2011 RWC - Pool C - Australia, Ireland, Italy, USA, Russia
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AngrySeahorse
Peter Sullivan (51)
Adam Byrnes on for his Russian debut.
AngrySeahorse
Peter Sullivan (51)
I wonder how many handling errors he's had tonight, granted the ball is slippery but he's had some issues with his hands.
AngrySeahorse
Peter Sullivan (51)
Byrnes & Clever go at it a bit.
AngrySeahorse
Peter Sullivan (51)
The ref gets put on his arse by Clever & tells him something along the lines of "you're getting my washing bill". That quote could give it some competition.
In the mean time Russia miss a penalty kick. Needed it.
W
wildebeast
Guest
Byrnes loves the niggle, such a waste of time but mildly entertaining.
AngrySeahorse
Peter Sullivan (51)
Sweet jesus the wheels have fallen off with Russia screwing up the kick for touch.
Russia get a penalty & they convert, 7 point deficit. 13-6 to USA.
USA to be penalised for a late charge & well warranted Todd Clever lost the plot with that, normally not his go maybe Byrne got under his skin.
Some great play at the end there by Russia & credit to them for keeping the scoreline tight but USA too good.
Russia get a penalty & they convert, 7 point deficit. 13-6 to USA.
USA to be penalised for a late charge & well warranted Todd Clever lost the plot with that, normally not his go maybe Byrne got under his skin.
Some great play at the end there by Russia & credit to them for keeping the scoreline tight but USA too good.
T
thedubs
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Russia's playing great rugby. Remarkable given their outside centre is quoted as playing in the french fourth division!
Id say a minnow team like that with nice flowing rugby could win a try of the tournament. Again it highlights the difference between a minnow and a big team kicking the ball away at the end when the overlap was already covered by the americans, and they didnt have an advantage either.
Id say a minnow team like that with nice flowing rugby could win a try of the tournament. Again it highlights the difference between a minnow and a big team kicking the ball away at the end when the overlap was already covered by the americans, and they didnt have an advantage either.
Mike MacDonald and Chris Wyles were superb for the USA. Absolute standouts.
St Peter
Stan Wickham (3)
The difference being I couldn't care less about our soccer team, whereas I would rather like rugby to be growing and growing in Nth America
Unfortunately I think the potential for growth is limited. Although most Americans I have met love the spectacle of rugby with the collisions without pads, it is just a novel curiosity to them. They only have eyes for their world dominated sports. You know? World series baseball, NFL and stuff! (apologies in advance if I offend any yanks)
So what to do now... after an ineffectual game by several players, I think we have to view the USA and Russia games as trials for a different backline for the quarters.
I'd rest Genia and start Burgess (Genia is still the 9 for the quarter).
Keep Cooper at 10 and play Barnes at 12. McCabe's body height was awful. He tackled fairly well but our backline was always more dangerous when we cut out 12 and 13.
Fainga'a has to go. He can't play again. I'd give Horne a crack at 13. At this point we need to roll the dice a bit and he is the only 13 that offers pace, defence and most importantly the ability to pass.
With Diggers still out, Shmoo and JOC (James O'Connor) should play 11 and 14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) ran with the ball quite well but how many times didn't he pass when he should have?
Beale can stay at 15. He just needs to be given a serious threat that every time he grubbers or chips, he loses a toe. Once you take the little toe off, maybe he'll get the message.
I'd rest Genia and start Burgess (Genia is still the 9 for the quarter).
Keep Cooper at 10 and play Barnes at 12. McCabe's body height was awful. He tackled fairly well but our backline was always more dangerous when we cut out 12 and 13.
Fainga'a has to go. He can't play again. I'd give Horne a crack at 13. At this point we need to roll the dice a bit and he is the only 13 that offers pace, defence and most importantly the ability to pass.
With Diggers still out, Shmoo and JOC (James O'Connor) should play 11 and 14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) ran with the ball quite well but how many times didn't he pass when he should have?
Beale can stay at 15. He just needs to be given a serious threat that every time he grubbers or chips, he loses a toe. Once you take the little toe off, maybe he'll get the message.
light
Peter Fenwicke (45)
For mine, the Italians showed enough to suggest that they can topple the Irish. That performance tonight from the men in green was a one-in-ten match that they are capable of but lack the consistency and so Australia can probably still hope for a top of the pool finish.
With that in mind we need to start again. Our centre combination has been hugely inneffective, Quade was beyond hopeless tonight, McCalman was dismal and Polata-Nau proved that he is a long way off his best. Unfortunately it is too late to be trialling too many different options.
Here would be my XV for the USA game:
1. Sekope Kepu
2. Totafu Polata-Nau (Moore is our first choice but we need to preserve him. Play him if concerned about fitness)
3. James Slipper (Alexander got mauled tonight)
4. Rob Simmons (Horwill resting)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Vickerman is far too ill-discipline for world cup knockout rugby. pisses me off)
6. Rocky Elsom
7. David Pocock
8. Radike Samo
9. Luke Burgess
10. Quade Cooper
11. James O'Connor (Defending at #10)
12. Berrick Barnes (McCabe doesn't have the size and neither does anyone else. Need playmaking we had last year)
13. Rob Horne/Adam Ashley-Cooper (AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) can't be in the back 3 and he's our proven 13. Fainga'a ineffective)
14. Drew Mitchell
15. Kurtley Beale
16. Saai Fainga'a
17. Ben Alexander
18. Dan Vickerman (Ideally won't be needed)
19. Scott Higgenbotham
20. Wycliff Palu (Needs to get on earlier, for Samo)
21. Nick Phipps
22. Rob Horne/Adam Ashley-Cooper
Why Robbie didn't pick another openside is beyond me, we can ill afford to not play Pocock but he's going to be suffering some serious wear 'n' tear if we make it to the later stages of the tournament. Kinda wishing we also had Gits for these games, he is at least a consistent 10 that we can rely on.
With that in mind we need to start again. Our centre combination has been hugely inneffective, Quade was beyond hopeless tonight, McCalman was dismal and Polata-Nau proved that he is a long way off his best. Unfortunately it is too late to be trialling too many different options.
Here would be my XV for the USA game:
1. Sekope Kepu
2. Totafu Polata-Nau (Moore is our first choice but we need to preserve him. Play him if concerned about fitness)
3. James Slipper (Alexander got mauled tonight)
4. Rob Simmons (Horwill resting)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Vickerman is far too ill-discipline for world cup knockout rugby. pisses me off)
6. Rocky Elsom
7. David Pocock
8. Radike Samo
9. Luke Burgess
10. Quade Cooper
11. James O'Connor (Defending at #10)
12. Berrick Barnes (McCabe doesn't have the size and neither does anyone else. Need playmaking we had last year)
13. Rob Horne/Adam Ashley-Cooper (AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) can't be in the back 3 and he's our proven 13. Fainga'a ineffective)
14. Drew Mitchell
15. Kurtley Beale
16. Saai Fainga'a
17. Ben Alexander
18. Dan Vickerman (Ideally won't be needed)
19. Scott Higgenbotham
20. Wycliff Palu (Needs to get on earlier, for Samo)
21. Nick Phipps
22. Rob Horne/Adam Ashley-Cooper
Why Robbie didn't pick another openside is beyond me, we can ill afford to not play Pocock but he's going to be suffering some serious wear 'n' tear if we make it to the later stages of the tournament. Kinda wishing we also had Gits for these games, he is at least a consistent 10 that we can rely on.
tigerland12
John Thornett (49)
I'd have the same except higginbotham starting at 6 or 8. He needs to be used more.
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
Same for me except starting Palu for Samo, Higgers to 7 to actually do what McCalman was supposed to and play link and drive in the rucks. Look at Higgers first involvement when he came on against Ireland, turnover by tying up the Irish backrower in the maul off the scrum.
Do not mention Giteau, it took four years to get rid of the crabs we don't need another dose. I would even suggest Mitchell at 15 and bench Beale saying no more low percentage kicks and actually try and set up a support runner mate, have a look at Mils.
Do not mention Giteau, it took four years to get rid of the crabs we don't need another dose. I would even suggest Mitchell at 15 and bench Beale saying no more low percentage kicks and actually try and set up a support runner mate, have a look at Mils.
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