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Joined October 2021
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Craggy veteran who has been writing about Test rugby since 1979 when the Wallabies' jersey had three stripes and was 100% baggy cotton.
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Phil Kearns was the prototype of the new-age hooker in Australia when he burst onto the scene as a bullocking, ball-handling runner to go…
For a full 30 seconds, prop Ewen McKenzie was the hero of the Wallabies’ first World Cup final triumph in 1991. The British commentary…
Few sides were caught unawares by the great John Eales after the bogus billing for his first run-on role for Queensland in Canberra. As…
George Gregan left an indelible mark on Australia’s World Cup fortunes but also one on New Zealanders that they have never forgotten. The halfback…
There wasn’t even a Player of the Tournament award at the World Cup until David Campese ruled the 1991 edition so completely. While rugby…
The Wallabies’ single try for their triumph in the 1991 World Cup final is an historic yet bland lineout rumble over the line from…
It’s 20 years since Stirling Mortlock’s treasured World Cup moment yet it still hits the senses like fresh-cut grass to many of us. For…
It wasn’t just scoring the first try of the 1999 World Cup final that etched Ben Tune’s name in history but nominating how he’d…
It’s six short years since Carter Gordon was a skinny schoolboy on the sidelines at All Blacks’ training getting a photo snapped with Kiwi…
Eddie Jones and Michael Cheika dance the friends-and-foes tango like few others in rugby when it comes to their classic coaching rivalry. They’ll aim…
The great thing about the mind games of Eddie Jones is that his reputation means everyone searches for “The Great Con” that might not…
Where is the disruptor, where is the shake-up game, that throws out all our simplistic calculations on the Super Rugby Pacific quarter-finals? The most…
There’s a lot of chatter about near-misses, if-onlys or 70 minutes of goodness when analysing the performances of Australia’s five Super Rugby Pacific teams…
It’s a bit overblown to call it a cavalry charge of reinforcements but the absolute best thing for the Wallabies in a World Cup…
As World Cup bolters go, Queenslander Matt Faessler keeps simmering away in conversations about the hooking spots. Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn rarely blows…
Misstep and miss out. You always want high stakes at play and the strange two-division splintering of Super Rugby Pacific is just that. Few…
No matter how dynamic and skilful the full-on Fraser McReight-Michael Hooper scrap may be in Townsville on Saturday, we are not at the dawn…
The Lachie Swinton debacle is the reason fans will keep pulling their hair out over the TMO and over-officious refereeing. The reason for having…
Eddie Jones picking just 33 names in his first Wallabies training squad was a clear-thinking and overdue change of tack. With one decision, he…
Jake Gordon has carried plenty on his shoulders at the misfiring NSW Waratahs this year and now faces the tandem challenge of Nic White…
Matt Gibbon is inching towards being solid which I like
Starting is different to Pone benching all the time
Schoupp is raw but a prospect
SRP talking points: Eddie everywhere offers something Rennie never could, how Rodda can channel Eales
And that’s a good thing..have to be belting match fit to fire. Eddie will flog a few who deserve it to get more from them. He has different gears for different players which is err coaching
SRP talking points: Eddie everywhere offers something Rennie never could, how Rodda can channel Eales
When it comes down to it Wallabies need solid base from scrum and frontrow to have any chance of doing anything fancy
SRP talking points: Eddie everywhere offers something Rennie never could, how Rodda can channel Eales
You should be a writer..I’m stealing that ????
SRP talking points: Eddie everywhere offers something Rennie never could, how Rodda can channel Eales
Awful. What do touch judges do these days?
SRP Round 13 Talking Points: Faessler the hooker bolter, playing to Marky's strengths and Philip's late charge
Philip is what we all love to see…understated workhorse who never stops
SRP Round 13 Talking Points: Faessler the hooker bolter, playing to Marky's strengths and Philip's late charge
Good case.
Your Force observation played out
SRP Round 13 Talking Points: Faessler the hooker bolter, playing to Marky's strengths and Philip's late charge
Lonergan is a superb Super Rugby hooker and a big factor in multiple wins this year
SRP Round 13 Talking Points: Faessler the hooker bolter, playing to Marky's strengths and Philip's late charge
Liam Wright offers a genuine jumper in backrow. No ball carrying at all from him but you’d get that from Skelton plus Wright’s strong on ball work. Eddie will be weighing up them all
SRP Round 13 Talking Points: Faessler the hooker bolter, playing to Marky's strengths and Philip's late charge
Philip the right work ethic for No6 but operates in middle of the field not in wider channels where he’d be needed. Not quick enough. A pure lock
SRP Round 13 Talking Points: Faessler the hooker bolter, playing to Marky's strengths and Philip's late charge
Top yarn-spinning Harry. Formulating a top backrow is an artform to get all the right traits. You see quickly enough when backrows don’t have it because they limp along like three strangers straggling to your French bar or true link play is missing.
Scott Fardy was very underrated until he wasn’t and became essential.
Matt Cockbain was a superb No.6 as Minister for Defence in the 1999 Wallabies RWC-winning team…he hit ferociously, won lineouts, played a role and all with people wondering where his shoulders were.
Very enjoyable read mate
'Roam, hit, run': The bouncer Eddie must find in the Wallabies' most open position
As Eddie said, you look for things in players that you can’t coach. Suli can finish a try in the final 10m to the corner post, he is fast and he’s elite in the air with his leap and height.
Eddie striving to get more basics out of him
SRP RD 7 talking points: Tate demotion the right call, Brumby who's 'braining it' and what now for Suli and JOC?
Totally agree
One and done or…weapon
SRP RD 7 talking points: Tate demotion the right call, Brumby who's 'braining it' and what now for Suli and JOC?
It’s fair for Jones to try to see if he can get something from Vunivalu that others can’t. Bellamy did at the Storm by getting him to play angry. No one in rugby has tried that yet
SRP RD 7 talking points: Tate demotion the right call, Brumby who's 'braining it' and what now for Suli and JOC?
As Simon Poidevin famously said…it was always good to have Queenslanders on tour because it ensured some terrific banjo players (Deliverance movie reference for young ‘uns)
SRP RD 7 talking points: Tate demotion the right call, Brumby who's 'braining it' and what now for Suli and JOC?
Jones has a neck-shoulder thing. It’s causing some grief and is one of those tricky ones to come back from.
Blyth made a bit of a difference against the Crusaders with his lineout height making him a stronger target.
Super Rugby RD 6 talking points: Wallabies hint in Gordon deal, best No.9 duo since '90s, Reds' crackdown
Agreed. That convo should have happened 15 times already. Drop players who give away lots of penalties…wait…they used to do that.
Super Rugby RD 6 talking points: Wallabies hint in Gordon deal, best No.9 duo since '90s, Reds' crackdown
Gordon does look like the one who will miss out because three halfbacks will be taken to France.
Super Rugby RD 6 talking points: Wallabies hint in Gordon deal, best No.9 duo since '90s, Reds' crackdown
Well said. I think he was only trying to highlight that they wren’t hiding from it and that ‘confronting” meant absolutely making it the most important thing
Super Rugby RD 6 talking points: Wallabies hint in Gordon deal, best No.9 duo since '90s, Reds' crackdown
There are few perfect solutions. The 2013 tour outside the Tests was ruined by the ridiculous stand down of Wallabies weeks out from a Test.
A full-strength Qld Reds might well have knocked off the Lions. A severely under-strength one with Quade Cooper nearly did.
The ANZAC concept done well has merit because a rare occasion to see Aust and NZ players together has appeal. The ANZAC link is a respectful link.
Alternatively, the Pacific Island XV is being discussed as a possibility too
SRP RD 5 talking points: Brumbies white flag fizzer, Hooper vs Cane, hailing 'Harry Wreight'
Well said.
SRP RD 5 talking points: Brumbies white flag fizzer, Hooper vs Cane, hailing 'Harry Wreight'
Unfortunately, it’s not like the Test cricket where you do rotate to Bellerive Oval.
Rugby Tests are huge drivers of the game in the heartland cities of Sydney-Brisbane and should always be.
Go invisible, go Hobart and Adelaide during a big series.
SRP RD 5 talking points: Brumbies white flag fizzer, Hooper vs Cane, hailing 'Harry Wreight'
Actually, I’m all for a Test close to an Original Coopers Ale House and a giant schnitzel.
The venue was elite after the Wallabies knocked off the Boks in Adelaide last year.
Wait…maybe that was because the Pumas knocked off the ABs too while at a table of Kiwis and Argentinians.
Great night.
SRP RD 5 talking points: Brumbies white flag fizzer, Hooper vs Cane, hailing 'Harry Wreight'
True except the snowball of a Lions Test is to get kiddies interested in the fanfare and the playing of the game. Picking up five extra kids in SA compared to keeping 500 in Brisbane is a no-brainer.
SRP RD 5 talking points: Brumbies white flag fizzer, Hooper vs Cane, hailing 'Harry Wreight'
Sio is a fair shout
SRP talking points: Eddie everywhere offers something Rennie never could, how Rodda can channel Eales