2012 Rugby Championship Game 2 New Zealand vs Australia - 25 August

[codex156]

I kinda agree Swat, it was more to push my frustration with Pocock being handed so much responsibility that it is reducing his effectiveness on the field

 

[Bernie_Larkham]

don't agree with that.
sonny was dangerous all night and pretty much at a minimum double teamed.

he was one poor pass away from setting up a great try. he was quiet as far as run metres, but he did a hell of a lot more than SFA - more to centres than tries.

A faainga missed a few tackles, fell off a few others, got wrong footed and kicked away that turnover ball for what reason i will never know.

I think Mitchell (if fit) lines up very well against whomever his opposite is. Hosea Gear is a bit meh for me. Jane is excellent, but I think Mitchell can counter him well.

Mitchell off at 60 minutes, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to the wing and Beale at full back.

If higgers isn't fit - who slots in? we need a back rower who can play 8 when samo tires. dennis and hooper not it.

SBW has done very little against top Test teams (SA, AUS).

He threw at least 3 poor passes - once in the opening minutes in his own 22 that went forward and was plain stupid. The second was an intercept (which is when AF kicked it away) and then the one where they would have scored for sure.

He was a non-entity. Its incredible the hypocrisy if you can imagine the vitriol that would be directed at QC (Quade Cooper), for example, if he made the same mistakes in a match. He did bugger all and has basically played great footy at S15 level and off the back of Cruden a lot of the time. He has the potential to be a very good Test player but he isnt that yet, by any stretch IMO.

The cheer leaders on Fox carry on if he does up his shoe lace. I think Horan mentioned him 4 times after Daggs try for just running an inside line. Stiff shit, I could have done that...

I dont think he was dangerous and needs to develop his own game outside of Cruden.

 

[Scotty]

No. The cheap shots have more come from Saia. I don't have a video of the incident Cully is talking about.

Ant Fainga'a has been a lot more confrontational in the last year than he was previously. He seems keen to get into a bit of push and shove when he can. Again, this is anecdotal as I don't have a string of videos to post as evidence.

That really isn't what you said.

 

[KOB1987]

Think he's lying to you, hard to find anywhere over $9

no he's not lying, its on a betting exchange

 

[Braveheart81]

That really isn't what you said.

I previously said: "Both Fainga'a twins seem to really have brought this into their game this year and I'm really not a fan. There is a big difference between being physical and aggressive and just being a dirty player."

I can't think of another cheap shot by Ant, but he has been getting into a lot of push and shove after play has stopped (players getting tackled out of play etc.) than he ever did previously.

I've watched him since he first started playing first grade in Sydney. He used to steer well away from push and shove and the general niggle between plays that he has brought into his game this year. If anything, he's introduced some of the niggle tactics that have made Tom Carter so reviled.

For a guy who is such a good, physical player it seems altogether unnecessary.

 

[Happy]

Can I ask what this is based on? I'm not having a go; it is a genuine question.

It is based on blind optimism and unrealistic hopes, scarcely supported by flimsy evidence.

Actually, I genuinely am feeling better about the Wallaby chances - not to win, mind you - just to play better and to surprise both us long suffering supporters and the Blacks with their competitiveness.

Mind you, I have been completely wrong before.

 

[Scoey]

Yeah nice post Codex. It's funny how it works like that. Take the Aussie Cricket team at their peak. It started getting a bit so-so. I started going for the underdog on occasions. I wanted to go back to the times when your boys needed 4 runs off the last two balls to grab that oh so unlikely win.

When the games are always tight, all you want is a reprieve from the heart stoppers, the single point victories that come form a kick after the siren. You want your team to dominate the fuck out of anyone they play. If they manage to do that it's all beer and skittles... for a while. Then you get to the point where you are. When all you want is a return to the glory days when games were hard fought and before the game you could flip a coin to see who would win, hell, you'd even take a few losses just to feel that passion again.

Swings and roundabouts my friend. But you are correct. I will always take a well played game in which the Wallabies lose to a rubbish game in which the Wobs do it easy - unless its the RWC final or something. Then I'll take it any way it comes.

 

[TOCC]

Really?
Thought you were better than that.
Obviously not.
Don't call me Son,unless you are going to give me pocket money each week,and buy me a new car.

obviously a typo but whatever...if you can't see why it's annoying when people generalise you and paint you all with the same brush then there's not much else to say... I criticize QC (Quade Cooper) quite often, and furthermore I have plenty of friends(reds fans) who actually hate the way QC (Quade Cooper) plays....


But heck, it must be something in the water In Queensland huh...

 

[Braveheart81]

But heck, it must be something in the water In Queensland huh.

Recycled poo in some parts of South East Queensland!

 

[The Red Baron]

Yeah nice post Codex. It's funny how it works like that. Take the Aussie Cricket team at their peak. It started getting a bit so-so. I started going for the underdog on occasions. I wanted to go back to the times when your boys needed 4 runs off the last two balls to grab that oh so unlikely win.

When the games are always tight, all you want is a reprieve from the heart stoppers, the single point victories that come form a kick after the siren. You want your team to dominate the fuck out of anyone they play. If they manage to do that it's all beer and skittles. for a while. Then you get to the point where you are. When all you want is a return to the glory days when games were hard fought and before the game you could flip a coin to see who would win, hell, you'd even take a few losses just to feel that passion again.

Swings and roundabouts my friend. But you are correct. I will always take a well played game in which the Wallabies lose to a rubbish game in which the Wobs do it easy - unless its the RWC final or something. Then I'll take it any way it comes.

I was also thinking about the parallels between the Aussie cricket team of a few years ago when I read Codex's post. You said pretty much everything I was going to. I kept substituting the Windies predicament with the Wallabies though!

Great post also Codex. Keep 'em coming!

 

[Loki74]

Right, well - I'm tipping Wallabies by 8. If it is any closer than that, All Blacks will find a way of sneaking home. So must be us by 8. Go Wallabies.

 

[Scoey]

Recycled poo in some parts of South East Queensland!

Hey the recycled poo is top notch. We actually have the highest quality recycled poo you can get where I live. It's awesome stuff!

 

[TOCC]

Recycled poo in some parts of South East Queensland!

I actually live in Sydney these days... But for the record, the push to have recycled water pumped into SEQ Dams was overturned, they have the recycling plants built, but they will only be activated if the collective water of SEQ falls below 30 or 40%

#slightlyofftopic

 

[Bon]

Let's all hope Mr Owen allows for some non stop flowing rugby.or is that too much to expect from a NH ref?
Wallabies appear to have a good blend of experience and enthusiastic youth this week and the backline should certainly have more flair. I'm looking forward to a great game. I think your blokes could be a very good bet at the $8 odds on offer. Cheers

 

[Beefcake]

well considering recent history between the darkness & wobs the last 5 years and factor in ABs are WC and usually dominant between WC, and this campaign signals the beginning of that cycle... seems all black to me.... Really dont see anyone in the wob fold consistently breaking that line other than Digby, Mitchell (nobody has for the last however long and if the ball reaches either wings) and maybe QC (Quade Cooper) (but doesnot have a good defensive record against the darkness and reknown confidence player)...or anyone in the piggies unless Sharpy uses his walking stick (pocock - was best thing going) Annihilation? And i know Owens has turned black...and u know what they say once you go black.....

 

[cyclopath]

Timani should be gone after this:




Really Sitaleki? You were just standing around waiting for the ref to call shit and he let you down?!? Is that what happened?? But NOW..oh NOW, you're gonna get aggressive and attack anything comes your way?? (his words BTW). Cos now you're angry..and the All Blacks won't like you when you're angry!! Grrrrraawwwwwl!!

Geez Timani..if it took you a whole game and then some reflection afterwards to decide that your big-ass monster of a body needs to get aggressive and you're now gonna be 'not so friendly' at the breakdown (but last week you were what?? Somewhat friendly? More like acquaintences than friends? Accomodating?!?)

If you have to tell yourself to get more aggresive, if you need to convince yourself...you're fucked.

I think it speaks volumes about the whole pack, not just Timani. None of them were doing what needed to be done. If they think the AB players are in the wrong spot, get them out of there. The Wallaby plan of under-committing to breakdowns (when they ought to be blasting into some of them) relies on the referee pinging the opposition all day. Not surprisingly, this doesn't happen.

 

[Sully]

I previously said: "Both Fainga'a twins seem to really have brought this into their game this year and I'm really not a fan. There is a big difference between being physical and aggressive and just being a dirty player."

I can't think of another cheap shot by Ant, but he has been getting into a lot of push and shove after play has stopped (players getting tackled out of play etc.) than he ever did previously.

I've watched him since he first started playing first grade in Sydney. He used to steer well away from push and shove and the general niggle between plays that he has brought into his game this year. If anything, he's introduced some of the niggle tactics that have made Tom Carter so reviled.

For a guy who is such a good, physical player it seems altogether unnecessary.

I've watched every game he's played this year and can't think of a single incident. Time to put up or shut up.

 

[Sully]

Recycled poo in some parts of South East Queensland!

Really?

 

[Loki74]

well considering recent history between the darkness & wobs the last 5 years and factor in ABs are WC and usually dominant between WC, and this campaign signals the beginning of that cycle. seems all black to me.. Really dont see anyone in the wob fold consistently breaking that line other than Digby, Mitchell (nobody has for the last however long and if the ball reaches either wings) and maybe QC (Quade Cooper) (but doesnot have a good defensive record against the darkness and reknown confidence player).or anyone in the piggies unless Sharpy uses his walking stick (pocock - was best thing going) Annihilation? And i know Owens has turned black.and u know what they say once you go black...

Nope. I still think Wobs by 8. Whole team to have a blinder. ABs go in over confident (almost impossible for them not to be - although some might say no matter how confident they are, they still won't be overconfident).

 

[Bardon]

I must admit I have a bit of a problem. Tonight I have some family over for a bit of a party, nothing big but it will finish late.

So I just checked what time the coverage of this game starts tomorrow. When I say it was 8am here I thought that'll be a little early after the exploits of the night before. This thought had hardly had a chance to form when I noticed that Sky are also showing Otago v Northland starting from 6am and I'm wondering if I should get up for that.

My name is Bardon and I'm addicted to Rugby.