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'They're good men who made poor decisions and we know that'

Australia's Marika Koroibete receives a red card during the Australia v France, 3rd Rugby Test at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia on Saturday 17th July 2021. Mandatory credit: © Jason O'Brien / www.photosport.nz

All is seemingly forgiven with the Wallabies set to welcome back sinning superstar Marika Koroibete for Saturday’s do-or-die Bledisloe Cup clash with the All Blacks in Auckland.

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Dropped alongside forwards Isi Naisarani and Pone Fa’amausili for a late-night drinking session, Koroibete is likely to be rushed straight back into Australia’s starting line-up with trans-Tasman bragging rights for another year on the line.

Andrew Kellaway impressed on his Wallabies run-on debut in last Saturday’s 33-25 defeat.

But with the Wallabies down 1-0 in the series and needing to win the remaining two Tests to avoid the Bledisloe Cup remaining in New Zealand for an 18th consecutive year, coach Dave Rennie is tipped to recall his strike winger at Kellaway’s expense.

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John Kirwan on Wallabies blown chance to break the All Blacks Eden Park winning streak

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John Kirwan on Wallabies blown chance to break the All Blacks Eden Park winning streak

And that’s fine by Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, who said after angering teammates in the squad by breaking curfew the trio had been dealt with and served sufficient punishment.

“Guys like Marika and those other boys, they’ve worked hard over the past week and a bit. As a playing group, (we feel) they’re good men who made poor decisions and we know that,” the lock said on Tuesday.

“We’ve been building this culture for the best part of two years now under Dave and his guidance and we have no problem with telling each other off or poking each other in the chest.

“Marika works extremely hard and everyone knows that. I’m sure the fans know that at home, how hard he works, so you could only imagine how gutted he was.

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“So for us as a playing group, we accept their apology.”

Salakaia-Loto didn’t believe Koroibete, who is bound for Japan at year’s end, would use his ban as any sort of spur for a big game.

“Marika, you see every game that he plays, he treats it like his last,” he said.

“So if he gets the opportunity this week, he’ll be exactly the same as what he’s been in the past.

“He’s been one of our best players that we’v e had.”

But the Wallabies know it will take mor e than Koroibete to break the their 35-year losing streak at Eden Park.

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The Wallabies conceded their first four lineouts at the burial ground last week to gift the All Blacks precious possession and improving the set piece is imperative.

“You can’t win games if you don’t have the ball,” Salakaia-Loto said.

“We were in good parts of the field and those are the opportunities that we’ve got to take. We put ourselves in those parts of the field and, as a forward pack, we let our backs down.

“As locks and as a forward pack, we pride ourselves on our lineout and our scrum and especially on the maul.

“For us, we took that on the chin, we reviewed it and we’ll make some fixes and make sure we’re better for it this week.”

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Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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