On a Tuesday, what’s next? Human sacrifice. Dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria. Don’t worry, Reds and Wallabies Fan will be back tomorrow with live coverage from the G&GR helicopter reporting on Rocky Elsom’s freeway runner in a Ford Bronco.
Kiwi mixed reactions to James O’Connor joining Crusaders
In between provoking disputes between emotionally under-cooked narcissists on Love Island, Nine has found time to reproduce a Stuff article (which we now re-reproduce like massive hypocrites) on Kiwi reactions to the Crusaders signing James O’Connor.
“I don’t like it,” were former prop Wyatt “Jim Bowie” Crockett’s words during an SENZ interview last week. “You’re taking short-term gain for an experienced player, but you lose that development position for another young guy, who could go on to become an All Black.’’
Crusaders boss Colin Mansbridge defended the one-year deal, given the team’s inexperience at the critical position. O’Connor, who has played 127 Super Rugby games for the Force, Reds and Rebels, hasn’t been signed as the Crusaders’ primary No 10, Mansbridge said. He’s been added to the mix to complement 21-year-old Taha Kemara and 24-year-old Rivez Reihana, who have 18 Super Rugby caps between them.
“I think, at its core, his [Crockett’s] comments are accurate. In an ideal world, you would have all of your spots available and you’d bring people through every time. First five is one of those critical positions where you want people with experience in pushing a team around the park. We have got those two signed, and we are working on others in the region as well, but one thing we are conscious of is you don’t want to throw someone in at the deep end and bury them.” Mansbridge said, mixing his metaphors at the end there.
World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont questions over-reliance on substitutes
PlanetRugby reports that World Rugby chairman Sir Bill “I ain’t ridin’ in no trunk for no minute, man” Beaumont has opened on how he is concerned the game is becoming over-reliant on substitutes in a phenomenon catalysed by the Springboks’ infamous Bomb Squad.
The forwards contingent on the South African bench, affectionately (?) known as the Bomb Squad, has been an integral part of the success of the side since Rassie “good bloke” Erasmus was brought into the head coach role in 2018. From then on the 6-2 split became more and more popular at all levels with many teams adopting the same strategy. Erasmus and former Springboks boss Jacques Nienaber took it to a different level in 2023 by having a 7-1 split which was employed in the World Cup final last year where South Africa claimed the title.
One can only speculate on where the Springbok brains trust will go next with the forwards-backs bench ratio. The Erasmus era with South Africa has forced the rugby world to look at it as a 23-a-side game as opposed to just a 15-a-side game and Beaumont, who is set to step down from his role in November, claims this is a cause for concern but refused to criticise the Bomb Squad in the process.
“My view is that we allow too many substitutes,” he told The Times. “I don’t know if I’m looking through rose-coloured spectacles but in years gone by the game always opened up in the last 20 minutes, and games were often won in the last 20 minutes. The Bomb Squad are very effective at what they do, and very successful — they have won two World Cups. I will not criticise that at all, because it suits their game, but maybe they could run for a bit longer and a bit further.”
Beaumont is not the only person concerned about how benches are used, with former Scotland boss Matt Williams expressing several times that he believes the bench should only be used in the event of injury in the good old days.
WA Touring News
As part of G&GR’s Operation Sandy Appeasement we’re delighted to dispel the rumours of east-coast bias and report on the Western Force’s various tours. Rugby365 reports that the Western Force concluded their three-match South African tour with a last-gasp 34-33 victory over the confusingly-named Western Province in Stellenbosch on Saturday. The Force’s tries came from Tom Horton-hears-a-Who, George “8-ball” Poolman, Will “or won’t” Harris and Harry “Frodo” Potter along with a penalty try.
Meanwhile, back at the big hole in the ground that is WA, the Western Force has named the 28-player squad for the upcoming women’s three-game tour of Japan ahead of the team’s departure on Wednesday. The historic tour marks the first time the Force women’s team will play off-season games overseas and offers a valuable opportunity to build towards the 2025 Super Rugby Women’s season after qualifying for the finals for the first time in the club’s history in 2024.
Force women’s head coach Dylan “denounced for thought crime” Parsons said that there was plenty to gain for the Force women’s squad during the Japan tour, which comes with the 2025 Super W season still months away.
“When you have such a short season any extra games is gold for us,” Parsons said. “When you have three games on tour, plus another training block that allows us to have the squad together, it only sets us up to have a good crack at 2025. Any chance we have to play more games we’ve got to keep pushing for that. The club has been really supportive and driven around making that happen. We want all these players to get the opportunity to pull on the Western Force jersey as much as possible.”
Western Force Japan tour squad
Forwards: April Downey, Nami Dickson, Rosie Ebbage, Zoe Elliot, Topaz Porter, Tamika Jones, Michaela Leonard, Loretta Mailangi, Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, Sera Naiqama, Alapeta Ngauamo, Hannah Palelei, Allana Sikimeti, Sofaia Talemaira, Braxton Walker, Lucy Winter,
Backs: Georgia Cormick, Halley Derera, Grace Freeman, Leilani Hills, Sheree Hume, Tizanae Kovacs, Nicole Ledington, Ngamihi Monk, Cecilia Smith, Ocean Tuhua, Brooklyn Teki-Joyce, Samantha Wood
Western Force Japan tour fixtures:
Game 1: Pearls/Yokohama TKM, Saturday, 19 October, Nagano
Game 2: Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, Sunday, 27 October, Fujiyoshida
Game 3: Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix/Yokogawa Musashino Artemi Stars, Saturday, 2 November, Tokyo
Wales and Lions centre Jonathan Davies retires
RugbyPass reports that former Wales, British & Irish Lions and Scarlets centre, plus singer of nu-metal band ‘Korn’, Jonathan Davies has announced his retirement from professional rugby.
Davies said: ”After taking time away from the game following the end of my last season with the Scarlets, I have come to the decision to call time on my professional rugby career. I have enjoyed a break and a summer at home with my family, and been lucky enough to spend quality time with my newborn son, alongside my wife, as we embark on this new chapter together as parents. I will inevitably miss the camaraderie of training and playing competitively alongside my team mates, but over these past few months, I have been able to assess all of my options and reflect on a career of which I am incredibly proud.”
Davies was captain of Wales on four occasions and won two Grand Slams and two Six Nations titles. He played in two World Cups and helped the Scarlets win the Pro12 title in the 2016-17 season. Davies also spent two years playing for French side Clermont Auvergne.
