Bledisloe 2 at Eden Park 18/10/20

[Warpath]

rennie made a mistake not starting Hodges, 3 pointers every 5 minutes would have kept Australia in the game long enough for them to run an attacking move..., NZ kept attacking and thus why they won...rennie might not be the issue, whoever his technical coach is.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

ppl keep forgetting Daugunu is a fullback too in the 2 games i kept wondering why rennie didn't come with a plan to push Filipo to 15 on attack and bring him back on the wing on defence, because most of the first half i saw him roving across the field in defence but the plan was changed in the 2nd half.. he has a better kicking game than Banks but he always beats 2 players with his runs which will be enough to create spaces for supporting players, Banks on the other hand didn't break a single line today, if To'omua is fit for next game

9. white
10. JOC (James O'Connor)
11. koro
12. To'omua
13. JP
14. Daugunu (fullback on attack)
15. Hodges (wing on attack)

10. JOC (James O'Connor) / Noah (if To’omua injured)
11. Koriobete
12. To’omua / JOC (James O'Connor) if To’omua injured
13. Pasami / Petaia
14. Dagunu
15. Pataia/ DHP

On bench - tempted for mcreight (breakdown king), Samu instead of Wright and Noah back on the pine as missed playmaker options with To’omua going off, hosea for Simmons as agree latter time to call

 

[Slim 293]

defence wasn't the reason Australia lost today, the inability to FINISH any attacking move was.

Defence played a large part in why Australia lost today..............

 

[Joe Blow]

rennie made a mistake not starting Hodges, 3 pointers every 5 minutes would have kept Australia in the game long enough for them to run an attacking move., NZ kept attacking and thus why they won.rennie might not be the issue, whoever his technical coach is.

Hodge HODGE Hodge. I think he should start at 15 next test. He needs to be on the park.

 

[whitefalcon]

I dont get the hate for Banks. I thought he was fine but not knock your socks off.
JOC (James O'Connor) I thought was fine until To'omua went off, but had some shitty kicks
Korobites handling was horrendous (but so was the rest of the team's)
Hanigan was great, Simmons was shit.
I thought Paisami had a mare!

 

[wamberal]

Hodge HODGE Hodge. I think he should start at 15 next test. He needs to be on the park.

This forum should have a spell check for players' names.

 

[Brumby Runner]

As long as there are no more Brumbies added to the side we should improve

Yeah, let's just go with the Reds. After all, the Tahs, Brumbies, Rebels and anyone else are just pretend Aussies. GTFO. Any player from any franchise is a Wallaby when they're selected.

 

[Pfitzy]

As long as there are no more Brumbies added to the side we should improve

Or Reds:

• Flick pass from Wilson that didn't need to happen when we were hot on attack
• Flick pass from Wright that didn't need to happen when we were in transition
• BPA crawling on the deck in sight of the tryline
• Wright letting Perenara strip him of the ball in contact

See how easy that is?

Let's shut the fucking State rubbish up and just accept we weren't accurate or smart enough as the NATIONAL rugby team.

 

[Pfitzy]

Its kind of amazing to say it but the only positive out of of that was Hanigan.

Woah easy there chief! A good run and a turnover, bookending two stupid penalties back to back inside our territory at maul. Yeesh.

I honestly was expecting us to put pressure on their lineout with four genuine options, but we never really did.


Was a very Cheikaball performance in the back end of the game for mine - just chuck it wide and hope. Loss of To'omua may not have helped that, but we didn't look near as fit as last week and the decision making was slightly worse

 

[Pfitzy]

I don’t think playing at Eden Park and the record means anything to how the Wallabies approach the match or their actual play, but for the ABs they do seem to lift and play with a bit more intensity and effort. One of those intangible things in sport I guess.

For me it is more of a case that Eden Park gets a semi-regular spot i.e. every couple of years as the second fixture in the calendar as Rugby Australia wanted the first Bledisloe to be in Australia under an extended deal.

So no matter what happens in the first Test, the ABs have a week under their belts to revise and fine tune, knock off the rust etc.

Yes its home soil so they lift, but Wellington showed that even at home, their first game performance can look a little meh.

 

[PhilClinton]

Or Reds:

• Flick pass from Wilson that didn't need to happen when we were hot on attack
• Flick pass from Wright that didn't need to happen when we were in transition
• BPA crawling on the deck in sight of the tryline
• Wright letting Perenara strip him of the ball in contact

See how easy that is?

Let's shut the fucking State rubbish up and just accept we were accurate or smart enough as the NATIONAL rugby team.

Haha mate I should change my avatar to Rex Hunt - I don’t think I’ve had anyone hook on that hard ever on these forums.

Woo up.

 

[Dan54]

For me it is more of a case that Eden Park gets a semi-regular spot i.e. every couple of years as the second fixture in the calendar as Rugby Australia wanted the first Bledisloe to be in Australia under an extended deal.

So no matter what happens in the first Test, the ABs have a week under their belts to revise and fine tune, knock off the rust etc.

Yes its home soil so they lift, but Wellington showed that even at home, their first game performance can look a little meh.

As did Perth last year. I really enjoyed the game, was pretty pleased how ABs went, as I didn't think Wallabies were bad. For ABs forwards worked a lot better, loosies were good and who knew Hodgeman would go that well at LH. Think BB at 15 created a little uncertainty in Wallabie's defence,and gave Mounga a bit of breathing space , Caleb Clarke was a bit ok in first up start, kind of performance that makes you tweak your defence when playing against him, so could cause problems elsewhere.

 

[Dan54]

Caleb Clarke worries me as sort of player even without ball - too many players watching out for him in anticipation of damage he can do. I think he is the difference at this point to my confidence of winning a game against ABs

He's played similar all year, I know you don't watch kiwi rugby, but he has looked the same whole time.

 

[upthereds#!]

If To'omua is out for a while, I think hodge will be 12 inside Petaia. Lolesio on the bench again.

 

[Derpus]

As did Perth last year. I really enjoyed the game, was pretty pleased how ABs went, as I didn't think Wallabies were bad. For ABs forwards worked a lot better, loosies were good and who knew Hodgeman would go that well at LH. Think BB at 15 created a little uncertainty in Wallabie's defence,and gave Mounga a bit of breathing space , Caleb Clarke was a bit ok in first up start, kind of performance that makes you tweak your defence when playing against him, so could cause problems elsewhere.

Honestly mate, how could not think that was a poor Wallabies performance? Unless you think that's about their level.

 

[Dan54]

Honestly mate, how could not think that was a poor Wallabies performance? Unless you think that's about their level.

I actually think they went well until they just couldn't keep up .As I said about ABs last week sometimes the other team just plays better!

 

[Brumby Runner]

OK. The first error was Rennie making four changes to a side that had exceeded expectations instead of retaining a consistent side with a bit of reward for their efforts last week. I said before the game, it would prove Rennie to be a genius if the Wallabies won, or a visionary if they were close again, or having a Cheika moment if they lost large. I think he had his Cheika moment.

There will be changes next game, because we can't go again with a team that lost so decisively.

The questions that need to be answered for next game, are:

(i) the best use of the front row which is arguably better than the AB counterparts. BPA, Uelese and FF (Folau Fainga'a) are all pretty much on equal footing, and all have problems. For harmony sake, FF (Folau Fainga'a) should have been persisted with after the first test draw. Throwing is a coaching issue and it is the lineout coach failing if he can't get the hookers and jumpers working in tandom. I also reiterate my belief that Tupou and Ala'alatoa need to swap their time on the ground. AAA on for the first half, and TT on at half time.

(ii) the balance of the backrow. We still cannot get a proper balance of lineout capability and hard work at the breakdown while Michael Hooper plays 7. It has been a real problem for about 6 years now, and the time is right to make a change. Wilson had one of the stronger games in test 2 and has to be retained. I would keep him at 8 with Samu coming into 6 and Wright in 7. I would probably prefer McReight at 7 but we need Wright for his lineout work. Hanigan was better than previously but still had a couple too many poor involvements; needs to be on the bench as lock/6 cover.

(iii) lack of penetration in the halves/midfield. JOC (James O'Connor) was found out at 10 today. Could argue that he needs someone like To'omua next to him, but there has been a distinct lack of penetration through the 10/12 area in both tests and that is not just because MT left the field today. I am hesitant to suggest throwing Lolesio in against the ABs in his first test, but the other alternative might be to bring Simone into 12, especially if MT doesn't recover. Either one of Lolesio or Simone would add some attacking flair to our backline plays.

(iv) poor skills and lack of variety on the wings. Koroibete had a nightmare game with his poor handling today, and others have suggested he might not really be a rugby player rather than a League winger. Daugunu missed so many tackles and was out of position in defense so often that I'm sure the stats man won't have been able to count as high as would be necessary. At this time, I would persist with Daugunu but switch him to 11 and bring Tom Wright into 14. Much better variety and much better support for the No 15, whoever that might be.

(v) the makeup of the bench. The bench should be players capable of taking the game by the scruff of the neck, and be able to threaten the opposition. This is not Rob Simmons and maybe not either of Jake Gordon or Reece Hodge.

There is now 13 days to the next Bledisloe. I assume the team, and the ABs for that matter, are able to fly back to Sydney without any need for further quarantining. Similarly, I assume some extra domestic players would be available to join the squad without the need to quarantine. If that is the case, Rennie needs to look seriously at bringing in a few of his questionable omissions. Neville would be an excellent swap for Rob Simmons as he runs a lineout just as effectively and provides a whole lot more around the ground. Rodda would be another good option if he's in the country, or perhaps Blyth who I think missed the squad originally. And in any case, RS is off overseas at the end of the year. Better to get the next group of potential Wallabies up and running now than to persist with a player in his twilight who is shooting through imminently anyway. Others who could add positively to the squad include Isi Naisarani and Jack Dempsey.

 

[qwerty51]

Woah easy there chief! A good run and a turnover, bookending two stupid penalties back to back inside our territory at maul. Yeesh.

The 2nd maul penalty against Hanigan was absolute bullshit.

 

[KOB1987]

I dont get the hate for Banks.

No one hates him. Everyone would prefer a fullback who can make some metres though. We had one of those but he’s no longer with us.

 

[Blue]

If you guys did not slip to many tackles this was a different game. You cant drop that many tackles and build pressure at the same time. You are playing catch up.

I thought you were found out on the last pass outside time and time again and drifted too much in defense. Seemed like in the first the line was up aa lot quicker. It was confusing. Different shape to last week.

Hanigan was good value. If he can stop infringing so much he will lock down a spot. Wright was absolutely woeful.