Union in Ireland is almost entirely the preserve of the private schoolboy, always has been
Wales take Australia to the cleanersâŚ
Wallabies out at the group stage for the first time everâŚ
Apparently Eddie Jones has interviewed for the Japan job.
Australian Rugby is a bigger shitfight than Australian soccer.
The delusions of grandeur are somehow both unsurprising and yet still embarrassing. Weâve been well off the pace for years, and took (seemingly deliberately) a young squad with an eye on the next (home) World Cup. Yet everyone in the RU media carries on like we should have been looking to go a long way in this, or somehow like win (or at least make a good fist if it) and that having all the same problem weâve had for literally years is some kind of shock. Anyone even semi watching the team (Iâm a layman but have quite enjoyed for years sitting with the old guys at the local bowls when games are on for the beers and chats) knows this is exactly where theyâre at. Jones might be good or bad but thereâs very little anyone can do when we donât have remotely the cattle or base to turn things around.
I coached football in the Private school system in Sydney for years and in most or all of the major rugby schools, numbers turning out for football had surpassed rugby everywhere by 2013. Islanders out west like rugby but can make a lot more money for their families playing league. Itâs a downward trend, there is almost literally no way to reverse it. Weâre a 2nd tier/minnow now and short of the NRL imploding somehow, that wonât change.
The Private school boys and girls graduating now are football people more than rugby, twenty years from now when theyâre making the sponsorship decisions etc on the boards theyâve inherited Union is done.
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They just plain sucked. Iâve seen teams suck before but they were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked.
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We might have to resort to the old chestnut of throwing money at some great NRL players again
Rugby needs to bite the bullet and follow the football model in Australia of letting players play in Europe without impacting their chances of playing for the Wallabies. Have a modest domestic competition with the aim of developing youngsters but ultimately our players will only become world class if they are competing against the best in France and England.
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The problem is that the overseas clubs only want developed players, they wonât invest in our young players. We canât develop the next generation because of all the reasons mentioned above.
At least in football the club and international game is separate, so weâll still have players that fall through our many cracks that find their way back.
Rugby is Australia is in big trouble which is a real shame. There is enough sporting prowess in this country to go around if managed properly, but when the international game drives the revenue, we were bound to fall behind eventually
Portugal beat Fiji by a point so it isnât enough to save the Wallabies.
Quarter finals:
Wales v Argentina
Ireland v New Zealand
England v Fiji
France v South Africa
Je Suis Fijian
How lopsided is the draw? Irelandâs reward for topping the group is a date with the All Blacks, Likewise France and South Africa.
England and Wales have a stroll in the park by comparison
Someone today said the draw was done back in 2020, so doesnât account for the next 3 years of where teams end up form wise. Seems a bit naff.
Sensational game of rugby this morning. Both teams just giving it all, arm wrestle the entire way.
South Africa the champions.
Not a great match, but was tense.
Ruined by the ref and TMO. Very tense Iâll agree.
Christie kicking away possession on halfway a dumb decision with less than 10 to go. Should have been trying to continue moving into drop goal range or getting a penalty. Jordie missing the penalty didnât help.
Barnes/TMO miss Etzebethâs forearm to the face in a tackle, Kolisiâs yellow staying a yellow. Given how much the TMO interjected at other points is unforgivable (considering it was for knock ons of all things).
Apparently South Africa have won 4 World Cup finals now, and failed to score a try in 3 of them!
Apart from the International aspect, give me an average game of League any day
They won the quarters, semis and final by 1 point each
Man seems to be at an angle, making clear mitigating circumstances, and therefore shouldâve stayed yellow
Correct. Also no HIA so clearly was not a high degree of danger. See below link, there was mitigation and it wasnât intentional so itâs a yellow. They deemed there was no mitigation strangely.
Now Kolisi had a shoulder charge (intentional act regardless of how you look at it - he flew in there and didnât wrap the arms), and also made contact head on head. Which should have been a red.
Etzebethâs forearm to the head https://twitter.com/sofianbl/status/1718356061956997298
TMO doesnât interject on this one - but will bring play back for a knock on 8 phases earlier. Itâs bewildering.
They should reset the clock if they are going to take play all the way back like that - youâve wiped out a chunk of rugby in the process.
agree. As my friend said during the game⌠the TMO is enjoying his screen time - he even put on a suit and tie for the occasion
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