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Thread: Time for a behind-the-scenes look at Bledisloe Cup paranoia

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    Time for a behind-the-scenes look at Bledisloe Cup paranoia

    Greg Growden | August 21, 2009

    RUCK & MAUL

    In an act of fairness, after having had a dig at the All Blacks for being paranoid at training this week, we must admit that several former Wallabies coaches also used to take delight in convincing themselves there were "reds under the beds".

    Rod Macqueen and Eddie Jones would get very antsy about who attended training, and were sometimes convinced there were spies in their midst. When the Wallabies were hidden away in Coffs Harbour, they used to train in a cordoned-off compound, with security guards on hand. Team officials from the Macqueen era still laugh about how he freaked out whenever a helicopter flew near the ground while the Wallabies were training. Those around Macqueen were worried he would attempt to stop domestic planes flying in the general area. Another time, on the eve of a Test, Macqueen arranged a secret session in the backblocks of Wellington, and had people, or were they players, searching the bushes? As for Robbie Deans, he couldn't care less, and lets everyone in. Deans has it right. Paranoia is a frailty.

    The sacked stacker
    Matt Giteau remains one of the Wallabies' great mug lairs. In the Bledisloe Test program, Giteau reveals his first autograph was from his father and league first-grader, Ron. "He was always trying to give them out," Ronnie's son said. "I don't have it any more but I suppose I could get it whenever I want, they're not worth much!" His first job was packing shelves at his local supermarket in Queanbeyan. "I ended up getting the sack though because as I was stacking the shelves I'd be drinking soft drinks out of them as well." And it's good to hear Phil Crowe, 1979 Bledisloe Cup winner and now professor of surgery at The University of NSW, will present the Wallabies jerseys.

    Consorting crazies
    The tussle between Melbourne and South Africa's Southern Kings for the Super 15 franchise gets crazier by the minute. While the Melbourne consortiums met the ARU yesterday, South African rugby boss Oregan Hoskins has reportedly called on the Melbourne bids and Kings to merge into a single unit, playing half their games in Victoria and the other half in Port Elizabeth. He can't be serious? All it shows is South Africa is not exactly fully committed to the Southern Kings farce. Logic demands the team is situated in Melbourne.

    Butt Robinson
    There were extraordinary goings on at the Roseville Rugby Club's fund-raising night last Saturday when Test prop Benn Robinson became the butt of jokes, including one that he was separated at birth from radio pest Kyle Sandilands. Robinson made the noble gesture of donating this weekend's Test jersey to the club. Then, two-high profile rugby media identities had a scuffle, with one crash-tackling the other at the bar. "He was talking himself up again, and had a poncy shirt on, so I decided to tip him on his head," the crash-tackler explained. The prima donna replied: "Just like all of his stories, it isn't true. And, unlike that clown, at least I didn't wear – with a pair of stonewashed jeans – the same shirt as Benn Robinson." Feathers at 50 paces. And the Ruggamatrix crew have come up with the interesting snippet that when the Eastern Suburbs club went on its pre-season camp, not one of the 28 players involved was married.


    Rumours of the week
    - A one-trick former Wallaby, who is still clearly bitter and twisted, obviously doesn't realise that everyone can read his bile on Twitter. Idiotic.
    - A Waratahs powerbroker and a player-spruiker keep meeting, despite repeated denials. They recently met in a hideaway city location and were sighted by the barman, who is the son of a Sydney club president. The powerbroker is also schmoozing an alicadoo ARU official in the hope of getting a seat on the ARU board. Fat chance! Also at the Waratahs, players have been told by a dangerous ladder-climber not to trust an influential member of staff. And one Waratahs consultant has threatened to withdraw his services.
    - The pressure remains on the NSWRU board, with some constituents threatening that if funding is cut there will be major repercussions. Also, debauched behaviour at a Sydney club is causing problems, while an official from another club really enjoyed himself barracking for the Wallabies in South Africa – even if he can't remember it.
    - Will Lote Tuqiri appear in the subbies ranks tomorrow? Balmain we hear.

    QUOTE OF THE WEEK
    'Rocky hasn't brought anything to the team off the field because he is boring as . . . but he makes up for it on the field.'
    ADAM ASHLEY-COOPER on Rocky Elsom

    http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...e#contentSwap1

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    Veteran beige's Avatar
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    Oregan Hoskins is kidding, right? Shows how committed SARU is to the bid...

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    SARU letting go of S15 Kings slowly... We need the team in OZ

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    AAC is a cracker! Maybe if other players were more boring off the field...who knows what oculd happen?!

    I love that Gits got sacked and is now the highest paid player. Shows all those kids who get sacked from shelf stacking that there's still hope.

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