Thursday’s Rugby News has: Bernard Foley back to being back, Ready and Frisby on the naughty step, Matt Giteau has a new job and Steve Hansen saying whacky things.
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Foley Back!
Bernard Foley, who only those with a Tahs bias (and Rugby Reg – listen above) could say is Australia’s best 10 by far, is set to play this Friday against the Hurricanes, after it turns it he doesn’t really have concussion that bad at all.
The Waratahs, the SMH says, are “adamant Foley is 100 per cent”.
“There’s no foreseeable way [of knowing symptoms won’t return],” Foley said. “We don’t know the unknowns, there’s a lot of unknowns, but I’m really confident. I’ve done now for a week and a half full training sessions and been tested, so it’s really good since that last game. I’m more confident it will pull up sweet.”
“It was maybe a bit understandable after a big night and a heavy workload, but in saying that it was disappointing to come back and miss last week but I’m fully confident that’s the last of it.”
“I’m really comfortable with the neurologist’s assessment of where he’s at,” said Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson. “Everything that he’s experiencing is un-concussion related, so that gives both player and coach peace of mind.”
In other news, it is still unknown if Daryl Gibson has undiagnosed concussion, after he announced Bryce Hegarty at fullback for the Canes game.
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Ready, Frisby, On Naughty Step
Reds coach Nick Stiles has made the crazy decision to drop Andrew Ready, and the sensible decision to drop Nick Frisby, for the game against the Brumbies after it was revealed that they went out on the lash after the loss to the Hurricanes last Satdi.
Stiles denies the reports, that were reported by the rugby.com.au reporter, reports rugby.com.au.
“I flagged straight after the game on the weekend that I was disappointed with the bench performance and it wasn’t just that game,” Stiles lied*.
“Over the last couple of weeks in particular Andrew Ready and Nick Frisby – their preparation hasn’t been spot on.
“It takes so much to prepare well and it’s tough to win Super Rugby and you can’t just rock up on a Saturday and expect to win. Unfortunately for those two, it just hasn’t been up to scratch.
“It’s something I have been speaking to them about along the way and they’ll go back to club rugby now and I want to see a response from them.”
Oh, and Lachlan Maranta is going to come in for Karmichael Hunt (concussion), says the Courier Mail.
*Look mate, you might be telling the truth, but no one messes with the Ready. That bloke follows me on Twitter and I ain’t gonna stand for it. [/one_half][one_half last=”no”]
Giteau Now Coach
Toulon dumped coach Mike Ford the other day, so in their management reshuffle, Matt Giteau has been given the job as backs coach. Interessant! Fox Sports has the story that everyone else also has.
Toulon, who currently find themselves in a pickle because they’ve just realised they can’t buy themselves to success as their owner is only a millionaire and not a billionaire, are struggling in the Top 14 this season. They’re coming 4th – and get this, they haven’t even played any Kiwi teams yet!
Giteau will continue to play with Toulon while he coaches. Yes, that means he’s a player coach.
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Hansen Says
Steve Hansen wants there to be a Six Nations vs Southern Hemisphere. Oi, you at the back, stop laughing!
Hansen apparently told the Daily Mail (via Super XV – thanks Rugby Reg!) that a game of the sort would go “through the roof”.
“It’s a no-brainer,” said Hansen. “You’ve got to say, ‘What’s best for our product so we can keep attracting people to come and watch it?’”
“First, our players need a decent pre-season. You’d play club competitions simultaneously. We could have the European Cup winners play the Super Rugby winners and the Six Nations winners play the Rugby Championship winners. We need some goodwill to sort it out.”
It is still unknown whether Hansen is going to write down and compile his “What about this outlandish competition format?” brain fart, and submit it to The Roar.
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