Up the Guts
Steve Williams (59)
Yep, curtains for Cheika given he was instrumental in the signing. Guess he’ll get by with colour commentary on Stan and sitting in the Puma’s box.
Japanese Top League - Now showing on Stan!
- Thread starter Mr Wobbly
- Start date
And coaching Lebanon at the league World Cup.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Geez I see in that article that Dan Heenan is still kicking around for the Wild Knights!
Did some research and he's just turned 40 and has played over 100 games in the Japanese competition. That's a pretty good advertisement for Aussies looking to prolong their careers over there. I always thought his play style and build were quite similar to Sean McMahon, they even had similar injury history if memory serves me. No wonder McMahon see's his future in Japan, he'll be getting paid for another 15 years!
Did some research and he's just turned 40 and has played over 100 games in the Japanese competition. That's a pretty good advertisement for Aussies looking to prolong their careers over there. I always thought his play style and build were quite similar to Sean McMahon, they even had similar injury history if memory serves me. No wonder McMahon see's his future in Japan, he'll be getting paid for another 15 years!
Jimmy_Crouch
Peter Johnson (47)
A miss by whom? The Reds?
I've had this conversation before but look at the backrowers over that time. He was signed to to trial at the end of 2015 (the same year he finished school).
2015- Browning, Fakaosilea, Gill, Gunn, Korczyk, Quirk, Robinson, Schatz, Thompson, Tui,
2016 - Browning, Fakaosilea, Gill, Gunn, Houston, Korczyk, Schatz, Setu, Timu, Tui,
2017 - Gunn, Hewat, Higginbotham, Houston, Korzyk, Smith, Timu Tui
gel
Ken Catchpole (46)
Great footballer. In both codes. Clearly several orders of magnitude better than most of the players running around on the field in today's game.OH SHIIIIIIIT.....
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Well watched the game between Toshiba Braves and Suntory, and honestly thought it ok and nothing more. Prefer rugby where defence a little more compulsaty , especially in and around the forwrads. McMahon had a bloody good game, but he must of felt at times he was playing 2nd XV schoolboys rugby with how the defence was. Seemed to me if you wanted to attack taking the direct route was the way to go as there seemed to be a reluctance to take anyone head on, and that was in midfield at times.Not so much missed tackles that got me (that always happens), more the being hesitant to really hit anyone head on using shoulder to make bloody good contact. Also same on mauls etc were loose as buggery. seemed somewhat simialr in earlier game that I watched for a while and then packed it in as I couldn't really get into it.
But to be fair it was the teams' first game of season and they may harden the f*** up a bit later after a few games.
I certainly hope so anyway, no comparison to Gallagher Premiership games just yet.
But to be fair it was the teams' first game of season and they may harden the f*** up a bit later after a few games.
I certainly hope so anyway, no comparison to Gallagher Premiership games just yet.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Had a peek at Flapanara's old Hino outfit in the B division. WFTTT.
You've had 8 months to sort out the identical strip clash. #facepalm
You've had 8 months to sort out growing a single blade of fucking grass on the shithole rec centre dust bowl pitch.
You've had 8 months to tell a single fucking local that the game is even on. Utterly, utterly empty stadium.
Just colossal fail all over.
Who is the game for? Why is it televised? Who fuckign cares? The few tragics who might care would tune in and be hit with the all-permeating impression of FFS WFT why should I care about whatever the FUCK is going on here?
You've had 8 months to sort out the identical strip clash. #facepalm
You've had 8 months to sort out growing a single blade of fucking grass on the shithole rec centre dust bowl pitch.
You've had 8 months to tell a single fucking local that the game is even on. Utterly, utterly empty stadium.
Just colossal fail all over.
Who is the game for? Why is it televised? Who fuckign cares? The few tragics who might care would tune in and be hit with the all-permeating impression of FFS WFT why should I care about whatever the FUCK is going on here?
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Yep was probably a little harsh description and didn't mean I thought whole game skill was that level by any means mate. But I would suggest that the defence and work shown around the breakdown area was pretty average. perhaps I being unfair to them as I had watched a couple of cracker Gallagher Prem mathes, and I think the difference in intensity is something that gets me as much as anything. There is no way the score of the Suntory/Toshiba match should of been that high with decent defence, and defence acyually means getting your shoulders into contact and not (as seemed to happen too often) just grab with arms/hands. Still it early in season, but game felt like I was almost watching a Baabaas kind of match.
I kind of understood why players say they go over there to extend career a few years,and why it new place to retire too. I do think it will improve over the next few years though.
The earlier game between Kobe Steelers and Shining Arcs was a pretty unusual in this house as I actually said to Mrs Dan, you can watch something else as this game is just going through motions.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
I think comments around the defence in the competition are fair enough, but I feel like this is going to have to change after some of the dominance displayed by big forwards in the opening week. As you say, one of the appeals for players going to the league is a drop in intensity from other competitions.
I haven’t watched more than half a dozen Japanese games over the last season and this one, but to me the style of play is built around quick ball at the rucks and attacking rugby out wide. It’s possibly because the Japanese national team played a similar way for years due to being undersized in the forwards.
With the Japanese national side maturing of late though, and getting a few bigger bodies in the mix, I wonder If we will see a change in the One Comp with the fame slowing down a bit. Can’t have blokes like McMahon running narrow and scoring 3 tries every game. All the teams are going to need to starch up their ruck defence.
I haven’t watched more than half a dozen Japanese games over the last season and this one, but to me the style of play is built around quick ball at the rucks and attacking rugby out wide. It’s possibly because the Japanese national team played a similar way for years due to being undersized in the forwards.
With the Japanese national side maturing of late though, and getting a few bigger bodies in the mix, I wonder If we will see a change in the One Comp with the fame slowing down a bit. Can’t have blokes like McMahon running narrow and scoring 3 tries every game. All the teams are going to need to starch up their ruck defence.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Yep - for a 33yr old bloke who's played no serious continuous footy since 2019, he looked in good nick.
The contrasting views around him from members of this site make me hesitant to talk about him too much. But I think it will provide an interesting narrative if he continues to play at a high level for the remainder of the season, and the fullback position remains a worry for the Wallabies.
Although after the breakup between the RA and the Japanese clubs last year, it may all be a moot point. And I seem to recall an article saying he wants to play for Tonga at the next RWC, which he is entitled to do with the eligibility changes.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Oh he'll definitely never play for the Wallabies again.
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
NTT Shining Ars
Kubota
Another frozen rec centre charade was played out to the edification of no one. The result, of no consequence to anyone. The mercenaries seemed quite enthused and keen on victory. Perhaps related to win bonuses. Plastic traditions, plastic Visa cards, plastic fans, plastic money. The results, the matchups, the performances, none of it matters as long as the cheques clear and the gravy train can ching ching along into Week 3.
Please God could the NZ season start already so I dont have to watch any more of this inconsequential carob league garbage.
Kubota
Another frozen rec centre charade was played out to the edification of no one. The result, of no consequence to anyone. The mercenaries seemed quite enthused and keen on victory. Perhaps related to win bonuses. Plastic traditions, plastic Visa cards, plastic fans, plastic money. The results, the matchups, the performances, none of it matters as long as the cheques clear and the gravy train can ching ching along into Week 3.
Please God could the NZ season start already so I dont have to watch any more of this inconsequential carob league garbage.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^ Five more weeks, Dismal, just five more weeks...
(Unless or until Omicron breaks loose).
(Unless or until Omicron breaks loose).
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
It was a reasonably ordinary game wasn't it DP? As you point out not a lot of really getting stuck in from anyone in game, or the ones last week!!
Thank chirst I watched the Heineken Cup this morning to keep me going!
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
The old comp had a quota of capped internationals allowed on the field/in the match day squad at one time. I’m not sure if that’s still the case with this revamped competition.
But that for example doesn’t cover sometime like Harry Hockings, a proven starter at Super Rugby level and possible future Wallaby had he stayed in Australia.