Thread: Today's Rugby

Originally Posted by Necron99

"we're so good it hurts"

I hear a song coming on...

Originally Posted by Necron99

Watching the Reds on a warm and balmy night is a bit different to sitting in a NZ freezer.

Especially in a purpose built rugby stadium right downtown.

Originally Posted by Necron99

every conference has it's easy beats and I doubt any are physically less demanding.

Name me one easy beat team here please?

Originally Posted by Necron99

Listing the ground attendance without showing TV ratings is meaningless.
Empty stadiums and double the TV figures would be a win.

and that is what Steve Tew didn't say...he wouldn't dare

Originally Posted by prawnograph

I worked almost 10yrs Wellington

Did you ever get to sit atop the Millard Stand at Athletic Park?...in a southerly...when you realise there is no physical obstruction between there and Antarctica

Originally Posted by prawnograph

Yet when the football team Phoenix were playing and generally losing, whole depts would arrange social outings around a game.

Not anymore they aren't

Originally Posted by prawnograph

If there was a prize for 'most apathetic' I'd nominate Wellington 'fans'.

To be fair there aren't that many...it is a small city

Originally Posted by Bruce Bayliss

Originally Posted by Necron99

every conference has it's easy beats and I doubt any are physically less demanding.

Name me one easy beat team here please?

The 'Landers could have played themselves last year and still managed to come away with no points.

The bottom three teams in each conference.

Aust. 17 wins 113 pts PD -196
SA. 20 wins 122 pts PD -133
NZ. 15 wins 115 pts PD -210


By those numbers you could argue that the NZ conference is actually the weakest...

Originally Posted by Necron99

By those numbers you could argue that the NZ conference is actually the weakest...

That is why the All Blacks are number one?

Originally Posted by Bruce Bayliss

Originally Posted by Necron99

By those numbers you could argue that the NZ conference is actually the weakest...

That is why the All Blacks are number one?

Dunno, Good Coach? Concentration of Talent? The Haka? Pixies?

But you can't deny the bottom three sides in NZ were the worst performing.
Ergo, i.e, Ipso Facto, therefore, the NZ conference is the weakest and gave the Chiefs and 'Saders an easy ride to the finals last year.


Far from it being Crudens' eternal AB trial the top sides dominated easily.

^ does that explain the business end of the comp, when Crusaders gave the Reds the thrashing of the year (not lifetime, Reds have had worse) beating them 38-9 in a semifinal, and it was thrashing to remember.
Or Chiefs beating Brumbies in the final
Or are you saying the best team didn't win?
Queenlanders, champion whingers, never beat them, only on the scoreboard!
History tends to remember the winner.

Originally Posted by prawnograph

^ does that explain the business end of the comp, when Crusaders gave the Reds the thrashing of the year (not lifetime, Reds have had worse) beating them 38-9 in a semifinal, and it was thrashing to remember.
Or Chiefs beating Brumbies in the final
Or are you saying the best team didn't win?
Queenlanders, champion whingers, never beat them, only on the scoreboard!
History tends to remember the winner.

Who mentioned the Reds? They had a great year against Kiwi sides apart from the 'Saders game including beating the Chiefs.
Cruden dragged out the old "our comp is so much tougher line" and I simply refuted it.
Table doesn't lie.

Originally Posted by Necron99

But you can't deny the bottom three sides in NZ were the worst performing.

But they didn't play the same teams as the others...sort of proves the point...and not just my point either if you read the article

Originally Posted by Necron99

Table doesn't lie.

It does...that is the point of the article

Originally Posted by Necron99

Who mentioned the Reds?

On the way down

Originally Posted by Bruce Bayliss

Originally Posted by Necron99

But you can't deny the bottom three sides in NZ were the worst performing.

But they didn't play the same teams as the others...sort of proves the point...and not just my point either if you read the article

Now you re just being silly.
If it was the strongest "conference" the table would have dbeen much closer, not the same three teams being flogged each week.
They also lost more than half their matches against Oz sides, including the Chiefs being held tryless by the Reds, how does the strongest conference do that?

Not sure how this is going to work out.

Bath pay $900,000 to get Burgess released.

And to expect to waltz into the English side? That's an awfully steep learning curve in such a short period.

South Sydney have announced Sam Burgess will depart the club at the end of the 2014 NRL season to make a code switch with English premiership rugby union club Bath.
The news ends weeks of speculation about the English forward’s future, with the two clubs reaching a financial settlement believed to be worth about $900,000.
Burgess said he would aim to play for England at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, revealing a long-held ambition to become a dual international.
“I’m happy this has all been sorted out before the start of the season so that I can concentrate on my game and the team without any other things in the way,” Burgess said.
“An opportunity presented itself to head back home to England and to pursue a chance to represent my country in two different sports.


Sam Burgess to quit the NRL at the end of 2014 season | The Roar

Originally Posted by Necron99

Bath pay $900,000 to get Burgess released.

And to expect to waltz into the English side? That's an awfully steep learning curve in such a short period.

It comes from desperation. We have the WC at home, and we want to win it. But, we just don't have the players for it...

There's only one Jason Robinson.........

Sadly, that's true.

Nice to see you back, Bob.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

It comes from desperation.

Total agreement...he won't have enough time to come to grips with the game...no matter how good he is.

Originally Posted by Bobcock

There's only one Jason Robinson.........

He was a back...and changed earlier.

Originally Posted by Necron99

Now you re just being silly.
If it was the strongest "conference" the table would have dbeen much closer, not the same three teams being flogged each week.

No I am not. It was the point of the article, although many down here have had the same view all along. The only way to have a fair comp is for everybody to play a round robin like it used to be...this format is a disaster but it seems to be showing up at international level

And so will Burgess be a back.....

No....he won't be as good as Jamie Roberts this time next year.... what an insult....

Originally Posted by Bobcock

No....he won't be as good as Jamie Roberts this time next year.... what an insult....

...

Originally Posted by Bobcock

No....he won't be as good as Jamie Roberts this time next year.... what an insult....

What about a week after he starts playing Union?

Originally Posted by Bobcock

And so will Burgess be a back.....

Rugby: Lancaster rates Burgess 'outside chance' for World Cup - Sport - NZ Herald News
Rugby: Lancaster rates Burgess 'outside chance' for World Cup...
England rugby coach Stuart Lancaster has compared code jumper Sam Burgess to Sonny Bill Williams but warns it's only an "outside chance" that he can be ready to play in the 2015 World Cup.

Burgess will begin a three-year contract with English Premiership club Bath in October after a release fee was agreed with his NRL team South Sydney.

So far the move has been funded exclusively by Bath, although Lancaster revealed the Rugby Football Union could yet be involved financially, stating: "I think there are discussions ongoing."

The decision of Burgess to change codes has been greeted with excitement, although Lancaster has denied the 25-year-old will be rushed into the England team.

The suggestion Burgess has been earmarked for the World Cup met with a cold blast of reality from Lancaster as he outlined what it will take to become a dual-code international.


"Sam is going to have to earn the right like anyone else - I've never said he's going to be fast-tracked into the World Cup squad," Lancaster said.

"I had a discussion with Sam's representatives and said there will be no short-cut into the next elite player squad that we announce in January.

"I can't see for one minute that Sam Burgess is going to be in that EPS squad having played two months of rugby union.

"If he earns the right to be an EPS player, he will have to do it the way everyone else has done it, by playing well for his club.

"The reality is that he'll go to Bath as a Bath player and play for Bath in the second half of next season.

"It's going to be extremely difficult for a player to come from rugby league in October and then play in the 2015 Six Nations.

"If he makes the transition smoothly and effectively and begins to play well during the second half of that season, then there is an outside chance he could make the World Cup training squad.

"If he makes the World Cup training squad, there are two warm-up games before the squad is announced..."

Burgess cited the 2015 World Cup when explaining his decision to switch and, at 195cm and 112kg, he has the physical attributes needed to make an impact with Bath and England.

Although a forward in league, inside centre appears his most likely position when he begins his career at the Recreation Ground. Number eight has also been mentioned as a possibility.

Lancaster views him in the mould of Williams, who has represented New Zealand in both codes, switching in 2008 and helping the All Blacks win the 2011 World Cup as an effective impact substitute before dominating in the code the following season.

"The closest comparison I can make is Sonny Bill Williams, who was a forward in rugby league but played in the backs in union," Lancaster said.

"When Sam was playing league for England at last year's World Cup, you could see him defending in the back line from set-piece."

While Lancaster has welcomed Burgess' move, describing him as a "great asset", his caution over anointing him as an international in waiting is dictated by a lengthy history of failed code breakers.

Jason Robinson's brilliance shone in both formats, but is the exception when compared to aborted experiments such as Barrie-Jon Mather, Henry Paul, Lesley Vainikolo and Andy Farrell.

However, during a visit to Australia last year, Lancaster met with Burgess - and liked what he saw.

"Sam is clearly a world-class rugby league player," Lancaster said.

"What impressed me more so than his ability to carry the ball, pass and tackle, was his mental toughness and fortitude, his leadership and ability to take on a challenge.

"For a player to go to Australia at 18 because he wanted to challenge himself at a higher level, and now to challenge himself to get into a World Cup squad within nine months, is tremendous.

"He's leaving as an iconic player in league and having to start from scratch.

"What impresses me is his mental toughness and his leadership. Those are the assets I am excited about the most.

"The bigger the challenge for Sam, the more he rises to it. He raises his game. I liked that trait in people."

-AFP

My comment...something doesn't add up here. Why would Burgess turn down a nice home at the beach in Sydney...where he is an absolute rock star...and with all his family close by...just to go to Bath?...This is bullshit...I reckon they have already guaranteed him a spot...it is just dumb...the Frogs, Welsh, maybe even the Irish and All Blacks must be having a quite chuckle...if England are that desperate they are gone already.

Barrett's try against France earns top award

Beauden Barrett's spectacular try against France in Christchurch in June 15 last year has been named as the International Rugby Players' Association's Try of the Year.

Barrett's sensational try resulted from a turnover deep in New Zealand's own 22 as France attacked . . . eventually finished off by Barrett under the French posts.

Previous winners:
2012 - Bryan Habana (South Africa) -South Africa v New Zealand
2011 - Radike Samo (Australia) - Australia v New Zealand
2010 - Chris Ashton (England) - England v Australia
2009 - Jaque Fourie (South Africa) - South Africa v British and Irish Lions
2008 - Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland) - Australia v Ireland

U-20 Rugby World Cup - Auckland, NZ, June 2 to 20 2014

While the rugby radar is now firmly tuned in to the start of the Super rugby, some are eyeing another crucial tournament in June.

Much will depend on the New Zealand team's performance but the International Rugby Board is hoping for record-breaking crowd numbers at the Junior World Championships in Auckland.

England are the current champions after winning their final against Wales in France last year.

Philippe Bourdarias, the IRB's competitions general manager, said New Zealand's record in putting on two successful World Cups suggested the latest junior edition would be a hit.

"I think it's going to be the biggest Junior World Championships we have organised," said Bourdarias, who is in Auckland to finalise details of the tournament.

"Two years ago in South Africa we had a record-breaking tournament crowd - 40,000 in the final - it was massive. But I'm quite confident that we will break this record.

"As in any event, the success depends on the home team. In South Africa why did we break records? Because South Africa won it."

The biggest 15s tournament outside the World Cup, it also traditionally features some of the best rugby, with the open game preferred to kicking for territory.

"For us it's very important. It's also very important for the participating unions because under-20 is a pathway for the players. All the talent they have identified three or four years previous ... it is the last stage [before becoming full internationals]."

In the case of the All Blacks, 17 of the squad on last year's European tour played in the Junior Worlds.

In what is a concentrated tournament played at three venues - Pukekohe and North Harbour with the finals at Eden Park - spectators will be able to watch three pool matches a day at a single venue.

Tickets have been priced to suit families at from $5 for children and $10 for adults.

Originally Posted by prawnograph

Beauden Barrett

An amazing talent...and he is third choice fly half...geez our selectors have some headaches come selection time

Originally Posted by prawnograph

England are the current champions

Originally Posted by prawnograph

Much will depend on the New Zealand team's performance

Junior All Blacks V England will be a sell out

Pools for 2014 U-20 World Cup

A: Argentina Australia England Italy
B: Fiji France Ireland Wales
C: New Zealand Samoa Scotland South Africa

The final is to be played at Eden Park, 7.35pm Friday 20 June; the following day the All Blacks play England in the third test of the June series at Hamilton - less than 2hrs away a few keen fans can go to both.

Since 2008, 270 players in JWC teams have gone on to play in full international.
Australia's Will Genia was the first JWC graduate to reach 50 caps, followed by NZ's Sam Whitelock
2013 All Blacks Sam Cane, Beauden Barrett, Steven Luatua, Brodie Retallick, Francis Saili, Charles Piutau, Luke Whitelock and Dominic Bird all played in the winning 2011 NZ U-20 side.
Ten JWC graduates were in the NZ 23 v Ireland in November

Originally Posted by prawnograph

C: New Zealand Samoa Scotland South Africa

Scotland look likely to add yet another wooden spoon to the trophy cabinet.

Last placed team is relegated to JWC Trophy event for next year/s, winner of that competition promoted
Scotland over last four years have finished 10th, 10th, 9th and 10th
Teams relegated have been Samoa, Tonga, Italy, USA

But there's no 'form' for this tournament as very few players will be there in 2014 who also played 2013; new teams, often new coaches. What last year's team achieved, or didn't achieve, has little relevance.

The 6N U-20 teams have games before JWC as a guide/team selection.