Australia v New Zealand - Sydney 16 Aug

[CTPE]

Just got home from the game - I'm tired and pissed off and haven't read any previous posts so apologies if my rant has already been dealt with but...

1. Jacob Peyper is not in the top 5 refs in the world.
2. Pathetic use of the bench by Mackenzie... bringing Skelton on with 9 mins to play was such a waste. Phipps and Foley should have also been brought into the game much earlier.
3. Last play of the game off the attacking scrum was and always should have been a field goal attempt either off the scrum itself or off a couple of quick pick and drives to create a deeper pocket for Foley... FFS the scrum was set right in front of the posts!!.... Kick the field goal and win the game..miss it and kick it dead from that range and walk away knowing that you at least had a set play in those rare circumstances to win the game rather than just hoping something would happen with the ball in hand and the self pressure that creates in a last throw of the dice situation.
4. The Beale experiment as starting 10 failed - his immediate instinct whenever he got the ball was to drift sideways looking for a straight runner and all he did was force those outside him to bunch up and become easy targets for a well drilled AB's sliding defence. Beale plays his best rugby when he's not the "centre of attention" and he can drift in and out of the first receiver position and counter attack when broken play opportunity arises.
5. The AB's are the most cynical rugby team in the world and two yellow cards was not nearly enough pennance for the things that they got away with. The concept of releasing after the tackle does not exist in the AB lexicon.
6. It was a game the Wobs should gave won given the opportunities they were given notwithstanding the conditions - I can't believe that everyone was not on the same page field goal set up wise and knew what their individual job was with 80mins gone and a scrum set in front of the posts.

 

[maxdacat]

I can't believe that everyone was not on the same page field goal set up wise

I must admit it didn't even occur to me.

 

[BPC]

Heart stopper!

A game in those conditions was never going to be pretty. I'm usually ok with a draw but I feel like a result was deserved in that one, one way or the other.

No idea how the Wallabies were still in that at half time. AB's were simply dominant and we looked like we were only told there was a game on this morning. No real clue.
Good second half by us but some pretty poor decision making letting us down.

I don't think Beale added anything that Foley wouldn't have.
Horne was great.
Charles looked right at home and like he'd played a swag of Tests.
Our whole tight five were excellent.
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is our outside centre until he retires.
For the AB's, the impact Kaino has can't be understated. As soon as he went off in the first half for Crocketts YC, we started making metres. Same in the second half: when he was off, we went forward. The guy is a beast!
I think the AB's backs let them down tonight. Losing Conrad late and Nonu going off injured would've made it much tougher but still, I think the backs were the difference tonight.

Gonna take a while to get to sleep tonight!!

Hard to underestimate the importance of Kaino's defence tight around the ruck.

I think both back lines were strangled by the weather and poor play at 10.

 

[Pjmil]

1. I liked 90% of Peypers' calls which is amazing. The 10% was made of his pedantic 'everyones been doing it for years but I'll ping you this once and let the next guy get away with it'

2. Terrible use of the bench. Reminded me of Robbie and sticking to the game plan till the death.

4. Reminded me of JOC (James O'Connor) in the Lions series. Lets see Link can be a bigger man and admit when he is wrong.

5. Most cynical and been getting away with it for years, biggest reasons why I enjoyed Peyper, games over Richie.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Phipps should get the nod for Bledisloe II, if not for his Gregan-esque cynical play of not putting the ball in the scrum because the OZ hooker and tight head couldn't hack the pressure at scrum time. He fooled Peyper well.

 

[Pjmil]

Phipps should get the nod for Bledisloe II, if not for his Gregan-esque cynical play of not putting the ball in the scrum because the OZ hooker and tight head couldn't hack the pressure at scrum time. He fooled Peyper well.

Pretty sure I saw more AB Props hands go down to the ground after losing their binding than Wallabies.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Pretty sure I saw more AB Props hands go down to the ground after losing their binding than Wallabies.

Not easy holding your bind when your opposite is on their knees or got a mouthful of dirt because they're lying face down on the ground.

Perhaps it's time for a new t-shirt, "I'm not an alcoholic, I just drink when the Wallabies collapse a scrum" (thanks Samarai Jack)

 

[Marcelo]

My team for the next game:

1 Slipper
2 Charles
3 Kepu
4 Simmons
5 Carter
6 Higginbotham
7 Hooper
8 Palu
9 Phipps
10 Foley
11 Horne
12 To'omua
13 Kuridrani
14 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15 Folau

 

[disco]

Tonights game was definitely the one that got away, we played all the rugby & deserved to win. The Wallabies need to forget all this Eden Park hoodoo shit & just rip in next week.

Nonu will be a big out for the All Blacks next week if his shoulder is cactus, sure Conrad Smith comes in but a lot of the AB's set piece attack starts with Nonu.

Tonight I believe we played to win & the All Blacks played not to lose. Hopefully next week we have a dry track so both teams can have a real crack at each other & lets hope KB (Kurtley Beale) brings his best game to Auckland as he was awful in the 1st half tonight.

We'll go in underdogs but next week is gonna be huge I'm already pumped.

 

[BDA]

Entertaining game!

We really could/should have won that game but I'll take the draw. Let's keep perspective. We shouldn't forget that a draw is better than any team has done against the Blecks since 2012. Proud of the team, particularly the tight five, who arguably outplayed their opposites. Sam Carter proved tonight that he's not only a test player, but he's up there with the best. Slipper again showed that he is one of the world's best looseheads.

This team is building nicely for the world cup. Some green players in there that performed well. Good stuff. I'm a glass half full type of guy so im not too disappointed. So much better than 2013 and I like our chances of knocking them off at Suncorp next month.

Next week will be a tougher challenge but I'm liking what i see from Link's wallabies. A draw next week will do us.

Chin up fellow wallaby supporters, we are now 8 games undefeated!

 

[Beefcake]

Thought Foley's decision to run back inside when there was a glaring overlap late the second half - justifies Beale's promotion. You dont win safely with the ABs. kitchen sink minimum Hooper geez outstanding talent - better than Smith and Waugh if comparing at the same starting point of their careers #prodigious

 

[disco]

Stick with the same 23 I say we'll be right next week. The All Blacks look like they'll be without Kaino & Nonu next week.

 

[Melbourne Terrace]

Only 68000 for a game that used to sell out in seconds (and probably still would interstate).

People still defending the ARU's ticketing policy need to get their head of their arse. The game is never going to succeed here by just engaging Sydney's elite and upper middle class class. Either drop ticket prices in Sydney and get the rest of the city outside of the north and eastern suburbs involved or send games interstate to people who actually deserve games.

 

[boyo]

5. The AB's are the most cynical rugby team in the world and two yellow cards was not nearly enough pennance for the things that they got away with. The concept of releasing after the tackle does not exist in the AB lexicon.

They get away with blue murder at times.

 

[disco]

It's good to see them get two yellow cards tonight, the constant rolling to the wrong side of the ruck is beyond a joke now.

 

[boyo]

Pretty sure I saw more AB Props hands go down to the ground after losing their binding than Wallabies.

Again, they get away with blue murder at times.

 

[Tomikin]

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.

McCabe and Horne have been much better this year and no not back to a Deans run the ball with someone there To'omua plays flat all the time like his D and tonight's weather called for flat play with hitting lines hard.

It's just what I thought the game needed.

 

[BDA]

Only 68000 for a game that used to sell out in seconds (and probably still would interstate).

People still defending the ARU's ticketing policy need to get their head of their arse. The game is never going to succeed here by just engaging Sydney's elite and upper middle class class. Either drop ticket prices in Sydney and get the rest of the city outside of the north and eastern suburbs involved or send games interstate to people who actually deserve games.

given the shit weather its a bit hard to judge mate. I reckon they lost a decent amount of "walk-up" spectators due to the rain

 

[Moono75]

Another game of the Wallabies trying to play their best athletes on the park regardless of whether they are the best player in that position. Just fucking dumb....I've said it before. Foley deserved to start and should of been given amble time to bring the team back in the second half.

Shit I recall beating the French 3 zip recently.....Foley played 10.......super rugby final.....Foley played 10 win......first Beldisloe......Foley take a seat on the bench mate....cause were starting KB (Kurtley Beale) WFT!

 

[Tomikin]

My team for the next game:

1 Slipper
2 Charles
3 Kepu
4 Simmons
5 Carter
6 Higginbotham
7 Hooper
8 Palu
9 Phipps
10 Foley
11 Horne
12 To'omua
13 Kuridrani
14 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15 Folau

Really Fardy was in alot from viewing..