Bleacher Report - Articles by jim Faulkner

Wallabies Hopeless, Heads Must Roll!

jim Faulkner — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:09:27 -0500

The Wallabies last night went down to an offensively inhibited Scotland, in what was one of the worst performances by an Australian sporting team ever witnessed. Australia have now won five games, drawn one and lost six out of their last twelve matches and to put it mildly, heads must roll.

It is bad enough that rugby is struggling to such an effect that the Australian public are just not interested in the game. Performances like this one though are likely to send rugby into sporting oblivion. Even rugby die-hards like myself can barely draw enough enthusiasm to watch this forgettable team.

Mentally this team is extremely weak and don't deserve the support of their rugby public. They obviously went into this match thinking they would win easily, yet they showed no real attacking belief.

Australia crossed the line four times to come away with only one try. Scotland to their credit did defend brilliantly, but to be realistic, should have lost by 40 points to this side.

Time and time again the Wallabies took the soft option of kicking for goal or even a ridiculous field goal attempt, instead of pushing for a try.

It took till the last two minutes for Australia to realise if they kept the ball in hand they would score, then Giteau missed a conversion any 14 year old could kick to put icing on a dreadful performance.

The Australian media will not accept this performance. Regardless of what happens against Wales, the wolves will be at the door when they return home. Robbie Deans has tried hard to mould this team, but its just not working.

Maybe they need to learn from the Rugby League Kangaroos, (who would probably thrash all the worlds best rugby teams at their own game), who back themselves and attack at all costs.

Whatever happens, better happen soon. Maybe Giteau should return to inside centre, maybe we should send out an SOS to Rod Mcqueen to come back and take over this team.

Heads must roll because this is unacceptable for any Australian team to put in performances this poor. Otherwise we may as well send our women's netball team to play rugby as they would probably put in a better performance than this team.

ARU Should Target Smith and Inglis and the Grassroots of the Game

jim Faulkner — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:22:58 -0400

A lot of Rugby League players have tried their hand in Rugby Union recently, some with much more effect than others. The reality is that League has a monopoly of world class backs who could shine in Rugby, especially in Australia.

It's the forwards where league players are going to struggle. Though some have made an impact like Elsome and Brad Thorn, but it takes too long to train a league forward the skills required to play the 15 man game, unless they have a rugby background.

The problem is that kids in Australia grow up wanting to be League or AFL players and that is where most of the talent ends up. At grass roots level, rugby in Australia is tiny, and although steps have been made lately, there is still much to be done.

When you look at the wealth of big men playing AFL and all the skills and speed they have for men their size, it is obvious the level of impact these men could have in the second row and line-outs of rugby. Not to mention their kicking skills as well. Some of these young men need to be identified and trained in rugby early.

Two league players that i believe would have a huge impact on rugby union is Greg Inglis and Cameron smith. Cameron Smith is the current Australian captain and plays Hooker in league. However in rugby union he would make an amazing scrum half. He has all the skills required for half, and then some. He is a great defender, he can kick and pass as good as anyone, he plays dummy half in league and is used to sniping around the ruck. He is one player the ARU should be targeting.

Greg Inglis also would be outstanding. Far and away the best outside back in either game. His ability could revolutionise the game. The ARU made a huge mistake by not approaching him last month when he was talking of the possibility of playing rugby. Now he has signed again with league robbing the rest of the world from truly appreciating his ability.

Of all the league players to switch codes i think Jason Robinson has been the most successful. Ryan Cross shows all the skills but has a rugby background. Rogers was ok but was picked above Latham at 15 in the 2003 world cup, a decision which ultimately cost Australia the World cup. Tiquri has been good, but took a while to find his feet.

We are often putting our faith in the wrong league converts. Getting the right player is the key. Never replace a great of rugby with a gamble from league like the Latham-Rogers affair. Another example is Joe Roff, no league winger would of replaced him in his day because he was the best at that time. Identify what is needed and take steps to get the right player.

Do more work in the grass roots of the game and identify those playing two codes at school and help them to ultimately be rugby players.

Many of those who have played both codes, like I have, preferred rugby union, but no real effort was made to keep us in the game. Now that rugby has the money, that should be changing. At the very least the ARU should be leading the way in the development of the game at home. In countries like New Zealand and South Africa, rugby has no competitors but in Australia it comes a distant fifth in our winter sports.

If Australia could pick from all codes, i am sure they would be almost unbeatable, so maybe its a good thing for rugby that at this stage they don't.

I want to see Australia become the true power in rugby that they once were. The neglected state of the game in Oz now is a little disappointing, although finally they do have another team that have the potential to build towards another world cup win. If the ARU was smarter, that world cup would almost be a certainty. Getting Robbie Deans was a great step. The grass roots and the right players to target should be the next.

Tri Nations Final to be Called by Johnathan Caplan—Oh No!

jim Faulkner — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:44:16 -0400

Is it just me, or does someone else also think Johnathon Caplan is a terrible referee?

On the eve of one of the most anticipated clashes of the year, I have just found out that Caplan is the referee in the Tri Nations decider.

With international rugby becoming more and more exciting these days, with the ELV's opening the game up and making it faster, and the three teams in the tri nations so close, surely we can demand a better standard of referee than Caplan. Surely we can find a Kiwi or an Aussie ref that can leave any bias behind and do a better job than this strange little man.

Thank god George Gregan is not playing, if he was, the Aussies would get punished for just running on the field. I don't have the exact figure, but at one stage when Gregan played for the Brumbies, and Caplan was the ref, they lost something like 14 and won three. This mainly in a time when the Brumbies rarely lost.

Surely even New Zealanders must remember the Bletisloe clash when Caplan let (his ego and) the game go six minutes after full time, the All Blacks ended up giving a penalty away, which John Eales converted and won the Bletisloe cup.

I hate blaming referee's for ruining matches, but lets face it, in our great game of rugby, referees do ruin the odd match. Johnathon Caplan more than most. Closely followed by Mark Lawrence I must say.

With our games improving dramatically, I think the NZRU and the ARU should stand up and demand some decent referees for these big games.

Proper training and clear guild lines for the rules of the game should be demanded of these men. They all have different interpretations of the laws. At least most are some what consistent. Caplans interpretations can change several times in a match, and thats just not good enouph.

I'd just like to say best of luck to both teams before Saturdays hit out for the Tri Nations decider, and I sincerely hope Caplan has a good game, keeps his ego in check, and doesn't ruin another great game.

Wallabies Have Firepower to Win Tri Nations

jim Faulkner — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:31:04 -0400

After a brutal encounter with South Africa last Saturday, the Wallabies won a torrid affair and came out on top at the end of the battle.

Saturday's game with the Springboks was not as entertaining a game as the Duneden and Sydney Tri Nations clashes this year, but it truly was a war. With the South African public putting an enormous amount of pressure on their team, the Boks were never going to give in easily, and it showed.

Defence won the game for the Wallabies, forcing errors and keeping the Boks on zero until well into the second half. Apart from the Auckland encounter this year (when everything went against them), the Wallabies defence has been rock solid.

Australia face a tough test this weekend against South Africa at altitude in Johannesburg (where they have not won since the 1960s), but this game will have no bearing on the outcome of the Tri Nations, so the Aussies can go into the game with no pressure.

They also have the Luxury of being able to blood players like Tahu at inside centre and Dean Mumm at No. 6.

South Africa, on the other hand, will have the weight of their country on their shoulders. With the media looking more like a lynch mob, the Boks will have to perform—nothing short of a win will be good enough.

The Boks coach will have his job on the line, as well as many of the players. It is a tough call on who will win at this stage.

No matter the outcome in Jo-burg, the Tri Nations will be decided in Brisbane, where the Wallabies will have a great chance to upset the over confident Kiwis. No one outside of Australia seems to rate the Wallabies, and that is just the place the Aussies like to play from.

In reality, the sides are very evenly matched, but with a home town advantage, I believe the Wallabies will upstage the more fancied All Blacks and walk away with the Tri Nations.

I believe the Wallabies have more youth and backline flair than the Kiwis. As long as the front row can perform, and the team can play as such, they should have the ability to overcome Carter and McCaw and bring home the trophy.

My only hope is we don't end up with Mark Lawrence as the referee. I would rather a Kiwi ref than Lawrence in the decider. Like Johnathan Caplan he is not up to the standard required in international rugby.

My prediction is the Boks win by three in Johannesburg, and the Wallabies win by 10 in Brisbane.

Rugby League—Australia's NFL

jim Faulkner — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:15:31 -0400

As a self-professed rugby union fan, I have been asked to write an article on rugby league In Australia.

I will refer to rugby league as league, and rugby union as union. This is for the American readers who probably dont know that there are two forms of rugby.

Rugby league is the second most popular form of football in Australia—second only to Australian rules football. Australian rules is played in every state in Australia but league is only really played in two states, Queensland and New South Wales. Its following, though, is huge, and makes the first or second sports news story every night on Australian TV.

To the rest of the world though, league is unheard of. Only in Northern England, France, and New Zealand is League competitive to a standard that rivals Australia.

Rugby league is widely reguarded as the toughest man-on-man contact sport in the world, surpassing rugby union, boxing, wrestling, and American football.

Before the dawn of true professionalism in league, Queensland and New South Wales would meet every year to play for the best state in Australia.The problem was, in New South Wales the money was superior, so every Queensland player with talent ended up playing in New South Wales, and then they would represent New South Wales against their old State.

The result was that Queensland lost almost every game over an 80-year period. Then in 1980, "State of Origin" began, which made players represent the state they were from originally. A pride in your state, instead of money earned, made this a great spectacle.

Queensland won that first ever State of Origin, and since then, "Origin" has produced some of the toughest, closest, and most exciting games of football ever seen. Queensland has now won two more games than New South Wales in the total history of Origin, where the teams usually meet three times a year. Series wins also favour Queensland, but only by one.

Players are picked from the NRL (National Rugby League), Australia's premier competition. The NRL Consists of 16 teams, most of which come from New South Wales due to the success of their original competition.

The New Zealand Warriors, Brisbane Broncos, Melbourne Storm, North Queensland Cowboys, Gold Coast Titans, and the Canberra Raiders are the teams from the other states. Note the similar NFL names involved.

Success of the Melbourne Storm has been great for league in Victoria, a state where Australian rules football has reigned supreme. This year the Melbourne Storm (as defending champions) and the Manly Sea Eagles are the two strongest teams and look likely to meet again in the Grand Final later this year.

Most of the talent from both forms of Rugby in Australia end up playing League. Greg Inglis, Israel Falu, and Billy Slater from the Melbourne Storm, are probably the most talented outside backs in the game. They have set a new benchmark as far as talent is concerned in the sport.

Others like Darren Lockyer (Brisbane Broncos) and Johnathon Thurston (Cowboys) are widely regarded as the best halves (thinking man's positions like quarterback for Americans) in the game.

League has a very strong junior program in Oz, pumping out great players constantly to replace former heroes of the sport. The money involved, though, cannot produce the lucrative yearly amounts found in the NFL, NBA, professional soccer, golf, and the like. A good living can be made though, and the sport has produced quite a few millionaires.

In recent times the money on offer in rugby union has caused a change where some players from league have switched codes. As a union follower, I can only hope this trend continues—league has many Dan Carter-types in their game that would switch to rugby union without much trouble at all.

Andrew Johns (one of the greatest ever League players) almost made a switch to the New South Wales Warratahs in union, but the deal never happened.

Quite a few outside backs and a few forwards have made the switch, but never a truly great half or second half. It would be great for an Australian union supporter to see that happen.

The latest to switch has been Sonny Bill Williams, who I will bet plays in the centres for the All Blacks in 2011, and Mark Gasnier, who is another fantastic Australian centre who played for his country in league.

Brad Thorn, who plays for the All Blacks in union, originally played league for the Brisbane Broncos. He represented Queensland in Origin, and Australia in league also, before trying the 15-man Game. Lote Tuqiri also played for the Broncos, Queensland, and Australia. Tahu, Elsome, and Rogers are others who have made the switch in Oz.

League is like Australia's version of the NFL—it's played mainly in its own country, and Australia (like America and the NFL) have little or no chance of being knocked off the top of the sport. Australia have not been seriously challenged in a long long time, except one series to New Zealand about four years ago.

Every rugby league World Cup has been won by Australia, and they have been the best in the game for close to 30 years.

I would love to see the great players of rugby league play rugby union and really test themselves on the world stage. Lets hope it happens more often in the future. One thing is for certain—rugby union is the third most popular team sport on earth, and league, like the NFL, will never challenge its world following.

Wallabies Looking Good for RWC 2011

jim Faulkner — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:15:10 -0400

What a difference 12 months can have on our great game of Rugby. It is interesting to see how teams are rebuilding towards the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

The Springboks, with amazing talent, will have to replace quite a few greats of their game before the next three years come. Victor Matfield, to name just one, is probably the world's best lock, but won't be around in 2011.

The Boks, though, will still have great backs with Habana, De Villiers, and the likes, with plenty of time left in their careers. New Zealand have suffered quite a drain of great talent to Europe since 2007, although many of those players will also be over the hill when the Web Ellis Trophy is up for grabs again.

However, it is hard to see the modern All Blacks being a real threat without Carter and McCaw. Many of their supporters will be hoping those two players will be fit in three years' time.

Quite possibly the biggest problem for New Zealand is the fact they let, by far and away, their best coach move across the ditch to coach the Wallabies.

Robbie Deans must be the world's best rugby coach at the moment, and with a young vibrant team of new Wallabies, must surely be rubbing his hands together with the prospects on offer to him over the next three years.

Having Deans at the helm can only help the Wallabies overcome the odds to win a World Cup on New Zealand soil, where the All Blacks' record is nothing short of astounding.

A great bonus for Deans is the youth of the new-look Wallabies. In last week's game against the AB's in Sydney, the average age of the Aussies was under 25.

When many thought the Wallabies would melt after the Kiwis hit the lead early in the second half, the young players (without their regular Captain) stood up and took charge.

Horwell, Barnes, Giteau, Burgess, and company were simply outstanding. The pressure they applied to the All Blacks forced mistakes and self-doubt rarely seen by a New Zealand team.

A lot of time will pass between now and 2011 but one thing is for sure: Deans will have a lot of time to graft and mold a terrific young team in the Wallabies as he did with the Crusaders.

More youth will be available to him by then—Lote Tuqiri's cousin played for the under-20 Wallabies and is being touted as the next Lomu, and many of Australia's great Rugby League backs are more and more showing signs of wanting to become dual internationals.

The player drain from Rugby to League has turned around, and the young rugby stars are staying in their own code. Suddenly, Australia have a bank of wealth to choose from and an incredible coach to mold them. They will, in my mind, go into the 2011 World Cup as favourites unless something extraordinary happens.