Australian Rugby / RA

[Adam84]

Scott Johson likely to join WRU as the Director of Rugby

For talk of coaching pathways etc this is an interesting one, he has an enormous amount of rugby IP, it's a shame there isn't somewhere he could be used within Australia.

 

[Wilson]

That must also (unofficially) end the chances of Cheika coaching them. I can't see the two of them working together again.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

They wouldn't have the cash and he wouldn't have wanted that job anyway. Surely it goes to some Welsh bloke who has a passion for the country who they can pay unders for. Step right up Steve Tandy

 

[The Red Baron]

Just saw that Fozzie is on the coaching staff for the invitational Aus-NZ side to play the Lions. Is Fozzie a bolter for the Wallabies coaching job??

 

[Wilson]

No, I really doubt it.

He's just a great fit for the Aus-NZ job - experienced international coach to lend credibility to the occaision, with relationships with the NZ players (which RA obviously doesn't have), and he's coaching in the comp where a lot of them will come from, hopefully helping to grease the wheels in terms of releases. Only better option would've been Deans, just for the narrative of him returning to get revenge on the Lions after they ended his wallabies career.

 

[dru]

A better option all the same.

 

[Tomthumb]

Well he’d fit right in with the other local candidates having never won anything

 

[Crashy]

Jeez I'm being spammed up the wazoo from every possible angle re the ''final tickets available'... sounds like there are more than just a few left...

 

[Ignoto]

Was the Assistant Coach in a team that won the 2015 WC.

Won the Bledisloe from 2020 - 2023.

Won the Rugby Championship from 2020 - 2023.

I wish we had a coach that has "never won anything"!

 

[Sword of Justice]

I have had a couple of those as well but I think they are all the hospitality packages that would have been bought en masse by the providers. So incredibly expensive.

 

[Tomthumb]

Never won anything at club level, provincial level or Super level. Held a tackle bag in 2015 and proceeded to lead NZ to record levels of ineptitude until they forced Joe Schmidt to come in and save him

Going from Schmidt to Foster would be like going from a Ferrari to a unicycle with a flat tyre. I’m not sold on Les kiss but I’d give him a lifetime contract before even entertaining Ian Foster

 

[JRugby2]

Does this bloke like Fozzie or not - would appreciate a straight answer

 

[Derpus]

No ANZAC Bledisloe. Can't say I'm that fussed as three a year is too many tests against NZ.

 

[Adam84]

classic NZRU mentality, because the conservative approach is really expanding the game in Oceania….

“the biggest contributing factor, according to informed sources, was the opposition of All Blacks coach Scott Robertson towards the unorthodox preparation window. New Zealand Rugby have long been ultra-conservative when it comes to potentially damaging All Blacks success”

Herbert's comments on the concept

Herbert has repeatedly spoken about the need to rugby to shake off the game’s traditional and risk-averse mindsets, and “build mass entertainment products” that not only engage with the modern sports fan, but can generate substantial revenues, too.

“We are still hanging on to a lot of the amateur baggage, in my view,” Herbert said last year. “We need to break free of that, and start to look with a clean sheet of paper: how do we build the most commercial, entertaining products we possibly can, to attract the biggest market we can?”

 

[Dan54]

I am pleased. I dislike the idea altogether , and it's personal view, that ANZAC day is too important to be used as a commercial opportunity.
But for whatever reason, I think it's more an Aussie thing than a kiwi one. Not something I have ever heard discussed in any rugby club etc since I been home.

 

[dru]

To me that is sort of like saying "I don't like drinking green beer and guinness on Saint Pat's day due to commercialism". Personally I can't think of a more appropriate and respectful way of celebrating ANZAC Day than cross Tasman rugby.

 

[Ignoto]

Almost every Australian public holiday is grounded in some form of bloodshed or pain.

Australia Day - the treatment of the aboriginal people from landing up until modern day is a focal point of the day.

Good Friday - a Jewish bloke was on a cross by Romans and died 2,000 years ago.

Easter Sunday - said bloke woke up and left this world.

Anzac Day - no need to explain.

Labour Day - the precursor to the movement and changes to our working rights is directly linked to the Eureka Stockade where there was a considerable amount of deaths.

Then depending on where you live you may have some guilt free holidays like the "Show day" and Christmas.

But, putting that all aside, I didn't serve so I can't comment on whether I have issues with it. But I've read comments on Reddit where Kiwis think we glorify wars and I completely disagree. I believe we celebrate those that have sacrificed for us which is mistaken for glorification.

With the ineos lawsuit going on, combined with cost of living creeping up, NZRU will need to do things that they may not be entirely comfortable with to ensure their survival over the next decade or so. Because it's looking like the French are going to rule this rugby world.

 

[Tomthumb]

Cant say I'm surprised. NZ rugby has consistently shown that they don't believe in partnership only ever do what suits them in the moment. It's the same union that pushed South Africa out and then proceeded to get back into bed with them and screw over Australia & Argentina as soon as it was convenient for them

 

[Adam84]

NZ Warriors sold out their ANZAC Day test last year with 25k in attendance.

So claiming it’s an Aussies thing and not a Kiwi thing is bullshit

 

[Dctarget]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dan criticise the NZ administration, so not to worry too much.