I would prefer it if we take the attitude that we are trying to win every game. Trying to avoid the wooden spoon is a sure fire way to get it. I am not sure we have the cattle to shut the ABs down defensively. And if we are going to lose, would prefer we going down having a crack at attack, rather than playing conservatively and still losing by 5 or 7. Loss is a loss.
2012 Rugby Championship Game 1 Australia vs New Zealand - 18 August
- Thread starter Hugh Jarse
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I would prefer it if we take the attitude that we are trying to win every game. Trying to avoid the wooden spoon is a sure fire way to get it. I am not sure we have the cattle to shut the ABs down defensively. And if we are going to lose, would prefer we going down having a crack at attack, rather than playing conservatively and still losing by 5 or 7. Loss is a loss.
Richo
John Thornett (49)
Is that you, Richard Loe?
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
....And when it turns out like the July 2000 Test at the same venue between the same nations, you will be very happy with the $800 bargain.
Junior Jarses kindly shouted me tickets to that match for my birthday, courtesy of La Jarse.
Same thing this time around, although now with a couple of them in the workplace, I haven't had to fund my own birthday present.
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
Words fail me. That is just about the worst backline from a tactical point of view that we could have selected. It's not the players picked, it's the formation and what it tells us about how we are approaching the game. The strategy appears to be trying to defend our way to victory.
Pretty happy with the pack though. Slipper in for Alexander is a good call on the bench too.
Pretty happy with the pack though. Slipper in for Alexander is a good call on the bench too.
Scotty
David Codey (61)
If? When!
Barnes, Horne, Ioane, Mitchell, Beale.
Almost guaranteed to have 2 injuries out of those!
Q
Quade Cheapshot
Guest
Admirable endeavour but is it realistic? My view is that 4th would be a fail, 3rd would be a pass and 2nd would be an above expectations.
Ignoto
Peter Sullivan (51)
Or we could have gone with Douglas. When you play the All Blacks you can't carry any lazy deadweights. Timani has shown time and time again that he doesn't have the current fitness or tempo to keep up with the game.
scaraby
Ron Walden (29)
Reading my rant I thought i should point out that I am not unaccustomed to losing to better teams at school,club ,state(ooohhh) or national level. So thats not the issue. The issue is ...if you have the x factors capable of winning against the best in the world and you choose not to use them and you lose then you should take full responsibility and learn. Cooper with Barnes outside was a lesson learned at the RWC....or so i thought..
It seems to me that the most likely situation where the Wallabies can win the game is if we can score just over 20 points and keep the All Blacks to under 20.
History would suggest that we lose if it is a high scoring affair. Clearly recent history suggests we lose in most situations against the All Blacks.
History would suggest that we lose if it is a high scoring affair. Clearly recent history suggests we lose in most situations against the All Blacks.
Lee Enfield
Jimmy Flynn (14)
Considering we are ranked number 2 in the world, I would see 4th as a fail, 3rd as below expectations, 2nd as a pass and 1st as an above expectations.
Troy
Jim Clark (26)
I don't know - it's only the Darkness after all, we did beat them in this comp last year and they had a stronger team. They won the RWC but that was in their back yard, does that even count? They should have to win it twice if playing at home to count for one win ...
We can definitely beat them just not sure it'll be with BB at 10?
Q
Quade Cheapshot
Guest
Which is reflective of participation in the 3N, having regular exposure to consistently highly ranked teams on a more regular basis than many other sides.
And to counter-balance, there's the under-performance of the Super Rugby franchises and a national side which is dropping games to minnows like Samoa and Scotland.
I reckon a little bit of expectation management might be in order.
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
Why? As a top three nation, we should expect to have the capability to beat both of the other top three teams. If we don't, then why the hell do we play in this competition? We beat the All Blacks last year and the Boks thrice, so it's not an entirely unreasonable expectation.
We also beat the 6N Champions 3-0.
I still think our 2nd place ranking is realistic.
South Africa could topple us but they also need to improve to do that. On paper that would appear possible but it also appears likely that they will have Morne Steyn at 10. I'd prefer Barnes at 10 any day of the week over Steyn.
New Zealand has a substantial gap over everyone and that is certainly reflected by their dominance.
I still think our 2nd place ranking is realistic.
South Africa could topple us but they also need to improve to do that. On paper that would appear possible but it also appears likely that they will have Morne Steyn at 10. I'd prefer Barnes at 10 any day of the week over Steyn.
New Zealand has a substantial gap over everyone and that is certainly reflected by their dominance.
Richo
John Thornett (49)
Not to mention that we beat the Saffers the last time we played them, in the RWC quarter-final.
tigerland12
John Thornett (49)
Fixed that for ya
Q
Quade Cheapshot
Guest
Me too. Surely Steyn won't last?
Concerning for the rest of us is the enterprise shown by the Yapie franchises, particularly the Sharks. It's not outside the realms of possibility that the Bok will discover creative backline play realising, as they do, that 2009 was a while ago and the interpretations no longer favour their natural style.
My pick is that they'll discover it quite some time before the Wallabies manage to grow a tight five.
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