Premiership side Wasps sign versatile All Blacks forward Vaea Fifita for the 2021-22 season.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57664276
source https://therugbystore.com.au/vaea-fifita-wasps-sign-all-blacks-forward/
Wednesday, 30 June 2021
Vaea Fifita: Wasps sign All Blacks forward
source https://therugbystore.com.au/vaea-fifita-wasps-sign-all-blacks-forward/
The Thursday rugby two-up: Untimely injuries
Injuries are rarely well-timed, and the British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa got off to the worst possible start on the personnel front, losing captain Alun-Wyn Jones in their warm-up win over Japan at Murrayfield.
It looked like a wrist injury to the inspirational skipper at first, but was later confirmed to be a nasty shoulder dislocation, and though Warren Gatland explained that the best-case scenario could see Jones back for the Tests, the decision was made to call in Ospreys and Wales lock Adam Beard.
Gatland named Ireland scrumhalf as his replacement tour, and full of praise: “Alun Wyn will obviously be a big loss, both on and off the field, but will be ably replaced by Conor,” he said of the decision.
“Conor is an outstanding rugby player and is held in the highest regard with both the players and coaches. As a three-time Lions tourist, he knows what will be required as captain and I am certain he will lead the squad with excellence. He will also be well supported by an experienced leadership group.”
It begs the obvious questions as we start turning our attention toward the July internationals…
Question 1: How big a loss is Alun-Wyn Jones for the Lions, and has Warren Gatland got it right naming Conor Murray as his new captain straightaway?
Harry
Replacing grizzled, patch-haired ‘AWJ’ as a lock with balding Courtney Lawes or slack-jawed Iain Henderson, when playing the superb ‘Bok locks, is not as big a Lions loss as is replacing him as an on-field captain-coach with dour Conor Murray.
Honest Jonny Gray should’ve been the fly-in lock because he is just the sort of big grafting forward needed to stem the ‘Bok tide of behemoths. He spends so little time on the floor or leaning wanly against rucks, especially since mulleted Jonny Hill has no business on a Test pitch in South Africa, this was an opportunity lost (with the one-dimensional Adam Beard in).
But the loss is about captaincy; see Geoff Parkes’ brilliant current series. Murray has never led Munster. He is an easy target for South African loosies to hit. He will have to show something quickly.
He does know the Springbok coaches, and perhaps he was the only leader sure of a starting berth besides 12-penalty Six Nations bad boy Maro Itoje.
Brett
If there was one player Warren Gatland wouldn’t have wanted to lose before his third tour in charge kicked off, it would’ve been Alun-Wyn Jones. I’m pretty sure there was an audible yelp, followed by a series of wailing, weeping screams emanating from the coaches’ box as he made his way from the field with that very obvious look of ‘my tour is done’.
And Conor Murray may well be the best option, but I was bit surprised he was named immediately. And it was immediate – I’m not even sure AWJ’s shoulder was properly back in place when Gatland said Murray had the job.
I mean, wouldn’t there have been some merit in at least getting on the ground in the Republic and seeing who the natural leaders are away from Jones’ shadow?
Though, that all said, maybe Gatland is hoping the quickest way to move on from the disappointment of losing their natural leader is to get the replacement straight into the job and let him start leading now?
Alun Wyn Jones. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Geoff
A timely question given our two-part Monday foray into captaincy and leadership. Alun-Wyn Jones is the kind of talismanic leader often favoured by the Lions; physically imposing but disarmingly approachable.
Capable of a gruff harrumph when needed, but in the next breath, drawing people in with a warm lilt, channelled straight from one of Wales’ prettiest valleys.
Lions captaincy is very much about moulding four into one and in that respect, Jones will almost certainly be a major loss.
As for Conor Murray, the field of candidates was small. Gatland needs a skipper who is a certain starter. Given Murray’s CV isn’t stacked with high-level captaincy experience, perhaps Lions fans should look to Gatland and have faith that, while he might not know what makes the Chiefs tick, he does know his Lions players better than the rest of us.
Digger
AWJ is a great loss, no question, his experience and no nonsense play and leadership is exactly what you want in the mix for a South African tour, and is not readily replaced.
Murray is certainly a fine and experienced player, but the decision to me smacks of too much conservatism, which is a hallmark of Gatland’s style of coaching.
That can certainly work against sides such as New Zealand if you can pull them into the trenches, but it is simply sailing right up the South Africans’ alley, who would welcome such an approach from the Lions. The last World Cup semis and final is a good example of why not.
He is not too popular around these parts, but my choice would have been Maro Itoje, who I believe is a fantastic player, and a likely starter. Most importantly to my way of thinking, he expects to win and could provide that spark and difference the Lions will need against the Boks.
Question 2: What do you most want to see during the July Tests from your respective national teams?
Harry
From the Boks, it’s simple.
I want to see an umbrella that never breaks, boxes that shut hard, lineouts high in the sun, tries raining and niggle in the jiggle.
Brett
I touched on this in recent weeks, and it seems right to bring it up again. I want to see the Wallabies’ identity starting to become clear this year, and I can imagine Dave Rennie does too.
Rennie has certainly picked players of a certain type, favouring big physical tight forwards and ball carriers all across the field. And to a degree, that’s not too dissimilar to his predecessor.
But Rennie’s teams play differently, and there’s been a lot of emphasis from the coaches about speed of play. And I do wonder if – given the injuries – they’ve been putting the players through something of a second pre-season, in terms of building fitness levels up to where they need to be.
So it would be great to see all this amounting to something. And I’m not talking about the next incarnation of whatever the hell ‘the Australian way’ is, but rather a way of playing that suits this group of players and will push them to a method of play that can work on the international stage.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Geoff
There are a few things I’d like to see from the All Blacks. Real presence from some of the emerging talent in the front row, some surety and consistency in the midfield (here’s looking at you, Rieko!), and no serious injuries.
For the Wallabies, their task is more basic. The ‘how’ isn’t quite so important, nor are qualifications around what players France have left at home. It’s the ‘what’ that is non-negotiable. They need wins. Two of them at a minimum.
Digger
I am not too sure what one should expect given the quality of New Zealand’s opposition and I imagine we will see a number of changes, mixing and matching in July as the Coaches run their eyes over their squad.
It’s hard to expect a lot of fluidity in those circumstances, so what I would hope to see is a team executing well, defending strongly and a strong set piece throughout.
OVER TO YOU: Is Conor Murray the right man for the Lions?
And what are you hoping to see during the July Tests?
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/07/01/the-thursday-rugby-two-up-untimely-injuries/
source https://therugbystore.com.au/the-thursday-rugby-two-up-untimely-injuries/
Tuesday, 29 June 2021
Last man standing: Can Tate McDermott seize his day against the French?
Unavailability and injuries have already settled like a swarm of locusts over the summer rugby tours.
The British and Irish Lions have lost their captain, the redoubtable Alun Wyn Jones, for a large portion of their trip to South Africa before he even stepped on the plane. They may even lose him for the Test series itself.
The French, meanwhile, are sending a youthful if dangerous ‘B’ team to Australia, shorn of the players from the two Top 14 finalists – Toulouse and La Rochelle – whose quarantine period would have eaten into the middle part of the tour.
Selection from other top clubs, like Racing 92, has also flipped on its head. Promising young back-ups at the Parisian giant, like Ibrahim Diallo and Fabien Sanconnie in the back row, and Teddy Iribaren at scrum-half, are in. Established Test stars like Camille Chat, Bernard Le Roux, Gael Fickou and Virimi Vakatawa stay at home to take a rest and lick their wounds.
Not to be outdone in the underdog betting, Australia has responded in kind. At a stroke, their likely starting midfield of Nic White at 9, James O’Connor at 10 and Matt Toomua at 12 looks like being removed from the equation.
Dave Rennie has already confirmed White is gone for the series: “He’s done an MCL, so that’ll be four-plus weeks. That will count him out.”
Meanwhile, O’Connor and Toomua may both also miss the first Test, on July 7.
With NSW halfback Jake Gordon still on the mend from a knee injury, Queensland Reds number 9 Tate McDermott is the last man standing at scrum-half.
It is unlikely that he would have been Rennie’s choice with everyone fit and raring to go. Before the start of the 2020 Bledisloe Cup, the Wallabies head coach had this to say about the choice at scrum-half:
“Nic White is really experienced, obviously he’s come out of the Exeter program for the last three years. One of the strongest clubs in Europe.
“He’s really added in that [leadership] area as well. With Hunter [Paisami] and Filipo [Daugunu] on the field, we thought it was important we add a bit of experience around them…
“Like a number of spots, it’s tight [the number 9 spot].
“I thought Tate was excellent for the Reds, he’s a real impact player and [has the] ability to attack.
“In the end we looked at Jake, who has a better kicking game. We figured that would be really important in pressure situations. There’s not a lot between those guys.”
Tate McDermott dishes off. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
If McDermott starts for the Wallabies, it changes the balance of responsibilities significantly. With White in play, Australia kicked more off 9 than 10 in the 2020 Tri-Nations.
White averaged seven kicks per game for the ACT in Super Rugby AU, McDermott averaged four for the Reds.
White’s kicks enjoyed 21 per cent positive outcomes (turnover by forced fumble, or repossession), McDermott’s went at 18 per cent. 1.9 per cent of White’s kicks were blocked down, as opposed to 8.9 per cent of McDermott’s.
So there will be change that will probably entail more passing or breaking from the base by McDermott.
Breaking should not be a problem for him, as Rennie hinted. The stats from Super Rugby AU support the coach’s comments, with McDermott averaging 0.75 breaks per game to White’s 0.13, and 1.38 key passes (break or try assists) to White’s 0.88.
It is possible to refine that assessment further, by looking at the quality of a scrum-half’s contributions on his ‘wrong’ side. For a halfback that is typically to his right, where he has to pass off his weaker hand. Even Wales legend Sir Gareth Edwards had to turn his back to the opponent and spin pass off his dominant hand to get the ball to Barry John.
Like Sir Gareth, McDermott breaks naturally out to his right. He was especially ‘electric’ (to use Rennie’s word) on the scoot in the Reds’ final Trans-Tasman match against the Hurricanes. He can engage the first defender at ruck-side and put support players through the holes, inside and outside:
In all three examples, McDermott first uses his running threat to pull the inside defenders away from the space he wants to attack, then dishes the ball off to his support at the right moment.
He has also developed a nice relationship working in tandem with the Reds’ number 8 Harry Wilson, who is likely to also start against the French; either dropping the ball off to him coming late around the corner of a ruck…
… or working together at the base of the scrum or breakdown:
Wilson pancakes his man at the ruck and McDermott sees the opportunity to scoot down an unguarded short-side immediately.
The running is not the issue. Distribution from left to right is much more of a concern moving forward, especially if Rennie wants to pick two playmakers at 10 and 12, and attack off the second and third pass against France.
After the Reds’ one and only Super Rugby AU loss, against the Force, I looked at McDermott’s vulnerability to disruption around the base when preparing to kick or pass.
Slick passing from the base helps immeasurably to open up the field in both directions. Having a 9 who passes well off his left hand, with minimal lift, or time wasted taking steps towards the target receiver, is a big advantage in that respect.
Excellent left-to-right passers like Aaron Smith and the Harlequins’ Danny Care can get extra length on the ball, while maintaining speed through the air and a flat plane on the delivery:
Play moves either to the edge, or into midfield, far quicker in such instances and creates more stress for the defence.
When McDermott passes straight off the deck, his range is short and the target receiver has to stand no further than six or seven metres distant:
These two phases occurred after Filipo Daugunu and Isaac Henry had made deep inroads down the left-hand side, with the play starting on the Reds own 40m line.
In both instances, the receiver is standing so close to 9 that he has no choice but to take his first step back inside as the rush comes – there is no possibility of working the ball further out towards midfield or the right wing:
Even shorter deliveries are often accompanied by a lift of the ball off the floor:
When greater length is required to reach the target off his left hand, the lift is more accentuated and McDermott starts to run towards the receiver:
By the time Bryce Hegarty receives the ball back in the pocket with the defence in his face, his kicking options are drastically reduced:
Jordie Barrett was able to break on the kick return and set up the scoring sequence in this play.
The impact on the Reds’ kicking game was not an isolated instance:
Hegarty was forced to stand so deep at first receiver that passing moves had to be performed too far from the gain-line for them to be effective:
Although he beats the first tackler, Mac Grealy is barely back to a line level with the previous ruck before he is dropped, and relieved of the ball for good measure.
Summary
France were already missing Antoine Dupont, Baptiste Serin, Romain Ntamack, Matthieu Jalibert and Gael Fickou from their tour party to Australia. The uncertainty around the Wallabies’ selection at 9, 10 and 12 caused by injuries to Nic White, James O’Connor and Matt Toomua makes the outcome of the July series even harder to predict. It will be one unknown midfield quantity facing another.
O’Connor and Toomua may at least get to play in the final two Tests, but White is out entirely. With Jake Gordon also sidelined, the Reds’ Tate McDermott has a gilt-edged opportunity to make the green and gold number 9 jersey his own before the World Cup in 2023.
CHECK OUT THE CURRENT WALLABIES SQUAD AHEAD OF THE SERIES OPENER
Tate McDermott passes during a Wallabies training session. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
There is not much doubt that he will pose just as much as threat as White close to the ruck and set-piece, if not more. The real questions are about his ability to shoulder more of the kicking burden, and most importantly, to clear the ball quickly and effectively from the base.
With Australia looking to field two playmakers at 10 and 12, it is essential that the 9 inside them offers extra speed and length on the pass. This is where the test will come for the young Queenslander, especially when distributing the ball off his left hand.
If his delivery shortens up the attack, or he starts running towards the receiver when seeking extra length, it will spell trouble for the Wallabies against a defence coached by Shaun Edwards. It is never too late to begin channelling Aaron Smith: not so much the last man standing, but an automatic first choice, staying low and punching the ball away off the deck with real zip and meaning.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/30/last-man-standing-can-tate-mcdermott-seize-his-day-against-the-french/
source https://therugbystore.com.au/last-man-standing-can-tate-mcdermott-seize-his-day-against-the-french/
Conor Murray: British and Irish Lions aim to put smiles on faces says new captain
The British and Irish Lions want to “put a smile on people’s faces” amid rising Covid infection rates in South Africa says captain Conor Murray.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57643598
source https://therugbystore.com.au/conor-murray-british-and-irish-lions-aim-to-put-smiles-on-faces-says-new-captain/
British and Irish Lions v Japan: Zander Fagerson replaced by Tadhg Furlong
Zander Fagerson becomes the second Scotland player to pull out of the British and Irish Lions side to face Japan at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57595699
Monday, 28 June 2021
Dragons release Israel Folau, door open for rugby league return
Israel Folau will be free to resume his rugby league career on the Gold Coast after Catalans Dragons agreed to release controversial dual-code international.
The 32-year-old former Melbourne and Brisbane NRL centre had threatened legal action against the Queensland Rugby League after it refused to ratify his registration with junior club Southport Tigers because he was still contracted to his Super League club.
Folau began negotiations with the Catalans last week over a release and the club announced on Monday they had come to a settlement.
“Catalans Dragons can confirm Israel Folau will be released from the remainder of his contract with immediate effect,” a club statement read.
Folau, who was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 over homophobic comments he posted on social media, was thrown a lifeline by the French club before the 2020 season, despite opposition from their rival Super League clubs and the governing body.
He played in 15 out of a possible 17 matches last season and agreed a contract extension to the end of 2021 but the Dragons gave him permission to miss the start of this season in order to attend to pressing family matters in Australia.
He was then courted by St George Illawarra and recently attempted to make a comeback with Southport, where his brothers play.
“Israel has been great with us in 2020, both on and off the field, and we wanted to facilitate the negotiations to reach an agreement,” Catalans chairman Bernard Guasch said.
“He told us his desire to play alongside his two brothers and we didn’t want to prevent him.”
Folau played rugby league for Australia before switching to the AFL in 2011 and jumping codes once again to rugby union in 2013.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/29/dragons-release-israel-folau-door-open-for-rugby-league-return/
source https://therugbystore.com.au/dragons-release-israel-folau-door-open-for-rugby-league-return/
Matt Dawson column: Lions can be galvanised by loss of captain Alun Wyn Jones
Ex-British and Irish Lions scrum-half Matt Dawson says the loss of captain Alun Wyn Jones can galvanise the squad
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57643669
source https://therugbystore.com.au/matt-dawson-column-lions-can-be-galvanised-by-loss-of-captain-alun-wyn-jones/
British and Irish Lions v Japan: Justin Tipuric replaces Hamish Watson in line-up
Wales flanker Justin Tipuric comes into the British and Irish Lions side to play Japan on Saturday after Scotland's Hamish Watson is ruled out by a training-ground concussion.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57582450
White to miss France series after injuring knee at training
Wallabies halfback Nic White is out of next month’s Test series against France, while fellow veterans Matt Toomua and James O’Connor are also battling injuries, potentially robbing the side of almost 150 Test caps.
White has returned home to Canberra after suffering a MCL injury at training during their Gold Coast camp, and Toomua is already there with his injury being checked by Rugby Australia’s chief medical officer, Warren McDonald.
Toomua is expected to rejoin the squad on Sunday with the Wallabies hopeful the playmaker will be available for the first Test on July 7.
O’Connor, who has carried the injury from Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, is being managed through training but the five-eighth is expected to play.
With White out, Queensland’s Tate McDermott is now set for his first Test start after two matches off the bench, while Brumbies No.9 Ryan Lonergan is likely to make his debut.
Waratahs halfback Jake Gordon is in camp but is also recovering from a MCL injury and remains an outside chance of being available.
White doesn’t require surgery and medical staff are hopeful he will be in the frame for the Bledisloe Cup with the first match on August 7 in Auckland.
It comes as Rugby Australia push ahead with plans to play the opening match of the three Test series against France at the SCG despite the COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney.
The 42-man French squad arrived in Sydney on Tuesday night and underwent COVID-19 tests on Wednesday.
Les Bleus will be quarantined in their hotel for the next fortnight though they will be allowed out to train ahead of the July 7 Test at the SCG.
The teams are playing a condensed series with three Tests in 11 days, the second at Melbourne’s AAMI Park on July 13 followed by the third at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on July 17.
The second Test looked to be in most doubt, with Melbourne in lockdown for two weeks after a rise COVID-19 cases, but that has eased with crowds welcomed back to sporting events this weekend.
There were questions about whether that game would be shifted to Canberra, which could now be an option for the Sydney match should the pandemic continue to worsen on the eastern seabelt.
Queensland and Victoria have closed their borders to NSW residents from hotspot areas in the eastern suburbs and central Sydney.
RA chief executive Andy Marinos said they remained hopeful the matches would be played as scheduled.
“Appreciating that we continue to operate in a dynamic environment with COVID-19 impacts, we are moving ahead with our plans to host these matches as planned, subject to any further
advice from our state government partners,” Marinos said in a statement.
“We are now just two weeks away from the start of the series which kicks off with the Wallabies’ first match at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground in 35 years.
“I want to thank (president) Bernard Laporte, (coach) Fabian Gautier and the FFR (French Rugby Federation) for their partnership in ensuring this series could go ahead.
“It has been a mammoth effort by all involved.”
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/24/white-to-miss-france-series-after-injuring-knee-at-training/
https://therugbystore.com.au/white-to-miss-france-series-after-injuring-knee-at-training/
Sunday, 27 June 2021
British and Irish Lions 2021: Rassie Erasmus says there is ‘no threat’ to Tests
South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus says there is “no threat” to July’s British and Irish Lions Tests after three of his players returned positive Covid-19 results.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57630316
source https://therugbystore.com.au/british-and-irish-lions-2021-rassie-erasmus-says-there-is-no-threat-to-tests/
Three Springboks test positive for COVID-19 as Lions tour looms
South Africa have cancelled a training session after three Springbok players tested positive for COVID-19 on the eve on the British and Irish Lions’ departure to the country for a three-Test series next month.
First-choice scrum half Herschel Jantjies, prop Vincent Koch and wing S’bu Nkosi were named as the three players but South Africa’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said he did not think it was a serious matter and it would not impact on two warm-up tests against Georgia or on the Lions tour.
They will be the Springboks’ first Tests since they lifted the Rugby World Cup in Japan in November 2019 after the coronavirus pandemic kept them out of action in 2020.
“I don’t think (the positive tests) is a big cause for concern but we want to keep everybody as safe as possible,” Erasmus told a news conference.
“We have followed strict proposals and everyone is isolated at the moment.”
All South African players arriving at their Johannesburg hotel on Saturday underwent coronavirus testing and were not allowed into their rooms unless they had tested negative.
A PCR test returned the three positives cases and they were being re-tested. Erasmus said he hoped the re-testing would turn out negative with none of the trio showing any symptoms.
“If they are positive it is a case of being unlucky, not anything that they might have done wrong.”
Jantjies and Nkosi had been training with the Boks over the last weeks in Bloemfontein while Koch arrived at the weekend from English club Saracens.
The Springboks are in a bio-secure hotel where they are the only residents. They play two tests against Georgia on July 2 and 9.
The Lions leave for South Africa on Sunday for their eight-game tour, starting on Saturday against South Africa’s Johannesburg-based Lions franchise. The three test matches against the Boks will be played on consecutive Saturdays from July 24.
South Africa is in the grip of a third wave of COVID-19 infections, led by the Delta variant that was first discovered in India, with president Cyril Ramaphosa scheduled to address the country later on Sunday when he is expected to announce tighter lockdown regulations.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/28/three-springboks-test-positive-for-covid-19-as-lions-tour-looms/
source https://therugbystore.com.au/three-springboks-test-positive-for-covid-19-as-lions-tour-looms/
British and Irish Lions: Eight debutants to face Japan
The British and Irish Lions will have eight debutants in their team to face Japan on Saturday.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57567198
https://therugbystore.com.au/british-and-irish-lions-eight-debutants-to-face-japan/
South Africa and Argentina begin their game review
Any enigma about the physical preparation and the evolution of the Springboks’ game will be revealed when they face the British and Irish Lions.
Given the Springboks have not participated in any competitions since the end of 2019, and with most of their key players playing abroad, it is difficult to analyze the medium-term prospects that would deposit them at the gates of the Rugby Championship 2021.
In principle, one of the keys to dismantling the South African defensive game lies in avoiding or controlling the rapid pressure they exert through no’s. 6-8 and no. 9: fast and direct through the shortest channel until crashing into the opponent’s attack.
Physicality on the occasion of contact is the central axis of the South African strategy, with almost 98 per cent effectiveness in ruck and 85 per cent in positive tackles.
At the last Rugby World Cup in 2019, the Springboks left their qualifying group behind by playing good rugby but mostly focused on the potential to score points. But as they progressed towards the final stages of the tournament, their try power diminished until they faced England with an accumulated net difference of +13 tries in their favour.
So far a quick overview of the current world champion. But one thing will be certain: nothing that happens in the series with the Lions will determine the aspirations to impose their leadership and physical might in the rugby ecosystem of the southern hemisphere.
A similar situation occurs with Argentina, who dispersed their men in European professional rugby and, to a lesser extent, Australia. After a disappointing performance at the World Cup, the Pumas managed to shore up their game at the Tri-Nations in 2020, based on defensive strength (86.2 per cent on positive tackles) and relative control of the breakdown.
Finally their second position in the championship was ensured by the effectiveness of kicking the sticks but also showing notable advances in scrummaging (after hitting rock bottom in 2017) and lineout, where they presented, among others, the winning card of Guido Petti as the best jumper of Super Rugby in the last year of Jaguares.
Regarding the scrummaging technique called ´La Bajadita´, promoted by Argentina at the Tri-Nations, you can consult its current implications in contemporary rugby in this article by Nick Bishop.
What should we expect from Los Pumas in the next matches? Matches against Wales in July will give us approximate form of the Argentine team. But we can point out something that differentiates the Argentine team for some years and that could be healthy.
First, we see a strong correlation between granted turnovers and the dramatic change in status, where the ‘disorganised Latino’ temperament shows its achievements by incredibly disorganising the world’s tightest defences.
The other point that perhaps the Argentine team should enhance, in addition to other variations to the monolithic defence already presented, is obtaining more fluid access routes to the opponent’s territory to transform possession and territory into tries.
The kicking game could be an avenue. The conservative conduction of the phase game could be another. In the 2020 Tri-Nations, the opponent’s 22-metre penetrating effectiveness was 9.6 per cent compared to 10.5 per cent for Australia and 37.2 per cent for New Zealand.
So far, that’s my vision of things. Once the luminaire originating from the recent Super Rugby Trans-Tasman is extinguished, we will see what Australia and New Zealand haver in store for us.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/23/south-africa-and-argentina-begin-their-game-review/
https://therugbystore.com.au/south-africa-and-argentina-begin-their-game-review/
Saturday, 26 June 2021
Alun Wyn Jones to miss tour after injury in Lions’ victory
The British and Irish Lions lost skipper Alun Wyn Jones to injury while defeating Japan 28-10 in a warmup Test at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh.
Reports after the match indicated Jones would return to Wales and would not depart for the South Africa tour with the rest of the squad on Sunday.
Jones left early in the match clutching his arm with what is suspected to be a dislocated shoulder and was unable to hold the trophy when it was presented after the match.
Justin Tipuric also picked up a shoulder injury in the clash, a warm up event ahead of the British and Irish Lions’ tour of South Africa.
The Lions won thanks to tries from Josh Adams, Duhan van der Merwe, Robbie Henshaw and Tadhg Beirne, while Kazuki Himeno scored for the Japanese with Yu Tamura adding a penalty.
Lions coach Warren Gatland said after the match that he’d told his charges not to panic with the injury to their skipper.
“No one is in shock because if you’re in shock, it reflects back into the whole squad,” he said.
“We understand we have to be able to react and make decisions. That’s the only way you get on with it.
As yet, Gatland said his side was unsure as to who would take the captain’s armband.
“It’s very disappointing. He’s been around rugby long enough but he’ll be gutted. We need to call someone in, get them PCR tested and hopefully get them on the flight tomorrow.”
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/27/wyn-jones-to-miss-tour-despite-lions-victory/
source https://therugbystore.com.au/alun-wyn-jones-to-miss-tour-after-injury-in-lions-victory/
Alun Wyn Jones: British & Irish Lions will be captained by Conor Murray after Wales great’s injury
Alun Wyn Jones will miss the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa because of a shoulder injury and Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray will captain the side instead.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57623557
source https://therugbystore.com.au/alun-wyn-jones-british-irish-lions-will-be-captained-by-conor-murray-after-wales-greats-injury/
Why are we not excited about the naming of the All Blacks squad?
What used to be one of the most anticipated moments of my life has now evolved into a modicum of enthusiasm.
It may be because I am now a New Zealander living in Australia where the media attention for rugby is so much less than NZ, but I feel that the naming of the All Blacks squad is less of a big deal than previously.
And no, I have not become an AFL fan, I have tried hard to like it and know enough to fake a conversation, but still do not get the enthusiasm for it.
I remember the heated debates with mates and fellow workers as to who would make the team and there was always a “Pick the All Blacks” competition running somewhere.
If the team named by the public could ever take the field who knows what the result would be. I would say that several Kiwis could pick a better team than what Ian Foster and co have just done.
I believe I never ever managed to select the whole squad as named by selectors but did come close. There was always a bolter in there.
Bolters usually do not work, do they? The “experiments” usually did not develop as planned either.
So, to the All Blacks squad to start 2021, with Tests against Fiji and Tonga.
Forwards
Hookers
Asafo Aumua (24, Hurricanes / Wellington, 1)
Dane Coles (34, Hurricanes / Wellington, 74)
Codie Taylor (30, Crusaders / Canterbury, 56)
Props
George Bower (29, Crusaders / Otago, uncapped)
Ethan de Groot (22, Highlanders / Southland, new cap)
Nepo Laulala (29, Blues / Counties Manukau, 29)
Tyrel Lomax (25, Hurricanes / Tasman, 6)
Angus Ta’avao (31, Chiefs / Auckland, 14)
Karl Tu’inukuafe (28, Blues / North Harbour, 17)
Locks
Scott Barrett (27, Crusaders / Taranaki, 36)
Brodie Retallick (30, Chiefs / Hawke’s Bay, 81)
Patrick Tuipulotu (28, Blues / Auckland, 35)
Tupou Vaa’i (21, Chiefs / Taranaki, 4)
Samuel Whitelock (32, Crusaders / Canterbury, 122) – captain
Loose forwards
Ethan Blackadder (26, Crusaders / Tasman, new cap)
Shannon Frizell (27, Highlanders / Tasman, 13)
Akira Ioane (26, Blues / Auckland, 2)
Luke Jacobson (24, Chiefs / Waikato, 2)
Dalton Papalii (23, Blues / Counties Manukau, 4)
Ardie Savea (27, Hurricanes / Wellington, 49)
Hoskins Sotutu (22, Blues / Counties Manukau, 5)
Backs
Halfbacks
Finlay Christie (25, Blues / Tasman, new cap)
Aaron Smith (32, Highlanders / Manawatu, 97)
Brad Weber (30, Chiefs / Hawke’s Bay, 7)
First five–eighths
Beauden Barrett (30, Blues / Taranaki, 88)
Richie Mo’unga (27, Crusaders / Canterbury, 22)
Midfielders
Braydon Ennor (23, Crusaders / Canterbury, 1)
David Havili (26, Crusaders / Tasman, 3)
Rieko Ioane (24, Blues / Auckland, 33)
Anton Lienert-Brown (26, Chiefs / Waikato, 49)
Quinn Tupaea (22, Chiefs / Waikato, new cap)
Outside backs
Jordie Barrett (24, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 23)
George Bridge (26, Crusaders / Canterbury, 10)
Will Jordan (22, Crusaders / Tasman, 2)
Damian McKenzie (26, Chiefs / Waikato, 27)
Sevu Reece (23, Crusaders / Tasman, 8)
Living in Australia makes it difficult to get to know all the players and be familiar with their overall form. But I will do the best I can.
Overall, the response to the hookers named seems to be quite positive. Coles and Taylor are the veterans with the young blood snapping at their heels.
The murky depths of the prop world are left to the scrummaging experts, and you must take their word for it. I always liked the running prop myself. Ethan de Groot at 22 is extremely young to be named so we hope he lives up to the promise.
Five locks were named with one of them, Samuel Whitelock named as skipper, replacing Sam Kane. Scott Barrett joins his two brothers in the squad. I do not know a lot about Tupou Vaa’I, the young Chiefs lock, but maybe a reader is more familiar with him?
You know you are getting old when sons of players you followed years ago, are named in current teams! Ethan Blackadder, son of Todd has been named as a loose forward. As an aside, Michael Lynagh’s son Louis is now also becoming a prominent player.
The rest of the loose forwards are named on form with Shannon Frizell, brother of Tyson, a St George player in NRL, reclaiming his spot.
(Dianne Manson/Getty Images)
T.J Perenara was ineligible for this squad and his place goes to Finlay Christie, the Scottish born Blues halfback.
Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett are the first five-eighths selected with some questioning why a third five-eighth was not picked. Maybe they have Damian McKenzie in mind as well.
I do have question marks over Barrett and whether his glory days are behind him. I am sure that is what they said about Dan Carter too. Like a Benji Marshall or Shaun Johnston in the NRL, they just become different players.
The midfield backs are solid selections and hopefully a partnership is built up over this season in preparation for the next World Cup. The All Blacks have not had a settled midfield since Conrad Smith and Ma’a Nonu.
The durable partnership of Frank Bunce and Walter Little is a distant memory. Please do not ask me about Quinn Tupaea, the 22-year-old Chiefs player selected as I have no idea!
The outside backs named are Jordie Barrett, George Bridge, Will Jordan, Damian McKenzie and Sevu Reece. Barrett is a good player, but I am yet to be convinced by him for some reason.
Maybe it is the haircut or the way he runs, I do not know! George Bridge I worry about, he is getting to that age when wingers start to lose their place, and I thought he was shown up in the last World Cup. Maybe there is a better option?
Will Jordan has impressed me with the limited viewing I have seen of him, and he is at that age where he has it all in front of him. McKenzie is a fantastic player yet to cement his spot in the All Blacks. Is it full back or first five?
Time will tell. Sevu Reece is another yet to convince me of a long-term career in the All Blacks. We have been spoilt with great wingers over the years with Lomu, Bryan Williams, Kirwan, and the two Wilson’s as examples. So, a player like Reece has a lot to live up to.
Overall, a conservative team named, from a conservative coach. Is this the beginnings of a team that will take us through to the next World Cup?
The loose forwards, halfback, first-five, midfield, wing, and full back are concerns. I believe I just about included the whole team there! Time will tell.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/22/why-are-we-not-excited-about-the-naming-of-the-all-blacks-squad/
https://therugbystore.com.au/why-are-we-not-excited-about-the-naming-of-the-all-blacks-squad/
Tom Youngs: Leicester hooker accepts two-week ban for disrespecting match official
Tom Youngs accepts a charge of disrespecting a match official during Leicester's game with Bristol in June.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57554547
Friday, 25 June 2021
British and Irish Lions v Japan: Alun Wyn Jones says his side have ‘siege mentality’
Captain Alun Wyn Jones says the British and Irish Lions have already developed a “siege mentality” because of disruption caused by coronavirus.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57611768
source https://therugbystore.com.au/british-and-irish-lions-v-japan-alun-wyn-jones-says-his-side-have-siege-mentality/
Saving Super Rugby Part 1: Competitive club rugby
The last 20 years of Super Rugby have demonstrated two inarguable facts:
1. The ability of the New Zealand rugby system to develop All Blacks is unparalleled across the rugby world.
2. Super Rugby has been a financial failure for South Africa and Australia, and the writing is on the wall for New Zealand if they don’t take heed of what has happened to their southern hemisphere partners.
Clearly Super Rugby, and in particular New Zealand Rugby, must find a way to balance these two facts.
The threat
The gloomiest outlook for southern hemisphere rugby is that Australia is the next domino to fall, with domestic rugby becoming a second-tier competition for talent not wanted by NRL teams, and getting regularly flogged by their cousins over the ditch. New Zealand being the last domino, losing players to the dual threats of cashed-up northern hemisphere rugby (the Springbok model) or an expanded NRL with two teams based in New Zealand (the Australian model).
It is important to consider that the NRL is highly likely to introduce a second New Zealand team in the next five years, and having two NRL teams both with double the salary cap of the Super Rugby teams respectively means New Zealand rugby might start to see more of the player drain that Australia currently has with its schoolboy talent. Remember 20 years ago the Wallabies were the best in the world and were higher-paid than NRL players, so it’s not impossible that it happens to New Zealand too.
(Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
The solution
Super Rugby must act now and become a true club-focused competition to survive in an increasingly competitive sporting landscape. Clubs must have equal salary caps across the competition and shared broadcast revenue with the ability to sign players from any nation. Allow opening the clubs up to private ownership where possible – Ã la the Western Force – tempered with an NBA-style luxury tax that allows teams to go over the salary cap with a percentage of the excess redistributed to the other teams.
Of course, the above scenario would be instantly shot down, and deservedly so, by New Zealand Rugby – the greatest rugby system of the professional era should not have to give away all its advantages. However, a compromise is possible. New Zealand has the strongest foundation of amateur and schoolboy rugby, and with an overhaul of the professional game will continue to dominate the international scene within a financially sustainable Super Rugby competition.
Allow each national union 30-40 central contracts to keep top-tier and developing players in their respective nations. Meanwhile, allow fringe international players and the true club-level players to play for whoever is willing to pay them the most. Crucially, these players must maintain their international eligibility and be rewarded for improvements in form with international call-ups.
The respective unions must recognise the clubs’ role in developing previously unrecognised players, and allow them to stay at their respective Super Rugby clubs with rewards for form. New Zealand and Australia need to acknowledge that it is better for talent to remain both internationally eligible within the Super Rugby system, rather than lost overseas.
Also, clubs should be rewarded for developing international talent that has slipped through the cracks of the traditional pathways to Test rugby selection, and be able to keep said players.
Finally, having moved towards a balanced and competitive competition, Super Rugby must focus on increasing viewership, both in person and on TV. This requires two approaches.
(Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
Increased broadcasting revenue may be achieved by introducing the top Japanese teams as a third conference. The South African shift to Europe has shown that timezones are more important than geography, and the Japanese market is perfectly situated as a target for growth within the correct time zone, and is an economic powerhouse that needs the powerhouse talent of New Zealand and Australian rugby talent stars to be unlocked.
Providing seven or eight competitive matches within prime time television viewing is an easy sell for broadcasters, and a four-fold increase in content in comparison to two matches a weekend as seen respectively in Super Rugby Australia and Aotearoa.
Secondly, although economically minor in comparison to TV rights, in-person attendance is the true heart of any sporting competition. What Super Rugby Australian and Aoteroa has shown is that fans respond to local derbies. Kids need to see their sporting heroes live. These matches should be maximised through the competition structure.
I propose a three-conference system (Japan, Australia and New Zealand), with each respective conference playing two home-and-away fixtures within themselves, and a single fixture against the other conference clubs, alternating home-and-away games on a two-year basis.
Importantly, there should be a single competition ladder – providing two key benefits over previous systems.
1. Weaker conferences will receive a small competitive advantage by playing more games within themselves and ensuring all conferences have a chance to be represented during finals footy.
2. Truly dire teams will not be granted a sympathy top-three finals spot, purely for finishing on top of a bad conference, they must still be competitive against the other conferences for a top-three finish.
I know the ideological purists will be against anything that is not a true home-and-away round-robin schedule, and in an ideal world they would have it their way. However a compromise is needed to balance a packed international schedule, the need for local derbies and player welfare requirements – given the brutal reality of professional rugby, a jam-packed schedule as seen in European club football is just not realistic.
Finally, the makeup of the conferences. Financial sustainability must be a priority. The competition should start with five teams in each respective conference, with a five-year plan for expansion to six teams around the time of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, to be (hopefully) played in the southern hemisphere. These teams will be comprised of the current five Australian and New Zealand Super Rugby clubs and the five best suited current Japanese franchises.
(Photo by Dave Rowland/Getty Images)
Expansion is an admirable goal, however, the Super Rugby approach to expansion has been abysmal compared to other professional sporting leagues. The proposal to include the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika in 2022 is a pie-in-the-sky approach. Expecting Rugby Australia to pay for a Fijian team purely out of goodwill when they are already bleeding money and players is just straight up unworkable, as nice as the idea is.
Similarly with Moana Pasifika, if they are unable to select players who are eligible for All Blacks selection they will never be competitive with the New Zealand teams. And expecting top-tier Pasifika and Fijian players to reject big money in Europe to play clubs that haven’t even worked out their funding model is completely unrealistic.
Expansion should be a five-year approach, with all new clubs given an equal footing to succeed. Clearly, both the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika should have their development pathways located in their respective countries of origin, however, they must also be able to access top-level Super Rugby talent to provide leadership and stability while growing their own home player base.
Furthermore, the current financial state of Super Rugby does not allow for these clubs to join Super Rugby in 2022 and be financially successful.
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Instead, each club should be incorporated in the respective second-tier rugby competitions in Australia and New Zealand, with a five-year focus on developing player pathways to Super Rugby. Allowing for five years of growth will also provide the financial security needed, as these clubs will realistically require subsidisation from World Rugby and other Super Rugby nations to be viable.
Expansion within the Japanese conference should mirror this timeline. The sixth team could either be a sixth Japanese franchise or the return of the Argentian Jaguares, depending on the make-up of South American Rugby at said point in time. Although re-introducing the Jaguares directly contradicts my earlier argument about time zones, only 1/18 teams in the wrong time zone is sustainable and allows Super Rugby to achieve a secondary aim of growing professional rugby outside of the traditional rugby nations.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments – clearly the current set-up has not worked, and I propose this model as a financially sustainable and competitive path forward for Super Rugby while still allowing unions to focus on developing international talent.
If you’re reading this Rugby Australia, feel free to give a broke university student a job.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/25/saving-super-rugby-part-1-competitive-club-rugby/
source https://therugbystore.com.au/saving-super-rugby-part-1-competitive-club-rugby/
Get your questions in for Issue 18 of Coach’s Corner
The inaugural Super Rugby Trans-Tasman season is done and dusted, so we’re counting down the days until the international fixtures kick off in this week’s edition of Coach’s Corner.
Every Friday, our rugby analyst here on The Roar, Nick Bishop, answers your questions about the goings-on across the rugby world
Miss the latest issue of Coach’s Corner? Catch up right here!
With the first Test against France now just a fortnight away, all eyes turn to the Wallabies as they prepare to try and stun France at the SCG. The European powerhouse won’t be at full strength, thanks to results in the Top 14; Toulouse’s semi-final win meaning stars Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, among others, won’t make it through Australia’s overseas quarantine in time for the first Test at least.
Do the Aussies have a chance of getting the jump on Les Bleus? Or will their All Blacks-esque squad depth hold the visitors in good stead?
In other Wallabies news, captain Michael Hooper has issued a warning that overseas sabbaticals are the only way to move Australian rugby forward, given the continued struggle of the sport on home soil.
Is it time for Rugby Australia to move on from the old ways? Or is there a middle-ground solution to help get the code out of its funk?
Across the ditch, the other Blues broke an 18-year title drought to claim Super Rugby Trans-Tasman glory, with a hard-fought final win over the gutsy Highlanders. The 23-15 win, thanks to a late Ben Gibson try, breaks the Crusaders’ stranglehold on southern hemisphere rugby, and sparked scenes of joy at Eden Park.
Further north, the Harlequins pulled off one of the sport’s greatest comebacks in the English Premiership semi-final. They gave Bristol Bears a 28-0 half time lead before a blistering second stanza saw them win 43-36, seeing them through to the final against Exeter. And how could we forget Louis Lynagh, son of Wallabies great and captain Michael, flattening none other than the Fijian Flyer himself, Semi Radradra?
Got a question for Nick? Be sure to leave it in the comments section below, and come back later in the week to see his answers!
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/21/get-your-questions-in-for-issue-18-of-coachs-corner/
https://therugbystore.com.au/get-your-questions-in-for-issue-18-of-coachs-corner/
Manu Tuilagi: England coach Eddie Jones adds Sale centre to squad for July Tests
Manu Tuilagi is included in Eddie Jones' updated 36-player England squad for their summer Tests against the USA and Canada.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57547865
Thursday, 24 June 2021
Coach’s Corner Issue 18: Come back number 7, your time is not yet up!
Thanks to all who asked a question at the last call-out, or helped stretch and test it during the forum. As I’ve already looked at the number 6 and 8 positions in the Australian back-row extensively, in this column we’ll tiptoe through the thorny issue of number 7!
Do you think that the different application of the laws in Australia will affect the Test series?
– JC MasherWhat can we expect to see from the French? Where are they strong and weak and do they have a certain game style they prefer to play?
– OllyAs far as French depth goes, half the squad are newbies! I assume the French aren’t taking this tour seriously and are treating it as developmental. Or is there a changing of the guard in France? Our 684 caps to their 172. Even if we don’t count the top two from each (where for Australia that is two centurions), it’s still 479 to 120. Only 15 out of the 42 were in the Six Nations squad.
– Paul D
Nobody quite knows what to expect from this French squad when it arrives in July.
The selectors have decided to omit most of the top players from the tour, so there are only three established internationals with more than 20 caps in the squad: the colossal, forbidding figure of Romain Taofifenua in the second row, and wings Teddy Thomas and Damian Penaud in the back three. There are 23 uncapped players in a squad of 42.
We can look at the top two questions in conjunction, and answer via a brief outline of the expectations at the number 7 position. Three referees from New Zealand have been appointed for the three Tests; Paul Williams for the first, James Doleman for the second and Ben O’Keefe for the third.
If the refereeing in Trans-Tasman is a form line, the officials will allow a much greater degree of leniency to the defence in and around the tackle zone than say, three referees from the English Premiership. This will suit the French, as the breakdown in Top 14 frequently descends into a chaotic brawl.
Back-rows in France tend to be big and lineout-oriented, with all of the three positions virtually interchangeable. They do not pick specialist number 7s, unlike New Zealand and Australia.
Take a look at some comparative stats from the recent Trans-Tasman and European Champions Cup competitions.
| Player | Mins played |
Interval between carries |
Gain-line/ DOs* |
Interval between tackles |
Completion % | Turnovers | Lineout wins/steals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papali’i | 328 | 13.1 | +5/+6 | 4.5 | 97 | +7 | 6/0 |
| Boshier | 376 | 16.3 | +2/+3 | 4.9 | 93 | +8 | 0/0 |
| Wright | 373 | 12.4 | +5/+2 | 6.5 | 86 | +9 | 3/+2 |
| Hooper** | 616 | 8.2 | +11/+4 | 6 | 90 | +10 | 1/+1 |
| Cros | 311 | 14.1 | +6/+1 | 6 | 87 | +1 | 12/+1 |
| Woki | 340 | 15.4 | +2/+4 | 10.6 | 97 | +1 | 20/+5 |
| Crétin | 160 | 13.3 | +0/+5 | 8.9 | 95 | +3 | 8/+3 |
* – DOs are ‘decisive outcomes’ – clean breaks or break/try assists.
** – Michael Hooper’s stats derive from his last major competition (Super Rugby AU 2020).
The second rows in France are under-utilised as lineout receivers. Taofifenua, for example, at 6’7″ and 135 kilos is exclusively used as a lifter, not a jumper.
The receiving burden falls primarily on the back row. Even the player closest to the traditional number 7 skill-set in the Six Nations team, François Cros, is 6’3, and expected to win his share of lineout ball.
None of them are specialists on the ground after a tackle. France expect to get more on-ball production out of positions like hooker (Julien Marchand, Pierre Bourgarit and Camille Chat) and centre (Virimi Vakatawa) – even though none of those players are touring Australia.
New Zealand number 7s are primarily excellent defenders with a very high work-rate in and around the tackle zone, good in support on attack, but with no lineout expectation at all.
Australian opensides tend to be all-rounders; they can defend (although the intensity around the tackle is typically not as high as it is across the Tasman) but more is expected from them on the carry.
Fraser McReight’s stats from Super Rugby AU 2021 are similar to Michael Hooper’s the season before, while the greatest Wallaby number 7 of the professional era, George Smith, was equally adept on both sides of the ball.
To clarify the issue of what Hooper said about sabbaticals. He said that his had probably been beneficial but stressed it was about each player’s individual development and had to be balanced with the need to keep experienced players in Australia to mentor younger ones.
A slightly Hooper-related question — Super Trans-Tasman highlighted the importance of accurate, fast clean-out. Assuming this will also be key against France, who are the best options in the Australian squad to carry this out?
– JCHooper has issued a warning that overseas sabbaticals are the only way to move Australian rugby forward. Has Hooper improved as a player? – Ray
If anything, Fraser McReight needs to find form, he was lucky to be picked over Liam Wright.
– RugbyNorths66
No doubt, Thorn did everything he could to get Wright picked over Fraser. Thankfully that didn’t influence Rennie.
– Bobby
It’s bad enough that Hoops is selected at all. But to be parachuted in after have a poor season off the bench in Japan makes my blood boil.
– Tommy
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has addressed the issue of sabbaticals and their value to Australian rugby. He has previously suggested that Rugby Australia can look to offset the higher salary packages on offer in Europe by either pulling Japanese Top League clubs into Antipodean tournaments, or offering sabbaticals in Japan which drop cash windfalls for the player, while offering R and R for their bodies and maintaining their eligibility for the Wallabies.
As the recently re-elected Wallaby captain commented: “It is a fine balance, we don’t want to be losing our players, we need experienced players to funnel back information and experience to younger players.
“Getting that balance right I know is something that Dave’s big on and has a really open mind to as well, and I know that the players are keen. But again, it’s up to the individual, some guys never want to leave; I never saw that happening for myself and then the opportunity presented itself and I now see it as being beneficial.”
Players do not go to Japan to ‘improve’ in yet another high-intensity environment, they go to rest bodies and minds dizzied by the perpetual treadmill of professional rugby, and press the reboot button. If they can learn something new from the likes of Steve Hansen and Kieran Read along the way, that is a great bonus.
Michael Hooper is recharging his batteries in a much less demanding performance environment in Japan. Although skillsets are good, players are not required to perform them under any pressure in the Top League. There are also breaks in play, of a length and duration which would not be acceptable in the big European and Super Rugby competitions.
Here are three involvements from Hooper’s first game off the bench for Toyota Verblitz.
The breakdown guidelines may increase Hooper’s on-ball impact, with the greater emphasis on arriving first and showing a clear lift of the ball, rather than ‘surviving the cleanout’. Hooper has always been good at the first, but not the second part.
With three Kiwi referees appointed for the series against France, attitude and technique at the cleanout will be under the spotlight. The refereeing will tend to give preference to the defender in all 50-50 situations, so accurate support of the ball-carrier will be essential.
The following table gives a snapshot from the last two games of the 2020 Bledisloe Cup series.
| Player/ position |
Mins played | Cleanout interval (minutes) | Cleanout rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Slipper (loosehead) |
100 | 14.2 | 71 |
| Angus Bell (loosehead) |
40 | 5 | 56 |
| Allan Alaalatoa (tighthead) |
105 | 10.5 | 44 |
| Taniela Tupou (tighthead) |
55 | 27.5 | 45 |
| Matt Philip | 160 | 10 | 63 |
| Lachie Swinton | 34 | 5.6 | 66 |
| Michael Hooper | 160 | 6.4 | 48 |
| Reece Hodge | 96 | 12 | 56 |
| Hunter Paisami and Irae Simone (inside centre) |
134 | 14.9 | 39 |
*- Cleanout stats are derived from the final two games of the 2020 Bledisloe Cup Series. They are confined to ‘first man to arrive’, or ‘impactful second man’ and do not represent passive ruck attendance. A cleanout rating of 50 represents average impact, anything above that is superior quality.
Special mention should also be made of Liam Wright, who came off the pine for 11 minutes in Brisbane, and delivered one cleanout-per-minute at a rating of 68!
The stats illustrate impact off the bench. The combination of James Slipper and Angus Bell at loosehead works especially well in this regard, in pure cleanout terms the mix at tighthead (perhaps surprisingly) less so.
Among the forwards, Matt Philip produced the highest rating over the longest period of time (he is an 80-minute player). Lachie Swinton flashed potential quality in the short time he was on the field at Brisbane.
Michael Hooper produced the highest work rate (25 significant arrivals over two games), at an acceptable level of impact given the above-par number of involvements.
Reece Hodge provides the best cleanout value in the Australian backs, with a high involvement level and above-average impact.
There were problems at number 12 after Matt To’omua’s injury. Between them, Irae Simone and Hunter Paisami struggled to make impact at cleanout time, and this is one reason why Simone dropped out of the 2021 squad in the initial 38-man selection.
Two issues which emerged from analysis of the two games included a tendency to enter too low and seal off under pressure.
This can allow the defender to reach over the top successfully, with the benefit of lenient officiating.
The other issue was inaccurate entries on angled cleanouts.
In all of these examples, the support players need to form more of an L-shape to persuade the referee that they are entering through the attacking gate.
Thanks once again who all who contributed a question, or helped evolve one in the debate!
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/25/coachs-corner-issue-18-come-back-number-7-your-time-is-not-yet-up/
source https://therugbystore.com.au/coachs-corner-issue-18-come-back-number-7-your-time-is-not-yet-up/
British and Irish Lions v Japan: Zander Fagerson replaced by Tadhg Furlong
Zander Fagerson becomes the second Scotland player to pull out of the British and Irish Lions side to face Japan at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57595699
source https://therugbystore.com.au/british-and-irish-lions-v-japan-zander-fagerson-replaced-by-tadhg-furlong/
Premiership semi-final: Bristol Bears 36-43 Harlequins (AET) - Quins reach Twickenham after stunning fightback
Harlequins stage a thrilling fightback from 28-0 down to beat Bristol after extra time and reach the Premiership final.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57484199
The 1995 decisions that took southern hemisphere rugby down the wrong path
This article is in response to the recent article by Brett McKay highlighting calls by various coaches and personalities to bring back the NRC.
Apart from the obvious fact Rugby Australia doesn’t have the money to reprise the NRC – or ARC, for that matter – I’ve always disputed its legitimacy on the grounds it duplicated unnecessary resources.
Southern hemisphere rugby, including Australian rugby, took a wrong turn back in 1995. Everything they’ve done since has created extra expenses, required extra funds, which in turn meant seeking out extra, impractical revenue streams that were unnecessary.
How for example, is it a victory for South African Super Rugby teams to move offshore to Europe, to be soon followed presumedly by the Springboks?
Back in 1995 the southern hemisphere had a structural set-up that was close to perfect. What it required was fleshing out and building upon the solid footings and foundations already long established, not displacing them, as occurred when the game went professional in 1996.
New Zealand had its NPC divided into several divisions. South Africa likewise had its Currie Cup divided into several divisions. Even the staunchly amateur Argentina had a similar set-up, with its 16 provinces divided into two divisions.
Australia of course was the weak link. It had only two provinces of note: New South Wales Queensland. But there was room for future growth with long-established minor provinces such as ACT, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, NSW Country and Queensland Country.
Down the track NSW Country could have been embedded in Newcastle and created the new province of Eastern Australia. Similarly, Queensland Country could have been embedded in Townsville to create North Queensland. In the embryonic years of the game, before the union-league split of 1907, these two regions produced plenty of Wallabies.
When professionalism came, each of the southern hemisphere nations – New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Australia – should have been encouraged to form an eight-team national competition.
The three first-named nations could have done this relatively quickly, with Australia perhaps starting with six teams and building towards eight teams. The Super 10 of 1993-95 was effectively a Champions Cup and should have remained so. In 1996 it could have been expanded to 12 teams, three per nation, and contested after the respective national tournaments.
The season would have unfolded as follows: an eight-team competition of home-and-away games totalling 14 matches plus a final four. This would have meant a season of 14 to 16 matches per team.
The top three teams from each country would then contest the Super 12 – four pools of three teams. This would be quickly over with each team playing two to four matches. Meanwhile, the remaining teams in the various national competitions could conduct a knockout style tournament involving no more than four matches for the finalists.
Consequently each team in each country would play between 16 and 20 matches, which is plenty for a first-class-style season. Add a preseason of three to four matches and combine that with ten to 12 Tests per nation, and the season is pretty much full.
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Finally, the Rugby Championship was a great addition to the annual season.
I would have loved, for example, watching the Wallabies, All Blacks, Springboks and Pumas circa 1985 being guided around the park by their champion number-10s in Mark Ella (then Mike Lynagh), Wayne Smith (then Grant Fox), Naas Botha and Hugo Porta.
The various national competitions would have worked like the Sheffield Shield in its heyday, with established stars, young up-and-comers and still-performing veterans all in the same team, the experienced mentoring the newcomers and testing the same in the opposition.
In Australia the depth would have been initially weak, but as the national competition gained traction, hopefully this problem would have been rectified.
But sadly none of this happened. It is a little-known fact that in 1996 the working title for Super 12 was the IPC – International Provincial Championship. In other words, it was supposed to work exactly the same as the Super 10 of 1993-95.
The Kiwis were first to blink. Instead of staring down the minor provinces and stating that the top eight provinces should come from the eight biggest geographical regions, they rolled over and created five artificial franchises.
The Saffies held the line for several seasons, but by 1999 they also buckled and created four, then five and later six artificial franchises. However, unlike New Zealand, the South African franchises in most cases didn’t pretend to be very different from their major provinces.
(Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)
Australia of course didn’t have to worry about these trivialities. It quite proudly created – or rebranded – the ACT, giving it three provinces. But eventually it had another problem. While New Zealand and South Africa had their national tournaments to fall back on as a mid-tier competition, Australia had no such thing.
While once upon a time the Sydney Shute Shield and Brisbane Hospital Cup might have done the job of producing future Wallabies, the caravan had moved on since leading players were almost never seen in district club rugby. So those players plying their trade in these competitions were not getting the development they needed.
Consequently, the then Rugby AU introduced the ARC in 2007 and the NRC in 2014-19. Both competitionss have struggled with poorly conceptualised teams, financial blowouts and a lack of support. Duplication of resources hasn’t helped the financial bottom line.
Over at SANZAAR, things just went from crazy to crazier. While introducing an Argentine team was absolutely necessary to complement the Pumas, the introduction of a Japanese team was pie-in-the-sky stuff. Meanwhile, the Saffies failed to stare down their government and advise them clearly there was no place for a sixth franchise.
Super Rugby never really gained traction once the initial novelty wore off. Playing offshore is the job of national teams, not domestic provincial teams. Playing in South Africa in the middle of the night put the game out of sight, out of mind.
If you really want a national competition, what you want is a version of the NRL or AFL. Fans want to see their best homegrown teams with their best homegrown talent playing on home grounds at home-friendly times.
Andy Marinos, the former chief executive of SANZAAR, now finds himself leading Australian rugby. It’s beyond my comprehension that there were no suitable alternatives found – Marinos is quoted in McKay’s article as one of those lamenting the loss of the NRC.
But Marinos is just one in a very long line of administrators who have continually got it more wrong than right since 1996. Funny – the suits back then were warning us that professionalism would destroy the very ethos of rugby.
Yet many of those same suits couldn’t get their snouts in the money trough quickly enough. They eyed more broadcast money than they had ever seen before, and they completely lost their heads. Led by the pied pipers at News – who had their own, different agenda – they took the game down the wrong path.
And now, a quarter of a century later, southern hemisphere rugby is effectively stuffed.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/20/the-1995-decisions-that-took-southern-hemisphere-rugby-down-the-wrong-path/
Wednesday, 23 June 2021
British and Irish Lions v Japan: Justin Tipuric replaces Hamish Watson in line-up
Wales flanker Justin Tipuric comes into the British and Irish Lions side to play Japan on Saturday after Scotland’s Hamish Watson is ruled out by a training-ground concussion.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57582450
source https://therugbystore.com.au/british-and-irish-lions-v-japan-justin-tipuric-replaces-hamish-watson-in-line-up/
White to miss France series after injuring knee at training
Wallabies halfback Nic White is out of next month’s Test series against France, while fellow veterans Matt Toomua and James O’Connor are also battling injuries, potentially robbing the side of almost 150 Test caps.
White has returned home to Canberra after suffering a MCL injury at training during their Gold Coast camp, and Toomua is already there with his injury being checked by Rugby Australia’s chief medical officer, Warren McDonald.
Toomua is expected to rejoin the squad on Sunday with the Wallabies hopeful the playmaker will be available for the first Test on July 7.
O’Connor, who has carried the injury from Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, is being managed through training but the five-eighth is expected to play.
With White out, Queensland’s Tate McDermott is now set for his first Test start after two matches off the bench, while Brumbies No.9 Ryan Lonergan is likely to make his debut.
Waratahs halfback Jake Gordon is in camp but is also recovering from a MCL injury and remains an outside chance of being available.
White doesn’t require surgery and medical staff are hopeful he will be in the frame for the Bledisloe Cup with the first match on August 7 in Auckland.
It comes as Rugby Australia push ahead with plans to play the opening match of the three Test series against France at the SCG despite the COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney.
The 42-man French squad arrived in Sydney on Tuesday night and underwent COVID-19 tests on Wednesday.
Les Bleus will be quarantined in their hotel for the next fortnight though they will be allowed out to train ahead of the July 7 Test at the SCG.
The teams are playing a condensed series with three Tests in 11 days, the second at Melbourne’s AAMI Park on July 13 followed by the third at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on July 17.
The second Test looked to be in most doubt, with Melbourne in lockdown for two weeks after a rise COVID-19 cases, but that has eased with crowds welcomed back to sporting events this weekend.
There were questions about whether that game would be shifted to Canberra, which could now be an option for the Sydney match should the pandemic continue to worsen on the eastern seabelt.
Queensland and Victoria have closed their borders to NSW residents from hotspot areas in the eastern suburbs and central Sydney.
RA chief executive Andy Marinos said they remained hopeful the matches would be played as scheduled.
“Appreciating that we continue to operate in a dynamic environment with COVID-19 impacts, we are moving ahead with our plans to host these matches as planned, subject to any further
advice from our state government partners,” Marinos said in a statement.
“We are now just two weeks away from the start of the series which kicks off with the Wallabies’ first match at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground in 35 years.
“I want to thank (president) Bernard Laporte, (coach) Fabian Gautier and the FFR (French Rugby Federation) for their partnership in ensuring this series could go ahead.
“It has been a mammoth effort by all involved.”
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/24/white-to-miss-france-series-after-injuring-knee-at-training/
source https://therugbystore.com.au/white-to-miss-france-series-after-injuring-knee-at-training/
British and Irish Lions 2021: Sam Warburton backs Warren Gatland to make history
Former British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton backs Warren Gatland to cement his legacy in South Africa.
Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57505885
Who gets to wear gold? Why Dave Rennie is right and Marika Koroibete must choose
It’s the question that just won’t go away: should Australian rugby’s overseas contingent be eligible to play for the Wallabies?
The argument fired up again this week with the announcement of the first Test squad for 2021. Feelings run hot on both sides. Those championing head coach Dave Rennie’s ‘local only’ approach fear a stampede for the exit if eligibility restrictions end.
On the other hand, after a run of less-than-stellar results over the past couple of decades, others believe the Wallabies simply can’t afford to exclude our overseas elite – particularly with players increasingly making the move abroad in their peak years.
Imagine what Rory Arnold, Tolu Latu and Sean McMahon would bring to the Wallabies, they argue. South Africa picked players from wherever and won a World Cup. Why can’t that be us?
Making a choice: Then and now
30 years ago, Wallabies fans lived in fear of the next headline announcing that this rugby star or that emerging talent had signed to play league. It was such a regular occurrence that supporters should have been resigned to it but, every time it happened, it was still a dagger to the heart. At one time, both Michael Lynagh and David Campese were in the sights of league scouts, and only an imminent rugby revolution saved Tim Horan from the dark side.
Would Australia have won the 1991 Rugby World Cup without Lynagh and Campese? No.
(Getty Images)
Or have brought back Bill in 1999 had Horan defected five years earlier? Almost certainly not.
It’s reasonable to assume that all three feel they made the right decision. None would enjoy quite the status they do today had they left rugby for league.
This, of course, was the amateur era, when rugby players played for love not money – at least in theory.
Now, professional players get to have their cake and eat it too. Those at the top can represent their country and get paid for it. Generations of amateurs must wish they’d been so lucky.
Of course, it’s not money for nothing. Professionalism demands as well as gives, in terms of training time, a demanding travel schedule, marketing and media commitments, not to mention public scrutiny. Still, for many of Australia’s professional rugby players (although not all), it’s a comfortable living.
David versus Goliath
The issue for Australia is that other countries are offering more than a comfortable living; they’re offering small fortunes. Even middle-tier players are often handsomely compensated, and those at the top of their game – such as Melbourne Rebels and Wallabies wing Marika Koroibete, who may be heading to Japan at season’s end – can double their Australian salary to make a million dollars or more a year.
Rennie has made it clear that Rugby Australia cannot compete with these kinds of salaries, but we already knew that. There was a similar tussle for then-Reds captain Samu Kerevi a couple of years ago, and that was before a pandemic exposed and worsened the parlous state of Australian rugby’s finances.
(Photo by Daniel Jayo/Getty Images)
Why on earth Rugby Australia should be expected to compete financially is a mystery. The Japanese Top League sides are the constructs of multinational corporations, such as Panasonic and Toyota. With corporate behemoths behind them, these teams don’t have to sustain themselves. Similarly, the French Top 14 sides and English Premiership teams are often the playthings of wealthy owners.
At the other end of the spectrum, Rugby Australia, and the Australian Super Rugby teams bar the Western Force, are scraping by on broadcast fees, sponsorship money and ticket/merchandise sales. This is David versus Goliath territory.
So why don’t we do as South Africa does and pick our players from anywhere?
Instead of Michael Hooper heading to Japan for five months, he could pack his bags for five years, along with the rest of our top earners, while returning for the approved Test windows. It’s surely an elegant solution that would save Rugby Australia millions each year without compromising the Wallabies.
Gazing into rugby’s crystal ball
The problem with that ‘solution’ is the impact on the quality of our Super Rugby teams with our top players overseas. The problem is the lack of senior players to mentor emerging ones. The problem is the Test coaches’ inability to keep tabs on fitness and form, and the impact on cohesion when the Wallabies come together. The problem is supporters drifting away when players they’ve followed through the pathways disappear. The problem is lost marketing opportunities and fewer sponsors.
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In short, the problem is the risk of catastrophic damage to our rugby culture.
The Waratahs’ 2021 season painted a stark picture of what a Super team looks like shorn of its top talent and middle tier, reliant largely on journeymen and a few plucky up-and-comers not quite experienced enough to demand the big bikkies overseas (but who will be gone next year or the year after once their stature and price has risen).
Imagine if all five of our Super Rugby teams had a similar composition (and similar results) to the Waratahs. Is that what we want, year after year, a constant merry-go-round of rebuilding, losing our best and brightest just as they approach their peak?
(Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
But onto the impact on Test rugby and, ultimately, Australia’s prospects at the Rugby World Cup.
A multitude of factors go into winning a World Cup. A handful of World XV players, a coaching group able to form a team that’s greater than the sum of its parts, personalities and playing styles gelling, timing and a little bit of luck are just a few.
But my guess is – and it is just a guess – that it would become much harder with our top players based offshore.
Wallabies coaches and medical staff would have little oversight. Players would be less familiar with each other, impacting cohesion. They’d be strangers to the public too, no longer inspiring the same goodwill they once enjoyed. These things matter.
South Africa did it, though
South Africa’s rules relaxed in 2017 to make overseas internationals with 30 Test caps eligible for the Springboks, before restrictions were dropped altogether just a few months before the 2019 Rugby World Cup. 60 per cent of its squad for the tournament was still based in South Africa, so it’s reasonable to theorise that cohesion was still strong.
But what will the impact of a big foreign legion be on the Springboks’ chances of defending their world crown in 2023 – or even on their prospects against the British and Irish Lions this year?
Perhaps, by 2023, all the top South African players will be clustered at Sale and Munster, and cohesion will be just fine. But if your 33-man squad comes from 28 different teams located in seven different countries, they may no longer be speaking the same rugby language. Is the limited time you have together enough to reconnect, or are you now at a distinct disadvantage?
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Perhaps more important, though, will be the impact on rugby’s place within South African culture. Will it lose its grip on the national psyche? Will the local game become simply a farm league for wealthy overseas juggernauts to plunder? Will kids still aspire to be Springboks?
We simply don’t know. The real effect of changes to eligibility may not be felt for a decade or more. Think of the decision back in 1995 to put Super Rugby on pay TV, and its impact on Australian rugby across a quarter of a century. By the time the true impact of ending eligibility restrictions is known, it may be too late to turn the tide.
Guardians of the game
Rugby is more fragile in Australia than it is in South Africa. Here, it’s a niche sport (albeit one known for punching above its weight) and has to compete with two behemoths in rugby league and AFL. Our unique challenges mean that Australian rugby’s guardians – from the administrators to the players to the fans – must nurture our code with great care.
This is why rugby administrators first moved to give the sport a national footprint. They knew that if they didn’t take the ground others would. As a result, rugby now spans the breadth of our country. It’s an extraordinary feat, one achieved at some cost, admittedly. It places big demands on playing resources while new pathways are established. The politics have been messy, the financial cost near disastrous.
Nevertheless, our youngest team, the Melbourne Rebels, is now ten years old, and the Western Force is 15. In Perth, the Sea of Blue – including cheerleader-in-chief Andrew Forrest – dug in and refused to let the Force die, even when things were at their toughest.
(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
The Force’s rugby pipeline of homegrown talent has already produced a number of Test-standard players, and in Melbourne the ‘Burn Boys’ are showing the Victorian community what’s possible.
These signs of resilience are significant in Australian rugby’s battle to survive and thrive, but we can’t afford to drop the ball. We need all five Super teams to be strong in order to build awareness, participation and sustainability (not to mention competitiveness at the trans-Tasman level!), just as we need the Wallabies to be competitive, cohesive and strongly supported. This means the best Australian players staying home as much as possible during the peak years of their careers.
There’s some value in short-term overseas stints. Michael Hooper’s low-key sabbatical in Japan will surely have recharged those Energizer batteries, while Matt Philip’s recent French lessons may prove invaluable in the upcoming series against Les Bleus.
Rennie has flagged a place for these kinds of arrangements going forward, for players broadly committed to Australian rugby. Where there’s a benefit for player development, wellbeing and longevity, it’s a pragmatic move.
The ultimate prize
In general, though, Rennie is right to send a strong signal to three-storey Rory and co – indeed, to the entire rugby community – that Australian rugby puts a high value on loyalty. If you want to play for Australia, you must play in Australia.
(Andrew Phan/supplied by Rugby Australia)
Of course, when players are loyal and making a financial sacrifice to keep Australian rugby strong, Australian rugby must show loyalty in return. This means providing exciting competitions, world-class coaching and development opportunities, the best medical and welfare support and preparation for life after rugby, as well as the ultimate prize of Test eligibility.
Until Marika Koroibete shows his hand, we won’t know if what Australian rugby offers is enough to keep him here for less money than he’d earn overseas.
Will he want to build a legacy with the Rebels? How badly does he want to win Bledisloes and a World Cup? Does he consider himself part of the fabric of Australian rugby?
His often thrilling performances over the past two years in particular have already repaid Australian rugby’s investment in him. If he chooses to go, it should be with our well wishes.
But before he makes a decision on his future, he might want to speak with Samu Kerevi. In 2019, Samu left for Japan where his brothers were based – and for a financial deal beyond anything the Queensland rugby union and Rugby Australia could offer. It might have seemed a simple decision at the time, a contract that could set up his family for years, if not life.
But anyone who saw Kerevi’s grim expression as Australia raised the Puma trophy following his last game at Suncorp Stadium might have speculated on his feelings. Perhaps they were just end-of-an-era emotions. Or just maybe the true cost of his choice was sinking in.
Wearing Wallaby gold has meaning, more so when you’ve made a sacrifice to do so. Those players from the amateur era who resisted league’s lure were prepared to make that sacrifice. Today’s Wallabies must do likewise.
Original source: https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/06/19/who-gets-to-wear-gold-why-dave-rennie-is-right-and-marika-koroibete-must-choose/
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