Rugby Union

[aussie1st]

But there's not much they can do without a top class pack and particularly a front row. The Welsh beat it up at times and England killed it. Al Baxter needs to go i'll tell you that now, he was poor in the World Cup final and he hasn't improved from what I can see. Do you have any potentially international class props? Also, Giteau was out, Larkham out, two fantastic players there and Mat Rogers is mainly a full back or wing isn't he?

Rogers is fullback but hes being going great guns at 10. But as you said its the forward pack. This same forward pack Dunning, Cannon and Baxter did well all season under Ewen in the super 12. So may be with him at the helm these guys will go better. If not we need to find some props.

Any idea on how Tom Varndell did?

England 28 Fiji 26
TWO tries apiece from player of the tournament Tom Varndell and Ben Gollings helped England to a triumph over Fiji in the final of the Dubai Sevens overnight.

Fiji, conquerors of reigning IRB World Series champions New Zealand in the quarter-finals, led twice in the first half but England made maximum use of Varndell's pace and the guile of Gollings to come away with victory in front of a capacity crowd of 30,000.

England, who also won in Dubai last year, had edged Samoa 7-5 in the semi-finals while Fiji triumphed 17-7 over South Africa.

New Zealand went on to win the second-tier plate final with a 19-7 victory over France. Wales, making their return on the sevens circuit after an absence of a couple of years, beat Canada 19-5 to take the bowl.

Agence France-Presse

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17445604-23217,00.html

 

[Maxkarter]

Didn't Morne Steyn have a kicking success rate of about 80%-90% at home matches but a success rate of only 40% at away games. Hardly readt for the Springbok jearsey in my eyes, but I feel that de Waal should have gotten into the side instead of Bosman. But hey all of those fly halfs are either Cheetahs players or have been schooled in Bloem

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Rogers is fullback but hes being going great guns at 10. But as you said its the forward pack. This same forward pack Dunning, Cannon and Baxter did well all season under Ewen in the super 12. So may be with him at the helm these guys will go better. If not we need to find some props.

I have to say I was impressed with Rogers on the whole, particularly his kicking (place kicking). Thanks for the Varndell thing.

 

[Shevchenko]

Didn't Morne Steyn have a kicking success rate of about 80%-90% at home matches but a success rate of only 40% at away games. Hardly readt for the Springbok jearsey in my eyes, but I feel that de Waal should have gotten into the side instead of Bosman. But hey all of those fly halfs are either Cheetahs players or have been schooled in Bloem

Point taken! But Morne Steyn has the ability to run his backline, Willem de Waal is the more kicken route guy, a pitty Andre Pretorius got injured, there is no one better than him at the moment! Bloem might school all those players but hey it's Pretoria that makes names ouf of them, The Bulls received over 20 million rand just hosting the Currie Cup, I think their budget stands over 80 million rand now! so expect big names to join the Bulls for the Super 14, Trompie Notshinga from the Cheethas just joined the Bulls

 

[Maxkarter]

Well, with the Cheetahs being an up and coming team we dont need the Bulls to make us famous. Besides they need to buy our players to become a better team now . The Bulls are also notorius for killing our good players, Kennedy Tsimba ring a bell :. But it is true that at this point in time Pretorius is the best fly half in South Africa.

But our side is looking good and we should be up there for the World Cup

 

[Shevchenko]

the 2007 World Cup final will be cracker I believe New Zealand vs South Africa, although I believe France is a strong side, Australia, one can never write of the Wallies in any matter

 

[Stephen Bailey]

the 2007 World Cup final will be cracker I believe New Zealand vs South Africa, although I believe France is a strong side, Australia, one can never write of the Wallies in any matter

I'd like to think the current England side has a shout! New Zealand also have this habit of peaking between World Cup's, but they will have to start as favourites.

 

[Maxkarter]

South Africa also got a habit of winning and then becoming one of the crappiest teams around. Remember after 1995? But it looks to be a tough World Cup

 

[aussie1st]

The Wallabies will be back Jones and Gregan gone, hello young exciting players.

 

[jazz]

The Wallabies will be back Jones and Gregan gone, hello young exciting players.

you should be concentrating on the tri nations and wining back the Bledsoe Cup next year

 

[aussie1st]

I think we should be concentrating on picking the right coach first
Ewen is favourite and this article about players wanting a say in whose coach further his claim for coach as a lot of the Brumbies players don't like Nucifora.

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17457901-23217,00.html

 

[jazz]

hopefully you can challenge us next year

its been a bit boring this year the way we have easily beaten teams apart from south africa

 

[aussie1st]

I agree, we just didn't have that usual tradition going on. The hype wasn't there, the atmosphere definitely wasn't there. Of course next year we have 3 games against each other so the Bledisole stays live for at least 2 games which is better than this year where it only went for 1 game.

 

[moza1]

we were missing 3 important players in Larkham, Giteau and Mortlorck.
But mainly larkham, he sets up the whole play for them. Im impressed with drew mitchell. I think hes got a future.

 

[aussie1st]

Larkham definitely missed but even he couldn't save us with our crap forward pack. Rogers was doing all that was asked and more.
Giteau is played at 12 then yes he was missed. If 10 then no he wasn't missed.
Mortlock not really missed, Tuqiri stood up and Mortlock hasn't been great this year.
I agree on Mitchell he is really exciting. Has to be on the wing at least next year. If not fullback.