RD 14: Rebels v Bulls - Fri 17th @7:45 - AAMI Park

[James Pettifer]

Summary of the game
- The ruck was under pressure through the whole game and the Bulls defense was extremely flat (at best)
- This was partially impacted by the lack of Coleman, Jones or Naisarani
- This put Genia off and he struggled under pressure. Resorted to stupid box kicks which typically gained us 5-10 meters and lost us possession. He probably needed to be pulled earlier
- The ref was pretty awful. From the ground, it looked like at least one of the Bulls last tries (if not both) had forward passes. The bulls also seemed to be very offside for a lot of the game
- Koriobete played by far his best game in about 12 months. Even kicked the ball well. Noticed he kicked last week and but for a poor bounce could have scored from it. Definitely much improved in that space than when he started
- Hodge was completely anonymous. I can't understand why he wasn't kicking for touch
- Worst moment for me was in the last 20 minutes. We get the ball from the scrum, throw it to the backs and then kick the ball out gaining less than 10 meters from the scrum but losing possession.

 

[Slim 293]

- The ref was pretty awful. From the ground, it looked like at least one of the Bulls last tries (if not both) had forward passes.

The passes were fine.......... definitely thrown backwards.

 

[Slim 293]

Crowd very ordinary. Easily less than 10k. Looks like a Brumbies crowd numbers. Lol jks

The Brumbies looked like they had a bigger crowd against the Sunwolves then you lot had against the Reds last week.........

 

[Rebels3]

The game had a very similar feel the to Tahs loss. In that game we dominated territory in the first half without as much reward as probably deserved, obviously gone in at half time and thought holding the ball for longer periods will generate the points that wasn’t coming. However there was nothing wrong with the tactics in the first half, it was applying pressure that eventually would see rewards come. Two games now we have clearly been the better team at half time, yet changes tact at half time to potentially get greater rewards, yet there was nothing wrong with the initial approach and over 80 would see you win 9 times out of 10.

 

[Rebels3]

Ref was ordinary, the Bulls 12 was constantly offside and a lot of bullshit away from the ruck once the ball was gone, but not the reason the Rebels lost. They were dominated in the contact battle and over played their hand which lead to some poor execution. Fair game to the Bulls, a deserved win

 

[Rugbynutter39]

rebels

Considering they started with a backline many argue should be he working parts of the wallabies back line, that was shit from the rebels

yep and how often have we said that this season - for more games than not I would say. Rebels have failed to show they are anything but a mid table side despite all the wallaby loaded talent.

Fans have a right to expect much more from the rebels given the players they have but ha d consistently failed to live up to expectations. Wessels and his coaching staff have to take some accountability here for these continued below expectation performances.

SA teams must love playing against the rebels as they definitely have the wood over them.

 

[James Pettifer]

The passes were fine.... definitely thrown backwards.

Ok.

Looked forward at the ground but obviously not in the best position to ser

 

[James Pettifer]

rebels yep and how often have we said that this season - for more games than not I would say. Rebels have failed to show they are anything but a mid table side despite all the wallaby loaded talent.

Fans have a right to expect much more from the rebels given the players they have but ha d consistently failed to live up to expectations. Wessels and his coaching staff have to take some accountability here for these continued below expectation performances.

SA teams must love playing against the rebels as they definitely have the wood over them.

The Rebels struggle when the ruck is under pressure. They have no plan B for this and given they keep on losing to this it doesn’t bode well for the season

 

[Dctarget]

Sorely missed Luke & Isi last night. The Bulls made metres from pick and gos way too easily. Needed some more starch in defense.

Rebels have the players and the talent, but their game plans keep letting them down. Has Wessels reached his ceiling?

 

[Mr Wobbly]

has Erasmus been injured? Otherwise its a massive fall from grace

It looks like Erasmus could be making a career change - as a hooker. Apparently he has been training there quite a bit. In the Rising game last night, JU picked up a yellow card late in the first half and was replaced for the rest of the game by Erasmus. Apart from over-throwing a line out he looked pretty good and had some impact with a couple of good runs.

The Rising, BTW, didn't look too bad. They never looked like they would win the game but hung in quite well against a decent Japan A team. 37-12 to the visitors in the end.

 

[Rebels3]

rebels yep and how often have we said that this season - for more games than not I would say. Rebels have failed to show they are anything but a mid table side despite all the wallaby loaded talent.

Fans have a right to expect much more from the rebels given the players they have but ha d consistently failed to live up to expectations. Wessels and his coaching staff have to take some accountability here for these continued below expectation performances.

SA teams must love playing against the rebels as they definitely have the wood over them.

In fairness I don’t think the talent was ever as good as other fans want to make out it is, due to the rhetoric of wanting to dislike the rebels. Yes it’s a fairly decent squad, but they certainly have the least talent in the forwards of all 4 aus teams and it really shows against the SA sides. Having backline talent means little without a forward foundation.

Last night they were missing their 4 best forwards. Uelese, Jones, Coleman and Naisarani. They are essentially Australia’s version of the Hurricanes without a 2 x world player of the year to put them on their back when the team is playing poorly. Talent wise the Brumbies are probably a 1 point better side and it’s showing on the ladder.

 

[Rebels3]

It looks like Erasmus could be making a career change - as a hooker. Apparently he has been training there quite a bit. In the Rising game last night, JU picked up a yellow card late in the first half and was replaced for the rest of the game by Erasmus. Apart from over-throwing a line out he looked pretty good and had some impact with a couple of good runs.

The Rising, BTW, didn't look too bad. They never looked like they would win the game but hung in quite well against a decent Japan A team. 37-12 to the visitors in the end.

Erasmus does have a game around the field that would suit hooker. His ball carrying is pretty good, but lacks in the set piece to be a long term pro. I think the Fa’amasuili trial as a back rower needs to stop. His ball carry is dynamic but I think that should be used upfront as a point of difference in a Tupou style player than a transitioning no.8

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Erasmus does have a game around the field that would suit hooker. His ball carrying is pretty good, but lacks in the set piece to be a long term pro. I think the Fa’amasuili trial as a back rower needs to stop. His ball carry is dynamic but I think that should be used upfront as a point of difference in a Tupou style player than a transitioning no.8

Is Pone actually on trial as a back rower or is he playing there because the cupboard is bare?

With Wilkin out for the season, RHP playing in the 2nd row to cover for Coleman, and Ha'angana off with the JWC squad there literally isn't anyone else that could be picked.

*snip*

Last night they were missing their 4 best forwards. Uelese, Jones, Coleman and Naisarani. They are essentially Australia’s version of the Hurricanes without a 2 x world player of the year to put them on their back when the team is playing poorly. Talent wise the Brumbies are probably a 1 point better side and it’s showing on the ladder.

All four of those players should be available for the Tahs game. Coleman should be back next week.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I know flat backline attack is all the go atm. But I think the biggest problem the Rebels have is that Quade is playing too flat. Any rush defense, and aren't they all now?, will put immense pressure on an attack that plays as flat as Quade and the Rebels' backline. Just leads to errors, as we've seen especially in recent games and again last night. And it is exacerbated by Genia taking too long to get the ball to Cooper in the first place.

Blame the forwards if you like, but if you're not getting good quick ball from the breakdown, then stand a little deeper in the backline so that the ball and the tackler are not arriving at the same moment. Give yourself time to have options, like a little kick in behind the defense, which really is one of Quade's strengths in comparison with other Aussie No 10s.

Looks like a coaching, game plan, issue to me.

 

[Tex]

How did Jordan go for the Rising?

That sick try set up by Specman came from a forward pass, but I reckon the other topical ones from the Bulls were legit flat. As flat as my enthusiasm for the Rebels at the moment.

 

[Rebels3]

Yeh I don’t think we can point the finger at the ref. As much as I didn’t think we got much out of him or a few things the Bulls got away with, he wasn’t the issue with the Rebels losing.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

How did Jordan go for the Rising?

That sick try set up by Specman came from a forward pass, but I reckon the other topical ones from the Bulls were legit flat. As flat as my enthusiasm for the Rebels at the moment.

I thought he played OK, had a couple of decent carries and won a pilfer. He wasn't on for long though, he picked up a yellow card in the first half and didn't come back on. He could have been a bit lucky that there wasn't a TMO, could have been a red. He was done for cleaning out with his shoulder but it looked like an elbow to Nagare's face to me.

 

[Scooter]

The passes were fine.... definitely thrown backwards.

Given the fact that Pollard used a drop kick to convert the last try is a good indication that one of the passes in the lead up was questionable / forward.