Rugby Championship 2025: Wallabies v Argentina

[TSR]

Just a comment too on Wilson’s decisions to keep pushing for a try instead of kickable penalties in the first half - whilst I personally have generally been more of a ‘take the points’ fan, it should be noted that that period helped contribute to the later yellow card which in turn put a lot of pressure on the Argies to be squeaky clean at the end.

It’s still a roll of the dice and I understand he would’ve copped heaps for it if we’d lost by 3, but I guess there are lots of ways to build pressure in the modern test game.

 

[Lyall]

I see more than that, but yeah, a ruck turnover is often called as a penalty conceded (ie penalised for holding on) not credited to the player who was over the ball

View attachment 23314

Wait......what...... Lynagh was equal second best on the field at something???

 

[TSR]

Question for the crowd - anyone else think Ikitau is quickly becoming a better 12 then he was a 13.

And to be really clear - that isn’t a knock on him at 13. He just seems to get so much more involved at 12.

 

[HogansHeros]

Question for the crowd - anyone else think Ikitau is quickly becoming a better 12 then he was a 13.

And to be really clear - that isn’t a knock on him at 13. He just seems to get so much more involved at 12.

The more he has the opportunity to have the ball in hand, the better for the wallabies

 

[Red Runner]

Question for the crowd - anyone else think Ikitau is quickly becoming a better 12 then he was a 13.

And to be really clear - that isn’t a knock on him at 13. He just seems to get so much more involved at 12.

Pretty damn good scrumhalf too.

 

[Yoda]

Question for the crowd - anyone else think Ikitau is quickly becoming a better 12 then he was a 13.

And to be really clear - that isn’t a knock on him at 13. He just seems to get so much more involved at 12.

He's seems to be doing too much forward stuff? The pick and drives not sure about. There's one less back if they want to spin it wide to the wings.

 

[Joe Blow]

He is very good in traffic and can often slip a tackle or two and get the ball away.

 

[TSR]

He's seems to be doing too much forward stuff? The pick and drives not sure about. There's one less back if they want to spin it wide to the wings.

He seems to be in position when we go wide. He threw the last pass for both of Sua’ali’i’s tries and if we go back also involved in Pietsch’s v South Africa and, of course, Jorgenson’s v England. We appear to play pretty narrow a lot of the time.

 

[Yoda]

He seems to be in position when we go wide. He threw the last pass for both of Sua’ali’i’s tries and if we go back also involved in Pietsch’s v South Africa and, of course, Jorgenson’s v England. We appear to play pretty narrow a lot of the time.

You're right there. I just think we tend to really exaggerate the pick and drives when close to the line, when a couple of wide passes to Jorgo or our other winger and we are in . You notice this if you at the game as opposed to watching on tv.

 

[Red Runner]

You're right there. I just think we tend to really exaggerate the pick and drives when close to the line, when a couple of wide passes to Jorgo or our other winger and we are in . You notice this if you at the game as opposed to watching on tv.

you were at the Townsville game?

 

[Maulalltheway]

So, who should have started at 10? James?

I have no problem with James being picked to start, I just don't see the net benefit of how it helps our future options.

Lynagh should have started and should continue to start. but he was average at best. stick with him, develop him and help him learn. dont screw his progress like they screwed Noah

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Question for the crowd - anyone else think Ikitau is quickly becoming a better 12 then he was a 13.

And to be really clear - that isn’t a knock on him at 13. He just seems to get so much more involved at 12.

Absolutely. He's a superb footballer so can play both but, if he gets his hands on it the Wallabies are better for it. Ikitau also takes pressure off our 10s because they always have an out to a classy guy who also has an underrated boot on him when needed.

JAS at 13 chews defenders for the Wingers and makes space. Defenders always bite on him when they see this enormous human striding and then he can bball pass it late to Wings with exceptional speed. He can make small Wingers effective because he gets them more space to utilise what they are good at. If we had a more passive 13 they would get eaten with the opposition being able to hold and meet them immediately as they take possession.

If JAS was at 12 it would be a feeding frenzy on the 10. It'd be a crap rushed kick or the out ball would lead to a crash hit up behind the line.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Lynagh chat is all a bit septic now and seems people wanting to win the argument over objective assessments.

Yeah he is currently a bit off the pace but in reality who is he keeping out that deserves it more? All of our 10s have flaws.

He's 22 and potentially fast tracked but he also gets a lot of experience in him in the hope he keeps developing for 2027 when he's 24.

 

[Tomthumb]

Lynagh chat is all a bit septic now and seems people wanting to win the argument over objective assessments.

Yeah he is currently a bit off the pace but in reality who is he keeping out that deserves it more? All of our 10s have flaws.

He's 22 and potentially fast tracked but he also gets a lot of experience in him in the hope he keeps developing for 2027 when he's 24.

Yeah but two of them haven't even been given a proper chance so that's where this argument kind of falls down IMO. Donaldson deserves a chance to fail before we all just assume he would and he never gets the chance

 

[Sword of Justice]

Yeah but two of them haven't even been given a proper chance so that's where this argument kind of falls down IMO. Donaldson deserves a chance to fail before we all just assume he would and he never gets the chance

He will definitely get a chance, most likely very soon with the way our 10 stocks are re availability and injury.

It’s false to say he’s not been given chances, however. He’s played more matches than Lynagh at both Super and Test level.

 

[Red Runner]

Yeah but two of them haven't even been given a proper chance so that's where this argument kind of falls down IMO. Donaldson deserves a chance to fail before we all just assume he would and he never gets the chance

which 2? Donaldson and Edmed? I just don't see a strong case for Edmed other than he's last man standing.

Donaldson has started at 10 in test match rugby mor times than Lynagh has. Including the record losses v Wales (23) and Argentina (24)

 

[Running_rugby_1954]

which 2? Donaldson and Edmed? I just don't see a strong case for Edmed other than he's last man standing.

Donaldson has started at 10 in test match rugby mor times than Lynagh has. Including the record losses v Wales (23) and Argentina (24)

Yeah that loss against Argentina is a highlight for him. Especially because most the points were scored when he was subbed off for Lynagh at the 56th minute mark. 3 tries a piece when he was subbed at the 56th minute

 

[John S]

which 2? Donaldson and Edmed? I just don't see a strong case for Edmed other than he's last man standing.

Donaldson has started at 10 in test match rugby mor times than Lynagh has. Including the record losses v Wales (23) and Argentina (24)

And I'm pretty sure in those games the line "a 10 can't shine when the forwards are getting beat" (or similar) were used when he was critiqued on performances.

I will add: what else changed when Dono was subbed off? With such a big change in the run of play there has to be something else happening with the team - you can't put that all on one player.

 

[Braveheart81]

Yeah but two of them haven't even been given a proper chance so that's where this argument kind of falls down IMO. Donaldson deserves a chance to fail before we all just assume he would and he never gets the chance

A big part of this is that not everyone gets that chance. It's not like we have an unlimited number of games to test combinations and whether a player can step up.

Maybe with a longer runway as the team's starting 10 Donaldson would show he deserves to be first choice but whether that happens or not is another question. At this point it seems pretty clear that Schmidt prefers Lolesio and Lynagh.

 

[Famed_Star]

Yeah that loss against Argentina is a highlight for him. Especially because most the points were scored when he was subbed off for Lynagh at the 56th minute mark. 3 tries a piece when he was subbed at the 56th minuteView attachment 23318

The Lynagh fans will find this a hard reality to accept.