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

[Dam0]

Yup, that is also rather troubling regardless of whether they manage to "Bring Back Duck" or not.

How would we go playing our 3rd or 4th choice #10 in the TRC?

That's right, we did that against the Lions and got pasted.

The AIG's do that in the RWC and they win the bloody thing.

Go figure. According to IRB we have the same number of registered Senior Male players.

Slightly off topic, but the "number of registered rugby players a country has" is about as reliable an indication of the performance of their test team as the possession stats in a game are an indication of the likely winner that game. Bugger all. It's quality, not quantity that counts. England has 18 times more rugby players than NZ and 6 times more adult male players but it doesn't count for much in the end.

If both Cruden and Barrett are out it will be very interesting to see who they go with. I guess Slade is slightly more experienced and may get the nod, but Taylor has looked the better player this year. It would be a huge ask to expect one of those two to come in and perform well, and I would expect the Wallabies to really put the pressure on them. It would also be a real test of Aaron Smith to have to play well with an inexperienced first five outside him.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Is Taylor another one of the Christchurch BHS #10 factory products?

If so, he will be ready. Unfortunately for us.

 

[jollyswagman]

I am looking for positives here but let's not forget that we put 29 points on the bastards. The only other team to do that in the last couple of years was England on the EOYT in 2012. 29 points against the AB's is nothing to be sniggered at despite the loss.

Given Links comments regarding "The Brand" being a fullback / wing, I would expect JOC (James O'Connor) to moved to 15 and Cummins bought into the squad at Mogg's expense. I suspect that he will stick with To'omua at 10 but if he doesn't challenge the line by half time I suspect link will bring Cooper on a lot sooner and then stick with Cooper through the Saffa and Argie matches. Would like to see Fardy get a start - not sure at whose expense and Gill get some more game time somehow.

I have watched the match twice since the live broadcast and I don't feel the gap is as wide as it felt on Saturday night. Yes, we have some work to do but they are far from unbeatable. If Cruden and Barratt are out, that will go a long way to getting us closer.

 

[It is what it is]

My only issue with that is that JOC (James O'Connor) would be marking Savea and NZ would immediately switch their point of attack to that wing to take advantage of the mismatch. Better to let him have another crack at Smith.

Did you watch the test?
NZ played down JOC (James O'Connor) and Smith's side the whole match, and Smith scored 3 tries.
2 reasons why they did that - JOC (James O'Connor) hadn't played wing for some time and when he did he played right wing.
No winger has defensively outpointed JOC (James O'Connor) when he's played on the right wing.

 

[gel]

I don't think we should change any of the run on guys at all. Mogg didn't have the best game, but it was refreshing to have someone at the back that can actually catch a ball and run with it without having my heart in my mouth. There are larger defensive issues prior to the fullback being relied upon for defense. To'omua and Genia were never going to do anything special given how the forwards allowed the all blacks to play at the rucks.

The forwards just need to get in there and clean the fucking rucks out for once. Don't friggen just stand there waving their arms about and appealing to the good graces of the referee.

I think the bench is pretty OK, but I woudl prbably swap QC (Quade Cooper) out for someone else. Quade Cooper should not be in the 23 if he is not in the run on team. He needs to build into a game in order to do well and being brought in in the last 20 minutes is NOT the time to be doing that.

 

[Bullrush]

Bledisloe 2 is actually very winnable for the Wallabies.

The All Blacks struggle to put together 2 very commanding performances and with Cruden out (TBC), maybe a couple more injury concerns and an expected lift from the Wallabies, this could prove to be a tricky one for the ABs.

Or maybe not

 

[GaffaCHinO]

My team for the second test.

1 Slipper
2 Moore
3 Alexander
4 Simmons
5 Horwill
6 Mowen
7 Hooper
8 McCalman

9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Cummins
12 Lilo
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 Izzy
15 JOC (James O'Connor)

16 Saia
17 Sio
18 Kepu
19 Fardy
20 Gill
21 White
22 Kurindrani
23 Mogg

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2

 

[Moono75]

Saturday's game was another instance of the team being talked up in the media, believing the hype and then slipping on the banana peel for an almighty pratt fall.

One thing that was very evident and has been for a while is the difference in skill level the AB's have in moving the ball through the hands. It's quick and they are the masters of that final shovel/flick pass that barley touches the hands but finds the man in a gap or hits the outside man to stroll in for a try.

As most people have said I don't think there need to be major changes, everyone will be better for the run. Mogg to ride the pine, Izzy to 15 and the Honey Badger in on the wing.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Saturday's game was another instance of the team being talked up in the media, believing the hype and then slipping on the banana peel for an almighty pratt fall.

One thing that was very evident and has been for a while is the difference in skill level the AB's have in moving the ball through the hands. It's quick and they are the masters of that final shovel/flick pass that barley touches the hands but finds the man in a gap or hits the outside man to stroll in for a try.

As most people have said I don't think there need to be major changes, everyone will be better for the run. Mogg to ride the pine, Izzy to 15 and the Honey Badger in on the wing.

Is it my rose coloured glasses or have you just described the Wicks and Wobs when the Ella's were in full flight?

To the best of my knowledge all three Wallaby Ellas are still around and associated with rugby in some way. Get them involved.

 

[Rassie]

I just got one question to ask. Did Mckenzie watch any games in the TRC last year cause the tactics was pretty daft and comical.

 

[Scrubber2050]

I just got one question to ask. Did Mckenzie watch any games in the TRC last year cause the tactics was pretty daft and comical.

nothing wrong with tactics only execution. We GAVE them 3/4 trries

 

[Scotty]

^^ Lucky they ran out of time, because the AIG's were well on their way to their maiden Test Century.

Further embarrassment was saved when Jubert blew the Acme Thunderer for full time.

He might have meant run out of time with their preparation.?

 

[vidiot]

Bledisloe 2 is actually very winnable for the Wallabies.

The All Blacks struggle to put together 2 very commanding performances and with Cruden out (TBC), maybe a couple more injury concerns and an expected lift from the Wallabies, this could prove to be a tricky one for the ABs.

I agree. All Blacks are going down. I haven't been this confident since Eden Park last year.

 

[Braveheart81]

nothing wrong with tactics only execution. We GAVE them 3/4 trries

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.

 

[Scotty]

I just got one question to ask. Did Mckenzie watch any games in the TRC last year cause the tactics was pretty daft and comical.

No, I am pretty sure that McKenzie doesn't watch any rugby, and knows nothing about tactics.

 

[JJJ]

I know the mantra is ball-in-hand rugby and maintain possession, but we spend an awful lot of our time in games against them playing at the wrong end of the field. For all their skills at running the ball the all blacks kick for territory a lot when they're in their own half. And kick well.

With our competitive lineout I'd love us to pin them back in their 22 with some Latham-esque touchfinders. I really thought that was the plan with To'omua, Leilifano and Mogg in the starting XV. You could call that Jake White rugby, but like I said the ABs aren't shy about doing it either.

 

[Rassie]

Scrubber and that is EXACTLY the reason why its daft and comical. If one have watched the TRC last year one would have not the AB kick it in your half and wait for you to go pllay high risk rugby. Feeding of your mistakes. Argentina, SA and Australia all made that mistake. Thinking we are at home we can use that to run it more then get slaughtered on counters as NZ had analyzed your players already. They know what players tend to pass pass pass and other tend to kick kick kick. They know Tamua ain't the best tactical kicker and he is never going to do anything but run or pass so it made it easier for the defense to slide off.

NZ did this in tgeir away games and it funny how team after team exactly do what they expected and they knock them over. England did the unexpected and put one over them

 

[Bullrush]

nothing wrong with tactics only execution. We GAVE them 3/4 trries

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.

 

[Scrubber2050]

My team for the second test.

1 Slipper
2 Moore
3 Alexander
4 Simmons
5 Horwill
6 Mowen
7 Hooper
8 McCalman

9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Cummins
12 Lilo
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 Izzy
15 JOC (James O'Connor)

16 Saia
17 Sio
18 Kepu
19 Fardy
20 Gill
21 White
22 Kurindrani
23 Mogg

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2

Gaffa reckon your selections close BUT
think Link will not change 1-10, 13 and 14.
Cummins to replace JOC (James O'Connor) and JOC (James O'Connor) to replace Mogg (as you said) Moggy will be lucky to be on bench
Really think Horwill needs to stand up taller, as a player and also Captain. - our boys need to be fired up and Horwilol on his day can do just that and lead by example.

 

[I like to watch]

Possession for possessions sake is not a winning strategy.
Having the majority of the ball because you are too scared to test the defence,is not what Link was promoting when he was lobbying for the job.