Official Rugby Thread

[headhunter]

Come on give them some credit although they did beat a weaker SA team they also did beat NZ and all within 2 weeks thats pretty good for any team.
And in rugby everyteam has handeling errors and can get players sent to the bin so that is NO excuse for loseing a match.

 

[ohtani's jacket]

Here's the All Blacks side to face South Africa:

Mils Muliaina, Doug Howlett, Isaia Toeava, Luke McAlister, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Daniel Carter, Piri Weepu, Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw (captain), Reuben Thorne, Chris Jack, Keith Robinson, Carl Hayman, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Andrew Hore, Neemia Tialata, Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe, Brendon Leonard, Conrad Smith, Nick Evans.

Hopefully Robinson can stay healthy this time & I really don't know who Henry is planning to match up against Mortlock in the Bledisloe decider -- Muliaina, Smith or Toeava.

I see the Wallabies are talking smack. Who cares what Eddie Jones has to say? The Wallabies should be more concerned with their awful scrum and the fact Larkham is useless unless Giteau plays halfback.

 

[Fiery]

Here's the All Blacks side to face South Africa:

Mils Muliaina, Doug Howlett, Isaia Toeava, Luke McAlister, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Daniel Carter, Piri Weepu, Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw (captain), Reuben Thorne, Chris Jack, Keith Robinson, Carl Hayman, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Andrew Hore, Neemia Tialata, Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe, Brendon Leonard, Conrad Smith, Nick Evans.

Hopefully Robinson can stay healthy this time & I really don't know who Henry is planning to match up against Mortlock in the Bledisloe decider -- Muliaina, Smith or Toeava.

I see the Wallabies are talking smack. Who cares what Eddie Jones has to say? The Wallabies should be more concerned with their awful scrum and the fact Larkham is useless unless Giteau plays halfback.

The main thing I'm hoping to see is an improvement in form for Dan Carter

 

[ohtani's jacket]

It would be good if our halfback passed to him once and a while.

 

[Fiery]

It would be good if our halfback passed to him once and a while.

True. Would have liked to see Brendan Leonard start but hope he comes on with plenty of time left on the clock

 

[Perm]

Leonard is average I reckon, he had a good Super 14 but that's no reason to hand him Test caps, particularly when Jimmy Cowan had a better season and has been tried in the black jersey before and has shown that he can handle it.

 

[Fiery]

Leonard is average I reckon, he had a good Super 14 but that's no reason to hand him Test caps, particularly when Jimmy Cowan had a better season and has been tried in the black jersey before and has shown that he can handle it.

I've always thought Jimmy Cowan was a very average footballer

 

[Perm]

I've always thought Jimmy Cowan was a very average footballer

I'm a little biased because I met him before he was playing for Southland and he was a top bloke, since then I've always been a fan. I think it would be fair to label him as perhaps a little one-dimensional in regards to his lack of an attacking game, but I feel his solid kicking game, crisp passing and amazing defence more than make up for this.

 

[Fiery]

I'm a little biased because I met him before he was playing for Southland and he was a top bloke, since then I've always been a fan. I think it would be fair to label him as perhaps a little one-dimensional in regards to his lack of an attacking game, but I feel his solid kicking game, crisp passing and amazing defence more than make up for this.

And I'm from the Waikato so provincial bias's probably coming into play there, as you said. I like Leonard's sniping runs and he also has a very good pass. Look forward to the game.

 

[ohtani's jacket]

So far Leonard looks far better than Cowan did last year.

 

[Perm]

So far Leonard looks far better than Cowan did last year.

This was Leonard's first full season of Super 14 wasn't it? Cowan's had about three and has over 50 games for Southland. I'd prefer his experience.

 

[Fiery]

This was Leonard's first full season of Super 14 wasn't it? Cowan's had about three and has over 50 games for Southland. I'd prefer his experience.

Yep but he was outstanding for Waikato in the Air New Zealand Cup campaign before that. Leonard's a much faster runner than Cowan which also gives him an edge

 

[Perm]

Yep but he was outstanding for Waikato in the Air New Zealand Cup campaign before that. Leonard's a much faster runner than Cowan which also gives him an edge

He was very good, bear in mind all those regular players that were missing from other sides though. Leonard is pretty pace and I think they are about equal on kicking and passing, I guess it's just a matter of whether you prefer sniping runs or solid defence. I'm usually an attacking man, but some of Cowan's cover defence is simply amazing.

 

[Fiery]

He was very good, bear in mind all those regular players that were missing from other sides though. Leonard is pretty pace and I think they are about equal on kicking and passing, I guess it's just a matter of whether you prefer sniping runs or solid defence. I'm usually an attacking man, but some of Cowan's cover defence is simply amazing.

Yeah, Cowan has that string to his bow. However, I would hope that the loose forwards would be doing most of the cover-defending (if they were doing their jobs properly) and Carter can also tackle so I would prefer to go with an all-out-attacker at halfback.

 

[Perm]

Yeah, Cowan has that string to his bow. However, I would hope that the loose forwards would be doing most of the cover-defending (if they were doing their jobs properly) and Carter can also tackle so I would prefer to go with an all-out-attacker at halfback.

In the ideal situation then that would be the case, I suppose that Cowan's defensive abilities have been highlighted further playing for Southland considering that Richard Apanui has been playing flyhalf for most of his tenure. I still would've liked to see Cowan get a few more opportunities for the All Blacks, considering he didn't perform poorly in the Tests he did play.

 

[Fiery]

In the ideal situation then that would be the case, I suppose that Cowan's defensive abilities have been highlighted further playing for Southland considering that Richard Apanui has been playing flyhalf for most of his tenure. I still would've liked to see Cowan get a few more opportunities for the All Blacks, considering he didn't perform poorly in the Tests he did play.

No he did quite well, but he's one of those players who is never going to set the world on fire.

See...we can have civilised conversations btw ...long may it continue

 

[Perm]

See...we can have civilised conversations btw ...long may it continue

Rugby must be the reason.

 

[Josh]

Good form, Wallabies; good form!

Didn't see any of the game Saturday, but we won

 

[Perm]

Good form, Wallabies; good form!

Didn't see any of the game Saturday, but we won

Against a second string South African outfit who were up 17 points in the first ten minutes.

 

[NZTailender]

Gun match between Sydney Uni and Easts atm.