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3rd Place Play Off - Wallabies v Wales.

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pete88

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tigerland12 said:
I would not mind seeing a Higginbotham/McCalman tandem backrow again, I thought it worked very well.
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Glad I'm not the only one, even if McCalman plays more like a 6 and Higgers an 8 they balance quite nicely. Makes the EOYT (it is a joke that there is a post-RWC EOYT, the tournament is clearly a month+ early) a little interesting.

Now I think about it I did see McCalman do his little hesitation-before-going-in-to-contact-shit once or twice, but he did a lot of work and didn't go backwards much/if at all.

Also, get better soon Quade. What happened to Beale? I missed the first quarter like an idiot.
 
Garryowen

Garryowen

Larry Dwyer (12)
Scotty said:
Barnes needs to stand much shallower though. He also seemed confused when at fullback of whether to pass or kick but inevitably kicked. He was stifling for our attack on occasions.

I seem to be the only one that saw that though.
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You're not the only one Scotty. I don't think he's the answer at ten, but I think he's the best we currently have at 12.
 
cyclopath

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
Scotty said:
Barnes needs to stand much shallower though. He also seemed confused when at fullback of whether to pass or kick but inevitably kicked. He was stifling for our attack on occasions.

I seem to be the only one that saw that though.
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He does tend to drift deep in the pocket, and hopefully will get this coached out of him next year. Looks so much better running it to the line and passing. He has a good long pass too - not as good as Quade, but not many in Aus rugby are - and it will be interesting to see how he goes next year. Defended well with some big units coming at him. I thought it was good, overall.
 
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pete88

Guest
Scotty said:
Barnes needs to stand much shallower though. He also seemed confused when at fullback of whether to pass or kick but inevitably kicked. He was stifling for our attack on occasions.

I seem to be the only one that saw that though.
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For some reason I can't "agree" with your post, but I definitely saw that shit. Also one or two loopy passes that brought back some painful memories of previous Eden Park tests. I like him as a communicator, super tackling machine/defensive organiser and second option as playmaker, but having a JOC (James O'Connor)/QC (Quade Cooper)/Beale inside him at 10 is optimal for me.
 
Bowside

Bowside

Peter Johnson (47)
Shame for quade but it gives someone else a chance to step up now. JOC (James O'Connor) needs to be at 12, like its beyond a joke now robbie. Get him in there.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) looks flat, like he needed a full pre season, in fact most of these guys look like they need a full pre season. You really do have to question the merit of this overseas tour. Money talks I guess.

I think we have the basis of a good pack with the players we have coming through the ranks. They need a top forwards coach though to sort them out or we will be here in 4 years time talking about how our forwards are still weak.
 
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FairWeatherAussie

Ted Fahey (11)
tigerland12 said:
Our best players: Slipper, Barnes, McCalman, Higginbotham

Says something about Deans selections.

I would not mind seeing a Higginbotham/McCalman tandem backrow again, I thought it worked very well.
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Although to be honest, Deans has been picking McCalman to much criticism on this site. Also the Barnes/Cooper axis looked very dangerous in the first half. Australia looked less dangerous when Cooper came off, but Barnes played superbly, having the two points of attack MUST be our inside partnership going forward (once Cooper is fixed, 6-7 months I'd reckon, easily in time for our next internationals). The world cup game plan of continuous box kicks with no chasers or pressure, and then relying on defensive centers to keep us in the game was a dismal failure, and it surely must be abandoned.
 
kiap

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
pete88 said:
For some reason I can't "agree" with your post, but I definitely saw that shit. Also one or two loopy passes that brought back some painful memories of previous Eden Park tests. I like him as a communicator, super tackling machine/defensive organiser and second option as playmaker, but having a JOC (James O'Connor)/QC (Quade Cooper)/Beale inside him at 10 is optimal for me.
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Yeah, want to see those options tried at 10.
 
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pete88

Guest
Inside Shoulder said:
but the replacement half invariably looks better than the starter
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Yeah valid point, I loved Burgess as a strong-finishing scrumhalf last year after a good first 65-70 form Genia. But he genuinely looked the better package when he came on today, in my opinion. How long's his Top 14 contract?
 
Inside Shoulder

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
cyclopath said:
He does tend to drift deep in the pocket, and hopefully will get this coached out of him next year. Looks so much better running it to the line and passing. He has a good long pass too - not as good as Quade, but not many in Aus rugby are - and it will be interesting to see how he goes next year. Defended well with some big units coming at him. I thought it was good, overall.
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Geez AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) threw a corker to make JOC (James O'Connor) run onto it...before Ant Finger found himself in the clear and out of ideas

Imagine if that reffing had cost the Saffers a game?
 
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DJC

Guest
Given the amount of ridicule Salesi Ma'afu gets, I'm surprised no one has commented about the Aussie scrum which was clearly dominant. Gethin Jenkins is no slouch but he got absolutely nothing from Ma'afu. James Slipper was immense all over the park and Higgenbotham put in a very good shift. Ben Alexanders stupid kick was a really coach killer.
 
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pete88

Guest
Yeah shit I forgot to mention Ma'afu and the scrum. Where is that Dai Bando guy telling us our front row could only ever dream of being as good as Wales's? Not something I expected to go as well as it did. They had no Adam Jones, sure, but that was hypothetically our 2nd/3rd choice THP and maybe our 4th choice LHP? I dunno, but if everyone was fit neither Slipper or Ma'afu would make Robbie's matchday 22 I reckon.

Edit: Also yeah Ant Fainga'a unselfishly put AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) over for the try he bombed, didn't run out of ideas at all.
 
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voodoo

Guest
A bit off topic but one things this match confirmed to me is there's a big gap between number 1 and number 2 in the world but not between about 2 and 6.

Current All Blacks team when they fire play at a completely different speed and intencity the other teams. Was no disgrace loosing to them last week. Was good to see us get a good win tonight.
 
Bardon

Bardon

Peter Fenwicke (45)
DJC said:
I'm surprised no one has commented about the Aussie scrum which was clearly dominant.
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I'd caution don't got your hopes up too high based on that match. James is a poor LH playing at TH. Australia's scrum reminds me of Ireland a few years ago with Hayes and Horan, they'd have one or two good games and we'd think our scrum problems were over only to be destroyed in the next few games when it really mattered.

It was a good scrum performance from Australia but don't get too carried away with it.
 
Inside Shoulder

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
voodoo said:
A bit off topic but one things this match confirmed to me is there's a big gap between number 1 and number 2 in the world but not between about 2 and 6.

Current All Blacks team when they fire play at a completely different speed and intencity the other teams. Was no disgrace loosing to them last week. Was good to see us get a good win tonight.
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and when we fired...for 30 minutes in Brisbane... we blew the Abs away. it's a game of inches.
I dont think we really know how much the ABs want this - but they'll be a nervous nation tomorrow
 
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