Baa Baas V Wallabies

[PaarlBok]

Credit to the young Wallabie side last night. Think Deans can plug a lot of positives outta this one. Just shows that there is no replacement for hunger and passion and they show it last night. Steyn was disappointing. My MOTM was Lote, thought he was HUGE last night. Still just nice to see Schalk and Collins working so nice together and look like they played some time together. McAwe was a bit quiet but then he must be still stuff after saturdays match. Anyway nice way for your lot to end a tour after saturdays disappointment.

Bring on S14 2009!

 

[Ash]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article5283104.ece

Not a bad report but was the win actually stolen. I thought we led all the way.

Nice picture of Ioane. Oh, sorry, the caption says Kepu. At least it didn't say Tahu.

 

[Scotty]

Smith and Pocock were the two picks of the forwards. How good is Pocock? He is already the second best openside in Australia, and I wonder what might have been different if maybe he'd gotten a few opportunities ahead of Waugh, who was disappointing in the tests he played. Anyway, if Pocock stays healthy I think he can be the premier openside in the world by the next World Cup. Smith, though, was fabulous, and had a lot of turnovers in the first half. I couldn't fault his selection for MotM, apart from the few mistakes at the end.

I liked the last tackle they both made, almost managed to knock each other out. Smith had a bloodied head at the end, and looked groggy, and Pocock was on the deck, just managing to get up at the last play of the game, but was obviously concussed as he tried to kick the ball and ended up face first on the ground. Summed up the Wallabies commitment.

 

[cyclopath]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article5283104.ece

Not a bad report but was the win actually stolen. I thought we led all the way.

Also, Stephen James has a real big spit in his weekly bulletin http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article5281098.ece

Besides mistaking Ioane for Sekope Kepu (I'm sure all the poached players look the same ), referring to Rodney White (I assume he meant Blake), and suggesting Australia stole it, I suppose it was OK. No, on second thoughts, journalism of a very low quality!

 

[Ash]

One of the things I loved about the game is Pocock abusing Alexander for giving away a ridiculous penalty right in front of the ref after the ref yelled hands off 3 or 4 times. Both Pocock and Alexander were over the ball, but only one of them had the self control not to touch it.

Pocock looks like a leader of the future. Just the way he acts on the fields looks like he's a leader.

 

[Pfitzy]

jeez but you don't bawl out your bloody team mate in front of everyone... that's not leadership.

 

[formeropenside]

jeez but you don't bawl out your bloody team mate in front of everyone... that's not leadership.

Lote Tuqiri begs to differ.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

jeez but you don't bawl out your bloody team mate in front of everyone... that's not leadership.

Lote Tuqiri begs to differ.

Touche, and so he should have in that case.

 

[Ash]

jeez but you don't bawl out your bloody team mate in front of everyone... that's not leadership.

I beg to differ (as well as Lote). If your team mate does something absolutely mind numblingly stupid, you don't pat them on the back, nor do you tuck away and pretend it doesn't happen. A good leader there will tell them on the spot that they're an ass and not to do it again. What Alexander did was mind numblingly stupid in the Dunning category, and he deserved to get immediately chewed out. Then move on.

Waugh did something similar in the S14 this year when one of his players did something stupid when the Tahs were hot on attack 5m out. I guess that makes Waugh a bad leader?

Unlike Lote, I don't suggest shoving 'em in the back of the head, though.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

jeez but you don't bawl out your bloody team mate in front of everyone... that's not leadership.

I beg to differ (as well as Lote). If your team mate does something absolutely mind numblingly stupid, you don't pat them on the back, nor do you tuck away and pretend it doesn't happen. A good leader there will tell them on the spot that they're an ass and not to do it again. What Alexander did was mind numblingly stupid in the Dunning category, and he deserved to get immediately chewed out. Then move on.
Waugh did something similar in the S14 this year when one of his players did something stupid when the Tahs were hot on attack 5m out. I guess that makes Waugh a bad leader?
Unlike Lote, I don't suggest shoving 'em in the back of the head, though.

2 things - it made for good TV whach was bad for rugby and I bet SNK thinks twice again - if he gets a chance. I think the Tahs have much better players available.

 

[Pfitzy]

If your team mate does something absolutely mind numblingly stupid, you don't pat them on the back, nor do you tuck away and pretend it doesn't happen. A good leader

And here's the point: Pocock wasn't the skipper. And a good skipper wouldn't yell like a little bitch anyway - you go back for the penalty and make it known in no uncertain terms that anyone pulling stupid shit like that again is in the doo-doo. You certainly don't do that shit right in front of the opposition at the ruck. It detracts from the concept of "team"

 

[Scarfman]

Just watched the game. Wow . Tough day in the office. Aus won the game exactly like the Crusaders always do. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease let us become the kind of team that seems to win games even when they're behind on posession and territory. I fucken loved it.

 

[Cutter]

If your team mate does something absolutely mind numblingly stupid, you don't pat them on the back, nor do you tuck away and pretend it doesn't happen. A good leader

And here's the point: Pocock wasn't the skipper. And a good skipper wouldn't yell like a little bitch anyway - you go back for the penalty and make it known in no uncertain terms that anyone pulling stupid shit like that again is in the doo-doo. You certainly don't do that shit right in front of the opposition at the ruck. It detracts from the concept of "team"

I'm with you Nick. That's not how you do it and even if it was, Pocock is getting ahead of himself if he thinks he is the one to do it.

 

[Spook]

Sorry Ash, I'm with NTA as well on this. Having a crack at your team mates is not good for the team...but Pocock could well be a skipper of the future.

I've said it many times before but I've never seen a player as physical as Pocock at his age. He's an absolute beef cake. One thing that impressed more than his punishing defense and strength at the breakdown was his ball carrying and he is pretty quick.

Let's not forget the spine of this Baa Baa team were Boks with the likes of McCaw, Williams, Collins etc thrown in for good measure > If we'd smashed the Welsh in defense like we did against the Baa-Baas, we would have won that. However we didn't and the Welsh deservedly won.

 

[Pfitzy]

I've said it many times before but I've never seen a player as physical as Pocock at his age. He's an absolute beef cake. One thing that impressed more than his punishing defense and strength at the breakdown was his ball carrying and he is pretty quick.

Yeah its amazing innit? What really impressed me at one ruck was he got on his feet on the right side, then stretched over the player without losing his balance and struck at the ball like a fucking tiger lunging for the kill or something equally animalistic. Just never stops - prototype openside for the future. Doesn't seem to have either Smith's subtlety or McCaw's size, but makes up for it with sheer tenacity.

 

[fatprop]

I've said it many times before but I've never seen a player as physical as Pocock at his age. He's an absolute beef cake. One thing that impressed more than his punishing defense and strength at the breakdown was his ball carrying and he is pretty quick.

Yeah its amazing innit? What really impressed me at one ruck was he got on his feet on the right side, then stretched over the player without losing his balance and struck at the ball like a fucking tiger lunging for the kill or something equally animalistic. Just never stops - prototype openside for the future. Doesn't seem to have either Smith's subtlety or McCaw's size, but makes up for it with sheer tenacity.

There were stories of Pocock being found in the Force gym doing extras in the dark before and after training. ie he has done the work to match his talent.

 

[Scotty]

Yeah its amazing innit? What really impressed me at one ruck was he got on his feet on the right side, then stretched over the player without losing his balance and struck at the ball like a fucking tiger lunging for the kill or something equally animalistic. Just never stops - prototype openside for the future. Doesn't seem to have either Smith's subtlety or McCaw's size, but makes up for it with sheer tenacity.

I think he is on a par with McCaw in size and speed.

I hope he stays relatively injury free, we could be talking about him as the best player in the world by the next world cup.

 

[Pfitzy]

I think he might even be a bit faster than McCaw. McCaw is 187cm and 106kg. Pocock is 183cm and 103kg. He seems smaller :nta: My bad.

 

[barbarian]

I've said it many times before but I've never seen a player as physical as Pocock at his age. He's an absolute beef cake. One thing that impressed more than his punishing defense and strength at the breakdown was his ball carrying and he is pretty quick.

Yeah its amazing innit? What really impressed me at one ruck was he got on his feet on the right side, then stretched over the player without losing his balance and struck at the ball like a fucking tiger lunging for the kill or something equally animalistic. Just never stops - prototype openside for the future. Doesn't seem to have either Smith's subtlety or McCaw's size, but makes up for it with sheer tenacity.

There were stories of Pocock being found in the Force gym doing extras in the dark before and after training. ie he has done the work to match his talent.

Have heard similar stories about him on tour. Counts calories at every meal, doesn't go out at all- just stays in his room and watches old tapes of Richie McCaw. Apparently the most driven guy around, so much so he is almost no fun at all.

 

[Aussie D]

As long as he doesn't overdo it in the gym as Waugh has and Smith did (for a while). At openside speed is probably a greater asset than strength and too much bulk will slow him down as it has Waugh and did to Smith (who seems to have trimmed down this year).