Search results

I don't think so. European rugby would be more popular if it was a better product. The reaction to the last round of the Six Nations this year is evidence of that. Existing European rugby fans might have a greater appreciation of certain styles of rugby than Australian rugby fans do (generally...

Sorry I don't mean to offend you or misinterpret you. But you're talking about physical differences when it comes to swimming or running. When people talk about 'balance' and a rugby team having too many islanders what exactly do they mean? In my experience they're talking about mental things...

When Fiji beat England in the opening match of the tournament after an 80 metre, 80th minute match winner involving 6 flick passes and a chip and chase, you heard it here first.

Yeah, that's a pretty old fashioned viewpoint. My 85 year old Grandpa is a Kiwi and he says this sort of thing. I think it's a little bit of a racist view. Like it's basically implying that Islanders are incapable of playing disciplined rugby and need some 'calm heads' (i.e. whites) to 'guide...

International rugby has become a lot more competitive and at the world cup the level of preparation of every team will be very good. I wouldn't expect any huge blow outs against anyone but Uruguay. If Fiji start their best team (which they may not given they open the tournament against England...

I think we'll be playing our best team against Fiji as it's our first match. Uruguay is the obvious game to rest everyone as it's only 4 days later. 70-0 vs Fiji is pretty unlikely, they're not exactly a minnow. They were missing some players and had a terrible build up in 2011. I think we'll...

Last week South Korea beat Hong Kong 33-26 and the week before were leading Japan for quite a while before ultimately going down 56-30. So perhaps they have some promise. I like the new format anyway. The previous top 5 was very uncompetitive as the next teams down like Sri Lanka and...

I think it's great. The JRFU have a reputation for being very conservative and set in their ways, but this is something that people will engage with. Looking forward to see what sort of commercials and marketing stuff they come up with.

I think it could work out okay with the current criteria but already there are calls to make it less strict. This will only continue. Give an inch they'll take a mile. Even with this criteria the guys that could leave and be selected for the Wallabies in future will be guys in their prime. 26/27...

The Wallabies will never be strong all the time and putting all your eggs in one basket is a terrible strategy. Especially as world rugby is becoming increasingly competitive and will continue to do so. And picking our players from Europe is not going to strengthen us compared to where we are...

Some players want a new life experience as much as anything else. And in coming years there'll be teams from places other than just NZ, Australia and South Africa. Super rugby will die in Australia if it becomes a 2nd rate competition with 2nd rate players. The eligibility criteria will get...

I disagree. You want as many people as possible to play in Australia - or at least in Super Rugby (I wouldn't be opposed to opening up eligibility within Super Rugby). If these sort of guys want to play test matches for Australia then they shouldn't go to Europe. I don't like this new rule at...

And how do you think it would be doing if it contained most of the best players in the world? Have a look at how many people go to watch English Premier League teams play friendlies in Australia to get your answer. Super Rugby will be on thin ice if it loses most of its star players in their...

Interesting that Argentina are to become full members of SANZAR. I guess Japan will probably join at some stage too. Argentina are looking to start an American 6 Nations next year with USA, Canada, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay, to be played in February/March. This would give more game time to...

Some players have done okay with extended playing. Brad Thorn for example, in his 30's, went to Japan straight after the 2011 world cup, then for a stint with Leinster, then back to Japan, and then to the Highlanders, and finally to Leicester. Basically 4.5 years without a real off-season.

I think they'll be a very good chance of making finals but doubt they'll be too good for everyone. I don't think the top super rugby teams are that much weaker than the test teams. And I'm guessing the Argentinian team will rotate their players a fair bit as they'll want to give playing time to...

Well win your conference of 4 teams and your team makes the finals. Come 2nd and they have a chance (it will come down to how many log points they have compared to the team that comes 2nd in the other South African conference). From next season the South African teams will play 7 matches...

Well there are 2 'groups' - the South African group and the Australasian Group - each of which have 2 conferences. The ARU originally wanted these groups to be closed, with the top few teams from each only meeting in the finals series. But SA and NZ knocked this proposal back. Seriously...

It's the same as was announced ages ago. Aus conference of 5, NZ conference of 5, 2 South African conferences of 4 with one including the Japanese team and one including the Argentinian team. Each team plays 6 games in their own conference, 4 matches against one of the South African...

The audience for sevens is not exclusively a rugby audience. In fact when I went to the London event last year my guess is that maybe half the crowd were not regular rugby fans. Certainly among the group I was with - of about 8, I was one of 2 rugby fans and I know there were many groups like...