Cracking the Code..: ABs slade by Bokke: With the All Blacks trailing 15-5 at the break in yesterdays test in PE, assistant coach Wayne Smith commented that the ABs had created enou...
Confused, divided and handy on the keyboard. No I'm not talking about a post Brexit state. This is Welsh Rugby. This is Gatland's law. Word from the politics bunch is that It will take decades for the masses to comprehend the impact and implications of the democratically determined Brexit decision. We are some eight years into Gatland's law, autocratic in origin, and a mess in practice. The policy designed to keep Wales' premier rugby talent within the regional game, follows an old Churchillian notion - that success on the international battle field is underpinned by a vibrant home front, which is shaped to facilitate global successes. Thus far, it has has proved far more simple in concept than in context. The current understanding is that formalisation of the ruling under the guise of The WRU Senior Player's Selection Policy, will lead to a stricter enforcement. The only caveat, being the number of caveats, provided for within the written agreement. ...
In his book, ‘Legacy’, James Kerr explores the organisational values that underpinned the All Blacks’ transition from perennial chokers, to Rugby World Cup winners in 2011. Kerr observed that a mantra of ‘better men make better All Blacks’ ran to the core of All Black culture. The successful Sydney Swans AFL team of the mid noughties had a similar ethos, but worded it with a forthright Aussie simplicity, ‘no dickheads’. The All Blacks’ management liked it, swiped it (with permission) and embedded it into their own organisation. In his search to emulate the success of Graham Henry and Steve Hanson, Eddie Jones has himself made it clear that character is of equal prevalence to ability in his selection criteria. It is perhaps simplistic to sight Jones’ own take on ‘no dickheads’, as the sole justification for the repeat omission of Danny Cipriani from Eddie’s squads to this point. The control provided by the Ford/Farrell axis has been at the fore of England’s success, and J...
Pretty sure that I'm not the first punter to vacate Sydney's Star Casino, questioning what could of been, if that last spin had produced a favorable outcome. Certainly won't be the last. However, my disappointment had less to do with a dab handed croupier, more the fleet of foot of Elliot Daly, whose 78th minute try grabbed England a victory that either team would have been entitled to. Such was the contest. As I caught up on social media in the taxi (uber had surge) home, it was the usual suspects getting grilled, Howley and of course Cuthbert, it was always going to be Cuthbert. You do know that the Wales lot will blame me for this. To use a cricketing analogy, Cuthbert held down an end for nine overs before getting a walloping in his last. A loose carry surrendered possession at a critical stage before his decision to back his own wheels by offering Elliot Daily the outside proved to be a wrong'un as the Wasps gun turned on the heat to cross for the matc...
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