Originally posted by CrowleyI think so long as you've played enough to know understand the passion that drive players to want risk their necks in scrums and rucks in glorious mud sweat and claret then you can join the club :-)
I never played professional or semi-professional rugby, but I played in school and stopped playing after a few years in varsity.
I don't know what that has to do with anything when commenting on professional rugby...?
If you take this kind of attitude, then your comments about international rugby mean as little as mine, because you haven't pulled a wallaby jersey over your head.
The next level is understanding the need to lift your competitive play to imbibe team spirit and exude it in such a way as to lift those around. When you have that you get over yourself and start see the game unfolding in front of you and see how your own part played in the game effects those around you. In the first couple of years playing rugby you usually have a captains boot firm up your rectum pointing out the things within... lol I'm still not sure I got past that stage.
People that did will have an ability to see the game differently to those that haven't been there.
I would have loved to have had the knowledge and skill of some of the guys I played with. I never had it but certainly felt it close enough to know that your comment it out of line Crowley and I think if you played at varsity you have insight at a reasonable level and you may be inadvertently selling yourself a bit short as we may have too..
If you can go for the pill strongly and think strategy as a hand is gouging your face you aren't the couch potato watcher may have had you pegged for :p 😉
Something about the AB's and NZers you may not know :
The Maori have a word "Mana" which is the air of respect held by or about a person. Some of it is the spiritual strength which comes from ancestral lineage and past deeds and some of it comes from your own deportment, deeds and actions. You can feel "Mana" exude from certain people when you are in their presence. Mana is everything to Maori and many kiwis. When you understand and carry your ancestral Mana with modest pride you can stand against mortal opinion.
Don't mind us when passions run.. you'll get better comment mid week away from game days haha
Originally posted by CrowleyNo not a wallaby jersey but have played international rugby , as well as provincial rugby and was in the Shadow NSW country team ,so i have a fair bit of experience.
I never played professional or semi-professional rugby, but I played in school and stopped playing after a few years in varsity.
I don't know what that has to do with anything when commenting on professional rugby...?
If you take this kind of attitude, then your comments about international rugby mean as little as mine, because you haven't pulled a wallaby jersey over your head.
I was only trying to say unless you have played with these new laws in place its hard to judge what its really like to play.
Originally posted by boarmanAlright. I thought you meant rugby as a subject. I'll get off my high horse now.
No not a wallaby jersey but have played international rugby , as well as provincial rugby and was in the Shadow NSW country team ,so i have a fair bit of experience.
I was only trying to say unless you have played with these new laws in place its hard to judge what its really like to play.
Originally posted by boarmanas the neutral here for this game I hope I don't become the jinx but I foresee Mr Boarman is correct but with another Blinder By Mortlock for man of the match.
Wallabies by 16 points tonight,
Man of match........Steve Larkham
fun long shot bet of the night... Larkman off injured in the 27th min.
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Did you guys see this in the news:
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1220852
Skinstad saying..SA should ditch tri-nations and suoer14 and go north.. Gregan saying no loss.. haha such warmth ;-o
Originally posted by Tirau DanYeah Boks led 17-0 after 17 minutes ,didnt score another point all game ,silly options early cost the Wallabies ,they went wide to early and coughed up possession and an intercept try.
25 - 17 to aus. (no sky so I couldn't see it tonight)
Closer than I thought.
You have to earn the right to go wide straight away ,no use going there at the very start of proceedings
Mortlock very quiet tonight.
The boks were not very disciplined and you could see the wallabies were the more experienced side. They got rattled early, but once they settled down, the boks didn't have enough of a lead to defend.
The wallabies were very arrogant and it almost cost them the game. They thought they were going to just throw the ball around and run over the boks - if the boks could just have capitalized a little more in the first half, they could've had a chance... In the end, the wallaby trademark patience calmed the players down and they got into 'the zone'.
Also, why we kicked the ball away so much is beyond me. With a 17-0 lead you want to keep the ball away from your opponents, or put it out right in the corners - you don't want to give them ball they can run back at you. Inexperience and no imagination.
We could've realistically won that game after that great start if the boys just used their heads.
Something positive:
- We showed that we have amazing depth in forwards. The boks dominated the forward game and if it wasn't for a amazing performance by George Smith, the boks forwards may have gotten the upper hand.
Negatives:
- The backline was a mess though. There are some talented players there, but they did not play well together. At times they looked like schoolboys learning the game. Disgusting.
- Bad discipline. The guys were not using their heads.
One thing I'm very happy about though is we shut the Australian media up.
This may not have been the best SA side, but it was a side that showed they can beat the wallabies, they just needed a little luck, or maybe leadership with a cool head was lacking?
Oh man, I would've liked to have been a fly on the wall in the media center 10 minutes into the game. There must've been some journalists sweating like pigs 😵
Originally posted by CrowleyYou are right about the media beat up.. We always thought the French B side was going to get beaten but didn't expect the score to be so high. That was never the case with the SA side.. they were always going to be up against it but Gregan in the media this morning dismisses the first half yesterday as a failed pattern experiment which was foreign to them. He says they changed to there normal game in the second half. That could be seen as arrogance from him.
The boks were not very disciplined and you could see the wallabies were the more experienced side. They got rattled early, but once they settled down, the boks didn't have enough of a lead to defend.
The wallabies were very arrogant and it almost cost them the game. They thought they were going to just throw the ball around and run over the boks - if the ...[text shortened]... er 10 minutes into the game. There must've been some journalists sweating like pigs 😵
Originally posted by Tirau DanIm not sure if its arrogance by Gregan ,The Wallabies never try to go wide early as which they did last night ,i think they knew the Boks backs were inexperienced and just wanted to try something new ,which obviously failed .Once they reverted back to there normal play they dominated.It is this play which will win them the world cup.
You are right about the media beat up.. We always thought the French B side was going to get beaten but didn't expect the score to be so high. That was never the case with the SA side.. they were always going to be up against it but Gregan in the media this morning dismisses the first half yesterday as a failed pattern experiment which was foreign to them ...[text shortened]... hey changed to there normal game in the second half. That could be seen as arrogance from him.
Positives were the Wallaby scrum,its really starting to become a huge bonus for us,everyone thought it would be our achilles heel.
The ruck and mauling was good.
Backline had lots of variation.
In the news the Boks have complained formally about Paul Honis the ref saying he is biased against their team and that he cost them the game last weekend.
Also after a week off the ABs were up and running at dawn training yesterday. 7 changes for this weekends game against the boks. Do or die for the ABs chances..
I like the balance of this team a little better. Keith Robinson is a powerful unit at Lock.. replacing the flighty Flavell. Weepu gets a start at halfback. Kevin Mialamu starts a hooker (about time too)
The full team is: Mils Muliaina, Doug Howlett, Isaia Toeava, Luke McAlister, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Piri Weepu, Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw, Reuben Thorne, Keith Robinson, Chris Jack, Carl Hayman, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock
The reserves are: Andrew Hore, Neemia Tialata, Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe, Brendon Leonard, Conrad Smith and Nick Evans.
I pick the Boks to win by 10 points our back line is still a dogs breakfast, no real line breaking forwards and no sign of a game plan at all. (I'll be back flipping like a monkey if I'm wrong and you'll hear the squealing across the ditch)
Come on guys make your picks.
Originally posted by Tirau DanABs 36 - SA 15 - slow start by ABs again but they'll pull through. Expect us to keep in tight a bit more but Toeava will make a few breaks.
In the news the Boks have complained formally about Paul Honis the ref saying he is biased against their team and that he cost them the game last weekend.
Also after a week off the ABs were up and running at dawn training yesterday. 7 changes for this weekends game against the boks. Do or die for the ABs chances..
I like the balance of this team a ...[text shortened]... f I'm wrong and you'll hear the squealing across the ditch)
Come on guys make your picks.
Crowley will be on within 2 minutes of the game ending complaining about a certain flanker ...
The kiwis should win this game.
I had big hope fore this team, but after last weeks' game I can see now that heart can only take you that far against experience.
Tirau, your backline as a unit doesn't look too dangerous at the moment, but the boks defence last week was disgusting. They will need to shape up, because there are some strong runners in the AB line. If those guys get put into gaps the ABs will run away with it...
Originally posted by CrowleyThe young Boks are hungry and will bounce back. Unlike the abs the boks learn from mistakes and will be a harder unit this week. Our backs are strong individuals but haven't shown an ability to string more than one pass together.
The kiwis should win this game.
I had big hope fore this team, but after last weeks' game I can see now that heart can only take you that far against experience.
Tirau, your backline as a unit doesn't look too dangerous at the moment, but the boks defence last week was disgusting. They will need to shape up, because there are some strong runners in the AB line. If those guys get put into gaps the ABs will run away with it...
This time we'll get to watch..up the pub.
I think you may come away with a famous victory, but I'll be overjoyed to completely wrong.