Aus A v Portugal 26/08
- Thread starter Dctarget
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qwerty51
Stirling Mortlock (74)
We're just so shit in these one-off games with no prep.
Samoa last year in the first match.
Tonga this year and now this. We only play well after a couple of matches.
Not many positives, Hanigan was good off the bench. Samu good.
30-17 to us, we left 10 tries out there really.
I think the Wallabies should win 50+ relatively easy.
Samoa last year in the first match.
Tonga this year and now this. We only play well after a couple of matches.
Not many positives, Hanigan was good off the bench. Samu good.
30-17 to us, we left 10 tries out there really.
I think the Wallabies should win 50+ relatively easy.
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The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
What a shit game. Boys just been on the piss?
Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
Was lucky to be by that much tbh
molman
Jim Lenehan (48)
I agree. I'm not sure what people expect with a bunch of players thrown together for a one off game like this. Set piece is always going to be a bit hit and miss (as we saw) and some of the general play was always going to be all over the place as they try to unlearn their super patterns and expectations of where players will be etc.
Case in point, Neville's falcon to Foley's head was way too high and hard as he's probably used to a player out the back, not playing as flat as Foley was.
Most players had mixed performances. I thought Ryan Lonergan was good overall, but there were some rucks that he was a bit too slow to a poor snipping option or two and some of his passing wasn't up to his usual standard, nor were a couple of his box kicks the best. But those coversions highlighted why I'd probably have him in the RWC squad atm.
Swinton I thought looked really good carrying hard, well over the gainline more oft than not, but then got drawn into the niggle. Player holding him into a ruck and suddenly hes rolling around on the ground, giving away penalties for coming in the side to a ruck etc.
James O'Connor looked good in attack but there were one or two moments in defense where you can just see he's not as committed as he once was.
I thought Uru and Hanigan generally speaking looked ok. The backs by and large were clearly a cut above with Toole casing down well, Wright looking solid etc.
Anyway, as I said, mixed bag and not the highest quality game, but not unexpected. Keep this squad together for another 4 or 5 games and I think it would look different.
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molman
Jim Lenehan (48)
Disagree. One of those Portugal tries was from an unfortunate turnover. It was really the Aus A errors that was keeping them in it, rather than them building any true pressure, stringing together phases that looked to be truly troubling the Aus A team. You also see them fatiguing towards the end of the game.
KOB1987
John Eales (66)
Yes, all that, plus it was our 3rd xv. Probably even closer to our 4ths once you factor in injuries plus the blokes that said ‘thanks but no thanks’. Gave the standby players some proper minutes, that’s the main thing.
I’m just watching it now - only 10 minutes in but they actually look pretty good for a bunch of throw togethers.
I’m just watching it now - only 10 minutes in but they actually look pretty good for a bunch of throw togethers.
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
A portion of it, but it's not yet clear exactly who. The word previously was about 15 of them with the rest mostly made up of Japanese players, but I'm not sure how concrete that is.
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
Despite the performance I'm just happy this game happened and it should become far more common in our fixtures list. Particularly if WR (World Rugby) ratifies the 6N/SANZAAR driven World League concept. But of the condition of that should be each respective nation enters a team in the apparent 2nd Division WR (World Rugby) will initiate to prepare for the proposed promotion/relegation element in the future. For us I can see that being the proposed APAC structure (which apparently will be voted on next month) that would feature the PIs, Japan, Chile, Uruguay, the USA and Canada. If the WL is ratified then at the very least Aus A, NZ XV and Argentina XV should be added. Alongside some kind of similar set up involving Europe and Africa.
Mark Panga
Frank Row (1)
Did Josh Flook get on the field ?
molman
Jim Lenehan (48)
Yes
Drew
Bob Davidson (42)
‘Not good enough’: Fiji stun England at Twickenham as Australia A hold off Portugal
Fiji broke a 35-year drought in a major upset in London, while Australia’s second XV got the job done in a clash against Portugal in Paris.
KOB1987
John Eales (66)
Wilson elected to stay home to play finals for Brothers as I understand it.
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
Spot on KOB. And on top of that, the players themselves probably had little heart for the game given they were essentially leftovers from Eddies 'new broom'. Now, if the RWC squad had been built on the best players available with experience in RWCs, then this "A" team would have looked a lot different and the players could reasonably have expected to be in real contention for 2025 and 2027.
An "A: team comprising the likes of Schoupp, Faessler, Van Nek, Canham, Hosea, T Hooper, Gamble, Gleeson, Fines-Leleiwasa (or Lonergan), C Gordon, Toole, Tuipoluto, Flook, Pietsch, Jorgensen, would be a real development side with an eye to those big years coming up.
Members Section
John Thornett (49)
Just finished watching it, does anyone know if Canham was inj in the warm up maybe?
Some strange replacements, Swain starts & Hanigan moved from 20 to 19 but replaces Gleenson at 8 with Samu at 7.
Toole given 20 would have thought with DP & LA both coming through as back rowers before 7's that this would have been the perfect game for Toole to start & one of those 2 to play the Kwagga utility role.
Some strange replacements, Swain starts & Hanigan moved from 20 to 19 but replaces Gleenson at 8 with Samu at 7.
Toole given 20 would have thought with DP & LA both coming through as back rowers before 7's that this would have been the perfect game for Toole to start & one of those 2 to play the Kwagga utility role.