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Joined January 2016
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Nick Bishop has worked as a rugby analyst and advisor to Graham Henry (1999-2003), Mike Ruddock (2004-2005) and most recently Stuart Lancaster (2011-2015). He also worked on the 2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia and produced his first rugby book with Graham Henry at the end of the tour. Three more rugby books have followed, all of which of have either been nominated for or won national sports book awards. Nick’s latest is a biography of Phil Larder, the first top Rugby League coach to successfully transfer over to Union, entitled “The Iron Curtain”. He is currently writing articles for The Roar and The Rugby Site, and working as a strategy consultant to Stuart Lancaster and the Leinster coaching staff for their European and Pro 14 playoff matches. Leinster achieved the double of European Champions Cup and Pro 14 league winners in 2018.
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Back in the early years of a new millennium, then-London club Wasps was regarded as a rehabilitation centre for rugby players who had lost their way in the game.
Take the curious case of James Johnston. Back in 2013, Johnston was one of the hottest properties in the English Rugby Premiership.
David Marques had just been kicked in the head by Maori prop Albie Pryor.
The look on Chris Robshaw’s after the match review said it all. ‘Robbo’ had just had his first taste of The Michael Hooper Experience back in November 2013, and he had not enjoyed it.
Dave Alred must be watching the developments in Australian rugby with hawkish interest from the perch in his new Ballymore roost. Alred is currently part of the Queensland Reds coaching group, entrusted with the improvement of the club’s kicking game.
Four years ago, venerable Victor Matfield was the comeback king.
Who can imagine Eric Morecambe without Ernie Wise? Who can think of HG Nelson without summoning ‘Rampaging’ Roy Slaven in the same mental breath?
It is a new era. The Wallaby selection panel of one is now three, and dictatorship has been replaced by something a lot more democratic.
“When we arrived, it was like the whole airport just stopped and turned.
A square peg won’t go into a round hole – it is one of the axioms of life. In rugby terms, that means trying to get the right fit for every position on the field, which has been a besetting issue for the Wallabies under Michael Cheika.
It has been a tumultuous ten days in the world of rugby, both north and south.
Dawn is the day-time of the beagle. As the first shafts of sunlight splinter the darkness, shards of pink, blood-orange and crimson jagging up into the sky, she looks up expectantly.
Even back in 2003, it was the simplest of questions. When asked who they wanted to win the World Cup if not Australia, Wallabies captain George Gregan and winger Joe Roff looked at each other knowingly for a moment.
If you ask England World Cup winner Neil Back that question, he will tell you the answer in no uncertain terms. After all, the title of his autobiography was Size Doesn’t Matter.
Graham Henry looked down from his hotel bedroom balcony in Edinburgh’s plush Balmoral Hotel. Alongside him, the stone Victorian gargoyles snarled and spat, a warning to the unwary.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then close your eyes, and let me tell you a story. It is a story about two brothers divided by a common code: rugby union and rugby league.
Last week was ‘purge’ week. That nadir of the year when you collect all of the old paper you’ve accumulated – bills, adverts, statements, letters – and burn the outdated rubbish in a steel bin.
Pop quiz: how many tour matches have England played in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga since the start of professionalism in rugby? The answer is ‘zero’.
Rewind the clock, back to the Rugby World Cup final, Sydney 2003.
Remember the arguments we used to have with Essa and all of his alternate persona’s about KB’s best position Chook?? Ahhh, the good ol days 😀
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
No worries Digs, good to hear from you…
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
Thanks Jonty – always an opportunity to innovate even when you lose someone of Folau’s quality!
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
https://www.therugbysite.com/blog/catch-and-pass/is-it-time-for-the-6-o-clock-pass-to-return
See here Sarge.
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
Watch spiral pass attacks and you will always see wider alignment, and more running towards the cornerflag Numps…
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
Yes spiral passing goes further but you have to adjust your grip on the ball first. End over end is shorter but goes through the hands quicker, and tends to keep the attack straighter outside the passer.
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
An excellent qualification Ralph – thanks 😀
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
Yes look at the outcomes of those wide plays, and there is little evidence that whatever KB did failed in its intent Numps…
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
I think you’re being unduly harsh on KB Hoy.
He is a great passer off his left hand (and not many modern inside backs can say that), and what you call ‘crabbing’ has a place. If you want to stop a defender on the edge in his tracks, the best way is by running straight at him on a diagonal – works nicely if you have space to play with.
Would I take Latham or Burke over KB – yes. But it is still good to see him enjoying his rugby again, and he has international class when he does enjoy it 🙂
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
Thanks Max.
Maybe it was a a mistake to ever move KB to 12 in the first place – isn’t that where all of the defensive shenanigans have started? And he might have developed more all-round solidity at 15 in the meantime!? The folk at Wasps won’t hear a word against him though as a 15.
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
He’ll prob end up somewhere in the NH Freddie.
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
Banks is one of those guys who should already have some WB experience under his belt, but hasn’t had it yet…
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
Surprised more folk have not mentioned Hunt in dispatches Timbo – and glad you have chosen to do so. I think he is the kind of strong character who can weld the likes of KB and BF toegther and make it all work.
I don’t think they’ll start Tom Banks at 15 to begin with, more likely wing to start. There’s an above average group here with KB, DHP, Banks, Speight and poss Hodge to pick from.
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
… and you won’t be hearing anything from me about it in future Waxy!
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
Wherever possible, I try to draw out people’s real interest in rugby Peter – and get them to unwrap it by adding my own thoughts… rather than simply reinforcing prejudices. Hope it works 🙂
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
You must have a penchant for pain, writing articles on Beale, Quade and the pooper in recent times. And willingly posting them on the roar.
Anything but more chewing on the Folau cud Numps!
Isaac Lucas seems like an interesting player… what is his best position?
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
I’m also an Irish citizen and my wife and son are Welsh so this World Cup doesn’t look all bad news.
I think you gave it away at the end there Doc!!
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
All the nonsense talk of Beale and Folau being match winners ignore the results last year, since the last WC really, You have to win matches to be a match winner.
So tell us your options Jack, and why they will be better than KB!?
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
Nervousness among WB supporters and KB selection go hand in hand Sinclair! There is always that element of the unknown, for better or worse… Provided the player has enough quality, that should not rule him out. To a certain extent it was also present in Folau.
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
You could have Hodge and Kerevi playing together in the centres Freddie – that way you get Hodge’s boot and his surer D at 13…
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour
Aye.
Why Israel Folau has done Kurtley Beale a favour