2012 Rugby Championship Round 3 Game 1 Australia vs South Africa - 8 Sep

[Richo]

I'd prefer Simmons over Gill.

Harris and Fainga'a is better than Horne and Fainga'a. Is Harris there as goal kicking cover? If not (and Barnes, Cooper and Beale are all kickers), why? Why not go with Tapuai?

(Personally, I don't get Fainga'a over Horne, since Horne was the starter last week and didn't do much good or bad, but meh, it doesn't really matter either).

 

[qwerty51]

Robbie really doesn't like locks.

 

[Braveheart81]

(Personally, I don't get Fainga'a over Horne, since Horne was the starter last week and didn't do much good or bad, but meh, it doesn't really matter either).

The ARU gets a few less angry letters from Reds fans if they put Fainga'a on the bench instead of Horne.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

That's just about the best team we can put out on the paddock right now. Loving AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) being back at 13 and hopefully he can get some spark back in that midfield with Cooper and Barnes. The pack is OK, though I do worry about Alexander at prop and the balance of the back row. Hopefully Higginbotham will have been stung a bit by being benched (how's that for some alliteration) and will lift his work rate. I don't think we can play him and Dennis in the same line up, as we lack an enforcer at 6/8.

And who subs on if one of the locks gets injured?

 

[fatprop]

Robbie really doesn't like locks.

Dennis & Samo can cover lock

 

[GaffaCHinO]

No sure why harris is there we have plenty of 10/12 on the pitch and Ant at 12/13 would really have liked Cummins in front of a home crowd. Can play 11/13/14 feel for the guy.

 

[Ash]

I'd prefer Simmons over Gill.

Harris and Fainga'a is better than Horne and Fainga'a. Is Harris there as goal kicking cover? If not (and Barnes, Cooper and Beale are all kickers), why? Why not go with Tapuai?

(Personally, I don't get Fainga'a over Horne, since Horne was the starter last week and didn't do much good or bad, but meh, it doesn't really matter either).

Don't make sense to me either.

I would take either Harris/Cummins or Fainga'a/Cummins, as they provide more options. Cummins is 13/wing, Harris is 10/12 and Fainga'a 12/13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13 is also a backup wing/fullback. Horne would've also been OK, if you meant to have AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as the wing/fullback replacement.

Don't get Harris/Fainga'a, though, lots of replication there. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) must be the wing/fullback cover. I can only assume that Harris is there as Barnes or Cooper is likely to be subbed, and Fainga'a has surpassed Horne in the pecking order.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

The Men in Gold as selected seem to be as good as can be expected given injuries.

The big question is will they be able to execute Dingo's game plan?

 

[GaffaCHinO]

The Men in Gold as selected seem to be as good as can be expected given injuries.

The big question is will they be able to execute Dingo's game plan?

haha deans doesnt have a game plan

 

[TOCC]

Sigh

 

[The Red Baron]

I would liked to have seen a Harris/Cummins or Taps/Cummins bench. I have to agree with Gaffa, Cummins would have really relished getting on the paddock in front of his home crowd.

I'm still not sold on our pigs. I would have preferred Slipper to be in the starting lineup, with either Ryan or Alexander on the bench. Ryan has the edge on Alexander at scrum time, but Alexander wins on workrate. I always defer to the better scrummager, and Ryan looks like a prop!

Samo should have been given a license to hammer people, then be subbed just before or at half time. I don't want Samo coming back out onto the field after half time.

Finally, I hope we have our lineout sorted this week. Bekker might have problems constantly calling himself in the lineout, but he can really disrupt us on our throw.

 

[Braveheart81]

Hopefully Sharpe has learnt that he needs to vary our lineout more too.

He can't keep calling to himself.

As Scott Allen pointed out in his lineout analysis, if Timani is at number 2 in the lineout and is marked by a non-jumper, they should have an option to throw to him.

His lineout skills can't be that bad if he's likely to be uncontested.

 

[The Red Baron]

Hopefully Sharpe has learnt that he needs to vary our lineout more too.

He can't keep calling to himself.

As Scott Allen pointed out in his lineout analysis, if Timani is at number 2 in the lineout and is marked by a non-jumper, they should have an option to throw to him.

His lineout skills can't be that bad if he's likely to be uncontested.

This is what I hope the Wallabies have been working on. At the moment there is no cohesion in the lineout, only confusion.

 

[Braveheart81]

You'd figure that you only have to successfully throw to Timani once in the first half if he's at two and you've already removed some pressure from Sharpe for the rest of the game.

If you do that and they just continue to mark Sharpe, then you keep throwing there.

With Samo starting, I guess we might see him at two in the first half though.

 

[en_force_er]

I wouldn't have any issue with Dennis covering lock from the bench but having him cover lock from starting blindside is asking for trouble. One injury and you have very limited substitution options.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Hopefully someone in Dingodom reads Austin's blog contributions.*

Would the Saffers have any of their spies doing any electronic snooping in Gaggerland?


* by "read", I mean read, digest and take all necessary actions such as drawing the attention of the contents to the various Analysts, coaches, assistant coaches and players using simple works that they can understand such as "don't kick the ball straight to the opposition", "vary the lineout calls" etc.

 

[abrixon]

Good chance to see if the ball gets passed by the 13 any more than previous players in that position??????

 

[The Red Baron]

You'd figure that you only have to successfully throw to Timani once in the first half if he's at two and you've already removed some pressure from Sharpe for the rest of the game.

If you do that and they just continue to mark Sharpe, then you keep throwing there.

With Samo starting, I guess we might see him at two in the first half though.

That's right. What we need to do is create doubt in the oppositions mind as to who will receive the ball. Usually, the best jumper will mark Sharpe, leaving other options open at the front and back of the lineout. It is really a matter of analysing who is standing where and altering your calls on the run. If it is clear that you are under constant pressure, then you need to mix your calls up and do something that the opposition doesn't expect.

Timani fits into that category. He is usually marked by the weakest lineout jumper, as evidenced against the Blacks. Messam was marking him FFS! He might not be a strong jumper, but jumping at 2 isn't hard, especially when you are being marked by a weak jumper.

We will start this weekend with Sharpe, Samo, Timani and Dennis as players that are capable of jumping in the lineout. Surely we should be able to cleanly secure the pill! And with 4 jumpers, we should definitely be able to get a man in the air to disrupt the Bok throw in. If we can't, someone needs shooting.

 

[Mr Doug]

It goes without saying, (but I'll say it anyway), I'm pleased to see Harris on the bench!

 

[Linebacker_41]

Samo should have been given a license to hammer people, then be subbed just before or at half time. I don't want Samo coming back out onto the field after half time.

I am pretty happy with the squad this week - it is close to the best that we can put out there at the moment.

Red Baron - I agree that Samo should be given license to kill (sounds catchier than hammer people).

However I also think that he should be given a sprint period straight after the break. 5-10mins where he absolutely redlines his heart rate/lungs etc. I hate players being subbed at half-time (injuries not included) the half time break gives that opportunity to get the lungs back and even on a short 5minute burst to add some more damage to the opposition would be a valuable contribution to the team success.

I am mildly optimistic that we will get the result that we need on the weekend.