Wobbly Wednesday Information – 19/7/23
From the information desk of GoldyLocks with many thanks!
Welcome to this woeful Wobbly Wednesday – you is perhaps over it, however I positive ain’t. Sadly, an absence of worldwide matches this weekend means we’ll have to go attempting to find distractions. However outdated Goldy has magnanimously put within the laborious yards in your behalf, so feast your eyes on the next!
Quade Nooper
Famend New Zealand rugby mind Jeff Wilson continues to criticise the Wallabies’ number of the once-Purple roustabout at 10, stating:
“I nonetheless can’t perceive, why is Quade Cooper operating this staff as a result of he’s not delivering and we all know he doesn’t ship in opposition to the All Blacks.”
“How can he be sporting the ten jersey in two weeks’ time, critically?” (quoted in WWOS)
Now, to my clearly much less well-endowed thoughts, this sounds rather a lot like a, “Quadey me no-likey (he was imply to Ritchie, bear in mind?)” line of reasoning, which whereas little doubt persuasive within the land barely additional down below, fails to strike me as sound. Of all the explanations to criticise the number of younger Grasp Cooper (and there are likely many), his success charge with the Wallabies in latest seasons has been fairly cheap. And if the boys in almost all black can’t stand him, I’m undecided I want a greater reference.
Seven(s) facelifts (ouch?)
World Rugby has introduced a “revamped” Sevens tour beginning in December this yr and operating via to June of 2024. RugbyPass stories:
Rugby sevens is about to bear a transformative change with the launch of HSBC SVNS, a revamped and rebranded international celebration of the game. The brand new sequence goals to supercharge rugby’s progress and attraction by offering immersive experiences and turning the occasions into final festivals.
HSBC SVNS will happen throughout eight iconic cities, aligning all areas for the primary time. The model id displays summer season vibes; attracting a youthful, leisure-hungry viewers. The annual sequence would be the go-to vacation spot for individuals looking for a good time, combining sport, leisure, and tradition in opposition to gorgeous backdrops.
Time will inform whether or not the glitz and glam represents any actual, constructive change (sporting festivals being notoriously obscure beasts), however a fast peak behind the headlines reveals the next key adjustments:
- Males’s and ladies’s competitions will run concurrently, eradicating any issues round disparity between protection of the genders.
- Groups have been decreased from 16 to 12 throughout the season.
- A “winner takes all” finals sequence in Madrid will see the highest eight common season groups battle for the championship, whereas the underside 4 face a regulation problem from the leaders of a second tier Challenger sequence.
- Sydney has been quietly moved on as host of the Australian leg, with Perth now taking the crown throughout the 2024 Australia Day weekend.
Pathways being trodden
The QRU have introduced the return of the Queensland Rugby Challenger sequence, this yr that includes a three-match program to see the lads’s and ladies’s improvement squads tackle the most effective of the grade comps within the hope of unearthing a couple of extra diamonds.
The ultimate match will see a face-off with the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights, who will probably be visiting Brisbane in the direction of the tip of the yr.
The press launch additionally tantalises us with the prospect of “additional regulation improvements” for trialling, although what these could also be stays a thriller. I for one submit that flankers be permitted to interrupt early from the scrum if the 9 is being a tosser, a very goal and simply refereed customary.
If you end up within the neighborhood of Ballymore come September-October, remember to drop in.
Hump Day speculation
With all of the chat in regards to the bright-eyed Irish lad Johnny and his salty shenanigans in opposition to males with whistles, I assumed I’d finish my musings right now with slightly story.
This previous weekend a very good good friend of thoughts persuaded me to sojourn at my native rectangular park and watch a neighborhood divisional match of soccer (the round-ball variety). The efforts had been keen and contest even, and regardless of missing an afficionado’s eye I discovered myself having fun with the spectacle.
Nonetheless, I used to be completely baffled on the means gamers, staff managers, and followers associated to the match officers. Minorly inconvenient choices had been met with open contempt, disciplined gamers, subs, and managers gaily remonstrated with seemingly each a part of their our bodies, and whereas precise expletives had been uncommon they did come out like firecrackers from time to time when proceedings turned significantly heated.
Now I’ve no want to indicate that that is the norm for all competitions throughout that individual code. However given the ever rising, pernicious of that different round-ball import into our recreation – diving – I can’t assist however wonder if the kerfuffle round Sexton is a sign of the place we ourselves is perhaps heading.
My query on your, GAGRs, is: who’s primarily driving this tradition? Is it gamers on the highest stage, setting an instance on our screens for the remainder of us to emulate? Is it on the grassroots, with generational change bringing with it a lack of cultural values? Or does it certainly lie with us, the followers, who with the onset of social and mass media have more and more develop into empowered to criticise to our hearts content material whereas going through minimal penalties, now spilling that angle on to real-world fields?
