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Sydney Morning Herald
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
The harsh truth about Australian rugby
The end of the regular season means it's time for some uncomfortable truths. Despite the perceived performance benefits of cutting the Rebels, the four remaining Australian sides have actually won fewer games against the Kiwis this year. They have won seven this year compared to nine last year, with the discrepancy explained by both the Reds and Brumbies flipping from a 3-2 trans-Tasman winning record in 2024 to a 2-3 losing one. While the early-season narrative was one of Australian improvement, it quietly flipped about two-thirds of the way through the competition, and the last win against a New Zealand team was the Reds' victory against the Blues in round 11. It's an obvious concern on the eve of the British and Lions series. Two-tier Super has a problem The win-loss record outline above is part of a much broader problem. The top six finishers this year are effectively the same top six teams from the past four years of Super Rugby Pacific. In fact, in the competition's history (beginning in 2022) only eight teams have finished in the top six, the Waratahs sneaking in twice (6th in 2023 and 6th in 2022) and the Highlanders sneaking in once (6th in 2024). It's a competition with bedded-in haves and have-nots, as the points differential from this year highlights again. The big six all have positive points differentials, and the rest have deeply negative ones, with the Highlanders the 'best' at minus 90. This is one reason why this column has been sympathetic towards Dan McKellar at the Waratahs this year. He's walked into a job in the current have-nots, and Super Rugby's lack of player movement makes upward mobility very hard to achieve. Wallabies form team of the week James Slipper (Brumbies) Richie Asiata (Reds) Zane Nonggorr (Reds) Tom Hooper (Brumbies) Fergus Lee-Warner (Waratahs) Joe Brial (Reds) Fraser McReight (Reds) Langi Gleeson (Waratahs) Teddy Wilson (Waratahs) Tom Lynagh (Reds) Tim Ryan (Reds) Hunter Paisami (Reds) Josh Flook (Reds) Lachie Anderson (Reds) - Player of the week Tom Wright (Brumbies) The Brumbies' missing drop goal There were six minutes left when Crusaders winger Sevu Reece knocked the ball on against the Brumbies on Saturday - that's a lot of rugby left in such a seesawing game. While the failure to spot the knock-on was clearly a mistake, it's an exaggeration to say it decided the game. Even if we enter the alternative universe of the knock-on being spotted, the Brumbies would have a defensive scrum with five-plus minutes to run down - the Crusaders would get another crack at winning the game. A bigger factor in the outcome was the Brumbies' aversion to the drop goal option in the final seconds, despite being in the perfect position - about 15m out, in the centre of the field, with front-foot ball. Noah Lolesio had to go back into the pocket and call the drop-goal. Suaalii v Tuipulotu is on Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii's scheduled return from his jaw injury is encouraging news, and his old mate Sione Tuipulotu is very much getting ready for their much-anticipated reunion during the Lions series. Tuipulotu was excellent for Glasgow against the Stormers in a URC quarter final over the weekend, making one outstanding second-half break. He showed no signs of the pectoral muscle injury that cast a cloud over his Lions participation earlier in the year. He must be a strong contender to start the first test in the Lions No 12 jersey, especially if Scotland's Finn Russell is the No 10.
The Age
8 hours ago
- Sport
- The Age
The harsh truth about Australian rugby
The end of the regular season means it's time for some uncomfortable truths. Despite the perceived performance benefits of cutting the Rebels, the four remaining Australian sides have actually won fewer games against the Kiwis this year. They have won seven this year compared to nine last year, with the discrepancy explained by both the Reds and Brumbies flipping from a 3-2 trans-Tasman winning record in 2024 to a 2-3 losing one. While the early-season narrative was one of Australian improvement, it quietly flipped about two-thirds of the way through the competition, and the last win against a New Zealand team was the Reds' victory against the Blues in round 11. It's an obvious concern on the eve of the British and Lions series. Two-tier Super has a problem The win-loss record outline above is part of a much broader problem. The top six finishers this year are effectively the same top six teams from the past four years of Super Rugby Pacific. In fact, in the competition's history (beginning in 2022) only eight teams have finished in the top six, the Waratahs sneaking in twice (6th in 2023 and 6th in 2022) and the Highlanders sneaking in once (6th in 2024). It's a competition with bedded-in haves and have-nots, as the points differential from this year highlights again. The big six all have positive points differentials, and the rest have deeply negative ones, with the Highlanders the 'best' at minus 90. This is one reason why this column has been sympathetic towards Dan McKellar at the Waratahs this year. He's walked into a job in the current have-nots, and Super Rugby's lack of player movement makes upward mobility very hard to achieve. Wallabies form team of the week James Slipper (Brumbies) Richie Asiata (Reds) Zane Nonggorr (Reds) Tom Hooper (Brumbies) Fergus Lee-Warner (Waratahs) Joe Brial (Reds) Fraser McReight (Reds) Langi Gleeson (Waratahs) Teddy Wilson (Waratahs) Tom Lynagh (Reds) Tim Ryan (Reds) Hunter Paisami (Reds) Josh Flook (Reds) Lachie Anderson (Reds) - Player of the week Tom Wright (Brumbies) The Brumbies' missing drop goal There were six minutes left when Crusaders winger Sevu Reece knocked the ball on against the Brumbies on Saturday - that's a lot of rugby left in such a seesawing game. While the failure to spot the knock-on was clearly a mistake, it's an exaggeration to say it decided the game. Even if we enter the alternative universe of the knock-on being spotted, the Brumbies would have a defensive scrum with five-plus minutes to run down - the Crusaders would get another crack at winning the game. A bigger factor in the outcome was the Brumbies' aversion to the drop goal option in the final seconds, despite being in the perfect position - about 15m out, in the centre of the field, with front-foot ball. Noah Lolesio had to go back into the pocket and call the drop-goal. Suaalii v Tuipulotu is on Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii's scheduled return from his jaw injury is encouraging news, and his old mate Sione Tuipulotu is very much getting ready for their much-anticipated reunion during the Lions series. Tuipulotu was excellent for Glasgow against the Stormers in a URC quarter final over the weekend, making one outstanding second-half break. He showed no signs of the pectoral muscle injury that cast a cloud over his Lions participation earlier in the year. He must be a strong contender to start the first test in the Lions No 12 jersey, especially if Scotland's Finn Russell is the No 10.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
McKellar seeing progress at Waratahs despite Super Rugby exit
New South Wales Waratahs head coach Dan McKellar is confident his team is moving in the right direction despite missing out on the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs following their 46-6 loss to the Auckland Blues at Eden Park on Saturday. McKellar's side needed to win against the defending champions to sneak into the top six places in the standings and earn a berth in next week's championship rounds, but the Blues prevailed with wing Rieko Ioane scoring a hat trick of tries. The result leaves the Waratahs in eighth place in the 11-team competition and seven points adrift of the playoff spots as the squad missed out on the post-season action for the second year in a row. "There's always pressure and there's been progress," said McKellar, who took over from Darren Coleman ahead of the current campaign. "We've won six games this year, but we wanted to win more. The progress is in the daily detail. "We understand we represent a very big organisation, and a very proud one, and we want to get us back to the top group within the competition. "But it's going to take time and changing daily habits and how things have been done for a long time and we're getting there." The road back to the Super Rugby summit remains a long one for a Waratahs side that finished with little more than half the total points of table-toppers the Waikato Chiefs and having conceded 134 more points than they scored. McKellar, however, plans to give his players a week to recover from the season before starting preparations for his team's next fixture, against the touring British and Irish Lions at Sydney Football Stadium on July 5. "That's obviously a massive game and something for us to look forward to and get excited about, the boys will be dead keen for that," he said. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity as a rugby player and as a coach. We're really grateful to be involved in such an event and we'll get up for that." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
McKellar seeing progress at Waratahs despite Super Rugby exit
June 1 (Reuters) - New South Wales Waratahs head coach Dan McKellar is confident his team is moving in the right direction despite missing out on the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs following their 46-6 loss to the Auckland Blues at Eden Park on Saturday. McKellar's side needed to win against the defending champions to sneak into the top six places in the standings and earn a berth in next week's championship rounds, but the Blues prevailed with wing Rieko Ioane scoring a hat trick of tries. The result leaves the Waratahs in eighth place in the 11-team competition and seven points adrift of the playoff spots as the squad missed out on the post-season action for the second year in a row. "There's always pressure and there's been progress," said McKellar, who took over from Darren Coleman ahead of the current campaign. "We've won six games this year, but we wanted to win more. The progress is in the daily detail. "We understand we represent a very big organisation, and a very proud one, and we want to get us back to the top group within the competition. "But it's going to take time and changing daily habits and how things have been done for a long time and we're getting there." The road back to the Super Rugby summit remains a long one for a Waratahs side that finished with little more than half the total points of table-toppers the Waikato Chiefs and having conceded 134 more points than they scored. McKellar, however, plans to give his players a week to recover from the season before starting preparations for his team's next fixture, against the touring British and Irish Lions at Sydney Football Stadium on July 5. "That's obviously a massive game and something for us to look forward to and get excited about, the boys will be dead keen for that," he said. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity as a rugby player and as a coach. We're really grateful to be involved in such an event and we'll get up for that."
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Rugby-McKellar seeing progress at Waratahs despite Super Rugby exit
-New South Wales Waratahs head coach Dan McKellar is confident his team is moving in the right direction despite missing out on the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs following their 46-6 loss to the Auckland Blues at Eden Park on Saturday. McKellar's side needed to win against the defending champions to sneak into the top six places in the standings and earn a berth in next week's championship rounds, but the Blues prevailed with wing Rieko Ioane scoring a hat trick of tries. The result leaves the Waratahs in eighth place in the 11-team competition and seven points adrift of the playoff spots as the squad missed out on the post-season action for the second year in a row. "There's always pressure and there's been progress," said McKellar, who took over from Darren Coleman ahead of the current campaign. "We've won six games this year, but we wanted to win more. The progress is in the daily detail. "We understand we represent a very big organisation, and a very proud one, and we want to get us back to the top group within the competition. "But it's going to take time and changing daily habits and how things have been done for a long time and we're getting there." The road back to the Super Rugby summit remains a long one for a Waratahs side that finished with little more than half the total points of table-toppers the Waikato Chiefs and having conceded 134 more points than they scored. McKellar, however, plans to give his players a week to recover from the season before starting preparations for his team's next fixture, against the touring British and Irish Lions at Sydney Football Stadium on July 5. "That's obviously a massive game and something for us to look forward to and get excited about, the boys will be dead keen for that," he said. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity as a rugby player and as a coach. We're really grateful to be involved in such an event and we'll get up for that."
