Bledisloe II @ Eden Park

[Spruce Moose]

Think with this team again even if our intensity around the park drops we should still be able to rely on our set piece for 80 minutes.

I would like them to see if CLL can play the 80 minutes this week, not sure I am a fan of us changing 10 every match and perhaps To'omua to replace JOC (James O'Connor) or Kerevi. Then I would guess maybe AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) right at the end on the wing to sure up the defence.

I have heard the reasoning with Pocock was he wasn't fit enough to do a full 80 minutes and therefore wouldn't be risked off the bench. Guess he has the Samoa match to come to prove his match fitness before Japan.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Yep, whilst I want the men in gold to win, it's more hope than expectation. What I'm really looking for is the type of effort and focus they showed last week. If they go down playing like that I can live with it, they will have been beaten by a better side. However, if they get a sniff with 20 to go I'd love to see them hit the afterburners and go for broke.

 

[Blue]

Is he an openside, blindside or bothside this Wright fella?

 

[Spruce Moose]

If you had showed me that exact team list 6 months ago and told me that they would put 47 points on the ABs in Perth and then head to Eden Park for the decider I would have called you mental. I doubt anyone here on the boards would have picked this starting 15 back then.

Imagine thinking 6 moths ago we had competition for spots like this, still can't believe we are getting close to having to choose between two or more international quality players for every starting position.

 

[KOB1987]

Is he an openside, blindside or bothside this Wright fella?

He's been playing openside but he wants to expand his game and he's big enough and dynamic enough to play blindside.

 

[Blue]

Come on Wallabies! For f... sake just get in there. It will feel a bit dirty, but I'll be yelling for the Wallabies.

 

[Tex]

God how I've missed this. The days when the Wallabies are competitive with the All Blacks (albeit for what could be a tiny little bit in the scheme of things). Quality chat from both sides - I hope it continues after the match no matter the result. As long as we hook in and give it a solid crack I reckon we'll come close and will certainly be in with a chance.

Go you good things go!

That's the soundtrack of Wallaby dominance!

If you offered me three years of Bledisloe Cup ownership (it's easier to defend!) or four years as world champ, I'd probably take the Bledisloe. Who else other than South Africa can beat NZ twice in a calendar year? England in 02/03 but they were a once in a century team.

 

[Up the Guts]

Interesting read here on the importance of Nic White (from the same guy that called the Wallabies terrible after the South African loss):

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/anal...he-tempo-and-exposed-tired-all-black-forwards

I expect the ABs will have wised up to his sniping and it'll be interesting to see if we have any new tricks up our sleeve.

 

[fatprop]

Interesting read here on the importance of Nic White (from the same guy that called the Wallabies terrible after the South African loss):

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/anal...he-tempo-and-exposed-tired-all-black-forwards

I expect the ABs will have wised up to his sniping and it'll be interesting to see if we have any new tricks up our sleeve.

The sniping locks the feet of those first defenders as they expect it, that creates more space wider because that defender can't track across, especially on the inside line off the first receiver

 

[Ignoto]

Come on Wallabies! For f. sake just get in there. It will feel a bit dirty, but I'll be yelling for the Wallabies.

If Australia wins, there will be a random boom in the number of Australians in May 2020!

 

[Joe Blow]

I believe if Arnold was fit he'd be playing, Coleman is the next best we have.

Coleman has a lot to prove and more test experience than Rodda or Arnold. He will be fine. We need to maintain the physicality shown in Perth. He will be up for it.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Is he an openside, blindside or bothside this Wright fella?

He’s a South African but if both at this stage!

 

[Ballboy]

Darkness will come with revenge in their hearts and we will need to have our defence to gold standard , no more letting them slice through without a hand laid on them ,, plus dont give them the ball ,, dont kick it away all night , dont drop it in silly handling errors , when we held the ball last week they had to do all the tackling and the ref starts penalising the defending team ,, if they fall back to these old habits i will turn off , have seen it too many times ,

 

[Tex]

Interesting read here on the importance of Nic White (from the same guy that called the Wallabies terrible after the South African loss):

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/anal...he-tempo-and-exposed-tired-all-black-forwards

I expect the ABs will have wised up to his sniping and it'll be interesting to see if we have any new tricks up our sleeve.

I wonder if Barrett was given the tap to be the hard man and soften up Wallaby key players? That article has him lining up the 9 on a few occasions, and he tried to put a hit on Hooper every time he had the chance.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Is he an openside, blindside or bothside this Wright fella?

He's been playing openside but he wants to expand his game and he's big enough and dynamic enough to play blindside.

He is also a more than adequate lineout jumper. Actually, on the evidence of the Super season, I rate him a better pilferer than Hooper, who is quite good when he is asked to play as a No 7.

 

[Ballboy]

FWIW i would have DHP rather than AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) ,, Genia off the bench last week brought great momentum could be his go from now on ,, there are not many bigger games to make your debut , Eden Park , Darkness down 1 zip and out for Wallaby blood ,, great test wish him every success

 

[Shaker]

He's been playing openside but he wants to expand his game and he's big enough and dynamic enough to play blindside.

He'll be a 6 in the long run i think, especially with McReight coming through.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Wright and McReight - frightening, isn't it?

 

[dru]

Well the selectors are going for the Bled. Like most I’m a little cross eyed with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) but the selectors and the coaching team got us here. I’m all in on gold.

 

[A mutterer]

I wonder if Barrett was given the tap to be the hard man and soften up Wallaby key players? That article has him lining up the 9 on a few occasions, and he tried to put a hit on Hooper every time he had the chance.

It definitely did look like he was designated enforcer.

I think the key issue was that he was not Sur Ritchie and lacked the cloak of invisibility.

The AB cynical play in the red zone was definitely found out.