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Whilst IMO we are a better team in September 2011 than in June 2010, i vividly recall the Aus hubris prior to that 2010 Test v Ireland. We were (yet again) in the self-praising mode 'building something special, it's all coming good (Mark III)', and, boy, I was at that game, and we struggled (at...

Couldn't agree more re BR, said so when he was left out. Never grasped the RD view 'fetcher not so important these days so we don't need another specialist 7' etc. Players like DP and BR are far more than fetchers in any event. Look at BR's many successful starts for the Reds: he slowed...

As we've come to expect from someone of his calibre (as person and professional), Link entering the debate now with thoughtful comments, and to defend Quade. RD, later in the piece, a somewhat more subtle dismissal of NFJ's self-centred, piss-on-your-own-tribe, silver plattered hand out to the...

Agree. When you go back enough, there's been plenty of serious niggle and other stuff from the ABs that at the very least is wholly ledger-balancing with QC (Quade Cooper)'s little hand flaps. When you have an ex-Wallaby like NFJ getting on his media-hugging soap box and moralising (as though his era's...

V good point JB. That's been the history hasn't it. We play a couple of good games, we start feeding self-praising messages to the media ('start of something special', 'we can tear defences apart'. 'take on anybody with our many X-factors' etc), and then the hype becomes more important than the...

It's a idiocy from NFJ. FFS Cooper is absolutely, clearly, head and shoulders-ly, one of Australia's finest rugby assets and not only was he an utterly decisive figure in the Reds' S15 success, but is almost as much so for the 2011 Wallabies. NFJ's public berating - and the use of 'boofhead' no...

Riptide, ain't that the truth, and a visible one on the field in recent games. As a Deans sceptic since v Scotland 2009, I have been contemplating the positive consequences of the following critical changes he (and/or JO'N behind the scenes) has made from late 2010 through mid-2011, and IMO...

FWIW, a number of us sitting close to the line at the S15 Final sensed DC wasn't at his physical/athletic best. His running etc, something seemed to be slightly holding him back.

Didn't say that; related my 'seething' (pure) speculation comment to the complex politics of the ARU>QRU>Link interface and history and not to 'general public recognition' which, broadly, Link has had as you say. But I do think 'general public recognition' and recognition (or otherwise) from the...

I think there may be some fire where there is this gossipy 'Link to coach ABs' smoke. Link (in conjunction with McCall and Carmichael) has achieved more for Australian rugby in an incredibly short period than virtually any single person in the last 30 years. Macqueen would be close for this...

Riptide: Tahs fans will likely not applaud your assessment of Gaffney, but, whatever, thanks indeed for such a thoughtful and interesting post.

Hmmm...might be more team changes than JO'C's return to starting if Diggers' hand injury turns serious: http://m.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/digby-ioane-could-miss-rest-of-world-cup-20110912-1k53j.html

There's nothing quite so delicious in rugby commentary than when the British rugby press get into full flight as one wolf pack, see: "British press smell blood after All Blacks struggle in opener"...

Not so sure, as are many in NZ today not so sure. Extraordinary that Barnes indicated that he'd get a TMO assessment then, in a flash, did not. Personally, I reckon it was likely the kick was good, but it's obvious ambiguity should have prompted Barnes to get a second opinion in a WC game. See:

I think we will find that Steyn and Carter are not in the 'everyone' category. And there can be little doubt: Wales almost certainly lost that game v SA tonight as a direct result of missing 2 under-pressure kicks, one a drop and one a place, that were both perfectly viable kicks late in the...

He did say a little while back that he was 'only borrowing' a TV for the RWC. Do you think he will know which way it goes on the table, I mean plasmas are thin and long, not like those boxy things he last had 20 years ago. And that funny little candy bar-sized thing with buttons on it, will...

Athilnaur, wasn't the flaw in 2003 in those final minutes the Wallabies letting England get into a near-perfect drop goal position which our on-field leaders would have known was surely their plan in that kill or be killed moment? Would we have been better to have taken a penalty minutes earlier...

Richo, as I think you'd know from my previous posts on this important topic, I am in 100% agreement with your concern, and assessment. It's extraordinary that, given we have had no 'natural' a la Steyn etc that we have not made this investment in specialised coaching capability. I was aghast...

Subject to one (major) concern only, if we play like we did vs ABs Brisbane, we will beat England in the RWC, should this scenario arise. The thing that moved me into a generally confident place regarding the making of a statement like this was simply that, in our last Test win, we seemed...

http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_rugby_news.asp?id=31763