Pumas v Wallabies, Rosario, 5th October 2013

[Scotty]

Do we have the words smallest? Pretty sure our pack has actually outweighed all teams this year. I keep looking at that stat when they show it at the start and wondering how the hell our technique can't be good enough with more weight.

Simmons has 5 kgs on Fardy but adds nothing to a scrum. Timani has also never improved our scrum when coming on. I rate Fardy generally for rugby technique and strength. He is also no pushover at the breakdown compared to Simmons and gets stuck in and has the ability to bend the line. Timani will make big hits but you get 3 times the work out of Fardy and when you see how much ball he protects when we are on attack that's priceless. By putting fardy in the locks you get to bring on an extra breakdown specialist and a lose forward with more chance of generating better go forward.

Fardy has been in our top two performers in the RC. Why are we moving him?

 

[No4918]

It comes down to bringing in McCalman or Timani and my preference is the former. Timani has made a reasonable impact from the bench and I question whether he can go for 50-60 minutes at the required level.

 

[Sully]

I'm fairly certain France field one of the best scrums in world rugby with one of the shortest tier 1 locking combo.....

And of course we can bring up Brad Thorn...

Technique technique technique.....

Of course the height of the second row is critical to how a scrum performs. The wallaby scrum has been in the trouble down the tighthead side all RC no matter who played tighthead lock that points to other problems beside the second row.

 

[Sully]

Simmons has 5 kgs on Fardy but adds nothing to a scrum. Timani has also never improved our scrum when coming on.

I'm glad all we have to do is replace one or both these players to fix all our scrum woes. But how did you figure out they weren't pushing hard enough?

 

[Scrubber2050]

Foley to bench. Link has tried To'omua and he was not really successful. Then QC (Quade Cooper) and the same result.
Foley will get HIS shot to make 10 HIS own.
Mckenzie has pretty well settled on a team now and whilst there may be a subtle change or 2 he will stick with it.

To me the position that is most concerning is THP as well as 10.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Slipper is one of our best THPs and Robinson is our best LHP, so the props situation really solves itself. Hooker problems is a whole other can of worms.

I don't think we've seen a bad performance from Quade or To'omua and we won't see a dominant performance from either until they're given the jersey for at least five, preferably ten, games in a row. I'm more inclined to give it to To'omua because he can develop the most and is more well rounded but really wouldn't mind if it was Quade because he's a great 10 as well.

 

[Braveheart81]

Hooker problems is a whole other can of worms.

You should probably see a doctor.

 

[emuarse]

Foley to bench. Link has tried To'omua and he was not really successful. Then QC (Quade Cooper) and the same result.
Foley will get HIS shot to make 10 HIS own.
Mckenzie has pretty well settled on a team now and whilst there may be a subtle change or 2 he will stick with it.

To me the position that is most concerning is THP as well as 10.

Yet Quad Cooper was voted the player's player of the match for the Wallabies against the Springbok. So there you are, your concerns in part should be allayed.

 

[Scrubber2050]

well, I suppose the players KNOW who they reckon played well whislst WE may see it from a different perspective. dare i say it but the players are probably much more aware than us mugs in TV land

 

[Braveheart81]

I would have thought the players on the field in a contact sport are probably in about the worst position to make a judgement over who played well and who didn't.

 

[Scrubber2050]

I would have thought the players on the field in a contact sport are probably in about the worst position to make a judgement over who played well and who didn't.

mate even when I played in the 4stone 7pound and 6 stone rugby league juniors a player knows who has played well

 

[Quick Hands]

I'm fairly certain France field one of the best scrums in world rugby with one of the shortest tier 1 locking combo.....

And of course we can bring up Brad Thorn...

Technique technique technique.....

This is the bit that some people don't get. You can be pushing as hard as you can and playing your guts out, but if your technique is suspect then much of this effort is ineffective and wasted energy.

 

[Moono75]

Our scrum is simply a case of recycling the same old shit. Players are in and out of the team with the repetitiveness of GROUNDHOG DAY!

Bad game your out....hey you your in.......you played shit...your out bring the other guy back. The scrum issue in Australian rugby hasn't been addressed for years. Bring in the best scrum exponents from the last 20 years and get them to provide intensive coaching to the national team over an extended time. Establish a scrum performance academy. Just do something!

 

[I like to watch]

I would have thought the players on the field in a contact sport are probably in about the worst position to make a judgement over who played well and who didn't.

Serious?
There is no better place to judge the impact a player has,than beside him in the line.
I have always believed players player awards to be the highest compliment.

 

[KOB1987]

when is the real team announced?

 

[emuarse]

I would have thought the players on the field in a contact sport are probably in about the worst position to make a judgement over who played well and who didn't.

Maybe if you are a totally unfit front rower whose biggest achievement is getting to the next scrum from the last one

 

[Ash]

I haven't seen this mentioned here yet.....

To'omua may be out with a strained tendon in his foot. Foley will be called up to the bench if that eventuates.

 

[KOB1987]

itching to see how Foley goes in the gold....

 

[Set piece magic]

I wonder if the laser pointers will be brought along this year??

I think if there's a laser pointer in someone's eye they should just award a straight penalty-try. THat would stop the behaviour

 

[Braveheart81]

I wonder if the laser pointers will be brought along this year??

I think if there's a laser pointer in someone's eye they should just award a straight penalty-try. THat would stop the behaviour

Then the fans would start pointing them at their own goalkicker!