Author: Happyman

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 itOpinion – Australian Rugby Has Some Good Cattle Coming ThroughAll 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 in all of…

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 RugbyFrom RugbypassThis 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 rugby sports (newSTAR…

Happy Thursday everyone, another week of preseason down and another week of the Six Nations; it has certainly started the year with a bang. The Irish v French was a game that lived up to the axiom that it’s the game played in heaven.My major bitch for the week is the QLD and Western Australia have been robbed of a Wallaby test this year. All we do is turn up and we actually win at our venues.Opinion – Tackle Height an Alternative ViewI have seen a great deal around the proposals for lowering the tackle height all over the world.…

Happy Thursday everyone. Welcome to 2023, where the sun has risen and hope springs eternal. If you want to have your voice heard or have something Australian rugby to get off you chest email sully@greenadngoldrugby.com and Charlie has graciously agreed to put it up. Remember, this is a fan site and your contribution is valued and important.Busted my body yesterday so this is a bit of a quick one while the pain killers aren’t at full noise.Six Nations Week TwoThree cracking games in week one with Scotland overcoming England to win the Calcutta Cup. I would suggest to all of the English fans…

Happy Thursday everyone. Thank god we’re back, I was in danger of taking work seriously. Welcome to 2023 where the sun has risen and hope springs eternal. If you want to have your voice heard or have something Australian rugby to get off you chest email sully@greenadngoldrugby.com and Charlie has graciously agreed to put it up. Remember this is a fan site and your contribution is valued and important.Let’s get into it with a brief one this week as it has snuck up on me.This did not age well (Rennie We Trust – Opinion)A week is a long time in sport and this…

Happy Thursday everyone. This week is my last one for the year and what a year it’s been. A big thank you to everyone who has read and commented throughout the year. It’s been interesting to say the least and at times the hope has broken me. If you want to have your voice heard or have something about rugby in Australia to get off you chest email sully@greenadngoldrugby.com and Charlie has graciously agreed to put it up. Remember this is a fan run site and your contribution is valued and important. Next year is also a big one with the RWC so if…

Well friends the end of the year is near. Expectation has met reality and by the end of the weekend we will be what your record says we are. I’m going to explore a couple of topics about our team and who we are.Opinion – The Tape Sets Your Floor and Your Character Sets Your CeilingThis quote from an NFL analyst Mike Tannenbaum Wiki Link here is applicable when looking at players in our team and coaches from around the world. The basis for that statement is that many have the ability but those with strength of mind perform at a high…

Happy Thursday everyone. Well, it’s been the usual week for an Australian rugby fan, joy and heartbreak in equal measure. That try from the end of the world is why I love the beauty of the game. Player Win Matches Coaches Lose Matches – OpinionHere we are after a great week of internationals and what have we learnt? Apparently Eddie Jones and Wayne Pivac are bums based on their teams’ performances on the weekend. This led me to surmise that a coach’s reputation is based on his team’s results, not necessarily on what he was able to do with the cattle…

Happy Thursday everyone. Bit of a quick one this week as unfortunately paid work intervened, and I had to get up early to complete the task. Apologies if my 4:00am ramblings make less sense than normal. Well, we used our get out of gaol card on the weekend and, to quote an English general after the end of the cold war, now for the real enemy the French. Seriously, I think we were the last team to beat them. New Zealand takes on Wales and the Fijians visit Murrayfield.Cleanout v Red Card – OpinionI discussed the Scottish cleanout on Tate McDermott and the Retallick…

Happy Thursday everyone. The northern tour awaits and many of us will be finding ourselves short of sleep over the next few weekends. Personally, I cannot wait.The Northern Tour Where the Rubber Meets the Road – DiscussSo people, this is where we’re at. The question is what do we expect from the northern tour. The men in orange have five games left in what has been a long season. Realistically, we’re ranked 9th now and while as a fan I can make the argument that we have been unlucky this year there is an axiom in sport that says you are…

Happy Thursday everyone. The northern tour awaits, and the English game is in disarray. I, for one, am looking forward to the sleepless nights ahead. Thanks to Charlie for pulling a double shift this week as KARL had some issues. As always guys and girls this is a fan site and if you want to make your voice heard we are only to happy to bring another into our band of fanatics.The Northern Tour, the Good the Bad and the UglyThe GoodVia the SMHMichael Hooper will return from his mental health break over the past 6 months. Firstly, I hope he’s…

Happy Thursday, everyone. I’m touching on the pitfalls of private equity, Australia A, The Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys and Nemani Nadolo. Let’s hook in.Rugbynomics and the Pitfalls of Private EquityThe state of the English game is a big warning to Australia about the pitfalls of private equity. While the big injection of capital can be alluring the devil is often in the detail. Private equity is after a return on investment on the equity that they put into any business and much like the corporate raiders of the 80s and 90s they rightly want a superior return to that of…

Happy Thursday everyone, I’m back after a week away enjoying the sun sand and surf. Let’s get into it with a few observations and some other malarky.Reds Development and Queensland President’s XV squads confirmed; law innovations announced for Queensland Rugby Challenger SeriesIf you’re chasing a rugby fix this weekend have a look at this game. It will either be a cracking game or a damp squid. If it isn’t on Stan I would expect it to be on the Reds Facebook live feed.From our friends at Reds Rugby.Made up of Brisbane club players and Reds Development players the plan is that…

Happy Thursday everyone, another big week in the world of rugby. If you have Stan I’d recommend the English Premiership there were some cracking games on up there this week. I’ll be taking a week off as I have some holidays. I will say this, nothing beats watching rugby on an iPad and drinking red wine at a campsite.Wallabies it’s the Hope That Kills You – Opinion Part 5At least we weren’t South African in our reaction, but we got close. Firstly I would like to acknowledge the performance of Bernard ‘Spanners’ Foley. I gladly enjoyed my large slice of humble…

Happy Thursday everyone. The dawn of a game day, my favourite day of the week. The Bled is upon us and hope springs eternal. Another big week in the world of rugby. If you have Stan I’d recommend the English Premiership, there were some cracking games on up there this week.Let’s get into itWallabies, it’s the Hope That Kills You – Opinion Part 4Well after tonight we’ll know something for sure. If Australia win it’s in Rennie we trust and we’re all back on the Kool-Aid. Lose and questions will be asked about the selections and the direction we’re taking…

Happy Thursday everyone Another long week in the world of rugby.Let’s get into itWallabies: it’s the Hope That Kills You – Opinion Part 3Well after the game against South Africa this last week here are some thoughts.We weren’t that bad. Yes were beaten by the South Africans and well played to them. We also didn’t roll over like in Argentina.Here are a couple of observations: the South African team isn’t actually that good at rugby. The answer to a loss is just to be more physical. If we can meet the physical challenge then they are very beatable as they don’t…

Happy Thursday everyone. well isn’t a week a long time in sports. We’re happy the Kiwis and Saffas are keeping the sharp implements away from the fanatics. My highlight was seeing Michael Cheika speaking Spanish at the press conference.Let’s get into it.Wallabies, it’s the Hope That Kills You – Opinion Part 2Well, after the game against South Africa this last week here are some thoughts.Firstly a quote from an NFL pod I listen to about performance. “Your character sets your floor and your ability sets your ceiling.”So we’ve seen the bipolar nature of the Wallaby performances over the last month. Now…

Happy Thursday everyone, big week with the Rugby Championship coming up so plenty to discuss. Our bipolar relationship with the Wallabies continues. Hopefully this week we are back to diamond not rocks.Wallabies, it’s the Hope That Kills You – OpinionWe’re a fickle bunch as Wallaby supporters, one week we ride the high and the next week we’re back to our better halves keeping the sharp implements locked away.I’ve been a massive Dave Rennie fan since his appointment, whether he wins or loses. Ever since Link (Ewen McKenzie) got knifed I felt like our coaching and backroom were at a distinct…

Happy Thursday everyone, it’s a bit of a hiatus this week being between tests and the Rugby Championship. Let’s tuck in.A Coach’s Behaviour and How it Impacts a Team’s BehaviourAa a discussion point I was thinking about how a coach’s demeanour affects the way a team plays and behaves. Generally coaches are strong characters and the message that they put out and how they behave during games infects the team for good or bad.Think of how the Wallabies behaved during the run of MC, a passionate man who has been known to damage the odd piece of furniture during a…

Happy Thursday everyone, big week with the Rugby Championship coming up so plenty to discuss. Thanks to everyone for their input into last week’s subject of transgender sport, it was thoughtful and respectful which is unusual on the Interwebs. For mine it was great to see the divergent views expressed in a considered way. Work has intervened in the more important things in life so it will be short and sharp this week.A Wallabies 15 of Injured and Overseas Based PlayersWord coming through that Hunter Paisami (Squatter) is unavailable through injury gave me pause as to how well we are doing…