Thursday’s Rugby News has Nick Stiles making changes (again), the u20s squad, a Happy Richard Hardwick, and a lawyer’s picnic.
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Stiles Makes Changes
After the Queensland Reds lost to the Western Force, Nick Stiles, for like the 4th time this year, got really mad at his players and said he’d drop the lot of ’em.
So it’s come to pass again, with Stiles making 4 changes for the Reds team who’ll face the Blues in Samoa this weekend.
Andrew Ready, Izack Rodda, Taniela Tupou and James Tuttle are the 4 in question. Rob Simmons has been dropped altogether, Stephen Moore is being rested, while Kane Douglas, Nick Frisby and Adam Korcyzk are on the bench.
“This gives (Ready) an opportunity to show us the football that he can play,” Stiles told rugby.com.au.
“To see his work rate around the field and to see how hard he works defensively is going to be a big thing for him.
“[Tupou] started the game against the Hurricanes and it was probably his best performance of the year,” Stiles continued.
“I think he’s been developing nicely along the way in what is a very tough position. We feel that he has really grown and deserves an opportunity to start.”
Meanwhile, talking about Izack Rodda and Lukhan Tui, his lock pairing:
“Two very young locks but two very exciting prospects. Both play a very physical game, both are very abrasive with what they do and I just feel the attitude Izack has shown is something we want to seek through the rest of the side.”
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u20s Squad
Australian u20s coach Simon Cron has announced the squad for the team’s first game of the u20s World Champs, against Wales.
There’s 9 changes to the squad that was walloped by the Kiwis in the Oceania Championships only this month.
Shambeckler Vui, Jordan Uelese, Harrison Goddard, Hamish Stewart, Sione Tuipulotu and Izaia Perese are six Super Rugby stars thrust back into the starting team.
The other 3 new faces are Henry Hutchison, Simon Kennewell and Liam McNamara, all from the 7s program.
“The boys have worked hard on their role clarity before game one and we are starting to see some exciting combinations come together,” Cron told Fox Sports.
“We have some strong leaders and game managers.
“Wales are a well drilled side and an impressive unit so it’s a great test and I am looking forward to seeing the boys play.”
Wales captain Will Jones was confident in his side’s chances.
“We know Australia are going to bring a lot of flair and can be quite flashy,” Jones said.
“They like to play loose and out wide but I feel if we can bring physicality and dominate the set-piece there won’t be an issue.”
Telling you about this squad is a bit moot, seeing as they’re playing at 230am this morning, but just so you know.
Squad:
Forwards: 1. Cody Walker (NSW), 2. Jordan Uelese (Vic), 3. Shambeckler Vui (WA), 4. Ryan McCauley (NSW), 5. Harry Hockings (Qld), 6. Angus Scott-Young (Qld), 7. Liam Wright (Qld), 8. Reece Hewat (Qld).
Backs: 9. Harrison Goddard (Qld), 10. Hamish Stewart (Qld), 11. Simon Kennewell (NSW), 12. Sione Tuipolotu (Vic), 13. Izaia Perese (Qld), 14. Henry Hutchinson (NSW), 15. Liam McNamara (Qld).
Bench: 16. Efi Maafu (Qld), Sama Malolo (WA), Harry Johnston-Holmes (NSW), Lachlan Swinton (NSW), Rob Valetini (ACT), Harry Nucifora (Qld), Nick Jooste (ACT), Semisi Tupou (Vic).
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Happy Hardwick
Western Force backrower Richard Hardwick has spoken of his delight at being picked for the Wallabies.
“When I got invited (to the April Wallabies camp), I took it as I was doing the right things but I never thought in my wildest dreams that I’d be part of this June series,” Hardwick told rugby.com.au.
“One of the interns came up to me and started congratulating me and that’s when I found out.
“They’re these guys you sort of look up to and you’ve been watching them play and you never think you‘ll be playing with them, even though it’s your dream, it’s unreal.”
The Namibian-born Hardwick also talked about he struggles:
“Over the last couple of years, I’ve learned to work smarter than harder, so instead of just running around the field like a headless chook, you work hard when you have to work, when you’re setting yourself to be in the right position for when the ball’s coming back,” he said.
“I’ve had some great coaches and great players to help me as well.”
And he also talked of his dreams:
“I’m one of the fortunate ones, I have a contract next year, so that’s really been a key player in this year in being able to settle my mind and more so helping out the other guys that are off contract and try and trying to get them in a good head space, which is pretty hard to do,” he said.
“I have not thought of playing anywhere else,” he said. “It’s a big thing for me this is my home, this is where my family is, this is where I’ve made my home, this is there I’ve done all my rugby and this is where I’ve succeeded.
“I don’t want to leave. I’ve been asked (before) but Perth’s my home and you just wait for the decision to be made and I’ll make my decision from there.”
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“Lawyers Picnic”
The Australian’s Wayne Smith has more developments about the whole ARU thing, which he describes as turning to a “lawyers picnic.”
“The Western Force are resisting an Australian Rugby Union attempt to direct them into arbitration as a means of deciding whether they can survive as a Super Rugby team next season,” writes Smith.
“The agreement signed by both parties when the ARU took control of the Force last August stipulated there would be a Super Rugby team in Perth until the end of the broadcast deal.
“If a court now rules the existing deal is extinguished by a new broadcasting agreement, then it spells the death knell for the Force.
“But now, seemingly, there is another legal issue to be resolved before the broadcast deal can even be addressed: the question of whether the Force can be forced to go to arbitration and, if so, whether the arbiter’s decision is final. Clearly, the ARU is acting as though that is the case; the Force, however, believe otherwise.”
Smith writes that the Force have assembled a crack team of boffins, headed by former WA governor Malcolm McCusker and super boffin, constitutional law expert Matthew Howard.
“If the ARU succeeds in taking the Force to arbitration, it will reduce costs, although the only decision the club will accept is continued survival and it will keep fighting until it achieves that aim or runs out of legal avenues.”
Smith also adds that the Force have some idea of how to communicate to external stakeholders.
“Meantime, the club is marshalling its legendary supporter base, the Sea of Blue, with a members evening at its Floreat headquarters tonight to keep them abreast of developments. One talking point will be ARU chairman Cameron Clyne’s admission that it was no certainty that the ARU or SANZAAR would be able to cull one of the five teams.”
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