Is it unthinkable Dru that the Brumbies just might have tightened up on their discipline this year. Look at the penalty stats for all games. The Brumbies are one of the least, or perhaps the least, penalised sides this year irrespective of the individual referee in charge.
BR, in my view you are not addressing the skew here, but yes I'm happy to accept that Brumbies have tightened their discipline - where that is defined as things are below the threshold likely to gain the ref's attention. Learning to adapt to the specific interpretation of the rules in the particular game. Just it comes nowhere close to the skew here.
The result is pretty simple for me: ref determined the outcome of this game.
Still, you'll be glad to hear that I am starting to warm to Wright and Muirhead. Happy to acknowledge Valetini as the clear form 8 in Australia. Slipper had a game for him to remember across a long career. The Brumbies scrum should be the mainstay to the Wallabies, though the response from the Waratahs with props swapping sides etc was impressive.
On the downside I'm starting to cool on Lolesio and starting to ask, is it true? Is the guy simply over-rated?
For the Waratahs I thought Nawaqanitawase immense. Looks to have. grown 2", 10 lbs, and gotten faster by 0.5s.
On a note for the Wallabies and in the latest Eddie podcast - his statement that 75% of tries are scored in three phases, so "why would you hold it longer?" That question was clearly answered last night. Why hold in a possession game at times of a tight game?:
1/ Down to 13 you would be mad to offer turnover.
2/ 5 min to go and needing a try to win. At that point you are 110% possession game and need to know how to do it.
3/ 1 in 4 tries are scored from possession!
Eddie talks about the Australian game being "clever". Well that should include the adaptability to play possession when it is the right strategy in a game. By all means base the game plan on short phase play, speed, increased ball in play, willingness to offload, pass, ball skills (if we are only expecting 3 or 4 phases may as well chance the ball a bit). BUT have that B Plan locked in everyones mentality as well.