by the AB’s aggressive counter rucking. Seemed to have lost confidence against the big teams recently.

DMac delivers iconic World Cup moment as All Blacks charge into quarters - but big concerns over injured props

It is part of my secret, diabolical but motivational plan for them to knock the Irish out of the tournament and seek revenge for losing the home series after scoring more than 40 points in the first game.

DMac delivers iconic World Cup moment as All Blacks charge into quarters - but big concerns over injured props

I really, really liked the gameplan that the Boks employed against the All Blacks at Twickenham. Relentlessly went for the corner and mauled constantly. Broke the All Blacks down and won the game. To be honest, against Ireland they either lost their minds or were foxing, very frustrated at tactics used. Thought they tried things that did not work. Great win by Ireland in the end.

DMac delivers iconic World Cup moment as All Blacks charge into quarters - but big concerns over injured props

Watched the game 9pm South African time. Uruguay fronted well in first 20 and it never felt like a blowout. Superior fitness and individual skill skewed the result. All Blacks are the Harlem Globetrotters of rugby at the moment. Lack real forward power. Will not get past the quarters.

DMac delivers iconic World Cup moment as All Blacks charge into quarters - but big concerns over injured props

Took almost 20 minutes to score a point. No aura anymore and I mean that in the most respectful way. This was Uruguay by the way.

DMac delivers iconic World Cup moment as All Blacks charge into quarters - but big concerns over injured props

High score but poor game from the All Blacks. Not convinced they will progress past the quarters.

DMac delivers iconic World Cup moment as All Blacks charge into quarters - but big concerns over injured props

We have all seen this movie. It’s a cyclical business like any other. Waratahs are broke and handing control to creditors. Not a seismic shift but just business.

Exclusive: 'Seismic shift' as Waratahs to hand over keys to RA in boost to reform push - others to follow

Here is my balanced take: Australians need to have a look at the circle of prayer that was made at the end of the Tonga vs Springboks game. Respectful, humble and grounded. Everything that RA is not. Bottom line is that Australian rugby needs Jesus.

Wallabies' RWC hopes still alive after wild win over Portugal - but it will take a miracle to avoid historic first flop

Troll.

'Two global heavyweights eyeing each other' - who will prevail in Pool B glamour bout between Boks and Ireland?

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