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Joined April 2017
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I am a man on a mission to save Australian rugby.
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In two years' time the Wallabies will be in the midst of their campaign for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Make no mistake about…
After an expected 37-14 victory over Fiji in front of a dismal crowd turnout in Melbourne the Wallabies now face their toughest test of…
In a Test match, players sometimes aren't able to hear calls or broken play may see traditional structures abandoned. In these moments, combinations stand…
The Wallabies' challenge before the 2019 World Cup is turning a group of players from grossly under-performing Super Rugby teams into a dynamic, world-beating…
Last month I wrote the first of my two-part article on the solution to the shambles that is Australian rugby with hopes that there…
For months now, Australian rugby has been a whirlpool of speculation, finger pointing, rhetoric, confusion and anger. I for one am sick of it,…
Yeah lets hope its enough, I think its about coaching and selection now. I think really the first few years under Rennie the men’s were showing genuine growth and culture. Shame it all went to crap under Jones. Its going to be an interesting 2 years before the Lions tour because if we don’t improve quickly we will get obliterated.
Eddie deserved the boos - but he's left foundations to build on as Australian rugby picks itself up from rock bottom
For sure, hopefully Aus Rugby can develop a super rugby competition with meaning. I always remember the pandemic with just an Australian super rugby comp. Although it was limited from a marketing perspective it is a much easier sell for Australia as its all in our time zone and an Australian team wins every time. Not saying that this is the way to go but Super Rugby just doesn’t have much of an appeal to a wider Aus market with most Australian teams getting towelled up all the time. That crowd in the 2021 Super Rugby AU final should give Australia confidence that if Super Rugby all falls over then maybe an all Aus path could be viable.
Eddie deserved the boos - but he's left foundations to build on as Australian rugby picks itself up from rock bottom
For sure, we definitely went too young in the World Cup. I mean not having the likes of Hooper there to guide them through the tough moments was a total failure. Hope the young blokes can be better for it and hasn’t left scars. Will be interesting to see what coach Aus rugby choses moving forward as this will be critical. For mine Joe Schmidt is the best on the market and someone who has come into a national team and turned things around the right way.
Eddie deserved the boos - but he's left foundations to build on as Australian rugby picks itself up from rock bottom
Thanks mate, just for context though the editor changed the title of my article from “Have we hit rock bottom? Where to form here for Australian Rugby”. Not sure why as I definitely don’t think Eddie laid any good foundations. Eddie tried to claim as much when he left but we all know its BS. He never wanted to stick around with the Wallabies and took us all for a ride. Just after he took the job he was on a podcast and let slip the real truth that he wasn’t going to coach after the world cup then walked it back. I think that Japan had let him know that they would be going for a new coach after the world cup and he needed a job to fill the gap, took all of Aus Rugby for a ride then move on to his real target. A real piece of work he is.
Eddie deserved the boos - but he's left foundations to build on as Australian rugby picks itself up from rock bottom
Yeah this lions series the use of the box kick has been rediculous! There is a huge reliance on it and I agree that if it is used this much it makes the game a mess. Dont even get me started on Erasmus, probably the most bias and unfair video I have ever seen.
Is it time to boot the box kick?
Thanks Sinclair, I cant even imagine doing the stats for this for SA or Wales it would take me years! Agree on the ruck situation, needs to be cleaned up.
Is it time to boot the box kick?
Great read Mary! Looking forward to seeing the Wallaroos in full flight at next years WC (even if I am disappointed that it was moved out from this year).
Lucy Lockhart pursues Rugby World Cup dream for the love of rugby
Yep, the plan is still for the French to tour in July this year. They look a good side so will be a great test for the Wallabies. Not much more has been announced but I would expect another Rugby Championship/Tri Nations comp involving Argies, NZ and us again later in the year at least. South Africa may be included too depending on how things work out regarding COVID and protocols ect.
What you missed: Australian rugby’s off-season report
Thanks mate, yeah good point there. Referees are in such a hard position lately with rule changes and a real focus on the head/neck area. Offside and scrum penalties are also something to watch which I think haven’t been the best, particularly in Aus last year. Add the differences in general between the rules of the two comps now such as ruck speed and 50/22 kicks and it will be very interesting. As you said, consistency is key.
What you missed: Australian rugby’s off-season report
Yeah I think the game 100% needs to do better at explaining the intricacies to new viewers. It is a complex game and if you want the sport to grow you have to be able to make people that haven’t played the sport understand the rules. I will support your change of school curriculum.
Throwing the game away: The blight on Australian rugby
Thank you. Yeah a good lock is always a hookers best friend haha
Throwing the game away: The blight on Australian rugby
Thanks Bobby, yeah I agree, I expect Uelese to get the nod this weekend as well primarily based on lineout abilities but he hasn’t set the world on fire with his throwing either. The onus is on the coaches now to get it all humming.
Throwing the game away: The blight on Australian rugby
Very true ozinsa, the Wallabies just need to be smarter about how they execute. You don’t need to throw to two in the lineout every time but you can vary your movement enough to at least commit the opposition. Hopefully we see more of this on the weekend.
Throwing the game away: The blight on Australian rugby
Yeah I am much more of a build it and they will come philosophy. It is best to have a national footprint for Rugby in Australia and I take your point and get why people are talking about including only 3-4. If it was four then what I would want is a clear pathway for that Aus team or Japanese team ect to join. For me it would just be a shame as I think with the right administration Australia can sustain five teams, we just haven’t had one in so long…
After the Aratipu report, can’t we all just get along?
Would love to Waxhead but I haven’t seen the full report, only whats been made publicly available through NZ media. I will definitely continue to search for it though but may be one of those ones that NZ wants to keep from public view.
After the Aratipu report, can’t we all just get along?
Good call, I may have exaggerated just a little 😛
After the Aratipu report, can’t we all just get along?
Yeah interesting point and yes there is some conflict there with their mainly coporate owned domestic comp but the Sunwolves are the example. They wanted to continue in Super Rugby but were dumped. The pitch here is definitely to the JRU about continuing to expand their horrisons and play against good international teams to grow experience. Off the back of the world cup they hopefully should see the value.
The opportunity in chaos
For sure, I am not trying to say that a strong Wallabies team is not important but its a self fulfilling cycle. Wallabies have poor performances, less people get interested in playing the game, less talent comes through, the wallabies have poor performances. It also ins’t the only factor here – sports participation of young people from around the world has been steadily declining in recent years with other factors at work like new forms of entertainment and the growing knowledge of the effects of concussion on brain function. It isn’t an easy fix and takes a full organisation approach really but rugby isn’t the only one – its exactly what the swans chairman was referring to about afl, a sport with great participation and loads of cash.
Yeah the Reds and Tahs have really young teams and I believe in the talent coming through the system, hopefully that translates to the national level and gives the game a much needed boost.
The opportunity in chaos
Amazing list Paul D! Really looking forward to watching these talented young blokes grow over the next few years.
Australia's Super Rugby young guns
Yeah there needs to be a lit of thought about thay law for sure. I expect Kerevi to be back before the next world cup and I get why the law is there but its not really having the impact it was supposed to.
The good, the bad and the ugly of Australian rugby in 2019
Yeah agreed – the ideas just ran out for him. His heart was in the right place but when you are playing against teams like NZ, Wales, Ireland and SA who do quite alot of analysis on opposition game plans and you famously dont then you are in trouble.
The good, the bad and the ugly of Australian rugby in 2019
Yeah people need to start taking more notice of the womens game – the sevens team being a great example.
The good, the bad and the ugly of Australian rugby in 2019
The determined support in WA is great to see for sure, especially after how they were treated by RA. Looking forward to seeing what the future hold for rugby in the west!
The good, the bad and the ugly of Australian rugby in 2019
Spot on PaddyBoy
Eddie deserved the boos - but he's left foundations to build on as Australian rugby picks itself up from rock bottom