Is Link's calculated approach hindering Coopers development?

[vidiot]

He doesn't have to win it every game....but he hardly rated AT ALL....not 2nd or 3rd in most people's reckonings the whole tour.

Circular argument. People see him fall off tackles and don't give him MOTM. Doesn't mean they don't think his attack is worthwhile.

Sadly for us there are more than three players in a rugby side, and a couple of them (9 and 10) are instrumental to 11 through 15 seeing the ball and winning MOTM awards. A problem AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is seeing outside le crabe at the ponies, who has pulled a MOTM performance this season while his outside backs are described as 'subdued'.

 

[Brumbieman]

I'd argue it did work as Kurtley is now a bloody good defender who more than holds his own on missed tackle stats, not to mention makes try saving tackles in most games for the Tahs and the Wallabies.

Oh does he? Check out the stats. For all his improvement in defence, KB (Kurtley Beale) still had the 2nd worst tackle completion percentage of all the Wallabies last year...

 

[Brumbies Guy]

The problem TBH, is that there were about 6 games after this where QC (Quade Cooper) hardly featured at all in this sites own MOTM ratings.

You could argue that his defense was a big factor in them almost losing that game - as it was when they faced up to the Poms. By the time they got to Italy, he was running all the way out to the wing every time the opposition got the ball.

And I still think his attack is over-rated. The Super season so far is proving that a lot of teams know how to nullify his strengths both from a team perspective and one-on-one. If Super coaches can work it out...you better believe NZ/SA/ENG/FRA will as well.

Who ever beats Pocock for MOTM anyway?

 

[MrMouse]

Quade has already proved twice so far this season that he can close out a tight game.

Hang on Reddy, I thought you'd only watched 1 Reds game this year...

 

[Scotty]

He is never going to live that one down is he?

 

[qwerty51]

Oh does he? Check out the stats. For all his improvement in defence, KB (Kurtley Beale) still had the 2nd worst tackle completion percentage of all the Wallabies last year...

Playing at fullback might have something to do with that you know..

 

[OLDDOG]

And I still think his attack is over-rated. The Super season so far is proving that a lot of teams know how to nullify his strengths both from a team perspective and one-on-one. If Super coaches can work it out...you better believe NZ/SA/ENG/FRA will as well.

Fellas, some valid points, & tackling and contesting are being tuned up, but lets not forget there's a coaches game plan in the mix. Its a bit early to be criticising I feel. The reds have been analysed big time, and some new team styles of play have developed this season. I'm holding off my opinion until we're in the 2nd half of the season to see how the reds/quade/will/pack adjusts. I dont believe that Link is playing all his cards just yet (I see it akin to a physical game of chess). Personally, I'm looking forward to the game that Link decides it's time to run the opposition off the park again. it's comin........

ps quade/barnes at the WC is the combo for me

 

[MrMouse]

He is never going to live that one down is he?

Not if we can help it!!!

 

[Reddy!]

Hang on Reddy, I thought you'd only watched 1 Reds game this year...

I read G&GR blogs...

 

[Reddy!]

Personally, I'm looking forward to the game that Link decides it's time to run the opposition off the park again. it's comin........

It's coming sooner than you think. Rebels are next on the plate! YUM!

 

[dobduff11]

I'm not sure if its relevant but a few years ago when I played fullback I didnt touch the ball for probably the first 15 mins and I didnt make a tackle in that time either, this happened on a regular basis.

Well anyway on defence if a line break occurred i usually wasn't caught up in the intensity of the match (I was usually cold) and I don't think this helped much when you had to tackle the oppositions primary line breaker.

When I moved to fly half though you are in on the intensity of the game immediately leading the line making your tackles and doing your stuff in attack from the go.

Basically what I am trying to say is that if Quade stays at fullback then he won't make many tackles in a game but the ones he has to make he will probably miss. The only way he will improve is if he is up in the line leading it. This should get him a bit more aggressive and hopefully more into his tackling.

 

[Bullrush]

Circular argument. People see him fall off tackles and don't give him MOTM. Doesn't mean they don't think his attack is worthwhile.
Sadly for us there are more than three players in a rugby side, and a couple of them (9 and 10) are instrumental to 11 through 15 seeing the ball and winning MOTM awards. A problem AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is seeing outside le crabe at the ponies, who has pulled a MOTM performance this season while his outside backs are described as 'subdued'.

It would suggest though that his attack wasn't enough to out-weigh his defensive frailties.

Again, his defense almost lost the Wallaby's the HK match and, I think, was a factor in the Pommy loss. Perhaps Link has this all accounted for in some grand master plan but after all the noise QC (Quade Cooper) made himself about getting better defensively during the off-season, I'm surprised more people aren't calling him to account on it.

 

[Red Rooster]

From what I can see Link is not using Quade any differently this year than last year and now we have decided that its a bad thing. It didn't stop Quade getting picked for the Wallabies and it didn't make his tackling any better or worse for the Wallabies either. From what i have read and heard Quade made 8 tackles v brumbies but interestingly Lucas made 18 and topped the tackle count. Look a bit wider to the efforts of Hangers v the Crusaders and you will see the impact of not tackling in the 10 channel. I would suggest that Link might be looking after the interests of the team and not an individual

 

[Ruggo]

He doesn't have to win it every game....but he hardly rated AT ALL....not 2nd or 3rd in most people's reckonings the whole tour.

Since when did individual honors mean so much in a team sport?

 

[Bullrush]

Since when did individual honors mean so much in a team sport?

1. I'm not talking about the actual MOTM. I'm talking about guys who came on this site after every game, as per usual, and rated their Top 3 players. Cooper hardly featured at all from memory.

2. MOTM mentions is not about the individual honor. It's about individual effort in a team sport. Cooper's non-inclusion in most people's Top 3 MOTM was a direct reflection of his poor defensive efforts on the EOYT.

Again, he acknowledged himself that it was something he needed to work on and something he made a point of saying that he would focus on in the off-season. Has anyone noted the marked improvement?

That's why I thought it was funny that when RR went to the Reds training, his clip with QC (Quade Cooper) only showed Quade stepping around him. Wow....a profesional athlete (and a noted stepper) stepping a heavier, middle-age man....big deal. I think what a lot of people wanted to see was if he had worked on his tackling like he had said he would.

As an AB fan I have been delighted to see that to date, it doesn't seem like it.

 

[Scotty]

Don't think so RR. Quade wasn't hidden as much last year.

 

[fatprop]

Oh does he? Check out the stats. For all his improvement in defence, KB (Kurtley Beale) still had the 2nd worst tackle completion percentage of all the Wallabies last year...

Was he? Where would I find those stats?

He has improved, that is clear

As for the units primarily defending at 15 this season
Beale has made 18 and missed 5
Quade has made 12 and missed 9
McCabe has made 7
Shepherd has made 2 and missed 1

http://www.rugbystats.com.au/rugby/index.html

Both Beale and Cooper clearly have more activity in a match, which is pretty obvious as they both bob up everywhere and also read a game so well that they are often attempting tackles that the other two won't get near.

All I want to see is improvement in Cooper's attitude in defense - be prepared to make the tackle and then do it. Both him and Beale (less so these days) are often so concerned about staying active and in play they don't commit to making the defensive play in front of them.

 

[Cutter]

Carlos Spencer could tackle but used also drop back in defence to organise the counter attack. Watch some Blues and AB clips from 2003 to see this. I suspect this is partly what Link is planning.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

All of this problem goes away if QC (Quade Cooper) has the ticker and the technique to put his shoulder in. Simple as that really.

 

[spectator]

I don't mind Link doing what is best for the Reds but QC (Quade Cooper)'s tackling effectiveness has really regressed of late. No one doubts his attacking genius but it is frustrating to see that he doesn't seem to have made any effort to modify his style. There's an earlier post about his reluctance to really commit defensively so that he is always available to lead the attack, or something like that, and that is pretty spot on. He got away with that stuff during his dominant school days, and has managed the odd steal or ball rip, but the penny doesn't seem to have dropped that it won't work at this level.

Quite frustrating really...