Planet Rugby Forum

Had a look, couldn't see a thread.

Has a point or beginning to unravel?

Could you deign to give us an iota of a clue what you're talking about??

happyhooker wrote:Could you deign to give us an iota of a clue what you're talking about??

Tsk, tsk.

Are you the Eggman?

eldanielfire wrote:Are you the Eggman?

I'm a lay preacher.

I think he's referring to Stephen Jones in the times saying how the Rugby Championship is a bit 2nd Division. No link as the Times is behind a paywall.

The 3N/RC was always second division in terms of the pageantry and interest generated, but competitively whereas in the past it used to be ahead, I think it's probably on par now with the 6N too. NH club money has undoubtedly drained it of some of its quality.

It is impossible not to regard the Rugby Championship, which begins next weekend in Sydney and Durban, as the Second Division of the global game. Some precious dears Down Under can be a little sensitive to criticism of their rugby but this time we have not a shred of circumstantial evidence to back up the claim that their event is inferior. All we have are facts.

In World Rugby’s rankings, the competing teams stand first (New Zealand) but then fifth (Australia), sixth (South Africa) and 10th (Argentina). The Six Nations teams are second (Ireland), third (Wales), fourth (England) and seventh (France) with Italy 14th. Ah well, those southern softies will catch up one day.

Naturally, we must exclude New Zealand from all criticism, as ever, as they are cruising along. The statistics are magnificent if you are Kiwi but not so good if you are trying to market the competition as a fierce event.

Back in business: Kieran Read returns for the All Blacks
Back in business: Kieran Read returns for the All Blacks
BRADLEY KANARIS
The All Blacks have lost just two of the 33 games they have played in the Rugby Championship — which began in 2012 when Argentina joined the old Tri-Nations. They are scoring at about 35 points per game.

On Saturday they go to Sydney to face Australia. Kieran Read, the captain, and Brodie Retallick, the world’s most fawned-over lock, are back after a long injury absence. New Zealand’s problem, if you can call it that, is that they must choose between Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga at fly-half, a problem anybody would love to have. Barrett can be brilliant but can also be led by the nose into trouble, as the Lions found out.

Ronan O’Gara, the former Ireland fly-half who helped coach Crusaders to the Super Rugby title, said last week that Mo’unga, his own player, should start at fly-half with Barrett at full-back. Whether O’Gara was trying to destabilise the All Blacks in Ireland’s favour or, more likely, backing his own man, whoever they pick, they will not be throwing the game away.

This season’s tournament needs proper contests. In six seasons the average attendance has dipped from just under 46,000 to just over 30,000, and if that carries on they will be playing in a phone box inside a decade.

Argentina have won only three of their 33 games, a dreadful return after the momentum they brought with them on being admitted to the tournament. In their recent home games against Wales and Scotland, it looked as if one or two of them were not bothered either way.

They have reacted by bringing in Mario Ledesma as national coach and dragging back Gonzalo Quesada after 19 years in French rugby to coach the Jaguares, that strange, un-Argentine beast that plays in Super Rugby.

THE KEY PLAYERS
Argentina: The Pumas reached out to Saracens to recall veteran scrummager Juan Figallo
Australia: Michael Cheika’s coaching reputation has been harmed by frailties beyond his control, but he can drive the Wallabies forward
New Zealand: The All Blacks need Kieran Read at his athletic best to maintain their momentum
South Africa: Malcolm Marx, an astonishing athlete, is the man to remind opponents of South Africa’s power traditions
If there is to be any sort of upset, it probably must come immediately, in Sydney on Saturday. Australia should be toughened by their series against Ireland but can the word “tough” be used about the Wallabies of the current era? Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale as a midfield combination are as good as anything the All Blacks have, and Matt Toomua is back from Europe to join the midfield triangle. Israel Folau is a genius at full-back.

But there can be a softness. Disastrously, both the massive centres, Samu Kerevi — who is becoming truly world-class — and Tevita Kuridrani are injured for the tournament. And what of the vital engine room in the second row? Adam Coleman and the young giant Izack Rodda are enormous and athletic. But do you need two giraffes against the All Blacks? Australia need a pair of gorillas.

South Africa are improving, as we saw during the series against England in June. Significantly, to the pack of forwards who saw off England, they are adding Malcolm Marx, Eben Etzebeth, Warren Whiteley and Francois Louw. Perhaps even better, they will have Faf de Klerk and Willie Le Roux, both brilliant against England, for most of the tournament. By agreement with Sale and Wasps respectively, De Klerk will play throughout the Championship — though not in the autumn Tests in Europe — and Le Roux will play three games.

The signs are that come Japan 2019, New Zealand will not be the only team in the race but the next month or two must reveal proper contenders, second-ranking event or not.

And a word on the Pumas. Everybody’s favourite second team will have to go some if followers are not to desert them in droves. They were pitiful in their most recent games. The previous regimes decided not to choose from the overseas contingent, at least six of whom would walk into the team. You sense that Ledesma will not field a pack made from wet newspapers.

New Zealand will surely come out ahead but the world needs evidence that the demolishing of the Black machine is on the horizon.

He went after Argentina's awful record too.

In World Rugby’s rankings, the competing teams stand first (New Zealand) but then fifth (Australia), sixth (South Africa) and 10th (Argentina). The Six Nations teams are second (Ireland), third (Wales), fourth (England) and seventh (France) with Italy 14th. Ah well, those southern softies will catch up one day.

What have Scotland done to offend him?

Mr Mike wrote:

In World Rugby’s rankings, the competing teams stand first (New Zealand) but then fifth (Australia), sixth (South Africa) and 10th (Argentina). The Six Nations teams are second (Ireland), third (Wales), fourth (England) and seventh (France) with Italy 14th. Ah well, those southern softies will catch up one day.

What have Scotland done to offend him?

Migrated in droves to N.Z in the mid to late 1800’s playing a major part in creating the “The All Black Question” which has driven Walrus Goebbels to the brink of insanity.

Some precious dears Down Under can be a little sensitive to criticism of their rugby

He always manages to get this in every time he speaks about the All Blacks. Coming from the most precious man in rugby it's quite a feat.

I actually think most of the stuff he writes is pretty relevent but he spoils it with his pettyness and ego. A total dick.

Poor fella, he really is obsessed.

Nothing has really changed for quite a few years now, you could throw a blanket over the six nations teams (except Italy), SA and Australia. NZ's domination is what makes it seem like less of a competition, but that's been similar even going back to the start of the tri-nations.

The rise of Ireland and Scotland's improvement has certainly made the six nations the most competitive no doubt.

Toro wrote:Poor fella, he really is obsessed.

Nothing has really changed for quite a few years now, you could throw a blanket over the six nations teams (except Italy), SA and Australia. NZ's domination is what makes it seem like less of a competition, but that's been similar even going back to the start of the tri-nations.

The rise of Ireland and Scotland's improvement has certainly made the six nations the most competitive no doubt.

Yeah, I dont think he is wrong based on the last 18 months and of course, rankings do back him up.

No doubt that SA and Aus have had poor records post RWC 15 but signs are they are close to being good sides again.

Why he feels he has to write like he does is beyond me, especially with his target audience cannot consider themselves bettr than 3 of the 4 sides in the RC.

booze wrote:

Toro wrote:Poor fella, he really is obsessed.

Nothing has really changed for quite a few years now, you could throw a blanket over the six nations teams (except Italy), SA and Australia. NZ's domination is what makes it seem like less of a competition, but that's been similar even going back to the start of the tri-nations.

The rise of Ireland and Scotland's improvement has certainly made the six nations the most competitive no doubt.

Yeah, I dont think he is wrong based on the last 18 months and of course, rankings do back him up.

No doubt that SA and Aus have had poor records post RWC 15 but signs are they are close to being good sides again.

Why he feels he has to write like he does is beyond me, especially with his target audience cannot consider themselves bettr than 3 of the 4 sides in the RC.

Kiwis are his target audience here. Any time he writes about SH rugby you lads start a thread about it here, on Reddit, TSF etc. Fellas line up to boast about who has been blocked by him on Twitter.

Some going for an old bore behind a paywall.

booze wrote:Why he feels he has to write like he does is beyond me, especially with his target audience cannot consider themselves bettr than 3 of the 4 sides in the RC.

Margin_Walker wrote:

booze wrote:

Toro wrote:Poor fella, he really is obsessed.

Nothing has really changed for quite a few years now, you could throw a blanket over the six nations teams (except Italy), SA and Australia. NZ's domination is what makes it seem like less of a competition, but that's been similar even going back to the start of the tri-nations.

The rise of Ireland and Scotland's improvement has certainly made the six nations the most competitive no doubt.

Yeah, I dont think he is wrong based on the last 18 months and of course, rankings do back him up.

No doubt that SA and Aus have had poor records post RWC 15 but signs are they are close to being good sides again.

Why he feels he has to write like he does is beyond me, especially with his target audience cannot consider themselves bettr than 3 of the 4 sides in the RC.

Kiwis are his target audience here. Any time he writes about SH rugby you lads start a thread about it here, on Reddit, TSF etc. Fellas line up to boast about who has been blocked by him on Twitter.

Some going for an old bore behind a paywall.

His target maybe New Zealanders but his audience are the Hooray Henry's.

I kind of feel sorry for the guy. He has what should be a dream job where he gets to travel around the world watching the game we love. Yet he seems a bit miserable.

Fat Old Git wrote:I kind of feel sorry for the guy. He has what should be a dream job where he gets to travel around the world watching the game we love. Yet he seems a bit miserable.

Bait gets clicks, clicks get advertisers, advertisers pay the bills.
Modern “journalism” 101.

Flametop wrote:

Fat Old Git wrote:I kind of feel sorry for the guy. He has what should be a dream job where he gets to travel around the world watching the game we love. Yet he seems a bit miserable.

Bait gets clicks, clicks get advertisers, advertisers pay the bills.
Modern “journalism” 101.

But is he happy within himself?

Are we still talking about this guy? When did he 1st come to prominence trolling All Black/NZ fans? Was it way back at the beginning of super rugby? Yeah that's it. The high scoring 45-30 romps on the hard fast fields of South Africa made him long for a tryless 9-3 slog in the rain.

In 2006 when he trolled that Ronan O'Gara was the best flyhalf in the world because 'Dan Carter gets an armchair ride behind the All Black pack' I recall there was a bar in Auckland with a urinal in his image that punters could piss on.

Good to see he hasn't changed his schtick one iota in 20 years.

“Brodie Retallick.The worlds most fawned-over lock”.

Written by the fluffer-in-Chief of the actual “worlds most fawned-over lock” Maro Itoje.

Flametop wrote:

Fat Old Git wrote:I kind of feel sorry for the guy. He has what should be a dream job where he gets to travel around the world watching the game we love. Yet he seems a bit miserable.

Bait gets clicks, clicks get advertisers, advertisers pay the bills.
Modern “journalism” 101.

I haven't clicked on anything of his in many years. But I have seen the occasion interview. He never seems particularly happy, and often falls into the special K style of wind up where he ends up more upset than his supposed targets.

He doesn't seem to get that you can talk up your own team(s) / competitions without the need to rubbish the others. If the others are really second rate, than is yours actually all that good? Or does it just look good by comparison?