- Status
The anticipated ratings improvement will only be sustained in the medium term if he isn't a dud at 7's. There is a strong possibility of the latter happening.
I'd personally like to see him turn his hand to the battle against cancer, or working towards a breakthrough in cheap renewable energies.
I'd personally like to see him turn his hand to the battle against cancer, or working towards a breakthrough in cheap renewable energies.
Strewthcobber
Mark Ella (57)
Australia v Fiji is on at 3:54am
Other Fiji games are 10pm and 1 am
Once again the timezone will kill those ratings
I like to watch
David Codey (61)
The current guy made it clear from the outset that QC (Quade Cooper) was unwanted.
Why would anyone think he would have any interest in Hayne?
Especially at this point of time.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Watched the Back Page last night and the comment was made that Hayne MAY take the place of a bloke who had played rugby (15 man and sevens) all his life and dreamed about representing Fiji at the Olympics, and how devastating that would be to that local player.
Lot of validity to that.
But some posters would discount that out of hand as they did with the Cooper initial selection (which turned out a failure - for Cooper)
There's only validity to it if the selection is made because of his public reputation rather than his ability and then it is a horrendous piece of selection to deny a more worthy player a position.
No one has a right to be selected because they have done their time. Olympics is about being the best. Unlike politics we don't just reward people who have done their time.
If Cooper had shown himself to be in our best 12 then of course he should have been selected. He would be more deserving of a spot then compared to the person that missed out. He wasn't and therefore didn't figure in selection.
No one has a right to be selected because they have done their time. Olympics is about being the best. Unlike politics we don't just reward people who have done their time.
If Cooper had shown himself to be in our best 12 then of course he should have been selected. He would be more deserving of a spot then compared to the person that missed out. He wasn't and therefore didn't figure in selection.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Serious question:
If we wanted our best team filled with our best players shouldn't we have thrown all players into the mix (whether they have played sevens or not) in a bid to participate and possibly win a medal ?
Players that come to mind immediately (and I'm sure there are plenty of others) : Beale, Folau, Morahan, Foley, Frisby, Tomane, Hooper.
None of the current sevens squad may have got a gig even though they have got us to the Olympics. That would be dreadful
They have to makes themselves available.
Joining the Sevens squad for those players would involve a serious pay cut and potentially breach existing contractual arrangements.
For the ARU, they need most of their best Wallabies playing test rugby because that is how we afford to pay for other things like the Sevens team.
Marcelo
Ken Catchpole (46)
Well, they are at different levels. Jarryd Hayne was at the top level of Rugby League in Australia. A starter NRL player, a starter Origin and a starter Kangaroo, in a sport with 466,182 registered players in Australia, according Wikipedia.
Quade Cooper was a starter Super Rugby player but he wasn't a starter Wallabies in the last WC. A sport with 86,952 registered players in Australia, according Wikipedia, and the numbers continue to decline.
Jarryd was at a higher level, in a sport that is 5 times bigger. Give a nod to Jarryd, with the proper training and time I have no doubt that he would be a starter Aussie 7s quickly and he could play at the Wallabies backline, easily. Rob Horne has played as starter Wallabies in the last years and he would struggle to start in any NRL team. In fact, Rob has a lot of detractors in this forum, who criticize his lack of pace to play at test level.
We're talking about a player who is at the same level as Israel Folay, a player who in a short time has ravaged Union in Australia and he sent to the bench to Kurtley Beale, the superstar schoolboy in Union.
Rob Horne would probably be a very good Rugby League back rower or centre. He is strong in contact, fast enough and an absolutely outstanding tackler.
Antony
Alex Ross (28)
That's a crazy comment - are you saying league players are so magical that a regular Wallaby couldn't compete with the likes of Will Chambers?
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
"Probably" is the operative word.
The transition from Union to League is easier, because League is a relatively simple game. The reverse is more difficult - major exception that comes to mind in recent times Israel
Marcelo
Ken Catchpole (46)
Well, maybe I exaggerated a little. Are we agree that he couldn't start at State of Origin or at the Kangaroos backline, right? I mean, Hayne plays in a different league than Rob Horne. C'mon!
Rob is a good tackler and I like it. But you cannot win a World Cup with Rob at the starting backline. Any team in the northern hemisphere has a faster winger. Without injuries, Rob can't make the Wallabies backline. Speight, Tomane and Drew Mitchell are better than him.
To play at the Kangaroos backline he should compete against Semi Radradra. I like Rob but that's an impossible challenge for him.
Clearly Hayne is a better footballer. His athletic ability is outstanding.
Horne was in our best two wingers last year. He would have probably played ahead of Mitchell if he hadn't got injured against England.
Tomane's form is better this year but certainly wasn't last year.
Speight's form was clearly inferior last year and he has been injured for most of this year.
Horne was in our best two wingers last year. He would have probably played ahead of Mitchell if he hadn't got injured against England.
Tomane's form is better this year but certainly wasn't last year.
Speight's form was clearly inferior last year and he has been injured for most of this year.
Marcelo
Ken Catchpole (46)
He's an option, of course but many users have complained about the lack of pace at the winger. I'm not blaming Rob, the truth is that the ARU is willing to put money to bring to Marika Koroibete. A League player who has played in the same league at the same time than Jarryd Hayne, and has been less than Hayne.
Antony
Alex Ross (28)
I accept everything you said about Hayne being able to make an easy transition given enough time, but I just don't buy the myth of the abundant league superstar. Hayne is a freak, and lots of other league players are very very good, but heaps of guys who play at Origin level are nothing special (see again, Will Chambers).
If you have had a good career in the Wallabies (a category in which Horne is on the lower end), and you play in a comparable position (i.e. outside of the tight five) you would be very likely to be able to transition to Origin-level league. Equally, if you have had a good career at Origin-level, you would be very likely to be able to transition to international rugby.
If you have had a good career in the Wallabies (a category in which Horne is on the lower end), and you play in a comparable position (i.e. outside of the tight five) you would be very likely to be able to transition to Origin-level league. Equally, if you have had a good career at Origin-level, you would be very likely to be able to transition to international rugby.
Strewthcobber
Mark Ella (57)
Let's put some context to this though, the Fiji coach didn't get paid for much of the last year because they literally didn't have the money.
If they have to drop their 12th best player to ensure the continued financial viability of the sport in their country, and include instead someone with the potential of Hayne, could you blame them?
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
No not at all but I feel sorry foe the poor bugger who goes back to Fiji who may have played a number of years for Fiji and who assisted in getting them to Rio.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Didn't go that well for big Sam Burgess and he wasn't able to make the transition (at that level)
- Status