Official Rugby Thread

[hendrix]

You take things to a new level, for sure.

 

[Francis]

You take things to a new level, for sure.

I don't know about that! But what I do know is that the Wallabies would have a better winning record against the All Blacks, but for rugby league. Here are the 10 defections to rugby league that impacted the Wallabies:

10. Arthur Summons
Colin Meads highlights Summons as a cruel defection in his ever so biased autobiography.

9. Dally Messenger
He's the reason league "took off" in Australia. Messenger was rugby's marque player and made league fashionable in Australia. If he never went to league, I don't think *** ******* would ever be the world's best team.

8. John Brass
John Brass was all class.

7. Rex Mossop
My Australian friends tell me he turned into a rugby league commentator... sad...

6. Dick Thornett
A cruel loss indeed.

5. Tony D'Aarcy
Australia was never as good as SA at creating awesome, awesome, awesome props. But apparently D'Arcy was okay...

4. Trevor Allan
The best rugby player in the world when he defected. Orchestrated a 3-0 humiliation of *** ******* in 1949 - they never got close!

3. Michael O'Connor
Had more talent than David Campese.

2. Russel Fairfax
Rated by Bob Dwyer as one of the five most accomplished Aussie players he ever saw - along with Catchpole, Ella, Campese and Lynagh.

1. Ray Price
Made life hell for Ian Kirkpatrick so much that in 1974, Kirkpatrick forget to play the ball and instead tried to take his head off! If we're being 100% honest: If Price never defected to league, he would have become much greater than Richie McCaw.

 

[Furball]

Gregor Townsend to take over as Scotland coach next year.

Gun move. Has done a brilliant job atthe Warriors amd basically coaches Scotland's backline anyway. Should hopefully get us playing some exciting rugby.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Genuine question, when was the last time an international rugby coach was announced with "oh we're not really into this running, attacking rugby lark, we want to bog ourselves down in the scrum"

Even the Boks have promised to play running rugby since about the days of Kamp Staaldraad

 

[Furball]

Glasgow have genuinely played some pretty attractive (by Northern Hemisphere standards) rugby though under Toensend though.

It was an inevitable appointment given how well Townsend's done, hope Glasgow get a good replacement in.

 

[Francis]

Wallabies team to play the All Blacks in Bledisloe 1
1. Scott Sio
2. Stephen Moore – C
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Kane Douglas
5. Rob Simmons
6. Ben McCalman
7. Michael Hooper
8. David Pocock
9. Will Genia
10. Bernard Foley
11. Dane Haylett-Petty
12. Matt Giteau
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
15. Israel Folau
Reserves
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau
17. James Slipper
18. Allan Ala’alatoa*
19. Dean Mumm
20. Scott Fardy
21. Nick Phipps
22. Matt Toomua
23. Rob Horne

All Blacks team to play the Wallabies in Bledisloe 1
1. Wyatt Crockett
2. Nathan Harris
3. Owen Franks
4. Brodie Retallick
5. Samuel Whitelock
6. Jerome Kaino
7. Sam Cane
8. Kieran Read – captain
9. Aaron Smith
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Waisake Naholo
12. Ryan Crotty
13. Malakai Fekitoa
14. Ben Smith
15. Israel Dagg
Replacements:
16. Codie Taylor
17. Kane Hames
18. Charlie Faumuina
19. Liam Squire
20. Ardie Savea
21. TJ Perenara
22. Aaron Cruden
23. Julian Savea



Wallabies by 10 points.

 

[Hurricane]

A 23 man squad with Dean Mumm in it has no chance. The general adjective that has been carefully picked out for him is that he is ****.

 

[hendrix]

Our front row is so ****. We're going to be destroyed in the scrums.

 

[StephenZA]

Our front row is so ****. We're going to be destroyed in the scrums.

But will still somehow get the ball back and score all the try`s while the opposition team is smacking each other on the backs...

 

[hendrix]

But will still somehow get the ball back and score all the try`s while the opposition team is smacking each other on the backs...

nah, not enough hurricanes in the starting lineup

 

[StephenZA]

nah, not enough hurricanes in the starting lineup

Stop trying to give me hope... I know when all is lost. I am just hoping we don`t lose to the Argies and Wallabies. At this stage I think the 2nd choice NZ team would probably decimate the rest of the worlds 1st choice team. You would only (possibly) need 1st for choice teams for the Lions.

 

[ripper868]

9. Aaron Smith
10. Beauden Barrett
.

All Blacks win.

 

[hendrix]

Stop trying to give me hope... I know when all is lost. I am just hoping we don`t lose to the Argies and Wallabies. At this stage I think the 2nd choice NZ team would probably decimate the rest of the worlds 1st choice team. You would only (possibly) need 1st for choice teams for the Lions.

Maybe, but I still think there are plenty of weaknesses that teams should attack. Scott Sio, Stephen Moore and Sekope Kepu should be looking at our front row and thinking that they should dominate there.

4-10, yeah, ABs are pretty strong.

9 and 10 in particular.

Still, I think it's very annoying moving Ben Smith to right wing, AGAIN. Yes, he can play anywhere because he's the ultimate professional, but he's clearly our best fullback and even though Dagg is playing well again, I would prefer more actual playmakers...

The guys like Nehe Milner Scudder etc, players who could start something from completely nothing (hence Hurricanes players) aren't there. In NMS case it's been force by injury...but there are plenty of backs who've carved things up from nothing this season and I'm just not seeing that from the likes of Dagg and even Fekitoa this season. I dunno. I'm not sure about this combination of backs.

I don't know if they have the ability to counterattack as well as we think. We'll see.

 

[hendrix]

With that said, Ardie Savea coming on from the bench would have to be the most demoralising sights to be seen by the wallabies. He smashes through walls after 80 mins, I dunno wtf he's gonna do playing the last 20 against tired legs.

I don't understand why Julian has been picked though.

 

[Burgey]

Had members' tix for the Bledisloe on Saturday night, but frankly cbf going so have given them to a mate and his missus. Just not feeling the Australian selections and playing style tbh. Can see them getting belted from pillar to post.

 

[BeeGee]

a

Might not be a very cunning plan - Blackadder had the world-class teams with the Crusaders McCaw, Carter, Read, Whitelock, Brad Thorn, Dagg, Crotty, Owen Franks etc etc (sides as good as the Lions) and never once won the Super rugby title

What was the name of that skinny winger that played for Canterbury with Blackadder? He was fast, but kinda ran weird.

Edit: I just remembered, Steve Cleave.

 

[BeeGee]

Unfortunately, I can't use the edit button, and I want to do a fullbacks list again...

Last edited by Francis; 14-08-2016 at 07:53 PM.

.

 

[James]

Interesting times ahead over the next few days with this story coming to light:

World exclusive: All Blacks bugged in hotel ahead of Wallabies Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney - Sport - NZ Herald News

 

[BeeGee]

Weak effort from the wallabies.

 

[hendrix]

I haven't watched the whole game and I said we might get hit in the scrums, but the reality is if you only have 2 forwards that can properly execute rucking and counter-rucking you'll never win a game.

Our props and locks do their basic job of getting to rucks and properly defending the ball or putting pressure on the opposition's possession. Australia's forwards seem to think that only Hooper and Pocock should join rucks.