The Rugby Championship gets down to the pointy end this weekend while the women’s RWC final pits the Red Roses against the Canadians and Super Rugby AUS hits the final week. So much to get into.
Santos Festival of Rugby in Narrabri
Congratulations to Santos for putting on this event. I’ve attended both the Roma and Narrabri events and found each has a different vibe. We did it as a 4:00am drive down from Brisbane getting into town after a stop in Moree for an hour at the the artesian baths. I highly recommend this, it makes you feel young again (what arthritis?). We got into Narrabri just in time to grab a counter lunch at the local pub where the teams were getting their fuel for the games that afternoon.
Got to the ground just as the gates opened and despite the usual issues with ground security not reading the crowd we were in. I must say the Narrabri Blue Boars home ground is an absolute picture. After settling into our seats, we got down to watching some great rugby. Although the results went mostly in favour of the locals my personal highlight was a great afternoon spent with new friends from Moree and Narrabri engaging in some banter and conversations around the game in the country and our teams in general. I also caught up with G&GR royalty and photographer extraordinaire, Stephen T, for a quick chat.
Got up early and was back in God’s country just after lunch. I’d highly recommend a trip to either town, it’s what rugby does better than any sport. I’ll be at the next one in Roma.
PS Both Squads kicked on well at the post-match which was good to see.
Bledisloe 1: can the Eden Park hoodoo be broken?
No team beats us 21 straight at the same venue, or do they? Of the 51 consecutive wins at Eden Park, 20 have been against the Wallabies.
I believe it’s possible this year; they aren’t what they once were and we are on the ascent. Special thanks to the Bokke for giving them a hiding in every facet last start. Nothing like the Kiwi media, fans and family to tell the ABs how shit they are for two weeks to help them fire up. I also expect the full home fan and state media experience for our boys at the ground. With every Australian marginal shot shown on the big screen to howls of derision and demands for action while every Kiwi is shot lost by state media. I expect the occasion to be the equivalent experience to Cape Town, Paris or London. I love it.
Having said that destiny awaits. Australia by 5
Kellaway is out which is a blow but it doesn’t feel as terminal is it would have a few years ago.
Teams out tomorrow.
Super Rugby AUS
Saturday 5:00 pm AEST – Brumbies v Waratahs at Viking Park, Canberra,
The Tahs were good against the Reds, especially Isaac Kailea who looked like the player who could’ve been anything at the Rebels and regressed this year. Tahs by 5.
BRUMBIES (1-15): Lington Ieli, Liam Bowron, Tevita Alatini, Lachlan Shaw, Harvey Cordukes, Toby MacPherson, Rory Scott (c), Jack Harley, Klayton Thorn, Declan Meredith, Ollie Sapsford, Jarrah McLeod, Kadin Pritchard, Shane Wilcox, Kye Oates
Replacements: Lipina Ata, Tauati Chan-Tung, Rhys van Nek, Tuaina Taii Tualima, Luke Reimer, Dan Nelson, Joe Dillon, David Feliuai
WARATAHS (1-15): Isaac Kailea, Ethan Dobbins, Daniel Botha, Ben Grant, Miles Amatosero, Clem Halaholo, Jamie Adamson, Leafi Talataina, Michael McDonald, Joey Fowler, Sid Harvey, Lawson Creighton (c), Jackson Ropata, Leo Jaques, James Hendren
Replacements: Bruce Kauika-Petersen, Jack Barrett, Apolosi Ranawai, Chlayton Frans, Austin Durbidge, Teddy Wilson, Otto Serfontein, James McGregor
Sunday 28 2:30pm AWST – Force v Reds at Tompkins Park, Perth,
Force were good last week and the Reds looked slow. They’ll be better with HMP back but, I’m going to take the Force by 10 at home.
FORCE (1-15): Marley Pearce, Albert Alcock, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Mitch Watts, Darcy Swain (c), Will Harris, Jack Daly, Vaiolini Ekuasi; Henry Robertson, Ben Donaldson, Mac Grealy, Kurtley Beale, George Poolman, Henry Palmer, Max Burey
Replacements: Wes Thomas, Max Sawers, Sean Paranihi, Max Johnson, Titi Nofoagatotoa, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Viliami Fine, Boston Fakafanua
REDS (1-15): Sef Fa’agase, Matt Faessler (c), Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Hamish Muller, Seru Uru, Joe Brial, Tom Robinson, Vaiuta Latu, Kalani Thomas, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Tim Ryan, Dre Pakeho, Josh Flook (vc), Xavier Rubens, Heremaia Murray
Replacements: Theo Fourie, George Blake, Trevor King, Charlie Brosnan, Kohan Herbert, James Martens, Will Cartwright, Will McCulloch
Canada v England
I’m going to say it: I want Canada to win. They’re a self/crowd funded team of semi pro athletes who are the real deal. England are a fine team and are clearly the best team on the planet, but for the growth of the game it can only be Canada.
“We’re number two, and even after we raise this money we’re still going to have one of the smallest budgets in the entire tournament,” Rugby Canada CEO Nathan Bombrys said in April, adding that the collected funds would take its overall budget to $3.6 million. “In Canada, philanthropy is a key part of the mix, and people are willing to support a good cause,” he said. “They want to see the game grow, and they appreciate that the players are amateurs. They are professional in their approach, but they are not being paid, they have to do something else, and our public appreciates that.”
Old man shouting at clouds
Sometimes I think rugby is run by some old farts who’d rather rule over the ashes than be part of success.
I was listening to one of my favourite rugby pods this week, The Eggshasers. It’s a bit like KARL, Sully, Butz and I sitting around talking about the game. One of the guys has a YouTube channel which has 150,000 subscribers and is quite professional where he apparently put up a post analysing one of the games which was copyright blocked by SANZAR. IMHO this is dumb. Although he clearly makes money from it, this type of content grows the game and engages younger fans. RANT over.
Hossman back tomorrow
