Search results

This is a Sydney-centric view but one of the bigger issue between the professional and club rugby is not from the lack of financial support from RA but the disconnect between the elite players and these clubs. Some Waratah players have absolutely no connection to the grassroots of rugby, which...

New Zealand might not be attracted to the quality of competition that we provide, but they would certainly be attracted by the size of our market/ economy. The reality is that New Zealand market/ economy is tiny, and with it looking more likely that any future model may not involve South Africa...

I don't want to spend too much time on this response but there's various reasons why he would want to move overseas: Salary Cap - Impacts of the salary cap might mean that it's in his best financial interests to move to NSW, as they could offer a higher contract than what he could earn staying...

All this talk about restricting eligibility of international (seems like its only kiwis being brought up, not islanders btw..) players completely misses the point- we want this to be a professional and sustainable competition. Why would a New Zealander want to come to Australia? Because if the...

Luckily its the view of the real world (and selectors). Simmons was probably the pick of the starting locks from both teams, definitely outplaying Staniforth and Douglas, and will most likely continue to keep getting selected.

And Simmons is ahead of all three.

Also the Waratah's back line recruitment has a lot to answer for- how do the Brumbies end up with two top athletes Solomon Kate and Tom Wright, yet we get Alex Newsome and James Ramm?

That's pretty lenient really, he's been recruited as a marquee winger/ fullback and certainly has not lived up that. We lost our only elite back with Folau.

I think you mean the Beale- formula, Izzy could tackle.

I think we've also had an issue with talent identification over the last 5/6 years with fly halves, and preoccupation with certain individuals (which has been covered to death here). Sam Greene who is running around in Japan, is a better player than the majority of 10s running around in the...

Calling out Ntamack is not supporting the argument to blood Lolesio/ Harrison, as the guy has played two years of professional rugby, and warranted his initial selection through form and not just potential. I don't think those two guys are in such exceptional form that they demand selection at...

These guys aren't as good as their NZ equivalents (which was the point I was trying to make, not clearly enough)- Harrison is no McKenzie.

It's a fairly sad indictment on the state of Australian rugby, when we are considering these two players at this stage of their career for actual game time with the Wallabies (I suspect they would still be running around in club land over in NZ). I think with JOC (James O'Connor) and Touma in a squad, you can...

^If you have both JOC (James O'Connor) and To'omua in your team, surely you don't need to carry a Harrison or Lolesio, who have only had 5 solid to good Super games in their career?

So one average game for the Chiefs and we forget about the occasions where DMac has absolutely run rings around us in Test and Super Rugby. NZ are lucky they have the luxury of having so many options- DMac would walk into the Wallaby team.

We do not have one genuinely powerful ball-runner in the tight five. I think you can get away with less dynamic locks if you have good ball runners in the front row like the Tahs had through Kepu and TPN/ Latu, but are lacking now. We certainly should not be playing Staniforth and McCauley in...

Who's actually going to watch this?

You're obviously a Reece Hodge fan and that's fine but I think picking him on the wing has been generally a negative/ conservative decision, based on his big boot (though he is bloody slow to get foot to ball) and a defensive pattern where he defended in the 12/13 channel. I'd argue that...

DHP or Maddocks would also offer more value but aren't in great form at the moment.

Why revert to Hodge when we can choose Wright or Kellaway, who both can kick adequately and have more upside? Hodge is struggling to get selected in the 15 for the Rebels at the moment.