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The Roar

JD Kiwi

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Joined May 2019

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And I predict that Brad Thorn will be best man at Quade’s wedding!

Super Rugby 2020 preview: New Zealand conference

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1d

It would still be a step up the ladder for Rennie though.

Rennie a good man as Wallabies coaching job becomes a seller’s market

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Rugby
 
Nov

I wouldn’t go anywhere near White. His teams are so dull and negative. Australia doesn’t have the forwards to play like that and thankfully it’s not in your DNA.

Rennie a good man as Wallabies coaching job becomes a seller’s market

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Nov

Cheers Harry. I want to get people talking about this.

What's the point of rugby?

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Rugby
 
Nov

Ha ha, I know little about club cricket, although I watch the international stuff. I have absolutely no loyalty to the Chennai Golden Royals, Birmingham Brummies, Sydney Harbours or whatever any of the teams are called.

But then perhaps this only illustrates your point!

What's the point of rugby?

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Rugby
 
Nov

Fair enough.

Although in the movie lots of people watched Rollerball. Only a small hard core watch European club rugby!

What's the point of rugby?

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Rugby
 
Nov

Your use of the word “inevitable” reminds me of the Sicilian’s use of the word “inconceivable” in The Princess Bride. The RFU deficit, CVC deals and reaction against Sarries show the financial strain up North. Meanwhile the flow of prime age All Blacks remains a trickle in the last ten years, with none of them in the first fifteen. The black jersey is still the most powerful force in the rugby universe and there is no evidence that this will change.

Anybody want a peanut?

What's the point of rugby?

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Rugby
 
Nov

There is no boom. All but one of the English clubs make a big loss every year with no end in sight because of the wage arms race. Some have gone bust. If you want an analogy to their folly, Google Alan Sugar’s comment when owner of Spurs about what he and his peers would do with the extra money they were about to get from Sky. This is a clear example of corporate excess.

I think I’ve made it pretty clear that I’m not trying to stop people from heading north if they want to, while the idea of the south controlling all the money is totally far fetched. I just want the game to spend with its means, live by the values it claims make it unique, and not undermine the part of the game which the wider sporting public actually cares about and actually makes money.

What's the point of rugby?

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Nov

Give him to Gatland!

The best and worst of the All Blacks in 2019

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Nov

Cheers Pete, they haven’t yet brought in ring fencing yet. I actually think it would be a good thing, without the threat of relegation clubs might take more risks in terms of relying on academy graduates and playing attacking rugby.

Also the 2013 war was county v country, with the FFR and RFU backing their clubs, who were sick of the Irish winning all the time.

What's the point of rugby?

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Rugby
 
Nov

Who said anything about the players not earning a great living? Absolutely they should be able to, but at sustainable levels. And don’t forget the frequent complaints about the length of season by the players association, with players saying they’d be happy to be paid less if they played less games.

And enough of this nanny nonsense. All serious economies, even America, have rules to stop corporate excess, e.g. anti trust legislation. I don’t want to kill the clubs, I just want to curb the excess. This would benefit everyone, including the clubs without sugar daddies in the same league. Who knows, the club based countries might even improve on their 1/9 record in World Cups.

What's the point of rugby?

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Rugby
 
Nov

Cheers PK and good constructive comments.

Yes I agree that current deals need to expire rather than be broken and not everything I’ve suggested might be practical. But let’s remember that they are the world governing body and they set the rules. For example UEFA have their Financial Fair Play rule against loss making clubs.

Also, the clubs would have broken away long ago if they could, but they need money and players. Not all clubs have sugar daddies and you can see the reaction of other clubs to Sarries this week. And where would the English clubs be without the multi million pound RFU subsidies? Club rugby is no money spinner, few care about it.

Also most players want to play test rugby. I simply don’t think that a breakaway would work.

What's the point of rugby?

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Rugby
 
Nov

Yes, but let’s win on the field, not at the bank. Administrators just need the courage.

It’s great to see that the rules are being properly enforced in England this week by the way following Sarries’ dodgy practices.

What's the point of rugby?

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Rugby
 
Nov

Very true.

I think the key is to rein in the rich boys. They don’t have all the power because the players want to play for their countries.

What's the point of rugby?

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Rugby
 
Nov

France are even worse!

Collective failure of the Six Nations

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Nov

To be fair, on 8/9 occasions one of SA/NZ/Aus has won it and they can’t beat themselves.

What Eddie Jones and Owen Farrell said to the England team after World Cup defeat

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Rugby
 
Nov

As you very well know Jez I wasn’t talking about guys who emigrated as small kids, but the guys who emigrated to play rugby for money. Then you have the established stars poached from other codes…

No walkover for Wallabies as Fiji prepare to flex forwards muscle

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Sep

At least Campese and co have Fijian parents and culture. Koroibete and co have been bought to cover a lack of home grown depth.

No walkover for Wallabies as Fiji prepare to flex forwards muscle

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Rugby
 
Sep

Great to see Jonah at the top. McCaw was the greater All Black but Jonah changed the rugby world forever.

Surprised to see the two over hyped poms ahead of Eales and Carter. Eales especially so classy in two RWC wins and both of them were far more rounded players than the more traditional Englishmen who only won once. Those long range dropped goals in the semi and final in 2015 to release the pressure were so classy in terms of execution and decision making.

I’d also have boosted the ox, 80 minutes in the 2007 final, twelve years after his first.

The Roar’s 50 greatest Rugby World Cup players wrap-up: Who voted for who, team of the top 50, plus best countries and positions

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Rugby
 
Sep

The heat and hard grounds in Japan could test teams’ fitness, especially if Scotland can get the ball wide. Parity up front will be a problem though.

Rugby World Cup 2019 preview series: Scotland

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Rugby
 
Sep

Brett, you might have mentioned that Hansen has been saying for weeks that the RC is the last priority!

The teams that try hardest in the RC (e.g. NZ in 2003 and 2007, Australia in 2011 and 2015) don’t have great World Cups. I’m quite happy that Hansen has been shuffling his pack. No team has held the main Southern Hemisphere trophy when winning the World Cup so come on you Saffers!

Obviously we aren’t as hot a favourite as in the previous editions. Mixed results, better opponents (except Australia of course), a less settled team, the retirement of our best ever 7, 10 and centre partnership and the era of rush defences have weakened us. But we’ve still got a great chance.

The Rugby Championship: The feet-up week

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Rugby
 
Jul

You are an evil genius sir

https://images.app.goo.gl/2aBMQEzVsamfweWK8

The FICA method: A tactical opinion on countering the two-minute close-out

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Jul

Two more:

1. Surprise surprise Chubby Cheika once again goes on about a perfectly reasonable reffing decision to deflect the story away from yet another bad loss, this time against the Saffer B team.

2. When your scrum is under the pump don’t opt for the scrum. Australia were just 4 down at the time, a shot would have made it 1, instead the momentum totally shifted to the Boks.

Six talking points from Wallabies vs Springboks

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Rugby
 
Jul

I can’t remember a Wallaby backline with less flair. I don’t think they have the forwards to succeed with this sort of strategy.

Nic White and Tom Banks to give Wallabies a post-Folau kickstart

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Rugby
 
Jul

The attraction of Sydney club rugby is you’re not getting beaten by foreigners all the time. But you’re only going to get left behind if you keep on playing against yourselves.

The Wallabies could do with a case of the Blues

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Jul
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