Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
Since nobody else has had a go yet (with some general comments)
1. Slipper - 7 there can be no doubt that he performed better than any of the other props on tour. A great effort in the scrum and around the park.
2. Moore - 7 A real improvement, lineout throwing was spot on, strong around the park and not sighted loitering. Very good effort.
3. Alexander - 3 I said before the Fiji test I was concerned about him playing LHP for the Ponies all year. Then on his return I stated I was concerned that he had been rushed back early. His performance against Wales got rave reviews but I remained somewhat doubtful as the scrum (his bread and butter at THP) was crap. How much damage has been done to his standing with the officials after this debacle. Sigh.
4. Simmons - 6 Why did it take until the Italy game for an option such as him to be tried? Good work in the lineout, and scrum work reasonable from the coverage. Was well involved in the tight.
5. Sharpe - 7 This has been his best and most consistent season. Again solid lineout, re-starts and tight work. Carried the ball effectively. Scrum still an issue, but binding appeared tighter.
6. Elsom - 7 His best game in two years. Not convinced of his Captaincy. Played much tighter and our dominance of the tackle area showed in it.
7. Pocock - 8 As usual. Pocock is the foundation of this pack, without him they are in real strife as he has by far the highest work rate and defensive work covers deficiencies in a couple of others.
8. McCalman -4 The form shown in his barn storming debut hasn't been seen since. Why? Little drive in the tackle and average at the breakdown. Is he becoming Brown MKII.
9. Genia - 7 Found some of his 2009 form. Still a bit slow to the breakdown especially in the first half and I hate the meer cat impersonations and mucking around t the base of the ruck.
10. Cooper - 6 the tactic appears to be for him to absent himself from the defensive line so he cannot be targetted. That is not a long term fix. General kicking was very good and distribution top class. I would like to see the passes to Mitchell in the 22 for clearing kicks to be shelved. Mitchell goes close to in not actually being charged down time and time again.
12. Barnes - 8 proved why so many of us have been calling for him to start at IC. He isn't as flashy as Giteau (is supposed to be) but he straightened the attack and led the defence superbly. His inside pass to JOC (James O'Connor) to set up the first Oz try was just pure class.
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) - 8 defended well, and run strongly as we have wanted to see all year. Hopefully the ponies will play him at 13.
11. Mitchell 7 - as I said shelve the 2nd pass to Mitchell for clearances, he is too slow from hand to boot and gets charged down. Apart from that the Frogs didn't really threaten on the wings as they were very effectively shit down in midfield so no real defensive work required. Top quality finishing as we expect from an international wing.
14. JOC (James O'Connor) - 7 great run off Barnes to set AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) away and excellent kicking. I'm still not convinced he is a wing but if he plays there next year (and given Graham is Farce coach he will) he will be the first winger selected for the RWC. Mitchell may still miss out if his form drops away as he is prone to.
15. Beale - 6 Needs to eliminate the low percentage plays like chips and grubbers with little or no support in his own half. His defence has improved out of sight compared to last year.
16. TPN - not enough time to rate
17. Robinson - 6 Better, still struggling in the scrum by the standard he set since 2008. I still question his fitness. Ran well and assisted at the breakdown as he used to.
18. Chisholm - 4 I'm still mystified as to why he continues to get selected. He is not dominant in any phase of play and cannot be rated in the top five locks in Oz. Didn't really do much in his time on the field.
19. Higginbum - not enough time to rate but was involved in his cameo.
20. Burgess - not enough time to rate. Looking forward his terribly inconsistent form is an area of real concern.
21. Giteau - 3 on his first ball carry he ran a diagonal line across field for 20 metres with a 5 metre forward gain. This was in stark contrast to the performance of Barnes.
22. Turner - not enough time to rate, but was involved for JOC (James O'Connor)'s try. As with Barnes a solid consistent player can bring great balance to the team to make up for the brain farts of the creative players (ala Edgerton and Roebuck steadying the ship with Campo in '91)
Deans and Co - A good effort really given the self imposed limitations in the squad, the scrum was always going to struggle, and no amount of whining about refereeing interpretation was going to stop that. I was very pleased to see the much improved application in the second half. Lievremont must be asking the questions that many in Oz have been asking (about the Wallabies at times) why did the French give up 20 into the second spell? Bench use was still crap.
1. Slipper - 7 there can be no doubt that he performed better than any of the other props on tour. A great effort in the scrum and around the park.
2. Moore - 7 A real improvement, lineout throwing was spot on, strong around the park and not sighted loitering. Very good effort.
3. Alexander - 3 I said before the Fiji test I was concerned about him playing LHP for the Ponies all year. Then on his return I stated I was concerned that he had been rushed back early. His performance against Wales got rave reviews but I remained somewhat doubtful as the scrum (his bread and butter at THP) was crap. How much damage has been done to his standing with the officials after this debacle. Sigh.
4. Simmons - 6 Why did it take until the Italy game for an option such as him to be tried? Good work in the lineout, and scrum work reasonable from the coverage. Was well involved in the tight.
5. Sharpe - 7 This has been his best and most consistent season. Again solid lineout, re-starts and tight work. Carried the ball effectively. Scrum still an issue, but binding appeared tighter.
6. Elsom - 7 His best game in two years. Not convinced of his Captaincy. Played much tighter and our dominance of the tackle area showed in it.
7. Pocock - 8 As usual. Pocock is the foundation of this pack, without him they are in real strife as he has by far the highest work rate and defensive work covers deficiencies in a couple of others.
8. McCalman -4 The form shown in his barn storming debut hasn't been seen since. Why? Little drive in the tackle and average at the breakdown. Is he becoming Brown MKII.
9. Genia - 7 Found some of his 2009 form. Still a bit slow to the breakdown especially in the first half and I hate the meer cat impersonations and mucking around t the base of the ruck.
10. Cooper - 6 the tactic appears to be for him to absent himself from the defensive line so he cannot be targetted. That is not a long term fix. General kicking was very good and distribution top class. I would like to see the passes to Mitchell in the 22 for clearing kicks to be shelved. Mitchell goes close to in not actually being charged down time and time again.
12. Barnes - 8 proved why so many of us have been calling for him to start at IC. He isn't as flashy as Giteau (is supposed to be) but he straightened the attack and led the defence superbly. His inside pass to JOC (James O'Connor) to set up the first Oz try was just pure class.
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) - 8 defended well, and run strongly as we have wanted to see all year. Hopefully the ponies will play him at 13.
11. Mitchell 7 - as I said shelve the 2nd pass to Mitchell for clearances, he is too slow from hand to boot and gets charged down. Apart from that the Frogs didn't really threaten on the wings as they were very effectively shit down in midfield so no real defensive work required. Top quality finishing as we expect from an international wing.
14. JOC (James O'Connor) - 7 great run off Barnes to set AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) away and excellent kicking. I'm still not convinced he is a wing but if he plays there next year (and given Graham is Farce coach he will) he will be the first winger selected for the RWC. Mitchell may still miss out if his form drops away as he is prone to.
15. Beale - 6 Needs to eliminate the low percentage plays like chips and grubbers with little or no support in his own half. His defence has improved out of sight compared to last year.
16. TPN - not enough time to rate
17. Robinson - 6 Better, still struggling in the scrum by the standard he set since 2008. I still question his fitness. Ran well and assisted at the breakdown as he used to.
18. Chisholm - 4 I'm still mystified as to why he continues to get selected. He is not dominant in any phase of play and cannot be rated in the top five locks in Oz. Didn't really do much in his time on the field.
19. Higginbum - not enough time to rate but was involved in his cameo.
20. Burgess - not enough time to rate. Looking forward his terribly inconsistent form is an area of real concern.
21. Giteau - 3 on his first ball carry he ran a diagonal line across field for 20 metres with a 5 metre forward gain. This was in stark contrast to the performance of Barnes.
22. Turner - not enough time to rate, but was involved for JOC (James O'Connor)'s try. As with Barnes a solid consistent player can bring great balance to the team to make up for the brain farts of the creative players (ala Edgerton and Roebuck steadying the ship with Campo in '91)
Deans and Co - A good effort really given the self imposed limitations in the squad, the scrum was always going to struggle, and no amount of whining about refereeing interpretation was going to stop that. I was very pleased to see the much improved application in the second half. Lievremont must be asking the questions that many in Oz have been asking (about the Wallabies at times) why did the French give up 20 into the second spell? Bench use was still crap.
