Bledisloe 1: 29 July @ MCG

[Dctarget]

Rewatching that first AB try, Jed is a numpty, he owes Tate 1000 beers.

 

[KOB1987]

Someone involved in Professional S&C in Rugby in Oz has confirmed to me that the players were smashed in the week leading into the game. 25km into their legs. All focus on WC. Doesn't make sense to me and put the players under immense pressure especially when Eddie comes out and says the shit he does. Madness to do this the week before a Bledisloe infront of a packed MCG.

It doesn’t make a lot of sense at face value, but if Eddie has come in and discovered ‘shit, these blokes aren’t fit enough’, there is only one way to really fix that in the short amount of time we have. Cheika found the same thing you might recall. Rennie didn’t seem to have as much concern about it but half the squad got busted in training sessions. If last night and possibly next week are collateral damage for a decent shout at the World Cup I can live with it.

Edit: I meant to add that the primary cause of the issue is that our players aren’t getting enough professional game time into their legs. But that’s for another thread....

 

[Tex]

World Rugby will almost certainly host the final at the G. No other place like it in the country.

 

[Ignoto]

Dan must be saving the Victorian coin that was going to be spent at the Comm Games on hosting the rugby final.

Unless there's temporary seating put on the field, it's a horrible viewing experience.

 

[RugbyReg]

What was with the ball? Anything? Was it two or three McDermott passes that he just lost control of and then even White did at least one more. Bizarre.

I thought Tate’s couple of box kicks were inch perfect though which is something he cops flack for.

 

[Drew]

Schoup is LHP. HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) (Harry Johnson-Holmes) and Talakai perhaps?

When in HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) due back?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Someone involved in Professional S&C in Rugby in Oz has confirmed to me that the players were smashed in the week leading into the game. 25km into their legs. All focus on WC. Doesn't make sense to me and put the players under immense pressure especially when Eddie comes out and says the shit he does. Madness to do this the week before a Bledisloe infront of a packed MCG.

I hope EJ (Eddie Jones) is playing some sort of 4D chess because at the moment it looks like he has absolutely no idea. Nothing I've seen so far has changed my initial reaction when he was hired that it was a terrible decision.

At the moment he's all talk.

 

[molman]

Someone involved in Professional S&C in Rugby in Oz has confirmed to me that the players were smashed in the week leading into the game. 25km into their legs. All focus on WC. Doesn't make sense to me and put the players under immense pressure especially when Eddie comes out and says the shit he does. Madness to do this the week before a Bledisloe infront of a packed MCG.

I'm not sure we're in a position to really critique without knowing all the facts. They'd have the performance metrics for both on and off the field so they'd have an idea of what range some of these players need to be hitting at this level and while some of the Super teams would have load protocols, those are generally scoped around a different level (A longer season, lower intensity). Talk to any player who has entered a national setup, especially pre-RWC, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, England whatever and they'll talk about the step up.

If they're (the players) below par, which wouldn't surprise me for some of them as we have an awful fade as a team (and we saw it with a lot of our super teams against opposition like the Kiwis), then the timeline to RWC might necessitate the need to ramp up the S&C-ing of the players. I'm not sure if who you are speaking to is involved at national level, but I'm sure they'd acknowledge that there could be a range of considerations.

The movement and speed off the ball was not where it needed to be in the first two games, I actually felt it looked much improved in this game in terms of defense reset times, speed to clear rucks and a range of other things.

You can see this reflected in some of the general stats of rucks won, possession, territory etc.

 

[molman]

The Wallabies were able to put together good periods of possession and territory for quarters for the first 30 minutes and the 20 minutes after halftime but to only come away with 7 points is criminal. The big pack was able to rumble forward though.

This.

The inability to convert pressure and some issues with execution resulting in no points was the crux of it.

 

[Fireworks]

For that first try, the 0.5 second delay at the top by Holloway gives S Barrett the chance to come through and smash McDermott. Compare that with how quick Arnold is able to deliver the ball off the top to 9 in the second half. Either speed or they go to the front pod and have a blocker.

 

[Dctarget]

Has everyone been paid to suck on Melbournes cock?

Suck on this one champ!

Enjoy watching the ‘27 RWC final at the ‘G from whatever backwater beta city you live in!

 

[Tomikin]

Pick Lonergan next week with Gordan solves your goal kicking and kick offs and pass is better then Tate's... I mean he and White would get slaughtered on here if they throw that many balls alone the ground. Tate can come off the bench to inject energy.

 

[qwerty51]

For that first try, the 0.5 second delay at the top by Holloway gives S Barrett the chance to come through and smash McDermott. Compare that with how quick Arnold is able to deliver the ball off the top to 9 in the second half. Either speed or they go to the front pod and have a blocker.

Ummm nothing to do with slow speed, he should never have given it off the top, needed to come down

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ yeah, needed to be handed to the 9 with a runner in place to carry it & give a better angle for a clearing kick. Probably needed two such phases unless the first was extraordinarily effective.

 

[Marce]

Pick Lonergan next week with Gordan solves your goal kicking and kick offs and pass is better then Tate's...

Another 10 who doesn't do his homework? To play at 10 at test level you have to be a decent kicker, at least a tactical kicker able to kick the ball to the touch

 

[Shiggins]

Uelese turned the ball over with his first two touches. He had one lineout throw that could have been called crooked but wasn't and hus defence near our try line was poor. I am another who hopes this particular experiment is over.

Wayne wasn't calling any line outs not straight. The abz first line out was on the outside shoulder. He was consistent

 

[Tomikin]

Another 10 who doesn't do his homework? To play at 10 at test level you have to be a decent kicker, at least a tactical kicker able to kick the ball to the touch

I'm confused what your trying to say.. I just picked Lonergan at 9 as he one of the best goal kickers in Oz. Not like we got someone waiting in the wings coming in at 10.. it's Quade or Gordan...

 

[Doritos Day]

World Rugby will almost certainly host the final at the G. No other place like it in the country.

The atmosphere was really good. So too was the prematch fireworks/light show etc.

Final at the G is nailed on

 

[Shiggins]

I thought Kellaway was much better than wright. Arguing that petia would be better in the position is fair but it's the right selection with Lenny available.
Gordan was marginally better than Quade. His kicking was very poor. Not sure if it was pressure ? Some basic errors.
Tate was better than white. I'm over seeing white slow the ball down and not play to the whistle. I would have tate and fines play only issue is they are similar. Maybe Lonergan and fines would be a better pair. Fines is so good off the bench it's hard not to pick him.

Our pack is getting there. Belly had a blinder
Skelton I'm not sure about. One hell of a presence but doesn't have the impact that Valetini has. Gleeson should come in if available.

Take away the 2 yellows and the injuries last night's game is much closer. Our priority needs to be disciplined. We have away less penalties which is another massive positive. MK yellow was just dumb. The high tackle yellow was unfortunet as old mate changed his running angle.

 

[Marce]

I'm confused what your trying to say.. I just picked Lonergan at 9 as he one of the best goal kickers in Oz. Not like we got someone waiting in the wings coming in at 10.. it's Quade or Gordan...

You pick Lonergan cause he can kick to the posts. So you have another 10 (Gordon) who doesn't do his main duty. Like the old QC (Quade Cooper) when he couldn't defend his channel in defence some years ago