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Lazy Hedgehog

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Joined August 2018

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Well I heard that Namibia have put in a request that if World Rugby is going to manipulate the draws going forward then they’d like to play whoever Eddie Jones is coaching next time as he’ll be building towards 2031 by then.

Fozzie was one Test away from being sacked - now he's 80 minutes away from World Cup glory as ABs smash Pumas

Goodness! Are you really annointing the man as the long-term captain based on his inspirational speech in their only win of the year (to date at that stage) in a game played against a team ranked outside the top ten in the world?
I think you may be as visionary as Eddie Jones.

'Long-time captain': Eddie's big Wallabies call, Skelton open to returning home and why 'best years' are ahead

This is worth a post on its own I think. Thanks for the distillation.

'Semi pro sport at best': Ex-Ireland HP manager's scathing critique of Aussie rugby, and dire warning for its future

Have you ever played rock, paper, scissors mate?

Then you do understand how different strengths and weaknesses can nullify each other.

Nuclear blow to Wallabies' hopes of dominating key area - as Fiji selection puts full glare on Donno

Eddie Jones is re-writing history. I think the Wallabies under Rennie were ready to take off also. Think of their good performances. Ahhh. Yep, a good feeling.

I understand all the DR naysayers will say, yes, but what about Italy? But that is a story of depth. Australia didn’t have it, he was building it.

Now Eddie Jones is saying they had no hope, that they were stuttering along. That’s a good narrative for putting himself into a positive light. But not an accurate one.

His approach may well work, but it’s not an either/or situation, I think Dave Rennie’s approach was going to work, and I think it would have been based on trust and respect that will last longer than whatever this is now.

CONFIRMED: Wallabies' two-decade first for RWC opener as Eddie explains Donaldson's selection

There is an important place for experience, and loyalty is all too rare these days. There is a BUT though…
But… form/speed/attitude must count for something, surely.

A far from golden generation of forwards has left the All Blacks badly exposed

Grrrr…
Taukeiaho has been the standout hooker for the last two years and now we complain about his inexperience! Perhaps if we hadn’t played the teachers pets into form in the test matches and had given the Taukeiaho and Tupou Vaii’s of this world a bit of experience.
We’ve picked old players and stayed loyal to them, and now we have very old and very loyal players. You reap what you sow.
Sir Alex Ferguson is considered one of the greatest soccer/football managers over a very long period. He was absolutely ruthless in moving players on either at their peak or very shortly after, but he managed it in a way that brought him great loyalty. Ian Foster and Eddie Jones seem to have managed only one of those things each.

A far from golden generation of forwards has left the All Blacks badly exposed

There is, or certainly was, an annual debrief where all of the coaches and senior management of the super rugby teams in New Zealand sit down together for a couple of days at the end of the season to share all that they have learned through the year – they are all working for the same organisation after all. In this way, they ensure that everyone in NZ rugby benefits, leading to a strengthening of the base and ultimately a flow-on benefit to all of the teams, even those who were ahead of the pack that year.
Nobody is threatened by the loss of their IP because they figure they will gain more than they give away, and in any case, the game moves on each year – why not take your head start from what others around are seeing?
Given that Foster and NZR are happy enough with Hansen’s arrangement, I suspect it’s unlikely that he’s been party to much of this year’s All Black planning, and there is no evidence of any All Black planning in the five years prior to 2023, so Kiwi IP is safe enough.
From this side of the ditch, I can see that the Hansen trust and develop model of player management may have more benefits than the fear and betrayal model adopted by Eddie Jones (which players within the team could watch the way Quade Cooper has been managed and discarded and feel that Jones has their backs….)
Everyone wants the Wallabies to be better, and I will be delighted for them if they finish a gallant second to the All Blacks at the World Cup.

'Cancel his citizenship!' PM weighs in, ABs 'gobsmacked', as Hansen explains why he's helping Wallabies

Yeah, kinda the point I was trying to make. I think it got lost in translation, there was nothing justifiable in my mind – it was just an attack to an unprotected head. A one look red for me at the time. I’ve got no idea what the ref was looking at.

Who’da known that sarcasm wasn’t the best way to get my point across?!? 😛

WATCH: Jasper Wiese cited for Kerevi clear out shocker

Well there was the mitigating factor – as it occurred well after the whistle surely it shouldn’t be taken as part of the game? Should the judicial committee even have jurisdiction over this? 😛

WATCH: Jasper Wiese cited for Kerevi clear out shocker

One jarring note to your take on things Geoff – describing the All Black forward passes as being due to over-exuberance is kind. As a season ticket-holder for the Chiefs over the last 15 years or so, I used to be convinced that in losing to the poor teams but beating the best teams under Fozzie we were dedicating our Tuesdays to forward pass practice and Thursdays to refining our knock-ons. When Dave Rennie turned up in 2012 we failed to achieve those things to the same standard and started beating everybody instead (which was better).

I really hope this was an aberration.

The Wrap: Wallabies rocket ahead while the Springboks are lost in space

“Red cards should be reserved for egregious and obvious acts of dangerous foul play and should apply for the whole match. Any act that requires a microscope or multiple replays to try to determine what happened by definition meets a different threshold”

This is the best and most succinct description I’ve read on here this weekend.

The Wrap: Wallabies rocket ahead while the Springboks are lost in space

When I was a young fella and used to go out with supermodels I soon learned that it didn’t matter if I was going out with the best one or the third best one – they were all good!

That’s what this list is all about – recognition rather than rankings.

I’ve enjoyed every installment, disagreed with some inclusions and plenty of exclusions (can easily think of 20 players I’d have in my top 10 to start with), and can’t even begin to describe the excitement it’s evoked leading into tonight!

Thanks team.

The Roar’s 50 greatest players in Rugby World Cup history: 5-1

I miss Charles Piutau. In my head he would give Laumape a run for his money in this category.

And then I imagine a “jokers” team made up of all those unlucky to miss out or not considered because they don’t ply their trade in the country they’re bound to/eligible for.

And there’s already lots to be excited about with the teams we DO have. I’m as happy as a dog with two tails!

All Blacks name imposing World Cup squad, complete with shock omissions

Sacre bleu! …in 2011 France lost three games in the World Cup and still claimed to have been unfairly dudded out of being crowned champions! 😛

All Black to the future at Eden Park

Let your heart dare to dream riddler. Your mob was fantastic.

And reassure your head that far from never putting out two bad performances, my mob (who have my wholehearted support) has put out five ordinary performances in the last six games.

In an unrelated move, I am campaigning to have Italy included in The Championship from 2020.

Looking forward to Saturday!

All Blacks mull high-stakes selection jam

It’s true we don’t know for certain what was said in the private discussions, I certainly wasn’t in there. And while it’s possible RA told Folau “we don’t care what you post, give it your best shot fella!”, that’s not the way I’d bet.
I guess my point is that if you want to make this an anti-RA or anti-free speech or pro/anti-religion argument then you will easily be forced into a self-selecting conclusion. But for me it’s really just about a bloke who couldn’t keep his word.

Why I donated to Israel Folau - and why I will again

That’s a well-structured argument and I appreciate that you opted not to abuse those with an opposing view – ie – people like me! And I’ll take the time to tell you why I feel differently than you.

Here goes:

I agree wholeheartedly with you on peoples right to hold and even express views that are out of line with majority rule or social convention. It stretches the argument for me when a marquee player with views directly opposite to his employers posts them without thought for the conflict, but for the sake of this discussion I’ll even support his right to do so.

But. And it’s a big but. When that player subsequently enters contract negotiations and undertakes NOT to post those things and emerges with a multi-year multi-million dollar contract and then posts those things again…
…well, that’s when I cease to support him. The extremists want to make this about political correctness, about freedom of speech, about religion. For me it’s the story of a bloke who made a promise, didn’t keep it, then threw his toys out of the cot and yelled out “religious persecution!”
And for those of you who argue that it wasn’t in his written contract, my case is that we all knew of the discussions that took place because they were so inelegantly handled by everyone involved the first time. So you can stand by your “written contract” nonsense, and I’ll be looking to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with someone a bit more honourable when our day of reckoning comes.

Thanks for reading this far.

Why I donated to Israel Folau - and why I will again

I’m sympathetic to your plight Digger, but now imagine you are lucky enough to be a Chiefs supporter living in Hamilton, looking forward each year to the game at home against the benchmark team…

…and it’s in Fiji!

After eight loyal and fruitful years I cancelled my season tickets for this season.

Hurricanes, rest and members do not mix

A South African on an Australian site delighting a Kiwi with his word-smithery. Thank you.

Team is king: Deciphering the new prose of Michael Cheika

Ruckin Oaf, I have not laughed so hard at a comment for ages. Nice one.

David, try approaching Oaf’s comment from another angle…

Michael Hooper is delusional and must be benched

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