Brumbies vs Reds, Friday 1st of July, GIO Stadium Canberra

[Slim 293]

Brumbies miss out on the bonus point?

Nope, 6 tries to 3..........

 

[Ash]

Ah well.

I can dream that MOC is sacked and we get a new backs coach. More likely that Stiles will be gone though. At least our rucks will improve, I guess. Stiles is a great set piece coach but his ruck work seems pretty average.

Sad seeing Hyne at the end there on crutches.

 

[Simon.]

And from the look of that shoulder, that might be the last we see of Holmes in red. Sad way to end it if so.

 

[liquor box]

Ponies kick a penalty after LF Gill penalised for a no arms in the tackle.

Red 10 BRU 3 after 25 minutes.

 

[biggsy]

Man of the match must be Micheal Hooper...

 

[The torpedo]

I think the Reds are being exposed for a lack of fitness. As has often happened this season in the last 20 minutes.

.....

Still making silly Graham-esque tactical decisions, like box kicks to nobody.

Surprised that our fitness is terrible, considering Damian Marsh is our trainer (unless it's old habits)

the Graham esque mistakes are hopefully just old habits that can be coached out of.

 

[liquor box]

Conclusion - forwards shouldn't kick, unless their name is John Eales..............or Matt Dunning.

unless it is for a field goal....Gill is qualified

 

[liquor box]

Duncan P is on for Jack McIntyre after oranges.

15-15 after Samu Kerevi scores under the sticks.

But wait. TMO George Ayoub rules in Touch, no try.

Back for the lineout. Scores back to 15-10 to Ponies.

The TMO has turned Laws into rules. I like the leeway that Rugby used to have

 

[Simon.]

Well whatever is causing it, they have been competitive for 60 minutes for nearly all games this season, and then the opposition has run away with it in the last 20. Tonight it really looked like a fitness thing, lots of standing around hands on hips, sucking in big ones.

They should have had enough time to train out the Graham errors, which makes me think at least some of the problems with the backs are MOC's responsibility.

 

[liquor box]

Anyone else getting bored of push-over tries from mauls.

Not if the Reds or Wallabies score

 

[galumay]

Lees is not biased just incompetent

Yes he certainly wasnt biased, just made a lot of very poor decisions. I guess refs have form slumps just like players!

His reffing of the breakdown was particularly bad.

On the game, it was lucky the Bush Donkeys didnt start until the 2nd half, gawd knows what the score would have been if they played 80 minutes!

Great to see Tupou get his first try in Super Rugby, got a horrible feeling we will be giving him experience before he turns up in a AB's jersey!

 

[The torpedo]

unless it is for a field goal..Gill is qualified

hahahahahahahahahahaha true. Just as long as Gilly NEVER kicks in general play again............

 

[The torpedo]

Great to see Tupou get his first try in Super Rugby, got a horrible feeling we will be giving him experience before he turns up in a AB's jersey!

IIRC Thor said he wants to play for Australia

 

[mst]

Initial contact is his shoulder; arm makes contact as he goes to put his hands on the ground as you can see that his arm comes straight off the legs down.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Surprised that our fitness is terrible, considering Damian Marsh is our trainer (unless it's old habits)

the Graham esque mistakes are hopefully just old habits that can be coached out of.

It takes so long for top athletes to improve fitness. It's not like your average joe going for a few jogs and doubling their fitness in a few months. And just a few percentage points difference looks like a massive gap in professional rugby.

I think it will be next year until we see the results of Marsh's work with the wider squad.

 

[liquor box]

Initial contact is his shoulder; arm makes contact as he goes to put his hands on the ground as you can see that his arm comes straight off the legs down.

60% of tries involve shoulder with first contact and then hands wrapping around. If arms and hands were first point of contact there would be a lot more tackle busts.

 

[galumay]

IIRC Thor said he wants to play for Australia

Really? I didnt realise that, having gone to school in NZ I just assumed his ambition would have been to play for the AB's.

mmm...just did a bit of research and NZ tried to secure him but he apparently preferred to try to get into the Wobblies. I wonder if his extended family is based here?

EDIT - Yep, his brother gave up a promising rugby career to work in Qld and put Thor thru school in NZ, that explains it! Nice story.

 

[mst]

60% of tries involve shoulder with first contact and then hands wrapping around. If arms and hands were first point of contact there would be a lot more tackle busts.

True, but how many tackles start with one of your hands on the ground, and your arm accidentally making contact with the player as you try to get you other hand on the ground to retrain your balance? Hardly a tackles thus the penalty.

Chalk v cheese.

 

[Slim 293]

Yeah, that was a clear penalty for no arms in the tackle........

Surprised that Lees missed it in real time but then it was a bit of a lottery tonight with the officiating.........

 

[The torpedo]

TBH the officiating reminded me of the Reds-Force game in Perth last year with Matt O'Brien reffing. Good lord there were some shocking decisions in that game.