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
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments