Wallabies v All Blacks Melbourne

[DPK]

I call it being realistic, but I will be ecstatic if we win.

I've never met a pessimist who doesnt consider themself a realist.

 

[JJJ]

Re the preview: it's "sewn up" not "sown up", Lance. Wouldn't normally point it out except that it's the second time I've seen it on the front page. :thumb

 

[Reddy!]

Lance is a farmer, leave him alone.

 

[RedsHappy]

Re the preview: it's "sewn up" not "sown up", Lance. Wouldn't normally point it out except that it's the second time I've seen it on the front page. :thumb

Mate, come on! These essay writers for the GAGR blog do a fantastic, top class job in their spare time. Check out Spiro's regular typos in The Roar, and he's paid!

 

[Crow]

Mate, come on! These essay writers for the GAGR blog do a fantastic, top class job in their spare time. Check out Spiro's regular typos in The Roar, and he's paid!

Surely they're aiming higher than Spiro's or Growden's rants. Certainly they're better in terms of content and there's nothing wrong with suggesting possible improvements.

 

[JJJ]

Mate, come on! These essay writers for the GAGR blog do a fantastic, top class job in their spare time. Check out Spiro's regular typos in The Roar, and he's paid!

I'm not disputing that. I'm a big fan of the site and the writer. Just pointing out a recurring homophone error. Call me a homophobe.

 

[Groucho]

I'm not disputing that. I'm a big fan of the site and the writer. Just pointing out a recurring homophone error. Call me a homophobe.

Phonophobe, shurely?

 

[JJJ]

Phonophobe, shurely?

The joke doesn't work then.

 

[Lance Free]

Thanks boys - fixed. It was a bit 'agricultural' wasn't it? Maybe I was thinking sow, not so?

 

[WallabiesPride]

This probably isn’t the right place to ask this but what are the cheapest possible concession tickets you can get for this game and which ticket gate would be the best to purchase them from?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

You heard it here first.

From the Thread: All Blacks vs Springboks, Wellington #43

I. Dagg. Is this person related to F. Dagg, or T. Dagg, T Dagg, T. Dagg, T. Dagg, T. Dagg of Taihape Farming stock subject of much study in the 70's by NZ's most renowned Social Commentator John Clarke.

Given this name, despite his obvious talent on the Rugby Field, I am scurrying away to polish up the best of my old NZ Sheep Shagger jokes. This is far too easy.

Given what we have seen from the AB's this year, the tasteless international insults contest may be the only thing we win in 2010.

In the NZ Herald on line paper:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10662183

Rugby: Bledisloe reaches even purist AFL fans
By Wynne Gray
4:00 AM Friday Jul 30, 2010

Footy in Melbourne. For most in the magnificent southern city that description means just one thing.

AFL or aerial ping pong as others with less tolerance describe the sport which engulfs the city and the environs.

It dominates the back pages and television footage as soccer does in the UK. Rugby barely rates while rugby league has to have salary cap scandals to get much coverage.

So it was a rare concession when the Age newspaper allowed a few rugby articles to appear in their midweek sports liftout.

Much of the inspection though has been about the AFL ground known as Etihad Stadium, and what impact three successive matches this weekend will have on the unstable surface.

Capacity is a shade over 56,000 but the record attendance is 41,278 a couple of years ago when the Wallabies hosted England.

Officials are banking on a new high for the start of the Bledisloe Cup skirmishes tomorrow as a boost for the Melbourne Rebels who enter the Super 15 next season.


Someone who concurs and hopes rugby gets a strong start in the southern sporting mecca is actor John Clarke, aka Fred Dagg.

He has lived in Melbourne for more than 30 years, kept in contact with the sport and his mates from NZ and is thrilled a relative, Israel Dagg, is making his way into the All Blacks.

"I've been thrilled and delighted to see the way he plays and the agility, skill and speed the whole side is showing," Clarke said.

"If I was writing the annual report for the NZRU I would say we are looking good."

Clarke watches rugby when work permits and was delighted, in the 2003 World Cup, to coat-tail his mate Sam Neil into a corporate box at Etihad.

The pair ran into All Black icon Brian Lochore and Clarke was able to thank him again for the time he allowed Fred Dagg to use his farm for some promotional work way back when.

"I remember his kids, they were little then of course and I'll be very comforted to know they are now 53 or so," he cackled.

"I enjoyed those World Cup games. Now there is a lot of fuss because the sun don't shine on the ground which probably causes a photosynthesis issue with the growth.

"Maybe they should put rent-a-lawn down. I dunno. I just hope no one gets hurt.

"The Storm have been big in town here but then someone spiked their drinks so they could spend more time with their families. Rugby league has not been huge here but I think people will welcome rugby because of its international connotations," Clarke said.

"People here embrace sport, they will pick rugby up fast and go to it."

Coach Rod Macqueen certainly hopes so. He has been spruiking round the city this week, piggybacking some promo for the Rebels off the back of the Bledisloe.

He gets his squad together in October with Danny Cipriani, the English five-eighths, giving the squad the most marketing leverage so far.

Macqueen accepted four Bledisloe Cups a year reduced some of the mystique in the transtasman duels. He felt that was balanced by the benefits for both teams in high-quality competition.

Tomorrow would be a huge spectacle and a boost for the Rebels' drive to capture the city's sporting audience. He was certain rugby could co-exist with AFL.

Clarke was similarly bullish. Melbourne was a city that took an enormous interest in its own teams.

He did too but was always in touch with New Zealand and what was happening there. He loved the recent soccer World Cup and a headline he'd seen in the Herald.

"It said something like 'New Zealand only undefeated side and so winner of the World Cup.' I thought that was great."

When Clarke was a teenager, rugby was a grey game of lineouts, scrums and kicking. Now it was brilliant.

Guys like Christian Cullen brought the joy back into the game.

If there was a repeat tomorrow of tries like Cullen scored when he turned George Gregan inside out on defence, that would be magnificent.

"If I am struggling to drift off to sleep, I just replay that try on my eyelids, it was magic," Clarke said.

"It was like the difference between the piano shifter and Mozart."

"The All Blacks are playing marvellous footy.

"I hope no one finds out how bloody good they are before the next World Cup. I'll have to tone it down a bit until then. Promise me you'll do the same."

 

[DPK]

Referee: Craig Joubert (SA)

Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (SA), Cobus Wessels (SA)
Television Match Official: George Ayoub (Aus)

Just a heads up for everyone.

Also, is George Ayoub not the hardest working TMO in the business?

 

[Gnostic]

Just a heads up for everyone.

Also, is George Ayoub not the hardest working TMO in the business?

I'm glad George is still involved at the highest level. He has been a truly great servant of Rugby. One of the most respected and liked refs for many many years in the Shute Shield (for those who don't know). Much is said in the negative about the refs, but the long service of people like Ayoub has helped Oz rugby immensely. Thanks George.

Go Wallabies. Rip, tear, rend, smash. Play with vigour, verve, pride.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

My biggest wish for tonight is not only that we get stuck into 'em, but that we play our footy. As far as I'm concerned, most people have given us no chance of beating what is a very good All Black team, so I want to see our guys play with daring and RUN THE BLOODY BALL! I don't care if we get done over if we play to our maximum and show a bit of adventure. Our footy is ball in hand in this country and I'd like to see us do as much of it as possible.

 

[Ali's Choice]

I think this is going to be a very entertaining game. Even if few tries are scored, I expect both teams will look to retain possession and attack through ball in hand. Like all 3N tests I think the breakdown and set piece will be crucial. I think the ABs should have the edge in the set piece, meaning the Wallaby pack will need to work very hard to ensure some sort of parity in the loose. I have a bad feeling (from a NZ perspective) that Giteau is going to have a blinder. He is a confidence player, and he'll be feeling great after last weekend's positive performance.

 

[Reddy!]

I hope that wasn't a once off post from the great man himself!

Except the Wallabies to manshame the All Blacks, ay?

 

[BackStalls]

Already there have been questions about the surface for tonight's test at Etihad Stadium, with fears the unstable surface will negate any effective scrummaging.

Now wouldn't that suit the Wallabies.

NZ Herald. Wynne Gray today.

HILARIOUS!!! It's not ALL about you ABs!

 

[Groucho]

I think this is going to be a very entertaining game. Even if few tries are scored, I expect both teams will look to retain possession and attack through ball in hand. Like all 3N tests I think the breakdown and set piece will be crucial. I think the ABs should have the edge in the set piece, meaning the Wallaby pack will need to work very hard to ensure some sort of parity in the loose. I have a bad feeling (from a NZ perspective) that Giteau is going to have a blinder. He is a confidence player, and he'll be feeling great after last weekend's positive performance.

I'll be very pleasantly surprised if Giteau has a blinder. The man I have hopes for today is Rob Horne. I think he'll show more confidence this time out, with some runs under his belt and Barnes... erm... inside him.

 

[Ali's Choice]

I'll be very pleasantly surprised if Giteau has a blinder. The man I have hopes for today is Rob Horne. I think he'll show more confidence this time out, with some runs under his belt and Barnes... erm... inside him.

I really think he is due. Giteau is a champion. He has been lambasted across SANZAR all year. He has seen his cherished Wallabies no.10 jersey usurped by Cooper. IMO he's going to have a great game, but he'll need to if the wallabies are going to win.

 

[biggsy]

Hopefully Deans has Belted the useless kicking games out of Barnes and he hold onto the ball and attacks.
Wallabies by 7 McCaw will get 10 in the bin for slowing the ball down in a offside position