3rd Place Play Off - Wallabies v Wales.

[fatprop]

Got some answers tonight for the future.

1. Higginbotham should now be the 1st choice no6.
2. Barnes needs to be in the starting team
3. Slipper is a loose head prop not a THP
4. Mcalman to be persevered with (but needs to alter his running height) until a new no8 is found
5. Alexander to be scrapheaped permanently
6. A back up no9 needs to be found
7. Horne at no13
8.No more muppets from the NH to ref a WC final of any description again

1 That game didn't prove that
2 agreed
3 TBA
4 Until there is a better option, Samo is a shock troop
5 rubbish
6 Nic White will be the back up, he is the only young 9 I have seen that has that X factor lately, though Justin Turner is another smokey
7 Not while we don't pass that far wide
8 Some are OK

 

[Hardtackle]

Got some answers tonight for the future.

1. Higginbotham should now be the 1st choice no6.
2. Barnes needs to be in the starting team
3. Slipper is a loose head prop not a THP
4. Mcalman to be persevered with (but needs to alter his running height) until a new no8 is found
5. Alexander to be scrapheaped permanently
6. A back up no9 needs to be found
7. Horne at no13
8.No more muppets from the NH to ref a WC final of any description again

1. Deans did no one any favours playing him at 8 in previous games
2. Maybe, but Cooper needs to watch videos of classic 10's controlling games for the next 6 months.
4. McCalman should learn French and get on a plane. He has proven he doesn't cut it and is a journeyman
5. He should have his forehead tattooed with I WILL NEVER KICK AGAIN.

 

[Dan54]

Lets be honest-Mark Reason has been particularly vitriolic about anything Southern Hemisphere related. Stephen Jones illegitimate offspring perhaps?

No just his father's son. His father John Reason never forgave SH for helping bring in professional rugby, he was very similar to Stephen Jones.

 

[Scotty]

1. I think it is his time but he still needs to tighten up his game. If Palu is at 8 and Pocock at 7 it makes a pretty impressive backrow.
2.Yes.
3.Always was but Deans tried to create some THs to play with Fat Cat at LH.
4.Palu is the answer at 8 if fit and there are some good young options coming through.
5. He is a great utility prop who can play both sides and create something in the loose. His best is ahead of him.
6. Burgess is a big loss.
7. Probably, or at 12 with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13. Looks like QC (Quade Cooper) will be out for some time.
8. They are not much worse than the SH muppets.

Well done Nathan Sharpe!

Slipper plays thp for the reds also. Not just deans trying this. I reckon he will end up a great prop that can play both sides. Remember he is still a baby in prop years.

 

[Scotty]

Graham Henry does have a lot to answer for in his comments on Cooper. He has justified the abuse of the nz public.

There is no issue booing an important player from another team in general play but when that extends to booing him when he is injured it is way over the line. Very poor form.

 

[Dan54]

Graham Henry does have a lot to answer for in his comments on Cooper. He has justified the abuse of the nz public.

There is no issue booing an important player from another team in general play but when that extends to booing him when he is injured it is way over the line. Very poor form.

To be fair Scotty, I think you will find he was given a quite warm ovation when it was realised he was injured and left the field, so perhaps you should relook at game, also when he received his medal.

 

[Spewn]

But not when it happened-laughing. The NZ rugby public and the ABs were seriously lacking sportsmanship. As bad as the underarm incident.

 

[Dam0]

Graham Henry does have a lot to answer for in his comments on Cooper. He has justified the abuse of the nz public.

There is no issue booing an important player from another team in general play but when that extends to booing him when he is injured it is way over the line. Very poor form.

Graham Henry:

"I think Quade has brought a wee bit of that on himself. He's got a wee bit of mileage to make up and he probably made up a bit tonight. I think you have to earn that respect. He's lost a bit of respect with some of his actions in the previous Test matches. That's natural. But he tried very hard tonight, he kept his nose clean which was nice, and he's gained some respect. You have to earn respect; you can't just expect respect."

Nothing at all wrong with what he has said there. Pretty much sums up what we were thinking, and contained a compliment to him as well.

There is no issue booing an important player from another team in general play but when that extends to booing him when he is injured it is way over the line. Very poor form.

I disagree on both counts there. Booing in general play is bad (but happens everywhere - lets not kid ourselves) and the crowd did not boo him when he got injured. In fact I have heard from a mate that was there that parts of the crowd gave him an ovation as he left.

I suspect that the worst of the booing is over with now and that next time he comes to NZ there will be much less.

 

[Bon]

First up,Well done Australia.
Re the booing of Quade Cooper. Personally I am disgusted with this behaviour, and I'm not alone over here in thinking that. It's gone too far and become like the "'beast"' call in South Africa,ie a crowd reaction. At the AB/Australia game we had some Australians sitting behind us who booed QC (Quade Cooper) as well. When they were asked why they replied because they were Waratahs fans from NSW. My point is I would hate to see this continue and Quade be on the receiving end of such treatment every time he plays over here. He is a talent who I believe at only twenty three, we are yet to see the best of. Twas sad to see him leave the field last night as I thought he was beginning to show some style.

 

[twenty seven]

What I want to know is who left Graham Henry and NZ supporters in charge of who deserves respect, who doesn't and when and how they make it up?
Since when are they judge and jury of respect.

 

[twenty seven]

Sorry Damo but he didn't deserve the crap he got over there right from the start. And yes he was booed when he went down injured. It came through loud and clear. Watch the replay.

 

[Dan54]

Sorry Damo but he didn't deserve the crap he got over there right from the start. And yes he was booed when he went down injured. It came through loud and clear. Watch the replay.

Look at game again, as soon as it was realised he was injured there was no booing. I don't think he ever deserved booing, but as Bon has said, what can you do when these idiots from NSW go to NZ so they can boo Quade??:fishing
Actually I have put on another thread copping from my sister over these stories, and I was at Suncorp when Wendell played against Reds for NSW, now that was booing!! Was pleased to see Quade got giod reception when he received his medal. Also 27, it's not up to Henry to decide who deserves my respect, and it ain't up to anybody else to tell me either.

 

[Loki74]

What I want to know is who left Graham Henry and NZ supporters in charge of who deserves respect, who doesn't and when and how they make it up?
Since when are they judge and jury of respect.

Well I certainly thought the ABs showed a distinct lack of respect in thumping us in the semi. The respectful thing would have been to just lie down and let us kick them.

 

[Schadenfreude]

There's been plenty of booing of Ritchie McCaw at suncorp this year. Mostly when he got caught on the far side of legality at the breakdown - but people who live in glass houses...

 

[FANATIC]

A good game considering the motivation, despite what some say, wasn't quite as high. Fair play to both teams for trying to have a go and especially to Wales for that mammoth 30+ phase effort towards the end when Leigh Halfpenny scored his try.

Once again a good game was marred by inept refereeing and I'm not sure it can go on much longer with these alleged professional referees allowed to ruin the biggest tournament in Rugby. I have some 'on the fence' friends curious at what this Rugby caper is about, and they are questioning whether to continue their interest if this rubbish persists. How Barnes, and Poite for that matter, missed the forward pass for Williams' try and then called the one from O'Connor moments later is ridiculous. There needs to be transparency from the IRB and explain in person, not via some BS media release, why or why not certain referees have been appointed to matches.

Now on to the match itself. Obviously the injuries played their part, but I particularly liked the way Berrick Barnes went about his work. It is a case for Robbie of 'coulda, woulda, shoulda' on his non selection in the semi-final.
Tatafu Polota-Nau needs to be a bit more careful if he wants to continue his career because his kamikaze style tackling, whilst spectacular is going to bring about an early end if one goes horribly wrong in the future and we need to have a solid backup to Stephen Moore.

David Pocock was at his usual best, so I don't think much more needs to be said there.

Nathan Sharpe showed real passion in his 100th match and carried on even after suffering that knee injury and it just proves what commitment the man has and there should be more like him.

I though the rest of the backs were ok, without being too flashy. One thing that concerns me is Adam Ashley-Coopers lack of passing when he get's in certain situations on the field. Not only have I noticed this at Test level, but also at SupeRugby level. The one time he didn't need to pass, it got knocked out of his hand and could have been quite embarrassing. The outside backs are being wasted and I think Digby Ioane was an innocent victim of all this. I even agreed with Phil Kearns when he said to give it to Digby, and I don't normally agree with Kearns!

Even though we didn't make the Final, 3rd is nothing to sneeze at, especially if it means finishing higher than England and South Africa....

Thank you for these words of which I fully agree with (cept the Kerns bit, I find I DO agree with much that he has to say about Rugby).

I have always advocated that 'Sir' and all decisions made by must be considered good and propper....what goes on ground stays on ground.... BUT
The refereeing has been so inconsistent that it has become a spoiler IMHO.
I also have been watching with non rugby people who keep asking me to explain why or more often, Why not, when the ref seems to have missed a call.
At this level we really do expect the best and the IRB do need to look at quality of refs, rather than just hammering the players for fouls.
There also seems to be a culture of fear of the refs where captains do not challenge or ask for clarification like they used to.
What is up with that?

 

[drewprint]

The crowd exploded with cheers when Quade went down hurt. It's as clear as day. They didn't boo him as he went off though.

 

[FANATIC]

Time to move on and throw support behind the Darkness. Was speaking to a bookie friend of mine tonight, apparently several of his competitors have already paid out on NZ win!

Yes it is, for us it is all over.
I have enjoyed seeing Welsh Rugby of such a high standard and if those men in Red could kick for goal we all know who would be wearing those Bronze medals today.

Anyway Cardiffblue, we WILL be seeing each other again soon. So may the banter continue, you seem like a good sort.

I find myself unable to get even a little bit excited about tomorrows game and this morning have been humming this old song, thought I would share it with ya.
[video=youtube;KwBCu4-6UuA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwBCu4-6UuA[/video]

 

[nugget]

Look at game again, as soon as it was realised he was injured there was no booing. I don't think he ever deserved booing, but as Bon has said, what can you do when these idiots from NSW go to NZ so they can boo Quade??:fishing
Actually I have put on another thread copping from my sister over these stories, and I was at Suncorp when Wendell played against Reds for NSW, now that was booing!! Was pleased to see Quade got giod reception when he received his medal. Also 27, it's not up to Henry to decide who deserves my respect, and it ain't up to anybody else to tell me either.

Agree with what you said, The NZ crowd were disgraceful in their cheering when Quade got injured. Absolutely disgusting small minded cretins. Was gonna be cheering for the AB's tomorrow night but now hope France win. We should tear up the ANZUS treaty etc etc...

On another point you can't compare the booing of quade to the booing of wendel sailor! There was a lot of irony in the big dell booing, as he was geeing up the crowd and carrying on like a pork chop. The booing of Dell wasn't full of malice and loathing like the nz booing, it was just funny. Also noticed Big Dell was one of the first to give QC (Quade Cooper) well wishes on twitter last night, good on him.


.

 

[Bowside]

I know a lot of very nice kiwi's but this whole booing thing was poor form and I expect better from them.

A hate campaign like this simply wouldn't happen in Australian rugby. There would be the odd jeer when McCaw is penalised, or when butch or bakkies drop a late shoulder; but nothing like what happened to quade. I don't even think the mungos would sink to this level. It's just not on.

I've read page after page of kiwi's trying to defend their countries actions, but at the end of the day the rest of the world doesn't really care for your explanations, actions speak louder than words.

 

[nugget]

After all the hateful crap the kiwi's have dished out to quade, can't stop thinking of this:

[video=youtube;vo6fgZ-dbOw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo6fgZ-dbOw[/video]