Australia

georgesmith says...

@ Trader2. Both M.Hooper and L. Gill are near-future leaders of the team. There is no question about depth. I have been following the two players' development for the last 2 years. They need to be given a fair chance. M. Hopper is young and dangerous. It makes him heaps better than D. Pocock given the latter's form.

Posted 22:39 22nd August 2012

kitch says...

trinats

what makes it an even better soap is how such a small pacific nation with only 27726 senior male players, compared to eng-1428862, fr-124079, sa-113174, and au-57766!!, can consistently dominate world rugby!!.. 10/16 tri nations, 2 rwc's, 4/5 junior world champs, 10/13 sevens world series, 11/17 super rugby titles, a win loss ratio 2nd to none, and dominate the world rankings..not to mention numerous other individual and team achievements.. make a great soap dont you reakon!

Posted 20:33 22nd August 2012

Trader2 says...

@Trinats hahahaha you are a giggle

@tha_mai exactly if Oz rugby had any depth they would be able to slip someone easily to replace Pocock, sure he would be missed but without the drama. As I keep saying Dingo's main problem is lack of cattle in the paddock, not helped by Oz having five teams and importing players to make up the numbers, it is an absolute joke. Spend the money on youth development and ditch one team, and sorry to my Perth friends but it should be the Force. For the game in Oz to be successful the ARU needs to start running it as a business and not use the game as a personal chest thumping excercise. Oz cannot keep 5 teams on the field.

Posted 14:57 22nd August 2012

Trinats2 says...

tha_mai:

7ton:

hayj05:

Yep !

Posted 12:11 22nd August 2012

tha_mai says...

Trintas - conspiracy theories and soap operas - that would about sum up every post you have ever made on behald of Reds and Wallabies; injured, what if, bad ref, cheats etc. Take that out and look for one constructive post . . . waiting . . . .

No lack of depth by numbers in Australian rugby - they have th same number of Super teams as NZ and SA. A question of quality.

Posted 11:32 22nd August 2012

hayj05 says...

@Trinats2 - Very rich coming from you, your comments alone are a soap opera.

Remember you're the guy that likes to blame the Wallabies defeats to the AB's on South African refs.

Posted 11:04 22nd August 2012

ruckingkiwi says...

Pocock got hammered, even he has admitted that.

They did show on the news last night Fa'ainga hitting Woodcock in the ribs off the ball and then Woodcock dropping to one knee and clutching his chest.. this just before half time when the injury first occured. Naturally Woodcock isn't saying anything.

Posted 00:48 22nd August 2012

startledwombat says...

@kinsman

Correct. Not all penalty offences are foul play. Penalty offences are for illegal play, ie play that is contrary to the rules.

@kpe12

In the game I saw, Read was ruled to be offside.

I agree - Read's intent in so far as I can read it was not to take someone out for three months. What I am saying is that, if he had started his play from an on-side position, the impact may not have been as fierce or Pocock may have been better able to prepare for it. With better preparation the chances of injury may have been reduced.

Conspiracy theory or academic discussion, call this what you will, but I suggest that we are less likely to be in this discussion if Read had been within the rules.

Posted 22:23 21st August 2012

kinsman says...

@startledwombat, unfortunately for your theory to carry any weight then offside will need to be re-classified as an act of foul play. Last I checked, that law had not been amended.

Posted 17:58 21st August 2012

Melkiwi says...

Another conspiracy I see lol. Starting to sound like the saffas. If their were targets it'll be more towards genia and ioane, the two striking power in the Oz team.

Posted 15:18 21st August 2012