2012 Rugby Championship Game 1 Australia vs New Zealand - 18 August

[tigerland12]

I think everyone agrees that Tapuai is a great prospect however he showed nothing on his return from the broken collarbone.

There is absolutely no way he was going to either dislodge Horne or be ahead of Fainga'a for this series.

You mean in the 3 minutes he got off the bench when the team was getting battered?

 

[jermano]

JOC (James O'Connor) just finished live questions @ The Telegraph his final comment was

"Tomorrow night? Hopefully the weather strays good and we will get attacking rugby. Being a first Test match, we will be testing each other out., the forwards will probably go at each other.
Second half we may see more adventure and it will go down to the wire.
My tip? Kurtley will kick a penalty goal to win the game for the Wallabies.

Thanks again guys, see you soon, James."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ooper-to-rebound/story-fn8ti7yn-1226451323184

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I think Pocock is a better fetcher/ turnover exponent, but is inferior in link play/destructive defence/ and ball runner.

Sir Richie is turning into a second #8 as he slows with age. Bam Bam is still a superior #7, and this will be revealed on Saturday night. Bam Bam is a competent link player and ball runner. His destructive defence may be inferior, as he spends less time off side and is too busy doing things that #7's should be doing.

 

[Jiggles]

I love the obscure justification like "linking" that Kiwi's use to continue the party line of McCaw over Pocock. It must help them get to bed at night...

 

[Braveheart81]

More than a prospect he is a 100% bonafide performer easily the reds best palyer before injury & how cna you expect him to perfrom when he only got 40 minutes at premierl evel now he is carrying sunnybank on his shoulders towards top 3 finish.

Also your logic is flawed becaus eof drew mitchell WTF has he doen the last 12 months?

At Super Rugby level. I absolutely think that he is going to play a big part in the Wallabies in the coming years. I think he would have this year if he hadn't broken his collarbone.

As a player with one test cap off the bench, he is hardly going to be rushed into the side, particularly when he is short on football.

Drew Mitchell is on the bench and everyone agrees that he is also short on football (although he came back several weeks before Tapuai but from a far longer injury layoff).

The big difference is that Mitchell is a proven test performer with 58 test caps who when fit has been a crucial part of the Wallabies.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

At Super Rugby level. I absolutely think that he is going to play a big part in the Wallabies in the coming years. I think he would have this year if he hadn't broken his collarbone.

As a player with one test cap off the bench, he is hardly going to be rushed into the side, particularly when he is short on football.

Drew Mitchell is on the bench and everyone agrees that he is also short on football (although he came back several weeks before Tapuai but from a far longer injury layoff).

The big difference is that Mitchell is a proven test performer with 58 test caps who when fit has been a crucial part of the Wallabies.

Give it a week and Tapauai will be in and mitcheell was integral to the wallabies 2 years ago when he was last fit for more than 3 weeks

 

[thierry dusautoir]

I love the obscure justification like "linking" that Kiwi's use to continue the party line of McCaw over Pocock. It must help them get to bed at night.

Geogre smith was a real linkman mcaw is just some cheating arsehole in black

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Did someone just call Sir Richie a Cheat?

Run for the hills, I reckon we will soon be seing a Scarfie video presentation, closely followed by a Darkness flame war.

 

[chasmac]

Discussing selections doesn't really reveal much after the first few arguments for and against a player are made.
Are we able to move forward and discuss tactics?

Do posters here think that the tactics will be much different to last years World Cup Semi v's the AB's?
What has changed in the interim?

AB's are without Henry, Brad Thorn, Kaino, Conrad Smith. The biggest variables here being Smith and Henry.
Wallabies are without Horwill, Vickerman, Palu, QC (Quade Cooper), McCabe and JOC (James O'Connor). The biggest variable here is obviously QC (Quade Cooper).

I think the AB's will role out the same game plan. Nullify Genia and Pocock. Strong set piece. Aggressive defence. Smart kicking with good kick chase.

Aussies will role out "play whats infront of you"

Bugger, I was enjoying writing this post until I wrote that last line.
I'm signing off as I have to go and kick the cat.

 

[Jiggles]

Did someone just call Sir Richie a Cheat?

Run for the hills, I reckon we will soon be seing a Scarfie video presentation, closely followed by a Darkness flame war.

My mates girlfriend, who is a beautician, thinks McCaw dead-set waxes his eyebrows. Naturally where there is smoke, there is fire, so not only is he a cheat, but he probably likes to wear dresses when in private too...

 

[FrankLind]

I love the obscure justification like "linking" that Kiwi's use to continue the party line of McCaw over Pocock. It must help them get to bed at night.

Could be - LOL.
We'll see on Saturday I guess.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Tactics - if I was deans i would tell Genia and Barnes that if they were going to kicks mid play try and put them just behind the all blacks defensive lien cause dagg always sets himself very deep as he want to be ready for the counter. I would also try and avoid the crash ball and get my and bring beale coming into the line behind the centres to get it wide (lets face it the ball wont get wide otherwise). Ioane and ACC I feel will be able to get it over their NZ counter parts strength wise however ACC will be left for dust if he gives them half an inch.
Lastly if we do try and punch it midfield i would use the like of Higgers, Dennis & *sigh*....Timani to crash it up off Fainga'a and get them to look for the offload to Horne. Also I would constantly be tryign to play the razor with beale getting him to come on blind with a few loosies and Digby in support this.
　
Forwards just need to hold their own and work hard in the tight to give Genia the opportunity to do what he does best and take a dart
We need to play to our strengths which is 1. Higgers running out wise
2. Beale beign able to come up into the line
3. Digby Ioane
4. Will Genia snipes

 

[ACR]

Sir Richie is turning into a second #8 as he slows with age. Bam Bam is still a superior #7, and this will be revealed on Saturday night. Bam Bam is a competent link player and ball runner. His destructive defence may be inferior, as he spends less time off side and is too busy doing things that #7's should be doing.

Still a superior 7? For that to be true he would have to have directly outplayed McCaw for a couple of years now. Where are these performances? You should actually expect a 24 y/o to be outplaying a 31 y/o by now. A competent link player and ball runner? Maybe but Richie is certainly better. I suspect Pocock spends less time off side because he's usually on the ground or catching his breath. McCaw (at last check 2 years ago) was the fittest All Black player (ahead of Mils Muliaina, Dan Carter, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu), can the same be said of muscle mountain Pocock?

I love the obscure justification like "linking" that Kiwi's use to continue the party line of McCaw over Pocock. It must help them get to bed at night.

Obscure? Seriously? Perhaps it is obscure to Australians, perhaps that's why the Wallabies are second best at the moment? Perhaps Pocock has just become a better #7 but McCaw is still the better player. The simple thing is that Pocock SHOULD be better than McCaw by now, and he is, AT ONE FACET of the game. He still doesn't have the same work rate, support play, aerial prowess, ball running or even mongrel. He has turnovers, which is what Richie used to have when he was that age.

 

[SaderCheif]

My mates girlfriend, who is a beautician, thinks McCaw dead-set waxes his eyebrows. Naturally where there is smoke, there is fire, so not only is he a cheat, but he probably likes to wear dresses when in private too.

How does it feel being constantly being beaten by a guy who wears a dress and another dude who wears eye liner?

 

[thierry dusautoir]

StI suspect Pocock spends less time off side because he's usually on the ground or catching his breath. quote]


Your off your head

 

[The Red Baron]

Just when I thought this thread couldn't get any worse, the old Richie vs Pocock chestnut gets rolled out.

 

[ACR]

You're off your head

No, McCaw is "off with your head".

Just when I thought this thread couldn't get any worse, the old Richie vs Pocock chestnut gets rolled out.

Don't worry, it doesn't bother me correcting some misguided souls.

 

[SaderCheif]

Pocock?!? I declare him an OUTLAW!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

ACR,

I agree to disagree with you, and will close with the observation that one of us will be consuming humble pie come Saturday Night.

Hiding behind the bravado of those on the Sir Richie train, you must admit that the Bam Bam vs Sir Richie contest will be be a tantalising prospect, a game within the game.

If for nothing else it will give the Darknessers full bragging rights if Sir Richie actually outplays Bam Bam as a #7.

As said earlier Sir Richie has been playing some fantastic footy but in a #8 role in recent tests and S15. There are plenty of young bucks yapping at his heals for the #7 jumper as well.

It is out of respect for the Wobs, that the Lords of Darkness have selected their old warhorse, and not one of the exciting young colts, to go head to head with Bam Bam in the Bledisloe opener.

 

[Bullrush]

I love the obscure justification like "linking" that Kiwi's use to continue the party line of McCaw over Pocock. It must help them get to bed at night.

Nah.....10 straight Bledisloe Cups do though.

Geogre smith was a real linkman mcaw is just some cheating arsehole in black

I love the obscure justification like "cheating arsehole" that Aussie's use to continue the party line of Pocock over McCaw. It must help them get to bed at night.

See what I did there?

My mates girlfriend, who is a beautician, thinks McCaw dead-set waxes his eyebrows. Naturally where there is smoke, there is fire, so not only is he a cheat, but he probably likes to wear dresses when in private too.

Are you saying that the Wallabies have been getting dealt to by a eye-brow waxing, cross-dressing No.7 for the last 10 years?

Are we really gonna start name calling? The thread seemed pretty good up until that......