Recent content by Hawko

Gordon and Vailanu back but we are still vulnerable at THP and the lineout. At that hole of a ground and given that we broke our duck this year against our bogey team, I don't have high expectations. Still, happy to have Angus on the whistle rather than a Kiwi.

Just five days between games, both of which were grand finals. It could have been scheduled Saturday or Sunday. Probably because there were no Easter airline seats left. Piss poor organising IMO, the screams if this was a men's game would have been deafening.

Its already clear that Super Rugby has told the refs NOT to protect players from head injury. In the Reds/Brumbies game Noah Lolesio coat hangered the halfback only to hear "its only a penalty, he hit his shoulder first". Because of the shape of the shoulder, almost every swinging arm that hits...

Seems like a pretty piss-poor reason, but its the NRL, I would not expect anything else. "How could you miss a game of rugby league, the world's greatest game, just to be an ambassador at a Rugby World Cup?"

Piloted a Hurricane, I think. The development stream for good NZ refs seems to have lost a wheel or two. Maybe we should start a thread on whether Doleman is worse than O'Keefe and whether Murphy (Aussie) is worse than both. (Only Kidding)

Why is Dobbins starting? Heaven has only had about three games and now he's resting on the bench? He's been top tier in every game he's played so far. Maybe its the Ewen McKenzie trick - swap them after 20 and then bring him back on if Heaven's injured. Who would want to be a hooker in the...

But Christie is starting and Nock is on the bench. So, this is not, IMO, the strongest possible line-up.

The Waratahs should have switched Bell and Kailea. Kailea has looked strong and Bell has had a massive workload. On the other side, Botha has been pushed around badly two weeks in a row. Maybe the others are injured, bit as soon as Tupou goes off I have my heart in my mouth every time a scrum is...

Wilson has shown glimpses of his potential in the past but last night he was one of the Tahs best. All night, not just occasional times. He could be very hard to drop if his form continues.

I'll see you one Damian Murphy and raise you one Ben O'Keefe

The Brumbies scrum folded on the first two scrums in the game and BOK said play on. That's one of his standard plays. Scrum penalties only called when the ball does not come out.

Nice to know you are expecting to lose! But before you go committing self harm have a rewatch of the Tahs second half. I don't think they won more than one of their own lineouts, their kicking for touch never made more than 20 metres (except for the one they didn't kick over the sideline), some...

If the Highlanders and the Chiefs win, and they would both be favourites, then it's a long way back for two of the best teams in 2023.

Last night it was Creighton getting 20m, Except on one occasion when he got good distance but it didn't go out. Its an Australian Rugby characteristic.

Its round four and I think we can confirm that the Brumbies are still the best Australian team by a good margin with the Reds next best.