RWC 2011 #02 Wallbies v All Blacks

I haven't had my second viewing of the match BUT last nights win in the rugby is good news for the Wallabies who will still need to conquer NZ conditions but who showed if they are totally committed they can win big games. the team mix was good, they kept their heads and the power forwards were up to the task. The coach almost left the replacements a little late but we finally got some second half possession and defended well in the end. Our scrum had some trouble they'll ramp that up should we meet again and they learnt a lot from going up the middle when under pressure.

I still think we kick too much and the tactic of Genia box kicking is suspect, especially given two charge downs and one where he kicked his own player and captain in the head!! I'd have more to say on that after a second view to check alternative options and a look at individual players to see who was still contributing after 50 mins and how much better we did at the breakdown...

BRING BACK BILL!!!!

All Blacks v Wallabies Suncorp Stadium

What are the chances? The last time these two teams met was the opportunity to break a long drought at Eden Park but the Wallabies were not able to do it, despite their opportunities. They failed to build any pressure and were denied space and time by the ruthless Blacks defence.

Tomorrow night is not about the World Cup, it's not even about the Tri-Nations... it's about whether the Wallabies have learnt anything and are capable of adjusting their attack to give themselves the time they need. Let us hope the chip and chase does not seem like the answer!!

The blueprint is to control the ball... it has always been the case in big rugby matches... treat it like gold and hang onto it when you have it... tackle, tackle, tackle to get it back when you don't and take any opportunity which comes your way.

The All Blacks should be unbackable favourites but our mob could just put up a better showing with the change of leadership... allowing Elsom to do what he does best without having to try to work out how to steer our backline... double dutch to the non enthusiast? I guess so...

RWC 2011 #01 Plenty of Positives from Springboks v All Blacks

18 days to go...

From now on my rugby union musings will carry the RWC 2011 #xx markers so you know whether or not to bother!! Being a tired old bloke after a long week I waited to watch the replay this weekend rather than stay up for the SA v NZ match from Port Elizabeth.

The 'All Blacks' did what all the sides are this year and chose a 'B' team to have a look at World Cup squad players... that said the match was informative and scary...

Watch for the Springboks attempts to kick themselves to a World Cup, with plenty of physical aggression thrown in... they did the work to win, if helped by a poor referee decision and a let dropped ball.

What impressed me with this mixed All Black combination was the shape of their attack when they went wide with the ball. The try in the 37th minute saw a backline move where the flat wide ball allowed 2-3 players to straighten inside and hold defenders... then the ball went wide but was switched back inside to a straight runner who went through a gap and the support play allowed a terrific try from there to Richard Kahui.

It was used a few times from so called 'set pieces', in this case a lineout which went long and created speed and questions.

What you do is try this 2 or 3 times a game BUT the players play who/what is in front of them and pass to a different player depending on how the defence reacts... pass to one of those inside runners, do what they did or keep going wide as needed...

The other thing they did well was to pass two wide of the ruck and have 2 or 3 forwards queue-ing up to drive him forward in the tackle and make sure they secure the bal and make metres... this is where they beat us in Auckland...

So, what does all this jargon mean... despite the loss, watch out for the 'All Blacks' and watch for the Springboks to implode over tactics and selections!!

Footnote:

Looks like brand O'Connor has been a little tarnished over a 'no-show' at the team announcement this week but hopefully Beale and others cop a serve for being out late too... they just had a louder alarm clock apparently...

Wallabies World Cup Squad!! Wow!!

There will continue to be a few posts interrupting the stream of mission and youth work posts here at Pumphouse!!

The Rugby World Cup starts September 9th and there were few surprises in the leaked squad [given the walking wounded fitness tests at Coogee yesterday!! Yeah right, except we've changed Captain a few weeks out... well done Robbie Deans!! I reckon Rocky Elsom will rise to the challenge and be better for the lack of responsibility!! James Horwill is a great choice... a hard nut, a competitor [dare I say it, a Queenslander!!] BRING BACK BILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's the Australian squad:

Backs - Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Drew Mitchell, Digby Ioane, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Rob Horne, Pat McCabe, Anthony Faingaa, Berrick Barnes, Quade Cooper, Nick Phipps, Luke Burgess, Will Genia.

Forwards - Ben McCalman, Radike Samo, Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom, Scott Higginbotham, James Horwill (capt), Rob Simmons, Nathan Sharpe, Dan Vickerman, Ben Alexander, Sekope Kepu, James Slipper, Salesi Ma'afu, Stephen Moore, Saia Faingaa, Tatafu Polota-Nau.

I've never been a Matt Giteau fan... only because his solidity and skill have always been shackled by an overblown sense of importance... he has sometimes not listened to the game plan and just done his own thing... and especially coveted 5/8th when he is clearly an inside centre... Barnes, Palu and others owe the coach big time... hopefully they are aware of that...

Read more here

Wallabies v Springboks

I stayed up to watch the Wallabies drop so many balls, miss a few goal kicks and yet still get away with a win!! A hard fought win is much better than a loss and some individual players stood up in a week where the Aussie squad for the World Cup will be announced... I enjoyed staying up for the game but think we still have so much to learn about how to win games. As an aside the Referee was an unpredictable factor in the match [and we took a caning in the penalties]!! He's our referee vs Ireland in the Cup so look out!!

I don't envy the coach the need to select our best 30 players for Thursday... bring on the net game v All Blacks in Brisbane in 2 weeks!!

My Wallabies Team

1. Sekope Kepu

2. Stephen Moore

3. Ben Alexander

4. James Horwill

5. Dan Vickerman

6. Rocky Elsom [c]

7. David Pocock

8. Scott Higginbotham

9. Will Genia

10. Quade Cooper

11. Digby Ioane

12. Pat McCabe

13. Adam Ashley-Cooper

14. James O'Connor

15. Kurtley Beale

Bench

16. Luke Burgess

17. Tatafa Poluta Nau

18. Rob Horne

19. James Slipper

20. Rob Simmons

21. Ben McCalman/Beau Robinson

22. Drew Mitchell

All Blacks too Good

One more post about this weekends rugby union! The All Blacks were once again too good for the Wallabies. The 'men in gold' improved and it took some time to be out of touch on the scoreboard but in truth we were never in the match. The All Black opening 20mins [venting their spleen at being written off] was too aggressive and targeted and we didn't respond well enough!

The game was gone by the 43 minute when we missed another penalty goal and nailed in the 52nd minute when having scored, we allowed a return try from the ensuing kick off... criminal!!

Start well, contain the ball and convert that 60% of the ball into points and it's a different game with Horwill and later Higginbotham and 'Vicks' taking the ball forward and Genia and Cooper with space to put Beale and Ioane in space. Instead Conrad Smith and McCaw killed us...

Pros:

- Good scrum

- Stephen Moore and Kurtley Beale

- Charge downs and front on defence were good

- Kick 3 goals and at 17-9 you can turn it around

- Subs were strong

- It wasn't for 'Bill Ellis'

Cons:

- No plan B

- Too slow

- Back row beaten

- Cooper looked ordinary under pressure

- not enough commitment of 2s and 3s to going fwd [too much one out running]

- 26 years beaten at Eden Park unless that changes in October

OK, back to my working week!!

Bozo Macansh plays 500th Game for Wanderers

While on a rugby theme... Andrew 'Bozo' Macansh played his 500th club game for my club Wanderers in the Newcastle and Hunter C Grade today v University at No5 Sportsground!!

One of my favourite team mates and a member of the generation 'just' before me in the club [after my 2 seasons with University] Bozo is an evergreen bloke who enjoys the playing and the social side of the game...

I have enjoyed playing with and coaching teams with Bozo in them!! I couldn't get there today but as I've said elsewhere I wish I was not only there but still playing!!

Two ruptured patella tendons put paid to that in 2003 and I miss that every Saturday in winter still. If two good mates coach C grade next year I will offer to help out and re-engage in 'the game they play in heaven'... though as the old joke goes, I have always been sceptical about that, purely on the strength that if that were the case then there'd be no referees!! 511 is Sammy Lee's club record and that should tumble next year... I'd like to be there...

Read Bozo's story here

Rugby Mind Games this Week

You can tell when the All Blacks actual rate the Wallabies as a genuinely tough assignment. The media mind games go into top gear!! First there was Justin Marshall in an article talking about the awakening of the sleeping giant that is Australian Rugby between World Cups [they who peak in between them would know I guess].

Then came reminders of Quade Cooper shoving Richie McCaw in Hong Kong last year when we actually one a game [the dead rubber junket]!!

Now serial pest Steve Hanson brings up the 'they don't show us respect' chesnut and various comments to and fro... all revealing how much of the game is played between the ears. Graham Henry and Ma'a Nonu were in good form, pretending to be either surprised at the use of Digby Ioane as defending at 5/8th or claiming knowledge of how many tackles he made last match as having been gleaned from the newspapers.

Make no mistake, the All Blacks will have been studying video of that... of Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale... where the foolish chip kicks happen, whether our scrum is better and what lines to run in attack to best pressure our defensive structure. I think we are odds on to implode this afternoon and to lack the polish to convert pressure to points [but we would learn a lot from such a game] yet there is a chance, if the forwards play with aggression, that we could actually do something great.

It's interesting to think that when I first took up an interest in Rugby Union [early 1980s] that it was OK to own and wear an All Black jersey... a sign that you respected the best of the best and somehow knew we were at best happy to be having a stab... who wore golden yellow anyhow!! But as we began to get competitive, suddenly that was no longer OK and you'd be mistaken for a kiwi instantly, why else would you wear that...

I keep thinking 27-16 to the Wallabies.... let's see!! Is it raining in Auckland?

When I spoke to Phil Hawthorne about Test Rugby he talked about the ebb and flow of momentum and how simple things can turn a match and you just knew in an arm wrestle that something was going to break the tension... we have not had the ability or application to play that way for a few years... now we have close to our best side available... we'll see if we can compete!! I for one would not be telling the All Blacks they are old and slow... that will come back to haunt!!

Do not bother phoning me between 5.30pm and 7.30pm tonight!!

All Blacks v Wallabies Eden Park Auckland 6th August 2011

I'm marking this date and match because for the rugby union tragic it's the latest significant contest in the ongoing fortunes of a developing Wallabies team vs the worlds best team who are hopeless at winning World Cups!! They only win the ones they host i.e. 1987

We have not beaten the All Blacks at Eden Park for years [1986?] and will need to if we are to win the World Cup in late October... doesn't mean it has to be this weekend, but it does need to happen this year.

What's going to happen on Saturday?

I have no idea...

I know we need a superlative performance from our forwards if our growing backline is to put in a mistake free display of what they are capable of doing...

What would be great is if our scrum held it's own, our lineout worked smoothly [spot on throws and no errors] and Pocock secured some 50-50 ball and exposed McCaw as the offside cheat he's so good at being. This would allow us not to do those stupid chip kicks, sideways runs etc...

If we could post some tries then we will see if the All Blacks can click or let the pressure get to them... if it rains a lot we're screwed, if we drop ball in our own half, we're screwed... etc etc

In one way I don't mind if we lose, as long as we step forward and do some fundamental things well... It'll likely be close or we'll get belted and wonder what our best combo is... I hope it's the former. The final question mark is whether being in hard training leaves us with weary legs like in 2007 but that would stifle our development and so is a risky approach...

Of course the more likely scenario is that the All Blacks go up a notch on last week, do enough to disrupt our ball at scrum, in the loose and at lineouts. The loose forwards will push up on any turn over ball and crowd the inside backs... if they get possession they'll run straight at Quade Cooper who won't then be hiding on the wing or at fullback... he will need to tackle...

From there it depends whether Carter dominates with the boot or the AB centres and wingers can get combos going... if they do it'll get ugly for us... can we run their forwards off their feet?

I note the All Blacks have unveiled their new 2011 jersey, with the slimfit version of a white collar [the look of their old style heavy jerseys in 1987... it's just missing the Steinlager advert...

9 Rugby Coverage Rubbish!!

The physical Manu Samoans defeated the Wallabies for the first time in Sydney on Sunday afternoon and showed that we still struggle for depth and have been exposed in the physical arm wrestle... traditionally the Wallabies put on a rusty first hitout each season but this was very bad.

To give you an idean when a game goes this way and you get behind in the arm wrestle and on the scoreboard it feels like you are running in mud and no matter what you do a mistake seems to put you back in the mire again... it's very hard to counter numbers in the tackle if the oppositions fitness holds up... well done Manu Samoa!!

That aside, I chose to experience the Channel Nine coverage as the new free to air network, despite access to Foxtel... that was a short experiment...

I had failed to previously notice Ken Sutcliffe's rugby pedigree and expertise [there is none] and given this George Gregan and Andrew Slack were always going to sound boring and uncomfortable... then to rub salt in, the match cut to the Fox commentary for the live action!!

Nine should have done whatever it took to get Gordon Bray back from ESPN, nevermind, too late now... Sutcliffe kept referrig to it as a 'friendly' where there's no such thing in rugby union. Perhaps the Wallaby forwards read the same press release because that's how they played. Very poor form in a World Cup trial... 3 or 4 players marked their cards yesterday afternoon, making it easier to get 40 into 32 or 28 for the tournament... lucky the Springboks are sending a B Team next week.

Lucky the Rugby World Cup in September/October is not in the northern hemisphere or those blokes would put me to sleep in the breaks!! Maybe they'll get better, I won't know!! If I'm going to listen to the Fox commentary I might as well take their pre-game and the press conference later as well!!

Phil Waugh retires from all Rugby at Year's End

NSW Waratahs and Wallabies legend Phil Waugh yesterday announced he'll retire from all rugby at the end of 2011... hoping for a swansong in the World Cup squad for September/October in NZ!!

Phil has been a tenacious openside flanker for club [Sydney University], state and country with a long period of jostling with George Smith for the Wallaby starting role, to the extent various coaches shifted George to number 8 or played them both at 6 and 7 to capitalise on their strengths.

In recent seasons Phil has given way to David Pocock and others but is still a dominant figure at state level. Some argue too dominant as he's see away at least 2 coaches and is in part responsible for some of NSW more boring performances, calling them back to a train track style of play to best suit his on ball abilities in retaining posession... often only to see a dropped pass or poor kick squander the opportunities and make the attack look inept at best!!

It was 'the right time' for Phil to hang up the boots with persistent injury and a few candidates 'in the wings' lining up for his spot [where this hasn't always been the case]!!

Phil Waugh is the kind of experienced hard nut every rugby team needs, combining superb skill with tenacity and unflappability... the perfect foil for a backline like the Tahs, if a little stiffling at times. Rain, mud, cold, altitude or shine, Phil Waugh is a Wallaby hero. As ever Phil's got the timing just right!!

Unless there are some injuries I don't believe Phil will get his wish of a World Cup finish, but if one or two other candidates don't handle the lead up or Tri Nations, we would be well served if he did make it!! I hope Phil gets a baa baas invitation at years end to play against the Wallabies in the UK!! [as the World Champions of Rugby of course!!]

Rugby Union 2011 Here We Go Again

While I've increasingly stuck more to core topics here at Pumphouse it's still my main blog [besides Church Noticeboreds] and so occasionally sport, life and stories break in...

This is a huge year in rugby union:

- World Cup in NZ [where I am going to the Final!!!!!!!]

- New Super 15 comp with more local derby's

- Thinking about getting back into helping with coaching at my club 'Wanderers Newcastle'

And so we again read the foolhardy hopefulness of 'The Waratahs' [NSW Rugby] as they identify being 'outmuscled' by the South Africans in last years Finals and embarked on a pre season bulk up of their forwards [good grief] and then celebrate the return of the tackle busting, ball carrying Wycliff Palu...

First we've seen the stupidity of the muscle debate with Stephen Hoiles under national coach John Conolly and Kurtley Beale under the various Waratahs coaches in previous years. Please note the recent rule changes suited the formerly speedy and creative Hoiles who slimmed down again and was a revelation for the ACT 'Brumbies'. Kurtley Beale lay off the McD's and has been a World XV class player. Hopefully the new improved Ben Mowen isn't just stucck to the ground and needing to be replaced by a taller player to begin with.

As for Palu, he is all the things people claim, but he's also lazy and goes missing. Totai Kefu from QLD had similar talents but rarely shirked his defensive or decoy duties. I left Palu out of my last pick of the World Cup Wallaby XV so I'll be the first to acknowledge he had a heart transplant along with his knee surgery if he proves me wrong.

This is one of those rare occasions where I'd refer to a previous post here re Hoiles/Beale and hope the selectors/coaches don't go backwards in this World Cup year... as I said in June 2010, these 'Wallabies' CAN win the World Cup [perhaps prizing it from Kiwi hands in a boilover Final] but will only if everything goes right!!

Why such a Beale fan... some of it is six degrees of separation or getting word early that he could 'be' one of our greats and then watching him through Schoolboys, as a developing player and now seeing the early 'fruits' of that... A mate from Wanderers came back from Sydney's GPS rugby [wanting to support one of his junior centres who's gone off to school] raving about this other Year 10 kid [Kurtley] playing 5/8th and that he'd be a 'Wallaby' one day... seeing he and Quade Cooper in the crowd of an ACT Brumbies trial in Canberra when they were at the AIS for a development squad in Year 12.... he's the closest to the famous Ella brothers that I've seen and caps it off by moving last year not just to fullback but from Northern Suburbs to Randwick and keeping them in a Grand Final run against the likes of Sydney Uni right up to the GF!!

Anyhow.... back to ministry, mission, pop culture and media.... for now!!

Here's what all the fuss is about:

Quade Cooper!!

I guess the caption should be "phew, glad to see you're here!!" at the Wallabies Coogee base for training ahead of the [2] Tests at altitude coming up!!
I wasn't going to waste any blog space on Quade Cooper's reported offer from the Parramatta Eels to switch to Rugby League!! It's contract time and his manager is up-ing the ante on an offer from the Australian Rugby Union... however the Eels are silly enough to sound like they believe he's really interested... If he is then he hasn't really matured as much as it appeared.

Cooper was a schoolboy prodigy, has great skills BUT hasn't done anything in Rugby yet... hasn't even played the All Blacks!! If he's holding out for more ARU top up money then I hope they bill him for all the help they gave during his drunken robbery and then his driving offence!!

He's asking top dollar just when contracts are being reigned in with incentives boosting players earnings... just how it should be in a changeover time!!

Anyhow.... we need him so I hope it's all bluster and is resolved within the week!! South Africa here we come!!

Wallabies closer than it looks

Another frustrating loss to the All Blacks on Saturday night in the Rugby Union!! That makes [8] in a row to the respected rivals from 'across the ditch.' I remember when it was considered Ok to wear an All Blacks canterbury vintage jersey [with the steinlager logo] to training because although Australia enjoyed the game we just knew they were better, so you were seen as a fan of the game, not a traitor to the cause!! Then along came the Ella's, the QLD teams of the 1980s and a golden era including [2] World Cups and a few Bledisloe Cup victories... suddenly we were 'fair dunkum'!!

Since that time the All Blacks have continued to ebb and flow, peaking between Cups but dominating world rugby most of the time and we have entered a rebuilding phase and employed a Kiwi coach [best man for the job, given the ARU rejected my own CV]!!

We are bringing through our Under 21 World Cup winners and blending them with 'old heads.' We are changing to try to play ball in hand rugby with a few players struggling to adjust and on Saturday night we lost the match before a ball was kicked.

Once Quade Cooper was suspended we were in trouble and they should have selected Barnes at 10 and left Giteau where he belongs. That said, we really only lost that game when 'idiot' Drew Mitchell was given a second 'yellow card' and resultant red card 'send off.' You cannot win Test rugby one player down with 40 to play!!

Cooper's absence blunted the wide running of Elsom [who looked out of sorts and Captained frustratingly] it meant we reverted to standard attack without the unpredicability AND we lacked composure and patience in the tight. The commentators noted some 15 phases of play at one point and I suggested it didn't matter if went to 23 as long as we held the ball... we didn't!

How can I claim we're not far off... If we held our ball in that game we got the closest of any team to beating them but once Mitchell went off they only needed to go wide from side to side and we couldn't keep up... 15 on 15 I think we still would have lost but they weren't perfect!! Bring on Christchurch... if only the weather stays dry and warm and the new Robbie Deans Grandstand inspires some more 'mongrel' which we showed the week before!!

I also would have subbed a few of those players at half time, not with 20 to go, just to stir things up a bit!!

Which Wallabies will turn up this week?

This week sees the Wallabies open their 2010 Tri Nations with a 'home fixture' at our best performed venue in Brisbane!! BUT which team will front?

We have moved past the first round of inventive selections [which should continue as we go along in search of a belnd of youth and experience] and started putting together the best performed from the bunch... thank goodness our front rowers are back from injury... but make no mistake the key player in the mix is Quade Cooper!! If he's allowed to play by a fair share of possession and a forward pack making metres then anything could happen. Traditionally however the Boks are physical, fired up and nasty off the ball stuff intimidates our ball players so we'll see!! No predictions...

Wallabies can win the Rugby World Cup in 2011!!

Twelve months ago was a different story but the selection of youthful players with form and the blend of experience in the side all showed out against England last night in Perth!!

'Hang on, didn't our scrum get destroyed and wasn't the score close?' Well, yes but that's not the game going on within the game!!

You see we tackled low in the try zone and bustled England who played 10 man rugby and looked ordinary in attack. Our backs played slight of hand, ran good angles and kept the ball alive!!

Quade Cooper directed an attacking style and they 'chanced their arm' time and again!! They were fast, aggressive and had a good plan. Begrudgingly I'd say that Luke Burgess had his best game for the Wallabies.

With injuries and trying to boost our depth the scrum was exposed by the massive England front row and yielded two penalty tries from splintering the scrum on or near the try line. We need to remember that this was about our fourth choice front row and it's all experience for them as the Poms were 'boring in' and playing on the edge of the rules, but deserved to dominate as they kept their feet and drove forward.

I look forward to the game in Sydney next week to see how the players under pressure handle the moment!! The team now have about 18 matches to keep working on combinations, selecting different up and comers and seeing who is our best option and what is our best plan of attack!!

The Wallabies actually showed some 'steel' last night and it was exciting to watch despite the scrum penalties, penalty tries and scrum sin bin.... in the words of the coach "our group will definitely be the better for this experience!"

Natan Sharpe was a revelation

Elsom played well

Rob Horne is a 'Sterling Mortlock' in the making but with a better step

Pocock is getting there

Luke Burgess, Quade Cooper and Digby Ioane made the difference

The 21 year old sub James Slipper looked a good prospect in the scrum!!

Exciting Wallabies Team Announced!!

I am the most excited about the beginning of our international rugby union season as I have been for years!! Coach Robbie Deans has picked 'the right team' whether it's vs Fiji or anyone else and yet also plans to use the next 20 matches to get ready for next year's Rugby World Cup in NZ!!

None of this means they'll play well... unless Cooper, Beale and co are allowed to play to their skills!!

BUT... look out All Blacks!! Not this year but when the whips are cracking...

And the team....

15. Kurtley Beale being given a chance ahead of Mitchell

14. Digby Ioane speedster with a step

13. Rob Horne bolter but they all clearly rate his illusiveness

12. Matt Giteau in the right number!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

11. Lachie Turner Deans likes speed and he can retrieve a kick!!

10. Quade Cooper woo hooo!! Still the wiry kid I saw in Canberra years ago at an AIS Camp

9. Luke Burgess a lottery with Genia injured

8. Richard Brown the mongrel dog

7. David Pocock I'm not convinced he's great but he is good!

6. Rocky Elsom needs to lift a cog but did at the end of the Super 14

5. Nathan Sharpe evergreen but producing

4. Dean Mumm Deans prototype

3. Salesi Ma'afu we have lots of injuries so they'll rotate props

2. Huia Edmonds another Deans type given the injuries, can run the ball

1. Ben Alexander solid as a rock!!

Bench

Saia Faingaa great job Ewen McEnzie

Pek Cowan solid and mobile

Mark Chisolm they rate Chisolm who has missed some footy

Matt Hodgson best of the rest

Josh Valentine lucky not to be back in Singleton

Drew Mitchell speed and talent to burn, will get a run in coming weeks

James O'Connor hope he hasn't peaked yet

Bring it on!!

Rugby Season well and truly on us

To the bemusement of those who follow my blog for work purposes I again divert into other opinions and interests... namely RUGBY UNION!!

Todays SMH carries a story of the ACT Brumbies coaches advising Wallaby coach Robbie Deans that if he's looking for a ball playing number 8 who can link phase play and be all over the field then they shouldn't look past a recall for Stephen Hoiles!!

I am writing about it because I agree... Hoiles is a player suited to the slightly changed rules this year and thriving in the era after the mistakes of every player being told to bulk up and add muscle mass to their frame... the same stupidity that saw Kurtley Beale busting it in the gym at the expense of his mobility and finesse.

You could argue that a power forward with a direct game like Hodgson or even Leroy Houston might be a great fill in for Wycliff Palu [ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in the knee] but Hoiles offers a more complete game now proven against the bigger packs with the more even contest at the breakdown... we'll see when the squad is announced on May 27 or a week later if a few make the Super 14 final.

As a postscript I notice the Oz 9 network will cover free to air Rugby Union from next year [though they keep talking Bledisloe, meaning that lesser matches will be left to Foxtel alone I suspect] next comes the expanded Super 15 and Four Nations with Argentina soon!!

As for me I must get down to the Wanderers No2 Sportsground this first 5 weeks of the season before the ground is ripped up and redeveloped into a commercial centre, rectangular field with new grandstand etc... amazing plans!! If the lower grade coaches are hapy I plan to turn up ocassionally and give a hand this year now both my girls are at school and not yet in team sports themselves!!

Waratahs a genuine contender

Although the Waratahs lost 20-13 to the Crusaders in Christchurch it makes them serious contenders!! They will as ever have to fix up their mistake rate... too many penalties this time but too many turnovers generally!!

I look forward to the upcoming game v the Brumbies at Homebush to check their claims!!