Five reasons why Hansen’s Scott Barrett surprise could be a master stroke
You’ve got to hand it to Steve Hansen for his shock move to start Scott Barrett at blindside for the crunch World Cup semi-final against England.
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Cantabrian Kiwi living on the glorious Central Coast of New South Wales. Am most happy when the Crusaders and All Blacks are sweeping all before them. I can resist anything but temptation.
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You’ve got to hand it to Steve Hansen for his shock move to start Scott Barrett at blindside for the crunch World Cup semi-final against England.
Uruguay’s shock shooting down of the flying Fijians in their Rugby World Cup 2019 opener was a defining moment for them, for South American rugby, for rugby minnows everywhere, for this tournament and for the international game.
Okay, so the All Blacks have just lost at home.
Some weeks are moving weeks in Super Rugby, but this week was consolidation week. The Crusaders consolidated their spot on the top of the competition by handing the Hurricanes, the only other team challenging them for the overall lead, a lesson in wet weather rugby in Christchurch on Friday night.
Opening the floodgates is a sure-fire way to break a drought. The Waratahs rained in six tries to the Highlanders two at Allianz Stadium last night, to end a two-year and 40-match dry spell for Aussie teams in trans-Tasman fixtures.
It’s hard to know what to make of the Waratahs’ near miss against the all-conquering Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday night.
What are you doing to me Tahs? I’d already gone and half bloody written this post as the drought breaker.
It’s early days, but the Melbourne Rebels look like serious contenders to at least top the Aussie conference in Super Rugby 2018.
It was plenty of mud and guts but all the glory belonged to the Crusaders, winning 17-0 against the Highlanders in a quagmire quarter-final in Christchurch last night.
A Brumbies win over the red-hot Hurricanes in tonight’s first 2017 Super play-off in Canberra would be both a desperately-needed shot in the arm for Australian rugby and a stark reminder of the absurdity of the competition’s format.
I sent a text to my Auckland-based Eden Park season-ticket-holding brother on the Saturday afternoon prior to that epic All Blacks vs Lions second Test saying.
I can’t remember being this excited since the time I discovered my local Sydney supermarket had a Kiwi lollies section.
Poor old Warren Gatland. Just can’t take a trick can he?
Goodness me, that heavyweight bout between the Crusaders and Chiefs was a game of almost absurd quality last night.
Depth. It’s a great quality to have in a human being. It’s a dimension Olympic divers are grateful for in the pools below. And it’s a crucial aspect to the success of a rugby team.
The big cats are out of the bag with the naming of Warren Gatland’s 41-man Lions squad to face the toughest assignment in world rugby, a fully fledged tour of All Black country.
I used to think a contraction of Australian rugby talent from five Super teams to four was the way to go and have commented to that effect on a few Roar threads.
Apart from the Force and their well-deserved win against the Reds on Thursday night, it was a miserable old round for the Aussie Super Rugby teams on the weekend.
It’s not a bad thing when a weekend of rugby begins on a Thursday evening and is still going strong on Monday morning – a bit like a couple of faded rugby stars on the disco dandruff… here’s six observations from the weekend’s action.
Actually my solution is an inverse correlation. One between top tier teams and gaps between games. The higher the rank, the smaller the gap. Within all practicable reason. Attempt to even the Rugby World Cup playing fields.
Shock Uruguay win something to savour but Fiji’s dudding by the draw leaves sour taste
Yeah fair enough but my main point is placement as well as length between games of consequence and the gap between those games big games.
Shock Uruguay win something to savour but Fiji’s dudding by the draw leaves sour taste
Not so much about the turnaround but the placement of matches.
Shock Uruguay win something to savour but Fiji’s dudding by the draw leaves sour taste
Why don’t you Paul? Is it because you’re too busy accusing people who don’t offer your ‘solution’? while whinging about it. I don’t have a solution. Never said I did. That’s why I asked the questions. More interesting ones than yours by the way.
Shock Uruguay win something to savour but Fiji’s dudding by the draw leaves sour taste
Cheika’s kneejerk selections again hurt the Wallabies. After being on the outer all year why was Foley suddenly considered the right man for this crucial game? Yes Christian Lealiifano didn’t have a great game against Fiji but surely some consistency and clarity in selection is needed, especially at 9 and 10, before you head into a World Cup.
In saying all that I think they have to go with Toomua based on his performance.
And that decision against Kerevi was an absolute joke.. Cheika ssummed it up in the press conference “as a former rugby player I was embarrassed”. Penalised for fending a player who has gone to high on you, goodness may, what is our rugby world coming to?
Wales withstand Wallabies' second-half fightback
Fair enough but you know what i mean?
Shock Uruguay win something to savour but Fiji’s dudding by the draw leaves sour taste
Thanks for those splendid insights Ill Primo.
You have every reason to be so proud!
Shock Uruguay win something to savour but Fiji’s dudding by the draw leaves sour taste
Thanks KP, appreciate it
Shock Uruguay win something to savour but Fiji’s dudding by the draw leaves sour taste
Thanks RO
Great summary of the points I was trying to make.
Shock Uruguay win something to savour but Fiji’s dudding by the draw leaves sour taste
Yes, most teams do have short turnaround games but Tier 1 teams tend to get these short turnarounds less often and at more favourable stages of pool play, and in general their turnarounds are longer.
Shock Uruguay win something to savour but Fiji’s dudding by the draw leaves sour taste
Well done England. Commiserations the brave Black Caps. Phenomenal theatre on the biggest stage. I know the rules are the rules but surely wickets more value that boundaries. Anyhoo, 3rd time lucky for the kiwis in 2023?
England win World Cup final in thrilling super over finish against New Zealand
Brilliant Geoff. #11 even managed to elicit a gut laugh – an unusual thing for a Monday morning.
Campaign 16: GoFundMe Australia regional manager Nicola Britton, seeking $100 for a reliable time piece to ensure she is no longer so late to act on campaigns that violate GoFundMe’s terms of service… and basic human decency.
But not so early to nip in the bud sprays from former Wallaby TV pundits that provided the pre-match entertainment on Fri night.
The Wrap: Folau initiative sparks plethora of new ‘Go Fund Me’ pages
Good bloke, bad place at a bad time.
Daryl Gibson resigns as Waratahs head coach after dismal season
Big raps to your wrap Geoff. An expert distillation of why there’s just not a whole lotta love for rugby in this country.
The Wrap: Only one Australian finalist a poor Super Rugby return
Ha ha, yes, my bad, sorry 5 from 5, my stat lied too…
Six Nations a personal triumph for Warren Gatland, but not Wales
Ridiculous decision if true. Just as they are coming good on the field and the year after a World Cup in Japan??!! This should be the time to leverage not cut! Means the whole exercise has bee pointless.
Sunwolves reportedly axed from Super Rugby
Lies, damned lies and statistics…
I think the most truthful stat about how Wales is travelling is:
6N 2019
P 6
W 6
Six Nations a personal triumph for Warren Gatland, but not Wales
Indeed a dark weekend Geoff. Heart aching for all those innocent victims and their loved ones and for the end of innocence of my home town and country. Wales getting the job done in such emphatic fashion and Scotland’s astonishing 2nd half come back were bright pinpricks to the gloom.
If the bloke who gets to hold Bill aloft on the 2nd November isn’t Kieran Read then I’d be more than happy for it to be Alun Wyn-Jones. Apart from being a commanding player the man oozes leadership. In sharp contrast to Owen Farrell at the weekend.
The Wrap: Wales shines brightest on dark weekend
Brilliant analysis Nick.
Hope it is read by serial dismisser of all things rugby south of the equator Stephen Jones who was adamant the ABs were largely destroyed up front by his Knights in white satin.
Sir Brodie takes Prince Maro off his high horse at Twickenham
Thanks Carlos, and well done to your boys.
All eyes on Buenos Aires Saturday week, sure to be another belter.
As a rabid All Blacks fan, why was I okay with this shocking loss?
Ha ha Chook
It was certainly a Test that every man and his dog needed to see…
As a rabid All Blacks fan, why was I okay with this shocking loss?
Cheers mzilikazi
Return match will be enormous, as will the Spring tour that includes Eng and Ire. Interesting weeks ahead with World Cup now less than a year away…
As a rabid All Blacks fan, why was I okay with this shocking loss?
Thanks Muzzo. For me last night’s Test right up there with Ellis Park 2013 for sheer drama, but nowhere near it for the end result!
As a rabid All Blacks fan, why was I okay with this shocking loss?
Nice piece ZC. I’ve thought of a way we should do it. Inverse correlation between tier of opponent and gap between games in pool play. The higher your rank the shorter your gap between games. Within reason. The slack taken up by lower ranked teams increasing their rest breaks. Within reason.
To get more Japan and Uruguay moments.
In defence of the RWC schedule