Ok so this is a thread about the game, and the game involved the reds, and the reds involved Quade so here's my take:
1) Luke Morohan congratulate yourself, brilliant game and I don't know why he was taken off?? It must've been injury or because he's part of sevens??
2) Nick Frisby showed he is a future prospect at halfback. Brilliant player and very exciting to watch. Him and QC (Quade Cooper) work well.
3) We got demolished at the set piece but not so much at the break down - Lions are quite obviously beatable with a full strength wallaby pack and we actually have the potential to dominate the break down.
4) Their only try was a scrappy one off one of our screwed up set pieces, with a disciplined Wallabies side we might be able to reduce those penalties and really shut down any attacking approach they attempt.
5)
Quade - He played to the game plan he was given by McKenzie. He was not putting his team under pressure because he had 'ADD', he was playing a style of game that was specifically designed by his coach to entertain and go for points regardless of the risk involved. It was unfortunate that it started raining half way through because when the passes were sticking the reds had the Lions back peddling.
He is not a captain which I think we all knew but didn't exactly collapse under pressure. He doesn't work over the ref enough and doesn't gee up the troops like Kev. But again, this is no surprise.
Say what you want but I thought he unlocked the Lions defence quite effectively. A few missed tackles and ball bungles but that was quite common for every player on the field in those wet conditions. Overall he implemented the game plan that he had be told to and that was to run the Lions ragged. They didn't know what had hit them at the start of that game and gee was it exciting to watch.
Again, he didn't play the style that Deans wanted and thus I don't think we will see him get selected - rightly or wrongly. However, I thought the game showed that the idea that exciting, running and high risk rugby cannot be implemented at test level is not true. Even in the rain the reds threatened the Lions and with a goal kicker and full strength forward pack, I reckon they would've beaten them. Funnily enough, the wallabies have goal kickers and an awesome forward pack
Anyway, that's my take on the game and yes, my man crush, Quade. Ready for the replies!