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Deans' world of inexplicable oddities of selections continues. As Ash has correctly highlighted, Morahan is a highly inconsistent player with effectively zero Test experience. He was selected on a single performance in a non-Test environment. Mitchell - although obviously below his peak - yet...

For mine, 100% it's the breakdown, the proven centre of the known rugby universe. What was remarkable re the Reds game was that the Reds backrow showed up real weaknesses in the BIL's breakdown skill and intensity and won many micro-contests there (indeed, those wins were crucial to the way...

High quality place and hand kicking will be CRUCIAL to Wallaby prospects vs the BIL. For years here I've been on about Deans/ARU's lack of investment in a full-time kicking skills coach. We have instead chosen a part-timer via Skype and iPad linking in from the RSA. One the very best Aussies...

^^^ Btw, is it not so that Cheika is an absolute refreshing delight of directness, sincerity, and the best of Aussie call-a-spade-a-fucking spade speak. Obviously not yet been through the ARU's compulsory course for all senior Australian rugby officials in "Learning the Communication Arts of...

I agree BaaBaa. Last night's program was generally excellent, and Barnes was added value. + Naturally we Reds fans loved seeing Sanchez get his just reward.

Athilnaur, I would think any coaching group seeing how impressively the Lions' attack is starting to gel (eg, the competence that are showing in defence to attack transition, the good quality of their ball in hand work through the backs, the silk of BO'D, and their counter-attack (see Reds game)...

Yes Dan54, he's not. As I posted earlier this year, have a very close look at DI's 2013 play and you'll see he's got many (consistent) flaws in his game. He's a superb line-breaking winger but his breaks not infrequently end in lost possession, his own isolation, dropped ball, no-pass when a...

q51: how many mods' warnings do you think you are going to need to prevent your unfathomable obsession with QC (Quade Cooper) spiraling out of control and destroying general goodwill towards you, perhaps irreparably?

That is so good it's worth some sort of award like: "An Outstanding Post that Captures the Big Picture Reality of Australian Rugby in 2013 vs the Narrow View of Code Fanatics that Demand 'Pure Rugby' Even if the Consequences are Bankruptcy and Code Death."

QH, a related point being that until the management calibre and capacity for genuine strategic leadership within the boards of the Australian rugby franchises markedly improves, all the 'Super B', 'Enhanced International & Development Player Quotas' and like initiatives will, sadly, be close to...

Staggering is it not jay-c that the Force's management superiors could compound the huge panic-driven folly of hiring Foley on a 4 year contract with that of grossly insulting the WA rugby public by permitting Foley to recklessly compromise both his Lions team and his vs Tahs team and thus end...

I guess that in a professional sense Bruce, he sort of has 'shares' in Suncorp stadium. When you look the overwhelmingly positive w/l %s of both the Link-coached Reds and the all-coaches Wallabies at Suncorp since 2003 we can see how a really well designed stadium solely for...

The other not insignificant dimension to this issue jay-c is surely this: the ARU and RugbyWA invited paying fans to attend Wednesday's match in a large (for Perth) stadium taking upwards of 40,000 fans to see a 'once in every 12 years' event with big advance billing. These RUs were more than...

They and the QRU also have far better long-range judgement as to what is in the interests of rugby in Queensland. WARugby has perpetrated a extended lineage of blunders, mismanagement and poor senior recruitment decisions that have in aggregate led to markedly declining S14/5 crowds and...

Bruce, one of my singular regrets regarding the state of the 2013 version of these fora is that you are restricting your peerless wit to the narrow corner of Tah-land. What of, for example, Totality Tony's obviously major role behind the Wallaby scenes, rebuilding and redesigning the national...

Lions team: http://www.lionsrugby.com/mobile/news/11990.php

Some interesting comments from Link within the BIL website that I haven't seen elsewhere in this detail: http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/11988.php#.UbAJaZXfLuc

One thing is for sure: the Reds players and coaches working on Saturday's plans will be buoyed by that BIL performance. They'll reckon they'll be in with a shot if their defence holds up without their Wallabies.

Force B squad put on a huge 7 points more than did the 2001 WA equivalent v BIL 2001 (which was arguably a better BIL squad than this one). Then the WA team was little but a loose coalition of disparate players cobbled together as WA rugby. Impressive in front of 35,000 paying customers.

Charger, agree with you, but I don't think it's just about a possible win scenario. IMO, it's just as much about maximising the potential to play with skills and courage and application to get as close to a win as possible, and come away with a passionate, valiant loss that the WA fans could...