Official Rugby Thread

[Uppercut]

Still blows my mind that Mack Hansen couldn't get a gig with the wallabies.

It's a damning indictment of the whole system, right? It's not even like Ireland did anything to unlock his potential. He just rocked up at Connacht and it was immediately obvious that he was one of the best players in the country.

 

[Molehill]

It's a damning indictment of the whole system, right? It's not even like Ireland did anything to unlock his potential. He just rocked up at Connacht and it was immediately obvious that he was one of the best players in the country.

And it's not like he even rocked up at one of the best teams who gave him ample opportunities to highlight his ability.

 

[Flem274*]

To be fair to Australian rugby, players popping overseas from SANZAAR to become internationals has always common and weird for a while now. James Lowe, Gareth Anscombe, Blade Thomson, Shaun Maitland, Jayden Hayward and Jamison Gibson-Park were never more than Super Rugby midpack players at best. Can't really expect Australia to stem that tide of guys levelling up when they leave Super Rugby.

To not be fair to Australian rugby, Dave Rennie is a fantastic coach and they didn't get **** out of him. That man turned a ho-hum Chiefs outfit who were the weakest of the NZ teams into a championship side and often with #smartrugby rather than just having all the big dogs.

Oh and while I'm here, I don't really watch the Squidge channel because he's kind of a bit crap but I hear he gave Jayson Potroz serious consideration for his 10 of the year. I'm stoked Potty has got some cash recently and was gun in the MLR but Squidge knows we dropped Potroz right? Inglewood's finest Josh Jacomb is now the starting Taranaki 10, as God intended.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Joe Schmidt named as new Wallabies coach, set to start in March.

Did good with Ireland, won't have the same class of cattle at his disposal with the Wobs, but feels like the best coaching appointment we've made in a long long time.

Really hope he can get us competitive, because the Lions tour could be very very embarrassing.

Well Rennie was a good appointment, while Jones was a shocker.

 

[ripper868]

No disagreement there, Rennie seemed to be building to 'something' and didn't deserve the boot at all.

 

[social]

It's a damning indictment of the whole system, right? It's not even like Ireland did anything to unlock his potential. He just rocked up at Connacht and it was immediately obvious that he was one of the best players in the country.

Not really

Been plenty of articles about him here and he simply wasn’t a standout

One thing we don’t lack are outside backs

 

[_Ed_]

Byron Kelleher has drunkenly attacked women over and over again

Former All Black Byron Kelleher faces domestic violence charges for an alleged assault against his partner. There’s a long, dark history of incidents that have come before it.

www.rnz.co.nz

 

[BoyBrumby]

Jesus. He was a niggly little fecker back in his playing days (scrum half, after all), but still shocked

 

[duffer]

RIP Melbourne Rebels. $9m debt, voluntary administration.

 

[ripper868]

Stunned by that Kelleher news, same reaction as Brumby, was actually one of my favourite AB's as a kid.

Rebels going under yet another nail in the coffin I guess. I wish the rebels 3 supporters and 2 dogs all the best finding a new team.

 

[Smudge]

Kelleher was always known around Dunedin as not being the brightest bulb in the room, but that doesn't excuse his piece of **** behaviour. A sustained fall from grace since he finished his AB career.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I don't want to reverse mockers them into form, but Johnny Frog looking a very distant second to yer Micks so far.

Now have to play 45 minutes with 14 too after Willemse was redded for his second yellow. Two head shots in half an hour, minus ten minutes for the sin bin after his first card.

Can take the boy out of Pretoria, etc.

 

[Uppercut]

Well. They’ve played much better without him.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Heck of a statement of intent by Ireland. Bonus point 5 try win and (apparently) a record points tally in France.

Shorn of Dupont and Ntamack les bleus looked very flat.

 

[ripper868]

Yeah Ireland looked very good, but easy to look good v 14 for 55 mins, France with shades, but looks like Irelands Grand Slam for the taking.

 

[ripper868]

Go on Italy, 2 great tries.

 

[ripper868]

But somewhat predictably, doesn't look like they'll be able to carry it on in the 2nd half.

 

[wpdavid]

Recent work on my family tree has taught me that I'm 25% Welsh. You may think that shouldn't be news to me, but it's a long story that I won't bore you with just now. My point being that, despite my recently discovered ancestry, I still enjoy seeing them on the wrong end of the sort of stuffing that the Scots are dishing out this evening.

 

[ripper868]

This 2nd half is a totally different game to the first

 

[ripper868]

Wild 2nd half, had no clue Scotland hadn't won in Cardiff for 22 years, they very nearly made it 24