Search results

I agree with you on McCabe - http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/cooper-lealiifano-and-mogg-will-not-start-in-first-lions-test/

I don't have much to add on the Dogs performance that hasn't already been said. There is a good group of players at the club and their start to the season hasn't reflected their quality. Hopefully this match will be the first of a string of good performances. As well as Wests played, I was...

You're obviously thinking of a younger Slipper - he has come on in leaps and bounds and is now a good scrummager. He's well ahead of Alexander at TH and getting close to Palmer as a scrummager but way ahead of him around the park.

Maafu started in both tests against England (Perth and Sydney). Slipper was the one on the bench. I watched both matches earlier this year and have to say I can't remember a worse scrummaging display ever - Maafu was bad and got the yellow card but Daley was just atrocious.

Lindo - here's what happened with the lineouts http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/waratahs-lineout-woes/

Yep - agree you need a back 3 replacement but rather than go for a specialist Farrell can play 15 and Davies has played on the wing for Wales. If you wanted a specialist - Kearney for Davies but then your only centre cover is Farrell whereas having Davies gives a little more flexibility.

I reckon the starting 15 may look like: 1. Healy 2. Hibbard 3. Jones 4. Gray 5. O’Connell 6. Croft 7. Warburton 8. Heaslip 9. Phillips 10. Sexton 11. North 12. Roberts 13. O'Driscoll 14. Bowe 15. Halfpenny There are plenty of close calls there but I reckon that's a pretty strong side. A...

And the technical stuff - I've watched him at Wallabies practice running the lineout and was good at picking up technical issues that need working on and explaining to other players what needs to be be done. The last training session before Bledisloe 3 last year Sharpie ran the lineout session...

Here's a little more detail:

Bill Pulver has today announced a new administrative structure within the ARU.

No, the press release says he'll be continuing with his Fox role.

Part 3 now published - http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/where-to-now-for-the-aru/ There are some big issues with the financial position of the ARU - both in terms of the cash position and the net assets. Also, the differences between the ARU and NZRU in relation to strategic planning are...

An experienced guy running the lineout. Good move.

Thanks - the final part of the article will be published tomorrow. There are some more revelations - this time regarding the cash position. The benchmarking against the NZRU shows how weak the ARU's current position is but the strategic priorities of the NZRU do offer some hints of how the...

The argument that there has been no increase in expenditure relies on a guess that 2010 corporate expenditure may have been the same as has now been revealed for 2011. Without guessing all we can do is rely on the expenditure disclosed by the ARU which is $8.65 million for 2010, $14.70 million...

So, do you think the ARU may not give me media accreditation for the Lions series so I can't get any pies?

Part 2 of my examination of the ARU's annual report reveals the ARU's previously undisclosed expenditure and why the public could not have been aware of that expenditure http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/the-appearance-of-previously-undisclosed-expenditure/ - hope you like it. Part 3 will be...

They competed well at the breakdown and the scrum had some reasonable moments - unfortunately all other areas were poor. Pains me to say it but the players I've spoken to since game didnt need me to tell them that. They are hurting and working hard to address.

Went out to GPS v Wests today - GPS were totally dominant. Wests kept trying all game but were just hanging on. Final score 34-8 but have seen tweets claiming it was 38-8. Reality was that Wests scored from 1 of the only 2 visits they had into GPS 22 and GPS blew at least 6 sure tries with...

Sid - regardless of what happens from here with the Lions tour, 100% of test tickets are sold (at very high prices) and the massive broadcasting dollars are locked in by contract. Short of the test matches not being played (can't imagine what disaster could happen to knock over all the...