Italy vs Wallabies, EOYT 2010

[Spewn]

Burgess has absolutely no composure, cannot pass and is a liability. Barnes boring but adds a great deal of stability in the midfield. McCalman is good at cleaning out but he is no ball runner. There has got to be someone else out there other than Palu(and not Brown).

 

[Tangawizi]

of some early stats:

Supposedly Berrick missed two tackles, as did AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

Alexander's stats are pretty disappointing.

Barnes - 3 runs for 6 metres, 2 missed tackles and giant knock-on to bomb a try..... Lucky he kicked straight.

 

[Slim 293]

Surprised at the lack of praise for Simmons - thought he was quite an improvement on Jizz, or Mumm. He seemed harder than in his mid-year appearances.

The ref was atrocious.

Otherwise I agree with the general sentiment - Italian scrum were devious and ref clueless to stop it, Slipper held up well considering, Alexander much better than the previous week. Less meerkatting, more driving helped. Also a ludicrous amount of time wasted in leadup to every scrum to allow Italians to get enough breath for the type of secondary drives that squished us a bit.

The ref was atrocious.

We pushed passes a fair bit, just a bit frantic at times looking for the immediate kill. I think Burgo's game was exemplified in a period where I was growling 'focus, focus' at the tv and he tried to force a pop pass from the wrong side of a strong tackle and turned it over. If QC (Quade Cooper), BB or Rock can dilute his red cordial he could be so good... The wingers did more work in the rucks than on the wings - not a criticism but an observation. Apparently Reg's stats agree with me.

The ref was atrocious. But if you cancel out the two non-tries he only gifted them half a dozen penalties...

Also haven't seen any comment on the AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) tackle - they had him head down and if not for Pocock(?) coming in were going to drive him down. Should there have been on field action, and will there be off field action taken?

The ref was pretty atrocious, you know?

All in all, I'm happy to get the win, I thought forward intensity particularly in the first 20min was way better, and it's a performance you could build on. Wouldn't be surprised if the team were unchanged for next week, actually, as Slipper, Simmons, Barnes were all good and Burgo ok (at least he had intensity and fitness). Turner will depend on JOC (James O'Connor) of course. Hodgo was great in his cameo too.

Did I mention how atrocious the ref was?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong... but I was under the impression that once a player has been lifted past that horizontal plane then the tackle is deemed to be dangerous no matter how "safely" they're put down...

But yes, that was the worst referee performance of any Wallaby game I've seen this year...

 

[disco]

My biggest gripe with the Wallabies performance was patience, the showed in HK that they could be patient but on this tour they want to score off every line break.

They're not giving the other nations the respect they deserve, forget the miracle ball just take the tackle plant the ball & get to the next phase.

 

[Slim 293]

My biggest gripe with the Wallabies performance was patience, the showed in HK that they could be patient but on this tour they want to score off every line break.

They're not giving the other nations the respect they deserve, forget the miracle ball just take the tackle plant the ball & get to the next phase.

Yep... I think Deans' "play what's in front of you" bullshit turns the Wallabies into headless chooks... they're just aimlessly throwing the ball around 7's style hoping for some individual brilliance...

And guess what - when you play that way throwing the ball around like crazy and forcing passes - it tends to lead to dropped balls and forward passes... which leads to SCRUMS... the ONE thing you don't want to be giving a team that is dominating in that department...

 

[RugbyReg]

I agree, but just because it is hard it doesn't stop it being the props job to work it out.

Slipper will be better for the lesson.

As Link is known to say "props learn by getting their heads shoved up their arse"

I just bemoan the fact that we have another kid learning his job on the world stage

yeah, let's just hope he doesn't take him 50 tests to learn to do it.

 

[TheTruth]

I agree in essence, but when it is a prop as good and strong as Castrogiovanni I think the only way Slipper was going to get some relief from his boring was by alerting the ref (which they seemed to do) or the refs/touchies seeing it happen. It is nigh on impossible to counter a really strong prop when they bore in like that (going on your name I assume you know that as well).

But yeh as you say, it will be tremendously beneficial for him to have played against a prop of that quality. His work around the ground is wonderful and his scrummaging for a 21yo is pretty exceptional. Thought Alexander did quite well against Lo Cicero who is a good prop in his own right. Had him bending and folding quite a bit at times.

Simmons played really well and I hope he gets the start against France next week.

I hear Castrogiovanni receives about $1,000,000 per year - he should be able to get a haircut

 

[cyclopath]

I hear Castrogiovanni receives about $1,000,000 per year - he should be able to get a haircut

Perhaps he has a TPN-like pact not to cut it until Italy win a game of consequence!

 

[TheTruth]

Perhaps he has a TPN-like pact not to cut it until Italy win a game of consequence!

thyankfully they are both great rugby players - they will never make retirement being models

 

[Rothschild]

With the pace and ability that Slipper had grasped some of the technicalities so far this year, by the time RWC2011 rolls around he could well be pur first choice prop.
It would be very nice if some of the incumbents had that level of capturing experience and holding onto it.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Rothschild, if Slipper were to develop as you say, then I would regard that as hugely beneficial to our chances next year. If only to put pressure on the starting guys.

 

[Brumby Jack]

thyankfully they are both great rugby players - they will never make retirement being models

Particularly in the Italian market!

 

[daz]

They beat us on the hit early,.

Issues with timing have been with us from the day we set foot in Britain. Changing timing for each game is all well and good, but after 1000 scrum machine drills and a season in S14 being timed one specific way you just can't alter the rhythm like a light switch. We are not that bad, but if you don't get that core 5 man shove right you will be smashed down, up and backwards.

Why did we do pretty good in the 3N but suddenly we can't scrummage for shit in the NH?

The long drawn out eternity between pause.....................engage is the fault of the IRB (and Paddy) to fix. Terrible Wallaby scrum? Well, not perfect but not that bad.

Terrible Ref inconsistency? You betcha.

 

[Hawko]

I wonder whether POB will be visiting the Wallaby dressing room to apologise for his ref allowing the Italian THP to bore in all game?

For the record, was it Castro who did that to the AB's last year. If so, I am surprised any international ref would have missed it this year, considering the possible consequences.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

I don't know what to say. They all look like clowns with their new hair-styles, and they are starting to make lots of silly mistakes. We can see now that the Wallabies #12 role takes you out of the spotlight and that Giteau has actually been doing alright relative to Barne's performance.

It was a very tough game to referee, Italy were just out there to cheat. The refs were on and off, but overall they did alright just to control the game.

France next week, someone give them a shave and get the Wallabies playing like they did pre-clown era!

Seriously though, next week i hope Pocock hits his form again, and with O'Conner coming back? The outside backs might find their spark again.

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

Agreed. Wasn't Slipper's fault that Castrogiovanni bored in all game and the ref was not able to officiate a scrum properly. Slipper and Elsom should have been in the ref's ear all night. Finally we saw the ref getting it right in the 2nd half.

After what appeared to be a word from Pocock. Rocky (or whoever is captain) has to communicate with the refs more or else the suspect scrum penalties will continue.

 

[RugbyReg]

Interesting turn of events late in the match, or perhaps I am ready too much into it.

Slipper went off to the blood bin. Now I thought it was the standard dodgy prop interchange and didn't see much blood myself.

So Robbo comes on and is the scrum collapses on his side the first two scrums he packs. Two penalties, including the Italian try.

Slipper comes straight on for Robbo again.

So interpretations.

1) Deans was just resting Fat Cat to keep him fresh for France but had to use him for the blood replacement.
2) Deans was pulling an already dropped FC for failing in the scrums and put the better performed Slipper back on.

Thoughts?

 

[fatprop]

Barnes - 3 runs for 6 metres, 2 missed tackles and giant knock-on to bomb a try..... Lucky he kicked straight.

That fails to describe the good stuff he did as well, his running metres were down because off the only attacking set piece (the lineout) we had McCalman running the 10/12 channel off Cooper.

When Barnes did get the ball he distributed to Mitchell on the inside channel or rarely to AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) wider out. His defence was excellent and his kicking made a potentially tight game comfortable.

 

[kiap]

I reckon it could be 2. Slipper seems to be performing better.

Fatcat still below his best due to the injury comeback. Need's more time and work to get back where he was...

 

[fatprop]

Burgess has absolutely no composure, cannot pass and is a liability. Barnes boring but adds a great deal of stability in the midfield. McCalman is good at cleaning out but he is no ball runner. There has got to be someone else out there other than Palu(and not Brown).

I just really just watched the game sober and I thought Burgess was pretty good, he was fast to the breakdown, his passing was effective, he ran the ball well and tackled hard.