Official Rugby Thread

[James]

Great game of rugby, that 14-0 headstart well and truly proved the difference.

Have to question what Heniz was thinking with his kicking in those final few minutes.

Anyone else reckon Robbie Deans will be back as head coach next season?

 

[Smudge]

Considering Blackadder signed a 3-year contract late last year and the NZRU almost never cut a Super Rugby coach's contract short, I'm going to go with no.

 

[Hurricane]

Great game of rugby, that 14-0 headstart well and truly proved the difference.

Have to question what Heniz was thinking with his kicking in those final few minutes.

Anyone else reckon Robbie Deans will be back as head coach next season?

I thought that Heinz blew it while Mckibbin sp? looked terrific. And that was the difference over the last 10 minutes.

 

[James]

Considering Blackadder signed a 3-year contract late last year and the NZRU almost never cut a Super Rugby coach's contract short, I'm going to go with no.

Didn't realise that, maybe Robby will end up at the Hurricanes then.

 

[ripper868]

That was a fun evening. Crowd got into it, and that makes it the third game I've been to at ANZ with atmosphere (the others being THAT bledisloe with 110,000 and the RWC 2003 opener) great game, great result and a great big hangover. Would be putting some cash on the crusaders for next years title.

Thought McCaw penalty was 50/50 but thought Nadolo try was definitely a foot in touch (from what I saw on big screen through biased beer goggles) so a touch of justice there. Great game all in all and a worthy final. Love me an AAC straight run, guy is class and showed that we need him the 13 jersey for the wallabies. I feel he'll be there once speight is eligible and bump kuridrani to the bench.

Bring on the bledisloe, I'll be back there again with Mrs ripper.
Only regret of the night was picking AAC for first and last try and then not putting cash on it. Filthy.

 

[the big bambino]

At the risk of being seen partisan I thought the Nadolo try shouldn't have been given. Congrats to the Tahs and while I was supporting them I thought they were lucky to win. Crusaders exposed the Tah's lineout and scrum in a way the Brumbies only hinted at the week before. Since the Tahs are the champs they will make up the bulk of the Wallabies but I would push for selection of key Brumby forwards to give Wallabies a better chance of securing lineout and scrum ball. I don't know enough about rugby (or the intracacies of forward play to nominate exactly whom should be selected). However I would guess the main Brumbies' jumper and hooker should be selected. I know Moore is missing but I think the reserve Brumbies hooker has a better idea of throwing straight and accurate lineout ball and would prefer over Polota Nau for that.

Beale's passing game was superb and I now agree he should start for the Wallabies. On the form of the Crusaders I don't think NZ has any reason to worry about their chances in the tests.

 

[Hurricane]

I don't think the ABs will be jumping to panic stations after that game.

Regarding Nadolo's try. Didn't he bring his foot back into the field of play after brushing the touch line. What is the rule there? Anyone?

 

[dermo]

I don't think the ABs will be jumping to panic stations after that game.

Regarding Nadolo's try. Didn't he bring his foot back into the field of play after brushing the touch line. What is the rule there? Anyone?

if his foot touches the line at all its out regardless of anything that happens after

i didnt think it was a try, didnt have much control of the ball on the grounding either

 

[Hurricane]

if his foot touches the line at all its out regardless of anything that happens after

i didnt think it was a try, didnt have much control of the ball on the grounding either

of course, then it wasn't a try so justice was done by the end result.

 

[Hurricane]

Teams to compete in the 2014 season are:
• Brisbane City (QRU/Reds)
• Queensland Country (QRU/Reds)
• North Harbour Rays (Manly, Warringah, Gordon and Norths)
• Sydney Stars (Sydney University and Balmain)
• Greater Sydney Rams (West Harbour, Penrith, Parramatta, Eastwood and Southern Districts)
• NSW Country (in partnership with Randwick and Easts)
• University of Canberra Vikings (ACT Rugby/Brumbies, University of Canberra and Tuggeranong Vikings)
• Melbourne Rising (VRU/Rebels)
• Perth Spirit (Rugby WA/Force)

ARU Board approves nine team National Rugby Championship to start in August 2014

This starts soon, IF they show this in NZ I would definitely watch.

 

[Spark]

At the risk of being seen partisan I thought the Nadolo try shouldn't have been given. Congrats to the Tahs and while I was supporting them I thought they were lucky to win. Crusaders exposed the Tah's lineout and scrum in a way the Brumbies only hinted at the week before. Since the Tahs are the champs they will make up the bulk of the Wallabies but I would push for selection of key Brumby forwards to give Wallabies a better chance of securing lineout and scrum ball. I don't know enough about rugby (or the intracacies of forward play to nominate exactly whom should be selected). However I would guess the main Brumbies' jumper and hooker should be selected. I know Moore is missing but I think the reserve Brumbies hooker has a better idea of throwing straight and accurate lineout ball and would prefer over Polota Nau for that.

Beale's passing game was superb and I now agree he should start for the Wallabies. On the form of the Crusaders I don't think NZ has any reason to worry about their chances in the tests.

Mowen is our main lineout jumper, isn't he? Might have a problem there.

 

[Hurricane]

Blackadder says Nadolo's decision not to react or tell his team-mates reflected well on him, as the incident potentially could have escalated otherwise. He said Nadolo had moved on and had forgiven his abuser.
Former Blues player Ben Atiga replied on Twitter that "one of my first outings there was quite similar", but Blackadder said the abuser's views and actions weren't typical.
"You'd find 99.99 per cent of our city and our fans would never use that language, or tolerate it," he said. "These comments do not reflect the wonderful people of Canterbury and Christchurch."

Read more at New Zealand: Crusaders star Nemani Nadolo racially abused | Live Rugby News | ESPN Scrum

CHCH is always in the news for the wrong reasons.

 

[Hurricane]

Mowen is our main lineout jumper, isn't he? Might have a problem there.

They will bring in Fardy to jump from the six spot per the earlier discussions in this thread.

 

[dermo]

Simmons calls the line outs and is the main jumper, has been for a while now

 

[Hurricane]

My team for the series wouldn't change too much from the France tests

15 Israel Folau - world class
14 Adam Ashley-Cooper -test class
13 Tevita Kuridrani - test class
12 Beale - world class
11 Tomane - meh
10 Bernard Foley - test standard
9 Nic White - not in top ten half backs in the world
1 James Slipper - the best loosehead in the world
2
3 Alexander
4 Will Skelton - needs to get even meaner and show better ball security
5 Rob Simmons
6 Scott Fardy (would prefer McCalman if he were more of a line out option)
7 Michael Hooper (c) - world class
8 Wycliff Palu - too good for super rugby

 

[the big bambino]

of course, then it wasn't a try so justice was done by the end result.

Well yes and no I guess. Honestly believed that the Cru owned most of the game. Also believe the ABs have little to worry but if we pick forwards that make our set pieces more secure then I'm liking the Wallabies for a potential upset.

 

[the big bambino]

Mowen is our main lineout jumper, isn't he? Might have a problem there.

Exactly; one of ARU's own making I've been speaking to an agent who was an ex rugby player for ACT and while he agrees top players should be given some dispensation, he can't understand Mowen's decision as his future and finances are catered for already. He must be getting a triple **** load of cash. So in this case there may not have been anything that could have been done to prevent what happened. This bloke also speculated Fardy. Would he do I wonder? Though he humoured me when I suggested the Brumby's reserve hooker should play for the Wallabies.

EDIT - just saw Hurricane's and Demo's posts so there are options. I'd go for Fardy.

 

[ripper868]

All Blacks by 30 on Saturday. CHaaahhohohhohhohoho

In seriousness, All Blacks by 10. 32-22 in a running rugby extravaganza. It better be, mrs ripper has forked out $80 odd for seats behind the posts, might as well make it fun!

I'll be the guy in the green and gold face paint with the one-eyed ref abuse and the general witty banter.

 

[dermo]

as long as adam ashley cooper is named at 13 i'll be happy

i'd love to see kurtley beale start at 12 and see us go all out attack but it's not going to happen

 

[Hurricane]

All Blacks by 30 on Saturday. CHaaahhohohhohhohoho

In seriousness, All Blacks by 10. 32-22 in a running rugby extravaganza. It better be, mrs ripper has forked out $80 odd for seats behind the posts, might as well make it fun!

I'll be the guy in the green and gold face paint with the one-eyed ref abuse and the general witty banter.

1) I've got the ABs winning by 10 as well. Until Australia get Speight on the wing then i don't see them getting many line breaks out of their wings (with apologies to Ashley Cooper).
One may wonder why I think wings are the making and breaking of Australia when usually games are won up front? I think that Australia is strong across the park and will match us in most positions except for wing and I see that being the difference. What helped Australia beat us in 2003 is that you had Tuqiri on the wing and he always made the gain line.

2) I am not certain that the ABs will win. This Australian team is better than what we faced last year. If Australia's coaches analyse us correctly and put in place the right game plan then they will win and not us. If I were formulating a game plan against New Zealand then I would play a game of running rugby. If you play aerial ping pong with us you will lose. If Beale starts at 12 then your centres and 10 are as good as ours and possibly better. And your 15 is the best running full back in the game. Like I said in my point number one if you had Speight as well then I would say your backs would be better.