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…
I think you should have a three year window from the end of one World Cup until a year before the start of the next to switch your allegation to a T2 nation
Pros being:
-You can only change once, so no flip flopping based on a better offer
-You can’t try for T1 selection for the RWC and then try again with your country of origin if you don’t make it (eg. the somewhat farcical way it seems to work in RL)
Tongan Thor to debut as Cheika names Wallabies team versus Scotland
The speculation about what he was saying in the coaches box, to whom, was pretty ridiculous. It’s pretty disappointing that Tom Decent at rugby heaven had two articles about it-that sort of gossip and speculation doesn’t seem like what journalism should be.
There’s also a strong history of Australian coaches yelling in the box at Twickenham, Bob Dwyer famously yelling “kick it to shithouse” while seated right behind the queen.
I think Cheika cops it more because he’s a successful Everyman, people see so much of themselves in him and so judge him more harshly. Commentary is also more and more skewed online, people with a positive opinion will comment once, whereas the negative opinions get posted relentlessly, so it’s not necessarily indicative imo.
Michael Cheika deserves a break - and our respect
Nicely done Nick, you’ve hit two birds with one stone in this piece, great analysis and getting on the roar favourites: Hannigan, Phipps and robertson!
That said, the drop off was clear, I think the next big work on for the coaching team will be in the finishers. I feel as though Cheika was the first coach I heard talking about reserves as finishers at the RWC, and it certainly worked them in 2015. Would be great if players like Toomua and Fardy hadn’t gone to Europe…
Two last thoughts, isn’t Phipps normally pretty good defensively? Got the sense that he/we started chasing the game too much and it went very pear shaped in those final few minutes.
Lastly I though Hanigan played fairly well, but he was ultimately pulled and McCalman sent in early because of an injury.
Wallabies busted by the benches - not the refs - at Twickenham
Perhaps a difference in interpretation of ball in play? Eg. does the clock for the territory counter stop when the ball is out or waiting to be fed at a scrum.
Three areas that cost the Wallabies at Twickenham – and refereeing is not one
It was shelved because Genis sucks at them-as opposed to it being fancifully tied to Foley selection
Three areas that cost the Wallabies at Twickenham – and refereeing is not one
Right, guess I missed the warning. As it happened they only came away with three points from the yellow card period, so Hooper is probably justified to of infringed, if he infringed
Three areas that cost the Wallabies at Twickenham – and refereeing is not one
It’s tit for tat, but England weren’t competing at the majority of breakdowns, so no, not necessarily
Three areas that cost the Wallabies at Twickenham – and refereeing is not one
…ng.
Also, don’t recall hooper being warned? And they did respond fairly well through the yellow card period in fairness, we held England to just three points and Hodge even packed a scrum in a non comical manner
Three areas that cost the Wallabies at Twickenham – and refereeing is not one
Certainly fair points Brett, there certainly seemed to be a failure to adjust in-game, especially in attack. Genia’s generally poor game, especially in the first half was a big factor, that mid-field forward pod rarely got the ball in an advantageous position.
On kicking, I feel that Hodge has a pretty slow wind-up that makes him susceptible to being charged down, which is why he doesn’t get many opportunities there, could be wro
Three areas that cost the Wallabies at Twickenham – and refereeing is not one
I think the bigger issue is getting re-eligible. There should be a way that a player capped by a top tier nation can have one opportunity to change their allegiance back to a lower-tier nation.
Roar Forum: What changes should the Wallabies make for Scotland?
Yeah thought he played a pretty good role, made some good tackles. Once the confirmation bias gets rolling on this site though, that’s sort of it.
Roar Forum: What changes should the Wallabies make for Scotland?
The first offense is his coming from on an offside position, however.
By the same token, by the time Hooper plays at the ball to score his disallowed try he’s been both run onside and put onside by the subsequent kick. There’s a lot more grey area in that decision in my opinion.
Five talking points from Australia's loss to England
Robshaw was five metres offside when Genia picked up the ball to pass to Korobiete
(edit, didn’t see the comments above) Farrell also came from an offside position
Five talking points from Australia's loss to England
Mate, do you have a thing against Cheika or soemthing, just feeling like there’s some bias coming through.
Five talking points from Australia's loss to England
The ARU, as i recall, said they would guarantee any remaining time on contracts for Force players
Three more Wallabies hop to the Rebels for 2018
Thanks for another insightful piece Nick.
Would you say that the degree to which the team is trying to play with this much fluidity has increased in the last couple of games?
I get the impression that the coaches are trying on some adjustments to the game plan-and as you seem to indicate here, Hodge’s development as a back-up 10 is continuing in-game (even out at 11).
Why is it you would select Hunt at 15 and not a straight swap for Kerevi at 12? I would’ve thought it gives the same amount of directional flex in attack but de-clutters on defense.
Is there a limit to 'total rugby'?
Yeah I thought Hanigan played quite well.
And, Robertson held the scrum together when it was down a man.
Five talking points from Wales vs Wallabies
My guess, pending health is Foley-Hunt at 10-12 leaving Beale at the back.
With the starting players looking more or less settled, i think a big question going forward is going to be the bench composition-one of the great strengths of the RWC15 team was having a player like Beale on the bench who could slot in across the back-line and change the shape and pace of the attack.
Next big work on for Cheika/Larkham should be getting those “finishers” back as opposed to straight subs…
The Wrap: All roads lead to Yokohama
I disagree for a few of reasons.
Firstly, as a professional game it is the players and their managers responsibility to organise contracts and what not, and Tafs team hasn’t done that and evidently weren’t as organised as they ought to of been for the potential that the Force were discontinued.
Secondly, it’s a good sign that the four remaining teams aren’t clamouring for his signature, because it means that young players with contracts already signed, will continue to get weekly opportunities in SR.
Thirdly, Taf is a phenomenal player, has given everything for club and country, and we know what he’s capabale of. He qualifies to play for the Wallabies without being in Australia, and you’d love to see him finish his days making some good coin and taking it a bit easier on the body somewhere like Japan.
Five talking points from Japan vs Wallabies
Sure Timbo, i get nicknames, although it must get confusing to have two different dog-types in there.
Michael Cheika mixes things up with experimental Wallabies side to play Japan
You’re not wrong, the comments are almost unreadable at times.
Michael Cheika mixes things up with experimental Wallabies side to play Japan
Mate i’m not saying that, never mentioned any other coaches. But if we contextualize with recent Australian coaches and let’s not forget that since Rod, we’ve found something to hate in all of them.
My point was really that the journalism on the SMH et al was poor, when realistically he probably didn’t say f-cking cheat-there’s no audio-and he’s never accused anyone of cheating. He probably said f-cking sh-t, because that makes the most sense.
My other point is that he’s the least aloof, most transparent/life like of recent coaches, and so people see themselves in him and judge him harshly as a result.
Speaking of which i thought he reacted appropriately in shutting down that sh-t-stirring post match interview, wasn’t especially rude, just said basically; are you seriously going to ask me if i swore (notice he said that, he didn’t even cotton on to the accusation that he called the officials cheats) in the heat of the moment during the game? That seems a fair enough response to me.
Michael Cheika deserves a break - and our respect