Bledisoe I: Will it be another Austrailure? (probably)

[cashead]

Missing almost 40 tackles is basically suicidal against any team, let alone the number 1 ranked side on the planet.

The Wallabies were also struggling to contain the All Blacks, who were easily getting over the advantage line. Foley standing way too deep also basically gifted Kaino a try.

[rowan]

Just saying that being on the receiving end of a thrashing from the All Blacks once in a while is business as usual and the Wallabies are playing them three times a season. Last year the Wallabies were thrashed by NZ right before the RWC, but went on to reach the final. Two years ago they conceded half a century against them but beat SA in their next game. Four years ago they were nilled 22-0 by the All Blacks at Eden Park but drew their very next game with them. & five years ago they were decisively beaten at the same venue only to bo.unce back with victories over both SA & NZ. So long as they're only getting pasted once a season, I don't think it's time for panic stations yet...

[rowan]

I'd actually be a lot more concerned about the poor showing of the Aussie sides in Super Rugby, if I were a member of the ARU. Given they contain the bulk of Australia's playing population, NSW and Q'Land should always be up there with the frontrunners.

[Which Tyler]

Re the bug, there's probably 6 possibilities:

• Australian Rugby did it (at some level)
  Other Rugby interests did it (ie South Africa)
  Betting agencies did it (although I'm not sure as to what purpose)
  Media did it (again, not sure to what end)
  NZ rugby set it up as a mind game
  It's nothing to do with the All Blacks or rugby at all, and was left over from some previous operation

I wouldn't be surprised if it was nothing to do with rugby. Either that or Cheika's involved. He looks like a shady Chandler-esque PI. He'd have some underworld contacts.

It was done far too professionally to be believable as a rugby thing. Corporate espionage of a previous user of the room is by far the most likely, with the media being a distant second, and everything else more paranoia than anything else.

[Lizard]

Well the latest story on Twitter is that an Australian govt agency has already informed the police that it was them that planted it as part of a lawful but embarrassing previous mission (possibly spying on friendlies?). The police will therefore have to find a way to discreetly drop their investigation, possibly by failing to identify any suspects.

[J Dory]

Watched the replay last night. One performance that stood out for me was Fekitoa. Absolutely immense on defense. Didn't see any stats but his tackle count must have been up there. More than that was his effort position wise. Would tackle, get up, run to the other side of the field, he was everywhere. Not too shabby on attack either. Feeling better about our mid field stocks after that performance.

[J Dory]

Does anyone know where I can get a vid of the whole match? I want to watch it again but someone deleted my recording.

This was working yesterday...

[rowan]

David Moffet's blaming Super Rugby. He says fans are not interested in the new format and Australia has too many teams. He would kick Japan out and axe one of the Aussie franchises, and go back to a Super 12.




"SANZAAR has taken the view it is for them to develop rugby outside Europe and that's not its role," he added.

"The pursuit of quantity over quality is a nightmare with Japan, other weaker teams involved and talk of 20 and 24 teams in the future.

"Fans switched off from the ludicrous four-conference format this year when all they want to turn them on again is a competition they understand and quality.

"I'd return the competition to 12 teams and play home-and-away with four each from Australia, NZ and South Africa.

"Getting rid of the Rebels or Force would be tough on them but why are we paying journeyman players big money to pad out five teams when we only have the strength for four.

"The Super Rugby set-up is part of the Wallabies' downfall."

So which of the Kiwi teams would he kicked out?

& a home & away Super 12 would entail 22 games plus playoffs

[Lizard]

Both Rugby360 (Aussie) and The Breakdown (NZ) theorise that Cheika over cooked the Wallabies in camp. Both also criticised the selection of European based players.

[Spy]

Re the bug, there's probably 6 possibilities:

• Australian Rugby did it (at some level)
  Other Rugby interests did it (ie South Africa)
  Betting agencies did it (although I'm not sure as to what purpose)
  Media did it (again, not sure to what end)
  NZ rugby set it up as a mind game
  It's nothing to do with the All Blacks or rugby at all, and was left over from some previous operation

I wouldn't be surprised if it was nothing to do with rugby. Either that or Cheika's involved. He looks like a shady Chandler-esque PI. He'd have some underworld contacts.

It was done far too professionally to be believable as a rugby thing. Corporate espionage of a previous user of the room is by far the most likely, with the media being a distant second, and everything else more paranoia than anything else.

Maybe not... http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=11700893

The Weekend Herald also understands from a well-placed Australian source that the sophisticated listening device, found concealed in a chair, only had a battery life of around three days - and was still operational when discovered by All Blacks security personnel.

The twist suggests the All Blacks were the specific target of the bug and its presence in their hotel meeting room was not from a previous deployment.

[Spy]

So this story has come back to life, with the arrest of a man who has apparently worked as a contractor for the All Blacks.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/ar ... d=11796310

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen described as "bizarre" the arrest of a security consultant employed by his team in the infamous "Spygate" case.

New South Wales police said that a 51-year-old had been arrested on a "public mischief" charge following the discovery of a listening device in the team's InterContinental Hotel in Sydney's Double Bay before the All Blacks' record-breaking 42-8 Bledisloe Cup thrashing of the Wallabies last August.

In a statement released by New Zealand Rugby, Hansen said: "Frankly, the charge seems bizarre and unbelievable. The charged man has worked for the All Blacks, and many other organisations, for a long time and is someone who is ... well-respected by us.

"However, as with all cases before the courts [it is not right] for us to make any further comment as this could jeopardise the outcome of the case."

As Hansen hinted, the arrest of a man named by Sydney's Daily Telegraph and other Australian news organisations as Adrian Gard prompted more questions than answers and is another development in one of the more extraordinary of rugby stories in recent history.

Gard works for BGI Security. His brother Ashley, the company's director, declined to comment when approached last night by the Herald.

Obviously still an evolving story, with plenty more questions to be answered.

[Spy]

Meanwhile the head of the ARU still seems to think that the biggest scandal was that the story broke on matchday. Jesus, Bill. It wasn't your wedding day, even though you did get fucked.

The motive behind the planting of the bug in an All Blacks' team room remains unknown, but Australian Rugby Union chief executive Bill Pulver was quick to draw a line under the affair.

Pulver commended the police for their investigation but said in a statement released quickly after the police announcement: "The aspect that still leaves a bitter taste out of this whole affair is that the discovery of the device was reported publicly on game day, when it is understood the alleged discovery of the device occurred much earlier in the week.

"Clearly the media attention which resulted from it was a distraction that neither team needed on the morning of a very important test match.

"The ARU and the Wallabies were never accused of any wrongdoing, however it was still important that this matter reached a conclusion to provide complete reassurance to all fans that the organisation and the team had no part in any of this."

[Parsifal]

As far as the bugging thing goes, I suspect that was more likely to have been the media than anyone else. Rugby's answer to the British phone-hacking scandal perhaps? Or was it Kiwileaks?

The latest on that:

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/02/07 ... ing-device

[Spy]

Thanks for that update, Pars. It seems the implication is that it was planted by the guy that found it? Investigators would have been wise to consider the "He who smelt it dealt it" principle of fart theory.

I guess there's a motive there, in terms of promoting the necessity of his line of business to sports teams and corporates. Bloody idiot, if proven/true.

[rowan]

As far as the bugging thing goes, I suspect that was more likely to have been the media than anyone else. Rugby's answer to the British phone-hacking scandal perhaps? Or was it Kiwileaks?

The latest on that:

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/02/07 ... ing-device

Should've guessed!

[rowan]

Latest development in the bugging fiasco . . .

A security consultant for the New Zealand All Blacks has denied making a false statement to police after a listening device was found in a meeting room at the team's hotel in Sydney before a rugby test against Australia last August.

Adrian Gard, a 51-year-old Australian who has done work for the All Blacks for more than 10 years, appeared in the Waverley Local Court on Tuesday, where he formally denied a charge of false misrepresentation resulting in a police investigation. The case was adjourned until May 2.

The charge does not imply Gard placed the listening device but he is alleged to have misled police during their investigation.

The device was discovered in a chair in the team room five days before All Blacks officials made it public, on the morning of the test against Australia. The New Zealanders had a 42-8 win over an Australian team angered by the timing of the announcement.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has described the charge as "bizarre and unbelievable," adding that Gard "is someone who is trusted and well-respected by us."

The Australian Rugby Union said it had no involvement in the placement of the listening device.

"The aspect that still leaves a bitter taste out of this whole affair is that the discovery of the device was reported publicly on game day when it is understood that the alleged discovery of the device occurred much earlier in the week leading up to the test match," ARU chairman Bill Pulver said after police charged Gard last month.

"Clearly the media attention which resulted from it was a distraction that neither team needed on the morning of a very important test match."



http://www.sobserver.ws/en/21_03_2017/r ... g-case.htm

[Lizard]

Are there lines between which we are supposed to be reading? Did this guy delay reporting the discovery?

[rowan]

It was probably standard procedure for police to resease this information to the public a few days after the fact, once its validity could be confirmed, and that this happened to be on game day was purely coincidence. It's not the job of either the police or the press to concern themselves with player distractions.

[Spy]

So the security guy has been found not guilty..

Charge not proven, at any rate. No other suspects being sought. Seems likely that this bru-haha would have affected Adrian Gard's business, which is a terrible shame if he genuinely is innocent.

A curious coincidence that the verdict is released in the immediate leadup to a Bledisloe Cup test.