Roar Rookie
Joined September 2018
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Rugby lover and Wallabies fan, but late to the game, becoming a real fan 5 or so years ago when in my mid thirties . From Perth, living in France.
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During the recent Australia vs England series Allan Alaalatoa, Jordan Petaia and Scott Sio all injured themselves executing tackles. All three went in low,…
A bit early, I realise, but we’ve all been thinking about it for a bit and I’m interested in getting the conversation going a…
Maybe I’m a sucker for punishment. I watched the last Wallabies game three times – once live with French commentary, once with the Aussie…
I'm a big podcast-listener, so whatever I'm into I'll usually find a few good podcasts to listen to on it. About a year ago…
As we're all twiddling our thumbs rugby-wise, I thought it might be interesting to twiddle them in a more structured and debatable way. Let's…
I grew up in Western Australia and never had anything to do with rugby when I was young aside from seeing the occasional highlight…
Like you I’m sure, for about the last two years, I’ve been hanging out for the World Cup. During that time I also completely…
True about the quality that can’t get a game for the Springboks. Must be frustrating, for them. Remarkable that Vermeulen at 37 can keep Wiese out.
COMPLETE RWC SF teams: Poms make three changes as Boks name most capped XV, ABs' QF hero starts for Cheika's Pumas
I read it focusing on the analysis of the Ireland NZ game, but with the bigger picture stuff, on second read I see what you mean to some extent.
SPIRO ZAVOS: The moment I knew Irish curse would continue, and why Southern giants still rule the Cup
That would be a real shame. Great that countries can bring a bit of their distinctive, unique cultures to it.
SPIRO ZAVOS: The moment I knew Irish curse would continue, and why Southern giants still rule the Cup
Could be read as an indicator they put teams under pressure better though, which leads to more cards.
SPIRO ZAVOS: The moment I knew Irish curse would continue, and why Southern giants still rule the Cup
I thought it was an excellent article and Spiro’s call that Ireland played by the numbers puts into words a sense I had watching it better than I could, but he also gives credit to NZ for having their number.
As you mentioned, he’s not taking about the France vs South Africa game. But did he have to?
SPIRO ZAVOS: The moment I knew Irish curse would continue, and why Southern giants still rule the Cup
I hope Argentina can compete, win even, but I have very little confidence
But England – the parts have been greater than the sum the last 3 years: still got four good props, an excellent backrow, good centres, good 10s good outside backs, Smith at 15 really gives them a different dimension. Just maybe the sum has come together. I reckon them winning is possible. Decent odds could suck me in.
COMPLETE RWC SF teams: Poms make three changes as Boks name most capped XV, ABs' QF hero starts for Cheika's Pumas
Fair critique, Moaman. I would counter that when through replays we can see that rules haven’t been correctly applied we are taking about facts.
But if you mean (by “arbitrary”) that certain facts have been highlighted and other facts not, you’re definitely right about that.
RWC News: World Rugby's epic troll in semis ref call, legend snipes at 'bandwagon' Kiwi fans, Bok great roasts Poms
I don’t think so. That’s just taking a position, assuming all things are equal. In this case they weren’t.
RWC News: World Rugby's epic troll in semis ref call, legend snipes at 'bandwagon' Kiwi fans, Bok great roasts Poms
Good article.
COMMENT: RA wanted a Pitbull to bring back some snarl to the Wallabies - Eddie rolled over for a tummy tickle
Why not look at whether the complaints are justified?
RWC News: World Rugby's epic troll in semis ref call, legend snipes at 'bandwagon' Kiwi fans, Bok great roasts Poms
Have a look at the video
RWC News: World Rugby's epic troll in semis ref call, legend snipes at 'bandwagon' Kiwi fans, Bok great roasts Poms
That was a rare one-off. I was shocked but it was a one-off. Likewise Kolbe’s rundown of the kick. One-offs that I think were wrong but are harder to be prepared for
The issue generally to me is he was consistently letting the south African players get away with not-releasing. He’s just not correctly enforcing a pretty basic rule.
I was supporting the Boks here. They are my number two team (even though I live in France) but I would have been happy for France to win too.
The sourgrapes call is a question of will you accept anyone complaining or not; are you more interested in good form, or in what happened? I care much more about the latter when it’s high stakes.
I don’t think we should just say ‘it happens’ etc. We should call it what it is: A professional doing his job badly in a high stakes situation. Doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be a referee but does mean we should think twice or more about him refereeing the biggest games.
RWC News: World Rugby's epic troll in semis ref call, legend snipes at 'bandwagon' Kiwi fans, Bok great roasts Poms
I have thought that for a while.
'Be Australian': How the RWC QF classics showed we must urgently define and deliver our own style
Sorry folks but that video just confirms and furthers my sense watching the match live. France were hard done by.
It was superb coaching and preparation by the Boks but it takes away from their victory. Not that France deserved to win more, but SA got a helping hand from O Keefe missing stuff much more one way than the other.
That’s the facts, not my opinion.
RWC News: World Rugby's epic troll in semis ref call, legend snipes at 'bandwagon' Kiwi fans, Bok great roasts Poms
Sometimes I wonder more if we should targeting selective TMO interventions. I have seen a number of plays in the last few weeks where I wonder why the TMO didn’t call it in and then a others where I wonder why they bothered.
Onfield referees see it live and we should give them credit for getting it right the vast majority time. But when the stakes are so high it’s hard and marginal calls seem to keep going one way rather than the other… (Which they sometimes do)
Even the best can be biased. Professionals, but humans too. And bias isn’t necessarily intentional or even conscious.
Good, the Bad, the Eddie: Bok hails AB for 'best display I've ever seen', Kolbe confounds, 'classless' Rieko claim
Savea is a phenomenal player. Amazingly strong. Him hip-shaking Eben E aside on an attempted cleanout is one of the most memorable rugby moments of the year.
Good, the Bad, the Eddie: Bok hails AB for 'best display I've ever seen', Kolbe confounds, 'classless' Rieko claim
I was supporting South Africa but I did think France got the thin-end refereeing-wise. Not consistently bad by any means but a few times, including the penalty Kwagga got (with his hand on the ground)
Five things: RWC quarters deliver rugby's greatest weekend, Cheika's timely Wallabies reminder, officiating wild west
I hoped to see this on replay but accidentally found out the score.
I really hope Fiji weren’t robbed by the referee. I usually like Raynal and thought his call against Oz in the Bledisloe was fair.
But after all the hoo ha and complaining I watched the Wales, Fiji game and thought Fiji genuinely were very hard done by. I really hope to see that they weren’t here.
There are commentators who’ll always say more or less oh don’t complain, you make your own luck. But this is high stakes and it’s a Greta shame if Fiji did indeed get stiffed.
'He froze': Raynal leaves Fiji skipper fuming at 'unconscious bias' but coach delivers classy response to key calls
He dropped off in his last couple of tests but i think that made a lot of folks forget his form had been good for a while before that.
27 for '27: The stars of the future who will light up Australia's RWC
Great to see Cheika have some success and the Argentine crowd were great.
Pumas made a fair few mistakes with the ball but defended very very well most of the time and had plenty of intent and confidence with the ball in hand. You can see Cheika gives them confidence.
Cheika's hilariously laconic reaction, Gatland's cheeky Eddie dig, as Argies shock Wales
Very taxing. Impressive if guys can go an extra 30 minutes. Players are almost out on their feet sometimes when it goes a few minutes past 80. Probably a fair risk of injury too by that point.
'Players know who they are': RWC favourites ready for football-style penalty shootouts - but how would they work?
The controlled, legal physical aggression of the Boks, France and in a different, less constant, more sniper-style way, Ireland is one of the most impressive things, what the Wallabies need to work for.
RWC News: Irish claim 'bizarre' spy drama shows Kiwi 'paranoia', Boks send clear message to BOK, Dupont's big fear
🏉 not at all what I’d have expected halves-wise from South Africa, nor the 5-3. Will they last minute switch a player out for a 6-2 ‘?
This game could be one for the ages. It was epic in Marseille last year, very very tough and intense but this could be another level. Either outcome too will be huge.
COMPLETE RWC QF teams: Dupont returns, Boks make HUGE halves call, Borthwick picks his No.10, Semi back for Fiji
I hope you are right. I am genuinely surprised Japan want him now. 3 years ago yeah. 1 maybe. Now it looks crazy to me.
Eddie digs in as he flies home - AGAIN denying he wants to quit to coach Japan, while revealing next step
“France just made too many errors, some of which SA capitalised on for their first three tries. Others allowed South Africa field position and possession which proved crucial.
And their fielding of high kicks and terrible covering of the backfield were ruthlessly exposed for four tries. ”
JD, you might have read I’m in the France were hard done by school. I also completely agree with the above comments though.
Thought SA were tactically and strategically excellent. But France were hard done by too and I so think it was that that swung the result.
SPIRO ZAVOS: The moment I knew Irish curse would continue, and why Southern giants still rule the Cup