Georgina Robinson loses the game of chicken

I noted a couple of interesting points in this article by Georgina Robinson

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...02-p50jqp.html

First, she appears to have lost her nerve in the whole calling out RA, she obviously wants something out of uncle Cam and whichever of Ealesey's mates is the current propaganda manager, because she's managed to imply that, when the Wobblies fail to exit their pool next year, it will be all Sean McMahon's fault.

Secondly, if you look towards the bottom of the article, she releases the bombshell that (moderately) High Performance Manager Ben Whitaker will be conducting the review into the Wallaby performance that he's responsible for! That seems independent! Maybe he'll interview all relevant stakeholders and conduct blind polls of the rugby watching public before he says that everything's going fine and Cheika has a plan.

If I was Simon Raiwalui I'd be extremely nervous, because he's the obvious scapegoat which will be used to save the entitles arses of the rest of the coaching/playing group!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GIGS20

I noted a couple of interesting points in this article by Georgina Robinson

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...02-p50jqp.html

First, she appears to have lost her nerve in the whole calling out RA, she obviously wants something out of uncle Cam and whichever of Ealesey's mates is the current propaganda manager, because she's managed to imply that, when the Wobblies fail to exit their pool next year, it will be all Sean McMahon's fault.

!

---

Have a look reasons at why Sean signed with Japanese back 12 months ago. He is now just recovering from another injury and he knows his body wont stand up to Test rugby. More money in Japan and less wear and tear in the time he has left. Wise man.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...25-gzspgu.html

Edinburgh: Sean McMahon admits he took up a deal in Japanese rugby because he doesn't think his body will hold up to the demands of the game when he is 30 years old.

It is an honest confession from one of Australia's best back-rowers but an insight into why McMahon is trying to make as much money from the game in the limited window he has.

Tough style: Australia's Sean McMahon takes on the Wales defence earlier this month.
Tough style: Australia's Sean McMahon takes on the Wales defence earlier this month.CREDIT:AAP

Understood to not be completely happy with an offer from Australian Rugby to keep him in Super Rugby, McMahon has opted for an overseas contract, much like another stellar back-rower in Liam Gill did in France a few years back.

McMahon says the decision was made with his body's best interests in mind.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JSJ

Have a look reasons at why Sean signed with Japanese back 12 months ago. He is now just recovering from another injury and he knows his body wont stand up to Test rugby. More money in Japan and less wear and tear in the time he has left. Wise man.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...25-gzspgu.html

Edinburgh: Sean McMahon admits he took up a deal in Japanese rugby because he doesn't think his body will hold up to the demands of the game when he is 30 years old.

It is an honest confession from one of Australia's best back-rowers but an insight into why McMahon is trying to make as much money from the game in the limited window he has.

Tough style: Australia's Sean McMahon takes on the Wales defence earlier this month.
Tough style: Australia's Sean McMahon takes on the Wales defence earlier this month.CREDIT:AAP

Understood to not be completely happy with an offer from Australian Rugby to keep him in Super Rugby, McMahon has opted for an overseas contract, much like another stellar back-rower in Liam Gill did in France a few years back.

McMahon says the decision was made with his body's best interests in mind.

---

Hard to stay when Hooper has a 5 yr contract to play for the Wallabies and Pocock is ...well, Pocock. This is the main reason the Hooper contract has sent the wrong message to all of our 6,7 and 8's. Unless you play for the Waratah's of course...that should go without saying.

But McMahon has been kept in Super Rugby?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maelkann

But McMahon has been kept in Super Rugby?

---

Maybe not!

The Super Rugby nations are considering cutting the competition back to 14 teams and doing away with the unpopular conference system from 2021.

Not for the first time, Japan's Sunwolves are in the firing line as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina battle to agree on a format that suits all unions.

More here

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...02-p50jpe.html

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JSJ

Maybe not!

The Super Rugby nations are considering cutting the competition back to 14 teams and doing away with the unpopular conference system from 2021.

Not for the first time, Japan's Sunwolves are in the firing line as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina battle to agree on a format that suits all unions.


More here

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...02-p50jpe.html

---

Agree, read that and was told that last year the Sunwolves were a whisker away from throwing the towel in. Hardly any Japanese players...mostly Journeymen.

Sunwolves will eventually go to Twiggy ball they should be looking at 2020 as Super Rugby was just a tool to prepare them for the RWC.

His body will recover when Cheika is gone

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Basha69

His body will recover when Cheika is gone

---

Rocky Elsom’s didn’t. To have that type of player in Australian Rugby you need a build like Jim Williams or Owen Finegan to punch up the guts through heavy contact. McMahon and Elsom wouldn’t have had that build growing up by are asked to play the same way.

Welllll...after listening to Georgina last weekend on ABC Radio (from Insiders?) Only one word springs to mind:

Disingenuous

She is a full blown RA mouth piece, a rubbish journalist that simply has no investigative skills. Georginas articles read with a huge RA/Cheika bias, probably from her time on the Foxsports rugby show with Kafer and co and numerous sit downs with Cheika, she has succumbed to the whole illusion that everything is rainbows in the land of Rugby Australia.. she doesnt seem to grasp public sentiment and the real issues at hand in grassroots and Australian rugby and doesnt get the true rugby 'fan' . She is more interested in her exclusive scoops which she gets by being a Clyne puppet piece with a slice of Cheika thrown in for good measure and is desperately trying to hold onto her position before the house comes crashing down, she knows her cushy little relationship goes up in smoke when that happens.. and it's happening now, especially once the 'Rebel' rapid rugby league fires up and Forrest gets into a player bidding war with Clyne until he resigns... great times ahead.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bakkies

Rocky Elsom’s didn’t. To have that type of player in Australian Rugby you need a build like Jim Williams or Owen Finegan to punch up the guts through heavy contact. McMahon and Elsom wouldn’t have had that build growing up by are asked to play the same way.

---

Hey Bakkies i'm just going on rumours i've heard through the grapevine......as good as a number of players are, they have left as they know they won't get a look in whilst Cheika is coach/selector.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Basha69

Hey Bakkies i'm just going on rumours i've heard through the grapevine......as good as a number of players are, they have left as they know they won't get a look in whilst Cheika is coach/selector.

---

Is that rumour or simply unsupported fact? Everybody in the known universe knows that nobody gets a serious look at 9, 10, 7 or 15 in a Cheika all side. 8 is reserved for the best fetcher in aussie rugby, so you have to beat pocock there and the bench is only used to give foreign waratahs a test cap so they are cheaper to contract, when they don't need to do any of that, they keep throwing hanigan in there in the hope that he'll grow into something more than a b grader. If you don't wear sky blue for your day job, you may as well look overseas

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GIGS20

Is that rumour or simply unsupported fact? Everybody in the known universe knows that nobody gets a serious look at 9, 10, 7 or 15 in a Cheika all side. 8 is reserved for the best fetcher in aussie rugby, so you have to beat pocock there and the bench is only used to give foreign waratahs a test cap so they are cheaper to contract, when they don't need to do any of that, they keep throwing hanigan in there in the hope that he'll grow into something more than a b grader. If you don't wear sky blue for your day job, you may as well look overseas

---

It doesn’t need to be supported. Just look at Gill’s rows and threats to the RA over his contract than followed through on it. Then you have Ben Mowen not getting an offer from the RA while test captain which voided his Brumbies extension. He wanted to stay but such as the nature of the farcical contract situations which a lack of a contract from the RA can void a Super Rugby deal.

The RA brought back Naiyavoro and Douglas in the first year of respective three season deals in Europe they hardly played or in Taqele’s case not at all so they farked off again. They are doing the same with Toomua and Luke Jones. Jones won’t get picked and I don’t think test Rugby is his level and Toomua has already been shafted like he did before he left.They need to leave these blokes alone and it messes with their head. Toomua will leave Leicester in April next year battered from travel and playing in losing teams. Leicester are fighting relegation and he is joining a team in Australia with no winning culture. Rugby is about the top two inches and not many have it.

The Wallabies badly need a Peter O’Mahony a bloke that will fight in a Rugby sense all day for his team and his players will do the same for him. Winning clutch line outs against the throw in his own half, not releasing penalties when his side is on the ropes and plays till he can’t stand. He doesn’t talk waffle either. He might have had some of that coming through underage but learnt from Paul O’Connell who played and led the same way. Pocock is probably the only one but the young players have left or the players that have a bit of something but not getting minutes. Neither tolerate cutting corners. O’Connell’s seniors at Munster knew that the bloke had a presence when he walked in to that old head’s dressing room full of Ireland and Lions caps as a young man.

"Rugby is about the top two inches and not many have it. "

So its about the Top 1/3 then?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Transiting

"Rugby is about the top two inches and not many have it. "

So its about the Top 1/3 then?

---

Not with Cheika, Beale and Hooper.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bakkies

Not with Cheika, Beale and Hooper.

---

Bakkies, I should have added an emocon but I didn't know which one to use. ;), or :sarcastic:, or :eek: may help. What is the total if the top two inches is a 1/3?

Kinda my point bakkies