New Zealand v Australia - Auckland - 23 August 2014

[Scotty]

Foley was only average against France who were far inferior opposition. Beale won't get dropped for that performance because it wasn't a bad one. In difficult conditions he did alright. This wasn't made any easier by the halfback inside him having a fairly poor game.

To'omua wasn't really any better outside Beale. He defended strongly but didn't really create anything in attack and his kicking game wasn't particularly good. He made a similar number of errors to Beale.

All the players in key positions on both sides made errors because they were tough conditions to play in.

I feel like 80% of the criticism directed at Beale is because people don't really like him. It's very similar to the reactions to Cooper over a long period of time. If they don't have an absolute blinder people claim they were terrible and should be dropped.

Some sanity here.

I would have picked Foley due to Tahs form but Beale was also very good and often created more for the Tahs. However everyone is forgetting that Foley didn't play well against France - about the same level Beale played vs the ABs in the rain.

For mine that sets Beales international form about Foley's.

 

[Scrubber2050]

yep. Winners are grinners and losers can go please themselves - but a draw always leaves a hollow feeling.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I wouldn't change the team makeup but for injuries other than considering giving Phipps a turn at start this time. It's a good team and we should keep the faith. Reckon McKenzie will see it that way too.

I also reckon we have created a tiny sliver of nagging doubt in them. A tiny sliver that can be wrenched open if only we can work at it hard enough.

My head says if we play really well we will go close but get pipped. But my heart says these boys have a genuine shot at rugby history. They must forget everything in their careers but this one game. This one very special game. They must use every single bit of sinew, guts and determination they have.

Then, and only then, glory might, just might, be theirs.

And then they must repeat the effort in Brisbane, or at least get a draw, if we want to get our mitts on the Bledisloe.

 

[fatprop]

Some sanity here.

I would have picked Foley due to Tahs form but Beale was also very good and often created more for the Tahs. However everyone is forgetting that Foley didn't play well against France - about the same level Beale played vs the ABs in the rain.

For mine that sets Beales international form about Foley's.

The challenge I have is that Beale's form for the Tahs was that it was set around Foley managing the first phase and Beale popping up later off front foot ball as opportunities arose, not running the side and taking the ball forward early.

And that is what his play on Saturday lacked.

I also thought Foley did well in games 1 & 3 vs France with 2 being utter shit from everyone

 

[Brumby Runner]

If glory was to be for the Wallabies, then NZ will have a day of mourning and the government will change.

The long white cloud will permanently turn black.

 

[Braveheart81]

So after outdoor training was cancelled yesterday and a huge amount of rain overnight, you'd figure conditions wouldn't be much better today.

Given that, they'd have to train this morning given they're running out of preparation time.

With the team to be named at midday you'd figure that there's a strong chance that it will be the exact same as last week.

The strongest chance for a chance I can see is Phipps starting ahead of White.

The second most likely change is AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) moving back to the wing for McCabe and Kuridrani starting.

Overall I think neither will happen and Link will go with the same team again.

Hopefully we see all the remaining squad suit up for the NRC. If Horwill plays on Thursday night for Brisbane City he could be one of the extra couple of players who head across to NZ as an emergency reserve.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Looking at the player in civies in all the June tests (Jones and Skelton) I'd say Horwill will definitely be over warming up with the squad. Hopefully he gets to play Thursday night. He needs to get more rugby into himself so he can keep improving his fitness.

 

[Braveheart81]

Looking at the player in civies in all the June tests (Jones and Skelton) I'd say Horwill will definitely be over warming up with the squad. Hopefully he gets to play Thursday night. He needs to get more rugby into himself so he can keep improving his fitness.

Yeah, given the scheduling, it makes 100% sense for him to play on Thursday night and then fly over to join the team first thing Friday morning.

I'd assume the Wallabies will fly out on Thursday evening.

 

[BDA]

It's only Tuesday and already this game is all I can think about. Usually I dread the games at Eden Park, but I sniff a chance for an upset. I think the good money is still on the Blacks. Eden Park is basically their Suncorp Stadium but if the Wallabies are able to play some running rugby on Saturday and can keep the game close until the final 20 minutes, we have the fire power to breakdown the kiwis.

Not getting ahead of myself, but for the first time in a long time I think we match up very well to the Kiwis, and our players are arguably in better form.

 

[Braveheart81]

Mostly because in the opinion of most of those people, KB (Kurtley Beale) shouldn't have been in the starting lineup to begin with. Foley had not done anything to warrant being dropped and he was the incumbent in a team that had put together a string of wins. And in most opinions voiced here, KB (Kurtley Beale) is seen to be much more dangerous coming off the bench later in the game.

I agree that Foley and Kuridrani did nothing wrong but McKenzie decided that Beale and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) were in better form.

This is one thing Australian rugby fans have been clamouring for over several years. A coach picking the most in form players rather than waiting for a player to be so out of form that blind Freddie can see they have to be dropped.

McKenzie went with the team that he thought gave him the best chance of winning. They achieved a draw which is the best result he's achieved against a top 4 side since becoming coach. Hopefully they can go one better this weekend in Auckland.

 

[Pfitzy]

Just discovered my sister has arranged an early sitting at some Rosevile based restaurant (are there any there?) for 6pm this Saturday.

The disappointment is palpable.

Disown her between now and then.

 

[boyo]

None at Rosevile. But possibly one at the back of the pub at Roseville.
Maybe you could bribe the restauranter to put a TV in the corner.

Where is this pub at Roseville of which you speak? I know not of it.

Perhaps the restaurant is on Hill street.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

the only place I've ever been to eat at roseville is the memorial club (unless you count jaffas in the Roseville cinema) so theres a good chance there'll be a tv on

 

[wamberal]

Auckland should be our favourite ground in New Zealand, just on the score of weather conditions alone.

Bugger history, that is yesterday, and yesterday has gone.

 

[Braveheart81]

Exactly the same team.

 

[Train Without a Station]

One or two changes may have been beneficial, but at the same time no sub came on and forced their way into the team, and no starter played badly and necessitated a change so can't say it's a bad decision to keep the same team either.

 

[Wilson]

One or two changes may have been beneficial, but at the same time no sub came on and forced their way into the team, and no starter played badly and necessitated a change so can't say it's a bad decision to keep the same team either.

Reasonable enough, given the conditions last week. I expect a few of the starters will need a big game to hold their spots though, particularly White. McCabe and Horne will also be fighting it out to see who stays and who goes when speight arrives, with Horne looking ahead atm.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Happy that Link has picked the same team this week and as much as I don't like KB (Kurtley Beale) at 10 for the Wobs, I'm content with sticking with him for now. No good ever came of constantly chopping and changing positions.

 

[Ash]

I must be the only person who thought that Foley looked out of his depth in the French tests. First game average in a strong team performance but marred by a heap of missed tackles, second game poor, third game barely better than poor in a strong team performance. In all three games we lacked any organisation whatsoever from our 10, apart from when Beale came on.

Interesting stat from Foley's cameo in the first Bledisloe: K/P/R at 0/3/4. I had two issues with Foley's organisation in the French tests: he allowed himself to drift out of the game then seemed to struggle to come back into it (partly because he tends to join too many rucks, amongst other things), and he looks to run himself too much rather than use his outside men.

Foley with Beale at the Tahs works great because Foley can chime in at second receiver a lot and use his running game, but I think a test 10 needs to be able to use his outside men better. This is what holds Foley back, in my opinion, along with his control of the game without Beale being on the park. A lot of people seem to believe that Foley is now the premier organising 10 in Australian rugby; I struggle to see how.

I think that Beale will get a few more attempts at 10 from Link as it stands.

 

[Ash]

Looks like no changes.