Much to ponder this week as I sit here overlooking the water sipping coffee.
My thought of the Day was a comment by the lads at Eggchasers Rugby Podcast “Is Australia the Canada of Tier one.” We were good once, but our best days are behind us.
Want to contribute reach out to Sully shane@greenandgoldrugby.com.au
The BIL Tour of SA
The British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa is still going ahead. They should rename whatever cup they are playing for the balance sheet bowl as they way Civid is hitting South Africa this tour is only making sense to the accountants.
The Worlds best second rower Alun Wyn Jones won’t be the only forward flying out to South Africa to link up with the Lions squad in Cape Town on Thursday as Warren Gatland has confirmed that Ireland hooker Ronan Kelleher has also been called up.
Kelleher was an additional player drafted in for Lions training when they initially assembled in mid-June on the Channel Island of Jersey as Jamie George missed the first week of build-up and Luke Cowan-Dickie missed both preparation weeks due to club commitments.
That left the Lions assembling with just a single hooker, Ken Owens, and Gatland felt it best that Kelleher was called up to Jersey training to help out in a specialist position.
Red-carded USA player is offered a bizarre way to end his ban early
USA flanker Riekert Hattingh has been offered a bizarre World Cup qualifier deal – either miss next September’s match versus Canada through suspension or attend a tackle school that would scratch the final game of the four-match ban he has received following last Saturday’s red card.
There was the usual lawyer speak from WR about sanctions etc however the following caught my eye. It is an elegant solution however every coach from under 15’s up is teaching guys to win the contact so in many cases it leaves a small margin for error.
“The player may apply to take part in the coaching intervention programme to substitute the final match of his sanction for a coaching intervention aimed at modifying specific techniques and technical issues that contributed to the foul play.”
Covid-19: Fijian rugby team will wear pro-vaccine jersey at this weekend’s game
From Stuff.co.nz (Pravda)
The Fijian rugby team will wear a jersey supporting Covid-19 vaccinations at their next game against the All Blacks in Hamilton on Saturday.
Fiji Rugby chief executive John O’Connor told Stuff the Flying Fijians would take to the field wearing kit bearing the words ‘Vaccinate Fiji’.
Plans to wear the kit were abandoned for the game against the All Blacks on Saturday amid opposition from some players.
Fiji’s Kiwi coach Vern Cotter said players weren’t properly consulted about the jerseys, which were revealed days before the test.
The Fijians seem to run a very good ship and I for one look forward to them playing in an expanded Rugby Championschip going forward.
Ex-Wallaby legend Sekope Kepu caught in row between Counties Manukau clubs
Ex-Wallabies prop Sekope Kepu has unwittingly been dragged into a heated spat between two Counties Manukau rugby clubs.
The appearance of Kepu for Karaka in the club semifinal against Manurewa last weekend so incensed Manurewa president Kere Maihi that he issued a strongly-worded statement on Wednesday, stating Kepu shouldn’t have been allowed to be used as a replacement at halftime.
Karaka beat Manurewa 36-25, after trailing by 15 points at the break.
Karaka cited a shortage of front rowers, having lost two props to the Tongan national squad that played the All Blacks and Samoa in recent weeks, as part of the reasoning for wanting Kepu to be on the bench.
While Maihi accepted Karaka had not broken any rules, he still believed the club hadn’t acted in the spirit of the game. He suggested it could have asked for uncontested scrums or defaulted the game.
Nothing beats the passion of Grassroots Rugby and as someone who follows club rugby in Brisbane there is some serious parachuting of players into clubs going on a the moment.
