Author: Happyman

Happy Thursday everyone, had a great catch up with a few of the G&GR boys at a bar on Friday, it was an enjoyable night talking rugby and putting faces to names. It was a bit like the joke a group of rugby supporters walked into a bar….. (I can’t remember what happened next.)Player WelfareIt is a tough balancing act how much rugby is too much. Our friends at Rugby Pass have published an interview with the English captain Courtney Lawes espousing the view that they are running on empty. The English season now runs from September to July. The reduced salary…

Happy Thursday people, this week I have sufficiently recovered from the spicy cough to return to work. So here is my usual Wednesday evening attempt.I was chatting to my son after the two tests on Saturday this weekend and he made the comment that “A great game of rugby is superior to jail rugby in every way”. It is hard to disagree after what was served up by the Nearlies, Paddies, Soap Dodgers and The Wallabies.Anyway it’s test week in God’s (if I believed in such things), the skies are clearing and I expect we will do the Poms over…

Comment away people.From a Queensland perspective Tate, and Wilson are big outs.AustraliaAngus BellDave PoreckiAlan Ala’alatoaCadeyrn NevilleDarcy SwainRob LeotaMichael HooperRob ValetiniNic WhiteQuade CooperMarika KoroibeteSamu KereviLen IkitauAndrew KellawayTom BanksFolou Fainga’aScott SioJames SlipperMatt PhilipPete SamuJake GordonNoah LolesioJordan PetaiaEngland TBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBATBAHappyman’s pick Australia by 12

Happy Thursday people, this week I have a little more time to put this drivel together as I have the spicy cough, aka the Wuhan wonder bug. Fortunately it has been a light cough and a great deal of lethargy.For those who like podcasts a quick recommendation “The Pitch” Episode 47 on Mike Tomlin coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers it is well worth the listen.England v Australia First Test PerthIt is interesting to hear some of my podcasts from England regarding this tour. Frankly the English think they are much better than us. They see it as a relatively easy…

Happy Thursday people, another great week of rugby with a hiatus between Super and the test matches. For those like me who love the club game I would encourage getting our and watching some grassroots over the weekend.A couple of great finals; the English Premiership was particularly enjoyable.The Games People PlayOne of my favourite quotes in sports is from a former ESPN annalist and former NFL lineman Mike Golic Senior. “The parts of sports that fans think is about the game is business and the parts that fans think is business is about sport.”Our new overlord Hamish McLennan is getting…

Welcome to this week’s addition people. This week I will touch on the Australia A Team, the use of drugs and how hard it is to find information on same, Reds signings and the English are coming.Australia A Team for the Pacific Nations CupI really like the squad for the Pacific Nations Cup, it shows a clarity of thought where players have been picked with a view to getting meaningful game time. Take Fraser McReight for instance. There is actually no benefit in picking him to play hold a tackle bag for the English tour. With Hooper fit and available…

And then there were 4 Super Rugby, The English League and the URC are down to 4 teams. Short one this week as I have had the flu.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 English LeagueThe English league is getting down to the wire and the four teams remaining are a contrast in styles. Leicester and Saracens are physical combative teams and Quins…

The Quarter Finals are this weekend and Euro Rugby is reaching its Zenith. My theme for the week has touched on eligibility and some other topics I will leave the nuts and bolts of the weekend to Hoss tomorrow.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   Spain cite Ireland and New Zealand’s use of foreign-born players in World Rugby appealFor those who are unaware…

I hope we all enjoyed our democracy sausage on the weekend and as Georgia Satellite said about my “no tanks on the streets come Monday”, amen to that.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 Super Rugby the Happyman modelI read a comment this week about how some have enjoyed the Super Rugby this week as much as I. My question would be: how…

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…

Much like my brain this week’s offering spans the globe.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 Joe Marler is a Complex Character and a Genuinely Interesting BlokeJoe Marler is a Complex Character and a Genuinely Interesting BlokeI listen to the Joe Marler Show podcast when driving and while it is not a rugby podcast he does cover some interesting topics. So in his…

Happy Monday everyone, in the least surprising thing of the year the Kiwi teams came out hard,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 . It’s going to be a big year of tests and other things get involved.Super Rugby Results and Game RatingsAuckland Blues 71 Melbourne Rebels 28I watched the women’s game when this was on and the score did nor make me want…

Welcome to my second missive of the week. A bit short on time so thanks to the boys for giving me some contentRemember 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   Crusaders Get Barrett Back EarlyIn the least surprising news of the week Scott Barrett does the WR concussion protocol training and gets another week off meaning he will be available to play the Force…

Welcome Comrades, it’s May Day in the People’s Republic of Queensland. I have volunteered to fill the massive shoes of Charlie who has made an excellent contribution to the G&GR family. Unfortunately, his real job has intervened and he’s unable to contribute for a while. I for one have welcomed his referee’s perspective and insight into how the game is officiated and his views on the wider game.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…

The Super Round is done and dusted community rugby is underway and winter is coming a great time to be alive in Australia. This week we touch concussion and the strides made from the old wet sponge days.Concussion and the Community GameI saw one of the commenters this week make the statement that he would probably not let his children play rugby going forward due to possible concussion issues. Let me start off by saying that on a personal level I think all kids should play some form of team sport growing up. It teaches respect (for officials and coaches)…

The Super Round is on this week and Club footy starts in Brisbane how good is life.Harry Wilson is Putting Together a Decent SeasonHarry Wilson has putting the disappointment of missing the Northern tour and doing what he was asked to do in the off season. His Stats for the Super Season to date are impressive against all comersCarries 119 Ranks firstMetres Carried 539 Ranks seventhTackles Made 86 Ranks eighthFull Super Stats HereHospital Cup (Brisbane) Starts This WeekendThe Hospital Challenge Cup is an odd name for a competition and dates back to 1899. The donation of the 100-guinea trophy was…

Happy Religious Festival for those who observe I am off to do the most Australian of Easter activities and am going camping with the family.Suliasi Vunivalu is back at last.Vunivalu’s selection on the wing for the Queensland Reds is a fresh and exciting dimension to Friday night’s clash against the improving Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne. If there are early nerves in his first match for 10 months, they’ll be quickly quelled by the familiarity with his surroundings at AAMI Park. The ground was home base for his heroics as a tryscorer when he played his five seasons for the Melbourne Storm…

Great week of rugby last week and a great week ahead with the community game getting going.Vultures are circling Eddie Jones ahead of the English tourSeveral head coaches are starting to put their hand up when asked if they would be interested in the English head coaching job whenever it became available. Everyone’s favourite South African Rassie has said he would give it a go. We can now add Ronan O’Gara to the list per Rugby Pass HereHaving been given the full support of the board, which is generally the death nell for any head coach, Eddie comes to Australia…

Welcome to the 2nd month of autumn, even in God’s country north of the Tweed the weather has started to chill in the mornings. The sun rises a little bit later and sets as you drive home from work.To all of the people of Northern NSW stay safe.The Force are Playing Chess While We Are Playing Checkers – OpinionAs a so called ECE (East Coast Elite) I confess to really liking what the Force have done and continue to do in how they run their business. After the omnishambles of the totally ridiculous move to exile them from Super Rugby…

The 6 Nations Games were excellent and I am really enjoying the Super RugbyDon’t forget to pick your G&GR Wallaby Squad for Hoss tomorrow before noonVote here https://forms.gle/1zrURSY5y…Rugby Prevention Managers Having a Field DayWith my freshly-minted Tin Foil Hat on my head I lost my relatively small mind at the prospect of Taniela Tupou being cited for dangerous play in the game against the Brumbies. I was ready to rail against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and the rage the only those from outside the eastern suburbs of Sydney can feel at how the game seems to conspire against…