Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
I want to go to Barry Island with Ned & Stacey - I love that show!!Ahh!! seems to be a bit of a rut, god help you if you ever got into a valley especially the ones we have here,
2012 Rugby Championship Game 2 New Zealand vs Australia - 25 August
- Thread starter Hugh Jarse
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boyo
Mark Ella (57)
Or Gavin and Stacey,even.
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Im having a good day - I hated Ned and stacey!
Mr Doug
Dick Tooth (41)
I think, for me, the most "defining" part of Saturday's match was when Dagg scored his try, and the cameras panned to the Australian coaching box. Assistant-coach, Tony McGahan showed 'normal' emmotions, and probably said something like "bugger" as he leant back in his chair. In contrast, Robbie just sat there, leaning forward whilst exhibiting no emmotion, and there was no change in his facial expression. Was he thinking "great try Issy", or to me, he just looked "lost and confused"! He reminded me of most of the residents in the dementia facility where my mother-in-law now lives! Has the pressure got to him, or is he just not up to Test level?
Dam0
Dave Cowper (27)
Nah, that is real tinfoil hat stuff I am afraid. Sitting stoically through a rugby game showing no expression at all is a Kiwi coaching tradition. For instance Grizz and Mains were experts at it. The tradition has been lost somewhat, but you will hardly ever see AB coaches pointing and gesticulating like those from some countries do.
A polite nod and even a smile is good enough for a try, whilst not flinching when the other team scores is a requirement.
Shiggins
Simon Poidevin (60)
Does everyone agree that no one could of beaten the all blacks on sat night? I think it's a load of shit. They scored one try. We played like shit. They were not that good. Every bit of press said they were unbeatable. One actually stated it was there best performance in the last 10 years.
waratahjesus
Greg Davis (50)
They were very good, there attack didn't fire, but there ability to contest virtually every ruck and maul with fire and skill deserves accolades. Any team that does that for 80 minutes deserves some kind words for there effort. They dominated pretty much every collision.
Hawko
Tony Shaw (54)
I think it was good, especially the way the forwards dominated us, but I didn't think it was anything too special. We tried hard enough and stopped it being a rout, but we were not really in the game, even in the first 20. Most teams, like Ireland in the 3rd test would have capitulated and had 60 put on them. But I'll bet Hanson and co. had a lot of things on the "must do better" list by the end of the game, especially for the backline and the set piece. With that much good ball they should have run riot, but they didn't.
Too much hyperbole in the commentariat and too much rubbish from our coaching staff, implying that there was nothing we could have done to win. They were only unbeatable because we weren't good enough (statement of the bleeding obvious, but you know what I mean).
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
I fear that if a side threatened them they'd just lift a gear but we'll never know because we didn't threaten them.
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Joe Blow
John Hipwell (52)
I think this is right. In both tests they played with such pace in every aspect of the game and applied enormous pressure both in attack and defense.
Later that day the Boks and Pumas looked like they were playing in slow motion at times, much like we did when we were trying to slow down the game at the base of the ruck.
They made some mistakes and did not take all of their opportunities but were very fast to cover themselves when that happened.
They are beatable but all the stars would have to align for us to be the ones to make it happen right now.
Heres hoping it will be so in Brisbane after some confidence building rugby for us against the Boks and Argentinians.
Torn Hammy
Johnnie Wallace (23)
I've noticed that the ABs rushing defence targets the opposition outside centre. When this tactic is combined with the loose forwards harrassing the five-eighth, then it is left to inside centre to take control of the teams's attack. He can do this with the crash ball and recycle, or with a half break and pass and the full break. The job description for an inside centre against the ABs is size, physicality, speed and good ball skills.
That we haven't produced an inside centre that has these attributes , to me is Robbie Deans' greatest failure and it is the reason that our attack looked so pathetic last Saturday. The ABs have worked hard to develop Sonny Bill in this position and he is a more formidable prospect than Nonu because of his ball skills.
That Deans chose Barnes at inside centre tells me that he doesn't understand what is required in this position in the context of the modern game and more specifically against the ABs.
If you don't know what you are looking for, you will never find it.
That we haven't produced an inside centre that has these attributes , to me is Robbie Deans' greatest failure and it is the reason that our attack looked so pathetic last Saturday. The ABs have worked hard to develop Sonny Bill in this position and he is a more formidable prospect than Nonu because of his ball skills.
That Deans chose Barnes at inside centre tells me that he doesn't understand what is required in this position in the context of the modern game and more specifically against the ABs.
If you don't know what you are looking for, you will never find it.
FrankLind
Colin Windon (37)
Robbie is talking the ABs up to save his own ass.
They played with good intensity and an adventurous confident style, but the finishing was pretty shit.
Mr Doug
Dick Tooth (41)
I take your point DamO, but what you are saying is that Robbie is a "typical national Kiwi rugby coach". So how come he was knocked back twice when he offered himself as ABs coach?!
Seriously, I know you are taking the Michael (aka piss) out of me, but, as I said over 12 months ago, it must be hard for Robbie to coach against "family" like Ritchie, and others who he regards as "sons". I think the ARU "experiment" is a 'oncer', never to be repeated, although, whilst Bam Bam is injured, perhaps Jake could slot in as "temporary" Wallabies coach, bring it on!!!
teach
Trevor Allan (34)
Dam0
Dave Cowper (27)
I think the reasons for Deans getting knocked back for the AB's have been well litigated and in the absence of a tell all book from one of the selection committee are conjecture only. If I had to guess, and from what little has come out via "confidential sources" (ie PIDOOMA by Zavos et al) the following seem as good a bet as any:
1) He was tarnished by his involvement in the Mitchell/Deans era, where boozing was out of control, and the AB's played some good rugby, and an awful lot of dumb rugby
2) He had a bad interview, when he was asked to name his assistants, he hadn't even thought about them. He apparently attended the interview having given no thought for the style of game and culture he wanted the team to play.
3) The cartel had just delivered 4 years of exceptional results, including 2 grandslams, 3 Tri-Nations, holding the Bledisloe, and a comprehensive annihilation of the Lions in all 3 tests. This was tempered, obviously, by the RWC result, but then strategy of changing coaches after every RWC loss hadn't worked in the past, so they tried another strategy (plus Henry probably convinced them the Q-F loss came in extraordinary circumstances).
4) The players backed Henry over Deans.
As for Deans finding it hard to coach against those he knows, well maybe, but it also gives him an edge in formulating strategies to beat them (not that it seems to have worked too well). On the whole, I suspect that Deans is a pro and is doing his level best, but a combination of a clash of rugby cultures, the players just not being up to it and his own failings as a coach have meant that he just hasn't succeeded as well as people had hoped.
Why you lot rehired him before the RWC is a mystery.
Richo
John Thornett (49)
teach
Trevor Allan (34)
he was coming from the Crusaders franchise. Incredibly successful. One that a lot of rugby players aspire to play for. A lot of us kiwis thought he would be the man to take charge after the disaster that was RWC 2007. Me too, to my embaressment. On a cursory examination he did indeed look like the man to step up to the next level of coaching.
We did not know that guys like Richie and Dan did not support him. This obviously was not passed on to the ARU.
But here is a thought. Say the ABs destroy SA and the Argies, and Australia beat Argies and SA, coming 2nd in the Rugby championship. How would that look? Would it not be seen as some vindication of Robbie? Australia would be firmly placed at number 2. Just throwing that thought out there!
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