Force v Hurricanes: Outmanned & Outgunned

Feb 18

Posted by Lance Free
13 Comments

Sam Harris - challenging assignment

This says it all: unavailable for selection are Andre Pretorius (hamstring, season), David Pocock (finger, 6 weeks), Richard Brown (shoulder, 6 weeks), Cameron Shepherd (thigh, 6 weeks), Nick Cummins (foot, 3-4 weeks), Mark Bartholomeusz (neck, 1-2 weeks), Ryan Cross (shoulder).

That’s taken so much experience and talent out of this side that the Force will be huge underdogs at the Cake Tin. It’ll be like the gunfight at the O.K. Corral with the Force the Clantons and the Hurricanes Wyatt Earp.

In fact, the side named today for Saturday’s match is one of the most inexperienced you’d ever see at this level, packed full of near schoolboys like Luke Jones and Stefano Hunt. Read more »

Feb 11

Brumbies: the Real Force.

Posted by Brumby Jack
6 Comments

Be my Valentine.

The ‘Super Star’ CA Brumbies take on the Western Force on Friday night at the new home ground of the Force, ME Bank Stadium, in what is shaping as an blockbuster match to start their respective 2010 Super 14 seasons. The return of Matt Giteau and Josh Valentine to their former stomping ground has lost some of the excitement due to Giteau’s quadricep injury, which will more than likely rule him out.

The Brumbies off season recruits have been well documented and most experts are tipping them to come close in winning the Super 14 in 2010, which would mean finals action for the first time since the Brumbies won the title in 2004. However, injuries to star recruits Rocky Elsom, Matt Giteau and a hand injury suffered by Ben Alexander have limited the teams time together on the training paddock, so instant success may not occur as easily as most expect. Read more »

Jan 6

Force Have Real Firepower in 2010

Posted by Lance Free
18 Comments

Falstaff or Mercutio?

If ever there was a time for the Western Force to fulfill their real potential it’s now.

They’ve essentially been a journeyman outfit since entering the Super 14 competition in 2006.

I don’t mean that in a negative way because they’ve achieved more in the last four years than many of the more established Super 14 sides in particular the Reds, Lions and Highlanders.

What I mean is that they’ve been the ‘blue collar’ team of Australian rugby. The fibros to the Brumbies silvertails? Perhaps self-fulfilling an expectation about Western Australia? Read more »

Dec 6

Wallaby Winger of the Decade

Posted by Noddy
23 Comments

Shmoo?

From the period 2000-2009, eighteen different men have worn either the Wallaby Number Eleven or Fourteen jerseys in a test match. Interestingly eight of these were also on the fullback list (Julian Huxley and James O’Connor being the only two fullbacks NOT to start a test on the wing).

So, our noughty wingers were:

Lote Tuqiri (51 starts on the wing); Wendell Sailor (29); Joe Roff (28); Drew Mitchell (20); Mark Gerrard (17); Clyde Rathbone (16); Peter Hynes (15); Stirling Mortlock (14); Lachlan Turner (11); Ben Tune (6); Andrew Walker (5); Chris Latham (5); Digby Ione (4); Adam Ashley-Cooper (4); Matt Burke (3); Matt Rogers (3); Cameron Shepherd (3); Scott Staniforth (2).

Whereas previously we normally pick a top three for each position, we are not differentiating between right or left wing, so we are going to pick the top six wingers of the decade. Again this is based on their performance at test level, this decade, in the wing position.

And our top wingers (in no particular order, well in the particular order of the alphabet in fact):

Oct 27

Wallaby team for Tokyo Bledisloe named

Posted by Noddy
38 Comments

"The bench you say? Hmmmmm"

Five changes to the Wallaby starting team, four to the backline, is the notable news in today’s team announcement.

But its the ommission of George Smith, picked on the bench, that will cause most dicussion.

Is it a dropping? Is it a resting? Rotation? Reward? A sign of things to come? Robbie only knows.

The backrow of Palu, Elsom and Pocock does seem better balanced, but will need to up its work rate, along with the rest of the pack, to compete with an All Black team that blew them off the part at their last meeting. Read more »

Oct 24

Video footage from the Wallaby “trial”

Posted by Gagger
2 Comments

If you for some reason didn’t manage to get to Riverview a coupla weeks back, here’s some footage from the ARU, mixed in with a few interviews. Be sure to get your Dingo Bingo cards ready.

There’s a second video from the session below 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

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 »

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 28

Rookies aplenty in Wallaby Training Squad

Posted by Noddy
30 Comments

Robbie Deans, and his selectors, have named a number of new faces in the 43 man Wallaby training squad in preparation for the Grand Slam tour later this year. Perhaps the most notable rookie is scrumhalf Richard Kingi of the Queensland Reds who only last week signed an Academy contract with the QRU.

Kingi: LOVES his footy.

Other un-capped players are Kurtley Beale (flyhalf, Waratahs), Nick Cummins (wing, Force); Rob Horne (Centre, Waratahs); Mitchell Chapman (backrow/lock, Brumbies); Ben McCalman (backrow/lock; unsigned); Dave Dennis (lock/backrow, Waratahs); Salesi Ma’afu (prop, Brumbies) and Damien Fitzpatrick (hooker, Waratahs).

The uncapped players are joined by returning Wallabies back in favour Digby Ione (outside back, Reds); Josh Valentine (scrumhalf, Brumbies); Stephen Hoiles (No 8, Brumbies); Matt Dunning (prop, Force); Sekope Kepu (prop, Waratahs).

Sep 24

Behind the scenes of the “Secret Summit”

Posted by Noddy
6 Comments

Robbie Deans: Hi lads, thanks so much for coming on such short notice.

Chris Hickey: No problems Robbie.

Andy Friend: The Brumbies are glad to have the opportunity.

John Mitchell: Yes, Robbie, just like old times hey? But seriously, I just want to say what an honour it is for me, I mean for all of us, to be here today. It’s a wonderful example of your inclusivity when it comes to Australian Rugby and I think we are all just so lucky to have you here at our disposal.

Deans - Mitchell - Friend - Hickey - (unknown)

AF: Woah. You kiss anymore arse there Mitch and we’ll have to Read more »

Sep 21

At least we won the Netball

Posted by Lance Free
7 Comments

Sharelle McMahon secures lineout possession

Diamonds by name, Diamonds by nature. What a credit to Australia our netball chicks are. When the going got tough in the far reaches of Outer Invercargill yesterday the Diamonds got going in a tense series decider.

Each time the Silver Ferns came back into the game and threatened to overtake Australia they stepped up the pressure and returned with a counter. It ended 47-46 and won them the series 3-1, with a dead rubber to play. It’s a pity the Wallabies aren’t made from the same stuff.

The Wallabies were wearing the same green and gold uniform as the Diamonds, except the gold could best be described as yellow as they meekly surrended to an All Black side that had recently been called the weakest in years. Read more »

Sep 8

Audio: Robbie & George after Brisbane

Posted by Juan Cote
3 Comments

Here’s an edited recording of the press conference after last Saturday’s game. A couple of minutes in there’s what sounds like either a thermonuclear detonation, or Grumbles letting rip. The questions are also pretty quiet because my arms aren’t 10m long. Let me know how you get on with the Dingo Bingo

Sep 4

Skinstad says Saffers, by Skinny margin

Posted by Juan Cote
12 Comments

It is not surprising that Bob Skinstad would be backing his broers, what was surprising however were some of the insights he gave as to why he thinks the Wallabies might be struggling. Over the years it seems that Bob has never been short of an opinion, but it is a considered opinion that is based on reasoned thought.

Speaking exclusively to G&GR Bob gave his views on the contentious Pocock v Waugh debate, the Wallaby scrum, Robbie Deans’ future, what the Wallabies must do to be successful and the outcome of Saturday’s test between the Wallabies and Springboks. Read more »

Sep 3

My 50th – Robbie Deans

Posted by Juan Cote
8 Comments

er.....thanks fellas

When a man turns 50, it is a time of reflection. It’s the sort of thing that gives an individual pause for thought. What is the higher meaning of life? How can the collective group that is mankind profit from one blokes endeavour? If there are no guarantees and nothing lasts forever – then what’s the fucking point?

I had a strange dream last night. I dreamed I played myself in a game of squash.It was a great game, me testing myself against me in an individual’s ultimate challenge…themselves. Read more »

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