The Roar
The Roar

The Roar

Tom English

Roar Guru

Joined November 2017

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Previously a TAFE student of journalism, lives in Sydney, writes from time to time, rugby and cricket player, plenty of other sports as well.

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Brett, great to be back. God these offseasons are getting short. Soon rugby season will look identical to the school year, mid December finishes and late January starts. Anyway.

Half decent slate of games, not gonna lie. Blues and Chiefs is a coin toss, Lions may put up a fight in Buenos Aires. Stormers and Hurricanes is fascinating, although at the least fan friendly time for us east coasters.

The Reds? The Tahs? Could both win, I think, but I’m still tipping against em.

Super Rugby Round 1: Whaddya mean it starts this week?

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Rugby
 
4w

“I’ve just been amazed by them. That Aussie 20s group is the real deal. They compete out there, they back themselves.”

Little bit off topic, but I saw a few people on the cricket reddit tab talking about Australians approach, and one of the things they said was that Aussies always believe they can win. Kind of surprised me, I guess you it’s one of those things you can only see on the outside looking in. Anyway good to see the U20s seem to have that confidence.

I don’t have a problem with SR starting early: even gives rugby a bit of freedom without the major codes within Australia. But I reckon draw the line at a mid February start, not January.

And moving forward, with a shorter SR competition, surely you have to push back round 1? If this year was a 13 week regular season with 3 weeks of finals, at the current start date, the grand final would be on May 16.
A winter sport which is finished before winter comes around…

The big questions coming out of the shortest ever Australian rugby pre-season

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Rugby
 
Jan

I know I had a whinge about Texas last week, but geez. Geez. I’d hate to be their fan.

I’m assuming that rules out Notre Dame for the CFP. And good riddance. Without them, we can play Ohio State, Clemson, Bama and LSU. And it’d be awesome.

And even though I support them, Oregon are overrated.

Shout out to Navy – 15th bowl in 17 seasons I heard.

College football 2019: Week 9 winners and losers

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NFL
 
Oct

XI, I’d disagree. Bama have beaten no-one who is anyone, it wouldn’t look good to lose to the first good team they play.
LSU’s scalps on the other hand: Texas, Florida and Auburn.

College football 2019: Week 9 winners and losers

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NFL
 
Oct

How ya doin, Andrew.

So much for the “Texas is back” narrative which we heard so much of preseason – multiple losses, near losses to OSU and Kansas to boot. Sheesh.

Thought Oregon’s playoff hopes were over when I saw they were trailing, but glad to see they snuck home.

As you mentioned, UCLA and Oregon State. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by those two and Bowling Green in recent weeks.

As for that top Power Five spot, gosh. Thought it’d be UCF, but they’ve dropped off. Unlikely Boise State after that performance. Who knows.

But hey, isn’t it heating up!

College football 2019: Week 8 winners and losers

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NFL
 
Oct

Ohio State have been very impressive so far, no doubt. Scary o-line. I feel like the gap is closing, Clemson haven’t reached the lofty standards they set themselves last year, but you’re right: they’re still a way ahead for now.

Quite liking how the playoff race is heating up: gonna be some gutted teams when that 4th spot is decided.

College Football 2019: Week five winners and losers

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NFL
 
Sep

Nice read, Andrew.

How good are OSU looking? Watched their last couple of games, and I’m liking what I’m seeing from them.

Doesn’t the season fly by. There are teams who could be bowl-eligible as early as next week.

Re: the Pac-12, I’d rather see a conference where (pretty much) anyone can beat anyone on their day, rather than a conference with two standout teams who are flanked by cannon fodder. cc: ACC.

College Football 2019: Week five winners and losers

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NFL
 
Sep

Surprised not to see Oregon amongst the winners – Ducks had a field day at home.

College football 2019: Week 2 winners and losers

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US Sports
 
Sep

Brett, thanks for this. Disappointed to see that most Aus Super Rugby clubs have finalised their squads for 2019 – before the NRC even starts.

Clearly haven’t learnt anything from that article last year bemoaning this very situation

Return of the old Sydney jersey the final missing piece of the NRC puzzle

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Rugby
 
Aug

Hi Mary,
Recently, the Women’s Rugby Super Series was played in the USA, with the top five teams in the world.

It’s a bit of a catch 22: finish poorly at the World Cup, and you’ll get less opportunities to compete, hence, less improvement.

No doubt playing in that series would’ve been a much better warm up for the Wallaroos.

That being said, Japan threw a lot at Australia, particularly in the second game.

Looking forward to the series. NZ should win, but Aus will compete

Wallaroos head to Perth for first Test against the Black Ferns

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Rugby
 
Jul

Ya know, Brett, it’s quite funny.
Four years ago, at the RWC, we were the team who chanced our arm, who ran it out of our own 22. Then you look at this. Naisarani was the only forward who carried well. And Kerevi wasn’t bad in the backs either. Other than that…

Address the structures rather than attack the scapegoats

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Rugby
 
Jul

Geoff, I lament that when Super Rugby has its best season in recent memory, very few people are watching it.
Now, I remember tv audiences increasing slightly within Australia for the 2018 season, haven’t seen many numbers for this year.

You don’t have to go back too far, maybe 2016, or a couple of years before that, to see great crowds on a pretty regular basis. If memory serves, the Waratahs-Chiefs game that year got in 24,000.

I’ve not had to rely on it this year, but surely SANZAAR can ensure that highlights reels on their own YouTube channel are not geoblocked to one of their target counties. It may not seem like a big deal, but to those who don’t have paytv (aka: most people) and younger fans, it does matter. I assume this is what they mean with
“inconsistency of content across geographies”.

The Wrap: SANZAAR perfects the art of the Rumba when it needs to Tango

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Rugby
 
Jul

Throw the book at him. Make him an example. And you can’t argue forehead, because no-one would jab at a forehead, like you would if you were eye-gouging.
12 weeks is fair, I think.

What do you need to do to get sent off?

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League
 
Jun

This comment section is on fire!
Folau Fainga’a makes sense as first try scorer, doesn’t he. Brumbies with an early penalty. Banks chews off 50m plus with the touch finder. Lineout won… Fainga’a at the baaaccckkk.
Geoff, Eminem once found some dodgy rhyme for orange, so “Crusader” can’t be too hard :p

Super Rugby semi-finals: All eyes on the (sur)prize

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Rugby
 
Jun

Brett, credit to a Bulls team who, before this year, really struggled to compete in this comp. A good year for them overall, but wouldn’t a win in Wellington be a feather in Pote Human’s cap.
Jags must have the best crowd in SR, and well deserved too.

As you say though, anyone can win it- far cry from the “Just give the trophy to the Crusaders already” narrative.

Four very deserving winners to lift the Super Rugby cup from here

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Rugby
 
Jun

I’m taking the plunge. This is brave (or dumb) of me.

Brumbies the only home winners. There, said it.

Highlanders away…just because. Also, Crusaders lost their last game vs a Kiwi team…
Chiefs, not because I’m Phil Kearns or because I doubt the Jaguares in any way…just because they were hot last week.
I predicted early on that the Bulls would be hard to beat, and Imma try to show faith in my own predictions.

Brumbies at home…why not.

Now: “…everyone in this room is dumber for having listened to that.”

Super Rugby quarter finals: Reset the counters

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Rugby
 
Jun

G’day Geoff, have to agree. “Too much force” is akin to “tackling too hard” – what the?

That being said, a shoulder charge is a shoulder charge, and an arm flapping around doesn’t change that imo. Fair call

The Wrap: Only one Australian finalist a poor Super Rugby return

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Rugby
 
Jun

This has been going through my mind for a while now, Mark- everytime a ball is dropped in goal, before the player’s hand connects, it’s called a knock-on. But half the time, it just drops straight down, not actually forward.

The Wrap: It’s all about the rugby FFS

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Rugby
 
May

Quietly hoping Ned’s Uber gets caught in Parramatta CBD traffic.

Also, bit surprised at the panel shutting out the Bulls, after an upset win which no-one tipped!

And of course the Blues pushed the Saders last time round.

Just to be sure, my 8th tip is that I’ll get none right.

Super Rugby Round 15: Time for some cream

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Rugby
 
May

Sharks played pretty horribly for most of the game, not to take anything away from the Reds, but I think it was more a case of the hosts losing than the visitors winning.

Victory in South Africa could decide Australia's Super Rugby finalists

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Rugby
 
Apr

I agree with everything you’ve said there, Mary- and it was a shocking sentence for Ristevski, but I’d like to note that his defence disrespects himself as much as anyone. Since when did players need to be told that violence against women wasn’t ok?!

His lawyers portray him in a very bad light by claiming that without training – which he undoubtedly has had – he can’t tell the difference between right or wrong.

A few people pointed out on twitter that they’d never gone through NRL programs, yet they know it’s not ok…as Luke Lewis said: “You either have morals or you don’t” or words to that effect.

'He wasn't educated': De Belin's lawyers play the blame game

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League
 
Apr

whoooosh

Plans revealed for new AFLB league to begin in 2020

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AFL
 
Apr

A-league is watched less than rugby, check Mediaweek on twitter.

A controversial opinion on NRL expansion

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League
 
Apr

Good post, but I’d change it up a bit: Canterbury Rangas- they do wear red after all…

Crusaders seriously considering name change after admitting current branding "no longer tenable"

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Rugby
 
Apr

Canterbury United is a bit soccer-y tbh, but I get what you’re trying to do re the message.

Crusaders seriously considering name change after admitting current branding "no longer tenable"

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Rugby
 
Apr
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