Tuesday’s Rugby News has the thrashing in June now paying off, a backrow reshuffle for the WBs, the Darkness in rotation, and a gay rugby competition down in Melbourne.
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Camp Paying Off
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is quite chuffed, as he reckons all the huffin’ and puffin’ back in June he forced the squad to do is now paying off.
It’s unknown if Cheika had “nearly losing to Italy” as part of his plans, but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt.
“We copped a lot of flak there but we trained them hard (in June) on purpose,” Cheika told the Daily Telegraph triumphantly.
“We knew they’d have a bit of (fatigue) build up there but we took a bit of a risk to make sure we were getting the work in our legs to keep going. I have been really pleased with the work done between the series, and then during the Rugby Championship series.”
But what do you mean by work Cheika, what do you mean??
“Just in the way we are able to play out the back half of games,” Cheika continued.
“Even in Dunedin, we came back in that back 20. In Canberra there was a four and a half minute phase of play in the second half that went and set up the rest of the half for us, because I felt like we had the (better) running after that in our legs. I still think we can get better and fitter in that area (but) all of our finishes have been there or there abouts.
“Even South Africa (in Perth), it was more poor play. We made some great scrambles back to save ourselves there a couple of times. I am pretty pleased with that area now.
“If you look at the games it’s probably just a bit of maturity that hasn’t seen us possibly with three wins at this stage.
“A loss after we were ahead with two minutes left and then a draw and then this one. Realistically, a bit more maturity, a bit more smarts and a bit more experience all around and we could have been in that position.
“It’s really clear to me what’s happening with the team, and as long as it keeps going forward, that’s the way to go.”
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Tui In Backrui
Lukhan Tui could have the chance to enter the revolving door that is the Wallabies backrow.
Fox Sports is reporting that 21-year-old (happy birthday!), who is 119kg and 1.98m, is in Cheika’s thoughts. Also in the frame is fellow Red Adam Korczyk.
“I think Korczyk is coming along very nicely and we may also look at even Lukhan Tui having a bit of a run there (at blindside flanker),” Cheika said. “He’s been practising a bit there.”
Cheika, somehow, reckons Hannigan’s still the goods.
“I think it’s been a good (backrow) balance with Hanigan, Sean (McMahon) playing as a bit of a hybrid player, and Michael (Hooper),” Cheika said after last weekend’s win over Argentina.
“Ned’s gone great … I want to make sure I say that because he’s played (seven) Tests in a row and he wasn’t even in a starting team for Super Rugby at the beginning of the season.”
He’s gone great! Blimey. Cheika’s given debuts to 23 Wallabies in the last 15 months, and 5 of them have been in backrow (can you name? I dunno)
Tui, who by all reports has been bossing it in the NRC for Brisbane City, is also on the mend from a knee injury.
“Instead of feeling it for a few days after games, it’s clear and I do feel I can do more,” Tui said.
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ABs to rest stars
Yes, there isn’t much rugby news to go on.
The All Blacks are set to rest a few of their stars…which must Jerome Kaino feel all the worse, as he’s been recalled.
The ABs, like the Wallabies, are off westwards to face the Argies and then the Boks.
After the ABs smoked the Boks, you can see why they’d wanna give Beauden Barrett, Ryan Crotty, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Liam Squire and Sam Cane some time to stretch their legs. To be fair, Crotty has been under an injury cloud lately, and Squire was taken off for concussion on Saturday after he was accidentally kicked in the head.
The above mentioned won’t play the Pumas, but will rock up in Cape Town. In their place in Buenos Aires will be Kaino, Matt Todd. Patrick Tuipulotu and Jeffery Toomaga-Allen.
Steve Hansen who, remember, is a dick, said this:
“This is the hardest time of the year for us, so we are just trying to think outside the box and think of ways to keep the players fresh,” he said (according to rugby.com.au).
“This also gives us a chance to build player depth and experience.
“It puts a lot of pressure on us going to Argentina because they are a good side and we’ll need to play well to perform there, but we’re confident that the group we are taking there will be able to do the job.”
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Being Gay In Rugby
You’ve probably all heard about Israel Folau’s tweet by now. Fox Sports has gone and asked a bloke to go ask some gay rugby players what they thought about it and stuff.
In Melbourne this week was the Purchas Cup, a trans-Tasman competition for gay rugby teams. A team from Brisbane won it by the way, which is the first time the Aussies have beaten the Kiwis since…the Rio Games?
One player there was Michael Franks who, being from Adelaide-ish, always played AFL. But, here he is playing rugby.
“Rugby is just more developed in this [homophobia-prevention] space,” Franks told Fox Sports.
“I grew up playing AFL and following the Crows in a place where rugby is pretty much a dirty word. I could have named all the [Crows] players back then, now I wouldn’t know one.”
“Country footy is huge. I would stick around for a beer after the footy but I began to withdraw through fear of rejection and I ended up quitting. It was just so isolating thinking you’re the only one.”
Franks, who quit playing funny buggers when he was 20, started playing rugby as felt it was more conclusive. As he said, he feels it’s “more developed”. As an added bonus, he plays for the Melbourne Chargers with his boyfriend, which sounds like a pretty sweet deal.
While Fox Sports was talking to him, Franks was asked about Folau’s tweet.
“For anyone to come out and say no takes a lot of balls,” Franks said. “But I’m not surprised, he’s a god-fearing man and they have some pretty full on rules.”
However, Franks is worried that Folau’s position may influence some undecided voters.
“It makes people stop and think — if the league thinks this, maybe I should,” Franks continues. “For people neither here nor there, it can help get a new perspective.
“The league saying yes is one thing but a player with that profile could hold some sway.”
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