Reds v Tahs: ‘impartial’ head to head analysis

Feb 12

Posted by Noddy
27 Comments

Faster!

Messers Hickey and McKenzie have done their part, the teams are named. Now it is time for the real analysis. So let’s have a look through the teams, on a head-to-head basis and see who will come out on top on Saturday night.

Fullback: Sosene Anesi v Peter Hynes - Let’s face it. Anesi is an All Black cast off. And a one match All Black cast off at that. Injury prone, to put it mildly, the fact he has now played three games in a row means he WILL BE injured this game. It’s just a matter of what stage of the match. Tah fans should be hoping it happens earlier rather than later. Hynes just oozes class and has taken to fullback play like a duck to water, which was never in doubt considering his immense skills. A real danger player for the Tahs.

Wing: Lachie Turner v Digby Ioane - Ioane is now acclaimed as one of the most dangerous back line players in the world and had a remarkable 2009 Super season. Lachie Turner is still getting by because he once scored a decent try against the Crusaders. Hasn’t done a thing since. Read more »

Feb 5

George Smith says so long to the Wallabies

Posted by Noddy
31 Comments

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 »

Jan 21

Trials: Trick or Treat?

Posted by Lance Free
10 Comments

Coming soon, watch this space

It only seems like yesterday that we were wiping the sleep from our eyes, cranking up the laptops and watching the G&GR live blog from Kingsholme as the Dirties took on Glos?

And isn’t it still summer? Didn’t Punter and the boys clean up the Pakis earlier this week?

Well bugger me, its footy time again! A special version of footy that is, Trial time.

You know, Trials are a very interesting animal. They’re usually boring as batshit; as organised as an ARU board meeting and are full of people you’ve never heard of and are unlikely to hear of again. Read more »

Jan 3

2010 resolution: beat the Saffa gameplan

Posted by Gagger
61 Comments

How do you wipe those smiles?

It’s undeniable, 2009 was the year of the Saffas; Super 14, Tri-Nations and the Lions. What’s also undeniable was the extreme game-plan that the Springboks employed along the way; a game-plan that exploited a unique set of new IRB laws through their talents – both established and emerging. What has this meant for rugby, and more importantly, how do you beat it in 2010?

When watching the Springboks this year you had a good impression at how differently they were playing the game, but it’s only when you look at the resultant stats reports from the IRB that you realise just how stark and extreme their strategies were. Read more »

Dec 17

Video & Stats: Wallaby scrum vs the world

Posted by Gagger
19 Comments

As you can see in our 2009 highlights package, we’re pretty frikken proud of our Wallaby scrum. Minus a few dodgy ref calls earlier in the season, they’ve taken apart nigh on all-comers, blooding a brand new tight head prop along the way. But how can we quantify how well they’re doing? Below are some pretty fascinating stats, within which lie a few tales.

The stats come from Gary Gold’s blog Rugby IQ. Gary’s the Springbok Assistant Coach and ex forwards coach of the Stormers. He writes an excellent post, backed up with stats and reasoning that really gives you an insight into how these guys are viewing the game. Even if I don’t agree with that vision. Read more »

Dec 12

Wallaby Number 8 of the Decade

Posted by Noddy
17 Comments

Match winner!

Finally! On to the REAL men. The pigs. The pack. The piano movers. The forwards! Starting at the back of the scrum we consider the top Number 8 of the decade, and I reckon it is a bit of a battle. There are, realistically, three stand out candidates and each have had moments of superb form. But each have also fallen off the pace and not been as consistent as we would have liked.

But to the list, in the 123 tests since 2000 to 2009 we have had the following ten players wear the Wallaby Number 8 jersey: Read more »

Oct 9

bro’Town defeat Australian Schoolboys

Posted by Lance Free
14 Comments

Liam Gill

The Australian Schoolboys team were given a lesson in composure by NZ Secondary Schools at Ballymore tonight after a disappointing loss, despite leading 12-6 at halftime.

bro’Town decided to ‘tap yo’ Australian Schoolboy’s ass’ in the second half scoring three consecutive tries including one with only 14 men on the park, as a result of a yellow card.

The final scoreline was a close 28-24, but it was in fact a resounding defeat. It was only a couple of late tries by the Schoolboys that put some respectability on the board. That’s not to say that at times Australia looked more than competitive. Read more »

Oct 7

Melbourne Rebels Super 15: Recruitment

Posted by Lance Free
57 Comments

Brent Cockbain Melbourne's John Wellborn?

The good news for the proposed Melbourne Rebels Super 15 franchise is that the two main parties, VicSuper15 and the VRU Rebels, have formed a partnership and the third is now sniffing around looking for an opportunity to participate.

This is now happening under the auspices of the ARU’s co-opted financial guru, John Wylie. That might mean we now have a viable option or indeed, a going concern.

Once it comes to pass and we’re potentially handed the baton by SANZAR, they’ll be establishing the structure that will deliver the stuff that we’re really interested in like who’ll be the coach; which players will they recruit; how competitive will they be; what will they be called and what will their playing strip look like? Read more »

Sep 27

Melbourne Rebels Super 15: Up and Running?

Posted by Lance Free
17 Comments

Rebel with a cause

Update 29 Sept: It has been reported in today’s media that the VRU Rebel’s bid Chairman (and media buying giant) Harold Mitchell has broken bread with VicSuper15 Group’s Ray Evans and Glenn Fowles, with a resultant merged board likely to result from the negotiations and with Mitchell appointed as Chairman.

If this is the case, a strong contender for ultimate control of the franchise would likely eventuate. This ‘merged’ group are reportedly due to meet ARU appointed ‘number cruncher’ John Wylie later this week for discussions.

It is not known whether the third bidder, the Belgravia Group, will have any role in this proposed partnership. This is positive news, especially for key stakeholder the VRU, who are fighting off attempts by the ARU to seemingly cut them out of the action. Read more »

Sep 22

There will be blood: Wednesday’s twist

Posted by Gagger
30 Comments

The SFS - similar to 'any suburban park'

If yesterday was round 1 to the ARU (via Grumbles Growden) then today is Demo and the players’ turn to strike back. However, I’m not sure they’ve helped their cause much at all, potentially the reverse.

At the bottom of this post is the RUPA’s official reply to Grumbles’ expose yesterday. It’s goal appears to be to cast the ‘money-grubbing’ spotlight back onto the ARU, saying that the players only wanted paying if the match was to be a commercial venture. On the face of it that would sound ‘fair enough’ to many.

However, there are some important details in the RUPA statement. Read more »

Sep 21

There will be blood: Wallaby trial scratched

Posted by Gagger
47 Comments

Deathmatch 2009 - malafidies

Heard about the scuppered pre-tour trial match? In short, the ARU and Dingo Deans wanted a Possibles vs Probables trial (under lights at the SFS or North Sydney) to help decide the peggings of who goes on the Grand Slam tour this year.

No doubt it would have also generated more cash and RUPA wanted a slice of it – an extra $2500 for each of the 44 players involved to be precise, on top of what they already earn. The ARU wouldn’t swallow it and when RUPA wouldn’t back down either, the whole idea got canned. (You can read Grumbles Growden’s full exposé here).

At the bottom of this post is a letter from a reader that I think summarises the sentiment of a lot of Wallabies fans on the issue (if our forum is anything to go by). I’ll confess that with what I had to endure last Saturday, it captures many of my emotions on the subject as well.

But first, some juicy and important background. What everyone should realise is that this situation is no doubt the latest round in one of the most bitter bloodfeuds going in Australian rugby; that between John O’Neil and Tony Dempsey, head honchos of the ARU and RUPA respectively. Read more »

Sep 9

Analysis: “And now, repeat”

Posted by Gagger
25 Comments

AAC - enthusiastic

As we all calm down from the weekend, the big questions have become; a) how the hell did we do it, and b) can we do it again?

Looking at both the head to head and series stats for the game (at the bottom of the post), there is only one for me that stands out as being meaningful: the penalty count. In the first three games of the Tri-Nations the Wallabies were hemorrhaging on average 18 points a game in penalty goals. Last Saturday Australia gave away a miserly 7 penalties all game, and only one of them in Morne Steyn’s range.

Sure, 15 points makes a big difference to any score line, but when you have a side like South Africa whose default is the kick chase milking penalties, removing this scoring route chops their legs out from underneath.

But there was another factor Read more »

Sep 5

Live Score: Wallabies vs Boks Brisvegas

Posted by Gagger
1 Comment

FULL TIME: WALLABIES 21 – BOKS 6

Wanging on below Read more »

Aug 8

Live Score: Boks vs Wallabies Newlands

Posted by Moses
2 Comments

Boks vs Wallabies at Newlands

(08/09/2009)