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

[Up the Guts]

I expect them to spank us at twickers as well, this is a really, really good English side

Sorry just can't agree with this. Call me optimistic but I expect us to give them a real run for their money at Twickenham. Last time we played them we just slung it from side to side and had no real go forward. I think our forward pack right now is shaping up to be world class and we will damage them up the middle.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

There was always going to be a first time where it happened. At least in this situation they've had the week to prepare for it with that as the plan and have also had a lot more of the season working on it in training. Maybe doing it at the back end of one of the Pumas tests could have been an option but those games were close for a long time.

It would be a plan to let him play at 10 without starting him there: he could have played there last week: clearly getting his stars injured didn't worry Cheika or he would not have played the previous week's man of the match.

 

[wamberal]

Sorry just can't agree with this. Call me optimistic but I expect us to give them a real run for their money at Twickenham. Last time we played them we just slung it from side to side and had no real go forward. I think our forward pack right now is shaping up to be world class and we will damage them up the middle.

Love your optimism. Which world class forward pack would you pick?

 

[Tomikin]

We beat, the all blacks two games back we can beat Japan and We can beat England at, Twickenham.. Carn Wallabies

Sent from my HTC 2PS6200 using Tapatalk

 

[Up the Guts]

Love your optimism. Which world class forward pack would you pick?

On paper, man for man, England is better right now but the way things are going in a couple of years time this could well change. I also think there's enough talent in our forward pack as it is that if things click then we will take it to them in Twickenham. Some of the handling skills and offload work of our forwards has been outstanding lately. If our pigs can string a few passes together like they have been our forward runners we will so be much more effective than we were last time we played them.

 

[fatprop]

Sorry just can't agree with this. Call me optimistic but I expect us to give them a real run for their money at Twickenham. Last time we played them we just slung it from side to side and had no real go forward. I think our forward pack right now is shaping up to be world class and we will damage them up the middle.

I hope I am wrong

 

[wamberal]

There is no doubt that there are some shoots of green in some aspects of our forward play.


But. We still do not have an 8 who can mix it with the Dodgers. Or a 6, although DEmpsey might be the answer.


Our front row is errrr fragile at the set piece, it all depends on the ref. And if Hooper gets injured, what next, exactly?

 

[Derpus]

It would be a plan to let him play at 10 without starting him there: he could have played there last week: clearly getting his stars injured didn't worry Cheika or he would not have played the previous week's man of the match.

You're being intentionally obtuse. Dempsey barely played all year and was improving with every second on the field. He didn't need a rest.

 

[wamberal]

You're being intentionally obtuse. Dempsey barely played all year and was improving with every second on the field. He didn't need a rest.

Nup, he is just being against everybody and everything in the ARU at all levels.

 

[Derpus]

There is no doubt that there are some shoots of green in some aspects of our forward play.


But. We still do not have an 8 who can mix it with the Dodgers. Or a 6, although DEmpsey might be the answer.


Our front row is errrr fragile at the set piece, it all depends on the ref. And if Hooper gets injured, what next, exactly?

Is that possible? I guess as of next year Pocock, maybe Hardwick.

 

[TOCC]

I don't believe I am, having also addressed general kicking among other things.... But to tragic's specific point about goal kicking - it really wasn't a deciding factor in the end as even if Foley had have converted all of his goals it wouldn't have mattered .

He said kicking(not just goal kicking) was a major factor that negatively influenced the outcome, that much is true..

 

[barbarian]

Thanks to six months of intensive electroshock therapy, I've finally managed to forget the England series.

This discussion is undoing all that good work, and also has very little relevance to the Japan game. Maybe take it elsewhere?
.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

You're being intentionally obtuse. Dempsey barely played all year and was improving with every second on the field. He didn't need a rest.

Didn't say he did.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

looks like a fairly good side.


In fact, if we still had AVATAR BETS I7d fancy a punt on them...


ps HAHAHAHA AVATAR BETS HAHAHNA. THE THOUGHT OF IT NOW HAHAHA OH GOD

 

[Brumby Runner]

Chill fellas, I not a Chuckles fan by any stretch of the imagination, true I wouldn't of gone into tour without 2 proper 10s, but if he doesn't feel there one that is capable of stepping up at this stage, I can almost understand saying, well let's give Hodge a crack, if it doesn't work he can be moved back to wing or whatever without the mental damage I think throwing in a rookie that is not ready, they tend not to recover their confidence.

And what about our mental damage Dan if Foley doesn't return or gets injured or sick later in the tour?

 

[Strewthcobber]

And what about our mental damage Dan if Foley doesn't return or gets injured or sick later in the tour?

If that happens, cheiks will have an experienced international 10 in Hodge to substitute in for Foley

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk

 

[Shelby Trappey]

I dunno how this nessesarily plays out but this japanes side has at least 4 player who I think are arguably the equivalent or superior to their wallaby counterparts... namely:

6-Lietch
8-Mafi
9-Tanaka and
14-Lemeki

I don’t we’ll lose but hopefully this turns into an entertaining close game because both teams are playing good rugby.

Also keep your mind on Japan’s 7 Nunomaki. He’s put in good efforts in a lot Sunwolves games this year. My understanding is he was a St. Bede’s (NZ) First XV and Canterbury schoolboy rep player before taking a scholarship to return to Japan and play University and obviously eventually professional rugby.

 

[dru]

If that happens, cheiks will have an experienced international 10 in Hodge to substitute in for Foley

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk

Your thoughts on what constitutes an experienced international 10 are baffling.

 

[tragic]

Actually, in the first test it would've made it a 5 point ball game.... he missed 3 conversions and we lost by 11 points.
And your stats were wrong - Farrell kicked 9/10 (3/3 conv and 6/7 pen), soooooooooooooo....

Stats might have been be a bit off but the exact stats push the point even further.

 

[tragic]

I don't believe I am, having also addressed general kicking among other things.... But to tragic's specific point about goal kicking - it really wasn't a deciding factor in the end as even if Foley had have converted all of his goals it wouldn't have mattered as England still scored significantly more points than us, and if we're going to go down the murky path of 'what ifs' then Farrell also missed a penalty goal. The fact that we gave away so many penalties within kicking range was a far bigger issue.

It's hard not to infringe when you are trapped on your line for phase after phase with no exit strategy.
Yes our discipline was poor but our complete lack of an exit strategy put us in that position.
And that all came down to terrible kicking options.
Anyway I've said enough.
Time to rule whatever it is myself.