Welcome back Charlie as I would have struggled doing two articles this week. With work one has been enough. To everyone who reads my ramblings today enjoy your democracy sausage on the weekend no matter which team you vote for, it’s a cool thing that we won’t have guns on the street come Monday.
Remember people this is a fan site run for the fans by the fans so if you have the time and feel like doing something a little different with a couple of hours of your time every week drop Sully a line at Sully@greenandgoldrugby.com
Eddie Jones Names a Training Squad and Some Big Names are Missing
The England training squad has been named for the tour of Australia coming up and while it’s only the first draft as the English are looking at some options outside of the usual suspects there are some notable motions. Marler and Sinckler being but two. A notable inclusion is Nic Dolly at hooker, Australian-born and raised and unidentified here before a gap year in England.
Link Here
SQUAD
Forwards
Alfie Barbeary (Wasps, uncapped)
Jamie Blamire
Ollie Chessum
Tom Curry
Nic Dolly (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)
Alex Dombrandt
Charlie Ewels
Ellis Genge
Joe Heyes
Maro Itoje
Joe Launchbury
Courtney Lawes
Lewis Ludlam
George McGuigan (Newcastle Falcons, uncapped)
Tom Pearson (London Irish, uncapped)
Bevan Rodd
Will Stuart
Sam Underhill
Mako Vunipola
Jack Willis
Backs
Henry Arundell (London Irish, uncapped)
Orlando Bailey (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
Joe Cokanasiga
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Owen Farrell
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
George Furbank
Will Joseph (London Irish, uncapped)
Louis Lynagh (Harlequins, uncapped)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
Harry Randall
Marcus Smith
Freddie Steward
Manu Tuilagi
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, uncapped)
Anthony Watson
Queensland Club Rugby 3 out of 4 games called off for Rain
In local club rugby in Queensland 3 of the 4 games were cancelled last weekend with only the game between Wests and Bond going ahead at Sylvan Road. It was a decent game held in a bowl of soup. With Wests taking the win; following are some photos and feel free to comment on games you’ve played in where the weather was biblical. I feel for the Wests groundsman this week.
Images from QPR Socials
Queensland Rugby welcomes six new inductees to the Hall of Fame
From Pravda
Hall of Fame Inductees – Biographies
Jules Guerassimoff – University and Rockhampton Grammar School
The son of White Russian refugees, Wallaby no. 490 and Queensland no. 745, Jules Guerassimoff grew up in Rockhampton and made his debut for Queensland in 1962. He was capped 12 times for the Wallabies and 72 times for Queensland. A punishing flanker, one of his most memorable games came in the 1963 Wallaby trials when he was shifted to fly-half mid-game to cover an injury – and promptly scored two tries in five minutes. He made his debut for the Wallabies in 1963 against South Africa at Newlands, starring in a shock 9-5 victory.
Bill McLean – GPS and Brisbane State High School
Wallaby no. 332 and Queensland no. 523 Bill McLean was selected as a backrower in the ill-fated Wallaby tour of August 1939 which didn’t play a game due to the outbreak of war. He served as a captain in the 2/3 Commando Squadron in the Pacific theatre and finally made his Wallaby debut in 1946. He was capped five times for the Wallabies, including as captain, and 18 times for Queensland. The McLean Stand – which name will continue in the new facility – recognises the contribution to the game of the McLean family, including Bill’s father Doug senior (Wallaby no. 54) his brother Doug junior (Wallaby no.285), son Peter and nephews Paul and Jeff, who all played for their country. Paul McLean is an inaugural member of the Hall of Fame.
Stan Pilecki – Wests and Marist College Rosalie
Prop Stanislaw Pilecki was one of the hardest of hard men who became the first Queenslander to win 100 caps for his State. Wallaby no. 594 and Queensland no. 843, Pilecki was one of the oldest-ever Wallaby debutants at 31, eight years after his Queensland debut. He won 18 caps with the Wallabies and toured with the 1984 Grand Slam side. Described as “a prolific smoker, a poor sleeper, a renowned snorer and the toughest of touring roommates”, his technique as a prop and his levels of fitness were “developed through sheer obstinance and a complete denial of the laws of mechanics and principles of exercise physiology”. His at-the-time unheralded work ethic and teamwork was later recognised with the annual Queensland Reds Stan Pilecki Medal, presented to the “players’ player”.
Peter Slattery – Wests, University and Brisbane State High School
Peter Slattery captained Queensland to its inaugural Super Rugby title in 1994 – and then captained the side to a second, back-to-back Super Rugby title the following year. Queensland no. 968, he was capped for his state 109 times, played 17 games for the Wallabies at halfback (Wallaby no. 692), losing just one (against France in 1993). One of his most memorable games was the crucial 1991 World Cup quarter final against Ireland in Dublin, where Australia won at the death. He played in two Rugby World Cups and represented Australia at the Hong Kong Sevens. A rugby tragic, Slattery took up club rugby in Sydney after his retirement from the Wallabies and won the Shute Shield with Manly in 1997.
Bob Templeton – GPS, University and Anglican Church Grammar School
“Tempo” coached Queensland a record 233 times in a period spanning 26 years. He coached the Wallabies in 29 Tests and served as assistant coach from 1988 to 1995, helping to orchestrate Australia’s 1991 Rugby World Cup win. He served as an Australian selector for 18 years. He was a coach most highly regarded by the people to whom he mattered most – his players. Considered the epitome of the true spirit of rugby, he was synonymous with the game for more than 40 years and toured the world enjoying the camaraderie and competition it offered.
Selena Worsley – Souths, Easts, Wests and Downlands College
Wallaroo Cap #7 and Queensland Cap #15, Selena won four National Championships with Queensland. A member of the inaugural Queensland Women’s team in 1996, Selena played her last game for Queensland in 2008, making her the most capped player with a career spanning 12 years and 34 caps – five as Captain. A flanker renowned for her uncompromising competitiveness, Selena was always in the face of the attack, scoring many tries from intercepts. Selena played in three Rugby World Cups in 1998, 2002 and 2006. She was a World Cup Champion in 2009 with the Australian 7s team and has 25 caps for the Wallaroos.
The NRL doesn’t sell what you need to win a Rugby World Cup or even consistent games
This was my favourite article from during the week from the SMH here
It says the quiet bit out loud: rugby union is a different game to jail rugby and it can be played in many different ways, but there is one thing that is true. If you are dominant at set piece you can win games. In the past rugby has fallen into the trap of recruiting backs for whatever reason. For every Lote Tuqiri there have been multiple Will Chambers (remember him played a year for the Reds and couldn’t make a read in defence) and was back to being a State of Origin player the following year.
Watch the Tahs game on the weekend, the Canes were getting drilled at scrum time and if they didn’t have a couple of hard heads in Franks and Coles to come of the bench and solidify set piece they were going to get smashed.
The French clubs are smart, they recruit props and second-rowers to get set piece fixed and build from there. My advice to RA is do what some of the smart rugby agents do, go around to league under 16 tournaments and look for boys who are going to be too big or slow for league and say mate if you like hitting people come over here.
