Author: Nick Hartman

Tuesday’s Rugby News has Cheika talking 6-0, no analysis, playmaker selection, Ricky Stuart and Gareth Southgate, players upset at stupid journo questions and Canadians living up to stereotype. [one_half last=”no”] Cheika vs England, Part 1 Michael ‘Morpheus’ Cheika is a ‘believer’ in his Wallabies team, telling the press in Japan that he finds the chatter about England’s 6-0 record against the Wallabies as ‘irrelevant’ going into the game. “I think it’s irrelevant, really,” said Cheika, according to the SMH. “There is reasons, I’m not trying to avoid it, but why go back and talk about all those games? “I talked about…

The boys may be a coupla tins in but that doesn’t mean this pod will any less incoherent than all the other ones.

Tuesday’s Rugby News has O’Connor’s wisdom, Pocock’s wisdom, Leali’ifano’s wisdom, and Andrew Hore being weird. [one_half last=”no”] Obi Wan O’Connor Local monk James O’Connor has graced the media with the calming words he doth verily said to youngest squire Jordan Petaia before the latter’s premier appearance for thine Australian national team sur le weekend. “I got to speak to Jordy the night before the game and [verily] all I passed onto him was almost what was passed on to me, it was just, ‘focus on your defence and get [thy]self in the game early and the big moments will come’,” O’Connor…

The boyos dissect the last round of World Cup games with a particular focus on the heartbreaking loss to the Welsh

Tuesday’s Rugby News has a confused Samu Kerevi, Matt Toomua wink wink nudge nudge warning against rotation, the debut of the indigenous jersey and a typhoon that could affect the RWC. [one_half last=”no”] Konfused Kerevi Samu Kerevi is concerned “the way rugby is going”, according to the SMH, and no he’s not just talking about people combing through games to find collisions that might be worthy of a yellow card. No – he’s talking about ball carrying. In the mixed zone after the game, Kerevi joked he might as well go play NRL next year if he can’t ball carry.…

[one_third last=”no”] 1. Scott Sio Immense. Made massive metres running with the ball, made 6/6 tackles and dominated in a scrum. 7 [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”] 2. Tolu Latu Like Sio, made impressive metres, 7/7 tackles and was part of a dominant scrum – lineout too. 7 [/one_third] [one_third last=”yes”] 3. Allan Ala’alatoa Just like Sio,, but made a few more metres and 2 more tackles. Another impressive showing from the Brumbies duo. 7 [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”] 4. Izack Rodda Had a decent game, making just under 10% of the Wallabies tackles (9/95). Part of an impressive lineout that won everything and stole 2. 7 [/one_third] [one_third…

Tuesday’s Rugby News has Hodge in a podge, Cheika’s weird pep-talk, Pool D news and – ha ha ha! – Folau being an idiot. [one_half last=”no”] Hodge Podge Michael Cheika is unhappy with Fiji’s decision to cite stodging’s Reece Hodge for a bad tackle. After a game, either team can ask the disciplinary committee to check out any specific incidents. The discplinary committee doesn’t have to agree with the view of the team raising the complaints, they can reject them, but this time the committee dude whoever he is agreed that Hodge’s bumped off tackle of Peceli Yato met the red…

The boys discuss the first round of fixtures. How good?

[one_third last=”no”] 1. Scott Sio Part of a dominant scrum, but due to the Wallabies whack gameplan wasn’t given an opportunity to shine going forward. 7 [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”] 2. Tolu Latu Scored two tries through unbeatable mauls, made 13 carries and when the lineout was working, it worked a treat. Standout starter, only rivalled by Hooper. Pips man of the match over Genia due to time served on the field. 8 – G&GR MOTM [/one_third] [one_third last=”yes”] 3. Allan Ala’alatoa Ditto Sio, really. 7 [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”] 4. Izack Rodda Had a decent game, making 11% of the Wallabies tackles (9/79). Part of a weird…

Tuesday’s Rugby News has Samoan scrum reflections, Shaun Berne being an attack coach n stuff, Japanese people going nuts for Wales, and Cheika the graceful. [one_half last=”no”] Samoa Scrum Taniela Tupou has opined that getting beaten badly in the scrum by a Tier 2 nation was a wake-up call. “What happened in the first scrum, Jordan and Slipper were on at the time and I came on and it was just hard because I came on and we make a mistake and it happens in the game,” Tupou told rugby.com.au. “We fixed it in the last few scrums but again it’s…

Thursday’s Rugby News has injury news, Jed Holloway news and your favourite – Phil Kearns news! [one_half last=”no”] The Injury Report Card Rugby.com.au is reporting that Tevita Kuridrani and Jordan Petaia are looking good, as they slowly return to full training. Kuridrani hurt his hamstring in the lead-up to the Samoa test, while Petaia also hurt his hamstring in New Caledonia. Cheika said that Kuridrani could be in the mix for the Fiji game on 21 September, while Petaia might not be about until 5 October Uruguay match. “Tevita, he’s running nearly back at full pace so I’m hopeful he’s…

[one_third last=”no”] 1. James Slipper Made some tackles, got around the ground well. Replaced at 50 mins. 5 [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”] 2. Jordan Uelese 8 tackles, 11 carries, but conceded 2 turnovers. Was part of the better scrum. 6 [/one_third] [one_third last=”yes”] 3. Sekope Kepu Returned a solid performance, making 7 tackles in the process. Was part of the better, first half scrum. 6 [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”] 4. Rob Simmons Lineout was superb, and despite doing his thing of not being a physical presence, he did what he was meant to do. Win lineouts. Also wore a matching scrum cap with C0leman which made things hard.  7 [/one_third]…

The boys are back together this week to talk all things Rugby including the world cup, NRC and Australia v Samoa Also – shirts!

Tuesday’s Rugby News has Sekope Kepu’s retirement, players for the Pumas game and extras for the Samoa game, as well as a new coach for the Moondogs. [one_half last=”no”] 360 No Sekope Saturday’s test against Samoa will be Sekope Kepu’s last at home, after the veteran prop announced he was retiring from international rugby after the RWC yesterday. The tighthead prop became the first prop to 100 Wallaby caps, an effort he reached last year. Since debuting with the Wallabies in 19 BC 2008, Kepu has made himself a mainstay of increasingly strengthening Wallabies front row. Before the Auckland Bledisloe,…

Tuesday’s Rugby News has Rennie, Penney, banned substances, BPA, CFS, Hegarty, Stewart, Fouaika and Dempsey news. [one_half last=”no”] Rennie vs Penney The SMH is reporting what has been rumoured and murmured around the halls of the GAGR Towers for quite some time now, that Dave Rennie will become Wallabies coach post-RWC and Rob Penney will become Tahs coach next year. Together with Brad Thorn, that’ll mean there’ll be three New Zealanders in charge of the three most important rugby teams in Australia. Rennie, currently in Scotland with the Glasgow Chiefs, has turned that side into title contenders, reaching the semi-final and…

Blake, James and Richard come crashing back down to reality as they dissect the Wallabies vs All Black game. To get a shirt contact therugbypodcast@gmail.com

Tuesday’s Rugby News has news of a special one’s return – and unfortunately it is not Jesse Mogg. There’s also Randwick news, Cheika news, and Miller Time. [one_half last=”no”] Skelton Back? Michael Cheika was in the airport yesterday and so was the media, asking him questions about who he will select for the World Cup. The 31-man squad is set to be revealed on Friday. One name Cheika blurted out was Will Skelton, who has been receiving rave reviews playing for Saracens. Asked what names might still be up for selection Cheika said: “(Jack) Dempsey, (Tom) Robertson, not sure even…

Tuesday’s Rugby News has a selection dilemma for the Wallabies, James O’Connor admitting he mucked up, The Grubber God of Thunder resigning, and the AB’s self-post-mortem. [one_half last=”no”] Selection Direction Michael Cheika and the panel face a selection dilemma, after the did such a great fucking job on the weekend. They must decide whether they prioritise the Bledisloe Cup (yes), putting out the strongest squad and potentially beating a front row-deprived, locks-deprived Kiwis in Eden Park for the first time in donkeys and taking the bounce of win the Bledi-fucking-sloe Cup RAH for the first time since I was a wee…

Blake and Richard enjoy the greatest weekend of rugby.

[one_third last=”no”] 1. Scott Sio In a scrum that was arguably better than the ABs, despite not forcing any turnovers. Made 5 of his 6 tackles. 7 [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”] 2. Tolu Latu Who saw that coming? Solid lineout, solid work around the park (33 metres made!), solid scrum, and only conceded one penalty (coming in from the side) called inconsistently by referee Garces. Fainga’a has competition. 7 [/one_third] [one_third last=”yes”] 3. Allan Ala’alatoa Returned a solid performance in his first week back, in a crunch match. Apart from the solid scrum, also did a lot of work around the park – except for…