Roar Rookie
Joined August 2019
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The 2023 preseason rugby matches are almost upon us! More than a month of matches start from 28 January, first in Fiji and then…
Managing change is a tough gig. In any group there are those who welcome it, a group who are curious and willing to explore,…
Just out of school, I worked in a carpenter's shop to learn a trade. I soon learned of tensions between the qualified carpenters in…
Are you saying he deserved Hansen’s treatment?
Five Aussies named as Six Nations squads locked in - with one set to make history
>Australia’s influence in the Six Nations Championships looks stronger than ever
Agreed. Has a replacement official been announced for the matches that would have involved the ref who quit after Hansen’s outburst?
Five Aussies named as Six Nations squads locked in - with one set to make history
History shows that successful World Cup squads are founded on playing groups that were largely already together at the previous world cup.
All Australia needed to do was to reach the quarter-finals. From there on it was knockout rugby and whoever is best on the day. McLennan swapped the certainty of reaching the quarter-finals for dreams about winning the Final.
Rennie would never have committed to winning the Final, just to the squad doing their best on the day if/when they got there. But Eddie? What would he have said? (I’m pretty sure of the answer on this one).
'Bit of a Hail Mary': Former Wallaby skipper comes out of retirement to sign new pro deal
A fuller quote from Borthwick is “With 88 England caps, Maro has been a central figure in this squad for many years, bringing a vast amount of experience both on and off the field.
“He’s a calm, influential leader, renowned for his commitment to upholding high standards and his ability to motivate those around him.”
Which caused me to burst out laughing because one of my strongest recollections of Itoje on the field is him being told by the ref to stop clapping, shouting, and yahooing whenever a ruck penalty was awarded, otherwise he’d be penalised.
Good luck to all involved.
Borthwick dumps skipper in bid to boost England's Six Nations challenge
RA is being run by the ex-League guy who is now the Financial Controller. The books will balance, and RA will be the size of the Shute Shield. That is the actual Five Year Plan. Not the Book of Dreams RA published a month or so back.
Rugby doesn’t have gambling money. That dirty money is key to why V’Landys’s code wins in this corner of the world.
'Opportunities everywhere': McReight's warning for RA to get serious as Wallabies gun targets big Super season
Agreed. That’s where the “if you’re good enough” talk is shown to be meaningless chat. All sorts of factors go into team selection. The Jones year showed the players that.
Seems to be two questions. “Do you wanna play for Australia” and “Do you wanna play for RA”.
They are not the same question and it has to be yes to both.
I’d take the money. You never know when injury happens but it’s almost a certainty it will.
A rugby player is like a musician. You have three years of fame in which you have to set yourself up for life.
'Opportunities everywhere': McReight's warning for RA to get serious as Wallabies gun targets big Super season
I saw what you did there.
'Opportunities everywhere': McReight's warning for RA to get serious as Wallabies gun targets big Super season
Intriguing differences in strategies. Any formal announcements, news, or christyleaks from RA?
Exclusive: 'Fly the coop' - World Cup Wallaby signs with English club as RA loses second forward in as many weeks
I follow your line of reasoning. However just be aware that when you use the word “disinformation” – unless you explain it – you are at risk of coming across like a reflexive no-brain-between-chair-and-keyboard unthinking right-wing flake who just waves words around. Not a desirable category to accidentally fall into.
Thanks for the explanation.
Rugby Australia on track to confirm broadcast extension with Nine, NZRU set to cop multimillion-dollar downgrade
Hi Savant, with the reporting being being that Australia is getting a better deal in the negotiations and the New Zealanders are not, I cannot understand your comment about the negotiations:
>Australia is not in a better shape than the New Zealanders. This is disinformation.
What has Nick got wrong in the article?
Rugby Australia on track to confirm broadcast extension with Nine, NZRU set to cop multimillion-dollar downgrade
Plate at Eden Park? Cups and Shields is more the usual go.
'I have heard': All Blacks accused of dodgy act to preserve incredible Eden Park record
In December 2022 the TV broadcast deal was reported as
“According to New Zealand’s Stuff website, RA did not get the 50-50 split of broadcast revenue it was seeking, but will still get an increase in the amount paid by NZR. That figure reportedly stands at NZ$5 million per year currently [2022], but will increase by a further NZ$3 million to NZ$4 million until the end of 2025.”
So with Australia in better shape than the New Zealanders from the current round of negotiations, would this mean $9m per annum being sent from Sydney to Auckland?
Or perhaps not $9m, but certainly a figure in the millions?
If so, would the money have strings attached, or would it just attract mere frowns like what happened when NZ Rugby learned that RA spend the money received from Auckland, in ways which differed from what NZ Rugby was led to believe?
We await developments.
Rugby Australia on track to confirm broadcast extension with Nine, NZRU set to cop multimillion-dollar downgrade
The timing is coincidental, and the ref decides to quit when he has the Six Nations matches next month?! Please pull the other one.
Mack Hansen banned and his ref target quits after f-bomb blow-up
It’s known that bias in sport referees is a real thing, and favours the home team and then the strongest team. Lots of stuff on this on Google Scholar. The Samoans are right.
Mack Hansen banned and his ref target quits after f-bomb blow-up
World Rugby also rely on referees to spearhead their player health Head Injury Protection Program too.
Refs are expected to leap tall buildings and wear capes and their underwear on the outside too.
OK, the last sentence is not correct. Yet.
Mack Hansen banned and his ref target quits after f-bomb blow-up
The thing to get upset about is losing a referee.
Mack Hansen banned and his ref target quits after f-bomb blow-up
The Fox report refers to a report in the SMH. Any reason for Fox to be falsely or incorrectly reporting the Sydney Morning Herald?
'Wish him well': RA confident in depth despite losing World Cup Wallaby to France
So impressed that the All Blacks camp is so powerful that they could schedule the Womens’ World Cup for their own nefarious purposes, the scamps!
'I have heard': All Blacks accused of dodgy act to preserve incredible Eden Park record
Semicolons: undervalued; important; useful. 😁
Scotland are at it again! Rugby's most ravenous recruiters set to add another Kiwi to the mix
Excellent comment, KwAussie.
The other part of the story is this:
>RA feeling the need to reverse the wage inflation that has been crippling national unions across the world
… which would imply that Montpellier are paying below the current market rates too, and therefore Australian rugby would be able to come to the party, because everyone’s trying to pay less nowadays.
The real problem is Sua’ali’s salary package and how RA can afford it. I read in a Roar comment a while back that one of the Sua’ali’i sponsors had backed out, which would leave RA scrambling for money. But I’ve not read any investigative journalism about that, it’s just hearsay on the comment and crickets on any reporting.
What news I did find was on Fox Sports in October 2024. Fortunately I was sitting down when I read this today. It’s the explanation about the problem RA has created for itself:
>It may be at least five years until we see Joseph Suaalii back in the NRL again amid the report that his rich deal with Rugby Australia includes a secret contract clause.
Suaalii’s deal was announced as a three-year deal worth over $5 million, but according to the SMH’s Michael Chammas, the deal includes a player option for two years which is worth an additional $4 million.
This means if Suaalii does trigger that option, he’ll earn at least $9 million over five years, significantly more money than he’d earn in the NRL.
There’s already an article on The Roar today about a player believing he had been too loyal to the Waratahs. In Gleeson’s case, I could understand if he felt uncomfortable at taking a wage hit to subsidise a $9 million dollar man.
'Wish him well': RA confident in depth despite losing World Cup Wallaby to France
So that’s where Tuivasa-Scheck ended up. I had wondered.
'Dealing with pain in everyday life': 'Devastated' Warriors captain's shock retirement call
Suddenly started wondering where Dover, New Zealand was; they have Brighton; New Brighton too.
Good luck to the man. Big crowds, fun games, overseas experience.
Scotland are at it again! Rugby's most ravenous recruiters set to add another Kiwi to the mix
SeattleRebelTahs? The problem and the solution for having just 4 Super Rugby teams, all in one.
Forgotten Aussie young gun who would be 'easily the best 10 in the world'
Also: no reinstatement of coaching pathways a la Dick Marks’ model or similar. National Provincial Championship will try to run Victoria out of Canberra. Nothing in Union to match the $60m in funding that the Federal Govt will provide to League because of nation-building dimensions to a PNG team. Court case regarding the Rebels reveals a certain lack of transparency in RA financials, decisions, and following through on doing what was committed to. Any extra Wallaby tests arranged will have revenues put in writing. Grassroots womens’ rugby will be inserted into the budget after an outcry.
Ten fearless predictions for 2025: Schmidt departs, Aussies go deep in Super Rugby, Wallaroos' landmark year
>The Waratahs rocketing into favouritism at the start of every Super Rugby season has become as common as
I’m not seeing this. Favouritism means “bias”. “Favourite status” or “being the favourite” or “pre-season favourites” means the preferred.
I haven’t seen bias/favouritsm towards the Waratahs generally. Specifically favouritism might be happening at RA, with where the dosh goes, how players are assigned, and how the draw is done, but that’s a serious allegation and worth far more than a throwaway line, it’s worth some serious investigative journalism about RA even-handedness and the Waratahs, and discussion of RA values such as integrity. Perhaps as well as articles it might be worth a court case.
But that would be an enduring program of bias, not just a pre-season thing.
As far as being pre-season favourites goes, or favourites status, fair enough. But that’s not nearly as serious an allegation as claiming favouritism is happening.
TL;DR: That word does not mean what you think it does.
'Head down, bum up': McKellar distances himself from Wallabies, lays down the law at Tahs