Wallabies at the Rugby World Cup 2011

[Inside Shoulder]

Dumbest post ever.
Must be tongue in cheek?
I'm sick to death of reading people, on a website renowned for intelligent comments, suggesting player x who has played x position all his career can move into another position simply because of this or that.
Come on, get real people. This might be how it works in 3rd grade subbies where you move a fat bloke who can motor into 12 or a beanpole fullback into the second row - but it doesn't work like that at Super level and most certainly doesn't work at test level.

It did work once: Horan (playing 5/8 against the Blackness) broke his thumb in Melbourne and they had a bloke called Larkham as reserve. Never played 5/8. Came on and the rest is history.

 

[Braveheart81]

Absolutely correct, IMO. for all of their grit the angles are all just completely different.
Riddle me this if we needed one no 7 why didnt he need a backup and if, as dingo said, open sides weren't going to matter, why did we take Pocock...and how come we looked so ordinary without a no 7 if this tournament was not going to depend on 7s????

I think Deans rationalised that McCalman was his second best option at 7. Hodgson had a shocker against Samoa and Robinson wasn't really given a go. I'm guessing he backed McCalman's test experience over their inexperience, much the way that Graham Henry picked Adam Thomson as his backup 7.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I think Deans rationalised that McCalman was his second best option at 7. Hodgson had a shocker against Samoa and Robinson wasn't really given a go. I'm guessing he backed McCalman's test experience over their inexperience, much the way that Graham Henry picked Adam Thomson as his backup 7.

You should be doing his media sessions - makes more sense than what he said! Seemed unfair on Robinson to me - I would have thought he's the type of honest toiler that can make a squad - rags to riches story and all that: maybe thats too romantic

 

[Skippy]

I don't think the transition from scrumhalf/fullback to fly half was ever going to be too difficult for a player like Larkham. And I think you will find he had played 10 for ACT/Canberra club side before starting at 10 for Australia. Your also talking about backs moving between backs positions - which is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about forwards becoming backs... backs becoming forwards.
Richard Harry to prop (forwards to forwards), Jim Williams from wing to backrow is about the only exception... both he did it from grade rugby for the Rats before rthen doing it in state rugby and then international rugby.

What we are talking about here is the stupidity of moving players like Higgers, Fainga'a's etc into new role, at a WC, at test level, unproven, untried... and the dumbest suggestions I've ever heard of. (not necessarily in this forum topic but routinely some idiot always suggests it)

 

[rugbysmartarse]

Dear oh dear. I figured following recent results we needed some cheering up. It appears we may be taking ourselves a bit seriously?

 

[Swat]

But does anyone really think Robinson & Hodgson would have made a winning difference on Saturday?

If they got the odd turnover it would have helped. we are a counter attacking team

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I don't think the transition from scrumhalf/fullback to fly half was ever going to be too difficult for a player like Larkham. And I think you will find he had played 10 for ACT/Canberra club side before starting at 10 for Australia. Your also talking about backs moving between backs positions - which is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about forwards becoming backs... backs becoming forwards.
Richard Harry to prop (forwards to forwards), Jim Williams from wing to backrow is about the only exception... both he did it from grade rugby for the Rats before rthen doing it in state rugby and then international rugby.

What we are talking about here is the stupidity of moving players like Higgers, Fainga'a's etc into new role, at a WC, at test level, unproven, untried... and the dumbest suggestions I've ever heard of. (not necessarily in this forum topic but routinely some idiot always suggests it)

My point was that once in 40 years is not a good strike rate

 

[Richo]

I don't think the transition from scrumhalf/fullback to fly half was ever going to be too difficult for a player like Larkham. And I think you will find he had played 10 for ACT/Canberra club side before starting at 10 for Australia. Your also talking about backs moving between backs positions - which is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about forwards becoming backs... backs becoming forwards.
Richard Harry to prop (forwards to forwards), Jim Williams from wing to backrow is about the only exception... both he did it from grade rugby for the Rats before rthen doing it in state rugby and then international rugby.

What we are talking about here is the stupidity of moving players like Higgers, Fainga'a's etc into new role, at a WC, at test level, unproven, untried... and the dumbest suggestions I've ever heard of. (not necessarily in this forum topic but routinely some idiot always suggests it)

Easy, tiger.

 

[darkhorse]

Sure Beau probably should have gone, but it's to late for that and he certainly isn't going to be getting on a plane any time soon.

At this point in time just scrap the concept of a 7 - as we know it - and play to 6s. Higgers to wear 7, with Rocky and Samo.

 

[Langthorne]

Who should be the Wallaby RWC backup 7?

Do you mean from the squad as selected? We could just play an 'Australian 6' and a 'South African 7' as that is all we've got.

Or do you mean "who should be there but isn't?" At this stage I'd take any specialist 7 over none at all.

 

[hammer]

liam gill

liam gill

 

[Lee Grant]

I agree, but during all that time when the private schools kept the game "afloat" it was an amateur game everywhere (in name at least) and it wasn't actually afloat: The NZRU bailed the ARU out a couple of times including by playing the one off game at the SCG in 79 for the Bledisloe and by providing jerseys because the ARU could not afford them. I have read that the Wallabies during this period actually went to England with no kit because the ARU couldnt afford it.
i suppose the question ultimately is whether the aim of the die hards like us is to have it the number 1 rugby code or whether we're happy having regular lean trots: I'll never forget the Beldisloe in 1979 but 30 years between drinks to get that feeling??????

As you may have considered writing that, it does not argue the point that without schools rugby during the history of the sport in Oz, rugby union as we know it in this country at present, would not exist. It is a deflection of the argument. Before people argue the point they should examine the history of the sport around the time of WWI.

Schools rugby was more important to Oz rugby than a few jerseys and the NZRFU supporting Oz rugby in a modest financial way. Why why wouldn't it? It was a near neighbour and was handy to have warm up games against and all that stuff. It wouldn't have served their best interests to let us wither on the vine. I'm not saying that there weren't folks over there who had genuine concern for us; knowing some of the Kiwi officials at the time, I know that they did, but it wasn't a one way street.

For example: people say that NZ teams came to play in Oz out of the kindness of their hearts, but it wasn't the case. Qld officials went to Christchurch to arrange a match in 1975 and they had to offer $2,000 to Canterbury to come over plus accommodation. It was agreed but a week before the match they informed the QRU that they weren't coming and the QRU had to offer them $500 more to avoid cancelling the trip. Sure it is customary to pay the costs of visitors but folks refer to those times as though Kiwis were bearing a financial hardship to help us. They didn't.

Oz rugby was afloat in the 1960s and 1970s as an amateur game, though never as an international rugby powerhouse. That amateur game was underwritten in part by the private schools at grassroots, which was more important that any modest financial support of Kiwi rugby at the top end of the sport.

Then, at the end of the 1970s came the rise of Queensland rugby which took Oz rugby at the top end forward to the point where we became a top ranked nation. I hope the rise of Qld rugby in the present day does enables us to take another step up one of these days to the very top.

But I digress.

 

[Swarley]

I'm talking about forwards becoming backs... backs becoming forwards.
Richard Harry to prop (forwards to forwards), Jim Williams from wing to backrow is about the only exception... both he did it from grade rugby for the Rats before rthen doing it in state rugby and then international rugby.

Pierre Spies made his debut on the wing for the Bulls, and I hear he's doing alright at #8

 

[Inside Shoulder]

As you may have considered writing that, it does not argue the point that without schools rugby during the history of the sport in Oz, rugby union as we know it in this country at present, would not exist. It is a deflection of the argument. Before people argue the point they should examine the history of the sport around the time of WWI.

Schools rugby was more important to Oz rugby than a few jerseys and the NZRFU supporting Oz rugby in a modest financial way. Why why wouldn't it? It was a near neighbour and was handy to have warm up games against and all that stuff. It wouldn't have served their best interests to let us wither on the vine. I'm not saying that there weren't folks over there who had genuine concern for us; knowing some of the Kiwi officials at the time, I know that they did, but it wasn't a one way street.

For example: people say that NZ teams came to play in Oz out of the kindness of their hearts, but it wasn't the case. Qld officials went to Christchurch to arrange a match in 1975 and they had to offer $2,000 to Canterbury to come over plus accommodation. It was agreed but a week before the match they informed the QRU that they weren't coming and the QRU had to offer them $500 more to avoid cancelling the trip. Sure it is customary to pay the costs of visitors but folks refer to those times as though Kiwis were bearing a financial hardship to help us. They didn't.

Oz rugby was afloat in the 1960s and 1970s as an amateur game, though never as an international rugby powerhouse. That amateur game was underwritten in part by the private schools at grassroots, which was more important that any modest financial support of Kiwi rugby at the top end of the sport.

Then, at the end of the 1970s came the rise of Queensland rugby which took Oz rugby at the top end forward to the point where we became a top ranked nation. I hope the rise of Qld rugby in the present day does enables us to take another step up one of these days to the very top.

But I digress.

I cant remember what the point is but: its gone professional and it cant rely on schools

 

[Lee Grant]

I think you are dissembling Inside Shoulder. This was the point.

There is nothing wrong in following schoolboy rugby. Without it Oz rugby would be a basket case; in fact were it not for schoolboy rugby this forum wouldn't exist because rugby union as we know it would have died after WWI. Without the schools you wouldn't have so many juniors trotting out every Saturday. Some schools have 40 or 50 teams running out every week.
.

You digressed from this; something I have been known to do myself. I understand you.

Let's leave it at that.

 

[Braveheart81]

Yes, Inside Soulder seems to be saying that private school rugby is holding back the rest of rugby in Australia.

I think the truth is that the ARU needs to do more for non-private school rugby so it increases its contribution to Australian rugby.

 

[Lee Grant]

Exactly right - as one mentioned before.

Everybody is aware that many of the cream of the crop are recruited by big schools but Oz rugby could do a better job with the ones that aren't. There are more lads like Horne and TPN, who never went to private schools, than have been discovered. They don't get recognised properly, or they weren't signed up in the first place, and/or the other codes got them first.

Also, rugby missionary work at public schools is poor.

In another thread discussing the physically mature and rugby mature England Schools players who were all connected with a pro club academy, I postulated that the new ARU academy system should be regionalised. Melbourne, Perth and the ACT could have one each but there should be a couple in Qld and three in Sydney.

The three in Sydney could be along the lines of the old ARC teams and this would be better than just having one attached to the Tahs. Promising schoolboys who did not go to a private school could be trained at an academy that was closer to home than having to go to Moore Park - much like a league player of the same age would do at the club that was recruiting him. They would also get on field training by their local Colts team who would be in contact with the regional academy.

Yarda, yarda. We have to do something different for the lads who don't go to rugby schools.

Maybe the word "different" should have been omitted.

 

[Jay]

It did work once: Horan (playing 5/8 against the Blackness) broke his thumb in Melbourne and they had a bloke called Larkham as reserve. Never played 5/8. Came on and the rest is history.

Not quite on the same level of success, but a bigger swap in terms of positions - Eric Rush had played flanker at first class level for about 5 years for Auckland, North Harbour and had even the Barbarians before he switched to the wing where he played about 10 tests for the AB's.

 

[Bowside]

I'd love to see digby, shmoo or ant Fainga'a, at 7. They could use them more as ball runners and just give them a license to roam. All 3 are pretty decent at the breakdown, not international 7 level, but apart from pocock who is?

 

[Ruggo]

Yes, Inside Soulder seems to be saying that private school rugby is holding back the rest of rugby in Australia.

I think the truth is that the ARU needs to do more for non-private school rugby so it increases its contribution to Australian rugby.

This is not the right thread but this is a subject that needs a good discussion and brainstorm for the general benefit of the game.