Author: Nick Hartman

The Rat Pack is back to shoot flak at all things rugby. This week we talk Shute, Super and International rugby in an effort to find podcast form before the international calendar gets underway. WARNING – may contain naughty words https://soundcloud.com/green-and-gold-rugby/rugby-report-card-35-baby-please-dont-go

Wednesday’s Rugby News has ARU CEO chat – who will come and how shall they come? – Will Genia going to Melbourne and a referee change for Satdi. [one_half last=”no”] Gallop New CEO? The Daily Telegraph reckons that FFA chief David Gallop could swap codes – again – to become the new ARU CEO boss. Gallop was also previously CEO of the NRL. “The Daily Telegraph understands the ARU is yet to contact Gallop but his name has been discussed among rugby union powerbrokers after Pulver announced last week he was quitting,” writes the Daily Telegraph. “Another former NRL boss,…

Tuesday’s Rugby News has more drama in court, the Wallaroos dumped by France, a surprise inclusion in the Wallabies squad and Beauden Barrett beating rush defence. [one_half last=”no”] Back To Court RugbyWA has won an injunction to take their bid to stay alive to the Supreme Court of NSW. While this injunction obviously means the saga isn’t over, it effectively means the Force – and its players – can’t be cut just yet. If this appeal is successful, this means that the case could be at the Supreme Court by Wednesday this week. That appeal, the SMH says, will be…

Monday’s Rugby News has a whole load of reactions and news about the Force ARU thing, as well as Wallabies and Wallaroos stuff. Get amongst it. [one_half last=”no”] No More Force As you’ve probably heard, the Western Force lost their arbitration case against the ARU. That means the ARU have made the decision to ‘discontinue’ the Force’s licence from 2018 onwards. RugbyWA, says the SMH, are considering continuing the fight in the NSW Supreme Court. “We’ve made the decision here today and if they go down that process we’ll deal with that when it comes,” ARU chairman Cameron Clyne said in…

Wednesday’s Rugby News has more Bugarama, Scott Sio talking about how bonding is binding, Connolly taking the Reds to court, and Kwagga suspended. [one_half last=”no”] Drawn Out Saga 1.1 The court to-and-fro apropos the bug the chair found in situ in the All Blacks chateau continued today, with even more sort of explosive allegations. The All Blacks were warned plenty o’ times to report the bug to the police the Daily Telegraph reports, but didn’t because they didn’t want to cause a media fuss. “Two security specialists and two hotel managers each gave evidence at a court hearing on Tuesday that they…

Tuesday’s Rugby News has two drawn out sagas, a very expensive Will Genia maybe going to the Rebels, and Adam Korczyk all physical like. [one_half last=”no”] Drawn Out Saga 1 The bug fiasco, which every lazy journalist is calling Bug Gate, but really should be calling Bugarama, is still going on, with all the accused and such in court yesterday. So this is how it’s played out so far. Almost a year ago, the All Blacks found a bug in their hotel room. They knew for a week but magically decided to tell the meedja the Saturday before the 1st…

Monday’s Rugby News has more ARU drama, takes on the ARU drama, a miffed Johan Ackermann and a chatty Michael Cheika. [one_half last=”no”] Oh No Late late late Friday night, Imperium Group announced that they and their owner, Andrew Cox, had transferred the licence of the Melbourne Rebels over to the Victorian Rugby Union for $1. What this all means is very confusing. All that can be surmised is that means bad news bears for the ARU, and that the timing of the presser – 5pm on Friday – was an attempt to sneak out the news. “It’s exciting for…

The big M. Checks has picked the squad for the 1st Wallabies squad, and he has a pocket full of bolters. There are 7 uncapped players in the squad of 34. While capped, Jack Dempsey, Tetera Faulkner, Ned Hanigan, and Joe Powell only have 10 caps between them, a further sign of this squad’s youth. 2 of those uncapped are former leaguies – Curtis Rona and Marika Koroibete – while the biggest bolter of them all is surely Jordan Uelese, with the Rebels young’un seemingly being the third-choice hooker. Adam Korczyk, Izack Rodda, Izaia Perese and Billy Meakes are the…

Friday’s Rugby News has the Sunwolves under the thumb, new NRC coaches, Wallabies squad speculation and Lions raring to go. [one_half last=”no”] Awoo~~~ Sanzaar have told the Sunwolves to pull their finger out of their bum and start winning games or they’ll be OUT. Or something like that. The Australian reports that the Sunwolves, who have won 3 of their 30 Super Rugby games in 2 seasons, better win 5 next year…or else. “It is understood that the Sunwolves have been told they must win at least five of their matches next season or suffer the consequences,” writes our boy…

Thursday’s Rugby News has a new Wallabies captain, a reserved judgement, the musings of Kane Douglas, and a former Wallaroos captain asking for more funding. [one_half last=”no”] Hooper (c) The Wallabies social media team kicked up a fuss for no good reason when they foreshadowed an exciting event yesterday. Turns out that exciting event was a foregone conclusion – Michael Hooper being announced as Wallabies captain. Huh. Hooper, with 25 years and 68 caps to his name, has already been Wallabies captain, first becoming so in 2014. His vice-captain hasn’t yet been announced. “It’s a huge honour to just wear…

Wednesday’s Rugby News has all the latest arbitration goss, Super Rugby refs, Pro14 shenanigans and the Wallaroos set off for Ireland. [one_half last=”no”] 142 – 127 = 15 The ARU v Force showdown started yesterday, and the leading line from the Daily Telegraph is that it all revolves around 15 games. The Force are arguing that the ARU made an agreement with them that runs until 2020, the end of the current broadcast deal – worth 135 season games and 7 finals each year. The ARU are counter-arguing that the new broadcast deal, agreed upon by Sanzaar, is not the…

Tuesday’s Rugby News has two props – Ala’alatoa and Cowan – talking Wallabies, a little more stuff on referees and Twiggy Forrest watering trees. [one_half last=”no”] All About Allan Having just arrived in Wallabies camp from the Brumbies camp, Allan Ala’alatoa has been thrown into the fitness frying pan. And from the frying pan, he’s been thrown into the media fire. Talk Allan, talk! “I only came in the last two sessions and I felt I was there the whole week. For me physically it was and it was a good test for me mentally,” The A-man told rugby.com.au. “When you come…

Without Jimmy the Rat, Richard and Blake dissect the semi-finals and preview the final of what is probably the most poorly-ran competition in professional sport. Also what’s news in the world of rugby this week?

Monday’s Rugby News has the Force’s court case starting, Hodge thinking he can play 10, Our Gus as GF ref, and SBW appealing his ban. [one_half last=”no”] Twiggy Triggers Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forest reckons the Brumbies and the Rebels should merge. Fun times and happy comments ahead. The Twig has recently come out in full support of the Force, and has talked to the Daily Telegraph about his idea. “[The merger] will bolster the rugby culture in Victoria, giving players there access to one of the best teams in the country,” Forrest said. “It will allow the Brumbies to broaden their…

Friday’s Rugby News is named right today, and features Stephen Moore retiring, the Uni 7s launch, Toby Smith and Bill Meakes. [one_half last=”no”] No Moore Wallabies captain Stephen Moore is going to hang up his Test boots at the end of this year. A month after stating that he could make the 2019 World Cup, the 34-year-old hooker has told the meedja that it he has decided to give it up. “I think you definitely go through that period where you do fight it. You think, ‘I’ll be fine, I’ll be able to do it’,” he said, via the SMH. “I…

Thursday’s Rugby News has the Brumbies in the Wallabies squad, Kane Douglas and Rob Simmons thinking aloud, and a resignation at ARU HQ. [one_half last=”no”] (Brum + Walla) Bies The names of the Brumbies in the Wallabies squad has been announced finally. rugby.com.au reports that Allan Alaalatoa, Scott Sio, Rory Arnold, Sam Carter, Joe Powell, Henry Speight and Tevita Kuridrani have all been added to squad. No Scott Fardy, no Tom Banks. The Rugby Report Card’s favourite player, Kyle Godwin, wasn’t considered due to injury. The Wallabies squad is currently in Newcastle, running up hills and doing beep tests and what not.…

Wednesday’s Rugby News has a 7s super star back, Cheika chatting to Quade, Sean McMahon officially doing one to Japan, and the latest news on the Wallabies squad. [one_half last=”no”] Beck Is Back Sevens superstar Nicole Beck is back in action after birthing her second daughter. 3 months after introducing Harper to the world,  Beck has returned to and she has had a chat to the SMH about it all. “I was hoping to return by the three-month mark but it just depended on the labour and recovery after and how the body felt,” Beck said. “I love playing and…

Tuesday’s Rugby News is actually ok. The Tahs are going play club rugby this weekend, Slack wants Cheika to have selectors, Aidan Toua wants to stay as does Karmichael. [one_half last=”no”] No Karmichael Karmichael Hunt is out of Bledisloe contention, after the mercurial footballer-cum-caveman got the old syndesmosis of the old ankle. “Karmichael is going to be out for six to eight weeks I’d say,” Michael Cheika said, via the SMH. “He ended up having a small operation on his syndesmosis injury. He’s got nothing doing for the first 10 days and then we’ll start working on him and his fitness…

Monday’s Rugby News has Cameron Clyne saying not much, Stephen Larkham saying goodbye, Nick Phipps talking fitness and Scott Sio being inspired. [one_half last=”no”] 4 Teams Or Me ARU Chairman Cameron Clyne has seemingly said he’ll step down if the ARU fail to cut a Super Rugby team. “We’ve made the tough decision and it is going to be difficult but the good thing is when we get through the process,” he said. “If we end up with five teams, it’ll be someone else’s problem because I won’t be around. If we get to four teams, of course, I think we’ll have…

With quarter finals complete, are there two stand out teams? Is there a team that is a sure thing to take out this crazy competition? Also, what was up with that Wallaby squad? WARNING – may contain swearing