What can one say? My fears that the lack of an effective exit strategy was the basis of the loss. The ABs as has been quoted kicked the most ball we have seen in the RC this year. The fact it is a known factor makes it worse IMO as we could expect just that on a semi wet night when the ABs were dominated in the previous game. They would want to turn around that pack and then bash them when they have been turned around, not try to bash their way through from the start like last week.
I firmly believe they didn't kick as much last week, because they got caught out a bit tactically and because the Wallabies had two decent (if not great) kickers in the back three, with another two in Foley and Giteau.
Tonight they had AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) out of the back three and To'omua in the centres. It is not sensible for the 9 to be the kick return/ exit kicker so I don't include White in that, even though he was the last gasp sweeper which is often the 9s role in event.
So that was the basis of the dominance the ABs got up front. As for the lineout, much is made of the jumpers, and lack of options, but for the second week in a row the throwing from Moore wasn't up to his usual standard and some were just poor and the interaction between Moore and the jumpers was again off. It wouldn't have mattered who were the options if they couldn't co-ordinate and Moore deliver the ball.
Now with a retreating pack because they are getting turned around the rush defence couldn't stem the flow and more often left the flanks open. Kurindrani was caught out many times in the staggered line and easily beaten.
Two aspects of the performance of Nigel Owens pissed me off, in a game where he was otherwise good. 1) Players chasing a high kick making no real effort to challenge for the ball taking the space so that the ball carrier will collide with them in the air. It is obviously designed to remove Folau from the equation. It is dangerous and has been a feature of the ABs kick chase for two weeks, and also feature in the Bok game. 2) The lineout maul, on four occasions the ABs drove through the lineout engaging with the ball receiver before he landed, thereby disrupting the formation of the maul, yes, but it is illegal as the man is still in the air. This was penalised 1 from 4.
