ONE TEAM - positivity thread

[Loki74]

Like a lot of Wallabies fans, I thought that anything less than a spot in the final would mean a failed campaign. Obviously we've fallen short in that regard.

Despite that, I feel a hell of a lot more positive than I did this time 4 years ago.

We're a young team on the rise as opposed to an old team in decline. We don't have to "unearth" or "blood" any new talent, we simply have to get more experience under the players' belts and bed down our combinations for the future. We’ve still got a shitload of great players that haven’t hit their 23rd birthday yet. Let’s give them a break – how many of the “greats” of yesteryear were the finished product at 23? With a Lions series on the horizon and with a new challenge with the Argies entering the 4 nations, I’m genuinely excited to watch how the team grows from here.

Agree totally. Ultimately, we took a young (ish) team to the World Cup. One or two players stepped up and look like they could be World XV players in years to come (Pocock, O'Connor, Ioane and Beale all had good Cups). Solid performances from a couple of key forwards, including our captain (Moore and Horwill - generally solid, perhaps without being spectacular) and Berrick Barnes looked good when he was given the chance, without being spectacular. Couple of up and coming players that didn't reach the heights that we might have liked (I would probably put Genia into this category), but will only get better for the experience. One key player who was put under massive pressure (and abuse) from the country of his birth and wasn't able to perform to the levels hoped. Again, some hope that he could nonetheless develop into a World Class player. Some good experience for some fringe players (notably Simmons, who I thought did pretty well in the game time he was given, and also Slipper. You would probably also include McCabe in this - strictly he has only come into the starting side in the last 6 months). A few injuries that didn't go our way, but you have to expect that (notably Mitchell, Palu and Beale). World Cup is a test of depth.

Means you have a pretty strong core of players for the next few years that should improve from here. A team that has Robinson (returning), Moore, Slipper, Horwill, Simmons, Pocock, Genia, Cooper, Ioane, O'Connor, Beale, Mitchell, Palu and McCabe is going to be pretty competitive over the next couple of years. If someone like Higginbotham can take his game to the next level and find one or two decent players in a couple of weaker positions (a prop, a number 8 and a centre) and you have a good side.

Plus the Blacks will come back to the pack a bit after this. First, they have been hungry for this for a long time. And secondly, Carter, McCaw, Thorn, Mealamu, Woodcock, Nonu, Muliana, Smith - minimum age is 29. Some of them will still be around for a few more years. But they will be losing experience at steady intervals over the next few years. Although, their pipeline looks pretty good with guys like Dagg, Jane and Cruden.

 

[Bowside]

We've got so much damn skill we've got a playmaker on the wing. Find me another winger in the world that could do half of this:

[video=youtube;feJ62DDHmVU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feJ62DDHmVU[/video]

Every time I see this video I think how much he plays like a small blonde Ma Nonu, but quicker off the mark and with a kicking game

 

[Ignoto]

Like a lot of Wallabies fans, I thought that anything less than a spot in the final would mean a failed campaign. Obviously we've fallen short in that regard.

For me, I never expected us to win the actual world cup. It was the constant drivel given by John O'Neil and Dingo that their goal was winning the world cup and anything in between didn't matter (contrary to what all the fans said).

Now they've failed to deliver this and given a coach who couldn't deliver on his overly optimistic promises another two years at the helm.

The ARU should never have come out and put such an emphasis on the RWC where we basically needed everything to fall our way to win the RWC. Our team was too green to be calling for it. Now all I want to see is some accountability at the top end of the pyramid for the past couple of years.

(If I hear a single line by Robbie that this was a good learning experience I'll have to buy myself a new tv).

 

[matty_k]

Since the pattern seems to be repeating The Wallabies should win in 2015.

 

[Ruggo]

Our RWC huntig ground is the UK. We have won all of them so 2015 England is ours.

 

[Swat]

After all the negative b*llshit going on the forums post rwc I thought this thread needed a bump.

So, keeping it positive:

1. We now have a flyhalf who can tackle in Barnes
2. Higginbotham will now be starting ahead of Rocky
3. Horne is injury free for the first time since birth and likely to start
4. JOC (James O'Connor) is likely to get a run at 12
5. TPN isn't hurt
6. Dingo learnt his lesson and will now groom a backup for Pocock
7. We have Pocock
8. If 10, 12, 13 is Barnes, JOC (James O'Connor), Horne we will have a structured, attacking backline like we haven't seen in years, all who defend excellently.
9. We're still number 2 in the world
10. The Saffas are now number 4 (below the french! hahahaha)

 

[waratahjesus]

Bronze baby, bronze

 

[WhoDaresWin]

I LOVE THIS THREAD.

Positive thinking is the way to go.

My mood has been greatly lifted after reading everyone's post from the first page onwards.

Thank you very much G&GR.

 

[waratahjesus]

It's a positive that th best team n the world over the last four years won the cup.
Maybe the Wallabies can be the best fir the next four.

 

[pete88]

We went further than England at a Rugby World Cup for the first time since 1999! (I'm really tempted to go bump the France v England QF thread again)

Also, Swat's positives are actually quite good and genuinely lifted my spirits.