RWC 2011 - Quarter final 3 : Springbokke v. Wallabies CLOSED

[fatprop]

McCabe doesn't bring anything to our team. He and McCalman should not be here, let alone taking up valuable spots for such a crucial game. But I guess if we lose Robbie will have given McCabe some further education.

For fucks sake RD! This is the world cup, not a library!

I would prefer Barnes, but this is how Kafer saw what McCabe brings

http://www.foxsports.com.au/Rugby/k...160724672?subcat=1225914678839&site=FoxSports

 

[mark_s]

Whether I am ok with the starting team or not depends on how the bench is used. We know the boks will use their bench relatiuvely early in the game (by Dean's standards anyway) and it will propbably lift them. We need to do the same. Good to see Sharpe on the bench, tough on Simmons but I reckon its the right call for this game.

 

[chasmac]

Just to change tack on the thread, who's got a view on the gameplan? The team has been named with it's various strengths and weaknesses. It's knockout football. The opposition will have studied the Irish debacle and will adopt some of their successful tactics.

Will we contest opposition lineouts?

Will we play a gameplan like the Reds V's Stormers earlier this year?

Can we gain ascendancy in the forwards?

 

[Richo]

Whether I am ok with the starting team or not depends on how the bench is used. We know the boks will use their bench relatiuvely early in the game (by Dean's standards anyway) and it will propbably lift them. We need to do the same. Good to see Sharpe on the bench, tough on Simmons but I reckon its the right call for this game.

69th minute? Wouldn't want to go too early.

 

[Bullrush]

I gotta say that I feel a bit for Sharpe.

He has easily been the pick of the Wallaby locks for probably at least the last 2 years - at Super and Test level. Vickerman has basically waltzed back into the starting line-up.

And I don't think Vickerman is as mongrel as some like to believe.....

 

[Scotty]

If that's what you gleaned from that thread, I think you missed the point by some margin. The general thrust of it was about reducing the number of resets and penalties from scrums, many of which centre on the hit. Watching footage from all the 1991 QF, SF and final matches, it struck me how few penalties arose from the scrum. No power hit. Good scrums still dominated, poor ones still did not. If the timing of unleashing 900 kg at another 900 kg is the be all and end all of strong scrummaging, it's a shame. It's also too much of a crap shoot in terms of the cadence of different refs and props being able to get a proper bind in that instant as they all collide, or taking it to ground if they lose the hit.
Anyway, you seem to have made up your mind, so I'm probably wasting my time.

Even the 99 world cup didn't have the same issues. It was amazing how fast the forwards would be ready for scrum.

The slowness of setting up for a scrum has become a joke.

 

[James Buchanan]

I gotta say that I feel a bit for Sharpe.

He has easily been the pick of the Wallaby locks for probably at least the last 2 years - at Super and Test level. Vickerman has basically waltzed back into the starting line-up.

And I don't think Vickerman is as mongrel as some like to believe.....

Vickerman was a noticeable source of the 'hardness' that lifted the Wallabies in Bled 2, for my mind.

I quite like this split. Getting Vickerman to go hard early and then Sharpe on for some ball carrying later.

 

[Scotty]

The 4-3 split seems a bit strange to me.

It effectively means that Elsom and Pocock have to play 80 minutes as Samo surely can't.

Good to see Sharpe elevated to the bench over Simmons.

It will be interesting to see if Deans uses his bench a bit better this game. We definitely need to muscle up with the Springboks in the first half an hour or so otherwise they will gain a lot of confidence. If Barnes is brought on at the right time, it could really help us play field position in the back end of the game. Hopefully our bench is actually used this game.

Horwill can cover 6 if needed. Obviously Vicks would then need to play 80.

 

[Ruggo]

My only issue with this team is no hodgeson. I hope Pocock does not get injured as Brussouw will eat us alive at the breakdown. In saying that, the same logic applies for SA.

 

[Braveheart81]

IMHO, the only way Samo and Vickerman can play 80 minutes and remain reasonably effective is if it's an incredibly low tempo game. I'd argue that if the game is that low tempo, we're highly unlikely to win.

I guess all will be revealed on Sunday afternoon.

GO THE WALLABIES!

 

[vidiot]

Hard luck for Higgers, who is pretty impact-ful off the bench. But he needs a bit of polish - to really understand his role - to be a consummate test player.

There was a moment in the second half against Russia where the wallabies were at their end of the park and he took a pass in the line and kicked along the ground to around the halfway mark.

I remember thinking WTF? Hit the fucking thing up, that's what you're there for, that's what you're good at, and that's why you were tossed the ball.

Back on topic, would have been hard to keep a 5/2 split with our recent experiences with injuries in the backs. And it allows an each way bet with Barnes available when things are sliding down the gurgler.

Offensive defense from Fainga'a is obviously seen as potentially crucial when the game is in the balance, and there are enough outside backs in the starting lineup to shuffle.

 

[FANATIC]

I gotta say that I feel a bit for Sharpe.

He has easily been the pick of the Wallaby locks for probably at least the last 2 years - at Super and Test level. Vickerman has basically waltzed back into the starting line-up.

And I don't think Vickerman is as mongrel as some like to believe.....

Sharpe over Vickerman any day of the week for me.
He has the experience of captaining the forward pack and breakaways much better than Horwill has ever done in test rugby IMHO.
His lineout work is excellent.
He has a very low penalty rate against him.
Sharpe will be needed in the first five, for direction and to settle the lads down plus I see that he is playing better than he ever has.

The Dingo knows best... grrrrrrrr.

 

[Swarley]

My only issue with this team is no hodgeson. I hope Pocock does not get injured as Brussouw will eat us alive at the breakdown. In saying that, the same logic applies for SA.

With Burger at blindside they could cover Brussouw pretty well. Especially in comparison to us losing Pocock.

 

[Braveheart81]

The team selections are interesting in that we've got our two hard men, Vickerman and Samo starting the match and South Africa have theirs, Bismarck du Plessis and Alberts finishing the match.

Will be interesting to see how that pans out. Depending on how much gametime he gets, TPN will really have to step up and inject some venom into the Wallabies forward pack late in the game to counteract the Springboks forwards.

 

[Scotty]

Fa'ainga is probably 7 cover.

 

[Ruggo]

With Burger at blindside they could cover Brussouw pretty well. Especially in comparison to us losing Pocock.

Burger is to slow. Pocock had him for breakfast last year in Brisbane. General pilfering is a skill post players have, it's the speed in which they can do it that is the piont of difference in my view.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Wouldn't it be good to have Berrick Barnes come in and close out the game if we're ahead?

I've never got into the idea of subbing a player just to "close out" a game. If we're ahead they must be doing something right.. why change what's working?

 

[Braveheart81]

I've never got into the idea of subbing a player just to "close out" a game. If we're ahead they must be doing something right.. why change what's working?

Because good use of 22 players should produce a better output than using 15.

 

[Joe Mac]

Back on topic, would have been hard to keep a 5/2 split with our recent experiences with injuries in the backs. And it allows an each way bet with Barnes available when things are sliding down the gurgler.

I disagree completely. JOC (James O'Connor), KB (Kurtley Beale), AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) can all play 11/14/15. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Fainga'a, Ioane can all play 13. So why not drop McCabe and play Barnes at 12. Fainga'a on the bench with Burgess gives us all the cover we need. That free's a spot up for Hodgson in case Pocock gets injured and gives us another set of fresh legs in the pack where it is most needed.

Deans' plan is again, like all of his plans; hope and pray Pocock doesn't get injured...

 

[Slim 293]

Who hates McCabe? Last time we tried this "big centre gives go forward" option in the wet it didn't work so well, did it?

Edit: Not that this will lose us the game. I'm pumped for this one.

It didn't work because it was wet, or didn't work because from the loosehead prop down to the full ack the team played like crap?