Tuesday’s Rugby News has Genia pining for Queensland, a super scared Super Sefa, a fired up Fiji and an ex Lion dropping elite truth bombs.
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Genia Only Wants Qld
Will Genia is back in Australia, currently in camp with the Wallabies, but the only way he’s going to stay in the country is with the Reds. That’s all a bit tricky considering the Reds already have 3 halfbacks locked in for next year (Frisby, Tuttle and Sorovi) and the cash-strapped ARU would have to put in a Wallabies top-up.
“I think for me if I’m to come home it’s to Queensland or probably just stay in Paris,” Genia told rugby.com.au. “For me I love playing for Queensland, I always have.
“I’ve been there since I started my career and finished my Australian rugby career there, so hopefully we can get something done and I can go back and finish my career there.”
Despite trying to get out of his Stade Francais contract one year early, Genia has enjoyed his time outre-mere.
“I think so just because it’s refreshed me and given me a new energy to want to come back and contribute (to Australian rugby),” he said.
He’s also enjoying being old and experienced and that.
“If anything I feel like being a little bit older and having played a little bit more footy than [Gordon and Powell], I’d like to help,” he said.
“If they’ve got any questions, I’d like to feel as though i’m open enough for them to ask and help along the way.”
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Super Sefa, Scared
“Super” Sefa Naivalu, nervous about missing out on the Wallabies cut, took himself out to the movies on the Tuesday night when Michael Cheika read out the Wallabies squad.
“I was kind of worried, if I was sitting there in front of the TV and then my name didn’t come up, I’d be kind of like ‘Oh, my name didn’t come up’. I was really nervous,” he told rugby.com.au.
“That’s why I just looked online and thought I’d go and watch the Pirates of the Caribbean.
“In the middle of the movie, i picked my phone up and see all these messages saying ‘congratulations’. I was over the moon.”
Naivalu admits that sneaking a look at his mobile phone and seeing the good news ruined the movie, currently rated at 29% on Rotten Tomatoes.
“I did (keep watching) but my head wasn’t focusing on the movie, I was just like my heart was really pumping,” he said.
While he was wanging on, Naivalu also let out what he thought of clubmate Marika Koroibete.
“My first time I’ve seen Marika in the club, he’s been learning a lot,” he said.
“From the Spring Tour last year and then getting into the Super Rugby season, he’s just outstanding week by week, he’s been improving his game and knowledge and skills.
“He’s one of the X-Factors in the team.”
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Fightin’ Fijians
Fiji coach John McKee has come out swingin’ like Bart Simpson does in that episode of the Simpsons when he and Lisa have a fight by swingin’ their arms and kickin’ their legs.
More to the point: McKee he wants to be in Australia’s pool (Pool D) come the World Cup, as that’s the easiest pool draw of the lot. ‘Oceania 1’ is in Pool D, and if Fiji beat Samoa and Tonga they’ll be awarded that place.
“We already know the pool draw and quite clearly Oceania 1 is the pool with the most light at the end of the tunnel,” McKee told Fox Sports.
“It’s the one I see giving ourselves the best chance to get out of and into the playoffs. Pool D with Australia and Wales has two tier-one nations in it.”
McKee has also added a raft of star coaches to his backroom team, with Brumbies defence coach Peter Ryan, and strength and conditioning coaches Damian Marsh and John Pryor.
“That for us is massive, that’s a world-class team of coaches,” McKee said. “They’re tracking players, making sure they’re making incremental gains so that by the time the World Cup comes around they’ll be humming.
“Peter Ryan will join us in Melbourne as our defence coach and he will make a big difference. He will be involved through the World Cup. I’m pretty confident, with these people coming on board.”
Fiji will be taking on Australia this Saturday, and then Scotland and Italy at home in Fiji.
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AB Fans Arrogant
Does anyone remember Ben Kay? He was a lock who played for the Lions in New Zealand 12 years ago. He was a really cool guy that everyone liked, and basically every opinion he has everyone agrees with.
On an unrelated note, Benny boy has written an article in The Times (via Fox Sports) entitled, “All Blacks fans are among the most arrogant in the world. Even baristas have a go at you”.
Over the weekend, the Lions played the NZ Barbarians, only beating them 13-7.
“The reaction in New Zealand was predictable,” Kay wrote. “’Is this the worst Lions team ever?” heckled one fan at half-time as the Provincial Barbarians walked off with a 7-3 lead. Different quarters of the Kiwi media branded them ‘mediocre’, ‘incompetent’ and a ‘disgrace to the jersey’.
“New Zealand sports fans are among the most arrogant in the world. Where Saturday’s performance has made life tougher for the Lions is in convincing those Kiwis — and their future opponents, all of whom will be tougher and slicker and more skilful than the Barbarians — that they are still a team to be feared.
“New Zealand rugby fans deserve the right to be arrogant because they have been raised on a diet of virtually unbroken success. The All Blacks are more than just a nation’s rugby team, they are a national symbol and so even non-rugby fans feed off that superiority.”
The always-impartial and benevolent Kay continued: “As a Lion in New Zealand, it is therefore impossible to escape the pressure and scrutiny. At every turn they will have the locals doubting them; the man at reception smirking as he checks them in to a hotel, the barista with a little dig as she makes a coffee. Winning their respect as a visiting team is virtually impossible.”
“The only exceptions to this are Kiwi Rugby Lover and Waiopehu Old Boy, who are both really cool dudes, probably ’cause they spend a lot of time around Australians,” Kay didn’t add, but probably should have (probably just an oversight).
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