Video: G&GR Super 14 Round 6 Review

Mar 22

Posted by Noddy
5 Comments

Oh come on. Do I have to? REALLY? Sharpie wasn’t the only one swearing in frustration after that round. The Waratahs can count themselves lucky that they were playing the bottom ranked team, otherwise they could have joined the ranks of the Force and Brumbies in a winless round.

As it was the Tahs got up and now sit somewhat uncomfortably in the top four. And if you listen to Camp Tah, every thing is fine. Other than a little show of emotion from Berrick Barnes, one gets the feeling that Chris Hickey is a little like Kevin Bacon’s, Chip Diller, character at the end of Animal House. “Remain calm: all is well”.

Ok, there. I got that in. Another random movie reference and at least SOME YouTube joy for this article this week. But let’s move on and try to find 15 decent players to put in a team of the week. Read more »

Mar 8

At my signal, unleash hell!

Posted by Noddy
15 Comments

So were the inspirational words spoken by Russel Crowe as Maximus, one of cinema’s greatest ‘Rebels’, in the Oscar winning moving “Gladiator”. Rod McQueen could hardly be confused for Crowe, nor a Gladiator, and it would be unfair to suggest that he had ever planned to ‘unleash hell’ on anything. However, in one week’s time, on Monday 15 March 2010, the Melbourne Rebels are free to do just that. For that is the date the ARU have decreed is ‘Go Time’ for Rebels recruitment. And the Australian Rugby world is holding their collective breath as to what goes down.

As it stands English fly half Danny Cipriani is currently the only player to have actually signed with the franchise. But you get the impression that come next Monday there will be a number of signings announced. Read more »

Feb 28

Force v Chiefs Review: Once Were Warriors

Posted by Lance Free
7 Comments

The Force: It's a long way to the top

You’ve got to feel for the Force. Not a lot of depth and without all their best players these Western warriors have…umm…’gone west’.

I think their season is just about over and despite the return of a few Super 14 quality players this week it might have been just that little bit too late.

The real warriors were the Waikato Chiefs and they eventually defeated the Force in a canter, although the latter displayed plenty of heart, they committed too many basic errors to put any real pressure on the Kiwis. Read more »

Feb 25

Born Free (to play wherever).

Posted by Noddy
16 Comments

Whinging already? A future 'tah for sure.

With the Melbourne Rebels now in the player market place, not too long after the WA Force entered, a subset issue is now a subject of hot discussion. Who can lay claim to the player. It is a common cry out of NSWRU and the Sydney club land that they created the majority of all our professional players and now they are being ripped off because of it.

Another parallel discussion of late, particularly up here in Queensland, has been with regards the number of New Zealand born players seemingly making their way in elite rugby over here. It is particularly noticeable, it seems, in schoolboy rugby, but is apparent across the country in the Super 14 as well.

Well it’s time to look at the facts in a little more detail. Read more »

Feb 12

Reds v Tahs: ‘impartial’ head to head analysis

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 11

Tahs preview: vs Reds

Posted by seanny
13 Comments

the new Christian Warner?

Waratahs boss Chris Hickey appears to have the balance of his line-up bang on for the season opener against Link’s men.

His back three can post tries from anywhere on the paddock and have the ability to interchange seamlessly between wing and full back. Expect Sos, Lacky Turner and Balmain Rugby’s most famous signing to switch positions more often than Jenna Jameson in her debut porn flick.

It’s an all acronym affair in the centres with ‘TC’ shifting to 13 to make way for ‘KB’ at inside. This should mean the Men in Blue move the ball a bit more in 2010, maybe winning ugly didn’t sound like so much fun anymore?

Burgess has held off a strong challenge by Josh Holmes Read more »

Feb 8

Oz Super 14 coaches: a force multiplier?

Posted by Lance Free
3 Comments

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 »

Dec 24

G&GR Wallaby Tries of the Decade #4

Posted by Noddy
10 Comments

Ahhh memories.

I am a bit of a believer in the Recency Factor when it comes to many things, but particularly when it comes to sporting memories. The Recency Factor is basically that you (or is it just I?) tend to overlook events or players that have happened more recently than others. So players that are long retired are remembered more favourably than current players. Maybe it is because that we tend to forget the retired player’s bad games, and the current player is under constant watch.

Which brings us to our next try in the list. I will cop to the fact that I had Andrew Walker’s try against the British Lions at the Gabba at number 4 in the list. Read more »

Dec 9

Wallaby Inside Centre of the Decade

Posted by Noddy
25 Comments

Timana - NOT the next Timmy!

In trying to find the ‘next Tim Horan’, seventeen different men have worn the Wallaby Number Twelve jersey in a test match from 2000-2009. They are:

Matt Giteau (29),Berrick Barnes (14),Nathan Grey (11), Elton Flatley (11), Stirling Mortlock (9),Daniel Herbert (9), Morgan Turinui (9), ), Adam Ashley-Cooper (5), Quade Cooper (5), Jason Little (4), Steve Kefu (4), Matt Rogers (4) Rod Kafer (2), Steve Larkham (2), Scott Staniforth (2), Timana Tahu (2), Tim Horan (1).

We lounge room experts from G&GR fought long and hard about this one, with a number of names considered. In the end, I am the one who ended up writing this piece, so I get final say. So, the top three inside centres of the decade are:

Dec 4

The winner: G&GR Wallaby Player of the Year

Posted by Noddy
13 Comments

Smith: overcome with emotion

What a tremendous end to the season, both for the Wallabies and for this competition. Those who have been following the points tally may well be aware that the competition came down to the very last test against Wales.

As a reminder, after every test of the season Green and Gold Rugby readers at the forum assigned 3-2-1 points to their top three Wallaby performers per game. These points were then tallied each game with an ultimate top three players, a Man of the Match and two runners up, being decided. This award is the accumulation of those points.

All in all there were fifteen different players who polled points, and we had three different players taking home the series awards. George Smith won the Domestic Test Series award, Benn Robinson claimed the Tri-Nations award whilst David Pocock snagged the Spring Tour award in a count back from Wycliff Palu. But in the end it was the most experienced man in the Wallaby camp, George Smith who took out the ultimate award.

Hear his acceptance speech when Gagger presented him with this prestigious and highly coveted award:

In a tight finish Smith held off loose head prop Benn Robinson Read more »

Nov 30

The G&GR Wallaby Player of the Year – Domestic Rugby Series

Posted by Noddy
3 Comments

The Wallabies started their 2009 test campaign against Italy in Canberra all the way back in June. Fourteen tests and about six months later the Wallabies won less than 50% of their games. As a whole the season was… disappointing. Bordering on disastrous. The continued failing in the Tri-Nations is a significant cause for concern. Our inability to back up good wins, such as against the Springboks in Brisbane, with another good performance is also worrying. The loss to Scotland, when you look at the rankings at least, was just unacceptable.

On the plus side, gees we looked good against the Boks in Brisbane. And the Welsh win was a cracker. And what about our young guns? Will Genia, David Pocock, Quade Cooper, Lachlan Turner, James O’Connor and Ben Alexander all proved their abilities at certain times this year.

Overall though, which player would come out on top? Who would win the coveted Green & Gold Rugby Wallaby Player of the Year award? Well stay tuned over the next few days and all will be revealed.

Nov 3

Live Score: Gloucester vs Wallabies

Posted by Gagger
7 Comments

Final Score: Gloucester 5 – Wallabies 36

click below for Gagger’s full and exclusive coverage of this game.
Read more »

Oct 11

Where does Giteau go?

Posted by Gagger
33 Comments

"well what about Assistant Vice Captain?"

It’s taken two domestic seasons to do it, but through the unveiling of the squad to go to Europe this spring, together with a revolutionary new leadership team of Rocky Elsom and Berrick “sookface” Barnes, Robbie Deans has well and truly put his stamp on the Wallabies. However, if silly season press stories are to be believed, this has more than ruffled a few feathers in the Wallabies.

According to stories in the Australian and the Herald, Antipodeans didn’t exactly smooth the waters before announcing the new Captain and Vice-Captain: even long-term incumbent Stirling Mortlock found out along with the rest of the team. Together with his Japanese talks a few weeks back, it would seem to be sayonara Stirling at the end of this tour.

But if there’s one senior player from whom most alleged disgruntled noises have been coming from, it’s Matt Giteau. Read more »

Oct 9

McKenzie Links with Reds

Posted by Juan Cote
8 Comments

Link in the pink

Finally some positive news out of Ballymore as Ewen McKenzie was today announced as Head Coach of the Reds for the next three seasons.

After a year that started badly for the Reds, then got steadily worse, Queensland rugby followers at last have something to smile about.

New QRU Chairman Rod McCall, and his advisory group of Dan Crowley, Tim Horan and Brett Robinson, have passed their first test in attracting a coach of the calibre of McKenzie to Ballymore and seem to have given him a mandate for change. Read more »

Oct 9

Rocky’s sterling effort

Posted by Lance Free
26 Comments

The Rock, The Man

Rocky Elsom has been named Wallaby captain for the upcoming Northern Hemisphere tour beginning later this month.

He has taken over from Stirling Mortlock who was also named in the side. Berrick Barnes is the Vice- Captain. This will no doubt increase speculation that Mortlock’s Wallaby career may be coming to a close on top of his recent visit to Japan to check-out future options.

Seven uncapped players have been included in the Wallabies squad announced today. The tour will incorporate Australia’s first attempt at a Grand Slam of the UK and Ireland in 25 years. The new caps are Kurtley Beale (NSW), Rob Horne (NSW), Dave Dennis Read more »

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