Argentina v Australia TRC Round 4 Sunday 8 September 5am (AEST)

[PhilClinton]

Someone please tell me where we plan on finding these monster sized men to turn into our new gigantic forward pack?

It’s almost like there is another domestic competition here that also values gigantic athletic men and actually has the resources to keep them in the game.

And before someone says “it’s a different skillset” - we are losing the best big fellas well before they’ve had time to develop the proper skills so that is a moot point.

 

[Derpus]

We don't. It's just Marce having a jolly. Fact is we have second rate athletes and it shows.

 

[Linerunner2023]

Suggesting Bell is up there with the best LHP in th world and then suggesting Robertson as cover proves you don't know a lot about front row play.

Well you were suggesting kailea was in front of bell so maybe you don’t know front row play?

 

[capalaba]

Yes I did suggest it because Bell had played very little Super Rugby before getting injured and Kailea had proven himself, and yes I do stand by that.

The Brumbies front row is extremely disappointing.

 

[TSR]

Someone please tell me where we plan on finding these monster sized men to turn into our new gigantic forward pack? ...we are losing the best big fellas well before they’ve had time to develop the proper skills so that is a moot point.

I think it’s actually one of our biggest failings. I understand why we lose a lot of our best young backrowers, halves and backs as their skills are very interchangeable with league where they can earn more money. But tight 5 guys have far less appeal to league. I don’t really understand why we haven’t been able to maintain a good pipeline of talent. I know some go OS, but still. The only think I can put it down to is that a lot of them take longer to develop and we don’t have the funds to make it worthwhile staying in the game while they build up to pro level.

 

[KOB1987]

It’s funny because the stereotype is that the THP is a massive immovable brick wall whereas the LHP is meant to be taller, more athletic and technically proficient. Admittedly this is going back to an era 25 years or so ago, but I sat across the aisle on a plane once from Bill Young (LHP) and the bloke is fucking ginormous. Conversely I used to play against, and with at some rep levels, Fletcher Dyson (THP) who actually wasn't that big but was technically a freak. Bell is physically ginormous and by all accounts technically ginormous as well, let alone his open play attributes so I’m not sure what else he needs to do to tick your boxes. I do agree re Robertson though.

 

[cyclopath]

It's easy for u to make these jokes cause u have a license to kill here.

He has a licence to be funny.
Someone else does the "killing".
I'm not sure what you do that is anything better than pretty piss-poor trolling.

 

[capalaba]

Don't get me wrong Bell has skills, his recurring foot injury doesn't place him in the world class category for me at this moment. Need a lot more consistency from the man before I change my oinion.

He was immense for us v Argies, he needs another propping partner, Slipps is not that guy.

 

[Shiggins]

Tizzano is good, he would be a great 7 for Scotland like Jack Dempsey or the current Wales. But Australia used to have the best openside flankers in the world not too long ago with George Smith, Pocock or Hooper. Tizzano isn't at that level and against a 100% fit McReight he has no chances.

mcreight is a decent 7 but imo not world class and no where near Pocock or Smith. never will be. I agree mcreight deserves the starting jersey which might leave tizano out of the 23 due to the team set up. but give tizano another year in super who knows.

saying he is good enough for Scotland and Wales and not for the wallabies is a bit wrong. he is good enough for the wallabies right now. everyone needs to stop thinking we have pockocks and smiths around. I wish. this is where Aussie rugby is at. if a player is good enough for Scotland he is definitely good enough for the wallabies as I would say we would lose more games with this current team against Scotland than win. at this moment

 

[Shiggins]

What the SA drug testing policy like?

when U see Kolbe do what he does to players literally twice his size all I can think is steroids lol

 

[Linerunner2023]

Bell has skills, his recurring foot injury doesn't place him in the world class category for me at this moment.

He is consistent every time he plays, he’s strong in the scrum and gets around to field with his ball carrying better then most backrowers
And he is only 23 so his best is ahead of him
Can’t help injuries
Kailea is great and best bench option behind bell, slips and AAA are not up to it atm so we need another THP behind tupou

 

[Shiggins]

surely this game has a lot to do with our depth. bell and toupo go off and we sucked eggs. who from the bench offered anything ? tate scored a nice try but I can't think of any other good efforts off the bench. nasser? made a couple of good efforts.

tbh by this point I was just crying in my coffee and not watching much rugby

slipper. I love ya. but we have to have a better option somewhere. Hodgson would be a start. I knew as soon as he came on he would be pinged for not wrapping driving at someone's ankles.

 

[KOB1987]

there is no way back from this

I don’t believe that. I’m watching ‘Chasing Great’ with my boys and was reminded that in a quarter final in the 2015 RWC the All Blacks beat France 62-13. There is a way back, but we need to find it.....pronto

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Yeah correct. This is not the worst situation the game has been in here and other sides have copped hidings and come back from them. Anyone remember when we beat England 76-0 or South Africa 49-0? Both of those teams went on to win World Cups, South Africa in the following year.

Last night's result is not great but it's not the death of the game here or anything.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Our potential front rowers just drop weight/never put on weight and play second row in league.

Look at Kailea. Get him down by 10kg and he wouldn't look out of place on a league field at all.

Athletic 2m+ guys have heaps of options. It's probably a wonder we produce as many second rowers as we do

 

[Derpus]

This is not the worst situation the game has been in here and other sides have copped hidings and come back from them. Anyone remember when we beat England 76-0 or South Africa 49-0? Both of those teams went on to win World Cups, South Africa in the following year.

Does that position actually hold once you apply scrutiny to the respective positions of those unions when they conceded those losses? Both England and SA have had much firmer foundations on which to rebuild/recover from IMO.

 

[Marce]

Actually, that's a pretty good statement. In both countries Rugby Union is the second most popular sport. It's not the case for Australia

 

[Marce]

Athletic 2m+ guys have heaps of options. It's probably a wonder we produce as many second rowers as we do

Sadly I can't mention Skelton or Rory as two of the best locks in the last years

 

[Marce]

slips and AAA are not up to it atm so we need another THP behind tupou

It's time to say goodbye to them. Slipper was slaughtered yesterday

 

[KOB1987]

It depends how you want to scrutinise it. We have much smaller populations than both but our athletes are clearly superior, and South Africa was an economic basket case. We can make it happen if we want to.