Completely satisfied Hump Day, fellow G&GRs. One other few hours of reminiscing about final week earlier than we get to the halfway level and alter our focus to the upcoming video games. How will our workforce fare and can any of the Australian groups get previous the quarter finals? Personally, I feel the Brumbies will and whereas the Reds are in with probability each they and the Chiefs want a couple of issues to go their manner for both to win. What might be very attention-grabbing within the subsequent few months is the overview of the Crusaders and what modifications they should make in the event that they need to get again to their glory days.
Referee Nook
A few incidents this weekend which are price taking a look at. The primary one, from the primary sport, is the swinging arm from Moody that went to a YC and stayed that manner on overview. This one truly shocked me a bit. From what I may see of the incident on the time there didn’t look like any mitigation and Moody swinging his arm with no intent to wrap was going to finish up out of the sport with an improve to pink. Nevertheless, the reviewer on the sport acknowledged that Lotu Inisi dropped as Moody went to deal with him which brought about the pinnacle contact. This wasn’t clear for me watching the sport and can solely add to the conspiracy theorists who imagine that there’s one thing in World Rugby which means NZ gamers get checked out in another way from some other workforce.
The second incident I’d like to debate was within the Rebels v Drua sport the place our favorite Fijian, Frank Lomani, had a combined sport with a YC that gave a penalty attempt to the Rebels, scored a attempt for the Drua after which had a conflict with Rob Leota that some have been claiming ought to’ve been a card as nicely. Poor outdated Frank has a little bit of a checkered historical past this 12 months. The final time these two groups clashed he ended up with a pink card after an elbow strike towards Josh Carnham. Now whereas this was a dumb act that deserved the RC, I do have just a little little bit of sympathy and know that in my day if a participant was taking me out nicely previous the ruck like that then I might in all probability have completed not less than the identical – solely in these days I might’ve received away with it. The primary incident this week was when the Drua have been defending the road towards a Rebels scrum. The Drua scrum fell aside a bit and the Rebels scrum went over. Nevertheless, the Rebels couldn’t management the ball and it bounced out and again into the taking part in space. Lomani was standing offside and kicked the ball away so the Rebels couldn’t decide it up and rating. A good name and 100% right. He was nicely offside and wanted to maneuver again onside earlier than taking part in the ball. Within the second incident the Rebels gained a ball from a lineout and Rob Leota took it ahead into contact. The Drua hooker, Ikanivere went into deal with Leota and whereas not with the ability to he made Leota fall simply as Lomani was transferring in to deal with him as nicely. As Leota fell his head made contact with Lomani in what seemed like a reasonably ugly incident. Nevertheless, and regardless of some grumbles from some individuals, the incident was dominated as not foul play and only a “rugby” incident.
I’m completely wonderful with this name. Lomani was bent on the waist and with bent knees stepping into for a low deal with. Rob Leota wasn’t tackled by Ikanivere; nonetheless, the contact did make him lose his footing and fall into Lomani. The precise contact was Rob Leota’s head hitting Lomani’s hip as he fell and so regardless of trying fairly nasty there was no foul play, and the referee restarted the play with a scrum to the Rebels as they have been in possession when the incident occurred.
Australian Crew of the Week
Reported right here by Nathan Williamson in rugby.com.au is a barely totally different TotW from the one Nutta put up yesterday. The positions,1. Harry Vella and the place Nutta has a distinction are under.
- Harry Vella (Alex Hodgman) – Known as in to interchange Schoupp, he had a powerful sport
- Matt Faessler – Nailed the throws to the lineout (meat and potatoes earlier than gravy)
- Taniela Tupou (Allan Alaalatoa) – Made a huge effect within the scrums and gained penalties and free kicks together with his energy
- Nick Frost (Jed Holloway) – Dominated the lineout and simply performs nicely. However was at 5 not 4
- Jed Holloway (Izack Rodda) – Made an announcement in his remaining sport of the 12 months
- Liam Wright – Fills the function nicely and stepped up in defence to forestall a Tahs win
- Fraser McReight – Top-of-the-line 7s in world rugby and getting higher with each sport
- Rob Valetini – Peaking on the proper time
- Tate McDermott (Ryan Lonergan) – Simply performed nicely
- Jack Bowen (Noah Lolesio) – Was sensational and a star within the making
- Ronan Leahy (Corey Toole) – A participant to observe at subsequent month’s U20 champs
- David Feliuai (Hunter Paisami)– Nutta solely appears on the 5 Australian groups and doesn’t embrace the Drua
- Josh Flook – Learn the sport nicely and made area for his outdoors backs
- Andrew Kellaway (Dylan Pietsch) – Performs sensible rugby and makes a distinction no matter his quantity
- Tom Wright – Continues to ship
An attention-grabbing decide and I have to admit I love individuals keen to open themselves as much as the gang by placing out a TotW as there’s all the time individuals upset that their favourites didn’t make it. TBH I feel each groups are good with the one two I query being Bowen and Leahy from Nathan. Each performed nicely however I feel Nutta’s picks have been extra constant of their sport. The nice factor although is that there’s some consistency coming by way of and numerous the youthful and fewer established gamers are placing their arms up. That may solely be good for rugby going ahead.
MCG’s RWC2027 remaining dream unsure over Melbourne Rebels shutdown in Tremendous Rugby
Reported right here by Fox Rugby, the MCG’s hopes of internet hosting the 2027 Rugby World Cup remaining, and Victoria’s possibilities of internet hosting different main rugby occasions are in extreme doubt, over the shutdown of the Melbourne Rebels with the state questioning its future internet hosting the game. There are three stadiums with a capability of 60,000 within the operating to host the ultimate – the MCG, Accor Stadium in Sydney and Optus Stadium in Perth – and high Victorian figures have been working in direction of touchdown the occasion for a number of years.
Victorian Sports activities Minister Steve Dimopoulos mentioned on Thursday “The Victorian authorities is extraordinarily upset that Rugby Australia has determined to not help the Melbourne Rebels following the workforce’s 2024 season, after we made it clear that we anticipated them to decide to a workforce on the elite degree of the game in Victoria,”
In fact Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh and chairman Daniel Herbert insisted on Thursday Victoria was nonetheless within the combine for main worldwide matches together with the World Cup remaining. “We’re very dedicated to working with Go to Victoria (and) the Victorian authorities; worldwide rugby has been very profitable in Australia for a protracted, very long time. And we’re assured it is going to proceed to be that manner,” Waugh mentioned.
The continuing talks and dialogue round this are going to be attention-grabbing. Whereas the Victorian Authorities will play the “damage” sport and attempt to hyperlink the RWC remaining, and different video games such because the Lions tour with the Rebels, that doesn’t maintain water. The rationale that Perth, Sydney and Melbourne are in a contest for the large video games has received completely nothing to do with the Tremendous franchises in every metropolis, it’s all in regards to the thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of {dollars} holding such an occasion will convey into the town. The large crowds all wanting lodging, meals, drink and different leisure whereas in that metropolis might be by way more of a consideration than something to do with Tremendous Rugby.
The help for the Rebels hasn’t been nice ever since they have been shaped and none of that lack of help affected the large video games such because the Bledisloe matches held there. Good of the Victorian authorities to abruptly get up to a rugby workforce of their state, however for me it’s all smoke and mirrors.
