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

[TOCC]

The only game against a top tier team recently where we displayed some lineout dominance was actually when Simmons was out injured dropped.

Ah rubbish

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I'm actually flabbergasted! We are obviously not worried about the lineout at all.
The backline is interesting. Is Giteau better at ten than when he left Australia?

I cringe reading when reading Matt Burke articles as I find his read of the modern game pretty ordinary and his team selection for my mind sums up that he is best reading the ten sports news where someone else writes the script.

 

[The torpedo]

I'm actually flabbergasted! We are obviously not worried about the lineout at all.
The backline is interesting. Is Giteau better at ten than when he left Australia?

But Sully you never played professional rugby so you are not qualified to comment

 

[Froggy]

Looking at Torpeodo's teams, they may be pretty close to what's selected, but I'm sure most Australians would be delighted to see Barrett and Ardie Savea speding the first 60 minutes of the game on the sideleine watching.

As to the Wallabies, again you may be right, but I would prefer to see McCalman on the bench in place of McMahon, particularly if we find ourselves narrowly in front with 15 to go. I would also have Kerevi at 13 in front of Kuridranie (I know, it probably won't happen) with DHP on the wing in place of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), with a bench of Phipps, To'omua and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

 

[teach]

Looking at Torpeodo's teams, they may be pretty close to what's selected, but I'm sure most Australians would be delighted to see Barrett and Ardie Savea speding the first 60 minutes of the game on the sideleine watching.
.

I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Barrett and Savea starting, with Cruden left out of the game day 23 altogether.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I'm thinking they won't risk Cane unless they really, really have too. Which they don't, so Savea starts & Todd takes the bench spot. Against Straya I just don't think you can expect Read or Dixon to cover 7, you've gotta have a specialist.

Beaugan's the form 5/8 right now & deserves the start but I think Shag will stick with 10. Cruden 23. Barrett. Myself I'd start Barrett & move him to 15 around 3/4 time, but in that scenario Cruden is still the guy you want closing it out esp. if it's tight.

 

[Slim 293]

Ah rubbish

I agree......... our lineout has been rubbish.

 

[ChargerWA]

Cheika relies on mental preparation too much. Which tends to cause his teams to see saw between punching above their weight and being unable to rise to previous highs.

No one knows how we will go until we see where the boys heads are at. They could be good after the embarrassment at the hands of England, or they could still have the RWC hangover.

Either way, if we don't go well in the first test we need to have a backline clean out for the second test. Kuridrani must be on shaky ground. If he doesn't perform I'd like to see

10. Foley
12. Giteau
13. Folau

 

[The torpedo]

I agree... our lineout has been rubbish.

Having a look it appears you may be right.

1st test against the poms:

Aus 10 LO wins, 1 steal
England: 13 LO wins, 0 steals

2nd test:

Aus 15 LO wins, 1 steal
England: 11 LO wins, 0 steals

3rd test:

Aus 8 LO wins, 0 steals
England: 11 LO wins, 2 steals.

Source: Fox Sports stats

 

[Groucho]

Having a look it appears you may be right.

1st test against the poms:

Aus 10 LO wins, 1 steal
England: 13 LO wins, 0 steals

2nd test:

Aus 15 LO wins, 1 steal
England: 11 LO wins, 0 steals

3rd test:

Aus 8 LO wins, 0 steals
England: 11 LO wins, 2 steals.

Source: Fox Sports stats

I'll take 33-35 with equal numbers of steals against the England lineout any day, given that the number of steals defines the lineout differentiator.

 

[Groucho]

Cheika relies on mental preparation too much. Which tends to cause his teams to see saw between punching above their weight and being unable to rise to previous highs.

I've read some tosh on this site before, but this takes the biscuit. No Cheika team has finished worse in a major championship than when he's been there. That includes the Magner League, Heineken Cup, Super Rugby and Rugby Championship. The Rugby World Cup in the one exception, where his team finished second. What measurement are you basing this opinion on?

 

[Forcefield]

Having a look it appears you may be right.

1st test against the poms:

Aus 10 LO wins, 1 steal
England: 13 LO wins, 0 steals

2nd test:

Aus 15 LO wins, 1 steal
England: 11 LO wins, 0 steals

3rd test:

Aus 8 LO wins, 0 steals
England: 11 LO wins, 2 steals.

Source: Fox Sports stats

Not that I have an opinion one way or the other, but those stats don't include line-outs lost. Not all line-outs lost are steals. They don't even tell half the story.

 

[Groucho]

I cringe reading when reading Matt Burke articles as I find his read of the modern game pretty ordinary and his team selection for my mind sums up that he is best reading the ten sports news where someone else writes the script.

Remember Burkey was the bloke who said fans weren't qualified to comment on the game.

 

[Slim 293]

Not that I have an opinion one way or the other, but those stats don't include line-outs lost. Not all line-outs lost are steals. They don't even tell half the story.

It also doesn't take into account the English throws that were disrupted in thr second test, which there were a few of..........

It might've been the only positive from that game.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Locks for the three England tests were :

1st test - Simmons, Arnold with Horwill as replacement;

2nd test - Carter, Arnold with Horwill as replacement;

3rd test - Simmons, Skelton with Coleman as replacement.

Seems that the weaker lineout was with Skelton in the starting lineup - no surprise there?

Can't see evidence in those tests of the clear superiority of Simmons over others (except Skelton) at the lineout.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

With the greatest respect to you Matt, put down the crack pipe mate. That's a ludicrous team you've selected.

 

[emuarse]

I think Cheika will be after play making ability from his inside backs.
If he had a combination of Foley/Giteau, or of Cooper/To'omua, neither would surprise me.
He will be looking for more variation of play than the backs offered v England series. Both Giteau & Cooper bring more versatility in the kicking department.

 

[TOCC]

Locks for the three England tests were :

1st test - Simmons, Arnold with Horwill as replacement;

2nd test - Carter, Arnold with Horwill as replacement;

3rd test - Simmons, Skelton with Coleman as replacement.

Seems that the weaker lineout was with Skelton in the starting lineup - no surprise there?

.

Precisely, the worst lineout was when Skelton was included which limited Australia to just 2 jumpers, it was an issue that everyone predicted well before the match..

As for the stats for the series, it's conveniently overlooked that Simmons was injured at 20mins in the first test and only played half of the last test.

But don't let that get in the way of the annual anti-Simmons campaign.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I am not a fan of Rob Simmons because his general play is really not up to international standard. He has one particular skillset of managing and winning lineouts, but even there in recent times he hasn't shown any margin in skill or results over other options.

I'd prefer to see the likes of Douglas, Arnold, Coleman and Staniforth become our go to locks for their greater impact in general play.

 

[fatprop]

I'm actually flabbergasted! We are obviously not worried about the lineout at all.
The backline is interesting. Is Giteau better at ten than when he left Australia?

Bourke wouldn't be sure what a line out is, except for it being the starting point for a backline move