Greetings, salutations, and welcome one, welcome all to a different Friday’s Rugby Information. And never simply any ol’ Friday however the Friday earlier than a Bledisloe!
First up at the moment let’s all take a knee for ‘The Forwards Prayer’. Preview the large recreation in ‘No person beats my workforce 22 years in a row. Do they?’ Then think about options quite than issues with ‘Giteau’s Gotta Go!’ Pay G&GR homage to an absolute Australian rugby legend in ‘Golden Slipper’. Get the within phrase from Kiwi rugby royalty for ‘Shag on a Ruck’. Drop in on our golden ladies up north for ‘Wales Awaits Walloped Wallaroos’. Earlier than pulling up the strides on a mammoth information day in ‘Friday’s Goss with Hoss‘, now higher comprehending the third diploma chaffing and everlasting limp contracted in any respect these Puff Diddy events.
The Forwards Prayer.
It’s a FRN ritual that earlier than the primary take a look at in opposition to the Darkness every year, that all of us take a knee:
‘Our saviour, who ain’t our seven,
hollowed be our recreation.
The Kiwis come, their will will get finished,
on turf, as if from rugby heaven.
Give us at the present time, some bloody plans,
to assist roll these Kiwi bastards,
as we forgive these ineffective backs,
who stuff up their kicks and passes.
And lead us not into frustration,
however ship us from Kiwis.
For theirs is the dominion, the ability and rugby glory,
without end.
Amen’
No person beats my workforce 22 years in a row. Do they?
Saturday, 21 September. Wallabies v All Blacks. Accor Stadium Sydney. Protection from 3.00pm. Kickoff 3.45pm AEST.
It’s that point of the 12 months once more the place hope springs everlasting for Ouncesrugby followers. Yep, it’s Bledisloe time. The place the previous foe, the Minstrels, tackle their biggest rival. Properly behind South Africa, Eire, England, France, Georgia, a New Hebrides Invitational aspect, U17 Taranaki Second XVs, Portugal, Spain and the Jindabyne Bush Pigs, that’s. Our very personal Wallabies.
And with our aspect already named, simply what are our expectations for ending the 21 12 months Bledisloe drought? Properly, if I have been a farmer, I wouldn’t be planting a crop and anticipating rain simply but.
The mutton molesters arrive on our shores a contact underneath the radar. And that worries me. There’ve been few press engagements and subsequent to no noise or commentary out of their camp. There’s been the predictable ‘we love Joe, he’s a very good man, we respect him’ stuff, however little else. The Minstrel gamers have been quiet, eerily quiet, scarily quiet. Confrontationally quiet. And that may solely spell one factor, bother.
Positive they’re 1 from 4 within the RC, similar to us. However in contrast to us, few might argue they might’ve, and maybe ought to’ve, come away from the nation of the understated rugby fan, beating the World Champs 2-blot. Uncommon moments of indecision, poor ability execution and a few poor self-discipline (induced by Bok stress little doubt) in the end turned the ledger the opposite method. And the historical past books will present it was a failed tour.
However, again to the silence of the lamb lovers. I can’t shake the sensation that they’re seething, have had two weeks to appropriate their flaws, are settled and are mendacity in wait, able to extract greater than a modicum of revenge in opposition to a lot the identical aspect who featured within the Santa Fe Give up that allow in close to 70 factors. 70 goddam factors!
To our lot. Simply what precisely has, or will change from two weeks again? Will ‘Mr 36 minutes Tupou’ all of the sudden play out of his pores and skin for 75 and nullify the Aussie born Kiwi props? Will The Lip all of the sudden have quicker clearance, higher field kicks and rediscover his working recreation from a decade in the past? Will our #10 management the sport higher than any of the earlier 20 exams he’s performed earlier than? Will our loosies get excessive of theirs? Will our backs exploit time and house higher than theirs? Will our bench end excessive of theirs? In case you reply ‘no’ to any of the above, then the solely query that is still is, Kiwis by what number of?
So on that entrance, what does a very good outcome appear like? The DKO workforce dropped a terrific pod midweek and I actually preferred the theme of: simply the place are this Wallabies aspect at? And maybe Nick W summed it up finest: ‘the common aspect of mediocre’.
To that finish I’m of the assumption that if our workforce can hold the Minstrels to underneath 30 that’ll be an inexpensive outcome. However, if the Kiwis get a quick begin and doubt creeps into the Wallabies, and management, actual onfield take management management, goes lacking, the Santa Fe Give up will appear like a detailed run factor.
Fearless Prediction: All Blacks by 19. Come on Wallabies, show me flawed. I dare you.
Wallabies (15-1): Tom Wright; Andrew Kellaway, Len Ikitau, Hunter Paisami, Marika Koroibete; Noah Lolesio, Nic White; Harry Wilson (capt), Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini; Jeremy Williams, Nick Frost; Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, Angus Bell
Replacements: Brandon Panega-Amosa, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Tom Lynagh, Dylan Pietsch
All Blacks (15-1): Beauden Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke; Damian McKenzie, Cortez Ratima; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Wallace Sititi; Tupou Vaa’i, Scott Barrett (capt); Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot
Replacements: Asafo Aumua, Tamaiti Williams, Pasilio Tosi, Sam Darry, Luke Jacobson, TJ Perenara, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sevu Reece
Match Officers: Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU) Assistant Referee 1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU) Assistant Referee 2: Damian Schneider (UAR) TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU) FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
Giteau’s Gotta Go!
No, not in an Israel-pager kind method, however the legislation that bares his title. It’s restrictive, unfit for function and counter productive. Briefly? It’s full and utter shite. Some attention-grabbing conversations among the many G&GR crapparazzi through the week concerning the pitfalls and risks of such a step, however I tells ya Gaggers, it’s primary market economics.
The Hossecution presents:
- The Giteau Regulation predominantly serves the pursuits of international golf equipment.
- Perversely, it encourages up and coming expertise to go away or being poached.
- It really works in opposition to the curiosity of the Wallabies and RA. The very organisation who’re attempting to guard themselves.
Take into consideration this: GL really encourages international golf equipment to raid the ranks of Gen-Subsequent, or worse, fringe Wallabies. Say you’re a French membership chasing props, why wouldn’t you goal these early of their rugby journey, both pre SRP, or early into their SRP or Wallaby careers? You get them cheaper. They don’t qualify for Wallaby honours attributable to little or no current rep profession and don’t meet the ‘size of service’ KPI both. So that you get them beneath market costs and so they gained’t or can’t be known as in for nationwide duties. So the OS golf equipment have free reign!
Subsequently, we have now a legislation that successfully rewards the poacher and on the similar time penalises the sport keeper, successfully magnifying the affect. How within the hell is that helpful in any method to rugby in Australia?
However it doesn’t should be thus. One easy change that RA controls, will change the course of our rugby future. Scrap the Giteau Regulation completely.
If abroad golf equipment need to poach, pay and develop our gamers, then allow them to.
Be my visitor, poach away! However poach with the information that at any time, RA can come calling for Wallaby duties. Positive, a Mack Hanson or two will fall by way of the web and swap allegiances. However so what? It’s stress from the underside up, or as KARL calls it, ‘muster time’. As one participant heads north, a spot opens up domestically for an additional to return ahead. And on and on and on it goes. Your constructing depth whereas concurrently assuaging wage/inflationary pressures at dwelling and nonetheless have greater than sufficient content material to maintain TV companions .
It additionally turns into a promoting level for these younger rugby athletes maybe not sure of what code to pursue, attributable to restricted numbers in OuncesSRP squads. How’s this for a pitch: ‘Go and study your craft in France, Japan or England, benefit from the life-style, develop your recreation and life abilities but nonetheless be accessible for Wallaby choice!’ Or: ‘Journey to Bankstown and have your gear stolen from the workforce bus if it’s not set on hearth whilst you play gaol ball’.
It additionally then organically encourages competitors between gamers for spots. Hastily the THP for the Waratahs doesn’t should solely outplay the Reds, Drive or Brumbies prop, but in addition should be enjoying higher than the 23yo Australian tighthead prop who performs at Bathtub, or Tokyo, or Paris, or LA. All this speak about constructing depth and pathways when the reply AND management is at our finger ideas already: let the market do the heavy lifting. Simply be good the way you manipulate and transfer inside that market. As Happyman stated throughout G&GR conversations this week ‘Australia is a web exporter of rugby expertise’. He’s 100% proper. So let’s embrace that, management that and profit from that. Versus kicking stones and limiting our personal commerce (WTAF?).
My final level is to ask you to look a bit north. To the lands of the Dutch Grime Farmer descendants. What extra proof do you want? No restrictive choice insurance policies. No self inflicted wounds. Simply one of the best gamers picked from wherever within the globe it’s they play. How’s that labored out for them once more?
I do know Phil Waugh is an avid reader of FRN (Phil – sufficient calls already, I’ll interview you on my pod quickly. Discuss needy), so come on PW, make it so. As for the remainder of you Gaggers, don’t take my phrase for it. Choose your individual reply from the ballot beneath and ship a message to RA. Ought to we abolish the Giteau Regulation? Each vote counts.
Golden Slipper
At final, a correct really feel good Aussie rugby second. And for one of many nice guys of the sport at that.
Jimmy Slips, or ‘Large Attractive’ in accordance with Spanners Foley on STAN, will this week break George Gregan’s file for take a look at appearances for our Wallabies. And may/when Slips take the sector it’ll be his one hundred and fortieth take a look at cap for our nationwide aspect.
I don’t profess to know greater than you about this man. However what I really feel assured to say is that he appears a genuinely first rate man. A rugby participant’s rugby participant. The kind you’d love to sit down and hearken to for just a few hours and take in all he has to say about rugby, life and being a workforce man.
Whatever the outcome this weekend, I invite all Gaggers to rise to their ft and cheer him. For all that ails our recreation in Oz, James Slipper epitomises what continues to be intrinsically good and first rate about life and about rugby union. The sacrifice, toil, endeavour, humility, teamwork and of overcoming adversity. James Slipper is a rugby participant’s rugby participant, and we’re so a lot better as followers for having him in our aspect.
Congratulations Large Attractive. Benefit from the expertise and go nicely.
Shag on a Ruck.
I hate it when Kiwis seem like proper. It’s unnatural, disagreeable, uninvited and surprising.
Many will recall Sir Steve Hansen was a visitor of the poison dwarf throughout our unwell feted impersonation of a rugby aspect in France final 12 months. Shag was diplomatic and restrained throughout his affiliation with the stunted one, however this week opened up a bit extra on what he noticed. And his summation was: ‘Aussies are shite at rugby’.
Hansen is reported to have stated: “In case you went by way of and wrote down all the pieces that you’d count on a high-performance Take a look at athlete to have, then I might recommend that perhaps a few of these issues are lacking. There have been issues that I noticed that stunned me, and I’m not going to enter these issues, however in the event you haven’t acquired your excessive efficiency proper, then gamers aren’t going to reach on the Take a look at enviornment with all of the issues they want ticked and understood.”
“That makes it laborious since you’ve acquired to study it on the very highest stage. And for me, that’s what rugby’s about on the decrease ranges. You’re getting ready folks to be higher at a better stage. I believe good rugby gamers come out of fine high-performance environments. In case you permit too many individuals into these environments with out having to work laborious, you then get a tender underbelly. I’ll say although, that Fridays on Inexperienced & Gold Rugby are excellent rugby journalism, and is sort of presumably one of the best factor about Australian rugby at current.”
Wales Awaits Walloped Wallaroos.
Saturday, 21 September. Wales v Wallaroos. England someplace. Kickoff 3.45am.
The heading has extra Ws in it than the Wallaroos season so far, and from what I noticed final weekend their subsequent W appears some method off.
The Wallaroos have been simply terrible, persistently so, they have been terrible in each side of their play. Primary abilities have been horrid, the passing from our #9 was third grade Maitland U9s stage (most likely unfair to the Maitland gamers) and the set piece was garbage. The aspect performed like a workforce who first met within the automobile park 25 minutes earlier than kickoff and thought they have been there for a Gaelic dance pageant and never rugby.
Right here we had the fifth ranked workforce on the earth (us) taking up the tenth aspect in Oirland and the distinction at school was seismic, a gulf, a yawning bloody chasm! The Wallaroos have been disjointed, lacked readability and performed like 15 strangers on the sector. All of them not sure what the opposite is doing and worse, what they have been meant to be doing themselves.
With the World Cup within the land that gave us smallpox, curried all the pieces and the uber respectful terra nullius, the Wallaroos pack had higher quickly uncover a spine and a few cohesive ahead based mostly play or it’s a waste of airfares flying again over there subsequent 12 months. Could as nicely keep at dwelling and ship cardboard cutouts of their place. The cutouts would arguably supply extra resistance.
This week the Wallaroos play a take a look at in opposition to the Welsh earlier than once more assembly them subsequent week in what’s the official graduation of the WXV2 competitors. To be frank, the Wallaroos workforce has regressed considerably since Jay Tregonning left as coach. There appears to be no clear concept of who our greatest gamers are in any given place. The ways appear to be ‘get it to Maya’ on the wing, and if that doesn’t work it’s goodnight nurse. 2024 has seen a slide in rankings, high quality of play and no surprises, unacceptably poor outcomes.
Let’s hope that we see that slide arrested considerably this weekend. Even when solely in readability of play and improved execution of primary abilities. Completely satisfied has all of the workforce information right here.
I’ll be glad about small steps.
Friday’s Goss with Hoss.
Harry Potter & The Virgin Drive.
Each a terrific headline and, coincidentally, the title of a really disturbing manifesto Yowie as soon as confirmed me. The exact same manifesto on the coronary heart of my most up-to-date thesis ‘Lowering Victims: Figuring out The Criminally Insane Early’.
However the place was I? Oh sure. Lengthy injured Drive wizard Harry Potter is again for his or her subsequent up recreation in opposition to Perth Gold, earlier than the Drive heads to SA for a 3 match tour. Potter is joined for the match by three Gryffindor Drive debutants, Nic Dolly, Josh Thompson and Nick Champion one thing hyphenated one thing. The Drive tour contains video games in opposition to the Toyota Cheetahs, Rising Eire and DHL WP XV and will probably be accessible to look at the Drive play (yawn) on STAN.
Scotland A. Jimmy!
Information this week that Scotland will roll out the Scotland A format for a match in opposition to Chile. (pronounced Ch-eye-l, in any other case that watercourse in Egypt could be pronounced ‘Nilly’. Which might simply be foolish). This author admits to being confused because the take a look at workforce, referred to as the Scottish C aspect, have been crap within the 6N. So is the A aspect higher than the take a look at aspect or maybe extra seemingly, is the SRU merely dexlysic?
The A aspect will host Chilli in November the day earlier than their foremost take a look at aspect (the Cs) host the Wallabies at Scottish Gasoline Murrayfield (so known as as a result of results of haggis consumption I consider).
Andy Farrell Finishes Up!
Yep. Breaking information yesterday on skysports.com that Andy Farrell will go away his Oirish teaching job in December and get replaced by Irish U20s coach, Simon Easterby.
Who says Friday’s Rugby Information doesn’t have scoops and verified info? Infidels.
Liar, Liar, Rassie’s on Fireplace.
Fascinating information out of the land of quiet, humble rugby opinions that younger #10 sensation (whose title I couldn’t be bothered trying up for spelling every time I need to write about him, however now realise trying it up would save time writing a sentence like this) ‘hid’ a knee damage from South African chieftain, Induna Rassie.
It appears Sid Francis Moctezuma (shut sufficient) injured himself through the first AB take a look at, but was so determined to play the second match he saved information of the damage from Erasmus and employees. And SFM’s reward for ‘mendacity’ to Rassie: a rocket from the coach, surgical procedure and now racing in opposition to the clock to make the NH tour. You’ll be able to learn Rassie’s response and perception at stuff.co.stealingozwelfare.nz.
Till subsequent week.
Congrats Jimmy Slips & go the Wallabies.
Hoss – out.