Boks stealing rugby’s soul, not White and Koroibete
If ever there was a game that may have caused South Africans to be gracious in defeat, this was it. The Wallabies systematically destroyed…
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If ever there was a game that may have caused South Africans to be gracious in defeat, this was it. The Wallabies systematically destroyed…
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After arriving in the land Down Under cock-a-hoop and full of the joys of a Lions series victory, the Boks are now officially on…
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Saturday 24 November 2018. Australia v England. The only Wallaby Test I’d ever attended knowing Australia couldn’t win before the match even started. But…
Look I remember as a school boy chasing a kick off and then contacting the legs of the guy taking the kick off while he was in in the air- I realised I’d beaten the ball a second before and tried to pull back but still contacted. The guy came down on his backside, the ref penalised me, told me to calm down and I didn’t do it again.
The hit on Barrett was more than clumsy though. He knew in advance he couldn’t get there, took eyes off the ball and ran full tilt into him.
But to be honest, I think 4-6 weeks was right. The bigger issue is what World Rugby does about it – my feeling is they need to reduce the number of up and unders and that means making it harder to get an advantage (policing offside way stricter, calling a mark as soon as it’s caught, favoring the guy who caught it at the breakdown).
'I did think the worst': BB's 'scary' escape, Foster urged to embrace 'Hollywood' moment to save job
The Boks do have a style and game plan that they implement perfectly – whether it is compatible with Webb-Ellis picking up the ball and running with it, the running game ‘They Play in Heaven’, not so sure.
The first 20-30 minutes of the game last week showed that SA can certainly play powerful, expansive, balanced rugby all at once.
Whatever the case, they play the game within the rules but World Rugby does need to look at the aerial contest to ensure player safety. Arguably for more dangerous than the tackle and breakdown.
'I did think the worst': BB's 'scary' escape, Foster urged to embrace 'Hollywood' moment to save job
The Boks were smarter but I’m not convinced NZ had any clue as to what they were trying to achieve, tactical kicking game or not.
With ball in hand they were completely directionless. Ironically, the only time they looked dangerous was when they finally brought Caleb Clarke into the game. Where was he for 70 minutes?
When you’re struggling with a rush defence surely you go back to basics, attack the advantage line with your biggest ball runners (especially in the 10/12/13 channels).
NZ VIEW: 'Time to ring Razor', as 'confidence shattered' ABs are a wound 'festering with pus and infection'
The Boks in my opinion are better when Faf is off the field- the young replacement scrum half looked great.
SA had a game plan and implemented it. Marx dominated at scrum time and breakdown. Won numerous penalties that moved SA out of their half. Very strong Bok runners punched it up around the corner which sucked in defenders and created space outside.
There were fewer bombs but still too many – the most dangerous SA looked was as described above, not kicking the ball away.
NZ had no answers, no clear strategy.
NZ VIEW: 'Time to ring Razor', as 'confidence shattered' ABs are a wound 'festering with pus and infection'
What is super interesting and popped out at me is William Genia saying Cheik was the best coach he has ever had… he’s been coached by some very big names!!
WILL GENIA: 'F---ing deal with it!' Dog tags and F-bombs - How Cheik connects, and what went down in Salta explosion
Look I’m a very proud QLDer and have watched the Reds religiously since the early 90s when you slid down the hill at Ballymore and picked up empty plastic beer cups for money.
But the Reds were atrocious this year against good opposition – some of that was not having a Super Rugby level 10 available but most of it was a lack of physicality at the breakdown, poor game management and school boy errors.
McDermott in particular played himself out of the Wallabies. Some awful kicks and decision making against Kiwi sides. Gordon reminds me a little of Joost Van der Westhuizen and on form was better than Tate this year.
The only Reds player I genuinely feel sorry for is McReight. He is stuck behind Hooper and arguably in better form.
Jock Campbell is also someone I’d like to see get an opportunity with all these injuries but he is slight… can he defend in a test in the NH when it’s p1ssing rain, there’s 82,000 people at Twickenham and the English are on a roll? I can see why Rennie has doubts but I hope Campbell proves him and me wrong.
Otherwise Wilson is an absolute for 2027 but is not a better 8 than Valentini right now. He is carrying puppy fat that hurts him at test level. He’s not a 6 in my opinion and I like that Holloway has been picked there.
Tupou has shown time and again he has very serious discipline issues. That said, you can’t leave him out but on balance I like him as a bench finisher.
Genuinely think that is the objective view in all this. The Reds aren’t good enough right now.
Everything Dave Rennie said about bench balance 'risk', Quade's return, Cheika's impact, and the Samu Kerevi disaster
Interesting comment!
It does feel as if Foster has looked at the Boks a little and thought “it worked for them against the Lions…” I feel like Andy Farrell and Sexton suckered the All Blacks- won the kicking battle and then choked them with rush defence (often off-side) in the right area of the field.
As you say, where was the All Blacks positive game plan and innovation?
'Not as good as they used to be': There is no shame in being second best for the All Blacks
I sometimes wonder whether I’m just getting old and grumpy but…
Jeez, you watch some of the highlights from that era. Real entertainment.
I don’t think League has half the problem we have in Union as evidenced by State of Origin year after year.
'Not as good as they used to be': There is no shame in being second best for the All Blacks
In my opinion the peak of the sport was 1996 to 2003. Those super rugby games on the hill at Ballymore with John Williamson belting out a tune. Old shorts, traditional jumpers etc.
There was also the Lions series in 2009 which in my opinion had the greatest game of all time (the 2nd test).
Things went badly off the rails somewhere between 2016 and 2019 with unplayable rule changes and money coming into it from all angles.
'Not as good as they used to be': There is no shame in being second best for the All Blacks
Thanks Joshua
McCaws men were a hard act to follow, but as I say in the second half of the article there are reasons why things are worse than they had to be.
'Not as good as they used to be': There is no shame in being second best for the All Blacks
Hi BleedRed
As I say in the article, it seems to me that winning super rugby titles or being a successful super rugby coach has never been a criteria for NZ National coach- Deans, Rennie, Robertson….?
I’m not sure if you’re based in NZ but do people see a problem with how involved Henry and Hansen were or with the length of borders being closed etc?
'Not as good as they used to be': There is no shame in being second best for the All Blacks
It’s an interesting comment.
For mine, Border set the foundations for Taylor and then Waugh who then handed off to Ponting. That period of Australian cricket started with uncompromising leadership and then fierce depth across every position.
It’s controversial but my opinion is that Michael Clarke ruined the culture of Aussie cricket and it hasn’t recovered.
Are there parallels with the All Blacks? I’m not so sure but would be interesting to hear from a few Kiwis.
'Not as good as they used to be': There is no shame in being second best for the All Blacks
Thanks Pilferer
Out of interest, what are the views of the man on the street in New Zealand. Is there recognition that the long lock downs have hurt the All Blacks or that Henry/ Hansen may have had too much influence?
'Not as good as they used to be': There is no shame in being second best for the All Blacks
Kronfeld and Jones set the bar and Smith, McCaw and Pocock followed.
In my opinion there hasn’t been an open side before or since that could live with those 5. And all 5 owe part of each other’s success to the other.
Neil Back, Heinrich Broussow, Warburton, Sean O’Brien, Kolisi all good but next tier for me.
Worth also saying that Hooper and Cane cop a lot of grief for not being as good (more polite than O’Mahoney). But not everyone can be a world xv player or legend.
How much does Richie McCaw owe George Smith (and vice versa)?
For me Wilson is an 8 but he’s not better than Valentini right now – doesn’t get across the gain line unless he’s playing an Aus provincial team.
He needs to grow into his body, get harder, put on more muscle.
When you look at test 6’s… Matera, OMahoney, Steph du Toit, Lawes… Wilson is just a little podgy kid. He’s a RWC 2027 difference maker. He’ll be 28 years old, have 60 tests under his belt… but 2023 he’s not in the best 15 or 23 right now.
Big question, who is at 6? Personally I’d like to see McMahon but doesn’t look possible.
'Plenty of chances so it hurts': Everything Dave Rennie and Hoops said about game tactics, subs and smack talk after loss
At 6 you need a big physical ball carrier who also does the dirty work in tight.
Think of the guys running around at test level- Matera, Steph Du Toit, O’Mahoney (who is an absolute beast), Lawes…
Wilson is only 22. When you look at his body he is softer than all of the above. It explains why he has immense carry against the Aus sides but gets shut down when playing at the next levels.
Also, he’s an 8 and not a 6. But Valentini is better right now.
'Plenty of chances so it hurts': Everything Dave Rennie and Hoops said about game tactics, subs and smack talk after loss
Only thing I’d say is the TMO went from one extreme to another…
The shirt grab during the England try definitely needed looking at and the ref missed about a dozen forward passes on both sides…
Still if I have to choose, I’d rather the TMO didn’t engage enough than engaged too much.
'Plenty of chances so it hurts': Everything Dave Rennie and Hoops said about game tactics, subs and smack talk after loss
Bottom line is that basic skill errors cost us the series: JOC was awful last week. This week we have two terrible passes (Tupou/ Hodge) costing us at least 7-10 points. On attack Wilson makes an absolutely ridiculous off the ball clean out/ tackle after 10-15 phases blowing another chance… you could go on but it is skills errors that shouldn’t be made at this level.
Also, I’m a very proud QLDer but Wilson showed why he is still a year or two off test rugby. Playing serious RWC contenders, he is carrying puppy fat, not enough of a physical presence and tonight he was representative of the Reds this year – unable to stand up to test match intensity against a big pack. He needs to grow into an Elsom, Cockbain, Finnegan, Kefu.
'Plenty of chances so it hurts': Everything Dave Rennie and Hoops said about game tactics, subs and smack talk after loss
Not sure you can say league is played anywhere else meaningfully. PNG, some Pacific Islands, small pockets in Northern England, Auckland and Catalan country…
All I know is that it’s beyond a doubt that hard core rugby followers are turning away from the game in significant numbers, especially in Aus but also in other countries.
Is Eddie Jones' England's boring rugby hurting the code?
I’ve always found it odd that wearing head gear, especially with people who have been repeatedly concussed, is controversial. What harm can it do?!
Another important aspect to all this. Driving tackles lower actually increases the risk to the tackler (knees, hips etc). There isn’t a lot of data on how these rule changes impact the tackler but anecdotally and just watching the games… there’s an issue.
Rugby must find balanced and sensible approach to safeguard game's fabric as well as players' health
Very relevant comment.
There are a number of aspects to litigation:
– causation: do concussions actually cause early on set dementia. Despite popular opinion, it is a highly controversial, unsettled area even amongst the medical profession.
– liability: have governing bodies done enough (not everything they can) to minimise risk if causation is accepted.
– liability waiver: do players accept an inherent risk when they take to the field in a contact sport.
Rugby must find balanced and sensible approach to safeguard game's fabric as well as players' health
The thing is Peter, the public doesn’t agree with you.
Origin games sell out routinely, year after year. At its peak SOO 2 had 4.9million viewers (5 to 10 times England v Aus)!
Fully agree with Aidan above. It was a fast, skilful, brutal game of sport with rules that viewers can follow.
I’ve been a union man all my life, played more than 16 seasons in QLD, Canada, Argentina and England. I’m not a professional by any means but I like to feel I know the game. But the sport at the moment is unrecognisable to me and the cards, stoppages and interpretations in my opinion materially change the game.
Is Eddie Jones' England's boring rugby hurting the code?
Articles like this are why we get nowhere with the NH.
Mauling, kicking, scrummaging, set pieces… will always be a part of the game. And yes, the NH may well benefit from a slower game. But slower, tighter games can also be gripping.
Where the game is failing is with all the cards, rules that slow it down even more, unplayable adjustments etc.
Jones was right to say this week that a crisis summit is needed but it can’t be “NH sides are boring”. Rather it has to be “the rules as they are prevent any rhythm or contest in all areas of the game”.
Is Eddie Jones' England's boring rugby hurting the code?
It’s misguided to think the outcry in the SH is because NH teams won last weekend. It’s a long standing complaint as the article says…
But in terms of foul play, we’ve seen hair pulling and elbows in throats go unpunished… odd outcome.
Rugby must find balanced and sensible approach to safeguard game's fabric as well as players' health
It is pretty worrying if JOC is our best 10 and even more worrying that Rennie is unable to pick Lolesio (regardless of who is at 12). My feeling with Lolesio is that he doesn’t challenge the line enough, one dimensional.
Other than that very pleased to see the backrow intact – the most balanced we’ve had since Finnegan, Smith, Kefu.
Also great to see Frost on the bench – what a prospect.
WALLABIES TEAM: JOC gets redemption shot after 'stinker', Foketi's first start, prop to debut