Bledisloe 2 at Eden Park 18/10/20

[Zero_Cool]

@BR Obviously Stewart should be starting at 7 for the Wallabies! /s

But actually he's been doing really good things for the Reds defense at 12 in a year or two I could really see him settling into a similar role as Matt To'omua occupies currently for the Wallabies.

I think the AB's are making a bit of a storm in a teacup to be honest. The Wilson hit was borderline at best, but for the sake of having too many penalties in the game I'm happy it wasn't called. But this is test rugby not Tiddlywinks if your flyhalf can't cop a hit or two then he shouldn't be playing.
I'd love to see Rennie go the double bluff and instead really target the breakdown or something now to disrupt the AB's ball.

 

[KOB1987]

That's reaching. He was positioning to make the tackle and then backed out once Mo'unga passed and hit mo'unga in the belly at about the intensity of an under 12's tackle

 

[Tex]

Yeah that was late.

But I'm curious, do you Kiwis dissect every game looking for misdemeanours and EVIDENCE OF FOUL PLAY or is it only when you shit the bed and your fragile rugby egos get a reality check?

I remember after the Perth game a bunch of you bed wetters were accusing Samu Kerevi of a shoulder charge after he did the old Tongan sidestep on Beaudan Barrett!

While I certainly don't think All Black dominance is anywhere near being threatened, I think it might actually be healthy for some of you coddled babies to eat a few defeats from time to time.

 

[zer0]

Personally I don't, barring an exception here and there over the years. In this case I just saw it pop up elsewhere and relayed it as it seemed relevant. Wouldn't have even known the video existed otherwise.

 

[Tex]

Oh come on zer0 fire up! Enough of this polite balance! It's test match week haha.

For the health of Australian rugby and the health of Trans Tasman rivalry, I hope we pip the Darkness at the death. What a scene that would be

 

[zer0]

Originally I did have a second sentence in there about the irony of GAGR posters questioning others autistic forensic analysis for missed penalties, but thought it might've been too provocative to be correctly read as bantz.

In conclusion, your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

 

[qwerty51]

Oh come on zer0 fire up! Enough of this polite balance! It's test match week haha.

For the health of Australian rugby and the health of Trans Tasman rivalry, I hope we pip the Darkness at the death. What a scene that would be

Preferably by a last minute try in which Daugunu steps on the sideline and Angus Gardner "misses".

 

[Dusky W]

@BR Obviously Stewart should be starting at 7 for the Wallabies! /s


I'd love to see Rennie go the double bluff and instead really target the breakdown or something now to disrupt the AB's ball.

Disrupting their breakdown would be great but unlikely unless Wright (at 6) is in the team or Hooper is given a different role. (not bagging Hooper here; I thought he had a great game on Sunday). We can barley defend our own ball, let alone steal theirs. The AB's won 12 turnovers to our 6 on Sunday. Rugby AU site only credits 1 turnover each to Hooper, Samu and Uelese, and the rest to our backs. The AB's turnovers won often came when we shifted it wide or made a break/half break. Cane and Savea, with support, slowed or stole too much of our possession when we were on the attack. The ref stole the rest but I've moved on from that. ; )

 

[Hammeroid]

As much I think the wallabies did well on Sunday. I remember a period of time when it was 13 -3 thinking, shit if they score again we are done. Imagine a scoreline of 20-3 midway through the second half. I expect eden park to go that way to be honest.

 

[Braveheart81]

The AB's won 12 turnovers to our 6 on Sunday. Rugby AU site only credits 1 turnover each to Hooper, Samu and Uelese, and the rest to our backs. The AB's turnovers won often came when we shifted it wide or made a break/half break. Cane and Savea, with support, slowed or stole too much of our possession when we were on the attack. The ref stole the rest but I've moved on from that. ; )

This is substantially a reflection of the possession stats. Teams that defend more always end up with more turnovers won.

Almost all the turnovers in those stats are from picking up a dropped ball/diving on a loose ball.

The All Blacks had one clean pilfer in the 83rd minute.

 

[qwerty51]

As much I think the wallabies did well on Sunday. I remember a period of time when it was 13 -3 thinking, shit if they score again we are done. Imagine a scoreline of 20-3 midway through the second half. I expect eden park to go that way to be honest.

If the Reiko try stood just before HT there's absolutely no way the 2nd half goes as it did. It would've destroyed them.

 

[formerflanker]

If the Reiko try stood just before HT there's absolutely no way the 2nd half goes as it did. It would've destroyed them.

No way.
AB's shrink into complacency.
Rennie delivers a "brothers in arms" speech at half time, Hooper adds to it with a blood-shedding display of leadership in the second half and the boys come from behind to claim an historic victory.

 

[Up the Guts]

As much I think the wallabies did well on Sunday. I remember a period of time when it was 13 -3 thinking, shit if they score again we are done. Imagine a scoreline of 20-3 midway through the second half. I expect eden park to go that way to be honest.

But they didn’t which is where this was an unusually good performance from the Wallabies and why, possibly, Eden Park won’t be the easy win it has been for the ABs.

 

[Joe Blow]

They just kept standing up, not only to defend, but also to try and score and win. Impressive stuff!
The game should have given the young Wallabies some confidence. We all know how the next chapter normally goes, and so does Rennie. Just as he had them up for game 1, I expect he will have them in a good frame of mind for this weekend.
We most likely will not win, doing so at Eden Park is the biggest challenge in the game, but hopefully we turn up again and give it a good shake. That will be enough for me.

 

[Joe Blow]

But I’d take a win.......

 

[Zero_Cool]

Yeah, I'd be bringing in Wright and Samu to the bench. I don't see anyway we can really control the AB's backs other than by containing Mo'unga (or B.Barrett) other than really targeting Mo'unga or slowing the breakdown. And I do see us losing too much by going to Wright from Samu but we'd get a lot more stick around the breakdown. But I suspect we'll see both Rob's dropped and likely see Hosea and Wright brought in for them.
If we go a 6/2 then maybe they look at Hanigan or consider retaining Valetini.

 

[Braveheart81]

I'd be far more surprised if Simmons gets dropped than Valetini. Simmons is clearly there to run the lineout which I don't think Hosea is an option for.

I reckon there is almost zero chance our starting backrow changes. All three of them will be rated as having good games (which they did).

My prediction is that barring any injuries we don't know about, Petaia coming in for Lolesio is the only change to the 23.

 

[Joe Blow]

I’d could also live with Wright on the bench in place of Valetini. Wright will tackle to a standstill and has better on ball presence than anyone currently in the 23. It would have been nice to have him for that last 8 1/2 minutes in Bled1.
At the end of a game like that you need speed.

 

[Purce]

in
.



I’ve already stayed my take on his performance so I’ll try not to bang on about it but that take is just not the reality. I’m going through and rewatching the game but I think he made one tackle that effected a turnover. He did not “lead” the defensive line, he found himself next to the ruck a lot, wasn’t barking orders or organising anyone that I could see. The forwards led the defensive charge on phase play, he was mostly behind this front line and the 2nd man in the tackle. He also missed 3 tackles from 9 attempted according to the smh. He was good in defence but hardly remarkable.

Also if kicking away the ball on attack is the plan we are in trouble. 4 turnovers from kicks is just that no matter how you try to paint it. If it was the game plan why was he the only player to do so. I imagine when Rennie spoke about kicking during the week he meant like White and Paisami, smart kicks that have a good chance of having an upside for us. Not literally kicking the ball straight to the opposition when we have an overlap against a broken defence, on multiple occasions. That doesn’t add anything at all, the defence won’t change, it does the opposite of keeping the defence “honest” it’s a massive let off.

I can understand To'omua starting, it’s not what I’d do but that’s fine. I just think we should call a spade a spade with that performance or at least dispense with the exaggerated notion he had some amazing game. I’d unhappily concede an average performance to stop talking about it but it certainly wasn’t a good game from him.

I've watched the game several times as well. I cannot see how you have interpreted it those ways but given this and your earlier posts it is firmly what you think. I wont bother continuing on with it as my points all remain the same.

He will be selected again this week. Petaia at 13 as well, Paisami to 22. No other changes me thinks.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

George Bridge has suffered a freak injury during a weights session & his season is likely over.

Fight back the tears zer0, KiwiM, Dismal et al.

Josh Ioane has been released back to Otago. If either Beaugan or Mo'unga are a late scratching I'm officially gunna lose my shit. Also released are Lomax & Reece, Jordan would've been but now won't be due to Bridge's injury.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/bl...uring-gym-session/NAEDISNJVYO7VOBHAZLZ5RPQ5Q/