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

Who will win 2012 Rugby Championship Game 1 between NZ and Australia?

  • The Men in Gold - The Wallabies

    Votes: 50 45.9%
  • The Darkness - The New Zealand Rugby Team

    Votes: 59 54.1%

  • Total voters
    109
  • Poll closed .
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Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
... Snip...
Some things change but some stay the same. And a champion team will ALWAYS beat a team of champions. Hopefully we're heading toward a champion team soon. I think it's closer than most think.

The fancy words are "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"
 

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
And not a totally unrealistic proposition.

Thew Zealand rugby team has a great record against us, but still we surprise you one or two times each year. The pleasure is the greatest when you're at your most gormlessly arrogant.

Against other teams we have an excellent percentage. Good luck with your predictions.

Nonetheless, if you'd like to spot $1k with me on one of the betting sites that we'll win <= 1 games then I'm up for it. What are your odds?
 

Riptide

Dave Cowper (27)
As has been said, it's pretty clear that Deans has picked a team to limit mistakes, deliver a more accurate kicking game and to put pressure on the ABs through a more territorial approach and tight defensive line. It may work, but it's simply not an approach I excited to see the Wallabies take. We worry NZ when we attack them and take a cut. With Barnes, we are less likely to present them with anything that should disturb their excellent defensive line. Having said that, I think NZ will be less accurate after less preparation than the Wallabies who may just need to play a controlled, pressure game to keep the score board ticking over. For me, this is the Wallabies best chance at a victory. I think NZ is more likely to fire over there in the return leg.

However, like many others, I'm concerned about several selections.. TPN and Timani being foremost. These two players are simply too ill-disciplined and their form does not justify selection. On no grounds should TPN get in ahead of Moore. If the Wallabies are to play a more ball control game, I'm concerned that we are lacking the sharp horses in the front five to execute consistently against NZ.

Horne has tightened up his defensive game toward the back end of the season but I still would not let him near a Wallaby 22. I'm not really worried about SBW but Nonu who remains their most under-rated player. If Nonu runs sharp lines off quick ball, he could really do some damage. Carter obviously has the game to keep the Wallaby midfield guessing and to pick the runners going through holes but if NZ generate quick ball from midfield consistently, it could be a long day irrespective of how Barnes plays.
 

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
I've been away from the adult section recently whilst schools rugby has been in top gear.

This team was always going to be based on that which contended in the Wales series give or take a few injuries back and forth. It should not have been otherwise.

Anthony Fainga'a's return to the starting team is well deserved whether or not McCabe was crocked. The presence of SBW in the All Black side starting team requires a strong defensive player in the position.

The omission of Quade from the matchday 22 cannot be a surprise given the strong form of Barnes against Wales and the choice of a 5th forward reserve, Samo. If those factors were not enough, Cooper's Bledisloe record and recent return from a serious knee injury would have been clinchers.

I thought that Palu's play for 80 minutes in Sydney was the signal for a patch of healthy form but it was not to be. I don't know that Higgers is the man for a Bledisloe test at no.8, but there is one way to find out: to play him there.

We lack depth in a few areas and one of them is the stable of big ball runners with 6 or 8 on their backs who can run though opponents in traffic. It is well that Dennis is in best career form. You won't see too many frills from this lad but he is the type of player we need.

I agree with the bench choice of Hooper ahead of Gill but don't know that I will hold that opinion for very long.

The selection of Simmons for the bench will disappoint some people but he has to settle the matter with more consistent efforts from week to week when he gets his chance this winter.

I was pleased to see Douglas make the most recent squad, even at the expense of Pyle and Neville, who I rate; he is another hard nosed, no frills player and was in form. If a Tahs player was to start in the 2nd row for the Wallabies next Saturday I would have chosen him, not Timani. This big bopper is not the player he was a year ago, but let's see how he goes against the Blackness before we are too harsh.

There is nothing untoward in starting the Tahs front row in this test match; nor anything remarkable: they did the starting job against Wales well enough. The omission of Alexander from the matchday 22 could have happened at any time in the last 2 years; perhaps Deans got better advice in 2012. Some folks will quibble about whom of the 5 front rowers should have been chosen to start, but at least we will have the names of the 5 best in the programme.

This is a no-frills team that lacks X-factor in the backline, but if their forwards get good front foot ball the backs will look better of a sudden. Genia, in particular, needs the forwards to add value to him.

I hope that the defensive people have studied the switching moves of Kiwi teams because sometimes the Wobs play like they have never seen them before - nor shallow restarts, nor Kiwis in their ruck space. And since Gerrard is not playing they should not get involved in kicking duels, nor ever start them unless they have to clear the ball.

And if the Blacks don't commit players to rucks and spread out, one hopes the Wobs won't play blow-fly against the window pane rugby in the backs, but let the forwards take it up the middle. They have the players for it.
.
 

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
Half that pack of starting Wallaby forwards were woefully out of form just a few weeks ago in SupeRugby. I think that it is asking way too much to expect them all to suddenly find form over whomever the ABs pick, regardless of extra training time.

I think that I would've taken a 4 - 3 split and not taken Samo. All three starting loosies are 80 minute players, so not sure why Deans has two loosies on the bench, unless he intends to sub both locks. Besides, it is not like we will see Phipps get on anyway unless Genia gets injured, in which case we have probably lost already.

If Deans doesn't use his forward reserves, I fail to see how he could justify not taking a conventional 4 - 3 split.
 

Riptide

Dave Cowper (27)
I just listened to the Podcast (another great hour) and I'm not so concerned about Paul's loss. This will be a high work-rate, fewer frills Wallaby outfit. I though the pack munched the Welsh over each 80 played and so I'm not concerned about the impact of our back row at the breakdown or our lack of ball carrying because TPN/Moore, Sharpe, Timani, Dennis, Higgers can all pose questions in and around the breakdown and that's saying nothing about Genia. The ABs will win first phase ball - they must be denied getting over the gain line to generate quick ball from susbsequent phases. Their attack is well known to us all. Nonu at 13, or Gear/Savea running inside him with Dagg on the other shoulder could be a handful if Carter/SBW holds the inside defense.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Bledisloe prep has Wallabies battered

August 15, 2012

Greg Growden

Chief Rugby Correspondent


Preparing for battle ... the Wallabies go through lineout drills during training at the Victoria Barracks yesterday. Photo: Wolter Peeters
INSIDE-CENTRE Anthony Fainga'a was nursing a rolled ankle and second-rower Sitaleki Timani sporting a bleeding eye after another brutal Wallabies training session preparing for the All Blacks.
The Wallabies have been treating their recent practices as if they are Test matches in their campaign to win the Bledisloe Cup for the first time in a decade.
With Fainga'a sidelined, the Wallabies used Adam Ashley-Cooper at inside-centre and Drew Mitchell on the wing yesterday. But Fainga'a is scheduled to again train tomorrow, and is expected to start the Test. Timani also required attention at Leichhardt Oval when he suffered a cut above his eye during an opposed session. He was soon strapped up, and was back in the fray knowing exactly the same will occur at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.

Coach Robbie Deans is delighted when his players go hard at each other, believing it brings the required hardness to a team that has often fallen away when placed under pressure. His sessions often involve opposed work, and match situations, with the Test team regularly playing against the reserves and back-up squad members.
Advertisement
Earlier despite surprise in some sections of the media that Quade Cooper was not beckoned back into the 22-man squad for this Test, Deans explained that retaining Berrick Barnes at No.10 was the only option after his excellent performances during the successful three-Test series against Wales.
''His selection [at No.10] was pretty straight forward,'' Deans said when announcing the Test team. ''And after playing well against Wales, I'm after more of the same from Berrick, especially as he is well versed in what we're doing.''
Deans said Cooper was returning to full fitness, but still had some way to go, while the inclusion of Drew Mitchell on the bench ahead of the Reds No.10 was due to the importance of having to cover several outer back positions.
''Quade is not quite on top of his fitness yet, but he has had a couple of club games and getting back into it. Quade was an option but in the end it was pretty obvious Berrick was the first choice,'' Deans said.
Aware that Barnes's career was in jeopardy around 12 months ago because of recurring bouts of concussion, Deans said: ''This year hasn't been without its challenges for him either. You look at some of the frustrations of the Waratahs season, and it wasn't easy. But he hit the ground running during the June Test series.''
Adding to the pressure, Barnes will hold onto the goalkicking duties, with fullback Kurtley Beale his backup. Deans also wants Fainga'a fully fit, explaining that his selection in the centre, in place of the injured Pat McCabe, was due to him ''always making an impact''.
''He is someone other players feed off, because he provides a lot of voice, and also enjoys the contest,'' Deans said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/bledisloe-prep-has-wallabies-battered-20120814-246s9.html#ixzz23YHTx9uL
 

teach

Trevor Allan (34)
Thew Zealand rugby team has a great record against us, but still we surprise you one or two times each year. The pleasure is the greatest when you're at your most gormlessly arrogant.
quote]

Quite correct. The media never seems to learn that. Just look at the second Irish test. But I think the ABs are fired up for this. The newbies want to make a statement. The older players know just how dangerous Australia can be. But on this occasion, gormlessly arrogant is far from the situation.

I would bet if I was 100% confident but I am not. I am more of a realist. The pressure to win is now firmly on the Wallabies shoulders as well (it is always on the ABs) and God knows they have surprised us before.
 

gold heart

Ted Fahey (11)
we all know we have a love hate relationship with our little brothers over the dutch but farrrk the kiwis im sick of their annoying smug voices.....cin i ave a sex pack of beer some fush and chops please and a cadbury whup.... just for once roll them wallabies so we don't have to listen to their smug annoying commentary
 

Scoey

Tony Shaw (54)
Haha I actually enjoy the NZ commentary on fox most of the time. It's biased but no where near as bad as the Aus commentators!

The fancy words are "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"

Thems are very very fancy words! Me likey!
 

disco

Chilla Wilson (44)
I just can't believe that he has picked Timani over Simmons, Douglas, Pyle & Neville. I just become depressed when I think about the team & the match on saturday & how fucked in the head Robbie Deans is.

I can live with Rob Horne being in the team but Timani & Phipps is beyond belief that Deans has actually ever watched any test rugby in his life let alone coached at the highest level it has to be sabotage

unnecessary playing the man................ deleted FP.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
I think Timani is there to try to bend the line and make dominant tackles (as is TPN) because Simmons, Douglas, Pyle & Neville don't and neither does our back row.

Phipps? I understand White is wounded and waiting for surgery.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Without Palu, we need some strong tacklers. In the Wales series, Palu consistently was close to our top tackler.

Hopefully Timani provides plenty of physicality and works hard. Clearly he will need to pull off a superhuman effort to win over the masses.

I think Higginbotham needs to play out of his skin. He needs to play a tight game and do plenty of hard yards. He needs to make some dominant tackles.
 

No4918

John Hipwell (52)
Without Palu, we need some strong tacklers. In the Wales series, Palu consistently was close to our top tackler.

Hopefully Timani provides plenty of physicality and works hard. Clearly he will need to pull off a superhuman effort to win over the masses.

I think Higginbotham needs to play out of his skin. He needs to play a tight game and do plenty of hard yards. He needs to make some dominant tackles.

I think Timani is there to try to bend the line and make dominant tackles (as is TPN) because Simmons, Douglas, Pyle & Neville don't and neither does our back row.

Phipps? I understand White is wounded and waiting for surgery.


I know you guys are trying to be positive but your language tells me neither of you are confident he can have the effect you think he is being selected for.

TPN, Higgers and Timani are hardly reknowned for there work in tight. Then to choose a backline that suits a tighter game and to say they will look at going through the AB's rather than around. It makes no sense.

Really looking forward to seeing Fainga'a at 12. Not the ideal choice but i am a fan and think it's probably as good or better than having McCabe at 12. He has better ball playing ability and a good combination with Genia and Ioane. He was great at 12 off Cooper a couple of years ago before shifting to 13. Hopefully Barnes takes the line on early to put the defence in two minds and keep a defender or two watching him all game. If he doesn't Finger and Horne are going to be smashed all night.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I know you guys are trying to be positive but your language tells me neither of you are confident he can have the effect you think he is being selected for.

I am not confident, but the reality is that I would have no confidence that Simmons would have an impact either. Simmons clearly offers more in the lineout but less everywhere else. Simmons sometimes plays well but has the horrible habit of going missing and losing sight of what he is meant to do (e.g. the Super Rugby semi final against the Sharks where he often just loitered offside to get in the way).

If Timani doesn't have a storming game then I think we have to see a change for the next test with Douglas at least moving on to the bench and Timani dropping out of the 22 altogether.
 

Allsports

Stan Wickham (3)
White I believe has played all season with the same injury according to Canberra Times, and was picked for the Wales series under the same cloud tho never was capped, played all season for the Brumbies & had a great 1st season, so why pick him in the 30 to train & I quote Deans from last wkends SMH " to cover" the 9 spot until his surgery ? If he's available & as ready to play as he has been all year why the hell is he not on the bench ? I only hope Deans is not screwing with him, we can't afford only 1 no 9 & ATM we only have Genia then White, who is IMO closing the gap, then a far off Phipps. I'd entice you to play for the Rebels Nic but I can't wait to see how the Brumbie story unfolds. Good luck to all the chosen players for the Wallabies, just sad that we could have been a liitle stronger, Cooper & Barnes side by side, 2 of our strongest backs & only room in the 22 for 1, & Moore on the bench not starting, it's a head scratcher. Will still sit & support on saturday.
 

twenty seven

Tom Lawton (22)
Scoey you must have only heard their commentary when they are winning!!. When the AB's or any Kiwi Super Rugby team aren't doing the best the commentary can turn on a dime. Their biasness puts our team to shame.
 
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