Official Rugby Thread

[the big bambino]

I'd have McCabe's one dimensional line breaks over out of position five eighths any time. Team him up with Kuridrani in the centres. Jesse Mogg shouldn't even be considered as his handling atm is atrocious. Just watched him shell another high ball tonight. O'Connor? Ha! I'd forgotten about the jerk. Lets keep it that way and never mention him again ok?

Btw Nic White is having a good season and played well again tonight.

 

[Hurricane]

I am the leader of various Australasian wide movements, one of them is opposing Pat McCabe's inclusion in the Wallabies. Look he has improved out of sight this year, he is tackling strongly (actually he could always tackle) and somehow he has added 30% more speed to his running. But he is still trying to bull doze over people.

Pat read the following...

sidestep
ˈsʌɪdstɛp/Submit
verb
1.
avoid (someone or something) by stepping sideways.
"he sidestepped a defender and crossed the ball"
"he neatly sidestepped the questions about riots"
synonyms: avoid, evade, dodge, escape, elude, circumvent, skirt round, give a wide berth to, find a way round, bypass, steer clear of, get out of, shirk; More
antonyms: tackle, meet something head on
SKIING
climb or descend by lifting alternate skis while facing sideways on the slope.
"we learned how to sidestep up the slope and slide cautiously down"
noun
noun: sidestep; plural noun: sidesteps; noun: side-step; plural noun: side-steps
1.
a step taken sideways, typically to avoid someone or something.
"a boxercise workout that incorporates an intricate combination of sidesteps with left and right hooks"

Regarding Kuridrani - I observed him last night and his two try performance. Man has good wheels - but his defence may be his undoing. Will watch again next week.

 

[the big bambino]

You forgot the Samoan side step. It doesn't matter that McCabe is limited. Just that he's effective with what he's got. I am preferring 2 hard running centres atm. I don't think we need another creative option outside Cooper and Genia. Rather someone who can run at the holes they are meant to create. If we pick Beale or Toomua I'd prefer them on the bench as insurance against Cooper imploding.

 

[Hurricane]

Just that he's effective with what he's got.

We must part company on this issue. I humbly suggest that at Super Rugby level he is definitely effective and in games against Ireland or some other 5th or 6th ranked team in the world he is effective.

Against DeVilliers and Conrad Smith he is going to, and has been sat on his back side time after time behind the advantage line. In test matches at that level it is a waste of possession to pass him the ball and the only contribution he can make is from a tackling perspective.

 

[the big bambino]

You could be right at that. I don't know. I'd try him see how he goes or pick Ashley Cooper instead. He's just the type of player I'd like in the centres. He doesn't have to be the actual choice.

 

[dermo]

hurricane, in your opinion will sonny bill walk straight back into the all blacks?

 

[Hurricane]

Well its Nonu vs SBW - 6 months ago they would have taken SBW due to Nonu's off field antics. The decision is some time away so I don't know what will happen to Nonu's form.

Tough call to make. If I were making the decision I would stick with Nonu - however for SBW to be coming back it will be based on some assurances that he will be a starter so who knows what promises have been made. What do you think will happen?

 

[dermo]

agree its a very tough call, though i feel perhaps if the blues have another average season that may impact on nonu's chances. I'm not so sure there would be assurances made to SBW with regards to a starting spot, as an outsider looking in that doesn't seem and all blacks kind of thing to do. It will be an interesting battle no doubt but if i had to tip who will be starting come the all blacks first game of the world cup i'd say SBW.

do you have an opinion on this Malakai Fekitoa? I haven't seen much of him all year but his try against the sharks was outstanding. Is he the bolter for a centre spot?

 

[Hurricane]

Don't watch highlanders games as a rule but maybe I should - his video looks good.

 

[ripper868]

Fekitoa will probaly find himself in the centres for an end of season tour or 'friendly' tests against an inbound northern opponent. I'd expect certainly a bench spot for him. AB centres will be Conrad at 13 and SBW or Nonu at 12. Could Fekitoa take a wing spot? Possibly but there are these guys called Savea, Jane, and Ben Smith and no doubt others.

Pat McCabe is a great servant of Aus rugby and one of the bravest/toughest rugby players I've ever seen. While he would happily run into a brick wall of razor blades and salt, I dont think he offers enough to be considered our best 12. Australia's potency lies in our outside backs and having a second player who can be a playmaker or running option (read Toomua) is the perfect partner for Quade. It also gives Genia (or whoever the 9 is) a second option to pass to. And with two playmakers you can attack both sides of the field effectively from centre field set pieces (provided we can win the scrum in the first place)

 

[the big bambino]

Yep, fair points.

 

[Hurricane]

chiefs vs blues game will be a closely fought affair. As will the force cheetahs game.

Genia has refound his mojo in that last game and is clearing the base of the ruck far faster. I don't care that they lost on the weekend as they were never going to win that game. He is back. Interestingly McCabe looked very good in his outing for the Brumbies yet even they won't give him a starting jersey.

AAC showed in his match that he has gone up a level in this year's comp.

Australia are somewhat spoiled for options and will need to have a shrewd selection policy.

 

[dermo]

have to say hurricane i thought savea's defence was god awful, his effort in the carraro try was disgraceful

 

[dermo]

also michael hooper surely isnt far from being the best 7 in world rugby

 

[Hurricane]

have to say hurricane i thought savea's defence was god awful, his effort in the carraro try was disgraceful

Wasn't a flash effort.

also michael hooper surely isnt far from being the best 7 in world rugby

He's in the top 3 with Pocock and Ritchie but given Ritchie just came back and Pocock is out then if you added the word "atm" to your sentence then it would be hard to debate the point with you.

Aussie have always had good 7s btw for as long as I can remember. Have trouble with some of the other positions like a good 8 man.

 

[dermo]

It's a problem you'll find at every level of australian rugby, to many forwards want to be ball runners and not enough who want to be hard men around the rucks. If we had more players who put more value on smashing someone around a ruck than trying to run over the top of them, we'd be better off for it. There's an argument its got something to do with rugby league having such a big following

 

[Hurricane]

is it also possible that the bigger units - guys 6 foot 2, 6 foot 3 and weighing 110 kgs with excellent mobility get snapped up by the other codes as well? I would see little demand for a Michael Hooper or George Smith in league.

 

[dermo]

is it also possible that the bigger units - guys 6 foot 2, 6 foot 3 and weighing 110 kgs with excellent mobility get snapped up by the other codes as well? I would see little demand for a Michael Hooper or George Smith in league.

not really tbh, although many would like to argue there is a constant turf war going on between union and league for juniors, i would argue that the majority only play one code and they have decided upon the code they would like to play long before they reach 6 foot 2 and 110kgs.

 

[Hurricane]

Fantastic effort by the Sharks.

Higginbotham went down in my estimation tonight. it was just one play, but it was on out wide and he had a dig at the line instead like a typical forward and the movement eventually came to a halt. yes he is big, yes he is strong, yes he knows the rules and doesn't infringe too much, yes he plays the game with aggression, no he doesn't have good game awareness. Would not have him in my australian team now. Still his team won the game so good on him.

The rebels are mercurial. Impossible to predict which team will show up each week. They are not well coached in the backs - but their forwards seem effective and don't yield much ground. That is how they are competitive.

 

[dermo]

one things for sure, luke jones is the best second rower in australia right now