Wallabies 2024
- Thread starter rugbyAU
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Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
Even then, the centralised model Nucifora put into place in Ireland doesn't suit Australian conditions. There are some similarities but, population dynamics, competition in the sporting market, asset base and even tax law are all different enough here to require a pretty different, custom solution, not just a copy of the Irish model.
There's also the less spoken about part of Nucifora's record with Ireland where he absolutely gutted the Women's program. That's not something we can afford to do here, and where the scene is in Australia right now it's likely something we need to be focusing on, rather than stepping back from.
Strewthcobber
Simon Poidevin (60)
Sure there are differences, but the starting point is the same - Full control with pro teams reporting up to RA, not the current state where the RA board reports to the Super Rugby teams.
JRugby2
Ted Thorn (20)
Our competitive sporting landscape is kind of similar to Ireland
Rugby is obviously not 3rd in Aus but like Ireland its not close to 1 either. And there are about 1/4 the amount of people in Ireland (including Northern Ireland) than Australia suggesting we should have a bigger crop to choose from, theoretically (even taking into account the lower relative popularity).
What doesn't help us is having an mutli-Ireland-sized geographic gap between each of our capital cities, but thats probably a bit further down the list of issues in Australian Rugby.
Rugby is obviously not 3rd in Aus but like Ireland its not close to 1 either. And there are about 1/4 the amount of people in Ireland (including Northern Ireland) than Australia suggesting we should have a bigger crop to choose from, theoretically (even taking into account the lower relative popularity).
What doesn't help us is having an mutli-Ireland-sized geographic gap between each of our capital cities, but thats probably a bit further down the list of issues in Australian Rugby.
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
There are similarities, but the crucial difference is Ireland only have one professional competitor for talent in soccer, and it's not that close in terms of the athletes they are looking for. As popular as GAA is it's not going to dump money into pathways and talent acquisition in contest with Rugby in the way that AFL and NRL in particular do here. That's a much bigger challenge here, but there are also opportunities it presents in terms of multi-skilled athletes and cross-pollination of ideas at a high performance level that we already don't take enough advantage of.
At the end of the day it's the combination of all those factors I listed (and geography/geopolitical circumstances which I missed) that make it so significantly different. Any one of them on their own probably wouldn't shift the needle much, which might be part of the reason Scotland have chased Nucifora so hard - their circumstances are much closer to Ireland's than ours.
At the end of the day it's the combination of all those factors I listed (and geography/geopolitical circumstances which I missed) that make it so significantly different. Any one of them on their own probably wouldn't shift the needle much, which might be part of the reason Scotland have chased Nucifora so hard - their circumstances are much closer to Ireland's than ours.
liquor box
Peter Sullivan (51)
Would Hamish Stewart would be the most "Super Rugby Capped" Wallaby debutante ever? He has been around for a while and usually most Super Rugby players who play for more than a few seasons get at least one test cap. It has been a long wait.
Strewthcobber
Simon Poidevin (60)
Maybe Cadeyrn Neville? 33 years old on debut for the Wallabies, so probably played more seasons, but wouldn't have been as consistent a player as Stewart?
dru
David Wilson (68)
I refuse to include anything from the EJ (Eddie Jones) "era". Under Schmidt we are 3/5. No it's actually a reasonable run especially given the completely new slate, re-selection from scratch and a completely new approach with no time to get it inculcated. Early days though. The next three are no walk in the park.
We are currently trading rankings with Italy. Lose the next test by 1 point and we stay #8, lose by more than 15 and we drop below Italy back to #9. Win and we skip ahead of Argentina.
In the mean time it seem like Schmidt is slowly but surely dragging the Wallabies into the rugby that he wants from them.
We are currently trading rankings with Italy. Lose the next test by 1 point and we stay #8, lose by more than 15 and we drop below Italy back to #9. Win and we skip ahead of Argentina.
In the mean time it seem like Schmidt is slowly but surely dragging the Wallabies into the rugby that he wants from them.
Strewthcobber
Simon Poidevin (60)
Strewthcobber
Simon Poidevin (60)
Starting to get enough data to see what the game plan is (at least quantitatively). Schmidt has us playing with the ball a lot - more than the other teams. And he has Lolesio doing a lot more playmaking at 10 than the other coaches have their 10s doing (at least the starters).
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
My issue is we're always in a state of rebuild. So is Argentina with their new coach and NZ and England. Everyone is building, you can only judge yourself by your current contemporaries. We would have earned another 10 caps by season end as will have every other nation. We'll then lose two of our best to league and another handful to overseas, rinse and repeat.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
At this stage you just have to accept it. It is what it is. We'll never get back to a world where every GPS school forces all kids to play rugby down through to the F's and G's or a world where a limited amateur club comp is a suitable feeder of talent for the state and national representative sides.
Just gotta adjust your expectations. We were rightly tipped not to win a RC game (and probably another game for the rest of the year) but still find ourselves with 4 wins on the board. That's pretty good.
Just gotta adjust your expectations. We were rightly tipped not to win a RC game (and probably another game for the rest of the year) but still find ourselves with 4 wins on the board. That's pretty good.
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
Kailea has headed back to Australia on the back of failing his HIA, Noggorr is headed over to join the squad in Argentina:
Depends on the severity. He failed his HIA which means he absolutely can't play next weekend under the new protocols so it's not like there's a benefit to keeping him in Argentina to see how he goes.
I would assume he has no lingering symptoms if he's flying home.
I would assume he has no lingering symptoms if he's flying home.
