Japan vs Wallabies, Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Sat 4th Nov 4.40pm AEST

[Up the Guts]

"
Excuse my poor form in quoting my pre-match thoughts on the possibility of the backline over-running the Cherry Blossoms. With 6 out of 9 tries, looks like that's pretty much as it turned out. There've been quite a few posts about Hodge at No 10, but how did KB (Kurtley Beale) go at 15? Specifically, did he fill the role of the second (or even primary) play maker?

Beale played a lot like he normally does at 12 which isn't surprising given he normally defends at 15 anyway. Probably took first phase ball more often than he would if Foley was there. Threw a lovely cutout from first receiver to allow Kerevi to waltz over for the first try of the match. Kerevi is a much better 12 than he is 13 (although it's his sort of game when he can easily run over his opposite man). Interestingly Hodge dropped back a lot to field the kicks. I think they used the same defensive structure as they normally would if Foley was there.

 

[Mr Doug]

A necessary, and encouraging win for the men in gold!

 

[Brumby Runner]

Kerevi apparently had a big game but posters are saying he was able to run over the smaller opposition. That might well be the case in this game, but he also breaks the line fairly frequently against bigger and better opposition. he has a pretty good step for a big man. He is probably more comfortable in the 12 spot rather than the 13.

 

[TSR]

So - is there not a match thread for the Vikings vs Spirit game? Won’t give away the result, if it is an absolute cracker. A couple of emerging players really put their hands up.

 

[Up the Guts]

So - is there not a match thread for the Vikings vs Spirit game? Won’t give away the result, if it is an absolute cracker. A couple of emerging players really put their hands up.

Valetini looks like he could be something special.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Bodes well for me, I'm planning to go and prepurchase a finals ticket package

Yep I went to Auckland for 2011 Rwc and attendance at japan rwc planned so hopefully pick up good package of games


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[TSR]

Valetini looks like he could be something special.

Yeah - he was immense. So too Ritchie Arnold & Naisarani.

 

[fatprop]

Look, I'm sure they'll be good enough to pick up an EPS contract somewhere, or maybe even get a gig for Sri Lanka or Laos in the IPRC next year.....

Powell was behind the best pack, he wasn't the best 9

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[Inside Shoulder]

I don’t blame Hodge, I blame the coaches.

Hodge has surprised me with his performances this year, he runs great lines and is surprisingly strong in contact. Suited for a wing, 13 or maybe a ball running 12, but not 10.

I don’t disagree.
But somewhere in these few years a coach somewhere might have suggested he work on his pass. On one view he - and I suspect others - are playing on raw talent. Beale, for instance, should by now have a left foot kick. Why do our coaches let our players down by not stressing the importance of working on fundamentals and weaknesses. Probably should be taking all goal kicks too from now on.

 

[Slim 293]

Yeah - he was immense. So too Ritchie Arnold & Naisarani.

Oh indeed........ for an 18 year old to be so physically dominant, he's got a bright future.

 

[dru]

He is shuffling the ball left and right reasonably ok but he isn’t a playmaker. The players outside him are generating the play at the moment.

TOCC I may be taking this post out of context, sorry. I dont think Foley is a play maker. Beale is. It looks to me like the WB coaching plan is happy with a distributing 10 and a playmaker out wider. (WHich by the way would not be Kerevi, no matter how well he played.) Hodge in this non-playmaker 10 role would still need to develop a couple of things. he goes into contact and gets caught in the ruck way too much. It's Ok for a bit, but generally he needs to be ready for distribution. He also supports in the ruck more than a 10 should. Again it's about context and quantity. It's also something that can be sorted in training. Personally I'd like a playmaker at 10, and no that's not Foley. But follow the WB thinking for a solid distributor and Hodge has shown real opportunity. Done his cause all sorts of good things on this performance. And whatever number he wears on his back, he needs to be in the 15 (not just the 23) simply for his kicking.

 

[Derpus]

TOCC I may be taking this post out of context, sorry. I dont think Foley is a play maker. Beale is. It looks to me like the WB coaching plan is happy with a distributing 10 and a playmaker out wider. (WHich by the way would not be Kerevi, no matter how well he played.) Hodge in this non-playmaker 10 role would still need to develop a couple of things. he goes into contact and gets caught in the ruck way too much. It's Ok for a bit, but generally he needs to be ready for distribution. He also supports in the ruck more than a 10 should. Again it's about context and quantity. It's also something that can be sorted in training. Personally I'd like a playmaker at 10, and no that's not Foley. But follow the WB thinking for a solid distributor and Hodge has shown real opportunity. Done his cause all sorts of good things on this performance. And whatever number he wears on his back, he needs to be in the 15 (not just the 23) simply for his kicking.

What is he then? He sure makes a lot of plays for someone who isn't a playmaker.

 

[Viking]

Where to watch a replay of this game?

 

[Viking]

What is he then? He sure makes a lot of plays for someone who isn't a playmaker.

Some call him a playmaker, Some call him a distributor, Some call him the ice man, and Some call him a stormtrooper (one of my favourites)....but myself, well I just call him an average player but the best we got.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Valetini looks like he could be something special.

Valetini got future wallaby written all over him.


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[Rugbynutter39]

Kerevi apparently had a big game but posters are saying he was able to run over the smaller opposition. That might well be the case in this game, but he also breaks the line fairly frequently against bigger and better opposition. he has a pretty good step for a big man. He is probably more comfortable in the 12 spot rather than the 13.

Kerevi plays better at 12 but he ain’t going to unsure Beale from 12


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[Rugbynutter39]

Which of the national coaches is responsible for teaching a 23yo 22 times capped Wallaby inside back to pass from both sides? They are trying to develop his game despite that obvious flaw, why does anyone need to be 'blamed' for it?

I think the wallaby coaches have proved they are making good progress to improve the players since June series.


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[TSR]

i think that Kerevi at 12 needs to be considered in terms of players filling roles rather than jersey numbers.

Against the ABs our playmakers (or distributors or however you want to refer to them) were Genia, Foley & Beale while Kuridrani, Folau, Hodge & Koroibete were primarily runners. Against Japan, Speight & Kerevi came in as a ball runner & Hodge shifted to playmaker with Folau dropping out. Beale essentially did the same role in attack & defence, just wearing 15, not 12.

On Hodge, he has some work to do on his passing but his kicking gave us another dimension in attack. I thought his first game at 10 was encouraging. With Koriobete, Naivalu, Maddocks, DHP, & Meakes + young guys like Tuipulotu all apparently at the Rebs next year, I wonder if Wessels will be tempted to run Hodge as his 10.

 

[Quick Hands]

I don’t disagree.
But somewhere in these few years a coach somewhere might have suggested he work on his pass. On one view he - and I suspect others - are playing on raw talent. Beale, for instance, should by now have a left foot kick. Why do our coaches let our players down by not stressing the importance of working on fundamentals and weaknesses. Probably should be taking all goal kicks too from now on.

I'd go further than that. At junior level, he had all of those catch pass skills. He's been moved around so much by professional coaches, he's probably had those skills almost coached out of him, or at the very least allowed to atrophy.

He again proved his goal-kicking ability. As I have pointed out numerous times on these threads, when he kicked for the full season at Manly he had a better goal-kicking average than anyone. Whenever I've suggested he is a better kicker than Foley, misleading statistics are produced to show roughly equal goal kicking stats - misleading because professional coaches have deemed him only worthy of long range kicks and obviously there a few of those so you only have to miss a couple to distort the percentages.

He's the real deal at 10 - and he can actually defend there unlike many of our recent options. A booming punt kick giving at least 10-20 metres more distance than any other option and goal-kicking.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I'd go further than that. At junior level, he had all of those catch pass skills. He's been moved around so much by professional coaches, he's probably had those skills almost coached out of him, or at the very least allowed to atrophy.

He again proved his goal-kicking ability. As I have pointed out numerous times on these threads, when he kicked for the full season at Manly he had a better goal-kicking average than anyone. Whenever I've suggested he is a better kicker than Foley, misleading statistics are produced to show roughly equal goal kicking stats - misleading because professional coaches have deemed him only worthy of long range kicks and obviously there a few of those so you only have to miss a couple to distort the percentages.

He's the real deal at 10 - and he can actually defend there unlike many of our recent options. A booming punt kick giving at least 10-20 metres more distance than any other option and goal-kicking.

Impressed by Phillips - reckon he would be better starting with Simmons dropping to the bench.




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