Roar Rookie
Joined September 2014
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Just love me rugby and cricket. Don't mind a bit of league on the side and AFL during the finals. Tennis, golf, surfing etc...you name it and I'll have a crack a being second best at it.
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The announcement that Phil Kearns was appointed Rugby Australia’s director of the 2027 Rugby World Cup bid brought a wry to smile to my…
If you're like me and you read The Australian, then Alan Jones' weekly stream of consciousness is probably becoming quite tedious. This week there…
It was nice to hear Andy say that we need this level of comp in our system but it was concerning that he was quite non-committal as to what that actually means. We had the NRC so it should have been a simple “we’re going to bring that back at X date (or when we have the money)”.
When looked at from macro view there is obviously a circle that RA is trying to square here. The SS clubs move to semi professionalism is no coincidence and they have always believed that they are premier 3rd tier comp in Australia. They have may even have the financial fire power to back this up….maybe.
Unfortunately the one thing that can’t be said of the SS or the HC is that potential Wallabies are defined in those competitions. I am sure people here would agreed with this fact. To be clear, what i mean by defined is those players who have excelled at club level and then go on to dominate at NRC level generally can be defined as Wallaby potential from there. Names that come to mind who did this (Burgess, Beal , Kervi , Paisami, Tupo, Wilson, McRight, and many more).
With two lost years (maybe three) we are now running on the dividends from the NRC in 2019. This impact from this will be felt heavily in the lead up to the Lions series in 2025.
What ever RA and club land come up with it must be competition that tests emerging talent with a sufficient level of physicality and pressure to enable the absolute diamonds to emerge from it so that their pathway to higher honors can be accelerated. I watch a lot of park footy and the current standard is not up to that.
The coaches want it, and now it seems RA’s appetite for the NRC might be growing
Not really. They have been sponsoring the Reds for years, employing indigenous people for longer and are one of the strongest supporters of indigenous enterprises in this country. How ironic that some inner city lefty would focus on the symbols on the team’s arm band rather than their actual performance on the ground.
The Wrap: Reds twist the knife for epic win over ailing Brumbies
If by nuances you mean +30 forced scrum penalties and dominating every Australian – and a few NZ & SA – scrums that he came up against this year then yeah its pretty complicated.
Or if you mean the role he played in the Reds game plan that almost won them the Super Rugby AU comp then yeah there are some nuances in the game.
The simple stuff is just power, agility and pure skill.
The Wallabies team Dave Rennie should pick for Bledisloe 1
Dan, at the start of the season there was an argument to be made that Tupou should start on the bench however, as the season progressed that argument was settled by Tupou’s consistent performances relative those of his competitors.
There is no serious argument that he wasn’t the most dominate player in Super Rugby AU – not just TH – so if the argument is now that AAA should start ahead of him because of defense then I think the people making this argument are just splitting hairs.
The Wallabies are not going to beat the ABs but running a defense dominate strategy – hoping to score just enough points to win – they are going play attacking rugby because that’s how you beat the ABs. Tupou’s defensive ‘weakness’ – as some have called it – are far outweighed by all the other facets of his game. The converse cannot be said for AAA in any honest assessment.
The Wallabies team Dave Rennie should pick for Bledisloe 1
Any arm chair selector who starts off by not picking TT at starting tight head completely loses my attention from that point forward. He is the 1st person picked in any team he is playing in. There is no more argument required on this one. It is settled. Stop flogging dead horses.
The Wallabies team Dave Rennie should pick for Bledisloe 1
The Reds attack is based on their defense. Have only allowed 15 points to be scored against them in the last 3 games, letting in only 2 tries. The Brumbies ‘bad night at the office’ was because of the defensive pressure that Reds applied. Kicking straight to Banks all night and forcing him to run it back because of the attacking threats in the back three was one obvious tactic they used. Defense win premierships. BT almost never talks about attack, now that the D is rock solid he must be quietly confident about his team winning the comp.
The Brumbies just don't have the tools to compete with the Reds
Another fun fact about Reesjan Pasitoa is that he actually a Perth local who moved east to further his rugby at Nudgee College so it would be perfect home coming.
I think they should definitely prioritize getting OS based players back, as well as the three lads who dogged the Reds.
What I don’t want to see ever again is what happened last time they went recruiting where they basically gutted the Reds – the weakest team at that time – which weakened the overall standard. I think the players who’ve proposed would fit well for internal transfer to give them more opportunity.
They need to do it the hard way this time – like the current Reds – build a good committed squad over time with the injection of some experienced talent. Not just throw money at the problem and hope it works, like the Rebels.
Twiggy, here's your 2021 shopping list
Hey mate
That was a correction made by the editors. I used a stronger word. Don’t know why you got rejected.
Your comments made me smile. Maybe you’re right but at least we have Chairman who is been visible and appears to ‘get’ rugby and, more importantly, what the community needs right now.
You must remember he is both a News Copy guy and a former News Corp guy. He had a successful stint at Channel 10.
Only time will tell. The SMH piece today gives me a lot of hope. He’s not going to back down and sell Aus rugby for 30 pieces of silver.
As far as Kerns is concerned. He’ll either deliver or he won’t. I’m going to judge him on that.
Phil Kearns: Keeping the elephants inside the tent
I am sure for a local whose left that beautiful country because it’s such a great place to live this option is sufficient. For most other people….we just don’t care.
Sorry Australia, the other two nations will supercharge southern hemisphere rugby
Totally agree. Good governance is the key the good performance any organisation. Fortunately, it has been reported, that McLennan is working on that now too. Proposed full constitutional and governance reform. Give more operational responsibility back to the states.
Phil Kearns: Keeping the elephants inside the tent
Yeah I think that is all very fair. Not a lot of people can remember that he was the key man with WRC stuff. All those guys ended up taking all the money off the table for themselves, leaving basically nothing for the grassroots….and here we are today.
Some of the points this you have mentioned are reasons why I think McLennan is such canny operator. He doesn’t want to fight with those people. Just put Phil in corner and let him play with himself.
Phil Kearns: Keeping the elephants inside the tent
Yeah that’s a fair call but as you know our Perth team owner could buy his own TV station just to broadcast his games.
Sorry Australia, the other two nations will supercharge southern hemisphere rugby
Peter, I really don’t care what you and your Qanno mates get up to in you spare time. This is sports site and I was wrote about a sport matter.
I would love to have this conversation face to face but I know what you r type is like and it’s certainly not as tough as you pretend to be in these treads.
Stay classy. BLM.
A rebuttal of Alan Jones
Ha. No it’s actually the brand value of SA rugby teams that is non existent.
Sorry Australia, the other two nations will supercharge southern hemisphere rugby
Cool man. Great too see you showing your solidarity with your community. So which fans in Australia are you prepared to burn so you can watch some unknown bunch of SA dudes play at 3am.
Besides the only reason SA fans are blowing up is because at this stage they don’t have a comp this year, next year and at this stage, anytime.
Sorry Australia, the other two nations will supercharge southern hemisphere rugby
Yeah they did make the finals and won zero. 😢
Sorry Australia, the other two nations will supercharge southern hemisphere rugby
Not true at all.
Sorry Australia, the other two nations will supercharge southern hemisphere rugby
Well we pulled $10m out of fox for short domestic comp while on our knees so we’ll find it. Also it cost $300k per team to fly their for 2 weeks. So there’s another $1m +.
Sorry Australia, the other two nations will supercharge southern hemisphere rugby
Well if you buy the ads then you would know the ratings. Why are you asking me?
Also interesting stats you have provided there. Kinda proves how weak NZRU position is in all this.
30% of viewers – Lets say viewers equal 4 million people. So 1.2 million people viewed SR in 2019. That’s cute, its almost the population of Brisbane.
If I was brand looking for growth I know where I’d be looking to go.
Sorry Australia, the other two nations will supercharge southern hemisphere rugby
Hey Pete, have you ever tried to seat large family gathering like a wedding, there’s politics in it isn’t there? There’s politics in everything, especially sport. Don’t be so naive.
First, my references were metaphors and if you look through these comments you can see my standard response to that point.
Second, before you tell someone to “do their own thinking” because of what they have “seen on predominantly left wing mainstream media” you should really ask yourself the same question.
I mean you’re in Australia and I live in America so what exactly do you know about whats going over here? What sources are you relying on to keep you informed about the facts. I just live here…please enlighten me.
This article wasn’t about politics which most people are able recognize pretty easily. Unfortunately there are still a few bricks out there.
A rebuttal of Alan Jones
Ok. Then go for it. We don’t care. Honestly.
Sorry Australia, the other two nations will supercharge southern hemisphere rugby
Do want me to go and dig up the ratings Don. Nah you can do that yourself.
Enjoy watching those replays mate.
Sorry Australia, the other two nations will supercharge southern hemisphere rugby
If someone could please advise the nexus between this comment and my article that would be great.
A rebuttal of Alan Jones
Its been a while since I commented on article but this one warrants a reaction.
1. Without any sense of history or respect this author diminishes the efforts of Australia SR sides with his off handed remark about the quality of opposition they have beaten from the other side of ditch this season. Once again showing how completely out of depth he is in his coverage of this sport. Not only has rugby diminished on the field in last 20 years it has also significantly diminished in its media coverage off it. Case in point right here each week.
2. The author further displays his ignorance of Australia Insolvency law and process. Winning a few games doesn’t erase a $20m debt ($11m with the tax office) any more than bunch of has been “big wigs” coming up with a hair brained scheme to save their current Rebel’s board of director mates from the personal liabilities they face for not paying their PAYG, Super and GST obligations. (I have exclude income tax because clearly the Rebels never made a profit).
Five things: Lesson Aussie rugby can learn from Kiwis - and why next month will determine whether SR gap has closed