At my signal, unleash hell!

Mar 8

Posted by Noddy
14 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 16

Video: G&GR Super 14 Round 1 Review

Posted by Noddy
39 Comments

Every week during the Super 14 season G&GR will take a look at the key plays and players of the week just had. We can be a myopic lot here at G&GR sometimes, so no point stopping now.

Let’s make it clear. Our focus is the Wallabies, so these reviews will focus on the Aussie teams and Aussie teams only. Not that we won’t cover the kiwi and saffa teams in our posts, but in this particular weekly wrap up it will be all about the Aussies. So let’s get to it. Read more »

Feb 12

Reds v Tahs: ‘impartial’ head to head analysis

Posted by Noddy
26 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

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 »

Dec 30

G&GR Wallaby of the Decade

Posted by Noddy
24 Comments

Despite a decade in which we probably didn’t win as many trophies as we would have liked, and have probably had our longest period of disappointment since, ummmm, the 70s, we’ve had some great players feature for the Wallabies in the noughties. The likes of John Eales, Jason Little, Dan Herbert, Matthew Burke, Richard Harry, David Wilson and Tim Horan will go down as legends of our game. However, who can lay claim to being the Wallaby of the Decade?

For mine, Eales and Horan are the best players to have played featured in the green and gold since 2000 until now. However I wouldn’t consider either for this acclaim, due solely to their lack of games. Horan unfortunately featured in less than one game, whereas Eales played for a season and a half. So in discussing the Player of the Decade there are a number of areas that need to be considered. Durability/longevity, international acclaim, consistency of performance, importance to the Wallabies and probably much much more. So let’s get to it, we here at G&GR have come up with a short list of five players we think are the stand outs, and the rest is up to you.

Dec 29

G&GR Wallaby Team of the Decade

Posted by Noddy
22 Comments

What a legend!

Well, the people have spoken. The votes are in and we have our official Green & Gold Rugby Wallaby Team of the Decade!

As many people suggested throughout the series, many of the positions were fairly cut and dried. Scrum Half and Fly Half, for example. There were some tough decisions, however, such as balancing the player’s overall career compared to what he put on there this decade.

This was probably most relevant in the fullback position in which many people were split beteen Matthew Burke and Chris Latham. A special mention to Timmy Horan too who still managed to get 20 odd votes, despite playing less than one whole game of footy this decade. What a player!

But we didn’t get it always right. Most notably at inside centre where we opted for Flats, Grey and Jason Little. The voters, however, were more keen on Matt Giteau and we here at G&GR have listened – he’s in the team. That’s how we roll! So, without any further delay, we have our Team of the Decade:

Dec 23

G&GR Wallaby Tries of the Decade #5

Posted by Noddy
5 Comments

Try Time!!!!

Coming up with a list of the top tries of the decade was a tough one. What makes one try stand out from another? Is it individual brilliance we are gauging it on, or is it whole of team involvement? Rehearsed tries from a set piece or instinctive brilliance? Does a try against the All Blacks or in a final count for more than one against a touring nations’ third XV?

Well frankly, for this list there is no hard and fast answer. There is definitely a case of tries in big matches being a big factor. Players standing up to the occasion so to speak. There’s a couple of match winners, that’s for sure. Set piece majesty? Hmmm …there is a couple, as it is something I love to see. All those hours on the training paddock paying off on the actual field. But it doesn’t take from my love of that piece of individual brilliance, brought upon by natural instinctiveness and awareness of the opportunity.

And so to the list which includes, thanks to some of the champions at G&GR, video footage of each try. And awaaaaayyy, we go: Read more »

Dec 18

Wallaby Loose Head Prop of the Decade

Posted by Noddy
17 Comments

"I Dunno"

We finally reach the last position in the team, if only because of its numerical allocation. For mine, this will be one of the most interesting ‘battles’ of the series. Now I expect most people to jump on the current incumbent (tautology?), but I think that is unfair on the other options proposed.

Because, in the end, we’ve come up with three fairly decent candidates who were all highly regarded during their playing days. And actually there is some half decent talent amongst the none loose head props we’ve picked this decade. Promising too that four of them are still playing and young enough to be playing for a few more years yet. The Loose Head Props from 2000-2009 have been:

Bill Young (46), Benn Robinson (28), Matt Dunning (14), Nick Stiles (12), Greg Holmes (10), Richard Harry (7), Al Baxter (3), Ben Alexander (2), Pek Cowan (1).

We here at G&GR have come up with the following three has our top performers for the decade:

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 8

Wallaby Outside Centre of the Decade

Posted by Noddy
11 Comments

Great 13 on an ok 13?

Are we getting the hang of these now? Good, let’s keep them coming. From the period 2000-2009, eleven different men have worn the Wallaby Number Thirteen jersey in a test match. They are:

Stirling Mortlock (52); Daniel Herbert (20); Matt Burke (11); Ryan Cross (9); Lote Tuqiri (8); Morgan Turinui (6); Adam Ashley-Cooper (6); Mat Rogers (4); Digby Ioane (3); Graeme Bond (2); Clyde Rathbone (2).

As we return to a specialist position, its back to picking the top three candidates for our Wallaby Team of the Decade. 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):

Dec 5

Wallaby Fullback of the Decade

Posted by Noddy
33 Comments

From the period 2000-2009, ten different men (perhaps nine men and a boy) have worn the Wallaby Number Fifteen jersey in a test match.

They are:

Chris Latham (57 starts at fullback); Adam Ashley-Cooper (17); Matt Burke (14); Matt Rogers (9); James O’Connor (7); Drew Mitchell (6); Julian Huxley (6); Joe Roff (4); Cameron Shepherd (2); Stirling Mortlock (1)

Now our task at G&GR was to come up with the three leading candidates for the Wallaby Team of the Decade. How do we do this? Well we did it as simply by looking at their performances in this position and how dominant it was. So now, our top three fullbacks of the decade:

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.

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 14

The Wallaby Tour: Rookie Watch

Posted by Noddy
51 Comments

The much vaunted 25th anniversary of the Grand Slam tour gets under way with a ‘meaningless’ fourth test against the All Blacks in Tokyo. Add to this a couple of scrounged together midweek games for the dirt trackers and the tour gives us seven games, five of which are test matches.

Does this justify a 35 member playing squad? I dread to think how many support personnel are traveling as well. The original grand slam squad of 1984 numbered 32 with a few injury additions, but they had to play 18 games, including the tour ending Barbarians encounter.

With the addition of the two mid-week games, against Gloucester and another to be confirmed you can be assured that every player (injury permitting) will get a run. So let’s take a look at the seven uncapped players in the squad and do some guess work on what their immediate and short term Wallaby prospects hold.

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