Brian ruminates on the weekend’s round of Trans-Tasman rugby
Almanac (Sporting) Life: Heremas and his ‘Sputnik’
March 18, 2026 by Leave a Comment
What’s a suburban footy club if you can’t play a few pranks on committee members? Pestwac recalls his younger footy days playing rugby.
Almanac (Other) Sports – The Professional Women’s Hockey League
March 18, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Brian the Ruminator is back to tell us about his latest sports passion – women’s ice hockey. But don’t worry, he hasn’t forgotten about his other keen interests.
Almanac Rugby Union – The Wallabies in 2025
November 27, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Brian the Ruminator, true to his name, has been reflecting on the (mis)fortunes of the Wallabies in 2025 and asks the pertinent questions about finding a path forward to the 2027 World Cup.
Almanac Rugby: Lions maul Bulls; farm productivity collapses on the Liverpool Plains
September 15, 2025 by 2 Comments
The Quirindi Lions are premiers, winning a high-scoring affair rather convincingly. Paul Nankivell was there with the travelling Quirindi throng as they broke their thirty year drought.
Almanac Rugby Union – Second Test, Wallabies v British & Irish Lions: Gut punched!
July 28, 2025 by 1 Comment
Brian the Ruminator came away from the second Wallabies v British & Irish Lions Test at the MCG with mixed feelings – invigorated by an excellent spectacle but also gut punched by the controversial denouement.
Almanac Rugby: And here come The Lions
June 10, 2025 by 1 Comment
In preparing us for the rugby series against the touring British and Irish Lions, which begins on June 28, Brian the Ruminator gives us a potted history of their previous visits.
Almanac Sports History – When three codes crossed borders: Ironies of footballs’ first Internationals
April 10, 2025 by 1 Comment
As the Aussie Rules footy world’s attention is drawn to the AFL’s 2025 Gather Round in Adelaide, the once mighty clash between Victoria and South Australia is being replayed on minor ovals between the men’s and women’s teams of the now second-level Victorian Football League and South Australian National Football League. Geoffrey Gold recalls when the inaugural representative match between two rival Australian colonies completed the trifecta of first internationals of major codes, Rugby Union in 1871, Association Football (soccer) in 1872 and Australian Rules in 1879.
Almanac Sport: A big year for Australian international sports
January 13, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Are you ready for sport at its international peak? Tony Dosen clearly is as he outlines the biggest events and names set to light up 2025.
Almanac Rugby Union: Is Joseph the messiah or just the latest false hope?
October 17, 2024 by 2 Comments
Brian the Ruminator wonders if the arrival of the latest wunderkind at Rugby Australia is messianic or just the latest false hope in the middle of the the code’s nadir.
Almanac Super Rugby Pacific: In the doldrums
February 28, 2024 by 1 Comment
The discourse around rugby is gloomy, and Brian the Ruminator senses the roubles. “But,” he writes, “it’s the sense of helplessness that many of us in the rugby fraternity feel. It’s hard to see a circuit breaker.” Here are his thoughts after the first round.
Almanac Rugby Union – 2023 Rugby World Cup: 28 years later, All Blacks out to square ledger
October 23, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Brian the Ruminator puts the 2023 Rugby World Cup in perspective as he looks forward to next weekend’s final between the All Blacks and the Boks.
Almanac Rugby Union – 2023 Rugby World Cup: Pool Stage Wrap and Finals Preview
October 10, 2023 by 1 Comment
‘If you truly love the game played in heaven you have to revel in the spirit of the game, where the game comes first and the travails of your team a distant second.’ So says Brian the Ruminator as he reviews the 2023 Rugby World Cup pool stage before offering his thoughts on the upcoming finals.
Almanac Rugby: A tale of two World Cups, or even three
August 31, 2023 by Leave a Comment
In the run-up to France 2023, Tim Burke reflects on Australian rugby’s ‘status anxiety’, its preoccupation with World Cups, and the relationship between rugby and rugby league.
Almanac Rugby Union: 2023 Rugby World Cup preview
August 22, 2023 by 1 Comment
Brian the Ruminator returns to The Footy Almanac to provide a preview of the upcoming 2023 Rugby World Cup. Who are his top fancies to claim ‘Bill’?
” ‘Buggsy’ and the Lalor clan…a true sporting dynasty…” by KB Hill
February 23, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Sporting clans don’t come much more prodigiously than the Lalors from Benalla. And who better to chronicle their achievements than KB Hill?
Almanac Rugby: The November Tests
November 28, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Brian the Ruminator runs a rule over the recent Rugby test series between some of the heavy hitters and also rans. With next year a World Cup year, the favourites are taking shape.
Almanac Rugby: NZ Wins The Rugby Championship
September 28, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Brian Lynch reports on the conclusion to The Rugby Championship 2022 where the status quo of world rugby was maintained – unfortunately for the Wallabies!
Almanac Rugby: Most Controversial Bledisloe Test I’ve Seen
September 20, 2022 by 2 Comments
The Ruminator is gutted by the unprecedented ending to Thursday night’s Bledisloe Cup match. It leaves him empathising with Magpies supporters.
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