‘Standout’ Swans, ‘unsustainable’ Pies, ‘boring’ Giants: How the top-eight sides are tracking at the halfway mark

0 Comments

We hit the first round of byes (if we forget the horrendous fixturing of earlier this season), with all clubs having played 11 of their 23 games – the last time the ladder will be on an even keel until the end of June. Today, let’s take a look at the top half of the […]

Rugby’s route back to relevance: More back stabbing, vicious boardroom sagas, and Evil Emperor Waugh

0 Comments

Every week, two things occupy the minds of rugby fans in this part of the world. The first is the question of how, exactly, are we to revive the popularity of the sport of rugby union in this great nation which has such a sporadically proud history in the game? The second is, will we […]

It’s time for Luai to stand up and clearly prove he can be the main man for Blues in Origin

0 Comments

I’m the first to admit that I am not a big fan of Jarome Luai. Perhaps I’m a little jealous that he doesn’t play for my team but the swagger, confidence and attitude is not something I typically admire in players. I prefer a more understated player which potentially explains why my list of favourite […]

Cracking Kiwi derbies revealed some telling truths. The biggest? Super Rugby is alive and well

0 Comments

We’ve finally reached that moment of truth when the top Super Rugby teams need to find their best form for the playoffs, and Test selectors look with keen interest on how contenders and pretenders cope with the big match pressure. It’s amazing that in the 48 hours after The Roar published my All Blacks selection […]

Reds… Pirates… Bears – call them whatever you want, so long as Perth is next in line for NRL expansion

0 Comments

Once again the NRL is talking expansion and they are tossing up new franchise possibilities like an Italian chef preparing a pizza base or an Aussie pub cook juggling a hot potato. I keep hearing that the first franchise off the rank to join the NRL as the 18th team will be a club from […]