Author: Happyman

Donegal Town RFC’s home since 1980 is in a truly idyllic spot, next to Holmes Beach on a quiet peninsula overlooking Donegal Bay. It’s not just the picturesque setting that makes this club remarkable; formed in a corner of Ireland dominated by Gaelic football, it grew from basic beginnings to represent something more substantial.The team began in 1973 amid The Troubles, a violent and bloody conflict that claimed thousands of lives and saw communities in Northern Ireland divided on sectarian lines. During this bleak period, the team would often venture across the nearby border to play matches, breaking down barriers…

The small town of Kamaishi, on Japan’s eastern coast, has been described as a place built on “fishing, metal and rugby”. The local team, Kamaishi Seawaves, won Japan’s national championship every season from 1979 to 1985. Courtesy The Guardian.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece. Particularly looking for some input from our Western Australian brothers and sisters.There’s also a ‘Submit a Story’ option. So feel free to have a crack as the more the merrier.Balance to the…

Love that footy is back. For those that have time the Australian Club Championchip is on at Brothers this weekend with games between Brothers and Randwick for the main prize and Wests and Tuggeranong. Should be a great afternoon.Photo is of the Alaskan Rugby Club. I’ll be putting up beautiful rugby ground images this week, feel free to email me yours. HereAs always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece.There’s also a ‘Submit a Story’ option. So feel free…

Happy Thursday, comrades. Welcome to the start of the Super Rugby season. I for one am looking forward to an exciting season. The rubber meets the road with round one of Super Rugby and round three of the Six Nations. I would like to apologise in advance to my sleep cycle and liver.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece.There’s also a ‘Submit a Story’ option. So feel free to have a crack as the more the merrier.Courtney Lawes…

Happy Thursday, comrades. Welcome to the start if the start of the Super Rugby season. I for one am looking forward to a exciting season. I know the code has some serious headwinds and while I’m aware of them I’ve made the conscious decision to be positive this year.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece.There’s also a ‘Submit a Story’ option. So feel free to have a crack as the more the merrier.Santos – Festival of Rugby Roma,…

Welcome back to all of you, friend and foe alike, for another year of, to paraphrase the great Rampaging Roy Slavin, “where too much rugby is never enough”.This year I’m starting out positively. I have decided not to blame the current administration for the errors of the past but only to hope that the new RA board learn from it. I will judge the current board on what they do from now going forward. However as the KGB says “Trust but Verify”.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to…

Happy Thursday, comrades. Well, the 12 month rugby cycle continues this week. For those who need a fix the English Premiership is worth a watch on Stan as well as the Sevens coming up. Thanks to AllyOz for also finding this gem https://www.rugbyeurope.eu/rugby-europe-tv/As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is welcome, feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece. There’s also a ‘Submit a Story’ option. So have a crack as the more the merrier.Alun Wyn Jones gets ideal send-off:The great Welshman played his final game of professional rugby…

Happy Thursday, comrades. The 12 month rugby cycle continues this week. For those who need a fix the English Premiership is worth a watch on Stan as well as the Sevens coming up for those who need some rugby. If I could make one request of our overlords at Stan try and get the Top 14.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece. There’s also a ‘Submit a Story’ option. So feel free to have a crack as…

Happy Thursday, comrades. What a great final. My favourite quote from the RWC was we have to go to a dark place to win. But to win we have to know where the light switch is.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece. There’s also a ‘Submit a Story’ option. So feel free to have a crack as the more the merrier.RWC – What Did We Learn?Fine Margins – The Final EditionThis weekend’s game was decided by a…

Happy Thursday, comrades, it’s the big dance this week. As a fan of disruption rugby, 2023 has promised so much only to deliver much of the same.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece.We also have a submit an article page to support our vision of world domination.RWC – What Did We Learn?Fine MarginsThis weekend consisted of two hard fought games. One blew out and the other went down to the wire.South Africa v England –…

Happy Thursday Comrades. The semi-finals are upon us. Congratulations to the winners and the loser can please themselves.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece. This week we have an excellent contribution from Crescent. His well-reasoned and articulate contribution is what makes this little corner of the internet worth the daily visit.We also have a submit an article page as the vision is that world domination.Broken Faith and Moving On – Where to From Here? –…

Happy Thursday, comrades. The quarter finals are here and we’ve been entertained and amazed by the improvement of many of the countries. I’ll go a little off the reservation and let the Hossman preview the games on the weekend and look at the teams that didn’t get out of their pools.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece. Thanks to Wonky Donkey for the cartoon last week it was awesome. We also have a submit an…

Happy Thursday Comrades. Australia have played their final match at this year’s World Cup.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece. We also have a submit an article page as the vision is that world domination.RWC – What Did We Learn?How teams handle the pressure will determine much over this weekend. Ireland, Fiji and France could miss out if they fluff their lines this weekend.Happyman’s – Anti Wallaby XV (XXiII)In the Omnishambles that is the Wallaby 2023…

Happy Thursday, comrades. Welcome to the first week of the rebuild of Australian rugby. Remember it is always darkest before the dawn. Either that or the light at the end of the tunnel is the oncoming train.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au, be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece. We also have a submit an article page as the vision is that world domination.RWC – What Did We LearnRugby Australia – The Five Stages of GriefWell, after the omnishamlbes that was…

The MatchGame starts with the usual pleasantries. Scotland come out well against an energetic Tongan team. Both teams did well in the early exchanges. While the Tongans made some thunderous hits in the first half the they ultimately missed 23 first half tackles which allowed the slick Scottish backline more space than afforded by the South Africans last week.Scotland ultimately had a bit more cohesion scoring four first half tries to secure the bonus point.Fortunately the yellow card to the Tongan winger was not upgraded which was a line ball decision. Jamie Richie who was tackled did not recover from…

Happy Thursday Comrades. Welcome to week two for those of us who’ll become sleep deprived over the next six weeks. Week one was a marathon and a shock to those who weren’t game fit. Eight games over the weekend, The hardest part for me was leaving the Chile v Japan game which was a cracker as I needed the sleep to survive for the Scotland v South Africa and the instant classic that was Fiji v Wales.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com be it with…

Happy Thursday, comrades. Welcome to week two for those of us who will become sleep deprived over the next six weeks. Week one was a marathon and a shock to those of us who were not game fit. Eight games over the weekend, The hardest part for me was leaving the Chile v Japan game which was a cracker as I needed the sleep to survive the sleep for Scotland v South Africa and the instant classic that was Fiji v Wales.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out…

The MatchAustralian Reason to watch this game: former Sunnybank Dragon, Jason Tomane (brother of former Wallaby Joe).The game itself. Much like Republicans in the American election the Romanians wanted to stop the count at two minutes after taking an unexpected and well taken try.After that, normal transmission was resumed with the Irish going into half time leading 33 to 8. The Irish then showed a ruthless streak in the second putting on another 49 points against the outclassed RomaniansThe Man of the Match/Standout PlayerPlayer of the Match Bundee Aki just too big and fast for the brave Romanians.The Details

Happy Thursday Comrades. Here we are at the pointy end. Everything we have seen and on until now has just been the hors d’oeuvre for the main course of the group stages. I, for one, am embracing the sleep deprivation that is to come. As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece. Always remember this is a broad church so feel free to express your opinion it. Diversity of opinion is welcome.Public NoticesThe Dropped Kick Off Podcast…

Happy Thursday Comrades. We are in that wonderful place in the RWC cycle before a ball is kicked where hope and expectation are about to meet reality. At least we don’t feel like the English.The real news starts next week with a team of guys and girls putting together a substantial RWC coverage. If you want to assist please reach out.As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@greenandgoldrugby.com.au be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece. Always remember this is a broad church…