Australia v Italy, Suncorp Stadium, 24th June 2017 @ 3:00pm

[TSR]

lol aaron smiths box kick clearance has twice the yardage as foleys from his hand, watch that

You guys are humble, remember.

 

[Upthenuts]

You guys are humble, remember.

bro Cheikas got the memo all good

 

[The torpedo]

Just imagine if Shiggins was Italian.

Sebastian!

And afterwards:

 

[Inside Shoulder]

You need a balance of guys like Mumm are good to have in a team, and Skelton? I think he was the Tahs best lock this season. He is just getting there, he may have been brought through too quickly, but he is becoming an effective, quality lock. Half our challenge is not being prepared to let guys develop and grow. pigs aren't backs, they require time and patience.

amen - but backs certainly require patience, form the rest of us

 

[Viking]

The kicking in Abs lions game is spectacular. Shows just how far behind we are in that facet of the game.

If only we had some source of experts and coaches in kicking in this country. It's too bad Australia's national sport is volleyball

 

[jimmydubs]

No way, Jose. We will win in a canter. You can quote me on that.

 

[cyclopath]

If only we had some source of experts and coaches in kicking in this country. It's too bad Australia's national sport is volleyball

I wonder if it's a pride thing?

 

[RedsHappy]

I wonder if it's a pride thing?

Actually, it's due to chronic underinvestment in skills coaching right up and down the chain in Australian rugby for 10-15 years now.

As a code, you have zero strategy to build and keep building competitive playing quality in depth, you will ultimately pay big time, you will pay exactly as per all that we have seen in 2016 and 2017 in all of the Aus U20s, Super teams and Wallabies.

 

[Froggy]

I come away very concerned about LHP. They were supposed to be our best two, and both, but particularly Smith, got absolutely belted.
Also, Genia is way past his best, I wish Powell was getting more time. How long is Phipps out?
Another issue of the last two games, it's 80 minutes not just of physical effort, but 80 minutes of concentration, which becomes more challenging as you fatigue. We have a whole range of players who have gifted the other side tries when they shut off mentally.

 

[Quick Hands]

Not necessarily. You would think players who have been in the wallabies system for some years now would improve.

.

The system is the problem, or at least part of it.

 

[Micheal]

Hardwick / Dempsey / Hanigan reserve BR? Not too sure about that.

Who would you have? (I'm only advocating for one of them on the bench btw, not the entire trio).

Fardy? A strong argument could be made for him but he doesn't have the hutzpah or ball running ability the others could offer.

Alcock? McCalman?

 

[Quick Hands]

The new reality is the result of a lot of factors, the majority of them outside the specific sphere of influence of the ARU. Even if we include all stakeholders of the game, all the unions, the clubs, Uncle Tom Cobbley and all, the game's shortcomings are basically outside our collective control.


Just thought I'd get that in.

Nice pre-emptive strike. As always, I admire you consistency and tenacity in putting your view. (However much in this matter we may disagree)

 

[cyclopath]

Actually, it's due to chronic underinvestment in skills coaching right up and down the chain in Australian rugby for 10-15 years now.

As a code, you have zero strategy to build and keep building competitive playing quality in depth, you will ultimately pay big time, you will pay exactly as per all that we have seen in 2016 and 2017 in all of the Aus U20s, Super teams and Wallabies.

Perhaps the facile nature of my post was not self-evident.

 

[cyclopath]

Who would you have? (I'm only advocating for one of them on the bench btw, not the entire trio).

Fardy? A strong argument could be made for him but he doesn't have the hutzpah or ball running ability the others could offer.

Alcock? McCalman?

Well, if you were gonna pick one.........dunno, maybe Hanigan (I think he has the best upside of the 3 maybe)?
I sort of get why Cheika didn't pick Fardy, but I still would have had him anyway. In which case the above would be probably moot.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

sorry guyz, wrote itself, had to do it.....

 

[RedsHappy]

sorry guyz, wrote itself, had to do it...

Yeah.

But what's that song: 'It Didn't Have To Be This Way'.

 

[A mutterer]

And Moore's shocker in mid-field too. A few loose tap-backs at times too - unnecessary. Take out the 3-5 absolute brainfarts and we are very comfortable. I just cannot fathom why some players are trying such plays when there is just no need for most of them. It reeks of a lack of confidence in what they're doing at times that they feel they have to take low percentage risks.

'trying'. 'passion'.

excuses for unprofessional play.

 

[Twoilms]

And Moore's shocker in mid-field too. A few loose tap-backs at times too - unnecessary. Take out the 3-5 absolute brainfarts and we are very comfortable. I just cannot fathom why some players are trying such plays when there is just no need for most of them. It reeks of a lack of confidence in what they're doing at times that they feel they have to take low percentage risks.

Isn't this the new game plan, to try and replicate New Zealands off the cuff, fast and creative play?

At least, that's the only explanation for how fast and loose they seem to be playing in their own 22.

 

[fatprop]

Interesting

Cheika said bluntly that he’d smashed his team with fitness work this month because players had arrived in less than ideal shape from the five Super Rugby clubs, a shortcoming he’ll keep working to fix before the August 19 stoush against the All Blacks in Sydney.
“We had to do that or it will be too late to be at the level we need to defeat New Zealand,” Cheika said.
“I know people at home will be laughing in their heads when you report this but I believe working extra hard to get that fitness base will get us in the hunt and then it’s up to how good we are as footballers.”

 

[cyclopath]

Isn't this the new game plan, to try and replicate New Zealands off the cuff, fast and creative play?

At least, that's the only explanation for how fast and loose they seem to be playing in their own 22.

Aspiration is good, but self-awareness regarding one's limitations is probably required!
Besides, the ABs don't do this stuff off the cuff. They play a certain way that creates opportunities but are ruthless at exploiting mismatches and half-chances. The fact they can execute this stuff with such regularity tells us that. And they can execute it because they train that way, they have the right level and type of fitness to do it, and there is a broad philosophy across all levels of their rugby to play and train like this.
They don't try to run out of their 22 when there is just no reasonable chance to exit that way, they kick. But if they have the numbers and a good chance, they use it.
When we see Wallabies like Moore and Arnold throwing horrible passes to opponents in our half, and Folau taking a quick throw when everyone can see it is not on, it reeks of panic and a lack of real trust in whatever system they are allegedly trying to play. The numbers and space weren't there. The ABs in those situations don't throw the pas.
Several of the tries today were just good movement of the ball with short, well timed passes that used numbers to put players away - Naivalu's first, Folau's first, Hodge's for example. Simple stuff executed well can work just fine.