Roar Guru
Joined May 2013
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Former newspaper sports journo (in Oz, NZ, SA and UK) now producing blogs and interactive sports crosswords for my website (www.sportsword.com.au). It also features weekly tips across all football codes, courtesy of renowned form analyst David White (aka YT). Co-inventor of revolutionary cricket development game known as Revolver Cricket (www.revolvercricket.com).
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English rugby referee Wayne Barnes may still be the Wallabies’ favourite whistle-blower after that breathtaking win against Wales in Cardiff, but how different it…
Rugby league's 2013 incarnation of the World Cup certainly attracted more than its fair share of critics, but surely nothing can detract from that…
Given his limited lead time in the job, it's probably asking a bit much to expect Ewen McKenzie to hit the ground running when…
So Australian cricket's wild child has tamed a second-string South African attack in a nondescript match in Pretoria and all of sudden he's a…
Having spent much of my working life writing sports headlines, among other things, to keep baked beans on the table, I still can't help…
After the injury carnage of the first Test and the cloud that hung for so long over skipper James Horwill, who’d have thought it…
At the risk of giving the impression I have an unhealthy fixation with scrums I fear that's where the Wallabies could come unstuck, big…
Having recently aired a pet rugby beef of mine – that fans are being seriously shortchanged because of the amount of playing time lost…
How silly of me to think common sense might kick in to change the way referees handle rugby's time-consuming scrum resets. Sadly, it seems,…
Quade Cooper. Robbie Deans. World Cup meltdown. Toxic environment. OK. Now we've got that out of the way, how about we do as Deans…
If we have to live with rugby’s infuriating scrum resets, I wish more referees would take a leaf out of Lourens van der Merwe’s…
I can imagine that German Shepherd would have enjoyed defusing those bombs, John.
Officials lucky that in-goal farce didn't turn into 'own-goal' tragedy
Point taken re absence of scrums, Sheriff. But, yes, I was alluding more to the way in which Barnes played advantage, thus negating the need for scrums and allowing the game to “breathe”.
Cooper yellow card could have left Aussie fans seeing red
Fair point, Chubby, though we’re probably splitting hairs (SA 25 from 27, with one draw, including last 20 on the trot; NZ 26/29, the last 24 in succession).
Interesting, though, that you didn’t bother with a comparison of records against Ireland and Scotland while you were at it … perhaps because the Boks don’t stack up quite so impressively there (by my reckoning, four losses to Ireland — including three of their last five) and five losses to Scotland).
Six Nations can't cut the mustard on the world rugby stage
Sadly,I suspect you’re right, Christo. Nothing will be done … until someone finishes up in a wheelchair.
Officials lucky that in-goal farce didn't turn into 'own-goal' tragedy
David, Your reference in those stats to Wales having beaten the All Blacks three times prompted me to revisit the record books.
Not because I doubted it but because, in light of the Wallabies’ nine-match wing streak against the Welsh, I thought it perhaps timely to reflect on the ABs’ phenomenal record v Wales.
Not only have Wales not beaten New Zealand for SIXTY years — those Welsh wins were in 1905, 1935 and 1953 — but the ABs have reeled off a staggering 24 straight wins against Wales since that ’53 reversal. The overall record now stands at: Matches played: 29; Wins: NZ 26, Wales 3.
As you noted, of course, Ireland and Scotland have NEVER beaten the All Blacks. That latest Irish heartbreak left the Ireland v NZ record standing at: Matches played: 28; Wins: NZ 27, Ireland 0; Draw: 1. And Scotland v NZ: Matches played 29; Wins: NZ 27, Scotland 0; Draws: 2.
To round out NH teams’ record against the All Blacks, the stats are: England v NZ: Matches played: 36; Wins: NZ 28, England 7; Draw: 1. France v NZ: Matches played: 55; Wins: NZ 42, France 12; Draw: 1.
All pretty sobering stuff!
Six Nations can't cut the mustard on the world rugby stage
And for what it’s worth, I write as a fellow-Guru (though, for some odd reason, not credited as such here) and former newspaper sports journo (NZ/Aus/SA/UK). Once again, congrats on a great think piece.
Can anybody catch the All Blacks?
Fair enough TEC. Would you be wanting those in $NZ, $A or Rand?
Can anybody catch the All Blacks?
Thanks TEC for one of the great reads (“Can anybody catch the All Blacks?”) … and thanks for saving me some serious blog-writing time!
Having planned to tackle a similar theme on my website this week, I now feel I’d be doing subscribers a sizeable favour by offering them a link to your brilliantly incisive piece rather than trotting out my own humble thoughts — which, as it happens, so much mirror your own it’s almost scary.
Well done!
Can anybody catch the All Blacks?
Great minds, David … or should I at least say It looks like I was writing a Lehmann/McKenzie-themed blog for my website about the same time as you were posting your piece. Not suggesting it mirrored your views exactly but, given that both were faced with overhauling team culture, after taking over from foreign coaches, I, too, saw interesting parallels.
Frustrated Lehmann and McKenzie crack the whip
I like it Griffo. If you happen to be a Beatles fan from way back, you might appreciate one I got from a Kiwi journo mate — after baseballer Daniel Strawberry decided in the early 90s to quit drugs. His headline read: Strawberry Yields Forever.
Best sporting headlines: when Nagle streak was headline act
I’m well aware of what he does and where he works. I’m merely suggesting he’s probably better placed than most of us on here to recognise potential scheduling problems — but didn’t see any need to make an issue of it.
Slack calls "time off" for scrum resets
It’s interesting to note, Adam, that Slack himself works in television and, presumably, doesn’t see scheduling as an intractable problem here..
Slack calls "time off" for scrum resets
For starters, let’s hope those damning stats Slacky trotted out are brought to the attention of SANZAR et al.
Slack calls "time off" for scrum resets
Elisha, You’re obviously referring to South African referee Lourens van der Merwe, whose refreshing approach in a Hurricanes-Chiefs match on May 17 was what prompted my initial post on this issue. I can only assume you missed my follow-up article on May 29, which read:
How silly of me to think commonsense might kick in to change the way referees handle rugby’s time-consuming scrum resets.
Sadly, it seems, any attempt by whistleblowers to free up more playing time by calling “time off” while both packs re-form will be nipped in the bud.
That’s the only conclusion that can be drawn after South African referee Lourens van der Merwe’s apparent about-face on the issue during last weekend’s round of Super rugby action.
Having last week welcomed van der Merwe’s decision to call “time off” on several occasions after scrum collapses in the Hurricanes-Chiefs match in Wellington on May 17, it was disappointing, and revealing, that there wasn’t a peep out of him in that department when he had charge of the Blues-Brumbies clash in Auckland last Friday night.
Clearly, someone in authority – presumably, referees boss Lyndon Bray — had taken him to task.
For what?
Rugby already stands condemned in terms of ball-in-play statistics and it would be interesting to know just how much time is lost during the whole tedious scrum reset exercise.
Surely any attempt to prevent the clock being wound down unnecessarily should be applauded – and encouraged.
Slack calls "time off" for scrum resets
I didn’t write the headline, Adam. Nor did I suggest anywhere in my story that Quade Cooper “doesn’t matter”. I was simply suggesting it might be time we moved on from that debate and started discussing other areas of concern now that the “core” of Deans’s squad has been named. I was also alluding to the fact that, if the Wallabies can’t come up with a tight five that can impose themselves on the game, the question of who plays 10 would probably be rendered irrelevant, anyway.
Does Quade Cooper really matter?
Your thoughts aside, Mike, the majority of comments to date tend to confirm that a lot of Roarers are finding it impossible to “move on”. I, too, have strong views on the Quade Cooper-Robbie Deans issue, but I fail to see the point of dwelling on it now that Deans has made his call.
Does Quade Cooper really matter?
Fair point, Ralph, but if he wants to keep his job … given the scenario I was referring to, it’d be interesting to get the definitive view of SANZAR refs boss Lyndon Bray.
Hooray! Saffa ref blows whistle on time-consuming scrum resets
AdamS, we could get bogged down on this but you might be interested in what the IRB law (5.3) says in relation to “timekeeping”:
“The referee keeps the time but may delegate the duty to either or both the touch judges and/or the official time-keeper, in which case the referee signals to them any stoppage of time or time lost. In matches without an official time-keeper, if the referee is in doubt as to the correct time the referee consults either or both the touch judges and may consult others but only if the touch judges cannot help.”
Hooray! Saffa ref blows whistle on time-consuming scrum resets
If you check the scheduling, carnivean, I don’t seriously think it’s ever that tight that it could become a major issue. But, yes, the overriding benefit is, as you say, spectators/viewers aren’t being short-changed — and, of course, if it’s in the dying stages of a match there’s no incentive for a team to attempt to run the clock down by employing delaying tactics before the reset.
Hooray! Saffa ref blows whistle on time-consuming scrum resets
Quite apart from the fact that the referee would no doubt have one of his assistants (or the TMO) in his ear very smartly, I ‘d suggest if we can’t rely on top-flight referees to remember to call “time on”, we’re in trouble.
Hooray! Saffa ref blows whistle on time-consuming scrum resets
That’s compelling stuff, Stu. As someone who’s long recognised the fascinating parallels between Sevens and T20, I welcome such an in-depth piece on the exciting possibilities the abbreviated game represents. Not least, I have to say, because you’ve given me something to hang my latest blog on!
Is the ARU ignoring a rugby sevens gold mine?