Reflections

Don't worry readers, I wont be joining everyone else in writing a 2006 retrospective about the season just past. I think that there is more to be gained by looking forward at this point. Super 14 without the All Blacks, is about to start in a couple of months, for an extended season, bought forward due to the impending world cup tournament. I can't wait, I think it will be a very interesting competition this year, with loads of new talent on display, especially from the New Zealand sides.

This year, an understrength Crusaders side could struggle in the early rounds with none of their All Blacks available. Again I say that this is a good thing, and should even out the competition. It may be that by halfway their future has been decided, but if there is one thing that this franchise has shown, it is that they are competitive, even when they do not get the first choice for the players on the market. I mean look what they managed to do with the offcuts from the Blues!!!

Australia will continue to struggle, although they should be able to make some gains early on against the understrength sides if they can rise to the occaision. The biggest concern that Aussie has is not the Super 14, but preparing for the World Cup. In essence, they must hope that an entirely new front row emerges during the competition this season, or that they players they have persisted with come to form. Otherwise, they can kiss a fair chunk of their world cup campagin goodbye. They will always be a tough competitor at the cup, but it would be a real coup if they feature after the quarter finals.

Africa is a basket case. They have some great players, world beaters in some positions, but are lacking a certain sense of style when it comes to the Super 14. They again should be able to start the competition on very competitive terms and do well in the opening stanza. The second half may become tougher, however the away teams that are on tour in the first half of the competition and get some wins against understrength New Zealand sides could be there at the end this time. Hopefully they will take their opportunity and put a few points in the bank early on. It could make for an exciting finish, and the first African win in Super 14.

I do want to mention France. While they were humiliated in the first test against New Zealand, they did come back in the second. I think that come world cup time they will be strong contenders, they will push the New Zealand side, and anyone else, much more than they have shown so far. The All Blacks are capable of being beaten, we have seen this so many times in years gone by. One tour does not repair all of the problems that the team was having. The lineout could still turn ugly at a moments notice. The backline can be placed under pressure, and the concern with all props is that one season they are world beaters, the next just custard. It is a dangerous time for the All blacks when confidence is running high, and they will need to exercise caution, and keep their training up and minds focussed on the prize.

Phil Waugh to Captain 2007 Warratahs Super 14 Side

The tahs today anounced that their captain for 2007 will be the redoubtable Phil Waugh playing at number 7. Apparently he is the recipient of a 'lucrative' contract that will see him remain in Australian Rugby through 2009. Not a bad days work for Phil and his manager, both of whom will no doubt laughing all the way to the bank with some decent up front money from the ARU now that they are free of having to pay the exorbitant price they forked out to Matt Rogers.

Waugh is talking down speculation that he may also be in pole position to captain the Wallabies at the world cup. Waugh pointed to at least two people that would be in front of him on the grid, Gregan the incumbent, and of course Mortlock who stood in for Gregan for a fair chunk of the most recent tour was also mentioned by Waugh. He has his feet on the ground, he is one of the better players in Australia, but how on earth he keeps getting past George Smith in terms of selection, I have no idea.

With Matt Rogers release from the shackles of riding the rimu for the Wallabies, questions are now being asked about what to do with the midfield...especially in so far as it concerns Giteau. With Rogers out of the picture, there are concerns about depth heading into the World Cup...good luck knuckles, you are going to need it mate. No one is doing you any favours.

Nor is John O'Neill, former rugby maestro, now critic of the game. Make no mistake, I take no issue with what he said, he is spot on in his assessment of Rugby in Australia. He says right now it is ranking fourth in the list of domestic football codes in Australia. He rightly says that number one spot is held by the AFL. They are the NFL of Australia and clearly come first consistently in terms of domestic popularity. Rugby League is next. The NRL is alive and well, consistently exciting week in and week out for the enitre competition. Soccer ranks next, basking in the afterglow of the socceroos success at the World Cup. Rugby ranks a distant 4th, and the Wallabies appear to be in for some tough times ahead, a bare trophy cabinet and some rebuilding to be done. The adversity might be just what they need to do well in 2007...

Once again the Christmas period means a paucity of rugby coverage in New Zealand. It all goes quiet now, right up until the kick off of super 14. There is almost an enforced radio silence over the build up, so it is difficult to get information about what the teams are doing and what is going. Fear not, the super sleuth is on the case and I will report whatever I find out in the mean time.

Rogers Released, Tuqiri Targetted by Queensland

It's official, the long awaited, but never in doubt, anouncement came today that Matt Rogers will be release to play for the Gold Coast Titans in next year's National Rugby Leage competition. Citing personal reasons for the move, Rogers appears to be glad that all the fuss is over, and now he can simply get on with training back in his old game, with a new team. Goodbye and good luck Matt, no doubt we will be hearing more of you in the future, but not in the green and gold Wallaby jersey ever again. It is doubtful that Rogers would secure a place in the victorious Kangaroos national rugby league side, but you can't rule things like that out.

Today's main story was broken by Channel 9 news tonight, reporting that the Queensland Reds are having a crack at securing the services of Lote Tuqiri next season. If he heads back across the border he will of course be playing under his old Wallaby coach Eddie Jones of course. Apparently there is talk of Tuqiri being offered $1 million Austrailian dollars per season to remain in Rugby Union. That is some serious money, even by world standards and they seem to think that he is worth it. I tend to think that he may have been worth it, but I no longer think that he cuts the same dash that he used to, now he seems to easily tipped over into agressive unthinking play that earns him stints in the sin bin, and being told off by the Prime Minsiter of New Zealand (although I doubt that troubled him much - especially not when he gets paid a whole lot more than she does!).

The Wallaibes have anounced their training squad for the World Cup and there are a few players that have missed out. Among them is the luckless Scott Fava who tries hard, gets knocked into the middle of next year during the 7s tournament in Wellington last year, but continues to fail to crack it at the international level. Back to Perth and John Mitchell for you mate. Also missing out (of note) are Gene Fairbanks, Tai McIssac and Al Baxter. Knuckles was keen to point out that this is only a provisional squad, and that every player in Super 14 is in the frame. Knuckles, knuckles, knuckles...that is good talk my man, but if you can't name your squad for the World Cup now with any degree of certainty, I see troulbe coming down the line mate. Surely to goodness a little certainty wouldn't go astray right now. Sure, you might have to make one or two changes due to injury, but that should be about it. Watch out Wallabies fans, tough times are ahead...but there is one thing we know about Aussie sides, they always rally for the World Cup and put their best in everytime. This year will be no different, but you'd be a brave person to suggest they will win it.

Back to Super 14

Hi All, I thought that it was about time this blog got back to the basics, yep time to return to the Super 14 and next year's competition. The controversey over the resting of the All Blacks for next year's World Cup competition has pretty much blown over and seems to be settling down as everyone gets used to the idea. News Limited is of course still a bit put out, the usual broadsides are coming from Australia, but the NZRFU seems to have stuck to its guns and the rested players will sit out half of the season.

This poses some interesting questions, this resting and training tactic that has been so publicly anounced. The All Blacks performed well in the end of year tour, I mean it couldn't really have gone better. The players looked like they were in peak condition anyway, and yet we are being lead to believe that they are about to go on a training program that will improve their perfromance substantially. The likes of Collins, Hayman and McCaw performing at their peak - what more are they going to be able to do - better, faster, stronger? Sounds like they will be as good as Lee Majors!

I can recall, in the not too distant past, it was being suggested that some players were getting overly bulky from their training. Cashmore was the first player I had heard that description being used for, and it was mainly in relation to his condition in the early years of Super 12. It was said by the then All Black coach, John Hart, that Cashmore was too bulky and had lost some of his pace and agility. Doubtless the All Blacks will be aware of thise, but tinkering with top level performing players can have a downside and New Zealand supporters must hope that this has been taken into account, and the grand experiment being undertaken will work. So far the coaching staff, and the management of the team have done a great job, there is no reason to suppose that this is going to stop. The All Blacks must win the next world cup to end a 20 year losing streak, made all the worse by the fact that at various times the prize ought to have been taken.

So, New Zealand will be left with understrength fanchises during the first half of Super 14. The question then becomes, how will those teams fare against the Australian and South African sides. Traditionally New Zealand sides have outperformed these sides anyway, and it is comments like this that are labelled arrogant by Australia and South Africa. However, based on past history, the New Zealand franchises have performed well. I think that the Super 14 without the All Blacks will be an interesting spectacle, and I think that crowd sizes wont suffer too much. There will still be plenty of talent on show, and perhaps there will be more of a even playing field with the additional African and Aussie sides in the comp this year. Remains to be seen what John Mitchell will do with the Force and in particular the 'new' wallaby half back.

Interesting times ahead, check back soon for more updates.

Should I Stay or Should I Go Now? If I Go There Will Be Trouble, If Stay There Will be Double.

This must be what Matt Rogers is singing to himself at the moment as his career takes centre stage in the media this week with Eddie Jones declaring that Rogers has played his last game of Rugby Union. I hope, both for the sake of the game and for the sake of Rogers, that he has played his last game of Union, and that common sense prevails and he is released to go and play for the Titans NRL side next season.

I don't think that any precedent needs to be set by this, except for the precedent that players that aren't performing and whose heart is not in the game, wont be kept in it out of spite or some misguided sense that contracts must be honoured at all costs. Having Rogers in any union side now is likely to do nothing more than adversely affect the team. The Warratahs of course will have to ascertain if Rogers is going to assist their Super 14 campaign in 2007 with an attitude that clearly says he wants to leave the game.

Also, I've said this before and I'll say it again, Aussie rugby union has to stop poaching players from the NRL by opening up the chequebook for the latest flash in the pan player from that code. They are leaving themselves open for this kind of thing to happen when the player no longer wants to play the game. Look at what else has come out this week, Schifcofske and Ryan Cross are both reportedly in the frame for the Wallabies world cup bid in 2007. How does that happen? They've only had one game and a couple of training runs! Seems to me it easier to get into the Wallabies playing in the NRL than it is playing in Super 14!

Seriously, the Aussie Union must take a long hard look at player development. What sort of message does this send to players - no surprises that there are players heading for the fertile rugby playing grounds of New Zealand, in particular the domestic national cup competition. New Zealand rugby will be all the richer for the injection of players from these fair shores.

A high profile player switch of course has ramifications for the game, but how many fans do you think have been turned on to the Wallabies by the likes of Sailor, Tuqiri and Rogers? Make no mistake, these guys are not heartland rugby players in Australia, nor do they appeal to the rugby watching crowd. This is a key period for rugby in Australia and some good decision must be made to preserve the state of the game this close to RWC 2007.

Speculation on Future of Rogers and Tuqiri

Former NRL stars, and significant converts from Rugby League to Rugby Union, Mat Rogers and Lote Tuqiri, have reportedly been considering their futures in Super Rugby for some time. Both apparently disilliusioned with Rugby Union and are wishing to return to the game that was reportedly their first love. Undoubtedly the recent tour of the northern hemishpere, albeit a tour without any negatives according to the coach, will not have assisted in igniting their passions for playing in a Wallabies team that underperformed. At least on the expectations of fans in Australia.

Rogers in particular was scathing in press conferences when he returned from the tour to Australia recently. He criticised the lack of playing time that the new look backline, featuring his good self at first five eighth, got on tour and basically insisted that the combination needed more game time before it could be labelled a failed experiment. Unfortunately for Rogers, while he may be right on that point, this far out from Rugby World Cup 2007 is a bit too late to begin experimenting with a backline combination. This should have been done ages ago, and perhaps under Eddie Jones it would have. In the final analysis however, with a back player in that position of the calibre of Larkham, Robers has little chance of converting anyone to his point of view.

If this is the case then perhaps releasing Rogers prior to the World Cup would be a good move. It has been reported that there are rumours Rogers has been offered a contract to play with the Gold Coast Titans (whom he is joining in 2008 anyway) in 2007 and may be seeking a release from the Australian Rugby Union and The Warratahs (his Super 14 team) to enable him to make the change a season earlier. Everyone knows the damage that a player can do to a professional team when their heart is not in playing, and given the fact that Rogers has struggled to make the starting side the Wallabies might not end up missing him that much. Not enough to warrant the risk that he could cause further issues for the team now that he is leaving after the RWC in 2007 anyway.

Tuqiri is in a different position. He is in the starting side, whether he plays at centre or on the wing. Although from time to time he makes comments denigrating the game and the value that he places on it, most of these are rightly interpreted as claims being made to ensure that the bids made to secure him in either code are aimed at increasing his salary. After RWC 2007 Rugby Union is ulikely to have any further use for him, particularly if the RWC competition is given it rightful place amongst management as the most important goal for the Wallabies and the Australian Rugby Union. Lote, great players though he may be, will not be the best winger the Wallabies can field in 2011, or if he is the state of the game will be in complete disarray. Far better to bring in new players and get them ready for 2011 with plenty of time.

Tuqiri will be a key player in RWC 2007 for the Wallabies. His spear tackle on McCaw was one of the key moments in a tight struggle in Auckland during this year's Tri-Nations series. He took it to the opposition, regardless of the fact that it was illegal and made an impression. This is the stuff that the Wallabies need, as indeed does any team that wishes to best this All Blacks side. Tuqiri is a key player in terms of the physicality that the Wallabies want to take onto the field.

This sort of player loyalty speculation doesn't do the game of Rugby Union, or the Wallabies team, much good. At least as far as the game is concerned in Australia. In terms of mounting a challenge to RWC 2007 news of player dissatisfaction will be greeted by other national sides with a degree of cautiously optimistic joy. Anything to weaken the Wallabies is a good thing in terms of the challenges being made by other sides. Doubtless reports of shifting loyalties will spike some action from management, and direct contact with the players to sort out what is happening and their level of commitment next year. Rogers will probably feature more in this area than Tuqiri. Both, of course, will have to take pay cuts to switch from Union back to the NRL. These are interesting times for the Australian Rugby Union, perhaps they will consider building their own game more to develop talent among Rugby Union players, rather than plundering the resources of the NRL with massive monetary offers to attempt to buy loyalty to the game from players who don't consider it their first love.