Where to for Robbie?

Aug 31

Posted by Gagger
37 Comments

"hmm, Canterbury this time of year..."

If there was one picture from Saturday night that said it all, it was the shot of AntipoDeans in the stand. We’ve become used to Dingo and Jimbo gesticulating and swearing at the ref/latest player brainfart. But this was different. As the Wobblies slumped to their sixth straight Tri-nations loss, you could see that behind that wistful stare he was thinking “how did it get to this?”.

The answer to that is pretty easy. When it comes to selection and playing style, Deans has gone high risk, and it’s bit him (and us) in the ass. While there’s not exactly a cavernous depth of talent for him to choose from, names that he’s passed over in favour of the next generation include Tuqiri, Waugh, Read more »

Aug 31

Boks call IRB to help combat Wallaby scrum

Posted by Juan Cote
14 Comments

In a clear sign the Springboks are concerned about the dominance of the Wallaby scrum, Bok coach Peter de Villiers, has enlisted the help of the IRB to help solve his team’s woes. After the Wallabies got the better of the Boks in both Cape Town and Perth, de Villiers has written to IRB referees chief, Paddy O’Brien, in order to get some clarification, or leverage perhaps, in relation to why his team is getting penalised.

“I did write to Paddy O’Brien so the ref on the weekend (Bryce Lawrence) can give me clarity on what we did wrong in the scrums. I can’t understand it, Read more »

Aug 29

Live Score: Wallabies vs Springboks

Posted by Gagger
8 Comments

Full time: Australia 25 – Springboks 32

Aug 28

Wallabies vs Springboks Tri-Nations Preview

Posted by Gagger
30 Comments

Victor; line-out juju

The 2009 Tri-Nations continues to spew out fascinating clashes. This week it’s the best team the world has ever seen (in their own back yard) traveling to play what is rapidly becoming the most desperate team the world has ever seen.

South Africa are confident, fresh, and continue to astound by stumbling across the obvious selection decisions that they couldn’t see, but the rest of the world could. This week it’s the demotion of the petulant Steffi Graff lookalike for Ruan Pienaar at fullback. While both were out of position, at least Pienaar has more to his playbook than long range drop goals and brat attacks.

For the Wobblies (yes, the title’s back), this is last chance saloon to salvage anything out of the 2009 Tri-Nations. Should they get a dicking, it could be a whole lot worse. Read more »

Aug 28

Video Highlights – Rocky in Ireland

Posted by Moses
2 Comments

Here’s a short clip showing highlights of Rocky Elsom’s time with Leinster.

This shows why Rocky is the complete package and is in the form of his life. His pace, palm off, strength in the tackle, step, mongrel, big game temperament and ability to make anyone his bitch are truly world class.

Aug 28

Video highlights – Rocky’s return

Posted by Gagger
9 Comments

Everyone was awaiting his return – you, me, the media, the Irish – so how well did he go?

From about a kilometre away in the stands it wasn’t easy to tell, but stats and the clip below told a familiar story; even with one leg there’s no holding back the Rock. Read more »

Aug 27

Wallabies make changes for Perth test

Posted by Noddy
35 Comments

Cross Robbie Deans and his selection panel (whomever they are) have made four changes to the Wallaby starting team for their match up against the World Champion Springboks this weekend in Perth.

Injuries to Berrick Barnes and Nathan Sharpe have seen the recall of Ryan Cross and Mark Chisholm to the side. Cross has snagged the 13 jersey with last week’s outside centre, Adam Ashley-Cooper, moving in one spot to inside centre. Chisholm, after injury shortened his Super 14 season, returns to the starting side and will lead the Wallaby line out.

The other changes see Brumbies prop Ben Alexander replace Al Baxter, as he did at the half hour mark in the Bledisloe Cup game last week. Peter Hynes also returns to the starting side for the first time since last year, replacing Drew Mitchell.

Aug 26

My Week: Tony Dempsey*

Posted by Juan Cote
3 Comments

Another lunch taken care of

Wednesday
There’s something special about a Bledisloe week in Sydney, particularly if you don’t have to buy your own piss. A deserved perk of battling for our struggling players.

Rang Kafe yesterday about how well we are going. He didn’t answer but I left him a message asking him to do a chalkboard on the issues surrounding the investigation we’re pursuant to. I’m sure he’ll think it over as usual.

Said investigation is going really well. At this juncture in proceedings no-one has actually spoken to us as yet but I rang Mat Rogers knowing he never misses a chance to shit-can the ARU. Read more »

Aug 26

Flippie thinks the Wallabies are soft moffies

Posted by Lance Free
60 Comments

Flippie van der Merwe from Krugersdorp

Jou bliksem, the Aussie skaapfokkers are kak! That’s the general view of the archetypal van der Merwe, Flippie of Krugersdorp about Saturday’s test in the West.

He’ll be phoning his oom Jannie, who lives in Perthfontein, to see how the Bokke are going at training in the lead-up. Oom Jannie is a motor mechanic in Claremont so he’ll be able to pop down in the Zola Budd to Nedlands footy club to see them in action just now. Maybe a bit of jetlag but nothing some snotklap on the park and a lekker feed won’t put right. Snor will have them right on edge. Read more »

Aug 26

Video Analysis: The Kicking in Sydney

Posted by Gagger
19 Comments

Looks familiar

In each Tri-Nations match so far the Wallabies have failed royally in at least in one major facet of the game, which has either released pressure on the opposition, or created it on themselves. In Auckland it was the scrum, in Cape Town it was the line-out. Last Saturday it was their kicking in general play, which was nothing short of abysmal.

As Bob Dwyer says, you have only 3 choices in attack: kick, pass or run. None is intrinsically wrong, but what you must do is use them to test the defence; i.e. put pressure on them. It’s wrong to say that kicking is boring and negative. Bad kicking is boring and negative.

We classified every general play kick the Wallabies made last Saturday (video at bottom) into one of four categories: Read more »

Aug 24

Wallaby player ratings: Sydney Bledisloe

Posted by Gagger
38 Comments

I finally subjected myself to the replay and here’s my stab at the player ratings. Tally with what you saw? Scoring system at the bottom.

1. Benn Robinson: Steady, but not spectacular. Has lost some edge in the loose. 5

2. Stephen Moore: Early head nock took it’s toll, but also a little anonymous. 5

3. Al Baxter: By his own admission he can’t keep attracting this heat. 3
Read more »

Aug 24

Lote Tuqiri and the ARU settle

Posted by Lance Free
20 Comments

Au revoir Lote

Following mediation discussions between the parties, an agreed settlement has been reached between Lote Tuqiri and the ARU.

“Tuqiri has agreed to discontinue his proceedings against the ARU and NSWRU,” the ARU said in a statement released late on Monday. As a consequence all court action Tuqiri initiated against the Rugby Union has been withdrawn.

In July the ARU tore up his contract and sacked him for undisclosed reasons stating that Tuqiri had breached the player code of conduct. The reason for his sacking appears set to remain private. Read more »

Aug 23

Wallabies vs All Blacks video highlights

Posted by Gagger
8 Comments

Aug 23

A spoonful of Wallaby stew

Posted by Juan Cote
25 Comments

Necks on the block

The Wallabies are battered, bruised and winless – not a great combination. With no wins from three attempts the Wallabies face the very real prospect of not winning a single game in this year’s Tri-Nations as they confront an uncompromising South Africa over the next two weeks and then travel to Wellington a few weeks later.

It would not be the first time the Wallabies have failed to win a single game of a Tri-nations tournament. Just four short years ago the Eddie Jones coached Wallabies didn’t get off the ducks-egg, Read more »

Aug 22

Bledisloe 2 – initial impressions (Ouch!)

Posted by Moses
54 Comments

Choice seats Bro

Ok, that hurts.. to lose the Bledisloe for another year is not a pleasant feeling. This post is purely my reactions from been at the game, we’ll have some proper analysis later in the week.

Cowan was extremely lucky not to get a yellow right before half time, apparently Kaplin had his hand in the pocket but McCaw talked him out of sending him.

« Previous Entries