Search results

Don't disagree with most of what has been posted above, and I particularly like what BR wrote about experience over youth. I said pre-COVID we'd likely see JOC (James O'Connor)/To'omua as our 10/12, and I still think that's the best option at this stage. I like JOC (James O'Connor)'s organisation of the Reds backline, and the...

How good is Taniela Tupou playing right now? Plays the full 80, holds the scrum up and makes about 25 dominant tackles. Love that he's eliminated those silly penalties from his game as well. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) is also in a rich vein of form. I really enjoyed that game, a high standard from both teams...

And Ramm has the boot of Hodge in the body of a genuine winger. At this stage he's a wider squad pick, but a few more good weeks and he might be in the starting team!

One element of the Waratahs game that's really improved is their kicking, both from hand and from the tee. Ramm and Maddocks were chewing off 40m with regularity, and more on occasion. Harrison's goalkicking has been as good as I've seen from an Aussie player since Mike Harris. An underrated...

It doesn't offend me, I was just in a crabby mood this morning and needed the rant. I don't mind what terms you all use :)

It's a depth thing as much as anything. Lance, Godwin, Ralston, Stowers, FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner), Stander, McGregor all Super roster quality, and that's just the names I can get off the top of my head.

I'm not saying we should cut a team, there are more factors to consider than just on-field quality as you point out. But cutting a team IMO would help on-field product. And I really hate the expression 'shrink to greatness', FWIW. It's overused, overdone and frankly a little bit insulting to the...

Both countries have different goalposts here. In New Zealand it's all about competitiveness, and having a tournament where any team can win on any given day. They want less rugby, but better quality rugby. In Australia it's about having a broad geographic footprint that maximises revenue and...

They are certainly in a bind. If they stick to their guns and refuse to accommodate five Aussie teams, they also risk the wrath of the NZ public for failing to get the TT comp off the ground because of their own hard-headedness. It boggles the mind they'd walk away from the TT comp solely...

Think we've now got a dedicated Origin thread, so maybe let's move this chat over there.

Gracias Jaguardo.

Can you imagine the coverage? "Yeah we want to knock those unwashed public school losers back to where they came from" or "These rich bastards don't know what's coming for them".

Yes to all of these things. It's not the most level-headed viewpoint.

In their eyes having 8 competitive teams is better than having a 10 team comp with two or three easybeats.

The Origin idea could work as a quasi Wallaby trial match as well, and I wonder if it might get a run this year if we can't organise a Wallaby warm-up game. I'm coming around to the concept, just because it would be good to see combinations try and gel in a short space of time. You'd also be...

LRT could barely kick when he was playing for the Swans. Should have won two Norm Smith Medals though, but I suppose we're drifting off topic here.

Yeah it was a floater of a pass too, though not a bad one. Dempsey probably should have just put his head down and scored that try, he passed very early and made Newsome do a bit more work than he had to.

Sometimes we complicate the way we look at teams, and games. When you boil it down, the Tahs first half was so good because they made virtually no mistakes. They didn't do anything that wild tactically, it was just good accurate catch-and-pass, runners hitting the ball at pace, making good...

Of course we should emulate some of their measures, I just don't think they will be replacing the 1sts rugby on A Ground at 3:!5pm with AFL any time in the next 30 years. And AFL is definitely suited to fitter, faster people. It doesn't have a niche carved out for different shapes and sizes...

One thing that has really annoyed me in Super AU is the officiating of scrums. It seems 75% of all scrums will end in a penalty to one side or the other. A few times on Saturday night the ball was at the back and in the halfback's hands, on it's way to the backline when the ref blew a penalty...