Australia A (aka Barbarians) v England II, Gosford

[Ignoto]

Robbie Deans HAS to go. HAS to go. WTF is he thinking ? TPN, in his comeback game from injuries, being played at the unfamiliar and injury friendly position of tighthead prop ? Instead of Weeks & Slipper, young tightheads who need the experience and actually have a chance of playing tightead prop for Australia. WHY ?!!?!?!?!?!?!?! WHAT. THE. FUCK ? It makes NO FUCKING SENSE WHATSOVER. Explain it. You can't. It defies belief. This guy HAS to guy. Get rid of him. Get this cockclown on the first plane out to NZ.

I thought I saw Cowen go down injured so they had to take him off (and obviously the only person left on the bench that could play that side was TPN).

It seemed that they were trying to go for uncontested scrums as a result of Cowen being injured (hence there was that big discussion when Walsh went over to the side lines), well thats how it looked to me.

(You also have to remember, Slipper was already on the field, but Im not too sure why Weekes didn't go back on).

 

[Reddy!]

Playing a hooker at tighthead can result in unsafe scrums. Bad decision in my books.

 

[Ruggo]

My deepest condolences to those poor soles who made the trip up to watch that crap. Barnes, go away mate as you still show no desire to play with the ball. Please league, take him back or France. None of those blokes deserve to push a claim for test selection.

 

[RugbyFuture]

i missed the game, i take it it didnt go well for either side?

 

[Utility Back]

Popped on for a bit, before realising it was boring as bat shit.

What was the end score?

 

[naza]

Popped on for a bit, before realising it was boring as bat shit.

What was the end score?

England 15 Aus 'Barbarians' 9. All penalty goals.

Yes, commiserations to those who travelled 2 hours and braved the cold.

 

[Chauncey]

Lets Pass To Each Other While Standing Still

Well that was 80 minutes I'll never get back!
the Aussies have caught the English style of boring play. They must have been watching England last Saturday and taken notes.
That was the most unimaginative 1 dimensional game I have had the displeasure of watching.

Valentine really is a tool. If he is the 3rd best scrumhalf in the country... god help us!

He need an official invitation to actually pick the ball up and pass it.

 

[Lee Grant]

My deepest condolences to those poor soles who made the trip up to watch that crap.

Just back from the game. Nothing good to report. Even the pie I had was soggy.

That is all.

 

[Blue]

Barbarian's rugby anyone?

Well I did enjoy Cannon and Kafer talking crap. They spoke about everything but the game and their response to some of the tweets were amusing.

Crap game.

 

[MrMouse]

My deepest condolences to those poor soles

Sounds a bit...fishy. Maybe we should give them...the boot.

 

[Langthorne]

Well that was 80 minutes I'll never get back!
the Aussies have caught the English style of boring play. They must have been watching England last Saturday and taken notes.
That was the most unimaginative 1 dimensional game I have had the displeasure of watching.

Valentine really is a tool. If he is the 3rd best scrumhalf in the country... god help us!

He need an official invitation to actually pick the ball up and pass it.

Except in the one area the English did well - the scrum




.

 

[WESTCOMBE RANGER]

Perhaps i should have warned you all beforehand not to go and watch England
.
At least we're used to it and don't have high expectations of entertainment.

Westcombe Ranger (POM)

 

[Newb]

agree with the call of RD's batshit crazy idea to put TPN at TH. is he trying to get him hurt again?

 

[Brumby Jack]

Berrick Barnes' endless kicking strategy has been worked out.
He was involved in a 'lifting tackle' by the Pom winger Banahan which has led to him being cited (by a non-Aussie citing commissioner) which obviously scared BB from running the ball again for the rest of the night.

 

[TheRiddler]

Thats was a fucking embarrassment.... Hang your heads boys.

I assume you are referring to Kafer and Cannon wanging on? Absolutely appalling and offered absolutely zero insight to what was going on. Took them 10 mins to realise that TPN had been subbed off even though it happened right under their nose. Massive #fail.

 

[Godfrey]

I think pretty much everyone on the paddock demonstrated why they are the second string side. Except for one or two flashes from Kurtley Beale, there was no x-factor on the paddock. There were a couple of promising signs though: I thought Slipper was actually quite good and I saw enough from Fainga'a that I think he would actually be really effective running outside someone like Gits or Cooper (as we saw in the Super 14). I'd honestly like to see how he went at the next level with Cooper, but probably difficult to justify considering he doesn't do anything individually brilliant in attack (an excellent defender though). I'm also sick of every chance and half-chance being ruined by dropped ball by Australian teams.

 

[chief]

Kafe and Cannon were great I thought. They weren't there to commentate the game, they were bitching and answering questions from the soapbox. I really wish Ireland were playing a Mid-Week game in QLD.

 

[TheTruth]

Certainly not a "usual" BAA BAA game - pretty disappointing overall

 

[fatprop]

Yep. it was horrible, lots of guys did some good "bits", but overall it was horrible

 

[RedsHappy]

....I really wish Ireland were playing a Mid-Week game in QLD.

Chief, this is actually a very good point. I was bemused by the ARU's decision not to have any England fixtures in QLD, yet two in AFL-loving Perth. NSW deserves and gets a Sydney England Test. The gate for the Test in Perth and Baas was not great. Surely, for the long-term good of the game and $s income too, it would have been better to have say Ireland in Perth, and say BaaBaas at Ballymore, and one England Test at Suncorp (the old rivalries bring the crowds out in the real rugby heartlands). Honestly, this is not a 'Qld biassed' comment. The game must keep a strong eye on consolidation in its heartlands of NSW and QLD, or even more declines will result (bar 2010 Reds gate growth) than we have now.