Author: Happyman

Happy Thursday Comrades. I for one am looking forward to this weeks Bled one in Melbourne. Talk about putting pearls before swine. Still, I hope a couple of my friends enjoy the game. As always this is a fan run site and any contribution is always welcome feel free to reach out to me at happyman@rugbydownunder.com be it with an article an idea or an opinion piece. What Makes a Person a Professional Athlete – Opinion One of my favourite quotes about professional sports is from a former NFL player Mike Golic. He was quoted as saying that a professional sportsman gets paid…

Welcome Comrades week two for me I will touch on the same subject that I looked at last week with the To Play or Not to Play. I will also touch on some generally good news with the Challenger series which was a great investment by the Reds last year and the LIONS. Remember guys this is a fan run site so if you want to contribute or have a topic you want us me to touch on reach out to happyman@rugbydownunder.com To Play or Not to Play – Opinion The word on the street is that the returning under…

To Play or Not to Play – Opinion I was struck by this piece by Michael Atkinson Here regarding the Australian players lack of match fitness during the South African game. I have always had the opinion that the only way to become proficient at anything it to train and then implement the skill. INHO one of the biggest issues with Australian Rugby over the past 20 years has been the lack of rugby that the players play during the developmental years. Many of our best players do not actually play that much meaningful rugby in the important years between 14 and…

Happyman on Thursdays. Many of us bemoan the ‘chocolate wheel of justice’ and what it means when a player commits an act of foul play and how the sanction is levied. The RA link is here for the full document it is excellent bedtime reading. The WR document is here. Here is a breakdown of the acts of foul play and the prescribed sanctions. Most fans issue is with the ‘good bloke’ defence. I would much prefer the sanctions to be lower with a simple definition of what a good record means there is no early guilty plea. I would…

Happy Thursday, Comrades. This week the final’s upon us with the Crusaders (Double Dongers) playing the Chiefs for all of the chocolates. It should be a cracker. I’ll touch on a few topics this week and then am going to step away for a while as I have a few other things on my plate. As always ladies and gents this is a fan site so if you feel like you have something to say have a crack, I’ve certainly enjoyed it. Good Rugby Players Are Not Necessarily Great Athletes – Opinion Great Piece From RugbyPass A very good coach that…

Happy Thursday, Comrades. This week we enter the finals with the game in a state of flux. Super Rugby 2023 is down to 4 with the two quarters featuring the Reds and the Canes as honourable losers; the Tahs and Drua got flogged. I must admit to some schadenfreude in watching our Kiwi brethren explaining how the Canes were hard done by.  Congratulations Brad Thorn Like many Reds fans I wanted to say a sincere thanks to Brad Thorn for his contribution to both Queensland and Australian Rugby. By any measure his playing and coaching career has been outstanding. Link…

Happy Thursday, comrades, this week we enter the finals with the game in a state of flux. The Reds, Drua and Tahs have a hill to climb. London Irish basically kicked out of the English comp which seems to be in crisis at the moment and the RWC on the horizon. Let’s get into it. Short one today as I am in transit. You Are What Your Record Says You Are. Quote from former NFL player and coach Herm Edwards. So to the boys from Moana Pacific, Rebels, Force and Highlanders you have much to work on. From the outside…

Happy Thursday, comrades. This week with the help of our Tasmanian correspondent today’s news will be an eclectic mix of my musings and some news from the North. Enjoy the break this weekend mate, hopefully the Mayoress treats you well. What Does it Mean to be a Fan Definition from Webster Also another good one Here Fan is generally–and very likely correctly–believed to be a shortened form of fanatic. The origin of fanatic (which can be traced back to the Latin word fanum, meaning “sanctuary, temple”) is less often commented on. In English, fan made an early appearance in the late 17th century only to disappear for two centuries,…

Happy Thursday everyone, Thursday lite this week as my paying job takes precedence. On an aside I liked Falou Faingaa’s chat, it was good gas and helps sell the game. Interesting that Will Skelton is getting MotM plaudits for his game against Ireland, oops, Leinster, on the weekend. Looks like one of Eddie’s three. Lets get it done. Eddie Jones, Steve Hansen confirm their Barbarians, World XV teams This will be a tasty game. Teams from Rugbypass, I don’t know if Stan are carrying it or not or where we can get it. Eddie Jones and Steve Hansen have named their respective Barbarians and World…

Happy Thursday everyone, I’m back after a week off. As a Queensland fan I did not see that coming. I was out at a function during the Reds game last week and even after I saw the result on the WhatsApp group I was still nervous watching the last two minutes. Now where has that been all year and can they back it up this week? The Disrespect – Blues to Leave Some Players Home for the Clash with the Reds From Rugbypass The Blues think they can get the job done without the assistance of four nearlies this weekend. Roger…

Happy Thursday, comrades. We’ve enjoyed our long weekend in the sunshine state and are now looking at the long haul until our next long weekend. Super Rugby, The Way Forward Another thought bubble from an old man shouting at clouds. This was a discussion point in the craparazzi whatsapp chat and I thought I’d bring it to light. Super Rugby is a great product, it’s fast paced entertaining but at the moment it’s predictable. The results are also predictable, in many cases the winner’s known before kick off. Super Rugby has been played 26 times with the Crusaders winning 11…

Happy Thursday, everyone. This week I’ll touch on a couple of different stories from around the world. I thought of one I did want to add to the ten things I like about rugby from last week: scrums, I just love scrums. Being a larger person I love the feeling of moving another large individual in the direction you want to against their will. Special mention this week to Nutta’s excellent piece on Tuesday Here. The best piece of the year that’s both uplifting and brings the waste of war to mind. Remember this is a fan run site and it…

Happy Thursday, after a couple of weeks of old guy shouting at clouds I’ve gone with a more positive spin this week. Remember this is a fan run site and it’s a big year ahead so if you have something you want to contribute, please feel free to reach out to sully@greenandgoldrugby.com Ten Things I Love About Rugby I listen to the Good Bad and the Rugby Podcast and they had a show about the ten things they love about rugby. It got me thinking that everyone likes to moan about the game and its problems (and they certainly exist) but,…

Happy Thursday, everyone, hope all is well. We’re starting to see where our teams are at. Remember this is a fan run site and it is a big year ahead so if you have something you want to contribute, please feel free to reach out to sully@greenandgoldrugby.com The Reds: it’s Not Just a Coaching Issue Opinion I’m a rusted on Reds fan so this is a tough thing to say: we are a poorly run organisation. OK, so after the game against the Brumbies the knives are out for Brad Thorn. While it was a poor performance it was one we…

Happy Thursday, everyone. I hope whichever deity you adhere to gives you joy over the long weekend. I’ll be enjoining my annual pilgrimage to a quintessential country riverside camping experience to recharge the batteries and do some bushwalking, and, in the most 2023 thing, will watch my beloved Reds on iPad in the bush.  Let’s get into it. What Does Harry Wilson Have To Do? I understand from paying attention to English rugby over the past few years that Eddie likes to make up his own mind. The English game is littered with players he got, in had a look…

Happy Thursday, everyone. A quick one this week as that pesky work is interrupting my rugby. I personally am outraged, and something must be done. This is a 4:00am special so apologies for any mistakes. Lucky for the Reds as I had a rant in mind about how brain dead they are with discipline. Perhaps RA have done an excellent job over the past few years One of the great things about being an Australian rsupporter is saying how atrocious the governance is. Well ladies and gentleman I give you the English and the Welsh game. News coming out about…

Happy Thursday. Well the Six Nations is done and dusted and Super Rugby is hitting its stride Round one of the local Brisbane starts this week which is worth a look on STAN. With all the big news taken by Yowie yesterday I’ll take us off the beaten track in the search for the news today and leave the tipping to the Hossman on Friday. Remember this is a fan run site and it’s a big year ahead so if you have something you want to contribute, please feel free to reach out to sully@greenandgoldrugby.com Six Nations Review 2023 From the BBC…

Happy Thursday, were you not entertained by last week’s smorgasbord of rugby on display? This week we’ll touch on the Six Nations and a couple of other minor issues. Queensland Reds captain Shannon Parry is eyeing off a return after getting through a nasty ankle injury during last year’s World Cup. Generally perfect ambassador for the sport Shannon Parry has some unfinished business. ‘I’d say this if you want the female players to be paid watch the games. From Pravda Parry is hopeful to be right for their Super W opener against Melbourne Rebels on 25 March after undergoing surgery during…

After a week dealing with some IT gremlins, I’m back. Another week where too much rugby is barely enough. Round 3 Super Rugby and game 4 of the Six Nations. Let’s hook into it Opinion – Australian Rugby Has Some Good Cattle Coming Through All the Australian teams have a real opportunity to be good for the next few years and our limited funds need to be allocated accordingly. Let’s look at the number 10 situations post RWC. After putting up with Bernard (Spanners) Foley for the best part of a decade here are some of the cattle coming through…

Welcome to your fix of rugby for a Thursday, it’s a bit of a quiet time of the year, let’s get into it. Seriously though, round one of Super Rugby together with Six Nations and club rugby trials, in the words of the immortal Roy and HG where too much rugby is barely enough. Taniela Tupou re-signs with Australian Rugby From Rugbypass This is both fantastic news for Australian rugby and an indictment on my Queensland Reds. I’m a fan (ie, short for fanatic) but the Reds complete lack of ability to retain players and refusal to deal with the major…