Good morning fellow G&GRs, a wonderful weekend of rugby, for some, but now it’s time to put all that to one side and start looking forward to the weekend where new dreams can be made and where we live in hope that “our” team can once again, or sometimes just once, reach for glory. Been a busy week at work so I haven’t had time to write an opinion piece to drive you all senseless, in some cases a very short drive, so here’s a round up of news that you may or may not have caught up on.
Rugby Australia unveil mega money Pacific Program alongside the Australian Government
Shown here in Planet Rugby, Rugby Australia (RA) have announced that in partnership with the Australian Government, they will be investing AU$14.2 million in Pacific rugby over the next four years. Interestingly the news comes at a time when the Melbourne Rebels are struggling financially with the RA only committing to helping the side in 2024 and not beyond.
“Rugby Australia is proud to announce our new PacificAus Sports partnership with the Australian Government,” RA chief executive Phil Waugh said. Part of the new deal would include a new academy with access to world-class facilities as well as a new team named ‘Penina Pasifika’ would also compete in the women’s Super Rugby pre-season competition. “Australia and Pacific Islands nations are family, with an enduring history and shared values, which is underscored by a love of rugby that brings us even closer together,” said Pat Conroy, Australia’s minister for international development and the Pacific. Crucially, this funding will support pathways for girls and women to shine on and off the field.
Pretty happy with this initiative as I think it will only help both sides here. I think it will open pathways for players to prove themselves and get contracts with professional teams both herein Australia and elsewhere. I think it will also enhance the playing stocks for the local teams. While $14.2M over four years isn’t a huge sum of money, and obviously the government’s not RA’s, it’s definitely a good move so well done RA. Now how about sorting out some of the massive problems closer to home.
Western Force accepts Marley Pearce suspension
In a move that speaks to the maturity of the Force management, and something that perhaps other teams could take note of, rugby.com reports here that the Western Force accepts the four-game suspension handed to Marley Pearce for foul play.
The SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) has found Marley Pearce of Western Force guilty of contravening Law 9.13 “A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously”, after Pearce was cited following a Super Rugby Pacific match last weekend.
After consultation with legal counsel and the player, the club opted against an appeal and Pearce has been suspended from all forms of the game up to and including 23 March 2024.
The citing determined “Following the World Rugby Head Contact Process, the FPRC assessed the Player’s actions as including direct head contact, at high speed, in dynamic play with the player leading with his head and colliding with a high degree of force, and his body position moving up and forward into the collision. There was no mitigation identified sufficient to downgrade the offence below a red card.”
While there doesn’t seem to be much “news” in this, I think that it is an honourable decision by the Force and shows a level of understanding that we don’t often see. This decision will hit the Force hard. They are short of players in the tight 5 and losing Pearce for 4 weeks will hurt. But well done to the Force and I hope some of the other franchises take note of this.
Fun factor back in Super Rugby.
Written here by Paul Cully we can welcome the fun back in rugby. From great tries such as the the great “try of the season” from Sam Gilbert in Otago along with a match that was in the balance until 10 minutes from the end, the compelling start to the season with the Crusaders v Chiefs and Ruben Love proving his worth in Perth against the Force it felt like “Rugby is back baby”
Cully credits the return of the fun to a couple of things. Firstly, the new off-side law has encouraged running, and there were numerous times in the weekend when transgressing teams were punished for this, and secondly the direction for the on field officials to own the game and the decisions.
This second one was something I’d also noticed with very few instances of the TMO coming and looking for the incident 13 plays back that someone might have missed. There were even very few TMOs coming in to look back at tackles and head contact. Personally I thought it was great seeing Doleman go straight to the YC for the Harry Potter tackle rather than watch endless replays on the screen with the TMO that would have led to the same decision anyway.
Officials can’t backslide on this as the season goes on, it’s clearly an improvement and an almost 180 change from the disaster that was on display at the RWC.
The weekend also offered up a few names for higher consideration and while none of them can be considered sitters yet, there is certainly enough on show to demonstrate that both the Wallabies and the All Blacks can manage the changing of the guard.
Cully also goes on to say that while the Brumbies and Reds are looking good, he is concerned about the remaining Australian teams. Now while I can see where he’s coming from, I’d personally hold off for a few weeks as I think both the Force and Waratahs showed enough to suggest that while they may need a bit of luck at times, I think writing them off now is a bit hasty.
Wallabies star cleared of spinal damage but not ‘out of the woods’
In some good news for the Waratahs (for a change) and reported here, scans have cleared Wallabies and Waratahs centre Lalakai Foketi of major spinal damage but he’s not yet “out of the woods” after suffering a neck injury at training last Thursday.
Foketi, was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital in a neck brace after being treated by paramedics in front of concerned teammates following the innocuous incident which happened during some physical contact. He was set to have more tests on Friday with Waratahs coach Darren Coleman happy that the initial CT scan was encouraging, but only hopeful there would be nothing “too permanent or debilitating” with no thoughts yet around a timeline for a playing return.
“The CT scan was positive,” Coleman said “He had that (on Friday) and that showed no major spinal damage or no vertebral sort of cracks or things like that. So he’s by no stretch out of the woods yet, but the first news is all pretty positive, that there won’t be anything too permanent or debilitating.”
This is really good news for the guy and I hope his recovery goes well. It’s never good to hear of an injury like this and it will be good to see him return at some stage when he’s better.
Well that’s all from me team. Sorry it’s a bit of a rehash, but I’m sure that’ll suit some anyway. As others have said there’s plenty of opportunity for any of you to contribute ton this site if you feel the need. Good luck with your team on the weekend and “Go the Canes”
