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Ireland v Australia

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Thinker

Thinker

Darby Loudon (17)
I am comforted by the fact that our coach is realising winning isn't that easy when you don't have overly stacked provincial sides with huge recruitment groups, and he's now going to spend 6 months coaching another team before coming back to coach at the RWC. Bet the farm folks.

In all seriousness, if this hasn't awoken Cheika to the fact this isn't a part time job, we have major problems.
 
Brumby Runner

Brumby Runner

Jason Little (69)
Lindommer said:
  • five-eighths: how many do we need? Five players on this tour who can wear the 10 jumper, Foley, Cooper, Beale, To'omua and Leali'ifano. Surely the time's arrived to pick two and stick with them. Foley and Cooper are a bit yin and yang, there's a case for starting one against some teams and the other against different teams.
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Just on last night's game, I noticed To'omua took the ball at first receiver I think more times than Foley did, and certainly with more effectiveness. Case in point, he was first receiver when he turned the ball back inside to Foley who passed on to Phipps for the last try. Couple that with more variety he brings to the attack than Foley does, and far greater defense, on this performance, and bearing in mind Foley's below par efforts against France and Wales (other than his goal kicking which wasn't so good against Ireland) I'd be inclined to say that our best two No 10s are Cooper and To'omua. Foley is not poor except for his below par defense but he doesn't offer as much as the other two.
 
Inside Shoulder

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Ash said:
I am unsure on our defensive system. The tries in the first were scored from a good kick and intercept, although they caused a few problems at times. What I don't like is hiding the 10 on the wing. It works in Super Rugby, but at Test level they are getting exposed under the high ball when competing against wingers and fullbacks, hell Foley even got out jumped by a 13. Would like to see wingers there instead and 10s more sweeping like other teams.
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Agree oh hiding players.
Our defence was OK - can't remember a clear break: Im sure someone will remind me!
The number of times in this system where we leave them with a one or 2 man overlap is the issue: the french exploited but the Irish were not quite up to it. Sleight came in more than once, To'omua did the same at least once, and they snuffed out opportunities but it is a high risk pattern.
BarneySF said:
I got SLAMMED once raising the there/their/they're/ thing once HJ
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theirs/theres a whole thread devoted to it!
 
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Brumby Runner

Brumby Runner

Jason Little (69)
If TK is out next week, I'd like to see Godwin get his chance at 13. He also has the ability to break the line, tackles hard and can off load to supports. I fully expect to see AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) there, but think Godwin would be a better option, especially with RWC in mind. Plan for the future now.

Matt To'omua had an excellent game, save for a poorly executed grubber. Played as much at 10 as 12 and added variety to the attack and starch to the defense.

Phipps' passing was atrocious. Good game otherwise. Like Lindomer, I'd like to see White on the bench next week.

Henry showed glimpses of his immense talent but isn't yet fully fit. How he tip toes along the side line is mind boggling; equalled only by Cory Jane imo. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) needs to move to the bench as outside back/FB cover.

McCalman played the best I've seen him and is looking safer each game for the Wallabies.

I'd persevere with Jones at 6. He did get caught out running too high and that needs to be corrected. He is a good lineout option, seemed to keep his head down at the scrum and injected some aggression at ruck and maul time (sometimes a little too much according to Jackson - but really what would he know).

The locks are the best we have atm, but I still wouldn't have Skelton on the bench. Sure, he made a very good 8 - 10 m run across the gain line early on and offloaded a couple of times in traffic, but his general play doesn't turn the game around and his set piece still is inadequate. He packed at LH lock in the last scrum (which I think might have been his only scrum) but that resulted in a penalty for folding on the LH side. Instead, I'd run with McMahon on the bench with Schtz and for either Jones or McCalman to go to lock if either Simmons or Carter come off late in the game.

Faulkner didn't get to do much in his time on the ground but showed a good turn of speed on one carry. Keep him on the bench and maybe alternate Robbo and Alexander with him there.

Mt team for next week would be :

Slipper, Fainga'a, Kepu, Carter, Simmons, Jones, Hooper, McCalman, Phipps, Cooper, Tomane, To'omua, Godwin, Speight, Folau.

Bench would be Hanson, Faulkner, Alexander, McMahon, Schatz, White, Lealiifano, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).
 
Lindommer

Lindommer

Simon Poidevin (60)
Staff member
Good looking team, BR, about the best run on 15 we've got if TK's unavailable. My only alteration would be Horne on the bench, possibly instead of CL. Rob's starch in defence'll be needed against the soap dodgers late in the game.
 
Brumby Runner

Brumby Runner

Jason Little (69)
Lindommer said:
Good looking team, BR, about the best run on 15 we've got if TK's unavailable. My only alteration would be Horne on the bench, possibly instead of CL. Rob's starch in defence'll be needed against the soap dodgers late in the game.
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I could live with that. CL probably offers a bit more creativity, so it would be a toss up.
 
P

Paradox

Guest
Beale didn't perform well when he came on. Too much lateral running, poor passing and he needs to start hitting rucks. It's mandatory at this level.

Phipps's passing wasn't good at all. He did score a great try. Foley's kicking game lacks about 15-20 metres. Too much pop gun stuff.

Jones had a poor debut. Hooper fairly quiet. Skelton was good in the loose off the bench.

2 games in a row lost on the EOYT for quite some time. It's worrying and I can't see us beating England as they'll grind us down.

Ireland's defense was good but each time there was a scrum or lineout in the second half one of the Irish players went down injured and they completely stopped the tempo. It seemed rather cynical. Congrats on the victory though.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
I don't like Godwin at 13 for Australia...

Australia's game plan is heavily reliant on a powerful runner at 13.. Which is why I think the squad is unbalanced at the moment, too many inside backs and not enough outside backs.

Cheika needs to show his hand, Izzy to 13 and KB (Kurtley Beale) to 15
 
cyclopath

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
Coming to the end of the first half on the replay, and I am a bit baffled about the degree of negativity. Ireland took a very well executed try off the kick having turned us over, got an intercept when Aus were putting some really good play together and had a 4 on 1 to score themselves. Shitty, but these things happen. Otherwise, the play to get the 3 tries was good, and there were other nice passages of attack. The defence was aggressive, good line speed, and pretty good in effect. No glaring holes. Cover was good.
We were a bit loose in the tight play around the breakdowns at times. There was some poor passing putting players under pressure. Scrum was pretty solid. I thought the Wallabies really tried to play a lot of footy. Ireland? Well, they kick it high pretty well, they chase well, they maul well.
Second half to come, but that was not a bad first one.
 
Gillys_ghost

Gillys_ghost

Dave Cowper (27)
Is there actually any word on TK? If we just lost our only player that can get over the advantage line then we are completely fucked.
 
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