Matthew Tomczyk's Roar Profile

I disagree with the last bit – World Rugby should move to a 6-2-2-2 point structure. To wit, in both semi-finals, the losing team didn’t score a single try but were strangely never out of it. Johnny WIlkinson showed why rugby had to change — and that was 12 years ago. It would also lessen the importance of referee calls.

World Cup wrap: Worthy final confirms rugby is in great shape

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Rugby

I disagree. He’s done much more to raise the profile of tennis in this country than anyone else since Rafter and Hewitt. In criticising him, the media have become nothing more than advertisers for Dr. Dre’s headphones.

The problem with Kyrgios is that he doesn’t win enough to justify the tantrums.

Nick Kyrgios makes John McEnroe look like a goody two shoes

Another rule that needs to be changed, perhaps?

Wallabies vs Argentina highlights: Australia secure World Cup Final showdown with the All Blacks

Was the cocaine supplied by Gary Abblett Snr?

In any case, I’ll bite on this one. I understand that he has to pretend-apologise for his actions, much in the same way that Andrew Johns and Geoff Huegill did. I’d much prefer someone to come out and say something like “yes, I did it because I enjoyed it, and I don’t see anything morally wrong with it.” One day.

Carlisle sorry for snorting 'mistake'

AFL

‘Do we care too much about rugby?’

Probably not. We care a lo about it at this particular point in time, since a World Cup only comes around once every four years. Interest piques the other times of the year when the Wallabies play, but that’s about it.

Rugby care factor? Unreasonably high

You may be right.

The other thing that Hayne’s been criticised for is running back infield on punt return. That’s also an NRL thing, since it’s not uncommon for a fullback to score a try from a kick return. In NFL it’s very rare, and coaching staff are more concerned about one more inch.

Is the NRL to blame for Jarryd Hayne's fumble woes?

NFL

The stain that won’t be erased anytime soon.

Goodes shouldn’t be abused at all, he should be venerated as one of the greats of the game. I’ve read his bios and and I can’t help but think “Really? *This* is the guy they’re booing?”.

Racist abuse proves 'booing' Adam Goodes was all about the football after all

What exactly is he doing to destroy his tennis career?

The personality traits that he has make him an ideal tennis player. Tennis is second only to boxing in its ability to produce well-adjusted young men. I like him. He’s different. The only reason why the public tolerated McEnroe was because he won so much. If Kyrgios won something by now we’d be more forgiving.

Could Beale, Giteau, and Cooper be unlikely saviours for Kyrgios?

That’s an interesting way of looking at it. Is rugby the egalitarian sport in NZ?

Why is the south so much better than the north?

You’re spot on about the weather. It was mentioned in the telecast last night as being the critical factor. Longer and drier summer down south permit a more backline orientated style, whereas the weather up north is conducive to a forward based game.

The only place where rugby union sits prodominantly is NZ (the black majority population in SA play football, and we have AFL and NRL to watch here).

It’s a race to second place really…

Rugby World Cup: Southern semi-finals confirmed, as Scotland leave Wallabies with plenty to work on

I agree it was a poor ruling, but that’s what happens once you start penalising actions based on intent, since you’ll never know what’s going inside a guy’s head.

If memory serves, Rafter has the Cherish the Children Foundation

Should Jarryd Hayne receive the Australian of the Year Award?

He is popular. We care more about the colour of Hayne’s boots than the rugby world cup. (That’s the last rugby joke for today, I swear).

I don’t think that he satisfies criteria no. 2. — the significant contribution to the community.

As stated before, if it wasn’t an issue, there’d be no need to offer a bonus point in the first place. Nor would there be a need for world rugby to run experiments with 6-point tries and 2-point goals. World Rugby recognises it as an area that needs looking at, but curiously, you don’t.

The Rugby World Cup stats they don't show you on TV

Thanks for your correction. I’m not a Hardy sympathiser; I too find his actions deplorable.

Greg Hardy's "guns blazing" quip has turned NFL into a farce

Six tries per game were scored because of the presence of the minnows. I selected the two games as examples because they were between proper teams, and I think that’s fair enough. And my prediction is that it’ll even get worse the deeper we get in the tournament. The issue with this is that referee calls will become even more important in the outcome of games. The paucity of tries is a problem that’s recognised at all levels– that’s why they incentivise teams to score them with bonus points. Even that’s not enough.

“When the world cup attendance at the proper version exceeded that in the league ‘world cup’ after the opening weekend, I dare say that comment is simply bollocks.”

All you’re saying is that rugby union is “more international” whereas league only exists in Aus, NZ and a few industrial towns in the north of England. So what? The Super Rugby competition brings in average crowds almost identical to the NRL. Big deal.

“Rugby is a game of discipline as well as tries,”

You must have missed my point, it’s not a game of tries but penalties. I’m sorry for you that the NRL produces players that can walk straight into the Wallabies team.

Suggestion for the statman: can we have a stat for the amount, and percentage, of points scored from penalties in RWC games.

This would be easy to do, just time consuming.

I have a pet theory that the game is turning into a penalty shootout, and this will only intensify once the minnows are eliminated. We’ve seen a tryless game between Aus and Wales, and the first half of Fra v Ire was nothing more than a kicking duel.

!Modern Rugby is a farce”

True.

“and differs little from League-”

Untrue. Union wishes it was like league. The main difference is that you might actually see a try or two in rugby league, whereas this RWC is devolving into a penalty shootout. Kicking for goal from 45 metres out is unthinkable in the NRL, but it’s commonplace. From what I saw in the highlights, Wales bombed a few tries by not going for the corner, preferring to cut back inside every single time.

Cometti has a great voice and the wit is fantastic. There has to be something redeeming in AFL. Has to.

They’re miles ahead of Channel 9’s NRL team – Ray Warren and Phil Gould sound more like your drunk uncles talking about the game over the barbie. Brad Fittler’s suffered too much brain damage to form a coherent sentence and Darren Lockyer should invest in a packet of Strepsils. The only saving grace is Warren’s God-like voice. The FOX league team is the best of the lot.

AFL 2015: Nothing lost, nothing gained

Very sad, but rules are rules. Every person ought to have the right to a trial by jury and to confront his/her accuser in court.

I think we may have reached a turning point in sports. There was a time when you could do the most heinous things (think Mike Vick), they’d send you to jail, you’d pretend-apologise, and America will love you again. Greg Hardy is just bypassing the middle two steps.

Secondly, Hardy’s conviction was overturned as noted. Do you think that the NFL would face a legal challenge if they tried to stop Hardy from playing?

And lastly, do you think that there are some sports that *require* you to be a genuine badass? I reckon trying to find a well-rounded individual in the NFL is like trying to find a Renaissance man in boxing.

Interesting call. I wouldn’t say boring, although there are a few things that I detest. Compared to league, AFL looks sloppy. Since you can’t get tackled with the ball you see a lot of professional athletes pretend-fumble the ball over the sideline and hope 50,000 spectators don’t notice. That being said, they’re super tough for diving head first for the ball, surrounded by a pack of knees.

They get a lot of things wrong, like hating possibly the greatest player to ever play the game.

The one thing that the AFL gets right is the commentary team of McAvaney and Cometti. Look up “Cometti-isms” online.

But anyway, AFL is the sport you should watch at the ground. League has been engineered to be the best game to watch on your TV.

I love horse racing. It’s got all the best stuff in the world happening. Gambling, booze, well-dressed women, and, if you’re mates with Geoff Huegill, coke in the toilets.

Spring Racing Carnival: The social aspect as important as the racing

I don’t think it’s silly at all. The history of the codes in Aus is based around players ceding away from RU due to inequality, specifically players wanting to get paid for games and injuries, etc. Shortly after RL formed a strong association with the Labor Party. RU supporters try to claim the moral high ground by arguing that RU suspended play during WWI, while those yellow-bellied RL players kept playing.

MASCORD: Is patriotism compulsory?

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