OTD: Stuart Lancaster lands prestigious coaching role

Werner 42 minutes ago

Why 50 why not 5000? I mean the OS clubs are just going to decimate the pipeline in NZ and go all open season right?

Do you really think that highly of being NZ born that all OS clubs will just gamble on player contracts and players to perform without seeing they talents being tested? Realistically OS would not be taking players from NPC or SR but those who are already ok in ABs 23

'Welsh regional rugby has failed conclusively and there is no way back'

AD 57 minutes ago

Hmm

On face value it's 3, but not if you look at ACT rugby stats.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union_in_Australia

The 23/24 stats are incomplete, but for 21/2 it was:

Below is the breakdown of registered players in Australia by region:

NSW – 58,940

Qld – 44,266

WA – 12,253

Vic – 12,135

SA – 3,793

ACT – 3,120

NT – 2,966

Tas – 1,598

Hard to justify ACT on any count....except performance 😁

120 Go to comments

NHinSH 2 hours ago

Ex-All Black great says 'sabbaticals' headed for scrapheap after lacklustre results

The comparison to Australia is a terrible one since they have always struggled, conveniently not compared to SA who make it works extremely well and a closer match to NZ with their love of rugby.

1 Go to comments

OJohn 2 hours ago

Why the Wallabies' Murrayfield munching offered a worrying glimpse of the Lions showdown

What do you think is up ?

Why the Wallabies' Murrayfield munching offered a worrying glimpse of the Lions showdown

OJohn 2 hours ago

That's what Fisher said publicly before Schmidt came calling. That he was retiring. He's 66.

Why the Wallabies' Murrayfield munching offered a worrying glimpse of the Lions showdown

OJohn 2 hours ago

He's a breakdown specialist, not a defence coach.

Why the Wallabies' Murrayfield munching offered a worrying glimpse of the Lions showdown

Ardy 2 hours ago

I note you do not defend Fisher's defence structure? As it is indefencible, as an Aussie coach I gathered from your posts he would be a world beater.

Why the Wallabies' Murrayfield munching offered a worrying glimpse of the Lions showdown

Ardy 2 hours ago

Are you sure that is correct as I read something different? If it is just media reports you can use them in a loo near you.

Why the Wallabies' Murrayfield munching offered a worrying glimpse of the Lions showdown

OJohn 2 hours ago

Fisher had retired but only came out of retirement from Schmidt's request. It's not exactly helping develop Australian coaches. Fisher is just picking up a superannuation boost.

If Schmidt knows our defence is crap, after 12 games in charge why hasn't he done something about it ?

Werner 2 hours ago

2 of the top 5.

What are you on about youngsters overseas? That's my whole point. the current SA players who played overseas made way for the youngsters that are now in the URC. Libbok, LMZ, Moodie, Henekom, Louw etc. those guys would still be fighting for spots on the bench. Let the players go overseas and it gives the youngsters a chance locally

18 debutants but Australia's core looking ‘more settled than ever’

MA 2 hours ago

Who would have thought a broken record could keep making the same whining grating sound?

Is it a blunt needle?🙃🤔🤫

9 Go to comments

Werner 2 hours ago

2 of the top 5. England's 5 game losing streak has them outside of the top 5.... Over taken by the Argentines. And while FFR encourages it France does not actually have a policy in place to exclude eligibility of foreign based players.

Why the Wallabies' Murrayfield munching offered a worrying glimpse of the Lions showdown

Ardy 2 hours ago

I wonder what the conversations were. If it was like Rennie, it was 'we'll give you the job but you must use these Aussie assistants'.

This is where your theory (ideology?) comes apart. Blind Freddie can tell our D is crap and Schmidt would know it but Lord Laurie is an institution in Aus Rugby.

Why Antoine Dupont was a worthy winner of Sevens Player of the Year

Head high tackle 2 hours ago

No he didnt. He was "Gifted" the player of the year when he should have been given player of a couple of tournaments. Ive never seen a casual part timer being given employer of the year and this is just as dumb.

Why Antoine Dupont was a worthy winner of Sevens Player of the Year

Head high tackle 2 hours ago

Yet its pathetic. I saw plenty of 7s players who played all season who were great.

YeowNotEven 2 hours ago

As it is now, players coming through are competing for franchise spots with ABs.

So they have to work their pants off.

They are mentored by All Blacks, they see how to prepare and work and what it means and blah blah blah.

To get a SR start you have to be of a certain quality.

With the top talent overseas, players coming in don’t need to work as hard so they don’t get as good.

That’s Australias problem; not enough competition for spots driving the quality up. The incumbents at the reds or brumbies aren’t on edge because no one is coming for their jersey.

Without All Blacks to lead the off field stuff, our players will not get as good.

South Africa is an example of that. As more and more springboks went overseas, the Super rugby sides got worse and worse to the point where they were hardly competitive.

The lions got a free pass to the finals with the conference system,

but largely the bulls and stormers and sharks were just nothing like they were and not a serious challenge to any New Zealand side most of the time.

We got scrum practice, but interest in those games plummeted. I’m not paying $30 to go watch the bulls get wasted by a Blues B team.

If NZ was to let players go offshore and still get picked, the crowds would disappear even more for SR, the interest would dissipate, and people would go watch league or basketball or whatever and get their kids into those sports too.

New Zealand rugby just cannot function without a strong domestic comp.

The conveyer belt stops when kids don’t want to go to rugby games because their stars aren’t playing and therefore aren’t inspired to play the game themselves.

We won’t keep everyone, no matter what we do. But we can keep as many as possible.

We don’t have tens of millions of people, or billionaire owned teams, or another ready made competition to put our teams into.

We have the black jersey. And it’s what keeps rugby going.

Why Antoine Dupont was a worthy winner of Sevens Player of the Year

Head high tackle 2 hours ago

So the number of minutes is what measures merit?

Of course it matters. What if a guy runs on and scores an absolutely brilliant try off his only touch, then gets injured and is off. Is that enough? How many games is enough? The title says player of the year. Not player of the NH years. Game time matters big time. Part times should never win.

Why Antoine Dupont was a worthy winner of Sevens Player of the Year

Head high tackle 2 hours ago

How can we appreciate some one who we never see? He refuses to tour the SH.

Why Antoine Dupont was a worthy winner of Sevens Player of the Year

Head high tackle 2 hours ago

Many supporters particularly from SA and NZ (not all) are not real rugby supporters but attach the success of their team to their own personal ego.

Haha... DuPont plays part time rugby. He may be good but he is not as good as all the hype. He won a player of the year award from 7 tests and he won the 7s player of the year from 4 tournaments. Being good for a few matches does not mean you should win player of the year stuff. Its player of the year not player of a couple of games. The southern hemisphere has zero proof Dupont is even a rugby player. They never see him.