Again, O'Conner wasn't perfect at all tonite but I thought he was at least as good as Sexton if not better - in just his 3rd (4th?) outing as a Test 10. Will he get better? I don't know but RD obviously sees something more in him - and this is a guy who's coached Merhtens, Dan Carter and Carlos Spencer - so who knows how good he could get? Your scrum overall has been pretty bloody good. You have some great finishers and some amazing x-factor. Your defence didn't let in any tries (and hardly any line breaks). And this is a young team with years to play together.
I wouldn't be surprised to see this team beat the ABs this year at all.
As good as Hooper is, I still think Pocock is the missing key to your forward pack. George Smith might be a great call for Sydney.
Awesome tour..I can't wait for the 2017 one now - might have to start saving to make a special trip home around then!!
I understand your point, but it's far deeper than that. I'd choose Sexton's involvement over Bieber's, every day and three times on Sundays.
Deans maybe have coached those three players, but he's also the guy who benched Mehrtens late in his career and basically told him to fuck off. He was on the bench, for the Brumbies 2004 Super final win, another of Deans selctions brilliance moment. Spencer doesn't really count, as Deans was assistant, and Dan Carter has been a better player since Deans left.
I would be VERY surprised to see this team be NZ this year, for the same reason we're sturggling to win right now. We have no clear, and experienced player, directing play from 10. Lealiifano proved what having a solid kicker can provide, but we knew that from Beiber and Beale's numerous kicking performances that have won us games we had no right to win.
What we're lacking, is the general. Our pack is going well, and any issue we have right now can not be attributed to any particular, player, or lack thereof.
Our backline is a totally different story, and whilst I will continue to support our players, I will never support this fucktard coaching us.
O'Connor is not a 10, and if ANYONE other than Deans ever thought he was, the Lions tour is NOT the place to debut him and put him in the spotlight.