Clearly the answer is that we picked too many Queenslanders.
Whirled Rugby view the U20 World Champs as a game showpiece and use the occasion to reinforce the current focus points and messages that they are trying to get across to the Rugby Communuty.
Last year it was lifting tackles, and the inability to adopt to the new rulings probably cost the Saffers the World Cup as the were on the receiving end of quite a few YC for those including losing their Captain and one other within the space of a couple of minutes in a key knockout game.
This year, it is no secret that player safety around players in the air and neck rolls are a key area for referee focus. Any Coach that is teaching any practice that resembles a neck roll at training and hasn't adapted the clean out techniques they teach or condone from their players deserves the reward they will receive from the match officials and judiciary.
These young men are either professional athletes or aspiring professional athletes. It ain't schoolboy footy anymore.
I must admit that I only saw the last 10 min (1st half) and all the second. However, it seemed like our ball was not as clean as theirs, their clean-out seemed better than ours. I wasn't necessarily watching the the penalties; mainly looking at the speed of delivery to the 10.
Thought the tight 5 did well and liked the 9 (mom for Australia I thought), didn't mind the #10 and the wingers. But as a unit it didn't work so well and the options taken did not pay dividends.
That's like saying we should have open trials for each Super Rugby squad.
It's not a reality.
The situation now with the franchise based squads playing a tournament over a month or so is a better situation than we have ever had before.
Talent identification seems to be better overall at each level than it has been in the past. It is not like there are a whole bunch of players that those in the know have never heard of emerging from nowhere.
So who was your MOM for Aussie @Brumby Runner?
A reviewer for Talking Rugby Union (Lewis Hughes) liked Rodda and Kennewell putting them in their Team of the Day, and included Jack Maddocks in their Standout Performers of the day.
http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/...ionship-match-day-1-aj-bell-stadium/15586.htm
I thought it looked like he was pulling Fifita down with his right arm. Actually illegal to have your binding arm's elbow even pointing toward the ground, let alone pulling down.However, I disagree about Fefita. I think if you watch closely, he was following Zampa in on those occasions as he had nowhere else to go. To my eye, Zampa was the first culprit, and actually used it as a tactic to counter the dominant Aussie scrum.
Doesn't really help the cause!Magney's been suspended for 2 matches
Doesn't really help the cause!