Australia vs British and Irish Lions - 1st Test (Brisbane)

[Scotty]

Unfortunately most of my predictions except the result came true.

Wallabies biggest risk - injury and fitness

Wallabies biggest strike weapons - Genia, Folau, Beale

Biggest threat - Halfpenny's boot

Reason wallabies will win - they will win the breakdown. (Well they did but unfortunately it didn't translate to the win.)

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

SAH, there is no way someone from outside squad will be brought in, it takes to long to bed down how they are going to play etc.
Geez I just saw the Howill stomp, I will be surprised if he plays before RC, given he will probably get at least 4 weeks for it!!
And Reds, I assume that there is room in budget for a kicking coach.

I don't think he will play but if they have lost 3 backs they need to bring someone in to get in with the squad in case another goes down.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Also. Surface looked horrible from the get go.

 

[RedsHappy]

SAH, there is no way someone from outside squad will be brought in, it takes to long to bed down how they are going to play etc.
Geez I just saw the Howill stomp, I will be surprised if he plays before RC, given he will probably get at least 4 weeks for it!!
And Reds, I assume that there is room in budget for a kicking coach.

Re budget and so on for specialist coaches, did you see the obvious dividends of Sharpie as a specialist line out coach? My fucking word we did.

I should credit Deans with that decision. But it's the randomness and the erratic breaking out patterns of his moments of wisdom that have always alarmed me as I observed their high prices. Nothing in his management team resourcing is ever done is a systematic and strategic manner.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I disagree. Lilo was a ball playing 12. Barnes could have slotted into 12 as a playmaking 12. But both out injured. Beale could be a 10 and JOC (James O'Connor) at 12. The problem is that two of them got injured within 30 minutes. There were plenty of options but injuries ruined it.

I would agree with you if Barnes had moved to 12 after Christian's injury, or if Beale had come on at 10 or 12 later on, but neither happened, so the game plan was blown out of the water after just 30 seconds. I assume therefore that Deans did not consider Barnes nor Beale as backup to 12 in case of injury.

 

[No4918]

I sincerely hope not. Fainga'a has no pace or ball skills - cant believe anyone would seriously pick him.

I would pick him at 12 and Horne 13 if it comes to that. Fortunately there are several other options.

Is there any update on the injuries? McCabe and Barnes goooooone with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Ioane a chance?

 

[gel]

SAH, there is no way someone from outside squad will be brought in, it takes to long to bed down how they are going to play etc.
Geez I just saw the Howill stomp, I will be surprised if he plays before RC, given he will probably get at least 4 weeks for it!!
And Reds, I assume that there is room in budget for a kicking coach.

Obviously Ii am seeing it through a more rouge shade of glasses than a number of others, so I won't comment any more on the legitimacy of what he did.

However most here seem to think he is guilty it would then come down to punishment. Why 4 weeks?

How many weeks did Benny A sit out for his stomp on Ben Robinson. That one was:

Ben A was not involved in the ruck.
Not near the ball.
Clear sighted in that Ben A had clear sight of where the ball and Ben R were.
Drew the refs attention to it prior to doing it
Then did it right in front of the referee

 

[gold heart]

Geez my heart went out to Lilo - what a crap serving from the fella upstairs this guy gets. He looked like a startled wombat when the camera showed him later sitting on the bench. Does anyone have an update on his condition and whether he will be considered for the next test?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Also. Surface looked horrible from the get go.

Not so much Helms Deep but the swamp on the approaches to Helms Deep.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Given you see turf come up,it would appear the boots did their job and the turf didn't hold up?

That was my initial thought - but do you? it occurred to me that may have been the aftermath of the preceding scrum.

 

[Bardon]

Re budget and so on for specialist coaches, did you see the obvious dividends of Sharpie as a specialist line out coach? My fucking word we did.

I should credit Deans with that decision. But it's the randomness and the erratic breaking out patterns of his moments of wisdom that have always alarmed me as I observed their high prices. Nothing in his management team resourcing is ever done is a systematic and strategic manner.

Absolutely agree. Kicking for goal is one of the worst aspects of the Wallabies play, especially when compared to other top test teams. There is a lot of room for improvement and a dedicated kicking coach, working on the training paddock with the kickers, would make a huge difference.

I know some Aus fans see kicking 3 points almost as a sin, but often in tight games a high success rate from the tee can be the difference between winning and losing.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Geez my heart went out to Lilo - what a crap serving from the fella upstairs this guy gets. He looked like a startled wombat when the camera showed him later sitting on the bench. Does anyone have an update on his condition and whether he will be considered for the next test?

Theres a good exposition of the protocol in the concussion thread relating to Douglas': http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/co...and-protecting-our-players.12862/#post-493857
My take based on that is that if he has no residual symptoms for 3 days an passes all other tests he could play

 

[Garryowen]

Obviously Ii am seeing it through a more rouge shade of glasses than a number of others, so I won't comment any more on the legitimacy of what he did.

However most here seem to think he is guilty it would then come down to punishment. Why 4 weeks?

How many weeks did Benny A sit out for his stomp on Ben Robinson. That one was:

Ben A was not involved in the ruck.
Not near the ball.
Clear sighted in that Ben A had clear sight of where the ball and Ben R were.
Drew the refs attention to it prior to doing it
Then did it right in front of the referee

Did Benny A stomp on Robbo's face?

 

[FrankLind]

There were both sides of Horwill's captaincy on display last night.

His consoling of Beale at the end of the match was the mark of a great leader.

However, that stomp looks like a moment of madness, especially given his comments about discipline earlier in the week. Worse still is that it occurred so early in the match.

That could have, and might still, cost his team greatly.

If he goes for several weeks it will also cost the Reds.

 

[Bullrush]

Just watched the game for the first time......what a great game!!I hope you Wallaby fans a freakn 100% proud of the way your boys stood up.....should have bloody won it but for a bit less bad luck.

Horwill is the only player I think who should be a bit ashamed of himself.....that stomp is just terrible.

 

[FrankLind]

I really rate Horwill as a player, but he is not superman and does not have x-ray vision.

There is physically no way he can possibly see where that guys head is given there are two bodies between his face and the player on the ground.

Not a stomp.

What are you talking about. He could see exactly what he was doing.
Why did he turn his foot to a strange angle and rake downward?
Why?
Braindead play.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Given the level of concern that many young players (or potential players) parents may have about certain physical aspects and risks of our game, if Lilo et al return within the "normal" 3 week period, there should be a relatively full disclosure of the process used for that clearance.

I am sure that they will get the best available medical assessments, however there are perception issues that should be addressed as part of the ongoing marketing of the game.

It is not a good sight to see players on the ground that have been knocked out and needing to be stretchered off the ground. Those sort of images tend to stick in the minds of some of the more protective parents.

Who can remember the images of Scott Fava during the Commonwealth Games 7's when he did the flapping fish?

 

[gel]

Did Benny A stomp on Robbo's face?

Are you saying that Horwill deliberately and clearly went for the lions player's face?

 

[I like to watch]

That was my initial thought - but do you? it occurred to me that may have been the aftermath of the preceding scrum.

Just watched the replay, the turf comes up at the end of his slide.
So the main issue was in fact the boots, not the turf.

 

[Brisbok]

Are you saying that Horwill deliberately and clearly went for the lions player's face?

Doesn't matter. The action was deliberate, the aim POSSIBLY not. However the result is clear to see. There should be no leniency for a deliberate stomp that ACCIDENTALLY connects with an opponents face.