The World of Rugby Thread

[Queenslander]

Australia squad for England Test series:

Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Sam Carter, Adam Coleman, Scott Fardy, Liam Gill, James Hanson, Greg Holmes, Michael Hooper, James Horwill, Leroy Houston, Sekope Kepu, Ben McCalman, Sean McMahon, Stephen Moore, Dean Mumm, Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, Will Skelton, James Slipper, Toby Smith

Backs: Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Nick Frisby, Mike Harris, Dane Haylett-Petty, Rob Horne, Karmichael Hunt, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Samu Kerevi, Luke Morahan, Eto Nabuli, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Nick Phipps, Joe Powell

The forwards pick themelves no idea what the backline will look like though.

I'd like to see this backline at some stage.

9. Phipps
10. Foley
11.Kurindrani
12. Kerevi
13. Folau
14. DHP
15. Hunt

[Lewis]

Donning the Welsh with ease, and Eddie Jones reckons English rugby became corporate and 'soft' after 2003. He's so ace.

Dugan is out of game one as well. Happy days.

[Queenslander]

I watched Canberra yesterday those blokes to win 2 titles in the next 5 years.

[Lewis]

I've always associated Ricky Stuart with his 2008 MELTDOWN and BOTTLING a couple of premierships at the Roosters (and called him a chancer), but they are donning it. He loves a Super League signing as well.

[ItalAussie]

I would love to see Canberra back at the top of the competition.

Imagine if they'd kept Milford.

[ItalAussie]

Josh Mansour is the only member of the Blues backline who would get near the QLD side. And as usual, having better forwards proved to mean absolutely nothing.

The halves were insipid. Moylan was an accident waiting to happen. Centres were anonymous. Farah was the only back who even tried to achieve anything, and he just wasn't very good at it (although I dread what would have happened if his at-least-attempts at ball-playing were replaced by two dozen Ennis dummy-half runs). Dylan Walker giving the game away was a particularly embarrassing piece of theater.

[Lewis]

I missed it, but the highlights and stats make it look like the platform was there had some of the backs (not the halves) not shit the bed. At least Jarryd Hayne will be back next year.

[ItalAussie]

I missed it, but the highlights and stats make it look like the platform was there had some of the backs (not the halves) not shit the bed. At least Jarryd Hayne will be back next year.

Nah, that doesn't tell the real story. Neither team were letting anyone get through on the run. Lots of forward hit-ups, but that doesn't mean anything if the defences are locking the runners down. Both teams were only really trying to score off kicks by the second half, but neither side really brought their kicking game. The halves basically did what they were told to do, which was risk-free kicks on the fifth play. But the other side was almost always there to counter it, because it was clear that neither side were any threat if they ran the ball.

QLD were the tireder of the two sides in the second half, and basically slowed the play down dramatically from the 41st minute onwards.

You didn't miss much.

[Lewis]

I saw James Tamou going to loose forward at the last minute (although he claims to have known about the change since last week) and sighed. The loose forward is there to play the ball a bit, Australia. Otherwise you would just have three second rowers.

[Queenslander]

If Laurie Dailey doesnt pick Junior Paulo for the next game then he needs to let Phil Gould take over the coaching duties.

[Queenslander]

George Smith has signed for the Reds next season. The tight forwards have Brad Thorn coaching them and the loose forwards have George Smith as a player coach

[Lewis]

I'm looking forward to these tests. How do you see them going?

[Queenslander]

I really have no idea. If I were Eddie I'd tell England to kick for the corners in this test because Folau's kicking will give England great feild position for attacking lineouts.

The key for us is our backrow and our centre pairing. Kerivi and Kurindrani are both beasts at breaking the line.

[hfswjyr]

How is George Smith still playing? He's about 60 by now surely?

I assume each series is 3 games?

NZ 3-0 Wales
Aus 3-0 England
SA 2-1 Ireland

[Queenslander]

He is up there but to be far he was one of the best players in Europe this year. This biggest excitement for me is that Stephen Moore, Brad Thorn and George Smith will be training all the young players at Ballymore next year.

[Ian]

Looking forward to this. No idea if it'll be a good game or not but it's the start of day of England sport so I'm well game.

[Lewis]

Every test match should be opened by a rambling old woman.

[hfswjyr]

Every test match should be opened by a rambling old woman.

I don't know anything about Australian history, but that all seemed very awkward.

[Lewis]

This is going well.

[Queenslander]

Fuck Folau you shit cunt!

[Lewis]

Soft, corporate England would have folded at 10-0.

[Ian]

Yeah I didn't expect us to turn this around. Still plenty of time for a fuck up but it's nice to see a bit of grit.

[Lewis]

Sky really have spared no expense here.

[Ian]

Flipcharts.

[Lewis]

I reckon Clive Woodward is actually frozen in 2003. His post-rugby career fried his brain, so he uses a Motorola flip-phone with a dead number and watches a massive silver telly.

[Queenslander]

We really need a second kicker in the backline preferably at fullback

[Ian]

I expect that Australia will come back into this and at least make the score more respectable but I'd love us to do the highly un-English thing and push on for a properly big result here.

[Queenslander]

Yikes Sio can't start next week. Dumb scrummaging against a much better bloke.

[Disco]

Blimey, this is score I like waking up to.

[Queenslander]

Hopefully Cheika will realise kicking is vital outside of 10.

[Ian]

Under the cosh as soon as we're a man up. How very English.

This should be an interesting finish.

[Disco]

[Queenslander]

You blokes should just play the All Blacks next week.

[hfswjyr]

Honestly thought Australia would be better than that. Super Rugby has been superb this year, but it's clearly not translated into international form yet. Same with the All Blacks.

[Ian]

Could've done without the megawobble but I was pleased as punch when that last try went over.

[Lewis]

Eddie Jones, the Emperor of Lang Park.

[Lewis]

What was that South African clown doing? He just has to run straight into the corner and back his finishing, but he comes inside and tries to carry the defenders over with him. Dickhead.

[ItalAussie]

That was a bit rotten from Australia. At least you know they have better in them than that.

Pocock is a huge blow though.

[The Merse]

A few great performances in that Aussie team nonetheless, this England team is just scarily good. Best lock partnership in the world allied to a quality front row with ridiculous replacements (Jamie fucking George on the bench?!) and an electric back line. If Ford keeps his form then him and Farrell at 10-12 are up there with the best too. And the ages of the cunts?! It's phenomenal. These lot will make a RWC final at least within the next 7 years and should have a grand slam or two in them.

Wales aren't bringing through that kind of quality (their best prospect is a former England U20 player too), France continue to dwell in the dark ages (oddly, considering their Maverick past) and Ireland, whilst boasting some very special young centres and back rows in their ranks are devoid of balance and ambition.

Basically, England are sickeningly good.

Having said all that, any white Saffer with a British granny or time to kill (3 years) will be over in the UK soon enough getting capped by the Pro 12 nations due to the new SA rules. That could help out any team that has a few gaps (a la WP Nel).

[Queenslander]

We need a couple scrum halves, no 8's and locks if any of them care to head to Perth for a 3 years.

[The Merse]

What's the Aussies view on project players?

[Queenslander]

They are more than happy for Western Australia to have a few because they arent quite there yet with their own pathways. I think everyone else is allowed one project player but I dont think anyone has takilen advantage for a few seasons.

Henry Speight is the only current player i can think of who was signed as a project poach.

[Queenslander]

Development players.

Reds - JAMIE-JERRY TAULAGI

WA - Brynard Stander, Chris Heiberg , Francois van Wyk, Albert Nikoro, Marcel Brache, Semisi Masirewa, Ryan Louwrens

JJ at the Reds is a very good ball runner but flaky as fuck in defence and the WA lot offer nothing as project poaches. None of these blokes will ever come close to playing for the Wobs.

[hfswjyr]

Waikato Chiefs 40 - 7 Wales

Both with their b teams. Shows how strong super rugby in NZ is at the moment.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Wales could play a 101 Test series there and lose the lot, as could any of the northern hemisphere sides.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Having said all that, any white Saffer with a British granny or time to kill (3 years) will be over in the UK soon enough getting capped by the Pro 12 nations due to the new SA rules. That could help out any team that has a few gaps (a la WP Nel).

This is going to hurt them in rugby a lot more than it has in cricket, where it's basically been a good thing, by and large. RIP Springboks.

[Queenslander]

Semi has walked away from the NRL and signed with a French Rugby club

[Lewis]

His try against Souths was mental, but it will probably end up working out if it releases the salary cap space to bring Hayne back.

Try!

[Queenslander]

Foley kicking well again...

[Queenslander]

Playing 100kg notta at no. 8 was an awesome call