New Zealand vs Australia - Bledisloe 2, 24th August 2013

[Scrubber2050]

This is just ridiculous. Did the Wallabies lie prone on the field and let the Wallabies score? Did they tie their shoelaces together for 30min to see how they would go? Did they run in the opposite direction to the All Black ball-carriers?

No - they were put under pressure and forced to make poor decisions or to execute poorly by a very good All Black performance.

Did the All Blacks GIVE the Wallabies 2 tries? No - they took 2 opportunitie and made the most of them. Simple as that. The Wallabies GAVE us nothing - we took our opportunities and created a few more.

Tactics were terrible AND execution was terrible. That's why the score blew out - not because anything was GIVEN away. Link was out-coached and the players (or the majority of them) were out-played.

AB's played very well and I agree forced errors which they took - but to say we didn't give away tries easuily is bullshit

 

[Moono75]

This is just ridiculous. Did the Wallabies lie prone on the field and let the Wallabies score? Did they tie their shoelaces together for 30min to see how they would go? Did they run in the opposite direction to the All Black ball-carriers?

No - they were put under pressure and forced to make poor decisions or to execute poorly by a very good All Black performance.

Did the All Blacks GIVE the Wallabies 2 tries? No - they took 2 opportunitie and made the most of them. Simple as that. The Wallabies GAVE us nothing - we took our opportunities and created a few more.

Tactics were terrible AND execution was terrible. That's why the score blew out - not because anything was GIVEN away. Link was out-coached and the players (or the majority of them) were out-played.

I agree in principal with what you say, maybe we should be saying (as Steve Hansen has) that the AB's have enjoyed their fair share of good luck in recent encounters.

 

[Richo]

This is true however we scored one of our tries from a mistake and one consolation try at the death.

It's pretty shortsighted if anyone claims that we scored 29 points against the All Blacks so now we just need to tighten up our defence.

The most worrying thing I find is that when we have a bit of a lull, we leak points like nobody's business.

We gave away two tries between minutes 29 and 32 and then another two between minutes 51 and 57.

Similar to the third Lions test where we were right in the game after half time and then 10 minutes later we're completely out of it is really worrying.

Teams will have periods of the game where they fall off the pace a bit, but we can't keep doing it and allowing so many points to be scored during those phases and still hope to win against good teams.

This.

Senior players, especially the captain, must step up and keep the team focused.

 

[jollyswagman]

I don't agree that Link was out coached in any way, shape or form. It was pretty apparent that execution and some defensive lapses cost us on Saturday. At the 36 minute we had our noses in front and went on to remain well and truly in the game for some time after that. I did notice early on that the boys were playing with (to quote RD) a very different "shape."

Link has had all of a few weeks with this bunch and in all fairness that is not a lot of time to make huge changes in the way we have been playing. The boys will get there no doubt about it - maybe not next weekend but hopefully at the end of TRC.

No disrespect to the level headed Kiwi contributors to this forum but I am sick to my gut of the general (and growing) arrogance of some of the Kiwi journo's and rugby personalities. I hesitate to throw Hansen in with that group but by christ he is coming across as a smug prick to me. Maybe it's just my frustration....who knows.

 

[daz]

Link was out-coached and the players (or the majority of them) were out-played.

That's it, right there. We were beaten by a better team. Nothing more and nothing less.

 

[Braveheart81]

At least we've entered a new world where players are blamed for their own mistakes rather than the coach.

 

[Bairdy]

Swap MMM for Fardy.

Mogg on the bench, or out of the 23 for Cummins. Push Folau to FB and Cummins to 14.

In an ideal world, I would have Sio starting at looshead for much needed ball carrying over the adv. line, and Slipper at tighthead, but Slipper-Moore-Alexander didn't go too badly.

Wallabies don't need any more motivation than the fact we're now 4th in the world, behind the Soap Dodgers. We need to belt the Kiwis in the forwards before we can play our much vaunted Aussie style of "smart, creative, running rugby".

 

[Muttonbird]

This is true however we scored one of our tries from a mistake and one consolation try at the death.

It's pretty shortsighted if anyone claims that we scored 29 points against the All Blacks so now we just need to tighten up our defence.

The most worrying thing I find is that when we have a bit of a lull, we leak points like nobody's business.

We gave away two tries between minutes 29 and 32 and then another two between minutes 51 and 57.

Similar to the third Lions test where we were right in the game after half time and then 10 minutes later we're completely out of it is really worrying.

Teams will have periods of the game where they fall off the pace a bit, but we can't keep doing it and allowing so many points to be scored during those phases and still hope to win against good teams.

Yep, at 47 minutes the score was 22-25. I don't think it's a fitness issue. It could however be a bench issue (difficult to rectify because of what's available), or a mental issue.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

It just doesn't seem right that we end up dropping on the IRB rankings when we are beaten by the perpetual #1 ranked team, and the team that has just leapfrogged us has done nothing.

There will be some mathematical justification for it in the ranking points system to be sure, but it still doesn't sit well with me, particularly given the recent drubbing we have taken in the Cricket.

Working with a few Soap Dodgers down in the Salt mines used to be be more fun when they were losing.

 

[daz]

No disrespect to the level headed Kiwi contributors to this forum but I am sick to my gut of the general (and growing) arrogance of some of the Kiwi journo's and rugby personalities. I hesitate to through Hansen in with that group my christ he is coming across as a smug prick to me. Maybe it's just frustration..who knows.

It might just be me, but I find focusing on the opposition in any way, shape or form is just a waste of time.

They will do what they will do. Some may say that consistent winning breeds a certain arrogance. I have no problem with that; in fact, I think some of our opposition brothers would find our whinging at their arrogance slightly piss-weak of us.

Your honour, I submit the Australian cricket team (including journo's and supporters) circa 91-03 as evidence.

The shoe is on the other foot with Oz sport right now. We can offer our criticism and sage words of advice to our Oz teams and we can bleat when they get a smacking such as the Wallabies on Saturday night.

But what we really have to do is suck it up and let other supporters enjoy their day in the sun.

The worm will turn, and we will get our chance to be insufferable swine once again soon enough.

 

[Muttonbird]

I had a good look at the rankings system the other day and it is quite complex. England have benefited over the weekend because they are not playing right now. They also would have picked up a lot of points winning by 15+ vs NZ at the end of last year.

It's the 15+ that does that does the damage (1.5 times the damage), both in the match on the weekend and the one where the ABs were unwell.

For instance I plugged the SA-ARG numbers into the calculator and there is no change in the ranking points, ie absolutely no points changed hands for that match even though SA rogered the Argentinians. The ABs gained points at the same time so SA have actually gone backwards with respect to being #1 test nation, even after that win.

 

[southsider]

No - they were put under pressure and forced to make poor decisions or to execute poorly by a very good All Black performance.

Id argue ben smiths 3rd try?? was very much a gift 5 pointer, ball squirts out the side of a ruck, smith trips over the thing picks it up and waltzs 22 metres to the tryline

 

[Bairdy]

Players called into All Blacks as cover
Four players have been called into the All Blacks squad this week to cover the injury concerns, with the team arriving back in Wellington to prepare for the second Bledisloe Cup Test in the Investec Rugby Championship.

All Blacks first five-eighths Barrett suffered a sore calf in the Test in Sydney and will have a scan today to determine the extent of the injury, while Cruden is nursing a sore knee, and Daniel Carter is still overcoming a calf strain.

As a result, Canterbury backs Tom Taylor and Colin Slade have been called in as cover.

In the forwards, All Blacks lock Romano will undergo a scan this week to determine the extent of the groin injury suffered in the Sydney Test.
With loose forward Liam Messam already nursing a hamstring injury, the All Blacks coaches have called in Canterbury loose forward Luke Whitelock and Wellington loose forward Brad Shields.

See more at http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/hooker-andrew-hore-34-wants-sabbatical-5536121

 

[Dan54]

I agree with Daz, I have no doubt some of kiwi posters or your mates are a pain in the bum.. But take my word for it, in cricket, league (usually) or when olympics are on (or when you buggers won WC) I have struggled to find many bashful Aussies either. And I don't think it that anyone is better/worse than anyone else, just it hurts more or at least a bloody sight more annoying when it's other fellas able to do it. Classic case, even if I was stuck in a coma with no TV or radio, I can guarantee that when Wallabies win, I would be woken up, as I will get at least 3/4 texts with in 5 minutes of fulltime by Aussie mates when it happens. All I do is laugh say c'est la vie, and carry on regardless.

 

[Bullrush]

Id argue ben smiths 3rd try?? was very much a gift 5 pointer, ball squirts out the side of a ruck, smith trips over the thing picks it up and waltzs 22 metres to the tryline

I'm not saying there is no luck invovled but:

1. I'm a big believer that you make your own luck. Even that try had elements of good AB work done in the lead up.

2. The Wallabies first try was bit of luck as well with a good bounce for Hooper.

I'm not trying to say anything like the ABs are simply awesome and untouchable or anything like that but I really respected and admired how Moore came across on the Foxtel desk after the game. It's not about talk, it's about what they do on the field and trying to find ways to say 'We aren't that bad' can sometimes cover over the issues.

I really hope the Wallabies fire up and have a huge Bledisloe 2. (I just can't bring myself to actually want them to win no matter how much I tell myself it's good for the Bledisloe and for rugby in general!!).

 

[Hugh Jarse]

(post 53) Just what we need, more Whitelocks to go with the alpbabet Smiths.

 

[Dan54]

Can't happen HJ, I already just call Smiths the Alphabets,I would get confused with 2 alphabets in team!!

 

[Moono75]

Id argue ben smiths 3rd try?? was very much a gift 5 pointer, ball squirts out the side of a ruck, smith trips over the thing picks it up and waltzs 22 metres to the tryline

Yep, 71st minute, Kuridrani goes to ground and in the process of laying it back he pushes the ball out the side. Just one of those pieces of luck but in saying that Ben Smith was there to capitalise.

 

[Dan54]

To be fair I think boys one of the ABs big bit of luck they have, is when someone slips a poor tackle etc they tended to have someone in support, I thought it one place Wallabies let themselves down a little.

 

[southsider]

Yep, 71st minute, Kuridrani goes to ground and in the process of laying it back he pushes the ball out the side. Just one of those pieces of luck but in saying that Ben Smith was there to capitalise.

yea totally agree, gotta be in it to win it.