Bledisloe 1 - Wallabies vs All Blacks, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, 8:05pm

[Viking]

Like a scrum which is back peddling, there is a difference between good ball and scrappy ball from a lineout. Wallabies during the England series often had their own ball disrupted, which laid a poor attacking platform for the backs.

Similarly throwing the ball to 2 is safer ball but is the least preferred option for backline attack, it means the half back has to stand closer to the sideline which also brings the 5/8 closer to the lineout, it also means someone like Pocock at the rear of the lineout is closer to the 5/8 and gives him less room to work. Throwing to the rear of the lineout gives the 5/8 more time and space and is the best option to attack from.. Wallabies used the 2 ball quite often during the England Test series.

50% of test tries during the RWC were scored from line-outs, in my opinion the Wallabies lineout is an understated weakness.

But how much of those 50% tries during the RWC were from mauls? You don't need to hit the back of the line-out for them. Pretty average line-outs can still set-up mauls.

 

[Braveheart81]

But BH, assuming both Giteau and To'omua are unavailable for the EOYT and next year's mid-year tests, and Lealiifano is out due illness, who else is there who can feasibly fill the 12 spot after the RC? Maybe Hodge, but I think that's a bigger gamble than Kerevi. IMO Kerevi needs to come into the 12 spot during the RC and be given the chance, with Quade at 10 if necessary, to show that he can handle it at this level. There is so little time left and so few options.

Beale is another option for the Rugby Championship next year.

I don't see how the argument works that Kerevi needs to play 12 now because we're going to need him to play 12 later.

We have Giteau and To'omua at the moment and won't have them later. If they're the best options now we should pick them.

It seems like now is a good chance to give Kerevi some more test experience in general without the extra requirement of sharing some playmaking in the 12 jersey that he isn't ready for at test level yet.

If you use Nonu as an example of someone who really grew into that 12 role there is a clear path he followed where he gained a lot of test experience on the wing or at 13 before being thrust into 12 with more responsibility and needing to act as a playmaking option.

 

[Slim 293]

Kerevi might still get his chance in the last Bledisloe match which falls outside the international test window...........

 

[Viking]

But BH, assuming both Giteau and To'omua are unavailable for the EOYT and next year's mid-year tests, and Lealiifano is out due illness, who else is there who can feasibly fill the 12 spot after the RC? Maybe Hodge, but I think that's a bigger gamble than Kerevi. IMO Kerevi needs to come into the 12 spot during the RC and be given the chance, with Quade at 10 if necessary, to show that he can handle it at this level. There is so little time left and so few options.

Godwin, Hodge, Kerevi. All good future prospects for 12.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Kuridrani is copping a lot of criticism, some with some merit but some without imo. For both the Wallabies and the Brumbies he has consistently got over the gain line with ball in hand, but he is certainly down on clean breaks and defenders beaten . His top end speed is definitely down since his last injury. We might remember one occasion in the England tests where he was in the clear chasing a grubber kick towards the try line, but had no hope of outpacing the defense to the ball. A try went begging. That is his biggest issue atm.

If he doesn't return to full pace early in the RC, then I think he needs to be replaced, but with Folau, not Kerevi. Samu must be brought in at 12 and as soon as is possible.

Unfortunately for TK, he will be playing outside Matt Giteau whose crabbing sideways will limit any opportunities TK or the other outside backs are likely to have.

 

[Viking]

Kuridrani is copping a lot of criticism, some with some merit but some without imo. For both the Wallabies and the Brumbies he has consistently got over the gain line with ball in hand, but he is certainly down on clean breaks and defenders beaten . His top end speed is definitely down since his last injury. We might remember one occasion in the England tests where he was in the clear chasing a grubber kick towards the try line, but had no hope of outpacing the defense to the ball. A try went begging. That is his biggest issue atm.

If he doesn't return to full pace early in the RC, then I think he needs to be replaced, but with Folau, not Kerevi. Samu must be brought in at 12 and as soon as is possible.

Refer to @Bravehearts post.

He does not need to be started at 12 as soon as possible. Surely be more sensible to straight swap him for Kuridrani.

Also I'm really no buying into Folau at 13. It is another Cooper 2011 scenario. He drops back to fullback and someone else defends the 13 channel.

Folau is not a 13, he just lines up there on occasion, he's a hybrid fullback/13. Until he plays 13 on defence I don't think it's wise to play him there.

 

[Groucho]

Kuridrani is copping a lot of criticism, some with some merit but some without imo. For both the Wallabies and the Brumbies he has consistently got over the gain line with ball in hand, but he is certainly down on clean breaks and defenders beaten . His top end speed is definitely down since his last injury. We might remember one occasion in the England tests where he was in the clear chasing a grubber kick towards the try line, but had no hope of outpacing the defense to the ball. A try went begging. That is his biggest issue atm.

If he doesn't return to full pace early in the RC, then I think he needs to be replaced, but with Folau, not Kerevi. Samu must be brought in at 12 and as soon as is possible.

I don't think Kuridrani is copping a lot of criticism. People are saying he's out of form (which he is) and may not currently be the number one choice (which he may not). That's merely an assessment. There are two potentially better alternatives in Kerevi and Folau, both with their own arguments for and against. Better players than Tevita either get dropped or cool their heels while an alternative is tried. Often it results in them finding that elusive form.

 

[wamberal]

I don't think Kuridrani is copping a lot of criticism. People are saying he's out of form (which he is) and may not currently be the number one choice (which he may not). That's merely an assessment. Better players than Tevita either get dropped or cool their heels while an alternative is tried. Often it results in them finding that elusive form.

Stop making sense.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Godwin, Hodge, Kerevi. All good future prospects for 12.

All good prospects, agreed but Kerevi is well in front of Hodge atm and Godwin hasn't shown good form for a couple of years. Doesn't alter the fact that apart from Kerevi, we won't have any realistic No 12s to play in the EOYT or for next year (maybe Beale will be brought back, but that only serves to further delay the development of our longer term players).

 

[Groucho]

Folau is not a 13, he just lines up there on occasion, he's a hybrid fullback/13. Until he plays 13 on defence I don't think it's wise to play him there.

I'm not sure that's right in Folau's case. He's an attacking weapon when he defends at fullback. He actively prevents teams playing their optimal kicking game. To play him in the defensive line would be to shoot ourselves in the foot. The question is only where he's most effective when we have the ball. Wherever that is, we should play him there. He has more penetration than the rest of the team combined, which has less penetration than my granddad in a convent, and he's dead.

 

[Brumby Runner]

OK, so inn relation to our near future No 12 prospects, I can only say, "there are none so blind as those who will not see". And I include Cheika/Larkham in that category.

 

[The torpedo]

Stop making sense.

Here you go:

 

[KOB1987]

Dane Coles had apparently travelled with the side this week so he could continue receiving treatment from the medical staff.

I guess it's either pick him with an injury or fly someone else over this evening who hasn't trained with the side at all.

OK I guess that makes the most sense then. In between posting and reading I wondered who the 4th string hooker is. Possibly Ben Funnell?

Anyway that's academic, I guess plan A now is for Taylor to play 80 minutes.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^ more likely Liam Coltman, I'd have thought.

 

[wamberal]

Here you go:

You must be an old bugger too.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The more I think about it, the more I'm struggling to work out how we're going to win tomorrow night. We don't have many glaring areas of weakness, but neither can I point to any where we have it over the AB's. When I look at the two squads I can't see many ways that we're going to attack them and at the same time inhibit their strengths. Maybe at the breakdown and maybe in the midfield, but even then it's not with a great deal of confidence. On the other hand, the AB's have attacking threats all over the park and we'll have our hands full containing them. We'll have to play out of our skins and they will have to be off their game a bit (rather like Sydney last year).

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

NZH reporting that Harris has torn his ACL & is out for the season. Bugger. Two areas we're actually short of depth, midfield & hooked, both exposed within a week or thereabouts.

 

[Gillys_ghost]

NZH reporting that Harris has torn his ACL & is out for the season. Bugger. Two areas we're actually short of depth, midfield & hooked, both exposed within a week or thereabouts.

I reckon Australias hooker depth is very good.

 

[The torpedo]

You must be an old bugger too.

I watch too much MAX (70's-current day music) on TV at night.
I'm not an old bugger, I like listening to music from the 70's-modern day. I remember the album because I saw a Talking Heads music video and for some reason I remember the album it was off (because the video was a bit of a mindf**k)

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

You must be an old bugger too.

FFS it was released in 1984. Oh, yeah, I see what you mean