Roar Rookie
Joined May 2019
71k
Views
29
Published
12.5k
Comments
Published
Comments
They used to be the laughing stock of the Six Nations. Winners of the wooden spoon 18 times in 24 years. Never escaping from…
It was the was the ultimate mix of old and new; and the greatest display of wet weather rugby we’re ever likely to see.…
So many predictions, so many expectations. The game’s greatest stage, to be graced by perhaps the greatest golden generations of its two greatest nations.…
This World Cup is a once in a generation opportunity for a mid-tier rugby nation, ranked sixth or lower in the world. First, it’s…
Rugby nations can’t truly peak for every World Cup. In any country some generations will be better than others and when those generations reach…
Gimli the dwarf and Legolas the elf assess the prospects of their their army ahead of the climactic, existential battle in JRR Tolkien’s The…
First, a burning question. Has Eddie Jones transformed his whole selection strategy based on these golden generation articles? OK that’s pretty far-fetched, but equally…
Centre Court, Wimbledon, Monday 9 July 2001. The gentlemen’s singles final between Aussie Pat Rafter and Croat Goran Ivanisevic is being held a day…
Yokohama, Japan. 7pm Saturday 26 October to 6pm Saturday 2 November 2019. For almost exactly a week, England and their charismatic Australian coach Eddie…
The “golden generation” label was made for the shiny new France team that burst onto the world stage in 2020. A decade of underachievement…
For decades the naming of the All Blacks followed the same format. In the deep dark caverns under the main grandstand of Athletic Park…
How does a rugby union in Australia build the sort of sustainable, transformational improvement that it needs? To help us find out, let’s look…
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria 1968. Legendary Lions skipper Willie John McBride stands next to his South African counterpart Mof Myburgh in the tunnel before the…
The All Blacks went back to back with Rugby World Cup wins in 2011 and 2015 - this is how they did it
We all know about the quadrennial cycle from World Cup to World Cup in Test rugby. As soon as one World Cup ends, teams…
A family went on holiday last summer and a neighbour was tasked with looking after their grandma and cat. A few days later, the…
In 2015 a disturbing trend was identified by the great Southern Hemisphere rugby powers: the English were finally producing the standard of young player…
Happy New Year, everybody! After a refreshing Christmas I’m ready to start thinking about rugby again, how about you? We’re now halfway through the…
As we all know, the current Sydney COVID outbreak, its offspring outbreaks in other Australian states and New Zealand, and the varying responses of…
If you haven’t watched the Wales versus England Six Nations match from the weekend I suggest that you hunt it down. It was full…
Another point is that there will be very few players who haven’t already retired or gone overseas that will be too old in 2027. Nothing wrong with bringing in TJP to mentor a young halfback when the team will be pretty young overall.
The forgotten leader Razor must pick for the All Blacks - and why it could change who wears the prized No.10 jersey
The main question is which of the young 9s are ready to go. No point destroying someone.
In 2012 our 9s were the experienced Weepu and debutante Smith which worked well. I think TKB came in for the November tour and TJP the following year.
The forgotten leader Razor must pick for the All Blacks - and why it could change who wears the prized No.10 jersey
It certainly made a difference for the Tahs!
When you think of the Raynell/Foley test, you don’t get people taking over a minute for a penalty any more.
The Wrap: Crusaders' shot clock fiasco and shhh, don’t put the moz on Darby
I’d love you to make that argument to a cop who’s pulled you over 😂
I just want them to do anything they can to reduce time wasting and it’s clearly a World Rugby objective. That will be helped if the shot clock is there to assist refs, not limit them.
The Wrap: Crusaders' shot clock fiasco and shhh, don’t put the moz on Darby
That’s my point. Often the Heineken means that the best team in a country can’t give their best in their domestic playoffs, which in turn leads to inferior teams getting seeded.
'I'm a big fan': Kiss throws weight behind Club World Cup as Europe and Super Rugby agree to new tournament
Geoff, the law doesn’t give the kicker 90 seconds, it says the kicker must take the kick within 90 seconds. Even if that law isn’t broken, the kicker can still be breaking another law e.g. 9.7d “A player must not waste time.” Or 27. “A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship.”
As the traffic signs say, it’s a limit not a target. If I drive under the limit but too fast for the conditions I can still get a ticket from a police officer. Not for exceeding the limit but for breaking another law.
The Wrap: Crusaders' shot clock fiasco and shhh, don’t put the moz on Darby
An English ref copped pelters for telling a kicker not to run down the shot clock as it was against the spirit of the game… I say good on him. Nobody wants to see blatant time wasting and there is a law that covers it.
The Wrap: Crusaders' shot clock fiasco and shhh, don’t put the moz on Darby
Yes just like we don’t know whether aliens will invade tomorrow.
They lost to the Bulls six weeks after the Bulls had beaten their second string by 50+ points, not one or two.
'I'm a big fan': Kiss throws weight behind Club World Cup as Europe and Super Rugby agree to new tournament
No right to, but when Munster only beat the B team in the last minute there’s no way they’re beating the top team
'I'm a big fan': Kiss throws weight behind Club World Cup as Europe and Super Rugby agree to new tournament
Come off it Brendan, no way does Munster win that comp if Leinster play their strongest available team in the semi. The rest were all playing for second best.
The difference is that the Saders aren’t prioritising another comp, they and everyone else are equally trying their utmost to win Super Rugby. Every year the winner deserves it. It’s not the same in Europe.
'I'm a big fan': Kiss throws weight behind Club World Cup as Europe and Super Rugby agree to new tournament
You’d only have to hold the Heineken final two or three weeks earlier than it was last year.
Mediocre Munster were rewarded with a URC title they never would have won had Leinster not played a B team in the semi, which in turn rewarded them with a Heineken seeding.
'I'm a big fan': Kiss throws weight behind Club World Cup as Europe and Super Rugby agree to new tournament
For me it’s simple – finish the Heineken earlier so the best teams get a fair chance in both. Otherwise you’re rewarding mediocrity.
'I'm a big fan': Kiss throws weight behind Club World Cup as Europe and Super Rugby agree to new tournament
Very few of the top 50 got there with those sort of picks 😂
'Last few years have been hell': Iceman 2.0 Harrison gets 'dream come true' in Tahs' stunning golden point win
Don’t worry they’ll find something to moan about
'Last few years have been hell': Iceman 2.0 Harrison gets 'dream come true' in Tahs' stunning golden point win
Are you not ENTERTAINED????!!!!
'Last few years have been hell': Iceman 2.0 Harrison gets 'dream come true' in Tahs' stunning golden point win
And the bus isn’t going to Marry McLaughlin-Phillips 😂
'Brain explosion': Wallaby stars sent off as Queensland left red-faced in Moana Pasifika shocker
That just highlights how fake the Heineken seedings are. LaRo and Leinster had to play the Heineken final in the middle of their domestic playoffs which made it harder for them to win the domestic league. Leinster lose in the semi final, aren’t seeded in the 23/24 pool and the result is a group of death and the Stormers having to face the best team in Europe to get to the quarters instead of a genuine 9-16 ranked team.
'I'm a big fan': Kiss throws weight behind Club World Cup as Europe and Super Rugby agree to new tournament
LaRo being in the group of death was the reason that the Stormers had to play the defending champions in a knockout match to get into the quarters, after finishing in the top 8.
In Super Rugby a team finishing in the top 8 wouldn’t have to then have to then play the defending champions in a knockout match to get into the last 8.
'I'm a big fan': Kiss throws weight behind Club World Cup as Europe and Super Rugby agree to new tournament
The author doesn’t even seem to realise that participation in rugby is increasing globally. Or that the decline in Australia is nothing to do with the refereeing.
Rugby is losing the long-term battle: What World Rugby must learn from Australia before it's too late
We’re not as stupid as we look.
COMMENT: Australian rugby is a depressing picture - the RA board must be axed and the constitution changed
Give them a break, they beat the defending champions to get out of the pool of death and were only knocked out by the champions by a point!
'I'm a big fan': Kiss throws weight behind Club World Cup as Europe and Super Rugby agree to new tournament
That’s right Dave. No surprise when they cut community funding from 15% of income to 2.4% while other codes continue to ramp up their investment.
COMMENT: Australian rugby is a depressing picture - the RA board must be axed and the constitution changed
Hi Jez, what you’ve not mentioned there is that Australia turned its back on what made it great in the first place.
They became great because of an effective and consistent coaching system/coaching manual, which was part of an effective rugby pyramid. Sacking Dick Marks and dismantling his structures happened before these other leagues got so wealthy.
Then there was the strategy of decimating community rugby spend so that they could afford to run more pro teams and pay higher wages.
The Ireland then Italy now Canada youth development leader had a great analogy. “If you’re busy drinking wine and not making it, you’re going to run out. Then you’ll have to find your wine from some other source and not your own vineyard. That’s going to cost you more and you might not even like it. And when you’re finished drinking it you’re left with no wine.”
Australia needs to produce more and better players and coaches as it’s top priority. That means better, properly funded systems – and Horne and Nuciafora know how to do this. Compromising on this doesn’t work so if pro spend needs to come down through paying fewer players and/or reduced wages it needs to come down.
Australia can’t control the wealth of other leagues, but it can control what it does through its pyramid. Players will inevitably be lost, but there will also be better players overall and some will stay. RA can also be smarter on links with rich foreign clubs.
BTW I’m not disagreeing with what you wrote and I know you agree with some or most of this. Just painting a fuller picture as I see it.
COMMENT: Australian rugby is a depressing picture - the RA board must be axed and the constitution changed
I can live with that!
COMMENT: Australian rugby is a depressing picture - the RA board must be axed and the constitution changed
That’s right Jacko, and French and English teams have won the last five Heineken Cups too. A squad full of stars doesn’t always make the best team, especially when collectively they don’t quite have the resilience of the very best.
It’ll be interesting to see whether the likes of Nienaber, Snyman and Barrett toughen them up and help them – and Ireland – take the next step.
All Blacks star signs surprise short-term deal with Irish heavyweights