RoffsChoice
Jim Lenehan (48)
Good news everyone, Wayne Barnes!
Pumas v Wallabies, Rosario, 5th October 2013
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Looking forward to Bernard Foley's debut in this match.
RoffsChoice
Jim Lenehan (48)
Braveheart81 Fullback or 10?
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
Must win game for the Men in Gold, and their Coach.
Los Pumas will be pumped and will have targeted this as one that they believe they can win.
Los Pumas will be pumped and will have targeted this as one that they believe they can win.
RoffsChoice
Jim Lenehan (48)
Moore is only in the team by virtue of no TPN/Hanson. Hooper is enthusiastic, but ineffective against big packs. Folau does not understand what he is meant to do as an international fullback.
I'd go with
Robinson, Moore, Slipper, Fardy, Horwill, Mowen, Gill, McCalman, White, To'omua, CFS, Lealiifano, Horne, Folau, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Fainga'a, Sio, Kepu, Timani, Hooper, Genia, Cooper, Kuridrani
I'd go with
Robinson, Moore, Slipper, Fardy, Horwill, Mowen, Gill, McCalman, White, To'omua, CFS, Lealiifano, Horne, Folau, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Fainga'a, Sio, Kepu, Timani, Hooper, Genia, Cooper, Kuridrani
jollyswagman
Ron Walden (29)
I am frustrated that White has had a couple of sucks on the savaloy but we haven't seen him play his natural game yet. Game plan or not, the obsessive kicking last night was nauseating. Would love to see him have one more shot with Cooper outside him and tell him to have run and pass.
Richo
John Thornett (49)
I am genuinely terrified about this game. I think we will lose without a massive improvement from the forwards and a lot more spark from the backs. Our scrum is going to be attacked hard. Argies will see this as their best chance for a RC win.
We cannot afford to start anything less than our best possible scrum. Unfortunately, I don't think we know what that is except what it's not.
We cannot afford to start anything less than our best possible scrum. Unfortunately, I don't think we know what that is except what it's not.
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
I will be surprised if Alexander is dropped. He should be, but he won't be. The trouble is I do not think that dropping Alexander will fix any of the scrum issues. As one radio commentator said, "I don't know what Andrew Blades has been doing, but it certainly isn't training the scrum".
I noted with interest that the Wallaby locks actually got on their knees to get a bind on the front rowers this week. However that binding was still crap when you see where their shoulders ended up in relation to the props and hooker.
One last point, given the speed of the set up under the new laws why didn't the AR tell the Ref that Alexander was binding on the arm before the engage. Every single scrum he bound on the arm and then went down.
The Pumas served up the All Blacks scrum and the Wallabies will be very lucky to retain their starting front row given the poor technique thus far. No hit = nowhere to hide.
I noted with interest that the Wallaby locks actually got on their knees to get a bind on the front rowers this week. However that binding was still crap when you see where their shoulders ended up in relation to the props and hooker.
One last point, given the speed of the set up under the new laws why didn't the AR tell the Ref that Alexander was binding on the arm before the engage. Every single scrum he bound on the arm and then went down.
The Pumas served up the All Blacks scrum and the Wallabies will be very lucky to retain their starting front row given the poor technique thus far. No hit = nowhere to hide.
I'd get rid of Alexander merely on account of his 48 metres out, directly in front tap kick when we were awarded a penalty.
It's just another example of shit discipline from our guys and at test level it's fucking inexcusable. It's unimpeachable evidence that he just_does_not get_it.
Much like the "regather your chip kick and you get to play next week" message, I'd tell anyone that attempts a tap kick from a penalty (more than 10 out from the oppo line) that it had better result in 5 points or next week they get a break from the 23.
It's just another example of shit discipline from our guys and at test level it's fucking inexcusable. It's unimpeachable evidence that he just_does_not get_it.
Much like the "regather your chip kick and you get to play next week" message, I'd tell anyone that attempts a tap kick from a penalty (more than 10 out from the oppo line) that it had better result in 5 points or next week they get a break from the 23.
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
I think Hughbert that you will find that the Wallabies were told to up the tempo and attack in the 2nd half. Hence the multiple quick taps and total change from the kicking game of the first 40. As much as I don't think Alexander deserves his spot, it certainly isn't for following instructions in this fashion.
I would also point out that the kicking game didn't fail because it was kicking. It failed because of the shit house execution, just like the passing and running game. If you kick it MUST go to space or be such that it can be competed for. Show me where any of the Wallabies kicks achieved that goal.
I would also point out that the kicking game didn't fail because it was kicking. It failed because of the shit house execution, just like the passing and running game. If you kick it MUST go to space or be such that it can be competed for. Show me where any of the Wallabies kicks achieved that goal.
RedsHappy
Tony Shaw (54)
Gnostic
It is always interesting to contrast the calibre of left and right footed free kicking in top AFL matches with that practiced by the Wallabies, who 'live next door' to the AFL so to speak. Ditto catching high balls in space under contesting pressure.
It's both incredible and inexcusable that the Wallabies have not retained a full-time kicking and catching coach, ideally from elite AFL ranks as was M Byrne when he joined the ABs coaching ranks many years ago.
It's laughable that every week there's a new version of our Wallabies (or their coaches) talking themselves up when the coaching infrastructure they need at a minimum to deliver upon the latest forms of self-generated hype and hope is so wrongly resourced and structured.
Link's unjustified over-confidence is now recklessly colluding with the ARU's budgeting constraints and cash flow problems.
Last night's display in Capetown highlighted that we're just blindly marching backwards.
It is always interesting to contrast the calibre of left and right footed free kicking in top AFL matches with that practiced by the Wallabies, who 'live next door' to the AFL so to speak. Ditto catching high balls in space under contesting pressure.
It's both incredible and inexcusable that the Wallabies have not retained a full-time kicking and catching coach, ideally from elite AFL ranks as was M Byrne when he joined the ABs coaching ranks many years ago.
It's laughable that every week there's a new version of our Wallabies (or their coaches) talking themselves up when the coaching infrastructure they need at a minimum to deliver upon the latest forms of self-generated hype and hope is so wrongly resourced and structured.
Link's unjustified over-confidence is now recklessly colluding with the ARU's budgeting constraints and cash flow problems.
Last night's display in Capetown highlighted that we're just blindly marching backwards.
You've made a pretty big leap from "you will find that the Wallabies were told to up the tempo and attack in the 2nd half" to centrefield quick taps are "following instructions".
I find it difficult to believe that eschewing a centrefield shot at goal for a quick tap was either impliedly or expressly approved as part of a plan to "up the tempo", and I don't see how you could know that either, frankly.
The kicking from hand was shit. I have no issue with kicking generally, in fact I think priority #2 (priority #1 being "prevent points being scored on you") is to play the game in their half. Folau isn't a test fullback's asshole whilst he can't even ATTEMPT a kick from his left foot and his right foot kicks are aimless. Actually his kicking generally indicates to me that he doesn't really know what he's doing back there, it's just "kick it away from our line".
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
Hughbert - my "leap" was made by recognising that the game plan shifted radically in the second half from the outset. Could you not see the change? It was also obvious that it had to at half time as the Wallabies offered no threat at all with the kicking game and were just hanging on in defence. I would also point out that Link is well known for changing things radically at half time if things aren't going right. There is a plan B but that comes down to execution as well.
As for your comments on Folau - I would remind you that M. Burke was not an accomplished kicker of both feet though he was acceptable at best and the other great fullback of recent times Chris Latham didn't kick off his right effectively and Joe Roff was particularly bad of his right. As for playing the game in their half, when you tried that all first half and the execution by all and sundry was poor do you just keep doing it? Whilst Folau needs to work on significant aspects of his skills, so do all the other backs. Folau has the best work under the high ball and a great running game when there is support and structures. Out of all the potential candidates he best fits all the fundamentals for fullback.
As for your comments on Folau - I would remind you that M. Burke was not an accomplished kicker of both feet though he was acceptable at best and the other great fullback of recent times Chris Latham didn't kick off his right effectively and Joe Roff was particularly bad of his right. As for playing the game in their half, when you tried that all first half and the execution by all and sundry was poor do you just keep doing it? Whilst Folau needs to work on significant aspects of his skills, so do all the other backs. Folau has the best work under the high ball and a great running game when there is support and structures. Out of all the potential candidates he best fits all the fundamentals for fullback.
Bairdy
Peter Fenwicke (45)
I'm all for criticizing those who merit it, but Horwill just came back from a hamstring (or ankle?) injury; he's hardly going to top the tackle and run counts in his first game back.
Is he not playing as well as say, 2011/2012? Probably, but there's not a whole lot of other players knocking on the door, demanding selection.
Whatever. I'm not a fan of turning educated guesses (the game plan appeared to change) into statements of fact (Alexander was just doing what he was told) though I suppose I assumed Alexander was not acting in accordance with instructions, and I may have been wrong about that.
Folau's kicking issues run deeper than being unable to kick off his left. On that though - I disagree that the other guys you mentioned weren't at least able to chip the ball into the first row with their weak foot. Folau gave away a penalty because he literally couldn't even attempt a left foot kick, got bundled into touch and didn't release for a quick lineout. I'm not asking for 65 metre bombs from his weak foot, but a test fullback should be able to chip one into the crowd to gain 5 metres and more importantly prevent a quick lineout.
Is he really likely to suddenly become a natural kicker at this point, in his mid 20s and post 2 seasons of AFL?
I think its easy to point to the shift in strategy and credit it for the relative success of the final 20 minutes, but most test matches loosen up in the final quarter and this one wasn't any different. I still think the field position strategy is most likely to keep us in the hunt with a beaten pack.
Off course, unless they fix the pourous defence it won't matter what else we do.
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