Nicely, Pleased Monday my GAGR ‘Homies’! What an enormous weekend of rugby. A lot to speak about. The Rugby Championship, the Pacific Nations Cup. Wall-to-wall high-quality rugby.
So let’s check out the video games, after which the Rugby Championship ladder. So log onto your puter, get comfy, seize a giant cup of you already know what ☕, and let’s get it on.
New Zealand 31 defeated Australia 28
Should you haven’t already carried out so, ensure you learn Hoss’s post-match overview / Stay feed of the sport right here. And vote on the Wallaby gamers!
One other sport of two distinctly and diametrically opposed halves for each groups. After the primary quarter-hour, I used to be prepared to show the sport off and stroll away and run a heat tub, placed on the Doorways, gentle some candles, and slit my wrists. It was miserable. The Wallaby’s defence was passive, slipping off tackles and displaying nearly no defensive construction in any respect. Here’s a stat for you; 11 missed tackles within the first 15 min. However then one thing occurred and the sport modified.
It actually seemed like NZ was going to run a practice on the hapless Wallabies, however then the Kiwis developed a case of Wallabyitis! It was amusing, but in addition sadly disturbing to look at. New Zealand is now changing into remarkably fragile within the second half. One other attention-grabbing stat (sure I’m changing into the stats man), NZ towards Australia, Argentina, and South Africa are 104-46 up in factors for and towards within the first half, and down 38-79 within the second! Like WTAF! That’s not the All Blacks I’ve watched for many years in any respect.
The Wallabies nonetheless have critical issues with their restarts, like critical issues. Their lineout was fairly common at finest, profitable solely 12 of 16. Dropped balls, silly offloads, and full failure to safe their breakdown ball enabled NZ to show over at will within the first half. This enabled the All Blacks to sprint away to a considerable lead within the first half. The second half was a special story and the Wobs have been capable of get again into it, and NZ practically dealt themselves out of it. Actually was a flip of occasions.
Will probably be attention-grabbing to see the Participant Votes for the Wobs however for my two bobs’ value. Harry Wilson (in addition to a silly offload) had a terrific Captain’s Knock. Fraser MacReight had a superb sport, and Huge Bobby V seemed fairly good too. For as soon as our bench gamers made the starters look common. Significantly Langi Gleeson, LSL, and Tate McDermott. For me Tate and LSL to the beginning 15 subsequent week, please! Gamers who didn’t crown themselves in glory included Nic White (extra about that later), and Marika Koroboite. Each had Barry’s for various causes and shouldn’t be within the squad subsequent week. The ‘Rocks and Diamonds’ gamers have been Tom Wright (no surprises there), Andrew ‘Ginger Ninja’ Kellaway and Hunter Paisami. That they had some good moments and a few actually dangerous moments. However they weren’t on their pat alone there that’s for positive.
The actual constructive is that once they have been 21 -0 down the Wallabies didn’t drop their bundle and roll over. They stayed within the sport and fought onerous. They went inside inches of profitable. However alas it was to not be. However there are some constructive indicators there for Joe Schmidt to work with. They need to take some confidence from that efficiency. However they can even have to be reasonable. The Kiwis actually blew it out of their backsides within the second half. I don’t know what number of tries they blew in that sport, and if at the least two of those they blew within the first half had caught, it may need been a very completely different story. That is most likely extra for KARL to talk to, however the Kiwis are having some critical points. And we have been fortunate sufficient to play them on a foul day.
The Wallabies have lots to work on! And I imply lots. The primary 25 minutes resembled the second half towards Argentina two weeks in the past. There’s a drawback there, I’m not positive whether it is structural or attitudinal. However there is a matter. However hopefully, the second half gives Sir Joe with some constructing blocks.
I do need to point out the referumping. And earlier than I say what I’m going to say, the adjudicating didn’t have an effect on the end result of the sport. The referump was constant each methods. However constantly dangerous. There have been some perplexing choices, and what occurred on the breakdown was only a whole shambles, arms on the bottom all over the place, gamers sealing off, coming in from the perimeters. Only a canine’s breakfast. Australia didn’t do something to assist themselves on that entrance, however when Soiled Harry Wilson requested a couple of questions, I assumed he was nicely inside his rights to take action. On this Rugby Championships, we appear to have one week of fine officiating after which one week of dangerous. What have been your ideas GAGRs?
Argentina 29 defeated South Africa 28
Should you haven’t already, do your self a favour and take a look at Sully’s nice match overview right here.
I’m not going to do a play-by-play overview, however this definitely was a sport value watching. South Africa got here out onerous and have been two tries up, and like within the AB’s V Wobs sport, this seemed prefer it was going to be a one-sided beat down. However then the Argies got here again and got here again onerous. It was a terrific sport to look at.
The Argentinian crowd was going ape-shit! It will have been deafening. It was additionally enjoyable watching Rassie within the teaching field within the final 10 minutes. It seemed like he was both going to have a coronary heart assault, a stroke, or probably each. You need to love his ardour.
Nicely carried out to Argentina! They actually confirmed resilience and willpower and performed some actually sensible rugby at occasions. The South Africans had their possibilities, however let themselves down. A victory would have sealed the Rugby Championships for them. However alas it goes to the ultimate spherical, and what a cracker of a match that’s going to be.
The Pacific Nations Cup 2024
Fiji 41 defeated Japan 17
The Flying Fijians got here dwelling with a moist sail in Osaka, Japan from a 10-10 ‘Oranges’ draw to win to seize Mick ‘The Kick’ Byrne and his Fijians some good silverware for his or her cupboard within the Pacific Nations Cup remaining 41-17 on Saturday. Fiji floor down the at all times energetic Japanese with brute power and pace, banging down 5 tries — at that’s with two disallowed — for a record-breaking sixth PNC title, and first since 2018.
In contrast to the standard Fijian outings, in addition to their assault being good, their defence was completely Rock stable. “We simply needed to keep in there, work actually onerous to set ourselves up within the second half by sustaining actually good stress in that first half,” Mick Byrne mentioned.
The sport began with a blistering tempo, after which Japan middle Dylan Riley nailed a magic 5-pointer by tearing a fantastic line off the again of a play, inside three defenders to slam down his meat pie. His counterpart Inia Tabuavou tried to observe swimsuit, however a knock-on within the buildup had the strive dominated out. Nonetheless, Fiji saved plugging away and leveled the rating when Harumichi Tatekawa’s helpful little grubber kick bounced off Eroni Mawi, and winger Vuate Karawalevu blitzed the sphere to choose up the ball and banged it down. After that, each groups head off to the sheds for oranges.
The ‘Bula Boys’ began the second half nicely, after which after a mind snap by Mamoru Harada, Japan’s hooker, was given a pleasant chunk of cheddar 🧀. Fiji’s dynamic younger 10 Caleb Muntz, hand his hand in every little thing. He had a strive disallowed however his penalty kick put Fiji into the entrance, after which they by no means seemed again. The Fijians, seizing the entrance, gained momentum and their piggies actually began to place the squeeze on the Japanese.
With tries to Ponepati Loganimasi and Albert Tuisue the Fijians powered forward. Then they crossed one other two occasions by way of Karawalevu and Loganimasi for his second. These tries have been ably assisted by Caleb Muntz who was 6 from 6 from the tee. Japan ran in a comfort strive, however alas it was too little too late, with Fiji taking the choccies. Nicely carried out Fiji!
Samoa 18 defeated USA 13
Manu Samoa has downed the USA Eagles in an 18-13 victory, to stitch up third place within the Pacific Nations Cup. Though they’re the brand new children on the rugby block, it was the USA Eagles that got here out of the gates at a blistering tempo to seize a 10-0 lead. Demonstrating a very stable attacking sport, the US put themselves in a terrific discipline place to seize a penalty to take a 3-0 lead.
Manu Samoa tried an adventurous cross-field kick to Theo McFarland, but it surely didn’t fairly go to plan when USA’s Toby Fricker flew like an Eagle and grabbed the ball, turned on the afterburners to bolt away, and scored. The primary half then deteriorated to an error-riddled sport, as each groups actually had difficulties in placing any passage of play collectively.
The dealing with errors and poor execution continued a-plenty, not permitting both staff to essentially do something not to mention rating. Samoa, by way of Rodney Iona dragged the USA lead again to 10-6 earlier than oranges. The US’s lead didn’t final lengthy into the second half as Samoa banged down a terrific ‘meat pie’ by way of Iakopo Petelo-Mapu taking the lead for the primary time within the sport.
A whole lot of backwards and forwards ensued, with each groups attempting onerous to dominate the opposite. Nonetheless, it was Samoa who managed to attain the profitable strive with lower than 2 minutes on the clock to take the choccies.
The Rugby Championship Ladder
So the Championship isn’t over and goes right down to the ultimate spherical. While it’s over for NZ and Australia, there may be satisfaction nonetheless on the road. However the sport between the FISMs and the Dutch Dust Farmers is the place the outcomes will relaxation. And after this spherical, I cant anticipate each matches.
Previous Man Shouting at Clouds
Nicely, my ‘Shouting at Clouds’ is aimed toward one particular person!
Nic White, you have got been a terrific warrior for our Nation, so I say this with the utmost respect. “Shut the #$%^ up!” Australia has lengthy had an issue with getting the Pea Blower offside. We have been famend for it. I hoped underneath this generational change that we might forge a respectful relationship with those that adjudicate our sport.
However Nic Whites’s carry-on was disappointing, unprofessional, and disrespectful.
Time he sat out for a couple of video games. There was nothing that he did that made him indispensable. However he actually pissed off the Referump. And that does us no favours! None in any respect!
Anyway, sufficient of this previous man ranting and raving. Over to you GAGRs! Have at it.
