Now that I have made all these nice new friends on Linked In, let's flog their wares...
Angela Lewis has asked me to push her Rugby event in Llanelli, and most happy to do so..good luck with the event, Angela.
Angela Lewis • Hi John can you mention my event on your blog please? see link!http://rugbybusinessnetworkllanelli.eventbrite.com/ I am hoping to have a speaker from Aus and we are going to link via webinar! I don't have full details yet but will let you know
3 August 2011
31 July 2011
20 June 2011
WHY I'M NOT A GAMBLING MAN!
The reason that I don’t gamble for a living is that I would starve. Here is what I wrote on my blog in mid-January: The Rebels will be a force to be reckoned with and won’t finish in the red. The Brumbies will come home in a canter and the Waratahs will whither on the vine, as usual!
The Reds will play vintage rugby, but not at full bottle; the force will be with someone else and, again, the Brumbies will chase every hurdle!
I couldn’t have got it more wrong.
What a topsy-turvy season it has been; I was sure Rod MacQueen would pull a rabbit out of a hat and I was sure that the Brumbies would finally earn their “Real Madrid” tag. Instead, they became a friendless society.
The Force showed only glimpses and the Reds surpassed all expectations, showing what a canny coach Ewen Mackenzie really is.
I hope that Robbie stays a bit longer with the Wallabies, Link hangs around at the Reds and all will be well with Aussie Rugby.
As for the Wallabies, watch this space for more.
Actually, every RWC, my theme is usually “we’ll slip into Camp quietly, let all the other teams hype it up, and bight the big boys on the bum!!..”
I do think that we can still do that – technically, if you gave the Super 15 teams points for where they finished (eg 15 for 1st place and 1 for last) , despite the Reds and Waratahs finishing strongly, we (the Aussie conference) still came third, I think. But I think that that belies the depth of the Wallaby squad and the fact that Robbie has blooded young guys.
I’d love to be a fly on the wall at the first Wallaby camp, because I reckon the enthusiasm will be infectious.
Whether or not that translates to lasting the distance is another story – because in the RWC, just about every game is a final!!
…so don’t take my word for it, on past experience!!
However, if you want me to put the mockers on someone, I’d say “Go the AB’s”!!
The Reds will play vintage rugby, but not at full bottle; the force will be with someone else and, again, the Brumbies will chase every hurdle!
I couldn’t have got it more wrong.
What a topsy-turvy season it has been; I was sure Rod MacQueen would pull a rabbit out of a hat and I was sure that the Brumbies would finally earn their “Real Madrid” tag. Instead, they became a friendless society.
The Force showed only glimpses and the Reds surpassed all expectations, showing what a canny coach Ewen Mackenzie really is.
I hope that Robbie stays a bit longer with the Wallabies, Link hangs around at the Reds and all will be well with Aussie Rugby.
As for the Wallabies, watch this space for more.
Actually, every RWC, my theme is usually “we’ll slip into Camp quietly, let all the other teams hype it up, and bight the big boys on the bum!!..”
I do think that we can still do that – technically, if you gave the Super 15 teams points for where they finished (eg 15 for 1st place and 1 for last) , despite the Reds and Waratahs finishing strongly, we (the Aussie conference) still came third, I think. But I think that that belies the depth of the Wallaby squad and the fact that Robbie has blooded young guys.
I’d love to be a fly on the wall at the first Wallaby camp, because I reckon the enthusiasm will be infectious.
Whether or not that translates to lasting the distance is another story – because in the RWC, just about every game is a final!!
…so don’t take my word for it, on past experience!!
However, if you want me to put the mockers on someone, I’d say “Go the AB’s”!!
31 January 2011
A GLOBAL RUGBY SEASON WILL BE A REALITY SOONER THAN LATER!!
In ten years time ..I'm predicting that we will finally have a global season, and the competitions in being at that time, will be far different from now.
The insatiable appetite of TV and the fact that year after year, the Southern Hemisphere shows its superiority will finally be too much for the Northern Hemisphere to bear, and they will have to capitulate. What form will it take? Who knows, but let's speculate about it, anyway.
I can see a conference style competition, similar to the new Super 15 format. Players will have to travel more, but facilities and funding will be there for them.
Look how the Cricket world has changed almost overnight with the 20-20 money that has flooded into the market. It's almost impossible to keep up with who is who and who is where! The players must have good managers, or good nannies, to keep up with where they are supposed to be tomorrow and what team they are meant go be playing for, that week.
By then (10 years down the track) USA Rugby will be much stronger and attracting the big TV networks (which they are just starting to do, now, since Rugby went Olympic)..don't laugh, boys and gorillas, the groundswell is there and it is beginning to happen. The sleeping giant of Rugby has just opened an eye and yawned...,..what will be the landscape after the first Olympic Rugby 7's has been and gone ? ...whatever it is, it will be a different one from the one that we now know.
Russia and Georgia are already out there and showing signs of expansion. The interesting thing is that Russian schools only fund sports that are on the Olympic curriculum.. so since Rugby made it onto the curriculum, we can assume a bit of growth.
China is making inroads (albeit slow) but they have some pretty big boys up in the north, and the Chinese Army has adopted Rugby ...watch this space!
I read an article the other day that espoused the growth of South American Rugby. If Argentina becomes stronger, then watch what happens with Uruguay, Paraguay and even Brazil - I'm not suggesting that there will be a Rugby revolution, but there will be strong growth.
Before Rugby made it onto the Olympic calendar there were approximately 235 Olympic Nations, and there were approximately 130 odd Rugby nations (correct me if I am wrong) but that tells me that there might be a lot more by the time that Rugby is played at the Olympics in 2016. For goodness sake, some of the kids who will be playing in that tournament are only 12 to 15 years old, at the moment and who knows what will happen for some of them in the next five years.
We almost have a global season now, if you think about it ... literally the same week that the 6 Nations gets underway, so does the Super 15 and we go on until July or August - this year we have a World Cup .... and the Rugby just goes on and on ... once you begin to factor in closed roof stadiums and artificial turf it's not too much of a stretch to see that the caravan will just roll around the world for most of the year....7's will replace 15's at certain times of the year, 10's will get a look in.. the Test season will expand as more countries lift their standards etc .....pretty damn exciting when you think about it ...I hope I live to see a full global season - a World cup every four years with an Olympics two years later!! Beautiful!!...
No need to worry about going to heaven - we'll already be there!....especially if my beloved Brumbies can keep flying the flag!!
The insatiable appetite of TV and the fact that year after year, the Southern Hemisphere shows its superiority will finally be too much for the Northern Hemisphere to bear, and they will have to capitulate. What form will it take? Who knows, but let's speculate about it, anyway.
I can see a conference style competition, similar to the new Super 15 format. Players will have to travel more, but facilities and funding will be there for them.
Look how the Cricket world has changed almost overnight with the 20-20 money that has flooded into the market. It's almost impossible to keep up with who is who and who is where! The players must have good managers, or good nannies, to keep up with where they are supposed to be tomorrow and what team they are meant go be playing for, that week.
By then (10 years down the track) USA Rugby will be much stronger and attracting the big TV networks (which they are just starting to do, now, since Rugby went Olympic)..don't laugh, boys and gorillas, the groundswell is there and it is beginning to happen. The sleeping giant of Rugby has just opened an eye and yawned...,..what will be the landscape after the first Olympic Rugby 7's has been and gone ? ...whatever it is, it will be a different one from the one that we now know.
Russia and Georgia are already out there and showing signs of expansion. The interesting thing is that Russian schools only fund sports that are on the Olympic curriculum.. so since Rugby made it onto the curriculum, we can assume a bit of growth.
China is making inroads (albeit slow) but they have some pretty big boys up in the north, and the Chinese Army has adopted Rugby ...watch this space!
I read an article the other day that espoused the growth of South American Rugby. If Argentina becomes stronger, then watch what happens with Uruguay, Paraguay and even Brazil - I'm not suggesting that there will be a Rugby revolution, but there will be strong growth.
Before Rugby made it onto the Olympic calendar there were approximately 235 Olympic Nations, and there were approximately 130 odd Rugby nations (correct me if I am wrong) but that tells me that there might be a lot more by the time that Rugby is played at the Olympics in 2016. For goodness sake, some of the kids who will be playing in that tournament are only 12 to 15 years old, at the moment and who knows what will happen for some of them in the next five years.
We almost have a global season now, if you think about it ... literally the same week that the 6 Nations gets underway, so does the Super 15 and we go on until July or August - this year we have a World Cup .... and the Rugby just goes on and on ... once you begin to factor in closed roof stadiums and artificial turf it's not too much of a stretch to see that the caravan will just roll around the world for most of the year....7's will replace 15's at certain times of the year, 10's will get a look in.. the Test season will expand as more countries lift their standards etc .....pretty damn exciting when you think about it ...I hope I live to see a full global season - a World cup every four years with an Olympics two years later!! Beautiful!!...
No need to worry about going to heaven - we'll already be there!....especially if my beloved Brumbies can keep flying the flag!!
20 January 2011
AN EARLY PREDICTION FOR THE SUPER 15
The Rebels will be a Force to be reckoned with, and won’t finish in the Red. The Brumbies will come home in a canter and the Waratahs will whither on the vine, as usual…..!
The Reds will play Vintage Rugby but not at full bottle,,, the Force will be with someone else and, again, the Brumbies will chase every hurdle!!
The Reds will play Vintage Rugby but not at full bottle,,, the Force will be with someone else and, again, the Brumbies will chase every hurdle!!
16 January 2011
THE REBELS GET OFF TO A GOOD START
As usual, Rod MacQueen is playing with his poker face on.
The score line was good, there were apparently flashes of brilliance, sounds like the combinations were not quite there, but who would know. I can't wait to see some analysis and surely someone must have taken a video:
The score line was good, there were apparently flashes of brilliance, sounds like the combinations were not quite there, but who would know. I can't wait to see some analysis and surely someone must have taken a video:
12 December 2010
WE NEED TO KEEP OURSELVES GROUNDED
I read a really nice and impassioned article tonight by Cameron Treloar, a former Tah and the only ARC winning captain (since we only had one season of the ARC .. given up on that debate!).
He's now playing in Italy and his thesis is that, while Rugby is probably only the 6th favourite sport in Italy, behind soccer, motor racing etc, and while they get tiny crowds, they can still put an Australian Rugby crowd to shame in terms of their passion. It was a good article, and if
you want to find it, you'll need to go looking for it, (but Twitter would be a good place to start - [editor please note: Twitter: http://bit.ly/hGrQrK)
He made a very good point that they don't have lots of security guards stopping kids from running onto the field at the end of the game, that players are encouraged to really interact with the crowd and drink in pubs after the game. Are we really that professional in Australia that we need to eschew all of that?
What are our points of difference from League, AFL, soccer etc?
I wonder whether we need to be selling ourselves as a professional game to the extent that we alienate the fan base. Should we persist with the notion that Rugby is entertainment, or is is truly a sport that all of its supporters can buy into?
His opening statement was: ....The very culture of how we support our teams, be it the Wallabies or a super 15 side, is sadly defined by one man… the guy in the tight black t-shirt with the clip board running the door at Cargo bar......"
He goes on to say: ........" The Australian Rugby public has only themselves to blame for this travesty. Australians go to the Rugby now to be entertained, as if it were a concert or a movie. If the entertainment doesn’t live up to expectations, the critics pan it and the crowds stay Away. We have it backward in Australia. We have come to rely on the something miraculous, something Quade Cooperish to spark us up....."
I don't think that you can argue with that logic.
Personally, these days , I prefer to stay at home and watch games on TV, because I know that there is not going to be much "after match" atmosphere at 10 pm when most people know that they have a bit of a drive ahead of them, can't really have too much to drink, and they are not likely to run into any of the players, anyway, who have had a long shower and meal in the shed and jumped on the bus back to the team hotel, either to go out on the town or get some well earned sleep. I'm too old for the Cargo Bar and there is no bloody way that i am going to stand in a queue, just to have a few beers after the footy, and pay through the nose for them!
The essence of going to the Rugby (at least to me) is getting back to the clubhouse, the boatraces, the tall tales, the catching up with mates - no way that's going to happen at the top level in the professional era.
I'm old enough to remember Test nights in Sydney and Brisbane at certain hotels (thanks, Buddha!) where most of the crowd and the players went back for a very late night/ early morning session. That was when you enjoyed being one of the fraternity. I suspect that, to do it these
days you have to get invited to the formal sessions that are run by the marketing guys or the sponsors. Most of us won't get to do that and we just have to "get on the bus and go home" after the game.
This is a bit of a rant but the theme is, I believe, reasonable .. and that is let's keep our feet on the ground and not get too far away from our roots.. what makes our game the wonderful creature that it is.
....and how are we going to encourage Aussie supporters to be more vocal, to out-sing the Welsh or the Poms, or anyone else, for that matter?
He's now playing in Italy and his thesis is that, while Rugby is probably only the 6th favourite sport in Italy, behind soccer, motor racing etc, and while they get tiny crowds, they can still put an Australian Rugby crowd to shame in terms of their passion. It was a good article, and if
you want to find it, you'll need to go looking for it, (but Twitter would be a good place to start - [editor please note: Twitter: http://bit.ly/hGrQrK)
He made a very good point that they don't have lots of security guards stopping kids from running onto the field at the end of the game, that players are encouraged to really interact with the crowd and drink in pubs after the game. Are we really that professional in Australia that we need to eschew all of that?
What are our points of difference from League, AFL, soccer etc?
I wonder whether we need to be selling ourselves as a professional game to the extent that we alienate the fan base. Should we persist with the notion that Rugby is entertainment, or is is truly a sport that all of its supporters can buy into?
His opening statement was: ....The very culture of how we support our teams, be it the Wallabies or a super 15 side, is sadly defined by one man… the guy in the tight black t-shirt with the clip board running the door at Cargo bar......"
He goes on to say: ........" The Australian Rugby public has only themselves to blame for this travesty. Australians go to the Rugby now to be entertained, as if it were a concert or a movie. If the entertainment doesn’t live up to expectations, the critics pan it and the crowds stay Away. We have it backward in Australia. We have come to rely on the something miraculous, something Quade Cooperish to spark us up....."
I don't think that you can argue with that logic.
Personally, these days , I prefer to stay at home and watch games on TV, because I know that there is not going to be much "after match" atmosphere at 10 pm when most people know that they have a bit of a drive ahead of them, can't really have too much to drink, and they are not likely to run into any of the players, anyway, who have had a long shower and meal in the shed and jumped on the bus back to the team hotel, either to go out on the town or get some well earned sleep. I'm too old for the Cargo Bar and there is no bloody way that i am going to stand in a queue, just to have a few beers after the footy, and pay through the nose for them!
The essence of going to the Rugby (at least to me) is getting back to the clubhouse, the boatraces, the tall tales, the catching up with mates - no way that's going to happen at the top level in the professional era.
I'm old enough to remember Test nights in Sydney and Brisbane at certain hotels (thanks, Buddha!) where most of the crowd and the players went back for a very late night/ early morning session. That was when you enjoyed being one of the fraternity. I suspect that, to do it these
days you have to get invited to the formal sessions that are run by the marketing guys or the sponsors. Most of us won't get to do that and we just have to "get on the bus and go home" after the game.
This is a bit of a rant but the theme is, I believe, reasonable .. and that is let's keep our feet on the ground and not get too far away from our roots.. what makes our game the wonderful creature that it is.
....and how are we going to encourage Aussie supporters to be more vocal, to out-sing the Welsh or the Poms, or anyone else, for that matter?
10 December 2010
I HAVE IT ON GOOD AUTHORITY THAT THIS IS FAIR DINKUM - WIKILEAKS COMES THROUGH AGAIN!!
GRATEFULLY REPRODUCED WITHOUT JAMES'S PERMISSION!!
IRB caught in WikiLeaks firing line
James Stafford
From: ESPN www.espnscrum.com
December 10, 2010
The fallout from the publication of hundreds of embarrassing emails, letters, notes and minutes belonging to the IRB and governing bodies, such as the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and French Rugby Federation (FFR), could lead to years of frosty international rugby diplomacy as nations come to terms with often blunt comments or accusations from rivals and supposed allies.
WikiLeaks have stood by the publication of all the documents claiming that the rugby world and its operations should be 'transparent and open'.
One rugby insider has claimed that some aggrieved unions have already made threats to withdraw from major tournaments such as the Six Nations or even the Rugby World Cup as a result of the WikiLeaks scandals.
Among the most damaging revelations is a top secret dossier from the IRB complaining that the 2011 World Cup should never have been awarded to New Zealand as the country 'wouldn't know a decent bloody draught beer if it came in from the wrong side of a ruck and trampled all over them'.
The statement, written by a senior IRB official, goes on to say that: "I can take the fact New Zealand doesn't really have enough big modern stadiums for a World Cup, I can accept that they may not have the infrastructure relating to transport and accommodation and I can accept the fact the ticket sales aren't going to be as big as in previous tournaments, but I can't accept the fact I won't be able to get a bloody decent draught beer for the four weeks I have to be at the tournament. We (the IRB) messed up big time on this one and I want heads to roll. We need to look at our whole World Cup bidding process and ensure this never happens again."
Another controversial secret missive from the IRB apparently warned various national unions to be on their guard when visiting Ireland over the coming few years. Due to the current dire economic situation in the Republic of Ireland the IRB feared that unnamed Irish rugby persons may choose to ply visiting guests with Guinness and whiskey and then 'indirectly drop hints about possible loans of equipment, kit and labour' to help cushion the financial impact of the economic crisis on Irish rugby.
"It is very possible," said the statement from the IRB, "that loans of tracksuits, shorts and electrical tape (for keeping players' socks up during matches) may not be returned, if at all, for many years. We urge unions and visiting kit/bag men to be vigilant." The IRFU are said to be seriously offended by the allegations.
Among other serious revelations made by WikiLeaks are the following:
Stade Francais players wrote series of letters 'begging with all their hearts' to be allowed to wear, for just one week, a set of kit that did not make them look like clowns/question their own masculinity.
RFU officials and the English media met with Vatican officials several times to try and get World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson made into fully fledged Catholic Saint before the 2011 World Cup. Merchandise sales and profits from associated Saint Jonny relics were to be split 50/50 between London and Rome if the deal was a success.
A Scottish plan to aim to score at least one try per game for the 2011 Six Nations was widely mocked by several unions in a series of circular emails as 'utterly unrealistic'.
Cardiff Blues are planning a shock move to the Millennium Stadium in 2012 due to problems coping with capacity at new ground Cardiff City Stadium. Emails from Blues' management have indicated the recent decision to abandon their historic city centre ground (which they rarely ever filled) to play in a soulless Lego-style stadium (which they never ever fill) was 'just not crazy enough'.
South Africa considered hiring an interpreter to speak 'for, on behalf and instead of' outspoken head coach Peter de Villiers at all matches, press conferences, public appearances and training sessions. One extreme memo indicates a plan by SARU to give de Villiers a significant bonus each year if he never ever spoke at all in public.
The IRB's referees boss Paddy O'Brien sent a series of emails to friends claiming the constant controversial law changes to rugby union in recent years were the result of a forfeit he had to perform after losing a drunken game of 'rock, paper, scissors' in a pub late one night.
Welsh Rugby Union officials refused The Victorian Society's request to classify Rodney Parade, home of the Newport Gwent Dragons, as a listed building and turn the ground into a 'living museum'. Apparently the WRU were initially happy to agree to the museum being created but then relented when talks broke down over the use (or lack of) the word 'Gwent' in the potential museum's name. Using 'Gwent' was deemed 'too political'.
Result of 2011 World Cup final leaked.
The IRB have produced a confidential memo on the WikiLeaks affair, which they expect to be leaked online next week, so that the wider public can read their response.
IRB caught in WikiLeaks firing line
James Stafford
From: ESPN www.espnscrum.com
December 10, 2010
The fallout from the publication of hundreds of embarrassing emails, letters, notes and minutes belonging to the IRB and governing bodies, such as the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and French Rugby Federation (FFR), could lead to years of frosty international rugby diplomacy as nations come to terms with often blunt comments or accusations from rivals and supposed allies.
WikiLeaks have stood by the publication of all the documents claiming that the rugby world and its operations should be 'transparent and open'.
One rugby insider has claimed that some aggrieved unions have already made threats to withdraw from major tournaments such as the Six Nations or even the Rugby World Cup as a result of the WikiLeaks scandals.
Among the most damaging revelations is a top secret dossier from the IRB complaining that the 2011 World Cup should never have been awarded to New Zealand as the country 'wouldn't know a decent bloody draught beer if it came in from the wrong side of a ruck and trampled all over them'.
The statement, written by a senior IRB official, goes on to say that: "I can take the fact New Zealand doesn't really have enough big modern stadiums for a World Cup, I can accept that they may not have the infrastructure relating to transport and accommodation and I can accept the fact the ticket sales aren't going to be as big as in previous tournaments, but I can't accept the fact I won't be able to get a bloody decent draught beer for the four weeks I have to be at the tournament. We (the IRB) messed up big time on this one and I want heads to roll. We need to look at our whole World Cup bidding process and ensure this never happens again."
Another controversial secret missive from the IRB apparently warned various national unions to be on their guard when visiting Ireland over the coming few years. Due to the current dire economic situation in the Republic of Ireland the IRB feared that unnamed Irish rugby persons may choose to ply visiting guests with Guinness and whiskey and then 'indirectly drop hints about possible loans of equipment, kit and labour' to help cushion the financial impact of the economic crisis on Irish rugby.
"It is very possible," said the statement from the IRB, "that loans of tracksuits, shorts and electrical tape (for keeping players' socks up during matches) may not be returned, if at all, for many years. We urge unions and visiting kit/bag men to be vigilant." The IRFU are said to be seriously offended by the allegations.
Among other serious revelations made by WikiLeaks are the following:
Stade Francais players wrote series of letters 'begging with all their hearts' to be allowed to wear, for just one week, a set of kit that did not make them look like clowns/question their own masculinity.
RFU officials and the English media met with Vatican officials several times to try and get World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson made into fully fledged Catholic Saint before the 2011 World Cup. Merchandise sales and profits from associated Saint Jonny relics were to be split 50/50 between London and Rome if the deal was a success.
A Scottish plan to aim to score at least one try per game for the 2011 Six Nations was widely mocked by several unions in a series of circular emails as 'utterly unrealistic'.
Cardiff Blues are planning a shock move to the Millennium Stadium in 2012 due to problems coping with capacity at new ground Cardiff City Stadium. Emails from Blues' management have indicated the recent decision to abandon their historic city centre ground (which they rarely ever filled) to play in a soulless Lego-style stadium (which they never ever fill) was 'just not crazy enough'.
South Africa considered hiring an interpreter to speak 'for, on behalf and instead of' outspoken head coach Peter de Villiers at all matches, press conferences, public appearances and training sessions. One extreme memo indicates a plan by SARU to give de Villiers a significant bonus each year if he never ever spoke at all in public.
The IRB's referees boss Paddy O'Brien sent a series of emails to friends claiming the constant controversial law changes to rugby union in recent years were the result of a forfeit he had to perform after losing a drunken game of 'rock, paper, scissors' in a pub late one night.
Welsh Rugby Union officials refused The Victorian Society's request to classify Rodney Parade, home of the Newport Gwent Dragons, as a listed building and turn the ground into a 'living museum'. Apparently the WRU were initially happy to agree to the museum being created but then relented when talks broke down over the use (or lack of) the word 'Gwent' in the potential museum's name. Using 'Gwent' was deemed 'too political'.
Result of 2011 World Cup final leaked.
The IRB have produced a confidential memo on the WikiLeaks affair, which they expect to be leaked online next week, so that the wider public can read their response.
9 December 2010
I'M OVERDUE FOR A BLOG - SO WHAT WILL THE WALLABIES SQUAD LOOK LIKE AT THE RWC?
Just when you thought we had a settled line-up after the Northern tour, it is worth speculating on those who couldn’t go for one reason or another, those who couldn’t be selected because they haven’t been seen yet, those coming back from injuries, those who will be next season’s “bolters.”
Once the Supe 15 season kicks off, all bets are off in regard to the last tour, though some like Cooper, Genia, O’Connor and Ashley-Cooper, Mitchell, to name a few, have definitely put a marker in the sand, as have Slipper and, Robinson, and probably McCalman.
But it’s a longer Super 15 season, there are lots more opportunities to impress, just as there are lots more opportunities for season-ending injuries before the RWC.
So it seems to me that the field is wide open.
Since Robbie Deans, himself, was quoted as saying “there are no Wallabies until the next squad is picked,” I thought that I would adopt the theme and categorise the next squad into Probables, Possibles and Bolters.
There are some old names on the bolters list, such as Mortlock, Waugh, Baxter, but you never know, a couple of strong performances, some injuries and they get a foot in the door.
You would back those guys to go all out and keep their noses in front of some of the rookies, and the World Cup year is not a time for blooding new rookies, unless one or two absolutely stand out.
I’ve also included some “league’ies” on the bolters list, such as Saffy, Rooney and Vuna, since they come across with pretty strong reputations. But they are up against it.
Here’s the list.
Probables:
Forwards
Props: Robinson, Alexander, Slipper,
Hookers: Polota-Nau, Moore, Faingaa
Locks: Sharpe, Vickerman, Chisholm, Horwill
Flankers: Higginbotham, Elsom, Brown, Pocock
No 8: Palu, McCalman
Backs:
Half back: Burgess, Genia
No 10: Barnes, Cooper
Centres: Ashley-Cooper, Giteau, Faingaa. Ioane
Wingers: O’Connor, MItchell, Turner, Morahan
Full-back: Beale, Hynes,
POSSIBLES:
Forwards
Props: Kepu, Henderson, Blake, Shepherdson
Hooker: Edmonds, Freier
Locks: Mumm, Chapman, Simmons, Kimlin, Humphries, Byrnes
Flankers: Salvi
No 8: Hoiles
Backs:
Half Backs: Phipps, Kingi
No 10: Toomua
Centres: Horne,
Wingers: Shepherd, Davies, Cummins, McCabe
POSSIBLE BOLTERS:
Forwards:
Props: Baxter, Palmer
Lock: Dennis
Flankers: Stubbs, Waugh, McCutcheon, Saffy
Backs:
Inside Backs: Karauria-Henry, Mortlock, Lealiifano, Vuna,
Outside backs: Chambers, Taumoepeau
Fullbacks: Gerrard, Huxley, Rooney
Once the Supe 15 season kicks off, all bets are off in regard to the last tour, though some like Cooper, Genia, O’Connor and Ashley-Cooper, Mitchell, to name a few, have definitely put a marker in the sand, as have Slipper and, Robinson, and probably McCalman.
But it’s a longer Super 15 season, there are lots more opportunities to impress, just as there are lots more opportunities for season-ending injuries before the RWC.
So it seems to me that the field is wide open.
Since Robbie Deans, himself, was quoted as saying “there are no Wallabies until the next squad is picked,” I thought that I would adopt the theme and categorise the next squad into Probables, Possibles and Bolters.
There are some old names on the bolters list, such as Mortlock, Waugh, Baxter, but you never know, a couple of strong performances, some injuries and they get a foot in the door.
You would back those guys to go all out and keep their noses in front of some of the rookies, and the World Cup year is not a time for blooding new rookies, unless one or two absolutely stand out.
I’ve also included some “league’ies” on the bolters list, such as Saffy, Rooney and Vuna, since they come across with pretty strong reputations. But they are up against it.
Here’s the list.
Probables:
Forwards
Props: Robinson, Alexander, Slipper,
Hookers: Polota-Nau, Moore, Faingaa
Locks: Sharpe, Vickerman, Chisholm, Horwill
Flankers: Higginbotham, Elsom, Brown, Pocock
No 8: Palu, McCalman
Backs:
Half back: Burgess, Genia
No 10: Barnes, Cooper
Centres: Ashley-Cooper, Giteau, Faingaa. Ioane
Wingers: O’Connor, MItchell, Turner, Morahan
Full-back: Beale, Hynes,
POSSIBLES:
Forwards
Props: Kepu, Henderson, Blake, Shepherdson
Hooker: Edmonds, Freier
Locks: Mumm, Chapman, Simmons, Kimlin, Humphries, Byrnes
Flankers: Salvi
No 8: Hoiles
Backs:
Half Backs: Phipps, Kingi
No 10: Toomua
Centres: Horne,
Wingers: Shepherd, Davies, Cummins, McCabe
POSSIBLE BOLTERS:
Forwards:
Props: Baxter, Palmer
Lock: Dennis
Flankers: Stubbs, Waugh, McCutcheon, Saffy
Backs:
Inside Backs: Karauria-Henry, Mortlock, Lealiifano, Vuna,
Outside backs: Chambers, Taumoepeau
Fullbacks: Gerrard, Huxley, Rooney
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