Summer Homework For The Northern Hemisphere Sides (Due Date: November)
As the Northern Hemisphere nations file out for their summer holidays, Lee Calvert hurriedly hands them their homework ahead of the November tours.
ENGLAND (November fixtures: Fiji, Argentina, Australia)
- Find a settled attacking pattern and approach. Much has been made of the return of the scrum and the defence in 2016, but the hardest part of the game – creating tries – still appears to be a way off consistently delivering.
- Find backrow depth. James Haskell and Chris Robshaw were a revelation on the Australia tour, but there is a large question mark over whether their form can continue at this level, because a) they are both the wrong side of 30 years old and, b) Haskell is usually a bit shit. His replacement Teimana Harrison looked as dodgy as Julian Savea’s haircut, which highlighted that despite all the achievements in 2016 this remains a problem area.
- Work out how to answer the “no All Blacks” question. Whatever England achieve in November the management will have to find myriad ways of answering the same question: “how well can you truly measure your progress given you haven’t yet played New Zealand?”
WALES (November fixtures: Argentina, Australia, Japan, South Africa)
- Find Dan Biggar’s mojo. Dan Biggar was one of the best tens in the world until sometime in March when he clearly misplaced his mojo. Wales are not entirely sure where it’s gone, they have asked him to look in his other jacket pockets and under the seats of his car, but no joy. It is imperative that it is found before November because without it he just looks like a mouthy bloke pointing and gurning before having a small seizure while standing up.
- Maintain the change in gameplan. Yes, the third test vs the All Blacks was horrible, but everyone loses a series in New Zealand, it’s not exactly a shocker. Gatland and Wales must continue with the expansive game they have gently paddled into this summer. Maybe walk into the creativity water a bit further, up to the level where you start to make silly noises as it laps at your inner thighs. It’s the only way.
IRELAND (November fixtures: New Zealand (twice!), Canada, Australia)
- Wrap all of their players in bubble wrap. Of their pre-World Cup squad, 23 players from that list were unavailable for the tour of South Africa, which makes their near-win there indicative of either their strength in depth or that the Boks played like an Alzheimer’s Rugby Club 2nd XV. The truth is likely somewhere in between but you can guarantee the All Blacks, who the Irish play twice (whose idea was that, by the way), will be a lot less accommodating.
- Find their best centre pairing. One thing that came out of the Great Irish Injury Plague of 2016 was proof that they have a number of very good centres, which will be a blessing and curse for Joe Schmidt as he looks to pick his best two from Robbie Henshaw, Jared Payne, Stuart Olding, Stuart McCloskey and Luke Marshall.
SCOTLAND (November fixtures: Australia, Argentina, Georgia)
- Discover some consistency. And I don’t mean being consistently infuriating, that doesn’t count. Scotland have shown flashes of creative verve and forward dynamism under Vern Cotter, but all too often this is short-lived and followed by funk-inducing performances and results. They should target beating Argentina as a minimum; even Guy Noves’ Great Travelling French Circus can beat the Pumas, so there really is no excuse to lose to them at home.
- Don’t lose to Georgia. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DO NOT LOSE TO GEORGIA!
FRANCE (November fixtures: Samoa, Australia, New Zealand)
- Stop being batshit.
- See 1.
Comments on RugbyPass
I 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.
8 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.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 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?
8 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?
41 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 commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe 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 👍
3 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 comments