It's the coach

[Riptide]

@ riptide - ever been to Dallas?

Yes.. and a fun time was had too.

 

[Riptide]

FWIW, someone I know with a close relative in the Wallaby camp claims that the players have a lot of time for Deans, are actually enjoying the environment and were apparently quite confident going into Eden Park believing that they had the game to win there. Apparently it's quite a happy squad group of lads and there aren't any major cliques. Heard nothing about game plans, structure etc., but they are well drilled.

 

[Scarfman]

Would Henry pick a weak tackling 10?
Would he pick JOC (James O'Connor) on the wing where he consistently comes in when he should stay on his man?
Would he move KB (Kurtley Beale) on the wing in D, where he also comes in instead of staying on his man?

I was totally with you until ...

Dingo is making compromises out of necessity.

I really don't see that the above list of tactics was made out of necessity. I would have dropped QC (Quade Cooper) last year because of his tackling. I would hope that getting dropped would have sent a message and he would have got better. But we sent the message - we'll fuck up our entire backline to keep you in the side. I just don't even begin to understand it in terms of man-management.

 

[Athilnaur]

We have all seen Quade do good,even very good, tackles from the side. But he doesn't even attempt to do that frontally, you can see him running interference waiting for a real tackler while he scans for an attack opportunity. His lack of commitment to taking guys to the ground was farcical.

He's an elite athlete, and tougher than some seem to think imo, but until he fixes this he's going to be ridiculed. Similarly he needs to be ready to punch into a defensive line ball in hand occasionally imo, on sat you could see ABs shuffling down waiting for the pass.

 

[Bullrush]

We have all seen Quade do good,even very good, tackles from the side. But he doesn't even attempt to do that frontally, you can see him running interference waiting for a real tackler while he scans for an attack opportunity. His lack of commitment to taking guys to the ground was farcical.

He's an elite athlete, and tougher than some seem to think imo, but until he fixes this he's going to be ridiculed. Similarly he needs to be ready to punch into a defensive line ball in hand occasionally imo, on sat you could see ABs shuffling down waiting for the pass.

Being an elite athlete doesn't mean he's at all tough. I'm not an elite athlete but I'd put money on me being tougher than QC (Quade Cooper) is. Why? Because 'tough' is largely an attitude and state of mind. I love contact - hitting and getting hit. QC (Quade Cooper)'s history would seem to suggest a different attitude.

 

[I like to watch]

I really don't see that the above list of tactics was made out of necessity. I would have dropped QC (Quade Cooper) last year because of his tackling. I would hope that getting dropped would have sent a message and he would have got better. But we sent the message - we'll fuck up our entire backline to keep you in the side. I just don't even begin to understand it in terms of man-management.

I don't disagree with you & I have been a critic of QC (Quade Cooper) for some time at test level, I also screamed that QC (Quade Cooper) should have been dropped after his debacle against England where he missed 9 of 11 attempts.
But who do you pick instead?
i would have thought BB was next in line and his game was suited to RWC, but how can you include him ATM?
I actually don't think KB (Kurtley Beale) is any better at front on defence, and has thrived without the burden of making 10 or so front on tackles a match.
Gits? there would be a riot if he was selected at 10 in the Wobs.
Who is left?
That's why I feel RD has been forced to compromise with some of his selections

 

[DPK]

How is JO'C's front on defence? We all know he loves hitting the big guys and is a quality side on defender, but does anyone have video of them running front on traffic at him?

 

[I like to watch]

as good as BB, but I think if he was a chance of being selected at 10, last years NH tour was the time to try him.
it would be a left field decision to put him there now

 

[DPK]

Our hand MIGHT be forced, ILTW. Barnes playing in the semi in 07 comes to mind.

 

[Athilnaur]

Being an elite athlete doesn't mean he's at all tough. I'm not an elite athlete but I'd put money on me being tougher than QC (Quade Cooper) is. Why? Because 'tough' is largely an attitude and state of mind. I love contact - hitting and getting hit. QC (Quade Cooper)'s history would seem to suggest a different attitude.

Wasn't saying his athleticism meant he was tough at all, I believe he's tougher than he presents, no my point was he has the ability to change it if he turns his mind to it.

 

[Riptide]

How is JO'C's front on defence? We all know he loves hitting the big guys and is a quality side on defender, but does anyone have video of them running front on traffic at him?

The acid test is Nonu running after him phase after phase, and I'll doubt we'll see that under Deans.

 

[Athilnaur]

Might have got to see how he coped against Fourie tho.

Fourie and Lambie are major threats I reckon, but will Lambie get a go?

 

[Ruggo]

Richo and Ruggo - I fully agree they have to cop it as well, and of course Rocky should be in the mix. As to which proportions, who the fuck knows.

Ruggo - good point, although in a huddle in the middle of a test match is not place to fix what needs to be sorted in the weeks leading up to a match, when the coaches have access to the players 8 hours a day.Regulars over the past few years know my historical viewpoint - I've liked some of the signs of what Deans has been building, and there were some great indicative results last year at Bloem and Honkers, hinting at some mental progress.

But this year is the time to shit or get off the pot, and in 2 out of the 3 games so far I ain't smelling it

Gagger, I most certainly agree. On field was the context I was thinking of when I posted and puling the game out of the fire. The Blacks read us like a book and that most certainly relates to the context I suspect you are getting at.

One suggegstion that would make sense is for Cooper to be brought into the leadership group. It makes sense seing it is a big part of his onfield role to steer the the team around the park.

I get an ill feeling in my guts that members of the side read to much of their own press and Hyperbole about the HK win. I hope so as it would have been fixed on Saturday with that nasty little reminder.

 

[Gnostic]

What you all seem to forget is that human nature requires messages and ideas be sold. If there is a gameplan then it must be sold to the players. Like it or not they have to believe in it there the best way is to have their input. Quade talked about the flow of information betwen he and Link at the Reds in the SMH on the wekend and how he enjoyed the creative process so its no wonder he goes out and tries to implement it. Link has said in the press a few times this year that the Reds are the most coachable group he has had and if you put the two points together you sense there is some flow and ownership. I have heard Link also say that there is no leadership group at the Reds but there are key players who are involved and consulted informally. If the Wallabies are not doing the game plan then they dont like/believe in it, they are not capable of executing it which would mean its too complex or its the wrong gameplan and it doesn't work - I'll leave you to choose

What an excellent insight.

 

[Nusadan]

Our hand MIGHT be forced, ILTW. Barnes playing in the semi in 07 comes to mind.

You mean quarter-final?