Category Archives: RWC 2011

Australia v USA Preview

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Get used to that feeling, Kurtley

Australia re-enter the fray after the Ireland upset with Will Genia as captain. Dingo Deans has chosen to give game time to a number of players returning from injury, notably Slipper, Mitchell and a slimmed down Cliffie Palu. Polota-Nau could be thrown into that category except he started against Ireland. Scott Higginbotham starts at blindside and has a chance to stake a claim for the 6 jumper. Pocock was unlikely to start this game due to rotation policy but the diggers must have concerns over his fitness. Continue reading →

The Team That Never Travelled: Part Six, Outside Centre

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Quite a lot of centres didn’t make their various countries’ cuts, so the Mole split them up. Yesterday’s selection were nominally inside centres/second five-eighths, while today’s are [outside] centres. I think it’s fair to say that most of the best ones are at the World Cup, but there’s a few interesting ones who have been left behind … Continue reading →

Fangio on Gamblor

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It's his job to tell it like it is. It's Farrelly's job to regale us with stories of how difficult it is to get back to the team hotel after a night in Fergburger.

The Mole has long been a fan of Brendan ‘Fangio’ Fanning. His work during the World Cup to date has been excellent: there’s been loads of it, and the vast majority of it is incisive, well-constructed and informative. Here’s his take on Gamblor’s post-match interview. You know the one I’m talking about. Continue reading →

Match Review: England vs Georgia

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No wonder that Georgian lad tried to break his arm at the end of it

The Mole was in Bordeaux four years ago when the French neutrals got behind a Georgian team threatening to upset Ireland in the group stages. All you could hear in the velodrome that night was “Georgie! Georgie! Georgie!” Continue reading →

South Africa v Fiji Review

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Superstar, coming through

Mole got up with a pot of coffee to watch SA v Fiji on Saturday morning with memories of a glorious summer’s day in Marseille in his head. That game had been one of the highlights of the 2007 World Cup. The prospect of a repeat performance was quite enticing, if a little unexpected, given South Africa’s tepid display against Wales in the opener. Continue reading →

The Team That Never Travelled: Part Five, Inside Centre

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Plenty of quality centres are missing from the World Cup. Some are the victims of well-stacked strength in their position, some have suffered due to their age profile, and others have been left behind because their coach is bonkers. Continue reading →

Ireland vs Australia Reaction: Old Soldiers Never Die, They Just Get Dropped by Robbie Deans

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Stirling Mortlock and George Smith Catch Up

A lot of Australian fans are hell-bent on blaming Robbie Deans on absolutely everything that goes wrong for the Wallabies: he’s the head-coach, and a Kiwi head coach at that. The Mole just doesn’t subscribe to that. Deans is a good coach. However, he does have some blind spots. Continue reading →