Happy Thursday. Well the Six Nations is done and dusted and Super Rugby is hitting its stride Round one of the local Brisbane starts this week which is worth a look on STAN.
With all the big news taken by Yowie yesterday I’ll take us off the beaten track in the search for the news today and leave the tipping to the Hossman on Friday.
Remember this is a fan run site and it’s a big year ahead so if you have something you want to contribute, please feel free to reach out to sully@greenandgoldrugby.com
Six Nations Review 2023
From the BBC
Six Nations Stats
Ther’re some good things in both of these links but from my perspective the main trend that came from it was the following: ruck speed and precision beats rush defence. The teams that managed to create great ruck speed with precision were able to overcome highly organised defences.
Ireland – worthy winners who now carry RWC favouritism. They were a little nervous on the weekend and the only real issue is that they overly rely on Jonny Sexton at 10. (Personally I think the NFL quarterback axiom applies to the position: if you have two you don’t have one).
France – the French showed what they are capable of in this tourney in both the good and the bad. Tearing apart the English showing the best rugby on the planet and just getting past the Italians in a game they should have lost.
Scotland – a third place finish shows that this is a very good Scottish team. They should’ve beaten France in Paris and their best is very good. They probably won’t get out of the pool in the RWC as they have both the Saffas and the Irish to deal with.
England – apparently it’s still Eddie’s fault and not the players who have plateaued. I don’t know if Borthwick is going to be the right coach for international rugby as his style does seem to be fairly old school. The losses to Ireland, France and Scotland were comprehensive but they do have upside going forward.
Wales – the Welsh were an omnishambles throughout the tourney and really don’t quite know where they’re going. Fortunately the fans will have low expectations but with Fiji and Georgia in the pool I can see them either not progressing or making a semi.
Italy – the Italians have progressed in the last few years and with the under 20s finishing 3rd they have a future. Unfortunately they played their worst against the worst teams and their best against the three top teams where they could’ve quite easily won two.
Ballymore capacity to be capped at 8000
Link Here
I expect Ballymore and rugby to get shafted in the washup after the Olympics as it’s already having substantial blowouts in costs. Hey the Gabba is already going to have a cost blow out of 170% to 2.7 billion dollars.
Unfortunately the eastern stand which hasn’t had a penny spent on it since the Reds stupid move to Lang Park (Suncorp Stadium) in 2006 is now not considered safe for use.
I can see the ground ending up excluded from the Olympics altogether.
Time will tell.
Wallaby Rob Simmons the latest to exit English rugby
From Rugbypass
In another example of rugbynomics Rob Simmons is going to France. London Irish and the Gallagher Premiership will be losing one another storied international star, as Rob Simmons, the Wallabies lock, is set to join Clermont in France along with Pete Samu.
Simmons will be an important addition to the Clermont squad, as the head coach, Christophe Urios, has been looking to strengthen the pack. Clermont have already signed Marcos Kremer, Pita Gus Sowakula, Folau Fainga’a, and Mohamed Haouas, but today the focus was very much on the second row. Simmons’ arrival will be a major boost to the team’s ambitions of winning the Top 14 and the European Champions Cup.
Simmons, who has 106 caps for the Australian national team, has been playing for London Irish since 2020, after a successful stint with the Waratahs in Super Rugby.
The 33 year old lock had been a regular feature in the Wallabies squad since his debut in 2010. Indeed, the 6’8, 115kg Wallabies centurion boasts an impressive international career that includes outings at the 2011, 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups. His 2011 call-up to the Rugby World Cup was much credited to his efforts in the Queensland Reds’ Super Rugby winning squad. He made over 150 combined appearances in Super Rugby for the Reds and the Waratahs while in Australian rugby.
Unlikely to have any further involvement in test rugby, Clermont’s new signing will add significant experience and leadership to the team. Simmons has played at the highest level of rugby for over a decade and has proven himself to be a reliable and consistent performer. His physicality and lineout skills will also be an asset to the French club
Local Rugby Content
I thought I would give a shout out to the some of the other local rugby lovers who provide content for us to consume.
Podcasts
- Green and Gold Rugby Pod – The Dropped Kick Off
- Green and Gold – The Rugby Report Card
- Pick and Drive (A bit Tah centric)
- Pac Athletic Club (Can go off on a tangent)
- Between Two Posts
Youtube
- The PAC rugby show new this year featuring the boys from PAC.
- Each teams handle
- Superrugby
- Scrumbags
- Pig Athletic Club
- The Rugby Column
Feel free to add more in the comments section
Freddie Steward Gets Off
From RugbyPass https://www.rugbypass.com/news/six-nations-statement-freddie-steward-red-card-not-upheld/
The cynic in me questions if this had been a Tongan on an Englishman whether the card would have been upheld.
