Thread: Today's Rugby

Originally Posted by Bobcock

Good officiating in my book.

Not in mine...bloody pathetic...Folau's try was from a forward pass...the pass before not the final pass...wasn't even close... it was at least a metre at close range and he was right on top of it...almost as bad as Wayne Barnes...same reason though...rabbit in the headlights...and with two yellow cards to the All Blacks...that frog ref is a prize dick...he gave a yellow against the Springboks last year for a perfectly legal tackle...something has to be done about these guys...they are ruining the game..

Originally Posted by Bobcock

Aussie mate of mine said this morning they are ripe for picking.

51-20....that is a record AB v Wallabies...I just can't wait to read the Sydney Morning Herald tomorrow...that was a first class pants down....Wallabies head home to a muted welcome...the All Blacks came home to a hostile reception after a draw...that is the difference...we take the game very seriously here

Sydney Morning Herald uses 'humbled'

I'm not sure what the best word is - other headlines mention thrashing, hiding, routed (tho' rooted possibly better description)

Wallabies humbled by All Blacks in Bledisloe Cup massacre

. . . All Blacks made a mockery of Australian confidence with a six-tries-to-two massacre of Australia, keeping the Bledisloe Cup in New Zealand hands for a 12th straight year with their biggest ever score against their neighbours.

The Wallabies did not score a try until the 61st minute. Somehow, Israel Folau and Michael Hooper found the try line, softening a brutal 44-6 scoreline to its inescapably blunt but kinder resting place of 51-20.

Until then they were staring down the barrel of a worst-ever loss to their arch enemies. History will record it as their third worst in a 111-year history of Test matches between the two nations.

It was their [All Blacks] biggest ever score against the Wallabies, topping the 50-21 massacre in Sydney in 2003.

Disappointing - when ABs watch review there were lost opportunities, at 44-6 they looked capable of 60+ points and I hoped their objective was to keep the Qantas gals try-less. Not to be, and to their credit QW did keep trying as best they could.

Read more Oz media than usual this past week, was almost beginning to believe in a Qantas win, talk of them getting the #1 IRB ranking (just need to win in NZ by 15+ about 3 x!) and the weaknesses of Conrad Smith, Crotty, Cruden, the usual Read and McCaw over the hill stuff, and just how brilliant this yellow team was. Easy to get caught in the hype of a draw at home, but tonight reality set in.

looking ahead, much of Australia's hopes seem to be on Fijian winger Henry Speight who finally becomes eligible 11 September after his earlier NZ education and then 4yr career with Waikato in NZ's ITM Cup

funny business, while he's almost qualified through residency, Australian Immigration Dept won't allow his family to visit - high risk of overstaying/seeking asylum; been turned down twice now trying a third time

Welcome to Australia! OK if you play rugby, otherwise, 'No'

Originally Posted by prawnograph

looking ahead, much of Australia's hopes seem to be on Fijian winger Henry Speight who finally becomes eligible 11 September after his earlier NZ education and then 4yr career with Waikato in NZ's ITM Cup

funny business, while he's almost qualified through residency, Australian Immigration Dept won't allow his family to visit - high risk of overstaying/seeking asylum; been turned down twice now trying a third time

Welcome to Australia! OK if you play rugby, otherwise, 'No'

More to do with who is family is methinks.

Originally Posted by Necron99

More to do with who is family is methinks.

Yet Henry himself is no problem? Isn't he in that family too?

Regardless, I'm yet to be convinced he is international quality based solely on a few good performances in Super rugby. Ther's quite a desperation to get him in th team, first Folau was the messiah, now Speight

Welcome to Australia! OK if you play rugby, otherwise, 'No'

Originally Posted by prawnograph

Folau was the messiah, now Speight

Folau is a rockstar...Speight could get past ITM cup...they are dreaming

Originally Posted by prawnograph

Speight

Is almost like Smith in Fiji...well almost

Originally Posted by prawnograph

Sydney Morning Herald uses 'humbled'

That was just the initial match report...I will enjoy the grovelling of such luminaries as Greg Growden, Peter Fitzsimons and Spiro Zavos...for starters...I was willing them to get to 50 points...then there was no hiding...at 44 they could have claimed some respectability...they are Australians after all.

Originally Posted by prawnograph

at 44-6 they looked capable of 60+ points and I hoped their objective was to keep the Qantas gals try-less.

Then they got another yellow card

what will that prime hater Mark Reason have to say after his last pile of crap effort:

as for the others, Zavos hardly rates as journalism, throws in a baiting headline and often hopelessly incorrect stats/figures; Fitzsimons I enjoy, for his comic value (and some very good books too); Growden - waste of time

enjoy . . . some headlines from Zavos's Australian sports website this week:

• Conrad Smith: great trophy room, average player
• Wallabies have the winning attitude
• Time to stop fawning and be honest about Keiran Read
• SPIRO ZAVOS: McKenzie creates Wallaby mind-games for the All Blacks
• It’s time the Wallabies ended the Eden Park hoodoo
• Skelton out to make big impact
• Wallabies have the winning attitude
• Ominous signs in Wallabies midweek silence

Having said that - NZ's Grey, Rattue and co don't offer much of substance

Zavos doesn't own that site does he?
Just a stringer.
Some decent writers there though, Scott Allen is good.
Half the content is reader contributions, shit, even I get published on there occasionally.

Originally Posted by prawnograph

enjoy . . . some headlines from Zavos's Australian sports website this week:

Originally Posted by prawnograph

what will that prime hater Mark Reason have to say after his last pile of crap effort:

He is just like his father...writes crap for a crap audience

Originally Posted by prawnograph

NZ's Grey

Arguably one of the best informed journos on the happenings withing the All Black camp

Originally Posted by prawnograph

Fitzsimons I enjoy,

Me too, he is a very talented writer, and no bitterness, just straight shooting...but he wears his heart on his sleeve for the Tahs and the Wobblies...so I am waiting

Originally Posted by prawnograph

Rattue

Quite a respected journo way back when he was on a salary...now that he gets paid by the word he tends to mimic Mark Reason

Originally Posted by Necron99

Zavos doesn't own that site does he?

not exactly . . .

Zavos has written more than 750 articles for The Roar | Your Sports Opinion, an Australian sports opinion website founded by his two sons.

according to the site founded by his two sons:

He is regarded as one of the foremost writers on rugby throughout the world.

Originally Posted by prawnograph

Originally Posted by Necron99

Zavos doesn't own that site does he?

not exactly . . .

Zavos has written more than 750 articles for The Roar | Your Sports Opinion, an Australian sports opinion website founded by his two sons.

according to the site founded by his two sons:

He is regarded as one of the foremost writers on rugby throughout the world.

Well, the majority of the posters and contributors there think that both he and David Loyd both write assclown clickbait. His nickname is flip flop.

Originally Posted by prawnograph

SPIRO ZAVOS

He used to be a schoolteacher in NZ and then the editor of the national Catholic weekly newspaper...bet ya didn't know that...that he knows sfa about rugby should be no surprise.

Great win by the Blacks and reminded everybody (especially me) about what a great team they are.

Let's see how the Wallabies bounce back in the return fixture.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Let's see how the Wallabies bounce back in the return fixture.

that was the return...there is a dead rubber in Brisbane later but the cup has already been presented...it will be an interesting game against the Springboks in Perth.

I just cannot understand why they are playing them in Perth. It cuts down the travelling time from South Africa and the Wobblies have to travel 5 hours to Perth to play. That is a waste of home advantage, and there will be a lot of Saffas in the crowd.

A pasting. Aussies looked like school boys. Well done ABs. I think McCheat's effort last night might silence the calls for him to retire.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

I do like the way international refs have highlighted McCheat in recent games.

The refs are hamstrung by the rules in the ruck area. The player must release the ball when tackled...but they don't know whether the opposition player leaning over them is standing correctly or not...so they hang on to it because the ref might miss it...it is a real problem...that is why Richie gets called a cheat because he is good at staying on his feet and going for the ball

The aussies need to grow some cods

Originally Posted by bobo746

The aussies need to grow some cods

What they need is a hard-man captain who can lead from the front and take no prisoners on the field.

Whilst Hooper is a great player and will only get better he is not a captain and I don't believe Pocock is the answer either when he finally gets fit.

Until their captain can scare the shit out of them on the field, never mind the opposition, they will never compete consistently against the All Blacks.

They have the talent but lack a great captain.

Originally Posted by bobo746

The aussies need to grow some cods

Their mistake was getting over confident and mouthing off because the Tahs won the Super 16...massive mistake...then they got over confident with the draw at Sydney...although I think they realised there was going to be a backlash, I don't think they realised how much.

teams get a week off
next matches on Sat September 6

New Zealand v Argentina, Mclean Park, Napier
Australia v South Africa, Patersons Stadium Perth (formerly Subiaco Oval) capacity 43,500

a smaller venue, Mclean Park has a capacity of 22,000 (incl 2,000 extras for this match). I like the idea of rugby in the provinces, Hamilton and New Plymouth getting regular test matches in recent years.

Mclean Park
Seating accommodation at the park has improved from the uncovered stand seating 1000 spectators in 1912 to the present four stands seating 9704. With capacity for approximately 10,000 standing on the embankment, the park can hold a crowd of about 19,700.

Originally Posted by prawnograph

I like the idea of rugby in the provinces, Hamilton and New Plymouth getting regular test matches in recent years.

Nice place Napier, they will get a good crowd. Argentina won't be a pushover and I think the Wallabies will feel the pressure of their scrum.