Written Sunday 04/03/2007

SUPER 14 WEEK 5

Some technical issues kept me from writing about week 4 in the Super 14,  but it wasn't too  spectacular from an Australian point of view in any case,  the Force's first half being about the only thing to get excited about.  Week five offered little improvement.

These Reds would have to be one of the toughest outfits in the world to follow,  and can produce and deliver performances across the whole spectrum of good to bad in any 80 minute performance.  At half time last night you could not help but think they were going to smash the Lions,  but they came out in the second half and delivered very little in the way of the killer punch.

However,  I did like Quade Cooper at 10,  he had a great first half,  and showed that he has some really strong tactical nous.  Hie passing game is great,  nice,  accurate and very direct.  Eddie will be hard pressed to leave him out going forward,  especially now that the Reds only really have next year to think about.  It will be awfully difficult for them to crawl off the bottom of the pile now.  Here is a prediction for about four years time for our National side,  Cooper at 10,  To'omua at 12 and Beale at 15.  Beale still looks more 15 than 10 to me,  and I think Quade looks a better prospect than Beale at 10.  Time will tell.  There is anohter young bloke by the name of Aidan Toua that just happens to go OK in that back 3 region as well, for the future.

I can tell you I wanted the Reds to win,  just to be ahead of the Waratahs on the table,  but alas it was not to be.  Fascinating that the papers or media thought the changes to a two first receiver policy at 10 and 12 was some sort of revelation.  Gee guys I think it has been policy for a while where the players were available (Larkham/Giteau being one example)  but you can't do it if you don' t have the cattle.

The Waratahs,  well after what Tuqiri did,  they deserve to be at the bottom of the table,  a disgraceful incident.  You can never blame one single incident or player in a game for losing it,  if one incident has seemingly cost you that game,  then I suggest the examination of the video to reveal what has truly happened and how and where things could have been done better across the entire performance.  Tuqiri says he is a passionate footballer,  or someone did in the media,  passionate about his market valuation I would say.  I look forward to him signing with Souths.

The trouble with all these blokes who do something wrong these days,  these high profile blokes,  accepted practice is to do something wrong,  and then a nice tearful public apology and supposedly all is OK.  What a load of rubbish.  Some things can't be forgiven,  and what Tuqiri did to Sam Norton  Knight is one of those in my mind.  Some of these guys just need to grow up a little bit.

The Force look the goods,  just unable to finish some critical movements at times but they are seemingly the best Aussie outfit to watch,  along with the Brumbies at times,  and the Reds quite fleetingly.  Giteau is adding weekly to his claim on the 10 jersey,  the yellow one,  Cross continues to grow in stature as a rugby player and will no doubt feature somewhere come world cup time.  The Force lineout missed Sharpie desperately,  but that does happen when you are forced to pull out so late.

The Brumbies were just outgunned in Canberra and injuries are starting to hurt them in a big way.  It looks like we could have 3 Aussie teams in the bottom half of the table by season's end.  Adam Ashley Cooper I thought played well as did Gregan.  While he played quite well I felt George Smith tried too hard at times for miracle balls here an there resulting in mistakes and turnovers.  Hoiles too was good and along with Roe probably top our number 8's in ablity at the moment.  The country needs some replacements at number 8,  and maybe big Jake Schatz is one of the answers up here in Qld.

Now these New Zealand sides,  they are so different to Aussie sides,  well the NZ rugby system is in any case.  I think there are about 20 front line all Blacks being rested at the moment,  yet others just keep coming up with the goods.  It would be hard to not include Troy Flavell in any All Black side,  and really hard to keep Jerome Kaino out,  he is the standout number 8 in the tournament,  by a long,  long way and nay young number 8's would do well to have a look at some tapes of his games and start emulating what he does.  He has a vast array of skills and works in tight and runs like a centre,  has a  super off load and hits like a truck.  Luke "Matt To'omua" Macalister is another that is right up there on All Black selectors minds,  along with Evans,  Conrad Smith,  that David Jones guy and a host of others.  Compared to Australia,  their system delivers depth,  and quality depth at that.  Australia continues to try and build from the top down,  and it never works. 

The real possibility is that there will be 3 New Zealand sides in the top four,  and maybe a South African side.  Three Australian sides could finish the wrong side of 10.  You can't blame injuries because they are a fact of life in contact sport,  you have to build and deliver quality right through all ranks.  A harsh critic said to me the other day,  it's the people running the show,  to get a rugby job in New Zealand you actually have to be good at your job.

Suffice to say people that Aussie rugby could be about to enter it's lowest ever ebb.

The Man at the Top of the Mountain Didn't Fall There!