The Rogues Rant

Welcome to The Rogues Rant, an occasional look at all things Rugby.

With three weeks left to go before Finals time, it is not only how the top four will look that is of interest locally but also how the Club Championship will finish. Shamrocks are in front at the moment but they have a game in hand on the following pack. Sitting on 568 points the Rocks won’t get any points this week while second and third placed Avondale and University can close the gap somewhat. Avondale on 497 points and Uni on 463 points meet this week, so it’s possible for Avondale to close the gap to be just 26 behind the Rocks, with two rounds to play. Shamrocks have the better run down to the finals and despite not having a third grade match to score from in the final round, I’m tipping they can maintain their top spot and claim the much sought after Club Championship Shield.

The ARU announced the appointment this week of Mick Byrne as Australia’s new National Skills Coach. Byrne has worked as a Rugby coach at the very highest level over many years in Scotland, South Africa and New Zealand where he was part of three Rugby World Cup campaigns. He won a premiership with Manly in the 1997 Shute Shield and went into Super Rugby with the Brumbies and then to Britain with the powerful Saracens Club before a long and successful international career. His appointment as National Skills Coach is an indication that the ARU may have finally accepted that the level of the basic skills in Australian Rugby are not what they should be. Let’s hope that Byrne can come up with the programs that can make a difference right through all levels of Australian Rugby and down to the all-important grass roots level. Byrne’s first job will be beside Michael Cheika in preparing the Wallabies for the upcoming Rugby Championships. The first match is the Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand in Sydney on the 20th August.