Author: Guest Writer
By guest writer Corbyn Holznagel. There are few places in Australia that can be described as rugby strongholds, but if there was such a thing, surely the Darling Downs would be podium finishers. They love their rugby on the Downs, so much so that these true believers in all things Australian rugby (well mostly) are celebrating their 60 years anniversary in 2024, and it’s sure to be another great year of footy. In 1964, a courageous group of rugby lovers got together, sharing stories of wool prices, header machines, too much rain, not enough rain, and a rugby comp for…
Good morning Gaggerlanders, and welcome to the first of many contributions from our new Hospital Cup and Queensland Country Rugby contributor, Colin Holznagel. Big shout out to Stephen Tremain for some great photos as well. Bernie Power Cup The Setting Fifty years since Brothers and Randwick first met in an Australian Rugby Club Championship, the two heavyweights of Australian club rugby were back at it again at the famed Crosby Park to do battle for the silverware and state-based boasting rights for another 12 months. The hill at the old ground was packed, steakburger aromas filled the air, and rugby…
Welcome back special guest writer and prolific G&GR commentator, Mr AllyOz. And to clarify is not paid by the word… Here are some short summaries after a quick run around of some of the major rugby news sites. ‘What Japanese role?’ Eddie Jones: coaching genius or court jester? Nick Bishop provides some more analysis of the Eddie Jones saga, with comments from Stephen Moore, who thinks Joe Schmidt, Ronan O’Gara or Dan McKellar would make good Wallabies coaches. Nick also goes into his personal encounters with EJ in 2015, when Eddie brushed aside a 75- page analysis by him, and…
Another week, another guest article from G&GR regular and guest writer, Mr AllyOz. Super Rugby Pacific didn’t get an ideal start. It was born of necessity and rushed into existence to ensure meaningful competitions for players. The introduction of two new sides to add to the existing ten teams from Australia and New Zealand added a fresh dimension to the competition. As well as beefing up the local competition, the teams were designed, at least in part, to provide pathways to professional rugby for people from Pasifika nations, including Fiji, Samoa and Tonga and, thereby, help improve their international importance.…
By guest writer and G&GR stalwart, AllyOz. Follow the Money Joe I read an article in The Australian a few weeks back by Robert Craddock, one of their regular rugby league and cricket writers. Craddock suggested that while the decision to employ Eddie Jones seemed to be outgoing chair Hamish McLennan’s worst, the decision to poach Joseph Sua’ali’i on a $1.7m pa, three year deal could be worse still. Craddock argued that Sua’ali’i’s signing could trigger a revenge NRL buying spree of rugby’s best talent, supported by salary cap concessions from the games governing body. I’m not that worried about…
By guest writer Rhys Bosley In the late 80s and early 90s when I first came to Australia from New Zealand, I was as engaged as any other Queenslander by the titanic State of Origin matches of the time. How could I not be, with Mal Meninga, Alfie Langer and most of all the King, Wally Lewis, battling the dastardly Blues and pulling off a miracle series win right on full time? Despite being from a foreign land, supporting the Origin was one of the things that made me feel like a Queenslander. I was also inspired by the great…
It’s with much pleasure we submit this article from long time G&GR member Adrian, and it’s a timely piece at that. And it’s with much thanks and a pure coincidence too, to fellow G&GR member, ‘Wonky Donkey’, that we are permitted to use his cartoon ‘Must be the Monet’ as the feature image. Welcome to the G&GR crapparazzi gents and take it away, Adrian: For years, followers of rugby (rugby union) have seen themselves in competition withrugby league. Unfortunately (or should that be fortunately?) most rugby league followers don’t know that there’s any competition going on! Recently Spiro Zavos wrote…
It is with great pleasure we post the following opinion piece from G&GR stalwart, legend and frustrated rugby fan, Mr Hugh Cavill. Take it away Hugh. Opinion. There’s an old saying that people like to roll out at times like this: the night is always darkest before the dawn. But I’m here to tell you that while it’s pretty damned dark, don’t expect the sun any time soon. Why? The people that got us into this mess are still behind the wheel, despite them telling us otherwise. What we actually need is a CEO who is devoid of any links…
Woodville wins first junior flag in 30years! Big shout out & thanks to Craig Basford for the article & images provided. No quarter given! There was the briefest of silence immediately following the final whistle. The sort of brief, uneasy quiet in the space between a bomb going off in the far distance and the soundwave hitting you. Then it hit, the guttural roar of 23 U14 players who had just seen off the previously undefeated Brighton. Then came the shock wave of coaches, family and friends rushing the ground sweeping them all up and the chant of ‘Woodies, Woodies’…
Article provided by KB from the Apple Isle I was disappointed I couldn’t make it to the final. A 500km round trip is a bit hard on a poor old pensioner (who is not really on the pension and not that old) and who drives a diesel guzzling ute at $2.20 a litre. So much of this report comes courtesy of TAS Rugby News – so thanks to them. Tigers looking mildly pleased Anyway, it was a top of the table clash as minor premiers Launceston Tigers (season of 13 wins from 14 starts) faced off against second placed Taroona…
UPDATE: Brisbane’s Iona College has fallen short of their Rugby Heritage Cup dream last night in Pontlevoy, going down 40-20 to New Zealand’s Condor Sevens team in an entertaining final in France. The Rugby Heritage Cup is a global schools rugby sevens competition celebrating 200 years since the birth of the code, and is acting as a lead-in to the Rugby World Cup in Paris. Every nation competing at the Rugby World Cup was invited to nominate a boys team and a girls team to compete in the event in a ‘celebration of rugby’ that also challenged the teams in…
Today we welcome via a referral from Charlie a new contributor to G&GR: Anaseini Wailutu. Anaseini has significant involvement in rugby in both Australia and New Zealand, and today has the following post (hopefully the first of many): AU and NZ women’s rugby Do you remember that scene from Back to the Future I/II when Marty McFly returned to 1985 and he went home, over the gate and climbed through his bedroom window only to find it wasn’t his bedroom or the reality he knew? Well that’s kind of what it’s like on the other side of the ditch for…
This report from Michael Westlake from the tournament in France. Australia’s representatives at the Rugby Heritage Cup in France, Brisbane’s Iona College, are through to the world semi-finals after defeating Tonga College 35-15 in their quarter-final last night (Tuesday) in Pontlevoy. The Rugby Heritage Cup is a global schools rugby sevens competition celebrating 200 years since the birth of the code, and is acting as a lead-in to the Rugby World Cup in Paris. Iona finished on top of the ladder after the round of pool matches, winning all three of their games convincingly against teams from Argentina, England and…
Join with us today for the 8th instalment of the history of the RWC by guest writer and now honorary NSWelshman ‘Damo’. Been a Herculean effort from our Northern Comrade, engaging and terrific reading. Thankyou D-Man & take it away: Saffas make it threefa. When: 20 September – 2 November 2019 Hosts: Land of The Rising Sun Winners: Saffas Runners up: SDs Third: ABs Fourth: Boyos RWC 2023 kicks off in a little over a week. Excitement if you’e a rugby fanatic and trepidation if you’re a Wallabies supporter. I’m definitely in both camps there. And with the tournament looming…
Black to Black Wins. In Brief When: September 18th to October 31st The Hosts: The Mother Country Winners: Nigel Owens AB’s Runners Up: Aussies Third: Saffa’s Fourth: Argies And, so, we come to the penultimate version of the RWC Chronicles, 2015, with not only RWC 2023 looming, but also the imminent end of RDU, which has bookended the Chronicles and is soon to be consigned to the list of fascinating historical short stories, along with the likes of the Leyland P76, Mal Meninga’s political career and France’s 1940 defensive line. Looking forward to RDU reverting back to our old friend,…
Welcome back our northern guest writer ‘Damo’ for the 7th installment of the history of the RWC. The French get Shafted. In Brief: When: Sept 09th – Oct 23rd Hosts: Land of the All Black Crowd. Winners: All Blacks Runners Up: Frogs Third: Wobs Fourth: The Valley Boyo’s For me, RWC 2011 in New Zealand, the one the ABs just had to take out no matter what, of all the iterations of this event so far was the one most dominated by selection issues, injuries, off field controversies and surprise results. We will flag some of those issues in the…
It’s time to welcome our favourite (& only) guest writer from Tasmania (from an indigenous word meaning ‘wallet will not open’) the one, the only ‘Mayor of Launceston : KB’ for his preview of this weekends NH World Cup ‘friendlies’. Over to you Mr Thrifty. New English Coach? It’s Warm Up North – All Change After last weekend we might have been expecting changes to the respective line ups. However, these have not been as wholesale as we might have thought. Rather than field weaker teams both Scotland and Wales have decided to take it to the opposition on their…
Today we welcome back honorary NSWelshman & guest writer ‘Damo’, for installment #VI (that’s the equivalent of ‘6’ for those edumecated up north) of the history of the RWC. The Big Men Triumph. In Brief: When: Set 7th to October 20th The Hosts: The Escargot Hunters (with help from Cardiff & Edinburgh) Winners: Saffas Runners Up: Soap Dodgers Third: Argies Fourth: Frogs It is an interesting time to look back at the events and outcome of the 2007 RWC as the 2023 qualifying nations finalise squads for the imminent return to France, 16 years later. Both England and France bid…
So here’s a review of the game from Keith. I’ll be doing a NZ view tomorrow after I watch it as I was on referee duty today and still haven’t seen the game. Enjoy and thank you Keith for the work. The AB may have made a load of changes but with a run on team that has the best second row pairing in world rugby, Sam Cane and Ardie as well as the worlds best half back pair on the bench, they are no mugs. The Wallabies come into the game missing their two best tight heads but do…
Bill Leaves on a Sweet Chariot. Welcome again to the history of the Rugby World Cup from our esteemed Queensland Guest Writer, Mr Damo. Take it away Big D. In Brief: When : October 10 to November 22 2003. The Hosts: Australia & NZ Winners: Soap Dodgers Runners Up: Wallabies Third: Not so Nearlies Fourth: Frogs It seems like as we progress through to the next RWC, the memories become a bit more in focus- which I guess stands to reason. Reviewing the relevant videos was a lot of fun and it was great hear the comforting sound of Gordon…