The 2018 Rugby Championship

awec

They’re just too bloody good.

awec

Ah here McKenzie is actually disgustingly good. That’s ridiculous.

moycullen14

Oh my god, ABs completely ruthless. They're ravenous when they get a sniff. A mistake and they're under the posts 20 seconds later

Mookie Blaylock

The Argentinians were competitive the whole game thru...and lose by almost double scores.......scary

Clegg

A 22 point gap does not reflect what happened on the pitch. New Zealand are just so good at scoring points from nothing.

Clegg

Adam Coleman has just been ruled out for Australia. Theyre also missing Pocock and Folau. They'd be in trouble if they weren't playing South Africa.

kuang1

"acknowledgement of country" before every Oz home game...

Makes me feel a little less embarrassed that we have 2 anthems in our home games.

Mookie Blaylock

kuang1 wrote: »

"acknowledgement of country" before every Oz home game...

Makes me feel a little less embarrassed that we have 2 anthems in our home games.

I actually quite like it, esp when it's done by someone who is from country..ie aboriginal...

ScrubsfanChris

Huge sections of empty seats at this game

techdiver

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Huge sections of empty seats at this game

Shocking! Even an Ireland v Italy dead rubber 6 nations game would be full. Interest in Australia must be at an all time low!

Clegg

This game is terrible.

Squidgy Black

Clegg wrote: »

This game is terrible.

It's comical, it's like neither team have played rugby before.

kuang1

Squidgy Black wrote: »

It's comical, it's like neither team have played rugby before.

Tis quite poor fare to be fair.

awec

Whoever called that line out move deserves a boot in the balls.

Peregrine

That's hilarious

kuang1

What the hell was that!!!!!

Buer

This match is bad for my confidence as an Irish fan who celebrated a series win this summer.

awec

Buer wrote: »

This match is bad for my confidence as an Irish fan who celebrated a series win this summer.

The Wallabies are pretty rubbish.

kuang1

"could have been anything"

4 times I've heard the commentators use that phrase.

They obviously don't draw lines through their used prompts like the true pros do.

(marty morrissey would never let it happen)

kuang1

Buer wrote: »

This match is bad for my confidence as an Irish fan who celebrated a series win this summer.

Zactly.

England getting more out of this match than we are so far.

Buer

I was being a little tongue in cheek. Very different team with Pocock, Folau, Foley, Kerevi, Kepu, Coleman etc.

Australia completely bought that penalty. Pulled Kitshoff onto wrong side and pinned him.

Buer

Buer wrote: »

I was being a little tongue in cheek. Very different team with Pocock, Folau, Foley, Kerevi, Kepu, Coleman etc.

Australia completely bought that penalty. Pulled Kitshoff onto wrong side and pinned him.

Yeah, we had them at full strength and before they'd gotten a confidence sapping trouncing from the All Blacks.

Pocock makes a huge difference to them also.

I missed the first half, seems a close enough game.

Bridge93

Glen Jackson remains one of the worst officials in the game

Squidgy Black

That was a shocking call

Glen Jackson looks like he could do without this drama at the finish.

Clegg

Terrible game between two terrible teams.

awec

Surely the Australian player rolled away the wrong way there right into de Klerk?

Squidgy Black

Entertaining game, but not for the right reasons.

ScrubsfanChris

The ineptitude of S. Africa in the red zone is amazing.

Just a matter of time until SA cough that up

Yeah_Right

Bridge93 wrote: »

Glen Jackson remains one of the worst officials in the game

I disagree. I think he's a good ref. Didn't see any major errors by him today but I wasn't really focused on the game. What did he do wrong?

ScrubsfanChris

Only 27,849 at the Aus v SA game. The same fixture last year in Perth only drew 17,528 :eek:

https://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/live-australia-vs-south-africa-at-suncorp-stadium-rugby-championship/news-story/668b7455348f7188bb9432b02bf58a79

kuang1

Sure the whole top tier was empty/closed off.
I did cringe for Australia rugby when I saw that.

errlloyd

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Only 27,849 at the Aus v SA game. The same fixture last year in Perth only drew 17,528 :eek:

https://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/live-australia-vs-south-africa-at-suncorp-stadium-rugby-championship/news-story/668b7455348f7188bb9432b02bf58a79

46,000 for Australia v Ireland in the June Tests in Suncorp, 48,000 for Australia v England the previous year.

They love rugby, they hate the rugby championship.

RugbyLover123

errlloyd wrote: »

46,000 for Australia v Ireland in the June Tests in Suncorp, 48,000 for Australia v England the previous year.

They love rugby, they hate the rugby championship.

I'd argue the majority of those extra '000s were made up by Irish and English fans and not Aussies.

TCM

The sooner the 2018 rugby championship is over the better. And that's before it has even started.

Clegg

Clegg wrote: »

Nehe Milner-Skudder starts as well. I really hope he goes well against Argentina. He's one of the best outside backs in the world but injury has robbed him of two seasons of his career. Love watching him play.

He scored a try but I don't think NMS really impressed. He was never a lightning fast wing before his injuries, but he's gotten even slower now. Looks a bit like Bowe did after the knee injury. Runs great lines and links well with his other outside backs, but the pace just isn't there.

Squidgy Black

Union in the West of Oz isn't all that popular, unless it's a touring team.

I think there's only one solution.

Get rid of the All Blacks.

CatFromHue

TCM wrote: »

The sooner the 2018 rugby championship is over the better. And that's before it has even started.

Should be over about 10.30am on Saturday morning.

NZ at home to SA

Tigerandahalf

Things don't look great for rugby in the SH. Viewership and attendances won't be helped by another uncompetitive championship. There could be a serious loss of talent after the 2019 WC especially with the uncertainty of how the competition will be run. Is it 2020 that the Super deal is up for renewal with the various unions?

troyzer

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Things don't look great for rugby in the SH. Viewership and attendances won't be helped by another uncompetitive championship. There could be a serious loss of talent after the 2019 WC especially with the uncertainty of how the competition will be run. Is it 2020 that the Super deal is up for renewal with the various unions?

Yeah, end of the 2019 season. It's going to be a ****show of as you say, end of the current Super Rugby deal and everything that comes with the reset of a world cup cycle.

Mookie Blaylock

Have only just seen the haka that Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi's family performed for him after the game Saturday... yep... emotional stuff alright

Mookie Blaylock

Mookie Blaylock wrote: »

Have only just seen the haka that Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi's family performed for him after the game Saturday... yep... emotional stuff alright

Out of interest, is this considered cultural or religious ?

Yeah_Right

Deleted User wrote: »

Out of interest, is this considered cultural or religious ?

Cultural I'd say.

Argentina looked good against the All Blacks in parts last weekend. I don't think the AB's were anywhere near 100% but Argentina still opened them up nicely a few times.

I could see Argentina giving Australia a tough time of it. Pocock is back so that will make a significant difference to the Wallabies but it could be a tight enough affair. Probably the game of the weekend as far as the Championship is concerned.

I don't see what South Africa have to offer that will trouble the All Blacks. They are a very one dimensional team and whilst I think Rassie is a better player manager and they are playing a more structures style of rugby than under Coetzee, they still look fairly toothless with no real invention. They're decision making on the field is also poor (not unlike England) and they can't hold their shape through multiple phases.

The try they gave away last weekend from their own 5m lineout is as bad as you will see at International level. I wouldn't even call it schoolboy level, it was just deeply incompetent. Most of their scores came from the set piece, line-out maul or scrum penalty. After a few pick and goes the one dynamic player in their back line (de Clerk) produced a lovely piece of skill to put their winger into space at the corner but other than that they showed nothing. Working hard in defence is great and it's a start for Rassie but they need to develop an attacking game at some stage that isn't completely reliant on them having a turnover of possession in or around the opposition 22. They only looked like scoring against Australia when Australia made a mistake deep enough in their own half that South Africa could capitalise.

Going to go with both home teams winning, if there is an away win it will be Argentina. I only hope that the All Blacks don't humiliate the Boks, the tournament is not in a healthy place right now and needs the top teams to be at least somewhat competitive.

Jump_In_Jack

Deleted User wrote: »

Argentina looked good against the All Blacks in parts last weekend. I don't think the AB's were anywhere near 100% but Argentina still opened them up nicely a few times.

I could see Argentina giving Australia a tough time of it. Pocock is back so that will make a significant difference to the Wallabies but it could be a tight enough affair. Probably the game of the weekend as far as the Championship is concerned.

I don't see what South Africa have to offer that will trouble the All Blacks. They are a very one dimensional team and whilst I think Rassie is a better player manager and they are playing a more structures style of rugby than under Coetzee, they still look fairly toothless with no real invention. They're decision making on the field is also poor (not unlike England) and they can't hold their shape through multiple phases.

The try they gave away last weekend from their own 5m lineout is as bad as you will see at International level. I wouldn't even call it schoolboy level, it was just deeply incompetent. Most of their scores came from the set piece, line-out maul or scrum penalty. After a few pick and goes the one dynamic player in their back line (de Clerk) produced a lovely piece of skill to put their winger into space at the corner but other than that they showed nothing. Working hard in defence is great and it's a start for Rassie but they need to develop an attacking game at some stage that isn't completely reliant on them having a turnover of possession in or around the opposition 22. They only looked like scoring against Australia when Australia made a mistake deep enough in their own half that South Africa could capitalise.

Going to go with both home teams winning, if there is an away win it will be Argentina. I only hope that the All Blacks don't humiliate the Boks, the tournament is not in a healthy place right now and needs the top teams to be at least somewhat competitive.

Totally agree with this,
I only watched the Aus v NZ matches so far, but it struck me that Aus were never in those matches, and then hearing that SA and Arg were very poor in their exchanges, neither side really challenging each other away from home, and then the latest matches, NZ apparently having a bad day and still beat Arg by 22 points.
The Aus V SA match must have been better as the scoreline suggests it was a tight match, but I haven't heard anything about it in terms of quality.

Is it possible that the Rugby Championship could end if NZ continue to bulldoze the other teams?

Squidgy Black

Jump_In_Jack wrote: »

Totally agree with this,
I only watched the Aus v NZ matches so far, but it struck me that Aus were never in those matches, and then hearing that SA and Arg were very poor in their exchanges, neither side really challenging each other away from home, and then the latest matches, NZ apparently having a bad day and still beat Arg by 22 points.
The Aus V SA match must have been better as the scoreline suggests it was a tight match, but I haven't heard anything about it in terms of quality.

Is it possible that the Rugby Championship could end if NZ continue to bulldoze the other teams?

The Australia v SA game was possibly one of the worst displays of international rugby I've ever seen.

Neither team looked like they knew how to hold onto the ball.

Jump_In_Jack

Jump_In_Jack wrote: »

Totally agree with this,
I only watched the Aus v NZ matches so far, but it struck me that Aus were never in those matches, and then hearing that SA and Arg were very poor in their exchanges, neither side really challenging each other away from home, and then the latest matches, NZ apparently having a bad day and still beat Arg by 22 points.
The Aus V SA match must have been better as the scoreline suggests it was a tight match, but I haven't heard anything about it in terms of quality.

Is it possible that the Rugby Championship could end if NZ continue to bulldoze the other teams?

The only performance worth talking about from last week was Argentina. They were inventive and took their chances, made a game of it but the All Blacks did the same in the second half and were too clinical on counter attack ball.

The tournament isn't going away, attendance and interest is clearly taking a big hit though.

Squidgy Black wrote: »

The Australia v SA game was possibly one of the worst displays of international rugby I've ever seen.

Neither team looked like they knew how to hold onto the ball.

Australia weren't as bad as all that. They were comprehensively second best at the breakdown but they were at least trying to play rugby. They couldn't hold onto the ball because South Africa were able to kill it or slow it after a few phases. It was a perfect game for Pocock but he was injured and it says a lot that Australia won despite giving away plenty of turnovers. South Africa kept spilling the ball in possession which evened things out but they did so at times under little pressure.

South Africa were physical and contested the breakdown well. Their set piece was solid bar one absolutely startling fluff on their 5m. Other than that they offered absolutely nothing, they look like they don't have a backs coach. Do they have a backs coach?

Clegg

Michael Hooper has pulled out of Australia's game with Argentina due to injury. Pocock moves to 7 and takes over the captaincy. Probably a good thing overall for Oz. Hooper is one of the bets players in the world but has been only half fit throughout the RC. HAsn't been anywhere near his best.

Updated team:

Scott Sio (48 Tests)

Tatafu Polota-Nau (85 Tests)

Allan Alaalatoa (26 Tests)

Rory Arnold (16 Tests)

Izack Rodda (10 Tests)

Lukhan Tui (10 Tests)

David Pocock (c) (72 Tests)

Pete Samu (6 Tests)

Will Genia (93 Tests)

Kurtley Beale (77 Tests)

Marika Koroibete (14 Tests)

Matt Toomua (36 Tests)

Reece Hodge (30 Tests)

Israel Folau (66 Tests)

Dane Haylett-Petty (24 Tests)

RugbyLover123

Must be the first Oz game in years Hooper has missed iirc. Went off in 3rd test against Ireland in the summer but other then that always been there. Incredible injury record for someone so abrasive.