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.
Jolly, I'm interested in what you think happened in the time Link had with the Wallaby squad in the lead up to the test. If your point is that he didn't have a lot of time with them and hence wasn't ale to make huge changes, what was he doing/able to accomplish? Was he relying on past plays? Was he using the senior playing group to rely on for ideas/how things were previously done? What was he doing in this time? Did he just say "play what's in front of you" or "play your natural game".
I remember when Henry came into the AB coach gig in 2004 and was with the camp just a few weeks before playing the WC winning England side. He picked a somewhat controversial side, appointed a brand new captain, dropped the previous one, and a number of players that featured in the 03WC were nowhere to be seen and new players were brought in. it had plenty of AB supporters just a 'wee bit' nervous. It was a couple of scratchy performances but the ABs racked up big wins on the scoreboard. There were distinct changes to our defensive pattern that Henry brought in from test 1.
I don't think Link was under any illusion of the occasion on Saturday night and would've been working hard to get his team up for it. It's his team and his reputation on the line here. He's a proud man and I do recall his own smugness from years gone by when he was an Assistant in a good Wallaby era
. But it wasn't Deans team/cattle out there, it was here and I do applaud him for bringing in the new players but they ran out of gas in my opinion and lost their way and confidence. To me that raises question marks over leadership and maturity.
In all seriousness I wish Link luck, because if this forum is an insight into the Wallaby fans psyche, he's going to need as the fans will be impatient.