2012 Rugby Championship Round 4 Game 2 Australia vs Argentina - 15 Sep

[Waylon]

Sheehan is the perfect 9 to play the Argies. Hopefull Phipps will get smashed and removed. Sheehan is one tough SOAB

Beale benched. Great news. He should be dumped from the 22. He has been absolute rubbish

Plodder mccabe back to 12...........tuck and truck it up in midfield all game. His pedestrian pace and inability to unload should see him getting belted behind the ad line all game. The Argies will target him and flood the breakdown. We will struggle to retain our ball, be unable to build phases and pressure and will lose a lot of turnover ball and frequesntly lose ball on the first phase.

It won't be a spectacle. Mccabe is not what running rugby needs in this country

I'd be happier with Mccabe at 15. To be fair to the bloke, he is a great defender, has massive ones, is good under the high ball and puts his bodyon the line. he just isn't a good 12. He lacks acceleration and the ability to pass or offload. he'll get belted and our backline will be frustrated.

The Argies have the blueprint of how to beat the McCabe inspired first phase crash ball clueless attacking rugby from supr coach and genius tactician dingo deans. At least Mccabe won't dribble a barrage of ridiculous grubber kicks.........but he will get belted and concede first phase ball.

It won't be a memorable spectacle

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Surely it is unacceptable that Beale is considered to be out of condition? I made the point that he looked to have put back in the kgs he lost: why wouldn't the have been obvious to all prior to him turning in the shocker?
Or was it just put up with. Because there was no alternative?
I know KB (Kurtley Beale) has had injuries but is it accepted practice for elite sportsmen to just keep eating as if they're in full training? Doesn't happen to Dan Carter, for instance.
So, where is the guidance when they do get injured and where is their discipline?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[fatprop]

Benched Beale will have to work his way back - Deans

September 12, 2012
Greg Growden

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WALLABIES coach Robbie Deans believes axed fullback Kurtley Beale's conditioning must improve before he can again be considered for a starting Test spot.
Deans also emphasised the importance of Brumbies centre Pat McCabe to the Wallabies by bringing him straight back into the starting XV as soon as he was fit, in a revamped attack to confront Argentina on the Gold Coast on Saturday night.
McCabe's return after missing the first three Tests of the Rugby Championship because of a stress fracture in his foot resulted in Beale being squeezed out of the starting XV and onto the bench.

"You don't suddenly go from hero to zero. He's somewhere in between, and continues to offer us an awful lot" ... Wallabies coach Robbie Deans on Kurtley Beale.

As Berrick Barnes's accurate goalkicking was crucial, he has been moved from inside centre, to accommodate McCabe, to fullback - a position he played regularly last season with Sydney University while recovering from several serious bouts of concussion. And so Beale instead finds himself as one of three backs reserves.
Although Beale's effort against the Springboks in Perth last weekend was a considerable improvement on his dreadful performance against the All Blacks in Sydney, he is still well short of what made him one of Australia's most potent attacking weapons in 2010-11.
Opposition teams have started to work him out, and his pace off the mark has diminished. Precise defensive strategies have had the desired effect of limiting Beale's impact.
''The defensive lines in Test rugby have stiffened up. Every side is finding it harder to score, and that side of the game is getting more difficult. And that's the side of the game which Kurtley is most remembered for,'' Deans said yesterday.
''It is also fair to say whether it be as a result of injuries or whatever, he is not as sharp as he has been. He's working hard on that, and will get back there.
''One of Kurtley's greatest points of difference was his footwork and his explosiveness. He had the ability to create a foot race and win. He has great instinct, and reads body language superbly. But to maximise that you have to be really at the top of your game and on top of your fitness. And he's not at the moment. That's evident. He's not in his 2010 shape.
''Still you don't suddenly go from hero to zero. He's somewhere in between, and continues to offer us an awful lot.''
Deans said Beale was probably most dangerous playing from the bench at the moment.
''He will provide a lot coming off the bench late when he is fresh and up against tiring bodies.''
Beale's teammate and long-standing friend, Quade Cooper, was adamant his form slump would only be for a short time, and he would soon be demanding a starting spot again.
''I don't think it is a case of him not playing well,'' Cooper said yesterday. ''The way the recent games have been panning out, it hasn't been the best for any of the back three.
''Kurtley is a player with a lot of expectation on him, and a lot of people have their eyes on him. So if he has a normal game it is noted that he is not as spectacular as he usually is.''
It was also clear McCabe was one of the first picked for this Test, even though his only football in recent months was 30 minutes in last weekend's Canberra club grand final. Deans has long held McCabe in the highest regard, prompting his inclusion in this year's Wallabies leadership group.
''He's been an integral part of this team for the past two seasons, and it was a pretty straightforward decision to bring him back in.
''When you have lost so much experience, it is good to have someone like Pat coming back, especially with his strength of character, physical stature and he is also someone who is prepared to provide direction to the game.''

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Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/australia-rugby/benched-beale-will-have-to-work-his-way-back--deans-20120911-25qmj.html#ixzz26C7TKP1p​

I just hope that Barnes, Ships & Digby have been catching high balls 5 hours a day this week because I expect the Argies to unleash hell on them

 

[Scotty]

Don't forget the unseen; Taps may not be 100% fit, might not fit into what Deans wants in the backline or might not be training as hard/well as others.

I agree he deserves a shot from the outside perspective.

I doubt fitness has been the issue. He has been playing club for a while, and if he had fitness problems why is he in the squad at all?

I also find the game plan argument difficult. We have now had 3 different styles of 12s and 2 different styles of 10s. Deans doesnt know what his game style is!

 

[Joe Blow]

We need to take them on up front and nullify their strength. That's it.
They have made a couple of changes in their backs aimed at giving them more creativity but I cannot remember seeing an Argentinian backs division tear anyone up.
Like FP says, they will kick up and unders all day long and try and apply pressure through their pack at the set piece and breakdown.

 

[What2040]

Robbo just needs to be fit, AND motivated.
I just think it is ridiculous that a Wallaby , any Wallaby is not fit after a full season of S15. Shit, they are supposed to be fit at the start of the season. Thats why they have trial games and start training early. This is their profession.

If any other professional doesn't perform and reach the KPI's (in business) the workplace is extremely unforgiving - same shouold apply in sport

 

[Braveheart81]

O'Connor isn't going on the tour to South Africa and Argentina.

He won't play any rugby until the Spring Tour now.

 

[East Coast Aces]

Am I the only person who sees an issue with selecting players to try and match the Argies strength rather then selecting a side to attack their weaknesses?

 

[Braveheart81]

If McCabe is fit and healthy then his selection is fine. He has made himself one of the first guys picked this year.

 

[Joe Blow]

Am I the only person who sees an issue with selecting players to try and match the Argies strength rather then selecting a side to attack their weaknesses?

We need to be strong up front no matter who we play. The Boks matched the Argies in the forwards and we more than matched the Boks there. There is an obvious advantage for us to exploit right there and it just happens to be the Pumas strength.
We also have a backs division that can score points if given the opportunity.
The only non-injury forced changed is dropping Beale to the bench and bringing in McCabe.

 

[Scotty]

If McCabe is fit and healthy then his selection is fine. He has made himself one of the first guys picked this year.

You are nuts. I like the guy but he is still a limited player. If he is one of the first guys picked then it is very dire times for our national team.

He didn't even play great in super rugby.

 

[Scotty]

We need to be strong up front no matter who we play. The Boks matched the Argies in the forwards and we more than matched the Boks there. There is an obvious advantage for us to exploit right there and it just happens to be the Pumas strength.
We also have a backs division that can score points if given the opportunity.
The only non-injury forced changed is dropping Beale to the bench and bringing in McCabe.

A backs division that can score points? What evidence is there of that so far?

 

[Braveheart81]

He has been one of our better performing players throughout the RWC and the Wales series.

I think his rate of improvement has also been really good. His ball playing ability and attacking skill has improved substantially from when he become a Wallaby.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I don't think McCabe and Ashley-Cooper are that similar tbh; AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesn't seek contact the same way McCabe does. McCabe runs hard into spaces or at players (less so the latter, which is good progress) while AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) uses his fend and step more.

Scotty got in before I did and nailed it.

 

[fatprop]

You are nuts. I like the guy but he is still a limited player. If he is one of the first guys picked then it is very dire times for our national team.

He didn't even play great in super rugby.

I thought he was pretty good and probably our best 12 in the S15

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Am I the only person who sees an issue with selecting players to try and match the Argies strength rather then selecting a side to attack their weaknesses?

I see what you mean, but in order for our backs to get opportunities to score, we must win the battle in the pigs. You can't score tries if you are constantly running backwards. Our backline (especially Cooper) doesn't function when under that kind of suffocating pressure. We need some hard blokes smashing into them to get that front foot ball. We also need to secure quick ball at the breakdown and one of the best ways to do that is to be getting over the gain line consistently.

We're also a bit hamstrung (no pun intended) by the massive injury list at the moment. The guys out there will be just about the last 15 fit rugby players in the country.

 

[East Coast Aces]

McCabe was a winger/fullback until injuries the Brumbies forced a reshuffle mid season. It wouldn't surprise me if he can't pass with both hands. I haven't seen him pass yet to work out which hand it is though.

 

[East Coast Aces]

I see what you mean, but in order for our backs to get opportunities to score, we must win the battle in the pigs. You can't score tries if you are constantly running backwards. Our backline (especially Cooper) doesn't function when under that kind of suffocating pressure. We need some hard blokes smashing into them to get that front foot ball. We also need to secure quick ball at the breakdown and one of the best ways to do that is to be getting over the gain line consistently.

We're also a bit hamstrung (no pun intended) by the massive injury list at the moment. The guys out there will be just about the last 15 fit rugby players in the country.

I have less concern with our forwards and more with our backs. The Argies often left 12, 13, 15, 14 marked by just their 13 and 14. (the fools gold as described by Hansen) Yet still the All Blacks needed plays from the like of Conrad Smith drawing 3 defenders and offloading for them to score.

I hope the straight running of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and McCabe punishes this defencesive strategy but the ball still needs to get out there. Cooper has a great long ball, but if that is the only way then we are open to an Intercept try.

 

[fatprop]

McCabe was a winger/fullback until injuries the Brumbies forced a reshuffle mid season. It wouldn't surprise me if he can't pass with both hands. I haven't seen him pass yet to work out which hand it is though.

actually no, he played 2 games on the wing and 13 at 12

http://www.rugbystats.com.au/rugby/super15.html?refresh=1347409581182

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I have less concern with our forwards and more with our backs. The Argies often left 12, 13, 15, 14 marked by just their 13 and 14. (the fools gold as described by Hansen) Yet still the All Blacks needed plays from the like of Conrad Smith drawing 3 defenders and offloading for them to score.

I hope the straight running of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and McCabe punishes this defencesive strategy but the ball still needs to get out there. Cooper has a great long ball, but if that is the only way then we are open to an Intercept try.

Yep, angles of running will be key, as will be passing (isn't it always). It's a pity KB (Kurtley Beale) is so unfit at the moment, as you'd love to see him hitting the line at pace off Cooper or McCabe's shoulder causing mayhem. The same for JOC (James O'Connor).