Australia v Ireland series set for thrilling conclusion
My disgust in rugby and the way the game is headed was absolute at the 11 minute-30 second mark of the All Blacks v France game.
I saw French fullback Benjamin Fall with both eyes on the ball and both feet off the ground challenge Beauden Barrett for a high ball, his only offence not being able to jump as high as Barrett.
Barrett looked like an AFL player in his impressive leap. He had a long way to fall, and was unfortunately concussed once he did. This was not the fault of Benjamin Fall, but the TMO George Ayoub and Referee Angus Gardner (unfortunately both Australians) saw it that way and ended the contest early by red carding him. The Test match was effectively over, with the score kept low by an All Blacks team in second gear and a shorthanded French team willing to scrap it out for 80 minutes.
The influence of the TMO is becoming too much, with referees referring to them even when they are in a good viewing position to award a try or rule on a misdemeanor.
Watching the Australia v Ireland match I saw referee Paul Williams clearly sight a legal tackle made by Kurtley Beale, but still refer to the TMO to check if it was around the head of the Irish player.
I do agree with All Black coach Steve Hansen when he suggested that a report system is needed in rugby union. Implementing this system would mean a player can be placed on report by the referee, stay on the field and be dealt with by a judiciary after the game. A system that works very well for the NRL and the fans are kept happy by keeping the game a contest.
My apologies to the great Gianni Versace but you wonder what briefings World Rugby are giving Test match officials. Fans are after a contest and the nature of the game is a physical contest, it is not a Milan catwalk. The speed at which the TMO and the referee are prepared to ruin a contest points to World Rugby directives. Poor France have certainly been on the receiving end for two weeks in a row.
Congratulations to Ireland on their 26-21 win in Melbourne, a credit to the Irish coaching staff and team to turn around after the loss in Brisbane. I was at the last Irish win on Australian soil 39 years ago at the Sydney Cricket Ground, 16th June 1979. Now that the drought has broken for the Irish it sets up a great series decider in Sydney next weekend.
What a difference a week makes in rugby. The Irish were up-tempo, bashing over the gain line, hitting the rucks in numbers, latching on and driving the ball carrier through the tackle.
The Wallabies strengths from last week were nullified. David Pocock was hit with a wall of green jerseys every time he tried to jackal the ball in a tackle. The ball was kept away from Israel Folau or he was hit with numbers before he could get in stride. The Wallabies had no ball, and the Irish just kept hitting it up all night and not giving away possession. The Irish prop Tadhg Furlong finishing with the most metres gained summed up the night, he bashed it up with style and scrummed well too.
That the Wallabies managed to keep the score so low was a credit to them, they hung in there even though they had no ball and the Irish were on a roll. Wallaby Coach Michael Cheika has some work to do for next week after he was clearly outpointed by Ireland Coach Joe Schmidt in Melbourne.
The Irish weaknesses from Brisbane were corrected and they beat the Wallabies at their own game; up-tempo, quick ruck ball, passing to use the width of the field. The big hits in the first up tackles were gone this week for the Wallabies as the Irish were not standing back and watching, they got in quick and assisted the ball carrier. It is amazing how David Pocock, the best player on the field last week, can be cancelled out just seven days later by some clever coaching.
It is all on the line in Sydney next weekend and the game is too hard to call. Both teams are even money and it will depend on how injuries can be covered and what the coaches can do to get their teams up for the game and what tactics are used.
The Wallabies have to match the Irish up-tempo game from the outset. They seemed to always be on the back foot in Melbourne. They also need some ball and they need to commit to a system to disrupt the wave of Irish recycling at the breakdown.
To win the Wallabies need to adapt, not like in Melbourne where they stood back and watched the Irish hit it up and recycle beautifully all night. With a surname like Ryan, of course I will be cheering whichever team wins.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Bell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
13 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt 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.
26 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….
26 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!
4 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
13 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 comments