Roar Guru
Joined November 2016
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Location: Western Australia ----------------------- Rugby team: Western Force ----------------------- AFL team: Dockers
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There has been a lot of talk in the past week about what Fremantle should and should not be doing vis a vis trades…
I was lucky enough to attend the inaugural game of World Series Rugby last night between the new Western Force and Fiji A (Warriors).…
I don’t think it is necessarily a big issue if the very best players play slightly different positions in SR than tests although it’s not ideal. Carter routinely played 12 for Crusaders but it didn’t make him bad 10 at test level.
As far as officiating is concerned, players coming through, past the offside line and cleaning out players on the other side of the ruck, without the ball, is a blight on the game. It has been getting worse over the last two seasons. The kiwi teams get away with murder on this front in SR but they don’t do it in tests. Is this because the referees are better?
Bewildering selection calls that could damage Wallabies' Lions tour chances - five things
5hr time difference from NZ (-1 day). If games in the USA were always Saturday afternoon (local time) that would work ok but otherwise a problem.
Exclusive: Super Rugby considering USA expansion as World Rugby gets edgy over looming World Cup
I thought they were looking at a Hawaii team to get a blend of USA and Pacifica interest. Also a shorter flight and close time zones. However west coast also works ok I guess, except for the Force who need to catch two flights and have a significant time zone difference.
Exclusive: Super Rugby considering USA expansion as World Rugby gets edgy over looming World Cup
Thanks. Well said.
'Disappointing': Blues benefit from dodgy calls but Force hurt themselves to end frustrating New Zealand tour
Alcock did play well as did Poolman. But they simply didn’t play as a team for 80 mins. The three late changes last last explained their performance and excused it somewhat. This week…no excuse.
'Disappointing': Blues benefit from dodgy calls but Force hurt themselves to end frustrating New Zealand tour
The Force played excellent rugby for about 40 mins but the other 40 they looked like it was a pre season game. Too anxious, error ridden and disjointed. Frustrating!!!
On the upside, KB played pretty well and HP had an excellent game.
We needed to come home with at least two bonus points and instead we gave two away.
'Disappointing': Blues benefit from dodgy calls but Force hurt themselves to end frustrating New Zealand tour
Thanks Tony.
'Tough, isolating, a lot of thoughts crossing my mind': How 'Magic Mike' and family saved Kurtley's career
Thanks mate
'It's a welfare sport': Eddie Jones on rugby's 'arrogance', 'cheap' Suaalii, 'sad' Brumbies and what must change
Hopefully this week we don’t get a bunch of unexpected changes to the squad at the last minute.
Super Rugby teams, round 12: Beale back after 10 months, Kiss rolls the dice in Fiji, Jake Gordon returns for Tahs
I think it is worth it but the reality is that it takes time to adjust. The only way to adjust to 15’s is to play it and that’s the issue because to do , players have to commit. This means not participating in the 7’s tour where they are being well paid. In fact 7’s is better paid than 15’s. The point that Mat Rogers was making is that it is unrealistic to expect 7’s players to turn up to 15’s and perform as if they were experienced just as it’s unfair on the 15’s players to be shoved aside for the 7’d superstars who may not be as good as them.
Until 15’s players are fully professional then you also have the salary sacrifice issue for a 7’s players to give up the 7’s tour to play 15’s in order to build their 15’s experience.
Overall it is unsatisfactory and needs to be sorted out.
'Set up to fail': Levi's World Cup bid in peril as agent slams Rugby Australia for 'unfair' Wallaroos selection process
Well Mat Rogers who has represented Australia in both 7’s and 15s and represents players interests seems to think swapping between them isn’t as easy as you think.
It’s one thing to play both, it’s another thing to be exceptional at both. This is particularly true if you’ve never played 15’s.
'Set up to fail': Levi's World Cup bid in peril as agent slams Rugby Australia for 'unfair' Wallaroos selection process
It was in December that nine Australian women’s sevens players put their hands up to play in the Super Rugby W competition in a bid to feature for the Wallaroos at the World Cup.
But their busy schedule meant that unless they withdrew from the World Series tournament, they would be limited to one or two appearances
Well that’s the reality. If you want to play in the WRWC then you have to commit to playing 15’s and earn that right. Yes, that means you may have to stop playing 7’s during that period.
The onus is on the 7’s players to make that commitment and to play 15’s so as to be able to demonstrate they ought to be selected.
Why is this even a debate?
T
'Set up to fail': Levi's World Cup bid in peril as agent slams Rugby Australia for 'unfair' Wallaroos selection process
Tally Ho!!
Super Rugby round 11 teams: Barrett benched for Reds clash, Ikitau returns for Canes, Force lose White
What’s on second. Who’s on third
Super Rugby round 11 teams: Barrett benched for Reds clash, Ikitau returns for Canes, Force lose White
Bigger than Alan Hewson
West is best: Why Schmidt should be looking at Mac Grealy for a Wallaby debut sooner rather than later
A big call and maybe a season early. I’d like to see this conversation parked and restarted next season.
Having said that, he is certainly having a very good season to date.
West is best: Why Schmidt should be looking at Mac Grealy for a Wallaby debut sooner rather than later
Thanks. I don’t really understand how they reached the tackle decision. If JS is 6ft 7in (man that is big for a back) then even if he dipped slightly or changed direction then the tackle was aimed 6ft off the ground. On what planet is that a safe technique if players are being told to tackle below the sternum? Did he think JS was 7ft 6in tall?
Super Rugby's officials must stop refereeing on outcome, why RA should let Gordon go - five things
A bit harsh. Walton is a very good player and strong carrier.
'Defended like demons': Waratahs STUN Chiefs in epic Super Rugby upset as Suaalii, Kellaway star
It’s definitely a positive adjunct to rugby in some places. In Vancouver for example it is tough to get high quality professional rugby and the Sevens tournament is a big deal and very popular. Hong Kong speaks for itself.
Maybe it just needs a business makeover and rationalisation.
Pickleball of rugby: Sevens is a money pit that devalues the sport - World Rugby should cut it loose
I’ve always liked the way Muirhead plays. Congrats on 100 games!
Andy Muirhead was training for free when he arrived in Canberra. Now he's the 'genuine glue' of the Brumbies
Agreed
Wallabies win incentives included in $215m broadcast deal, Super Rugby FTA coverage up in the air
This looks like a reasonable deal but I can’t say I am 100% happy with it.
A 45% increase per annum which equates to 16.6% increase after deducting the NZ subsidy that we will lose. This has been offered for 20% less Australian content. On the face of it , that is ok and the Kiwis will also be happier with it because they get their money back.
However this includes advertising and it is hard to know what that means. The advertising is where? If on STAN then that’s like preaching to the converted. A bit pointless but makes you feel good. If it’s on FTA or radio etc then fine, but the amount and standard of advertising hasn’t been great for the last few years so I’d want to see that improved.
I am a fan of FTA games because I think it provides an opportunity for casual watchers to see games. That can provide a gateway into going to a game, playing, STAN subscription etc. so I think that taking the one game a week off FTA is actually a retrograde step both for rugby and Nine.
Having said that, the standard of commentary and coverage on STAN has improved markedly this year and maybe RA is recognising that the better support coverage of STAN needs to be recognised. Perhaps (dare I say it) there might even be a cunning plan at work here.
In any event, it looks from the outside like this agreement provides something for RA, the SRP competition and NZ rugby so from that perspective I give it a C+ rising to a B if I knew what the incentives were that the article mentions (and if they are value accretive).
Wallabies win incentives included in $215m broadcast deal, Super Rugby FTA coverage up in the air
Maybe the Tahs could recruit her 😛
Lolesio bleeding chips ahead of Lions - and the young gun Queensland will have a battle to hold onto - five things
Kellaway does look slow. Is he injured?
Lolesio bleeding chips ahead of Lions - and the young gun Queensland will have a battle to hold onto - five things
If he’s playing good rugby at SR level then why wouldn’t he be considered?
I have always been of the view that players ought to be automatically eligible if they are playing in SRP no matter which team they play for. It keeps the competition strong and means the selectors see them every week.
JOC faced the Lions 12 years ago. Now, Schmidt says the veteran Wallaby could be the missing piece of the puzzle