Rugby

Numbers right and Izzy should start for Wallabies

Spiro Zavos IT'S probably a journalistic instinct to preserve a thought but I often find myself scribbling notes as the rugby play surges on before me.

Rugby

Ditch old boys network for centralised system to bring out gold

Spiro Zavos THE ARU has unleashed a new version of the Wallaby jersey for the June Tests against the 2013 British and Irish Lions. There is a slash of green along the top.

Rugby

When the music stops, McKenzie may go Irish

Spiro Zavos THERE is no doubt that by announcing the end of his association with the Queensland Reds at the end of the Super Rugby season, Ewen McKenzie is stating he wants to coach the Wallabies.

Rugby

Ewen whose army saying front-rowers can't coach?

Spiro Zavos THE following statement by a senior and influential figure in the ARU, reported on ESPNscrum, has to be the most stupid comment ever made: ''As long as my backside is pointing to the ground, Ewen...

Spiro Zavos

Game must underline clean slate to rid stain

Spiro Zavos THE ARU was told a year ago by ASADA, while the Australian Crime Commission's secret investigation into doping and match-fixing in Australian sport was gathering pace with its investigations and...

Spiro Zavos

Boring footy tactics have been punted into touch

Spiro Zavos HERE are two NSW Waratahs talking about their exciting opening match of the 2013 Super Rugby tournament against the Queensland Reds. What is wrong with their statements?

Spiro Zavos

Cup chances on the line in northern festival

Spiro Zavos ABOUT 7am on Sunday, Sydney time, the Wallabies run on to the Stade de France to play the hosts. The Test is one of 10 to be played during the weekend, starting with a double-header in Wales, where...

Deans's Third XV faces a monumental battle but with a live chance to triumph against the odds

Spiro Zavos HOW about this line-up for a Wallabies side to play the Pumas at Rosario?

Quade's quite correct, there is a toxic element to the camp - it's him

Spiro Zavos THOSE outrageous and deceptive dummies, passes, dinky kicks and runs that used to come off for Quade Cooper on the rugby field and no longer do at Test level are being replicated off the field.

Rugby union

Myopic Deans bashers reveal the ugly head of xenophobia

Spiro Zavos THIS week a xenophobic antagonism towards Robbie Deans has emerged in mainstream media. It is being asserted publicly that a New Zealander - and an All Black to boot - can't be trusted to coach the...

Spiro Zavos

Hardy times: Waratahs' slapstick routine no laughing matter

Spiro Zavos WHAT a fine mess the Waratahs franchise is in. The team manager, Chris Webb, has resigned. The coach, Michael Foley, has defected to a rival franchise.

Games tribute harked back to the Wallabies' golden moment

Spiro Zavos THE opening ceremony of the London Olympics had references to rugby union in it, which correctly reflected the true history of the Games.

Spiro Zavos

Conference format is a winner - and South Africans cannot be allowed to wreck it

Spiro Zavos THE Australian and New Zealand unions beware, the South Africans are coming to make a mess of the Super Rugby tournament.

State of the union gets a clean bill of health

Spiro Zavos WHEN the 2.285 million strong People's Liberation Army of China designated rugby as one of its 10 core sports, I was told by the chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Rob Fisher, that officials...

Spiro Zavos

Mr Carlton, please note: the Wallabies are not the Waratahs

Spiro Zavos READERS of last Saturday's Herald might have been surprised to find in the news section of the paper a self-described ''traitorous'' rugby opinion piece by Mike Carlton.