The great rugby discussion

Vo2

Hey Laz, way to go! How's the head feeling? ;D

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Pain is inevitable...suffering is optional

Guest

Vo2 it's not too bad now

My voice still hasn't come back completely.

Next sunday is the biggest game in the clubs history when they play in the European Shield Final, but I'm flying midnight Saturday and am going to miss it :'( ( and believe my mates are not letting me forget it).

So any UK residents who live around Oxford please go watch the game for me and Cheer my boys on.

Just another thought if somebody can find a pic from the back of "The South Wales Echo " on the 29th April then that's me :-[ with one of my hero's

gavin11756

I'm getting a bit sick and tired of the Wallaby squad being chosen by automatic quota system. They say you must have New South Welshmen and Quennslanders. Why Queenslanders ? They only have one decent player of test standard. The entire Oz backline should be made up of ACT players. Good for continuity and running rugby.

I have never known an Australian rugby side chosen on talent approriate for team play yet!

Rugby national selectors are akin to enemies od the State and I wish someone would do something about it instead of blaming coaches




Gavin

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Gavin

Vo2

Are you saying that there are better players than those that are currently in the Aussie national team? If this is so, then I shudder to think what a full blown Australian rugby side chosen on talent alone will do to other rugby playing nations!

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Pain is inevitable...suffering is optional

gavin11756

Gavin here

Hi, Yes, that's what I'm saying. Running rugby is about combinations. For instance, if your best side in your local competition has a running rugby format, such as the ACT, it has a running and passing half back and stand off half that make a great combination. Same with inside centre and outside centre pairings. However the Wallabies are not chosen this way.

The ACT Brumbies would flog the Wallabies, and more Brumbies should be in the side.

The All black showed that a champion team will always beat a team of champions. Once the All Blacks were almost entirely made up of Auckland players. 13 out of the 15.

The Australian first grade suburban team Randwick, famous for running rugby, and before super 12 started, played a full strength All Black side and only just lost. Those Randwick players, which included the present Wallaby coach, Eddie Jones, were unlucky to lose, and most of those Randwick players were not chosen by national selectors.

Also many Union players, until recently left to play rugby league. If we ever get our act together, Australia will be harder to beat.

There's too many well connected types getting gigs in the Wallabies. I also wish we'd get rid of that dread yellow and gree n uniform.

Gavin

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Gavin

Vo2

I hear your pain, Gavin, but be honest. The Wallabies, even at their worst, are still a formidable team. Judgeing on current form, I reckon the Brumbies would give the Boks a wallop. Teams from down under seem to have much more ball handling and athletic skills than teams from SA, which tend to play "impact" rugby.

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Pain is inevitable...suffering is optional

Lazy legs

That's for sure!




So would most of their other "provincial" teams.



Most of our players can't even catch a dry ball with their new gloves on, never mind a wet ball.

At least we showed "some" improvement in the 2nd test against the Scots, but we still have a long way to go before we can even think about making an impression at the world cup.
We will have to wait and see what happens in the Tri-nations???

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Mike

FAILURE
It lies in the perception
Not in the situation.

gavin11756

That Sydney club side I was telling you about Randwick, used to win the Sydney club championship end on end, year after year. It is the club which produced the Ella brothers and Simon Poidevin yet only a few of them were chosen to represent on any tour, and that club was world club champons.

I bet rugby fans in others countries are suffering from the same bureaucratic nonsense, and strange selections. The land of Oz is not the only victim. We'll have to get it right to beat England on the weekend.

A few rugby league players are now coming to rugby looking for Wallaby selection.

I heard on the radio the other day the the "boks " are going back to the old school of huge forwards. That may work well for them. The story may be crap, but if true we all better look out. It just may work for S.A. y'know. If you lok back into S.A. rugby history, many of the " bok " forwards are built like a house on legs and quite mobile.

I'd like to see the S.A. provinces use their old names. Famous clubs like Natal, O.F. State, Northern Transvaal etc,

I am sorry to keep bitching about selection, but it's so bloody frustrating.

Gavin

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Gavin

Lazy legs

True, but the problem nowadays is that all the forwards wants to be running in the backline, I know this is not only a problem that the South Africans have. I have a huge problem with this. The ball have to go through eleven pairs of hands before it reaches the fast guns on the wings, most of the times these backline wannabees has either fumbled the ball or got tackled in possesion. What is the use of having the sprinters on the outside when they never get the ball, or if they do get it by some miricle the opposition are there just waiting for him to take it and be tackled, they never get a chance to show their goods.


It's all about the MONEY mate! They want a brand they can sell to the supporters, I've always said that they fans should be bought on the field with the performance of the team! But money talks!


Hey we all suffer the same fate! We have some excelent talent that always stays at home and never get a run in the green & gold, I don't think anything we say or do will ever change that. The human factor in selecting a team is always to big a factor to rule out, the selectors have to satisfy everybody including himself and that is to much to ask of any person or panel. As long as there are team sports we will always have better players sitting on the sideline. THE SUPPORTERS AT HOME AND NEXT TO THE FIELD ARE ALWAYS RIGHT, NOT THE SELECTORS!

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Mike

FAILURE
It lies in the perception
Not in the situation.

gavin11756

Yes Mike, i guess your right about selections. It's also true about money, the name changes to the teams We now have to pay through the nose to see the game. Going to a rugby international used to be an affordable event. Now it's a bloody luxury.

It is annoying to see forwards running in the backs. Mind you, Aussie wingers have bugger all to do because no one will give them the the ball thanks to all these inside passes that every bugger on the other side knows about.

Sean Fitzpatrick starting that. We call it "seagulling ". Now it's been taken to extremes

gavin

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Gavin

Lazy legs

I've got no problem with an inside pass, as long as it's to the fullback comming in at speed or to the other wing that doubled around. Passing back to a slower forward is just outright annoying.
Yup!!! its much cheaper to watch a game on the telly at home, with all the money you save you can fill up the coolerbox and watch without any fear of security escorting you out of the stadium!

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Mike

FAILURE
It lies in the perception
Not in the situation.

gavin11756

Hi there,

Approximately 13 hours before kickoff between England v Australia. There's quite a bit of money of England.

regards Gavin

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Gavin

gavin11756

The above message should read " money on England "

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Gavin

gavin11756

England wins! Like I said, selection problems. See you in South Africasoon!


regard

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Gavin