PK coached more than one game where the stats guy burst my balloon! Wallabies key performances where based around 1) maul defence diffused tries that would have seen the Boks win “IF” they had scored. 2) Wallaby passing accuracy and speed was a big step up, which made them very hard to stop in attack. 3) Locks, Our guys were the serial pests at the brake downs in both attack and defence. 4) If you follow my logic the team that loses the Penalty Count win the game. Exactly why? (thats another story)

But what I did notice, we looked and played more like the AB’s than we have for a long time. Given DR is as good as I believe, the WB’s are going to worry AB’s far more than the rest of the world as we get back on our feet at world ranking of 2/3 going into the RWC. All I hope is that RA can bring in the last of the outliers home to be in our RWC squad. Skelton in particular excites me. McMahon will be good to see in the next week or two against the Argies. That will bring Swinton and other losies into hard focus on the way they play. The same way Quade and Samu have the backline. Hunter may not get a game again until the Spring tour mid-week games. Noah may not get another game this RC especially when JOC comes up to speed.

Paddy, Never met and Irishmen that didn’t like to stir the pot! 🤢 😱 😂

This man has been on a great journey. He is quickly being distinguished by his actions, grace, and careful thoughts. I pray that he is now paying forward on the field, in the sheds, and in life. I have had the privilege of meeting SBW in and around rugby where he generously gave time to me as one human to another (superstar to hack match official). My view of him changed, as is with QC. I feel better for the meeting with SBW and I am nothing but pleased for QC. Rugby can be quite unsettling for the young and talented as they come to grips with who they are in the bright light of fame. JOC has been another to see how he has become the man we all wished for as well.

OO, you may be underplaying the Argies, I thought their D really unhinged the AB’s for most of the game. To the AB’s credit, they won out with a less than perfect performance. The return bout will be a great challenge as it goes up another level. Ab’s D needs more work close in at the ruck and channel 1 & 2 defense during a multi-phase challenge, they need to lift in this phase of the game. But I expect their crew is good for it. The Argies will pivot in another direction in their game plan to the first game and the AB’s will do what they do best and adapt. 2-0 to the AB’s. Just a perfect warm-up for the Bokkies!

T24M, Nah Mate we don’t hate the Bokkie! When competitive teams come together there is a challenge a good old contest. We call it test match footy. Your crowd is ruthless, tough, and unforgiving at the game. That is why you are the number one team. Pinching a game off you for us as a lesser-performing country is a sweet prize. I liken it to the affection we have for the sheep lovers on the other side of the ditch. Competitive Yes, win a game off them? Always on the cards, Beat them in a series? We wish. Boks and All Blacks we give it to you guys and we getting back usually in extra portions. It’s an Australian idiosyncrasy that makes us who we are. But if things ever get tough, we are right there with you like the Kiwi’s got you’re back as you would ours. However, we all have one thing in common is that England should never ever ever win a match against any of us ever! On a side note the SA TV coverage of the LIONS series in pre-match, in particular, was horrible and took all my effort and discipline to watch. There is some room for improvement there!

Will, I love the inside view of the game. Being a guy with the best seat in the house! You really notice the value of game management. Ref’s always read the play and see what is about to happen, it’s part of the craft to always be where it will happen. I have been banging on about sending our potentials into big matches way too early just praying they will swim rather than sink under the step-up pressure. JOC and QC definitely deserve run on spots 10 & 15. It is now up to to the new Wallabies to take what will rightfully be theirs “when ready to do so!” Not a moment sooner. The Wallabies have been missing older heads to help the spine of the team and take the desperate play options out of the game so they can succeed. Small wins at the fringes make such a difference. Please keep writing I love the player angles in this forum.

Bobby, I hear you. Have put together a business plan to import New Zealand drinking water and call it “Rugby tonic”. Do you think it’s a chance?

Biltong, You are consistent with all my Saffie mates about Keo. To be honest, he sounds more like an “Alan Jones” type personality! We all have one, it is what makes our sport great. But what I do have, is a keen interest in a test match where two teams are so different, yet could be quite competitive. By cold hard numbers, 1 v 7 should say it all. I expect it will go that way, but this Wallaby team is fit, they start poorly and finish better, which makes them come back kids. If the Boks get complacent for one minute they could have a Cherry Blossom nightmare on their hands.

Monsta, self-interest is by all in Rugby, especially in Sydney Club land. That is something that needs to be developed within guidelines for the good of the game. Penrith is a good case in point. A failed club for many reasons. Hunter has been brought in as a substitute. But what happens to the game in that area?

I’ll leave the detail to the lawyers! But NRL have agreements in place all their aim is to pay the kid to stay in their system.

So King Geek! Would use the U16’s as the first point of attack! Sign U16’s for a 5-year contract to support pathways and education. Each year they stay exclusively signed to Rugby they get their cash until they leave Club Colts. The price of Thor each year we could have another 30 kids in the system. Over time they could be sent overseas for further development in NZ or Europe and then we bring them home for super rugby and test games. After that, we should focus on making the clubs super successful and the competitions with clear pathways. Let everyone who can bring money into the systems do so. Everyone just seems to be scared to try something new or smart.

HJ It is our death by kindness, throwing the young ones in to learn early how to lose matches. These men should be allowed to mature before crushing them in the pressure of a 10 spot. WE get desperate for quick fixes. We never learn….

DB stand corrected. But then add the two numbers of NRL and RU and then we have a real comp!

PM, you talk yourself down a bit. But your observations are accurate. Our Wannabies seem to try and score off every pass which is catch-up football which is always riddled with mistakes. (all little overstated I know) Please write some more……

Dave, I do appreciate the way you ask the question. Thank you. First Nations People who I am not one, but have lived in communities, are the same as most people. They love, argue, hate and, fight like every other culture. But from my studies and interactions from an early age, I have come to learn about their methods of dealing with life. The need to be grounded, to have an ancient past where parents and older people can speak of times past with messages for life or parables. To have a history and understanding of the connection to the land we live in. Like something, we pass through with a respectful touch. There is a hierarchy within the community/mob and understandings. We have the same although I believe it is confused by political and self-interest beliefs. One of the most honest accounts in history is the Gov Macquarie diaries that are online at the Mitchell Library. Besides all the issues of managing a new settlement in a country, they had no knowledge other than confidence that they were always going in the right direction. Macquarie writes at length about his dismay with how the interaction between whites and natives. Sense of values/worth could never be reconciled. The best example is with sheep. breeding Marino sheep to a settler was worth more than gold if they could create a herd for the first nations people it was just a slow kangaroo and an easy meal. Settlers fenced to the waterline of rivers and had ideas of land parcel ownership. The first nations people thought the land was plenty to share and they would only take from it what they need. In hindsight, it’s clear to see the problems and Macquarie had many concerns over this. I can go on for hours, but I feel it moves far from a game of rugby. However, in my humble view of little power the culture is exciting, stories are wondrous!

Still, it’s our responsibility to acknowledge the past (which we were all told lies at school about) and the first nations people and how we managed to be at the place we are now. The culture first nation people possess is spectacular, inclusive and, honest. Our past has created many mistakes that we judge now in retrospect. Whilst we can’t change the past we do need to get on board with the future. Acknowledgement of country is the first point, embracing the culture is the second. NZ was forced to acknowledge the culture by Maori dominance and the country is so much better off for it. We are trailing many years behind our ditch mates but they show us the way.

RIS not too far from your thoughts other than the boot is reckless with complications. The complications are like the old coat hanger tackle where you just react and becomes an issue’

Yep, big tick RA!

RIS, the law is about a fair contest. This means giving all players the opportunity to contest for the ball. Any action that prevents that runs the risk of being illegal, such as lifting a leg into the face, or tackling a player in the air. Simple really. JB should have had 6 weeks by the framework set up by WR.

R, I absolutely believe that JB had no malicious intent. But know this, that when jumping to catch a high ball the coaching goes like this. Originally, coached to turn side-on to catch, so as to use your shoulder to protect yourself against the challenge. The attacking players will want to challenge for the ball in the air with two goals in mind. 1st is to catch/steal the ball or to dislodge/disrupt the catcher so as the ball falls loose on the ground looking for a scrum or collect and play on. The catcher is now trained to raise a knee/leg to assume space in front to take the space to prevent the dislodge approach by the attacker. This practice is not a fair challenge by the catcher and as such is in conflict with the principles of rugby being a continual contest for the ball.

Hey Mug, Glad to hear you are dumbfounded by this. I have an issue with young’ns playing their way into test footy and then you drag out a 38 year to play test footy after a break of three years.

What annoys me about this decision is it does not take into consideration the trained technique of positioning the catcher in such a way you take the space away from the challenging player. This is done with the use of the knee and boot. What you want is this style of play to be removed from the game then a lengthy suspension is what is required to make it safe for all the players in the levels down. Another broken decision was taken without the context of the game played at the grassroots level.

BMCK, The issue was NL & TMCD not effectively using SK. Kerevi has a big impact as you would expect. But, a more tempered set of halves would have used him less but with better effect. I feel that skill sets are there, but we make these so-called unforced errors due to pressure applied. I think the young ones should be given the bench spots to allow them to deal with less pressure until they can manage it. I believe we are seriously unfair to young Noah and Tate pushing them into a game where attrition is the on-field reality and that to hold your course and endure the contest with the knowledge you can get your chances later on in the game. That understanding really comes from older heads who have lived the contest and survived. It was evident when Nick and Reece came on that the backline looked stronger. Perhaps with hindsight switched on Quade may have been a better go or even start Hodge. Will JOC fix this? Yes certainly.

Hey guys whats the results of the pole?

P2R2
SMALL ISSUE DAMON IS AN AUSTRALIAN REFEREE. The call by the ref was always going to be a RED it is in the law book. Commentators didn’t really mess this up which is a big improvement over Fox. But still room for improvement.