Tuesday’s Rugby News has Folau explaining why he’s going, all the goss about the Classic Wobs, Scotland trying to be sexy, and tragedy strikes for a podcast favourite.
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Folau Fresh
After keeping the Australian rugby public in wait for a whole day, Israel Folau has finally come clean on why he’s seeking to take a rest from rugby.
“It’s something that has been in the back of my mind for a while,” Folau told rugby.com.au.
“I can’t remember the last time I have really had a break since I started playing.
“I just looked at the opportunity of taking a bit of time out physically to freshen up and also giving myself a bit of a mental break as well, which is something that is going to be different.
“I love playing footy but it’s going to be a different aspect, which is something I will definitely enjoy. I will get right away from things and take my time off.”
Even though he’s taking a break, Folau still says he’ll still feel weird and stuff watching the Wallabies but not playing.
“You always have itchy feet when you are watching the games but when it comes to a break – you will get that opportunity the next time, next season,” Folau continued.
“It makes you a bit more hungry to get back in the jersey and play footy again.
“I’ll definitely be watching the boys go around on the Spring Tour but I will be enjoying my break as well.”
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Rugby Tonight!
Tonight there will be some rugby for youse, as the Classic Wallabies will be playing the Barbarians. You can watch it live on rugby.com.au at 530pm, East Coast Elite Time.
The Classic Wallabies are just like an Australian side with old Wallabies and others who haven’t played for the Wallabies yet. They’re taking on the Baabaas in Lismore.
Anyway, one player who will be there will be Drew Mitchell, playing his first game for the Classic Wobs.
“I thought I had reached the pinnacle,” Mitchell told rugby.com.au. “But I guess it just shows that being a Wallaby is a good pathway to becoming a Classic Wallaby.”
Like most rugby teams, the Classic Wobs have realised they have to train. And so they begrudgingly have.
“To be honest we are a bit shaky,” Mitchell continued. “A few drop balls, a few guys a little under the weather but that’s alright.
“Everyone came in last night, got to know each other and then we got a bit of detail out of the way today.
“We’re going to try and give these Barbarians a good run and hopefully help them prepare so the Wallabies get a great preparation going into the Spring Tour.”
Among the Classics will be Adam Freier, Radike Samo, Dave McDuling, Pat McCutcheon, Brett Sheehan, Lote Tuqiri, Morgan Turinui, and Matt Carraro. Joining them will be the NSW Country Eagles’ Alex Gibbon, the Force’s James Verity-Amm, and Brumbies up-and-comer Nick Jooste.
“Obviously it’s pretty special to be able to train and play with the guys that I’ve looked up to all throughout my childhood,” Jooste said.
“Guys that you have idolised since you were growing up – it’s pretty unreal to be training with them. It’s going to be a pretty tough game on top of that.
“The Barbarians are a very prestigious team and it’s also against a lot of boys that I play with at the moment out at Perth so that should be good fun as well.”
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McTiki-Taka
Scotland coach Gregor Townsend will use a visit to Barcelona’s training ground, that he made several years ago when the team was coached by tiki-taka expert Pep Guardiola, to turn Scotland into a rugby force.
“Defence and work-rate defines winning teams,” Townsend said, according to the BBC.
“I believe people watch Guardiola’s attack more than his defence. But his teams at Barcelona had a rule to win back the ball. They started at seven seconds, and then it went down to three seconds.
“I visited Barcelona a few years back, and they had drills [to make sure] as soon as the ball was lost they were pushing so hard to get that ball back.
“What we see is those three great passes and the goal to win 7-2. What we don’t see is how they got the ball in the first place. Defence is linked to the attack.”
Townsend is the new Scottish coach, having taken over from Vern Cotter this year or something. Cotter did well at the Scots, but did one to Montpellier, presumably for the weather and/or cash. Townsend is the former coach of Glasgow, who won the Top 12 (now 14) in 2015 playing with an attacking style (apparently). Given that it’s the Northern Hemisphere, attacking could just mean they ran it out of the 22 once per game.
“You’ve got to build a game plan that helps you win games, that’s what the players want,” Townsend continued.
“If the laws of the game and the strength of the personnel meant [you could win through] kicking and defending, then I would probably – reluctantly – do that.
“But the strength of the Scottish team is work-rate, energy, speed. The laws just now have opened up to help attacks, so attack is a massive part of winning games.”
Despite being a wee country, Townsend believes Scotland Can Become Great Again at rugby, despite the fact Scotland probably were never great at rugby.
“We have advantages being a [wee] country. We can identify our best players easier and get them to a pro team environment or academy quicker,” Townsend explained.
“We are making that advantage count, making sure we have the right development pathways, we are definitely encouraging much more attacking rugby at age-group level now, and putting resources into coaching at that level.
“That has permeated through Scottish rugby, looking to offload, not looking to kick, not worried about the scoreboard at a younger level, and then as you go through the age group, find a way to win.”
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Tragedy For Hugh
The GAGR Radio Show will be a sea of tears this week, if it happens, as Ireland’s Garry Ringrrrrrrrose has been ruled out of the November internationals.
Ringrose, whose name was said funny once by an Irish commentator, is out as he won’t recover from July’s shoulder surgery in time. Fortunately, Aussie fans aren’t missing out on a potential chuckle, as the Wallabies won’t be playing the Oirish.
Our boy Garry has played 11 games for the boys in green and, with Ulster centre Jared Payne also under an injury cloud, Ireland coach Joe Schmidt will be finding hard yakka in finding a suitable replacement. Both in terms of quality of surname, and yeah maybe playing quality too.
The BBC reports that Ulster’s Luke Marshall and Stuart McCloskey, or Munster’s Rory Scannell, or Connacht’s/New Zealand’s Bundee Aki are potential replacements. The Irish will play South Africa, Fiji and Argentina.
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