Australia Super Rugby's 'low-hanging fruit' that fans weren't happy to welcome back
Rugby is finally back in Australia. After almost four months of inactivity, Super Rugby returned to Australia on Friday night in the form of the new Super Rugby AU competition.
The Reds finally put the sword through an 11-match losing streak against their local rivals and handed the Waratahs a 32-29 defeat. Six tries were scored in the contest and two yellow cards were dished out in a game that was laden with animosity. The players obviously missed being out on the park playing rugby – but they also appeared to miss the (sometimes) good-natured banter between opposition.
All-in-all, it was a grand occasion – and fans took to social media to welcome back the sport to Australia.
I don’t know if it was the absence. Or this has been special. But I have enjoyed the pants off this game. #REDvWAR
— Rugby Report Card (@rugby_podcast) July 3, 2020
Very enjoyable #REDvWAR game to open Super Rugby AU.
The likes of Fraser McReight, Tate McDermott, Jack Maddocks, and Lachlan Swinton underlining that Australian rugby has plenty of exciting young talent.
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) July 3, 2020
Aussie rugby is back on the box. Enjoying this. #REDvWAR #rugby pic.twitter.com/bKwMXYcW6V
— The Rugby Ruckus Podcast (@therugbyruckus) July 3, 2020
There was one aspect of the match that few seemed happy with, however – the commentary.
Phil Kearns has regularly faced vocal opposition due to his seemingly one-eyed narration while rumours that the former Wallaby might try to oust Raelene Castle as CEO of Rugby Australia were also taken negatively by the wider public.
Kearns’ return to small screens around the globe on Friday night was certainly not received with open arms and fans vented their frustrations on Twitter.
God I’m already sick of Phil Kearns #REDvWAR
— Brumbies Boy (@brumby_fan) July 3, 2020
It’s reassuring that the Aus commentators haven’t improved during the lockdown…..
Side not coping with the new laws (being pinged for old laws so far as I can tell) #REDvWAR #SUperRugbyAU #SuperRugby— Paul from New Zealand Sport Radio (@DrivingMaul) July 3, 2020
Again, it’s low hanging fruit. But Kearns is horrific. Sounds sad, boring and heaps whiny. Like a vegan at a BBQ. #REDvWAR
— Rugby Report Card (@rugby_podcast) July 3, 2020
Kearns actually just sounds like a fan who’s a 5 beers deep making one-eyed offhand comments to his mate beside him
— Jake Schmidt (@JakeSchmidt7) July 3, 2020
Yes. Adds no analysis at all. Compare with the role Justin Marshall does in the kiwi derbies, viewer deserves more
— J.B. Claims (@jbclaims) July 3, 2020
Who’s got a petition going to get rid of Phil Kearns? #REDvWAR
— the.honorable.fruitloop (@thatbigfattart) July 3, 2020
Im gonna start a petition for Kearns to never commentate a Tahs game again. At least try and be professional. #REDvWAR
— Kieran L ?? (@kieran_shaker) July 3, 2020
Kearns doing his best to lower the price for Fox. #REDvWAR
— Rugby Report Card (@rugby_podcast) July 3, 2020
Who is more bias towards NSW
Phil Gould or Phil Kearns #REDvWAR
— Bryce Parker (@bryce_parker26) July 3, 2020
Watching #REDvWAR replay – Kearns is absolutely appalling. Biased, not coherent, unfinished sentences. Surely Australian rugby deserves better. @greg_clarkie
— Sydney NRC and OGDC Matt (@NrcSydney) July 3, 2020
Phil Kearns is a lot like Covid. There’s no vaccine to cure it, and for now, we just hope he goes away.
For someone who aspires to run Rugby Australia, his commentary bias is atrocious ?#fail #superrugbyau #REDvWAR— Qwine (@Qwine) July 3, 2020
Phil Kearns commentating whilst watching the Tahs lose warms the cockles of my little heart, it really does #REDvWAR
— Rhys Knott (@buck_mitchell) July 3, 2020
@FOXRUGBY can you please sanction Phil Kearns. He’s an embarrassment. The way he’s thrown his toys out of the cot in the last 5 minutes is pathetic. Just like his attempted run at CEO. #REDvWAR
— Nick McCarthy (@TheGenMcCarthy) July 3, 2020
@FOXRUGBY – I think you might have a problem. The top tweets referring to #REDvWAR last night all refer to your commentary rather than the game. Perhaps time for some self reflection on the part of one P. Kearns. Should have been done in iso really.
— Retz Rants (@RetzRants) July 4, 2020
A number of the FOX commentators were let go during the shutdown period which means Kearns could be appearing even more frequently in the commentary box than in the past. Fans will either have to put up with the man they’ve come to hate or turn the volume down on their TV sets because it’s unlikely he’ll be moved off the airwaves any time soon.
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments