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NRC 2017 Round 4: Fiji Drua vs Perth Spirit - Saturday @3pm AEST

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Rugbynutter39

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
I don't know Fiji are a good side but seriously with the side Perth Spirit put out on paper they could do better than the rubbish they served up in that first half. Just an indictment on Australian rugby where it is at.
 
Rugbynutter39

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Seriously how many times has Perth Spirit player run into touch.

Disappointing as for a big match with big Fiji crowd Perth Spirit have played woeful rugby....
 
TSR

TSR

Mark Ella (57)
Well - that was a shellacking. Fiji very impressive. Lining up to belt the runners. Perth weren't great today, but I really think a big part of that was Fiji smashing them out of the game.
 
Rugbynutter39

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
To me this game highlighted just how many problems we have with professional rugby in this country with not the right foundations to ensure we have players being granted professional contracts who have well developed skills to deserve such contracts.

We played a Fijian side who is to my knowledge 100% full of currently amateur players (some with past professional rugby experience like John Stewart) versus a Perth Spirit side with decent amount of contracted Super Rugby players for the Force.

The performance by the Force Spirit side was amateurish by a side laden with professional players whilst Fijian side performance was more professional with side laden with amateurs.

This just was a damning indictment of where standards are for Australian rugby and indeed how overpaid and fortunate many players in this country are to be given professional contracts who otherwise don't deserve them.

Appalling display of rugby skills today by Force Spirit side and really just not good enough. Some of the fringe Force Super Rugby contracted players did themselves no favours trying to find another professional gig on that performance today.
 
Brumby Runner

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Spirit were let down by the local players not being ready to take on a side like Fiji, who just enjoy running hard and off loading in their attempts to score on every phase. Also, in the second half which is all I saw, Ruru again had a shocker, especially his passing game from left to right - didn't hit a runner at all as far as I saw.
 
Rugbynutter39

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Brache also made as per usual more errors expected for a contracted Super Rugby player. He is one player who is too inconsistent who is doubtful of getting another Super Rugby gig elsewhere.
 
Brumby Runner

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
I would certainly agree with that assessment RN.

On the other hand, both Naisarani and Philip were strong in the parts of the game I saw.
 
Up the Guts

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Perth Spirit were just completely lacklustre. Countless times they just shovelled the ball sideways with no one running onto it. Disappointing to watch, only positive was Naisarani looking good in the second half.
 
Rugbynutter39

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
I seriously wonder whether ALL the Force Spirit players came away embarrassed by that performance and result....as if they don't then to me it just highlights a bigger issue....
 
F

Forcefield

Ken Catchpole (46)
Lots of players in that Spirit side who are young and/or not up to standard. All local comp players on the bench except Prior. Two of our U20s starting. Along with a handful of local/academy starters (Tarawa, Havili, Erasmus, Owen, etc). The Fijians look like a more settled side who did a good job of exploiting our weaknesses and feeding off our errors. Making judgements off one game is a bit premature. I'd bet only four players from our starting side would be picked by other Super sides (Cowan, Naisarani, Philip and one of Ruru or Arnold).
 
Warpath

Warpath

Billy Sheehan (19)
Yesterday it was announced that each of the Australian Super Rugby teams are allowed to pick one Fijian Drua player for the 2018 Super Rugby season. That player will only be eligible for Fiji so no chance of poaching, this bodes well for Fiji Rugby cause we always wanted more of our players playing SuperRugby thus available in the June/July tests as well as November tests.
 
Rugbynutter39

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Warpath said:
Yesterday it was announced that each of the Australian Super Rugby teams are allowed to pick one Fijian Drua player for the 2018 Super Rugby season. That player will only be eligible for Fiji so no chance of poaching, this bodes well for Fiji Rugby cause we always wanted more of our players playing SuperRugby thus available in the June/July tests as well as November tests.
Click to expand...
Not found anything on that announcement can you provide a link


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Warpath

Warpath

Billy Sheehan (19)
It was said during the game by the commentators, link is above, around the 50th minute mark..
 
TSR

TSR

Mark Ella (57)
Good for Fiji rugby and good for the game generally given how much the Pacific islands get pillaged. Not bad for the competitiveness of our super franchises either to help with their depth.

But it's not so great for Australian rugby. We currently have 30 odd uncontracted players looking for contracts. I would prefer priority be given to them. Plus there is the issue with our depth. One of the problems with our depth is that we have key spots where we are weak being filled at super level by guys who will never be eligible for the Wallabies. If teams do take advantage of this I hope there are some controls around what positions they recruit for.
 
Warpath

Warpath

Billy Sheehan (19)
the only good player in the aussie super rugby franchise who was not eligible for them is Amanaki Mafi, was there another? cause i definitely did not see them. Isi will be eligible for them next year and he has maintained that he will play for Australia, not Fiji. I hate it when ppl point out stuff like that without backing it up. Jock Hobbs (former NZRU Chairman) used the same excuse to get rid of Fijians from super rugby and NPC (Mitre10) when the problem, just like it is with Australia rugby is that its usually the football body or the coaches who refuse to pick the right players and then blame the islanders for taking the spots in super rugby which should be given to players eligible for them

those 30 odd non-contracted players are not thinking far enough, they think that the trump-lookalike will create a new competition for them but all he is doing is boosting his own profile. For fiji, we do not need wings (atleast not in 15's rugby) so we give them away to any country that needs them (While stocks last!) there is probably 7 fijians outside backs currently capped by Australia in the last 2 years and yet people here do not want them to take and develop just 4 of our players for us.
 
Shiggins

Shiggins

Steve Williams (59)
Just had a chance to watch the game. Terrible refereeing. Fiji took out ruru while he was waiting at the back of the ruck numerous times and were never penalised. Laying all over the ball. Never releasing the tackled player. In the side. Off side. Is he scared he will be shot or something. Good idea to send the b team all the way to Fiji though. Would of been a hard one to win with the A side.

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