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Feb 9

Hate Week 2010

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It’s mate against mate, state against state, hate against hate. Do I need to say it? It’s New South Wales versus Queensland. Waratahs versus the Reds. The match itself is of no consequence, for what we all really love is The Build Up. A week to live for, and to die for. A week to leave behind the cool analysis of the video chalkboard. A week to rise up off the couch, pick up a blunt instrument and start swinging. A week to ride over thine enemies, mowing like grass their fresh-fair virgins and flowering infants. Most of all, it’s a week for some old fat blokes to get their once-a-year call up from the journos. “Who’s gunna win Buddha?” “Who’s gunna win Sam?” “Who’s gunna win Campo?”

At the Green and Gold, it’s all about the fans. So we took to the streets to find a couple of supporters so irrationally driven by their arbitrary place of birth that they had actually started to develop superpowers, like the ability to see all out of just one closed eye, or the willingness to part with money for Reds’ season tickets. After a year-long search, we have found two such men.

Read more »

Feb 9

Harrison in to take on the Force

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Prodigal son Justin Harrison will make is return to the Brumbies, and Super Rugby, starting at lock this Friday night against the TeamWestern Force in Perth.  Coach Andy Friend as named Harrison it would seem largely to improve on the below par line-out display the Brumbies exhibited in their last trial against the Waratahs.

Other new signings for the year Rocky Elsom, Matt Giteau and Pat McCabe have also been named to start however the word on the street is that Giteau is highly unlikely to play meaning young Matt Toomua is set to start in the 10 jersey. McCabe has been named on the wing, opposite Franky Fainifo and ahead of Alfi Mafi whilst Stirling Mortlock returns to ‘first class’ rugby in his favoured Out-side Centre position.

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Feb 8

G&GR T-SHIRT: Order NOW

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T shirt button 3d LOVE AUSSIE RUGBY?

DON’T WANT TO BE NAKED?

Well, have we got a deal for you!

We know you’ve all been hanging out for this and the moment has finally arrived.

The G&GR crew, along with some clever friends, have designed a ‘must have’ item of clothing for the discerning rugby follower. Read more »

Feb 8

Oz Super 14 coaches: a force multiplier?

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Not much to laugh about last year Mitch

Not much to laugh about now Mitch

In military parlance, a force multiplier is an asset that increases your ability to succeed in the violence of the battlefield.

Transposed to rugby it is the people, strategies, innovation and organisation that you can bring to your franchise to enhance success.

And one of the major force multipliers in any season will be the Australian Super 14 coaching crew.

This year it’s a relatively stable bunch with only one head coaching position changing hands over the summer and a tweaking of a few support roles. Read more »

Feb 7

Attack is back?

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Hands Off, Heiny!!

Hands Off, Heiny!!

Watching the first 20 minutes of the Force vs Reds trial match on Friday, it was clear the effect the new interpretation of the tackle laws could have on attacking rugby this season. It was great to see a team taking initiative, playing attacking rugby, and being rewarded for it.

The task for the Force was made easier with an experimental Reds backrow, however the intent of the referee to reward the attacking team where possible was clear, but was it fair? Read more »

Feb 7

Chambers Watch: QLD A v Aust Barbarians

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WIll

Chambers v the Cru

Twas a quiet night in Brisbane so I ventured out to Ballymore, which was also quiet, to watch the QAS Reds 2nd XV defeat a thrown together mosh posh of Brisbane club players in the guise of the Australian Barbarians.  More specifically I went to watch Will Chambers, and to a lesser extent Lei Tomiki, to see if our big buys of the year would bring us any glory. The match gained a slight degree of increased importance as a result of the Reds’ team humbling at the hands of the Force the night before.

From a scoreboard perspective, the Reds 2’s won, as you would bloody well hope.  The score was 59-7 with Chambers scoring 2, as did his centre partner Ben Tapuai.  Other try scorers were Number 8, Jake Schatz, hooker (and skipper) Saia Faingaa, replacement lock Cameron Bracewell and replacement flanker Liam Gill.  Tim Walsh converted four of the tries, whilst Jono Lance booted over three of his own conversions. That should equal 59 I hope.  For the ‘Australian Barbarians’ centre James Harvey scored a try with fly half Michael Zovko converting.

And so to the purpose of my trip. Will Chambers. Read more »

Feb 5

George Smith says so long to the Wallabies

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GS

It's time to say goodbye!

Wallaby Legend George Smith is leaving the building.  In this odd metaphor, harking back to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, the King is George Smith and the ‘building’ is the Wallaby team. In a somewhat surprising development, we today learn that we will never get the chance to see George Smith play for the Wallabies again. Effective the end of the Super 14 season this year, Smith will no longer play rugby in Australia, having been granted a release by both the Brumbies and the ARU.

It is a stunning development for someone who has achieved everything in world rugby – except for a World Cup win.  Given his retirement will commence a little over 12 months prior to the kick of the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, the decision seems even more staggering.  Now, Australia are by no means certainties to bring home the Web Ellis Cup, but we’re in with a shot. And regardless of the emergence of David Pocock, Smith is still a valuable and almost indispensable part of this Wallaby team. Read more »

Feb 4

Reds v Force Trial: The Final Countdown

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Big Kev Flanker? Bollocks

Big Kev Flanker? Bollocks

Here we are at the sharp end of the Super 14 trial phase and we’ve whittled down the contestants like an audition for So You Think You Can Dance.

The final trial between the Queensland Reds and the Western Force gets underway in Perth tomorrow night at ME Bank Stadium, a potential sandgroper version of the House of Pain.

Winning at home has been painful sometimes for the Force over the past four years but they’re hoping the move to their new rectangular stadium will bring with it a cauldron-like atmosphere and a change of luck. Read more »

Feb 3

My Week – Quade Cooper

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my ace gear

my ace gear

Wednesday

This personal development stuff is pretty cruisey. I’m not sure what it really means but with all the coloured pens and butcher’s paper, it’s just like being back in grade 2, except the questions aren’t as hard.

The chick who is running it said that I needed to identify my weaknesses and own my actions. I showed her a youtube video of  my weaknesses and actions during the ‘08 Reds v Chiefs game and asked her if she’d want to own them?

“Fair point” she said as she flipped over another piece of butcher’s paper and moved on to the Myer-Briggs test

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Feb 2

Brumbies picture getting clearer – a little.

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Friend

I'll be there for you, like I've been there before. I'll be there for you, cause you're there for me too.

The Brumbies play their last trial match of the pre-season this Thursday night against the Waratahs in Canberra, before opening their campaign against the Force next Friday night. The team named for the Tahs game SHOULD be a pointer towards their line-up come the real thing out west.  It SHOULD be the chance for coach Andy Friend to see how is number one team combines and performs.

But will it be? There are combinations there, but will this game provide more questions than answers? Let’s look at the team and decide.

Brumbies v Waratahs

1 Salesi Ma’afu, 2 Stephen Moore, 3 Guy Shepherdson, 4 Ben Hand, 5 Mark Chisholm, 6  Rocky Elsom, 7 George Smith, 8 Stephen Hoiles (c),9  Josh Valentine, 10 Matt Toomua, 11 Pat McCabe, 12 Christian Lealiifano, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 14 Andrew Smith, 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper.

Reserves: 16 Huia Edmonds, 17 John Ulugia, 18 Justin Harrison, 19 Mitch Chapman, 20 Henry Vanderglas, 21 Patrick Phibbs, 22 Tyrone Smith, 23 Francis Fainifo.

Read more »

Jan 31

SANZAR’s guide to sexy rugby

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Could become a weekly event?

Could become a weekly event?

In an effort to bring sexy back to the Super 14, referees have been given a clear mandate from SANZAR to get tough on the ‘soft’ type indiscretions during this year. The hit list includes the tackled-ball area, formation of a maul, players in front of the kicker advancing, and the old chestnut surrounding the scrum engagement.

These four areas were identified by players and coaches during the 2009 Super 14 review as those which needed attention and remedial action taken to open up the game and break the stodge fest that was last year’s season. Read more »

Jan 29

Reds vs Crusaders – Live Coverage

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Join us this evening as Juan Cote brings you live commentary from Ballymore. Kickoff is 7:30pm Queensland Time. Read more »

Jan 29

Invictus Winners – Wallaby Movie casting

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GC

George Clooney - will obviously play me.

In the lead up to the premier of the movie Invictus in Australia, our friends from Village Roadshow gave us a whole heap of double passes to give away to our readers.  We opted for the option of getting you to cast your own Wallaby movie.  Some of the entries were, frankly, pretty average with absolutely no effort made other than an e-mail. But some were crackers.  For mine there were two stand outs, but I will get to those later.

Firstly, a few observations from our entries.

  • Approximately 90% of our entries were women.  We here at G&GR don’t know what to make of this.  We didn’t know we had that many females reading the site! We can’t quite work what was the driving force behind the high female count, but have put it down as the “Matt Factor” – a combination of two killer Matts, Damon and Gagger.
  • Chicks dig Campo. David Campese was a popular source of casting and the actors suggested to play him were all, what’s the correct terminology, spunks? So let’s start there. A quick look at who people chose to play one of our greatest Wallabies ever.

Read more »

Jan 26

Film Review: INVICTUS

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My Star Rating

My Rating

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon, Adjoah Andoh, Andre Jacobs, Julian Lewis Jones, Tony Kgoroge, Scott Eastwood and Zak Feaunati as Jonah Lomu.

invictus21In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud, Under the bludgeonings of chance, My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Let’s cut to the chase, this is not a film about rugby. Sure, rugby’s in it and rugby features all the way through it but it’s not the main game.

No, the main game is about how a ‘kaffir terrorist‘ and wily old politician, recently elected as the President of South Africa, used this medium to unite his fractured country. Read more »

Jan 25

New Wallabies KooGa jersey unveiled

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Indestructible, except for the knee. (click on to enlarge)

Indestructible, except for the knee. (click to enlarge image)

Now with Fat Cat picture, and video

So here it is the new Wallaby jumper. Waddya reckon?

I’ve also attached a few other shots of the squad wearing it, together with a factoid packed press release, below

The new Qantas Wallabies jersey, designed and manufactured by Australian sports apparel company KooGa, has been unveiled today.

Technologically advanced – with materials including carbon fibre and hydrosteel used in the manufacturing process – the jersey is the first to be produced under a four-year deal that will continue until the end of 2013 between Australian Rugby Union and KooGa.

Retail orders for the new jumper have also been exceptional both in Australia and offshore where interest extends from Japan to the USA, the UK, Continental Europe, Argentina and the Pacific Islands.

Essentially all-gold, the new Qantas Wallabies jersey has been labeled “virtually indestructible” while also possessing qualities that will significantly enhance a player’s comfort levels. Read more »

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