Nicely effectively effectively my G&GRs! What a splendiferous weekend of Rugby. Worldwide Take a look at Rugby is again. And all of that on prime of that we’ve got the Tremendous Rugby Pacific 2024 Grand Last, and the Wallabies Squad announcement. An excessive amount of rugby is rarely sufficient girls and boys!
Let’s begin with the SRP 24 grand Last, dive into the Worldwide Exams, have a little bit of a root round within the Joe’s Workforce announcement, after which end with some teaching shenanigans. So sit down in entrance of your ‘puter’, seize a giant cup of you understand what ☕, and immerse your self within the recreation we love probably the most.
Tremendous Rugby Pacific Grand Last 2024
Auckland Blues 41 defeated Waikato Chiefs 10
Nicely, one other gorgeous Tremendous Rugby Pacific season is finished and dusted. The pretenders have been found (sure Waratahs I’m speaking about you), and the Champions took their lap of honour with gusto. And so it was the case for the Auckland Blues with their gorgeous and surprising 41 to 10 victory over the outclassed Waikato Chiefs in wet and damp situations. I don’t find out about you G&GRs, however I tipped the Blues by 5, I do know a number of who tipped the Chiefs by 7. However I don’t assume anybody thought it was going to be the whole blowout it ended up being. The Blues powerhouse of a winger Caleb Clarke banged down a hat-trick, as they decimated the Chiefs in Auckland on Saturday evening. Touchdown the Blues their first Tremendous Rugby title since 2003 (the Blues did win the Covid affected Tremendous Rugby Season).
The Chiefs got here out firing within the first couple of minutes of the sport, however the Blues having seen the Chief’s final two finals performances labored out a strategy to shut them down, and did it shortly. They then powered away to a primary half lead of 20-3 at oranges, with the Chiefs going into the sheds now figuring out how their final two opponents felt, completely shell shocked.
The Blues pack was immense, powering excessive of the Chiefs, and fly-half Harry Plumer slotting all of his seven photographs on the sticks. There have been loads of Blues gamers who have been screaming to Razor Robertson ‘Decide Me’ in the course of the recreation, with Patirck Tuipolotu, Hoskins Sotutu, Finlay Christie and Caleb Clarke simply to call a number of. The Chiefs then again, did themselves few favours for choice, and D-Mac demonstrated how simply he might be shut down by a giant pack.
The Chiefs additionally suffered from a extreme self-discipline downside inside their 22, with Refereump Nic Berry (who had a fairly stable recreation) continuously pulling up the Chiefs for infringing. Chiefs Prop George Dyer was given a pleasant slice of cheddar 🧀 for his infringment within the 22 after half time. However to be sincere it might have been a slew of Chiefs gamers, they usually have been fortunate to be sincere for not having extra gamers within the bin sooner.
The Blues powered away to victory in what was a brutal show of ahead pack rugby, that I feel only a few groups would have been capable of counter, even worldwide groups. And so ends Tremendous Rugby Pacific 24, with deserved victors the Auckland Blues celebrating. However not for too lengthy. The Exams are coming and a number of these Blues gamers are greater than more likely to don the Black! (And no Yowie that isnt a cryptic Sport Thrones reference).
Worldwide Exams
England 52 defeated Japan 17
Eddie Jones’ Worldwide Teaching profession has picked up the place it left off, by deciding on a bunch of younger lambs and main them to the slaughter. Nicely accomplished Eddie!
I wont write up this recreation as our resident Cleaning soap Dodger and ‘deep pocketed and brief armed’ Tasmanian Mayor is doing the information tommorrow, so I wont steal his thunder and I’ll let him do a match report on his beloved Pomms!
South Africa 41 defeated Wales 13
The reigning Rugby World Cup Champions, the Rassie Erasamus Dutch Grime Farmers, managed to over energy the Northern Hemisphere Sheep 🐑 shaggers, in a recreation that had extra 🧀 than the Margaret River Cheese manufacturing facility. Warren Gatland’s inexperienced, veteran missing and ‘I’m going to experiment like a bastard til I’m going to Australia’ facet suffered a seventh successive worldwide defeat. Wales’ lacking males checklist was appreciable:
Absentees included the injured Jac Morgan, Tomos Williams, Taulupe Faletau and Adam Beard, with Gareth Anscombe, Josh Adams, Will Rowlands and Ryan Elias rested this summer time. In distinction Springboks behemoth Eben Etzebeth had just one much less cap than your complete Wales beginning pack, with the Bokkies trotting out 637 caps in comparison with Wales’ 300.
To behonest when wanting on the crew choices I assumed this was going to finish up being a complete massacre. A crushing defeat to the Welsh. However alas, Gatlands younger crew dug deep to remain within the recreation. Thoughts you they didnt assist themselves with Rio Dyer and Aaron Wainwright given a slice of 🧀, reduing Wales to 13 gamers. Amazingly the Welsh hung powerful, and at oranges went into the sheds down just one level.
However the second half was a unique story. The Welsh remained scoreless and the Biltong eaters commenced their energy recreation and surged forward. Makazole Mapimpi, Bongi Mbonambi and Edwill van der Merwe all banged down tries within the second. Even with a person within the bin for a flying foot to the neck, the Saffas floor out a powerful victory!
Gatland, although has extra of thought of what he coping with previous to touching down in OZ, in what’s shaping as much as be an incredible sequence.
Barbarians 45 defeated Fiji 32
Within the worldwide recreation that I used to be wanting ahead to probably the most this weekend, I used to be not let down, with a surprising show of working rugby that noticed the Ba Ba’s defeat the Flying Fijians 45-32 in a magic daytime recreation at Twickenham. Even a hat-trick for enigmatic Fiji’s Epeli Momo wasnt sufficient to save lots of Mick Byrnes Fijian crew in his first Worldwide defeat.
The star studded Ba Ba’s performed scintilating rugby with Lachlan Boshier, Jonny Might and Leicester Fainga’anuku banging down doubles, and Zach Mercer additionally grabbing himself a peach of a attempt. It was probably additionally the final time we might see Sam ‘Hodor’ Whitelock on the market on the rugby subject. And to be sincere he nonetheless seems fairly younger and spritely to me, delivering a close to MOTM efficiency. Regardless of Whitelock giving my Reds and the Wallabies a tough time all through his profession, he’s actually the most effective locks to ever play the sport, and I for one will likely be unhappy to see him go!
The Fijians by younger Fly-half Caleb Muntz kicked seven factors, and appeared good again on the paddock after happening with a siginificant damage previous to the 23 RWC. While a loss, Mick ‘The Kick’ Byrne would see lots there to work with for Fiji’s up and coming check season. And it must be ringing alarm bells for his or her worldwide opponents.
Wallaby Squad Announcement
And so after the completion of the Tremendous Rugby Pacific 24 season, new Australian coach Joe Schmidt has named his broader squad for the up and coming check sequence. Lets dive in and take a look see.
Wallabies 2024 squad for Wales and Georgia Exams
Forwards (21)
Allan Alaalatoa, Angus Blyth, Charlie Cale, Matt Faessler, Nick Frost, Langi Gleeson, Alex Hodgman, Tom Hooper, Isaac Kailea, Fraser McReight, Josh Nasser, Zane Nonggorr, Billy Pollard, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Ryan Smith, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson and Liam Wright.
Backs (17)
Kurtley Beale, Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, David Feliuai, Josh Flook, Jake Gordon, Len Ikitau, Andrew Kellaway, Darby Lancaster, Noah Lolesio, Dylan Pietsch, Hamish Stewart, Nic White, and Tom Wright.
Joe’s Commentary
After watching the squad announcement and the following press convention in addition to Joe’s interview with Michael Atkinson from Stan Rugby, there was one total evident sentiment. The adults are again in cost. Joe continuously referring to the ‘Workforce of coaches’, by no means himself. His calm, well mannered, self effacing, and deliberate method are only a welcome aid for Wallabies followers that lived by the Eddie ‘It’s all about me’ Jones and Michael ‘Ass Clown’ Chieka period.
Fortunate / Unfortunate
There have been a number of noticeable absences and some I feel have been unfortunate to be included. Right here is Brisney’s tackle the squad:
Fortunate
Kurtley Beale – This man must be no the place close to the Wallabies squad. Even when he was the perfect rugby participant on the face of the planet, this man shouldn’t be wherever close to the Wallabies squad. He’s poisonous, and his off subject behavioural traits over the period of his profession present he isn’t the particular person you need to have round any of the younger gamers.
Jake Gordon – Didnt have a flash season amongst a crew that was utter 💩. Requested for a launch from the Tahs, so clearly doesnt need to be right here. He’s fourth finest 9 by my monitoring.
Angus Blyth – Though I’m a Queenslander, Angus has solely simply returned from damage and actually hasnt demonstrated the shape this season to warrant choice. However our second row shares arent precisely flash in the mean time and with Izaac Rodda leaving Australian shores somewhat than being pressured to play for the Tahs, we’d like some large our bodies who’re ready to do the grunt work and put their head in darkish locations.
Unfortunate
Seru Uru – Seru Uru had an actual get away season this yr. Being an utter work horse for the Reds. Additionally with the ability to play 4/6 provides him some actual utility within the squad. I’m wondering if we are going to see him again for the Rugby Championships.
Josh Canham – Josh had an actual stable yr this yr, and likewise demonstrated some actual tempo for a giant man. Nonetheless, he’s nonetheless fairly younger and wishes a bit extra bulk to spherical out. I additionally assume we would see Josh in the course of the TRC.
Tim ‘ Junkyard Canine’ Ryan – Primarily based on this season Tim Ryan appeared like a monty to be chosen for the wobs squad. However after listening to Joe Schmidts causes, I’m fairly joyful for him to not be chosen, but it surely might need been nice to get him in and across the ‘Excessive Efficiency’ surroundings to help in his improvement.
General I feel the squad, plus or minus one or two is about proper. What do you G&GRs assume?
Teaching Shenanigans
As reported right here Dan ‘Chuckles’ McKellar has been given the ass as coach of Leicester, with G&GRs favorite Michael Cheika being rumoured as his alternative.
McKellar, former Brumbies and Wallabies ahead coach has appeared to have been left holding the newborn after the Tigers had a surprising season, taking the function after Steve Borthwick left as coach and taking the entire Leister teaching crew with him to go up the Cleaning soap Dodgers.
Reporting within the UK states the Board of Leicester nor the Gamers purchased into Chuckles view for the crew. Reporting additionally signifies that the Cheikmeister is a possible alternative candidate. I’m positive this is perhaps the case, however isnt fascinating that when ever a rugby crew loses its coach, previous Cheik boys title appears to come back up.
There has additionally been rumours that now Dan McKellar could also be in line for the Waratahs teaching function. And to be sincere the Tahs might do lots worse than Dan McKellar, as he’s lots higher than many of the different names in rivalry for this function. However RA appointing one other sacked coach will in all probability not go down effectively with the rugby pundits.
Anyway, sufficient of this previous man ranting! Over to you G&GRs! Have at it!
