RC - Wallabies vs Springboks, Gold Coast Sunday 12 September 8:05 PM

[Cancelled Account]

Cooper you God. Welcome back Buddy. Solid game by all and deserve to keep their positions next week. McDermott and Bell were a bit rocky in some patches of play but will improve on that for next week. No changes please Rennie.

 

[Dan54]

Well after sleeping on it, I still say I enjoyed the game. Quite interesting watching the game, while I was in Aus I tended to support or get emotionally involved with Wallabies because I was involved in game so much there, last night I felt quite neutral and just enjoyed game.
First thing I will say again, it's still easy for me to enjoy a game with a fair bit of kicking, great reminder of the different styles we can all play.
Was surprised a little how poorly I thought Pollard kicked, there did seem a little hit and hope involved at times. Thought the Wallaby pack went better than I suspected they would. I personally didn't think QC (Quade Cooper) played a brilliant game, just went out there and played a bloody good mature game, which is what you want form a 10. Am I allowed to say with all respect to kellaway, he does bloody well, never really think of him as a great attacker or anything, but just uses what he has got well to find the try line.
All in all as I said good test and well done Wallabies!

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Cooper you God. Welcome back Buddy. Solid game by all and deserve to keep their positions next week. McDermott and Bell were a bit rocky in some patches of play but will improve on that for next week. No changes please Rennie.

I still think back to Rennie’s comments prior to this game that felt heading in right direction and just needed to prove this over the next few weeks. I think many including me almost fell of their chair when he said this at the time. But gees he backed up those comments last night.

Suggests Rennie seeing the right things in training to support his decisions. Some of us including me were starting to wonder on some of his selections but he definitely vindicated himself last night that he knows what he is doing.

 

[dru]

I thought the boks were pretty average honestly, certainly by their lofty standards. Itll be interesting to see whether they tweak the game plan next week and play even a little bit of rugby. Both teams will need to be better.

Yes, and with a better kicking percentage they would not have been in that position. Plus they could have controlled the close better. Even so a palpable improvement for the Wallabies.

Since we're all obsessed with what changes to make for the next match - I'd probably just dump out Fainga'a, Rodda and Swinton for Kaitu'u, Swain and either Wilson or Samu or Leota, or whoever doesn't lose the ball every time they're tackled.

Leota was great around the field, but I'd really be happier with another line out focussed lock. Bell is another, good around the field but touch and go in the scrum. Our maul work was fab. Too early to start Kaitu'u, what is BPA up too? Banks was OK but I'd still be thinking about Hodge starting at 15. Surely time for Tupou to get a start? I'd understand White starting too.

What ever the thoughts in tweaking things, that 23 did well and probably deserves another crack

BUT. What about 10? JOC (James O'Connor) should be getting closer, Lolesio has had a little time to free his head. Quade was great, but it's one game. That space got very interesting, in a good way. I liked our back bench selections (bar not starting Hodge), so would look for an 80 min 10. Right now that is probably not either Lolesio or JOC (James O'Connor).

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Well after sleeping on it, I still say I enjoyed the game. Quite interesting watching the game, while I was in Aus I tended to support or get emotionally involved with Wallabies because I was involved in game so much there, last night I felt quite neutral and just enjoyed game.
First thing I will say again, it's still easy for me to enjoy a game with a fair bit of kicking, great reminder of the different styles we can all play.
Was surprised a little how poorly I thought Pollard kicked, there did seem a little hit and hope involved at times. Thought the Wallaby pack went better than I suspected they would. I personally didn't think QC (Quade Cooper) played a brilliant game, just went out there and played a bloody good mature game, which is what you want form a 10. Am I allowed to say with all respect to kellaway, he does bloody well, never really think of him as a great attacker or anything, but just uses what he has got well to find the try line.
All in all as I said good test and well done Wallabies!

Yeh I did not rate kellaway this last super rugby season but some rebels fans on this site challenged me on that. Shows they saw a lot more then me with kellaway as he has shown he knows his way to the tryline.

 

[dru]

Yeh I did not rate kellaway this last super rugby season but some rebels fans on this site challenged me on that. Shows they saw a lot more then me with kellaway as he has shown he knows his way to the tryline.

I wouldn't have chosen Kellaway in the 35. Couldn't be happier with him at this point though.

 

[Joe Blow]

JOC (James O'Connor) is a great bench option to cover 10/12/15 and maybe a starter at 15? Quade just played a full 80 mins in what has been our most physical test this year to date. He will get better. Swain missed out through injury and hopefully is available. I believe we lose Allan A. this week for birth duties so no doubt that TT will start. Would love to see an all Qld front row with BPA back.
Got to make our set piece a little better and figure out how to find a bit more space.
Boks will improve but so will we.

 

[dru]

JOC (James O'Connor) is a great bench option to cover 10/12/15 and maybe a starter at 15? Quade just played a full 80 mins in what has been our most physical test this year to date. He will get better. Swain missed out through injury and hopefully is available. I believe we lose Allan A. this week for birth duties so no doubt that TT will start. Would love to see an all Qld front row with BPA back.
Got to make our set piece a little better and figure out how to find a bit more space.
Boks will improve but so will we.

I had forgotten about Fainga's ankle cutters. He shouldn't play again until they have confidence they have resolved it. He's going to hurt someone.

Joe, thinking about the broader role for JOC (James O'Connor), I like it. Banks out, Hodge to 15, JOC (James O'Connor) 23.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

JOC (James O'Connor) is a great bench option to cover 10/12/15 and maybe a starter at 15? Quade just played a full 80 mins in what has been our most physical test this year to date. He will get better. Swain missed out through injury and hopefully is available. I believe we lose Allan A. this week for birth duties so no doubt that TT will start. Would love to see an all Qld front row with BPA back.
Got to make our set piece a little better and figure out how to find a bit more space.
Boks will improve but so will we.

Solid debuts for kait’u and leota last night from the bench in what was a pressure cooker.

Good thing building some depth is pressure on players and who we leave out which is nice problem to have. JOC (James O'Connor) provides good bench cover. Paisami - heck not long ago was one of our better backs.

 

[Joe Blow]

I reckon Rennie may be tempted to put Paisami back in at 13. It gives us a lot of potential to score tries. That said Ikitau has been solid.

 

[upthereds#!]

JOC (James O'Connor) is a great bench option to cover 10/12/15 and maybe a starter at 15? Quade just played a full 80 mins in what has been our most physical test this year to date. He will get better. Swain missed out through injury and hopefully is available. I believe we lose Allan A. this week for birth duties so no doubt that TT will start. Would love to see an all Qld front row with BPA back.
Got to make our set piece a little better and figure out how to find a bit more space.
Boks will improve but so will we.

For an all QLD front row are you making Slipper an honorary Red?

 

[Joe Blow]

For an all QLD front row are you making Slipper an honorary Red?

oops…yep. Honorary? One of their favourite sons.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I had forgotten about Fainga's ankle cutters. He shouldn't play again until they have confidence they have resolved it. He's going to hurt someone.

Joe, thinking about the broader role for JOC (James O'Connor), I like it. Banks out, Hodge to 15, JOC (James O'Connor) 23.

Banks was ok last night..hodge less so from the bench. Less convinced about hodge at 15..stick with banks but let’s see what Petaia can do at 15 (over to you Brad) at reds next season

I reckon Rennie may be tempted to put Paisami back in at 13. It gives us a lot of potential to score tries. That said Ikitau has been solid.

Ikatau made it harder for Paisami to get back in 23 after last nights performance...he is getting better with each game too

 

[fatprop]

I owe a huge apology to Rennie & Cooper. Genuinely was pulling my hair out at his call. Turns out Rennie knows more than I do. What a journey from Quade.

+1

 

[Wilson]

As an added bonus this was a Raeburn Shield win:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1437162820408389634

Really wish world rugby would make this official.

 

[eastman]

I thought Ikitau''s defence was outstanding and I can't see him swapped for Paisami.

Hodge's brain explosion to put up a high ball (poorly) in the 78th minute is nearly enough for him to be replaced in 23 by JOC (James O'Connor). He's lucky that QC (Quade Cooper) stepped up in that clutch position to take the final penalty so he didn't get a chance to miss it though.

 

[Froggy]

Just on Bell and the scrum, the first time he was penalised was fair, the second time the Bok THP quite clearly over-extended and 'pancaked', the penalty quite clearly went the wrong way. And it wasn't the first time it happened, earlier when the Bok THP over-extended the ref simply re-set the scrum.
On FF (Folau Fainga'a), the tackle he got carded for was the third one of those TPN grass-cutters in a fairly short space of time, he really needs to get those out of his game.

 

[Pfitzy]

Was surprised a little how poorly I thought Pollard kicked, there did seem a little hit and hope involved at times.

That's how it looks when your wingers drop it. When they catch the ball, it looks brilliant.

 

[Pfitzy]

Just on Bell and the scrum, the first time he was penalised was fair, the second time the Bok THP quite clearly over-extended and 'pancaked', the penalty quite clearly went the wrong way. And it wasn't the first time it happened, earlier when the Bok THP over-extended the ref simply re-set the scrum.

My exact thinking - ref needed to see that Malherbe wasn't chasing his feet after the hit. Fainga'a or Hooper should have got that info from the sideline and asked the ref to look at it. Bell's hips should have been lower in both cases because the ref is only seeing a flat-backed green jersey and an angled gold jersey.

Later on, replacement prop Koch practically jumped onto his own face in over extending and didn't get penalised.

 

[Pfitzy]

Just reviewing that last scrum now: the triangle of Philip, Tupou, and Kaitu'u was central to the drive that absolutely poleaxed N'che - who had Mostert behind him and Etzebeth next to him, but never looked like their binds were solid.

Could say White was very lucky to get the penalty, but the scrum should have been the penalty.

EDIT: or any 3 of the 10 rucks beforehand. Whatever.