Roar Pro
Joined September 2015
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A prop playing in the centres.
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As the dust settles on the crushing series defeat to England, the disappointing consensus seems to be that there aren't the elite players available…
As the pool stages of the World Cup wind down this weekend, the smaller (some bigger) nations will be wrapping up their tours and…
The Wallabies well and truly dispatched England on Saturday, winning in a way that we are unaccustomed to seeing from an Australian team. A…
Patrick Effeney set up The Roar's run in to the Rugby World Cup with a call to put negativity aside, and bring some support…
All this talk about how hard Eddie works is just further proof that he is a poor fit for the role, he’s bashing his head against a brick wall when the door is right there.
'F--king works so hard, bro': Wallaby star's message to angry fans after World Cup calamity
Nothing works in modern discourse like the ‘you’re all so negative’ defense.
Eddie has won 2 games from 9 this year, no games from 7 against opposition in the top 10 – that enough is reason that he has failed and cannot be retained.
'F--king works so hard, bro': Wallaby star's message to angry fans after World Cup calamity
With the benefit of hindsight (and even without it if one had been willing) I don’t think you could rightly call what McLennan has done ‘leadership’. Despite the sychophantic support of the media over the last year, we find ourselves staring at the rubble again, time to burn it down once and for all and allow the winds of change to blow through.
End game? States plotting to roll RA board after Wallabies flop
Thanks Sheek! I for whatever reason never really questioned it.
Greatest XV: When Ben Tune, who 'embodied everything Aussies admire in a winger,' delivered a perfect, brutal moment
What’s the story with 11 v 14 – i am only really familiar with Campo from 1991 onwards as their isn’t much readily available video from before then and i never noticed that there was a switch.
Greatest XV: When Ben Tune, who 'embodied everything Aussies admire in a winger,' delivered a perfect, brutal moment
Nick, great article as ever!
How did you pull footage in what was surely a time before everything was so digitized?
Twickenham showdown: Why the boot will be on the other foot at scrum time
It was Tupuo’s fifth test, and first match on return from injury, to start him last weekend would have been simply dumb-he played such a great role closing the game about that I’d be reluctant to see him start. You need bench players who can change the pace and shape of the game, and Tupuo is that atm (not that he shouldn’t ever start).
I also don’t think TPN played as poorly as is being suggested, he did his job for 30 minutes, maybe nothing flashy, but every player has a role in the team and I think he fulfilled his. Fair to suggest that at 80 plus tests he also has an importantly leadership role in the side.
Lastly, Cheika is so clearly invested in and cares about the team. He is a passionate man, he’s not cut of the stiff upper lip cloth, he wears his heart on his sleeve, so bloody what, unless he oversteps the line and break or abuses something I’m tired of it being used as a critical point against him, it’s simply lazy.
Two cheers only for the Wallabies' gritty win over the Springboks
I think the tone of the article is unbecoming for a writer like you Spiro. This is a David Lord piece with a bigger vocabulary.
The players and coaches can only answer the questions they’re asked-none of them are offering any of this content unprompted, maybe the real intellectual lapse is in the current set of journalists at fairfax and beyond.
Rugby Australia's Bledisloe effort? Send in the clowns
I had a similar thought watching it, Barrett jumped poorly. A player needs to be able to remain on the ground going for a catch and not be the guilty party automatically.
The Wrap: Ireland go up a gear as Beauden Barrett takes a fall
McCaw as a master at managing the ref. Pocock also missed the new ruck forming law on his sabbatical and gave away a pressure relieving penalty because of it…
The Wrap: Ireland go up a gear as Beauden Barrett takes a fall
Lol, you’re a sad little person!
The June Tests panel: What tweaks are needed for the second Tests?
Be interesting to see who improves, and what those improvements look like. I think that a win may of glossed over some of the Aus players being a little short of a gallop-not to mention raw combinations, so they’ll be better for the run for sure.
With Ireland set to “ring the changes” (presumably making room to room phone calls in the hotel to do so) what did you make of the comparative bench contributions? It’s only one sample, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well the 6-2 being split worked in maintaining the intensity for Australia-as evidenced, for instance, in the late scrum penalty. Hard to see that happening even a year ago.
Michael Cheika goes one-up on the 17th at Brisbane
On he other hand other hand, the issues in the line out didn’t have anything to do with jumper height, seemed purely coordination of the moving pieces.
DHP did some things well, but he is awfully slow, he was running down by an Irish second rower in the lead up to foleys try, and Hodge has a massive hoof. Each has their pros but I imagine a Cheika will stick with DHP, he tends to reward success
Michael Cheika goes one-up on the 17th at Brisbane
Thought he made some good plays and is a hard worker, but he also got run down by a second rower in the lead up to Foley’s try. Just don’t think he’s a long term option.
Nine talking points from Wallabies vs Ireland first Test
I thought Genia was we’ll below his best, which is not to say he was bad, just a lot of room for improvement. Slow service, a few poor defensive reads, but invaluable leadership-great to see a leadership group acting for as such on the field.
DHP didn’t look like a test winger for mine, well short of pace, even got reigned in by the irish second rower at one point. Still made some good decisions, but hard to se him as a long term option.
Folau was great under the high ball, one great clearing kick, but I thought he struggled in his role as a midfield distributor.
Also, the suggestion that Hooper is essentially caught seagulling in the midfield as opposed to playing a prescribed role is of course ludicrous. The back row seemed to work well as a unit last night.
Lots of space for improvement, but a very promising start to the season
Nine talking points from Wallabies vs Ireland first Test
Great point about why players and coaches leave, often gets lost in the anti admin/coach/culture hysteria
The Wrap: For the good of rugby, it’s time to muzzle the Parrot
That would also be an ARU call not a Cheika call, he already brought in what was a monumental overhaul in 8 and 60. For what it’s worth I think it should be 8years pro and/or 60 tests.
Scotland the blueprint as Wallabies end 2017 with another backward step
Hodge was the back-up 10. Has been all year. They explicitly said this in multiple interviews?
Scotland the blueprint as Wallabies end 2017 with another backward step
Scotland did such a good job of exploiting the inevitable space brought into the field by being down a man for so long-especially one so influential. They’re really probably a year ahead of Australia on their development as a team at the moment.
I thought we looked the better team right up until the red card-not that we made the most of all our opportunities, and then just couldn’t keep up, lack of maturity maybe, but ultimately Scotland put us to the sword and capitalised on everything.
Sad way to send out Moore, and sad that he was one of the bigger culprits in the second half. That front on tackle he missed on 17 was a sign of the times.
Five talking points from Scotland vs Wallabies
In this instance, how so?
Scotland vs Wallabies highlights: Spring Tour Test live scores, blog
Scotland had one fantastic rolling maul. The other two, including one five metres out where defended well
Scotland vs Wallabies highlights: Spring Tour Test live scores, blog
Oh dear, Christy has his unhinged, spoon fed from an RA desk takes so pre-loaded that they don’t even get checked for basic factual accuracies!
The Wallabies' World Cup campaign was a disaster from start to finish - but sacking Eddie Jones isn't the answer