Category: Sports

At a time when wins and losses are paramount and increased only further for those in finals contention, South Sydney’s rookie playmaker Lachlan Ilias has been handed a newfound perspective.

While his full attention no doubt lies with the Rabbitohs’ finals ambitions, the young halfback is also on the verge of having his first taste of international football in November when he plays halfback for Greece at the Rugby League World Cup.

And when the young playmaker pulls on the blue and white jersey for the first time, it will be a fitting tribute to his late grandfather who recently passed away.

“Playing for Greece will be one of my greatest football moments yet I think,” Ilias told NRL.com.

“I’m really looking forward to it, especially because my grandfather passed away a few weeks ago and he was born in Greece.”

“He left his family behind in Evia, an island off Greece, at a very young age to come to Australia. He came to the unknown and I’m sure that he would have been really tough.

“He’s the reason why we’re here in Australia so I’m really looking forward to representing him and my family.”

While the Rabbitohs’ Greek heritage is strong, including coach Jason Demetriou and close friend Peter Mamouzelos, the 22-year-old is one of just three current Greek players.

“It’s a bit unique being Greek in the NRL, there’s not many of us. I know there’s a couple of us at the club but there’s not many outside of that,” Ilias said.

“I went to Greece when I was about seven but I’d love to go again. I’d love to go in the summer but I’m playing footy so I can’t really go at the moment.

“It’s an honor being Greek and I’m really looking forward to representing Greece and my ‘papou’ (grandfather) in the World Cup.”

After a tough outing against the Dragons in Round 15 that saw Ilias taken from the field midway through the first half, the young playmaker has bounced back strong — leading his teammates around the park to win four of five since that night.

Chalking up 13 forced dropouts and ten try assists so far in 2022, Ilias said he is ready to handle the heat in the final month of the season.

“I think I did feel too comfortable earlier on in the year and that was taken from me. But something we talk about is not looking too comfortable and using each week as a challenge,” Ilias said.

“The game against the Dragons is probably something that didn’t need to happen but it’s good that it did, it sort of woke me up and now I’m hungrier now than I ever was before,

“I’m still pinching myself, I get to put the seven on each week and come to training with these fellas and just try and get better everyday.”

The Rabbitohs face one of the toughest runs home to the finals – with their four remaining games against top-eight teams – beginning with an opportunity to jump past Parramatta into fifth place if they walk away with a victory on Friday night.

“You’ve got to expect the best from the Eels, they’re a high offload team and they play off the cuff so you’ve got to be prepared for that and that’s what we’re working on at training this week,” he said.

“Obviously we’ve got four big games coming up against good sides in the top eight so we will just try to take it each week at a time and just focus on the two points.”

“We made some shifts defensively and in the last quarter, we were starting to open things up. We started to snatch at a couple of balls which is frustrating but we’ve got to take that experience and take it into Ellis Park, walk in there and give it a crack.”

Foster finished by adding, “Sit back and absorb the lessons, trust a little bit and relax… At the end of day, you don’t get the change you want by making dramatic changes and putting too much pressure on players.”

So, no dramatic changes, keep trusting the coaches and players, things are more or less going to plan and the team is evolving. It is fair to say that the head coach’s attitude has struck the wrong chord among Kiwi rugby supporters.

Ian Foster is not the man to lead a revolution. As the anointed successor to Sir Graham Henry and Sir Steve Hansen, he can be a force for continuity, the coach to tweak the systems handed down to him. There will be no dramatic changes in either strategy or personnel while he is at the helm, and improvement will be measured in small increments.

But with most of the rugby public in New Zealand having grown up in a golden age of 80 to 90 per cent success, the expectations are far, far greater. The cards are falling out on the side of revolution rather than evolution – at least at international level, at least for the All Blacks. Some more fundamental change is needed for New Zealand rugby to kick on – new ideas, fresh thinking, radicalism, not conservatism.

Sam Cane was a worthy successor to Sir Richie McCaw, and there can be no higher praise than that.

The choice of captain is subject to the same-sea-change. Sam Cane has been groomed for the role of skipper for a number of years, but an unfortunate series of injuries at the wrong stage of his career has thrown a big spanner into the works.

At his peak, Cane was one of the very best number 7’s around, anywhere in the world: powerful, dynamic, a real fireplug. He was a threat on-ball at the defensive breakdown, and he cleaned out attacking rucks with conclusive power. His defensive work-rate from him was immense and his hitting power at the tackle was game-changing. Sam Cane was a worthy successor to Sir Richie McCaw, and there can be no higher praise than that.

He came back from a broken neck suffered in a match against the Springboks in 2018, an injury described by the player himself as ‘a couple of millimetres away from never playing again’, in time to play a part in New Zealand’s World Cup campaign one year later. In 2021 he suffered a serious chest injury which cost another six months, another major operation and knocked him out of the Rugby Championship.

There are only so many hits a fighter can take before entropy sets in, and the recent signs suggest that Sam Cane may have reached that point. In the July series against Ireland, he came off second best to Josh van der Flier by a distance. The Leinster man had more carries (26 to Cane’s 14) with the significant outcomes – tackle busts and break assists – three to one in van der Flier’s favour. On defence, the Irish flanker completed 62 of 63 tackle attempts with three turnovers. Compare that to Sam Cane’s figures: 41 of 43 tackles completed, with only one turnover won.

The writing was on the wall, and it was confirmed by events at Mbombela stadium in the first round of the Rugby Championship. Cane’s on-ball production has declined steadily. He won one turnover on the ground in three matches against Ireland; he conceded one penalty for ‘no release’ in eight on-ball attempts versus the Springboks, without anything to show on the positive side of the ledger:

The synergy between Ardie Savea and Sam Cane in the back row is not obvious. Ardie won lineout ball from the front against Ireland and the Boks (9 takes in total), Cane picked up one throw over the back. Ardie is the main forward ball-carrier, with 124 meters on 32 carries in two-and-a-half matches against the Irish, and 16 significant outcomes, compared to 27 meters and none for Cane. Savea also has more pilfers on the ground than the Chiefs man over the four matches (three for Ardie, one for Sam).

Although Sam Cane has made more tackles (51 to 38 by Savea) it is not enough to disturb the impression that Ardie is doing the work of at least one and a half men. Take a look at this early sequence inside the All Blacks 22 in Mbombela:

Over the seven phases that this South African attack lasts, both Cane and Savea make one tackle a piece, and have one shot each at the ball on the deck. But when the All Blacks regroup after each phase in defence, it is Ardie who is playing as the wider of the two back-rowers. Where Sam Cane sits in at first defender out from the ruck on five occasions, Ardie Savea gets further out, to second defender on four:

When the Boks finally shift the ball wide, there is only New Zealand back-rower in the picture, and it is Ardie Savea:

If your number 8 is going to defend closest to the backs, it does raise a question about the construction of your back-row: what is the role of your number 7 in this picture?

With Sam Cane running for 27 meters against the Irish and one meter at the Mbombela stadium, defenses are tending to write him off as a runner and flood through on to the man outside him:

In this type of situation, the All Blacks may do better to move Ardie to number 7, or bring in an openside flanker who is a genuine threat to fix the defense by running the ball, like Dalton Papalii of the Blues, or Ethan Blackadder of the Crusaders.

It was surprising just how many of the scenarios at the Mbombela resolved into one-on-one contests between Sam Cane and Springboks strongman Malcolm Marx. Cane brought back memories of his very best work from him with one hit on the South African hooker:

That turnover was outweighed by three occasions where the New Zealand captain was unable to prevent Marx from the pilfering ball from the All Blacks’ breakdown:

The last instance is especially brutal: Cane has the angle to remove Marx from the equation, but the Bokke rake is just too powerful and the New Zealand skipper just bounces off him in contact.

Ian Foster is still busy insisting on the evolution of his team, but the way in which events are unfolding in two key areas – the combination in midfield and in the back-row – suggests that a revolution in thinking is needed. The mix at numbers 6, 7 and 8 is not right, and probably never will be as long as both Ardie Savea and Sam Cane are seen as essential elements of it.

Savea is currently the best player in Aotearoa, so the focus will inevitably fall on Sam Cane’s position as captain and incumbent number 7. If Savea stays at 8, New Zealand would not benefit from a bigger body who offers more at the lineout lineout and on the carry? If he shifts to 7, it creates room for another specialist like Hoskins Sotutu of the Blues, or Marino Mikaele-Tu’u of the Highlanders. Either option offers better balance than what the All Blacks have now.

It is time for protests in the street and fists pumping the air – Live the Revolution!

Former South African cricket umpire Rudi Koertzen, famed for his slow arm raise to give batters out, has died following a car crash aged 73.

Cricket South Africa announced Koertzen’s death in a statement overnight, confirming the renowned umpire had succumbed to injuries following a car accident on Tuesday morning.

Koertzen, one of cricket’s most respected umpires, stood in 108 tests, a record 209 one-day internationals and 14 T20s over an 18-year career.

His first Test was during South Africa’s return to international cricket at home in 1992, after a 22-year ban because of apartheid.

He retired in July 2010, with his last match as Test between Pakistan and Australia at Headingley.

Koertzen singled out standing in the opening match of the 1999 ODI World Cup between England and Sri Lanka as his fondest memory.

He was famous for his unique method of giving a batter out, where he’d slowly raise his left arm with his finger pointing at the batter. It became known as the ‘slow finger of death’.

“The passing of this titan is a sad loss for the game,” said Cricket South Africa chief executive Pholetsi Moseki.

I have paid tribute to Koertzen’s “selfless dedication and commitment”.

South Africa’s Algoa FM radio station reported that Koertzen and three other people were killed in a head-on collision near the town of Riversdale in the Western Cape province.

Koertzen was returning to his home in the Eastern Cape province after playing in a golf tournament when the crash happened, the station said.

The NRL has come down hard on Canberra coach Ricky Stuart for his “weak-gutted dog” rant, fining him $25,000 and suspending him from Sunday’s Round 22 clash with the Dragons and all training activities until next Wednesday.

Stuart is now the first coach in premiership history to be suspended over a post-match press conference tirade.

Many coaches have been fined five-figure amounts over the past few decades for unacceptable comments when facing the media, including Stuart, who has repeated offenses on his record.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said Stuart cannot provide instruction or direction to the team, players or club officials during the period of suspension.

“Leaders need to set the standard in the game,” Abdo said.

“These are significant steps we have taken. We have taken them because it is completely unacceptable for any person in the game to use language like the language Ricky used on Saturday.

“It is unacceptable regardless of the context or circumstances, or any matters that might have occurred of a private nature or any context.

“It’s inappropriate and unacceptable for someone to speak like that. And it’s a breach of the NRL rules.”

Stuart will not be able to communicate from a remote location, as some coaches have done this year when stuck in COVID-19 isolation and he will not be able to attend training for seven days after taking the team through its peace earlier on Tuesday.

Assistant coaches Brett White and Andrew McFadden will guide the team into the stoush with St George Illawarra.

Following his extraordinary spray on Saturday night when he attacked Panthers five-eighth Jaeman Salmon’s reputation, the NRL Integrity Unit launched an investigation into the incident.

Canberra released a statement on Tuesday to reiterate they “recognize and accept the sanction handed down by the NRL today”.

Raiders CEO Don Furner had previously said the club does “not condone the comments made by Ricky in Saturday night’s press conference”.

On Tuesday he told reporters: “It’s a very public job and it’s a hard job. He’s obviously very disappointed and he’s embarrassed and he’s just going to have to put it behind him and move on and we’ll all support him.”

After Salmon had lashed out with his boot towards Raiders hooker Tom Starling during Penrith’s 26-6 win on Saturday night, Stuart fumed: “I know that kid well. He was a weak-gutted dog as a kid and he hasn’t changed now. He’s a weak-gutted dog person now.”

He tried to douse the flames on Sunday by issuing an apology: “I regret saying what I did on that platform after the game. I was speaking as a father and not as a football coach.

“My reaction was to a family situation that I thought I had dealt with, clearly I haven’t. I allowed my emotions to get the better of me and for that I am very sorry. There is a history between Jaeman Salmon and my family that I will not go into. I should not have brought it up after the game, but it just got the better of me.

“I am truly sorry that I have caused my family and the game unwarranted attention.”

Despite the coach’s carefully worded apology, the Salmon family issued a statement of their own, calling on the NRL to take action.

Cleary says Salmon will bounce back from drama

Penrith supported the sanctions while stating they were still “disappointed by the original comments made by Stuart on Saturday night, and believes that there is no place in the game for such comments.”

Coach Ivan Cleary said Salmon had been affected by the comments in the aftermath of the game but had been in better spirits at training on Tuesday.

“He was a bit rattled on the night,” Cleary said on Wednesday. “He was also a bit concerned about his family of him. They were quite upset, so I guess when that happens, it brings it to another level.

“But this week he’s seemed OK… He’s shown he’s pretty strong-minded. He’s a really popular member of the team on and off the field. We love him.”

Stuart is just the second NRL coach after Shane Flanagan to cop a ban, with Flanagan’s relating to Cronulla’s ASADA scandal.

Flanagan was later found to have breached the terms of his one-year ban by contacting the club in that time and so was deregistered again in 2018.

Their loss to Penrith means ninth-placed Canberra are two points adrift of eighth spot but they have a favorable draw in the final four rounds, playing teams below them on the table while many of the sides directly above them will face each other.

Geyer blasts Kent: ‘How dare you bring my family into it’

Earlier on Tuesday, Mark Geyer blasted Fox Sports analyst Paul Kent on Triple M after the veteran journalist mentioned a family matter involving the Penrith legend’s daughter while defending Ricky Stuart’s “weak-gutted dog” rant.

Geyer raged into his microphone “I am livid” about Kent’s column in The Daily Telegraph which claimed Stuart attacked Panthers five-eighth Jaeman Salmon and didn’t deserve to be banned because he was defending his family.

Kent referenced Geyer’s comments on radio on Monday when he said of Stuart “if that was his son, how would he feel if someone said that about his son?”

And then Kent responded with: And this is also the same Geyer who was involved in suing a social influencer for mistakenly identifying his daughter as the victim in a sex video. Given that, it might be fair to assume he knows how emotions roll when family is involved. Still…”

Geyer reacted with fury.

“Paul, I do. I do know how they’re involved because this wrecked my family for three of four years. You cannot compare one second you f…., to what’s going on with this Ricky Stuart saga,” he said.

“You cannot for one second know what we’ve gone through. Don’t compare the stories. Ricky Stuart’s had 12 years, 12 years to get this off his chest from him and he picks the night when Penrith kicks his ass to come out with it and call someone a weak-gutted dog.

“And then all of a sudden you bring my family into it. How dare you, how dare you. This has got nothing to do with my daughter. This has got nothing to do with her but you brought her into it.”

Whitehead: Players have Ricky’s back

Canberra will rally around Stuart and get on with keeping their NRL season alive, Captain Elliott Whitehead says.

The Raiders skipper, who was sitting alongside Stuart when he called Penrith half Jaeman Salmon a “weak-gutted dog” in Saturday’s post-match press conference, said the controversy wouldn’t distract the team at a critical stage of their season.

Overshadowed by the storm over Stuart’s comments has been the fact the Raiders’ season is teetering on the brink, one game and considerable point differential back from the eighth-ranked Sydney Roosters with four games to play following their loss to the Panthers.

In a week dominated by unwanted headlines about their coach, Whitehead said his players stood by him.

“We’ve got his back, he had his reasons,” Whitehead told reporters on Tuesday.

“I’m not going to go into them but we’re all supportive of Ricky and he knows he probably shouldn’t have said it on that platform.

“He’s upset he let his emotions get the better of him.

“Whoever comes in [to coach]nothing changes … we’ve got a gameplan that we’ve got to stick to, we’ve used that for the last couple of weeks so nothing will change in that department either.

“As a club we’re moving forward and not trying to worry about last week, we’ve got a job to do this week and that’s to win a game of footy.

“We are disappointed we lost last week but we’re trying to bounce back from that because we have to.”