Australia v New Zealand - Sydney 16 Aug

[Marcelo]

if you were unhappy with tonight id hate to of been around u the last few years when we have been getting beat by 15 plus consistently

In previous years the situation was different. We didn't have the necessary depth or we had too many players injured.

For example: Palu is a player who is always injured, I don't know how many more games he will play. He always has injuries, now squandered the greatest opportunity in years and we had the formula to beat them.

 

[Bomber Harris]

It wasn't a statement.

Did you miss the question mark?

I didn't miss the question mark boyo - it was as a question still a statement of the bleeding obvious - Phipps and Foley start . Coming from a Sydney Uni hater and Waratah sceptic it's a big call

 

[Marcelo]

Wallabies have not beaten the All Blacks in NZ since August 11, 2001 in Dunedin, right? Or I forget some game?

 

[Brumby Runner]

On a positive at least Peyper won't be reffing next week.

Sorry to spoil your party, but Poite is much worse than Peyper. My prediction is a penalty against the Wallabies at every scrum.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Absolutely second rate captaincy just before half time.
Penalty in front - only just enough time to kick it but we decide to take the scrum. Fuck it up but jag another penalty wider out and take the kick only to miss it.
Unbelievable. Illogical. Irrational.

 

[maxdacat]

I thought the AB's played better with some shallow kicks in behind the line causing havoc a few times

yep...we never seemed to do that, giving them plenty of time on our high and deep ones.

 

[KOB1987]

the only change I'd make next week is Phipps for White..that box kick simply doesnt work at test level, and he aint going to stop doing it..if that's his advantage I'd much rather Phipp's fluency every day of the week..

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was outstanding
as was Charles..TPN can bench, but unlikely I admit
Beale didn't do anything wrong at 10..he should have taken the kick but that wasn't positional..keep him at 10 next week, want to see him in the dry..at Auckland, so also unlikely!
To'omua is probably our best 10 option long term but in this outfit keep him at 12..he simply works there whether its outside Beale or Foley
Horne and McCabe..thumbs up from me!
back row..met their match but that was expected
locks..brodie who and sam who?
front row..pretty damned good!! give me Slipper over Crockett any day
Folau was good too

nite guys

 

[p.Tah]

Sorry to spoil your party, but Poite is much worse than Peyper. My prediction is a penalty against the Wallabies at every scrum.

Good point. Hoping he does a hammy this week.

 

[maxdacat]

yep.we never seemed to do that, giving them plenty of time on our high and deep ones.

and with KB (Kurtley Beale) at 10!

 

[Pfitzy]

How is moving To'omua to 10 and bringing in Pat or Horne a kicking game? To'omua was one of our best backs tonight..

He was, and wasn't alone in making errors like his pass to Folau's feet.

But when you move a crashballer to 12, you're more likely to have a two-phase set and kick plan off set piece when the pressure comes on. First phase crash, and unless you're splitting the line you're going to kick the ball back to them.

What you're suggesting is a return to Deans rugby, and none of us want that.

To'omua is great in the role he's playing i.e. hard defender, good ball runner, with a good passing game who can also kick. He's the lynch pin of that back line from the wider channel. But you need someone like Foley there who can get multiple touches off To'omua's straight running and create opportunities.

Beale played way too deep tonight, which works when he's at 12, but not at 10.

We missed some opportunities tonight - Folau's dud pass to Beale. Carter passing instead of running at an injured Kaino to set up the next phase.

Jaco fucked both sides hard. But the way he let advantage expire after THREE infringements from the ABs was just criminal. I can forgive the scrum at the end because no-one likes to see a game-decider like that.

But he took away the opportunity for three points with that action against a side that was on the ropes and infringing hard with it. In all fairness, that should have been a yellow card, brought back for a kick, and three points.

 

[Hammeroid]

Auckland expected do be sunny next Saturday. Hopefully

 

[Pete King]

In previous years the situation was different. We didn't have the necessary depth or we had too many players injured.

For example: Palu is a player who is always injured, I don't know how many more games he will play. He always has injuries, now squandered the greatest opportunity in years and we had the formula to beat them.

So talk me through this for years we havent been able to compete with the all blacks at all and now that we do its all doom and gloom? Yes for sure we had our chances to win but we will again because as you state the player depth in aus is better then what it has been. Your under selling the all blacks they are a quality tea, their record in world rugby is hard to compete with across alot of sports and we showed tonight we can beat them.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

You won't beat the all blacks if you don't take the points on offer when they're on offer however many are on offer.
Its frigging simple: the razzle dazzle super 15 ended 2 weeks ago. No one told the captain apparently.

 

[KOB1987]

Auckland is a wide open affair..I don't care about our record there, at no stage tonight did the All Blacks dominate..we lost a few opportunities and gave them none..bring it on!!

 

[Pfitzy]

You won't beat the all blacks if you don't take the points on offer when they're on offer however many are on offer.
Its frigging simple: the razzle dazzle super 15 ended 2 weeks ago. No one told the captain apparently.

Disagree - as Hooper said in the presser: they were a man up and smelled blood in the water. You don't win against the ABs by taking three and then going back to halfway and worrying if you can get the ball from the restart.

If we score that try, we can take the lead and show them we won't be bullied.

We missed 5 tackles all night. They missed 20. Holding the ball was working, just that Beale isn't right for Test 10.

 

[Groucho]

I thought this was an understated game for the ages. Much brutality.

Next week!

 

[maxdacat]

A bit too high in contact at times eg Fardy bundled into touch, McCabe ditto and Beale winning a footrace to, but not nailing their No 1

 

[Brumby Runner]

Pretty amazing how we see the same game so differently.

Opinions on Kurtley's game vary from one extreme to the other. To my mind, he didn't work at 10. Lost the ball on each of his first three touches, and again in a few other occasions though the game. His missed "tackle" on Coles almost on the try line was farcical. Imo. Foley should replace him in the starting spot next week.

Nic White had some very ordinary touches but Nick Phipps really didn't do anything when he came on to suggest he should start. We should remember that the White/Foley combination has started in most (maybe alll) of our recent wins and imo should be persisted with.

Pat McCabe didn't work on the wing. Probably, on balance, the better structure is Kuridrani at 13 and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the wing, until a proper winger is fit and available.

Cliff Palu again had some strong touches, but he seemed to fade early in the second half. I would retain Higgers on the bench and bring him on for Palu earlier in the game.

Pek Cowan is not up to this standard. The Wallabies' scrum was strong until he came on to replace Slipper. Will Scott Sio be available next week? If not, would like to see Robbo come for his scrummaging.

Slipper, Charles, Kepu, Carter, Simmons, Fardy, To'omua, Horne and Folau all had reasonable to good games. All in all, a lot of promise has come out of this game.

 

[biggsy]

Foley 10 Beale NRL

 

[Pjmil]

Absolutely second rate captaincy just before half time.
Penalty in front - only just enough time to kick it but we decide to take the scrum. Fuck it up but jag another penalty wider out and take the kick only to miss it.
Unbelievable. Illogical. Irrational.

Smart to take the scrum as it made them lose a back rower straight away. I went and took a piss when they pointed to the sticks and came back and couldn't believe Beale had missed.

To'omua is probably our best 10 option long term but in this outfit keep him at 12..he simply works there whether its outside Beale or Foley

Horne and McCabe..thumbs up from me!

Fancy players don't belong at 10 or 12 in modern rugby. The kiwis had it right all along with their '2nd Five Eight', we need to get the ball as far away and as quick from the set piece or ruck as possible where our twinkle toes can work their magic 1 on 1. Inside channels are too well defended these days with super human back rowers getting around, the good teams at least.


McCabe looked like an U/12's player against Savea. Woeful action taken when passed the ball from Charles and later on to not have the strength to drive Savea back into the in goal when he has 50m of sprinting momentum and Savea has just come up from the game was embarrassing.

Those were the only two times I spotted him and Horne was a no show as well. I'd put Beale at 13 and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the wing just so we have a genuine threat there unless any real wingers get fit in time.