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Because without Adam and Karmichael Hunt the Wallabies defence in its last two games would have been completely passive and third-rate. In a team doing bugger all in defence they have been standouts, particularly when Cheika has been calling for more urgency, commitment and physicality.
I also agree that Billy Meakes shows the same level of intent.
Hunt and Hooper both get brushed off by heavier and stronger opponents too easily.
I admire both of their intent. But how many lightweights can we afford to have in the team.
Sometimes it looks like boys vs men when a strong opposition forward bursts through the pack with three of our "boys" hanging off him struggling to slow him down.
I thought Meakes has been great for Force, but also acknowledge we need some magic to create opportunities.....and no I don't mean Cooper!
What is Beales defence like?
beales defence is similar to a revolving door
I still don't understand how SANZAR can get rid of 4 reasonably competitive teams and still keep the Sunwolves in the competition.
To have 90+ points scored against a team shows they just aren't up to it.
How can that be good for the competition?
I get the Asian money argument, but surely somebody realises how short term crowds will be for a team that's getting spanked by 50+ every week.
It's been a struggle for the force and our results aren't that bad.
Unfortunately #strongerasfive is trying to win the argument with a logical proposition
C'mon the![]()
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Next World Cup in Japan doesn't hurt their cause either
The only reason that the japs were included in Super Rugby was because of the 2019 RWC awarded to Japan and to increase the competitiveness of them so they didn't get smashed in their pool and not progress to knockout stage and to not disengage the Japanese public from their "expected" pool exit.
Thankfully England showed how to bow out in the pool stage as host country.
Question is - after the 2019 RWC and prior to next tv deal for super rugby will the Sunwolves still be a going concern and will that open the opportunity for the ditched Oz franchise to return?
This above is my concern. Why do the irreparable damage and then think about after world cup. Why arent the ARU vetoing until then and see what the Japs and South Africans are doing from there. Its insane
AFP story on the ARU website:
South Africa to make cull call overnight
South Africa will reveal overnight which two of their six Super Rugby franchises are to be axed at the end of this season from a competition being cut from 18 teams to 15.
The Cheetahs and Southern Kings are the media favourites for the chop. Should that scenario unfold, the Sharks, Lions, Bulls and Stormers Cape Town will compete next year.
Rising costs, exhaustive travel across 15 time zones, dwindling crowds and TV audiences, and a hard-to-understand format are among the reasons for cutting the number of teams.The Cheetahs and Kings are the anticipated casualties because they have the lowest average attendances and poorest overall playing records among the South African sextet.
The other victims of the cull will be either the Melbourne Rebels or the Perth-based Western Force from Australia. New Zealand will have five of the 15 teams next season, Australia and South Africa four and Argentina and Japan one.
There has been speculation that Cheetahs and Kings may join the Pro12, a European competition currently including Irish, Italian, Scottish and Welsh teams. But no rugby officials, bar one at the Cheetahs, are talking ahead of the Friday announcement.
"The Cheetahs have a participation agreement with South African Rugby to participate in Super Rugby until 2020," Cheetahs spokeswoman Ronel Pienaar told reporters. "SANZAAR and SA Rugby decided to minimise the number of teams in Super Rugby from 18 to 15. SA Rugby started with an internal process to determine which two teams to drop from 2018 onwards," said Pienaar.
She did not comment on reports that the Cheetahs are pondering legal action to ensure Super Rugby survival given the participation agreement has three seasons to run. TV analyst and former Springboks coach Nick Mallett, one of the most outspoken voices on South African rugby, favours a radical solution.
"Divide the country into four regions," suggested the coach of the Springboks that finished third at the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Let us have Gauteng (Bulls and Lions), KwaZulu-Natal (Sharks), Eastern Cape (Cheetahs and Kings) and Western Cape (Stormers) making up the four South African franchises."
Kings vice-president Bantwini Matika backed Mallett.
"I believe that this is a golden opportunity for SA Rugby to re-examine and revamp what I consider to be a racist rugby landscape," he wrote in the City Press newspaper. "The allocation of the four franchises should move away from historical apartheid rugby structures and look to the future."
In Australia, the Rebels will not proceed with the mediation scheduled with the ARU.
The Force will still head to arbitration in an attempt to "fast track" the lengthy dispute.
http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/07...a-sanzaar-call
Why would the Rebels not proceed with the mediation for damages?