RWC 2011 SF2: Australia vs. New Zealand

[FANATIC]

I think all 22 blokes are going to play out of their skin on Sunday.

I think Quade Cooper is going to have an absolute blinder.

God I hope so.
Maybe he has just been saving it all for this one game and silence 4.5 mil kiwi critics and make us aussie critics eat our lack-of-faith words.

 

[Swat]

God I hope so.
Maybe he has just been saving it all for this one game and silence 4.5 mil kiwi critics and make us aussie critics eat our lack-of-faith words.

I've decided to put my fantasy team where my mouth is and have only picked 2 kiwis in Nonu and Urinefeces but most importantly have picked Quade as my captain. Com'on Coops, shove it right up them!

 

[Ilie Tabua's Shadow]

From a Wallaby perspective, I think it's great that Cruden has had over a week in the All Blacks' setup.

Aaron was able to play last week with no pressure on him. With a week's hype, and Australian focus, I think the New Zealand 10 has to be viewed as the weakest link in an otherwise worldclass backline.

 

[08umema]

Is it too early to start drinking?QUOTE]

Blasphemy!!

 

[Swat]

From a Wallaby perspective, I think it's great that Cruden has had over a week in the All Blacks' setup.

Aaron was able to play last week with no pressure on him. With a week's hype, and Australian focus, I think the New Zealand 10 has to be viewed as the weakest link in an otherwise worldclass backline.

I don't think Cruden will be a weak link but I can see the 10 -12 channel being run at all day by the Aussies given Nonu's poor inside defence and the disparity in size. It may take a while to get through but I can see a few line breaks occurring there, McCaw will have to be more mobile than he looked against the Argies in defence (still had a blinder in attack but got stepped pretty easily a couple of times). I'd like to see the wallabies smash up this channel and then send it wide every now and then when the troops are close together and try to gas Smith on the outside. I see this along with better tactical kicking (including kick chase) and improved lineouts getting us over the line. I AM PUMPED!!!!

 

[tranquility]

Where are you getting that he is underdone (do you mean match time wise because he would have lost no fitness or skills with his eye socket)?

Wellll, he missed the Super rugby season. He played three or so games of club rugby and 1 game in the World Cup Campaign. Compare that to Ant, who played the entire super rugby season (unfathomable for Horne at this stage) and has played a role through the entire tri-nations and world cup. On that comparison I would say Horne is underdone.

 

[Braveheart81]

Underdone or fresh and raring to go?

 

[Ilie Tabua's Shadow]

Is it too early to start drinking?QUOTE]

Blasphemy!!

It's all about ensuring a plateau of euphoria.

Sure, drink hard, drink early, but remember the fundamentals of getting a good sleep, hydrating, and working in some important pre-match sustenance.

And, regardless, nothing an individual viewer can do to prepare can compensate for how the result of the game will impact on Monday morning feelings.

 

[Swat]

Wellll, he missed the Super rugby season. He played three or so games of club rugby and 1 game in the World Cup Campaign. Compare that to Ant, who played the entire super rugby season (unfathomable for Horne at this stage) and has played a role through the entire tri-nations and world cup. On that comparison I would say Horne is underdone.

It's amazing, you'd think with all that game time he would learn how to penetrate defences

 

[Scotty]

3 mistakes or major, unnecessary risks IMO:

- I'll be the 100th person that's amazed at the complete removal of Sharpe in such a crucial match, on no basis is Simmons showing he's justified in this selection in this game;

- Maybe less versatile etc, but I'd much rather Higgers or Hodgson to back-up the loose forwards than McCalman who's been so consistently ineffective over and over again. Amazing call vs a side of the ABs calibre and at Eden Park;

- the issue's been done to death, but I think there's clear evidence that BB was the better call running on at 12 given QC (Quade Cooper)'s situation/risk and other factors much commented upon. BB can defend, almost as well as McCabe. To beat the ABs, we will have to attack exceptionally well in order to take the tries we'll need; defence will as always be critical, but it won't be the key to victory in this match.

Both Simmons and McCalman played important roles in the Wallabies defeat of the All Blacks in Brisbane. I would also have chosen Sharpe as well, but it isn't like he has set the world on fire. I think McCalman has been underrated in the role he is playing at the breakdown when he as come on in big games.

 

[Tangawizi]

Has this Lynx Clip been posted yet? It's the best match preview I've seen so far.

Someone with the skills may want to embed it.

http://youtu.be/nW0Fp16XhZo

 

[08umema]

It's all about ensuring a plateau of euphoria.

Sure, drink hard, drink early, but remember the fundamentals of getting a good sleep, hydrating, and working in some important pre-match sustenance.

And, regardless, nothing an individual viewer can do to prepare can compensate for how the result of the game will impact on Monday morning feelings.

Wake up at say 11, drink water till 11.30 then head over to the BBQ you are attending/hosting. Hit the beers at 11.31 and the rest is history.

History being the Wallabies beating the All Blacks then trouncing the Welsh.

I can only hope!

 

[Swat]

Been posted in other more relevant threads...

 

[Ilie Tabua's Shadow]

Possibly hydrating for too long, other than that a very nice Sunday planned!

Dry weather Brisbane, dry weather, maybe, Auckland.

Probably not a dry bar where I'm at.

 

[08umema]

Possibly hydrating for too long, other than that a very nice Sunday planned!

Dry weather Brisbane, dry weather, maybe, Auckland.

Probably not a dry bar where I'm at.

In reply to that, is it still forecast to be raining cats and dogs on Sunday in Auckland?

 

[Scotty]

I echo the thoughts of many on here re: Sharpe and Higgers, especially Sharpe. What a boon it would have been for both him and his team mates for him to run on for his 100th test.

However, the most concerning aspect of the team for me is the potential centre-pairing. We will have no penetration if McCabe and Fainga'a are the centres. I'm well aware that they were the centre pairing when we last played the All Blacks, however in that game they offered virtually nothing in attack and let both their opposites score tries.

Moreover, I have little confidence in Quade's form at the moment and neither McCabe nor Fainga'a can be relied upon to relieve the pressure on Quade in attack. This is even more important given we are probably going to be down a second playmaker given Beale's injury.

We cannot expect the All Blacks to waste both possession and position like the Boks did. But with an out of form 10 and a limited centre-pairing, I don't see how we expect to control possession or field position.

Having Berrick at 12 would have dealt with these issues.

I disagree with our centres having no penetration. With Cruden in defense, McCabe may well have a field day, and if he can consistently get a few metres over the advantage line, and we recycle possesion quickly, then Cooper can release the outside backs.

Like Groucho has said, we should attack inside Nonu, and outside Smith. McCabe on the angle and Digby on the short ball will be good at the former, while JOC (James O'Connor) and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) coming in wider will be good at the later.

I hope JOC (James O'Connor) spends some time in the 13 position, as he looks very dangerous there.

Of course the added benefit of this line up is QC (Quade Cooper) and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) should do a straight swap in defense. That is one pretty good defensive wall we are going to have.

 

[Groucho]

also - do not understand sharpe not starting let alone being on the bench.

on that note. not bothering to do a bench matchup, but based on who's named advantage to the all blacks everywhere but berrick barnes v donald.

Similar to last week and the wallabies scraped through. I don't think they've got another miracle on turf in them though.

You really rate Afoa over Slipper and Ellis over Burgess?

 

[DPK]

Maybe DPK, but IMO you've got to select on a pattern of player calibre not one 'better' performance vs many mediocre to downright poor ones. In my mind, I'd prefer Higgers or Hodgson to come on (if they need to, which they will as surely Samo won't play 80) and deal with the likes of Kaino etc, than McCalman. Ditto if we have injuries to replace.

I wasn't really clear, I apologise. I meant to emphasise that the way to use McCalman in Test rugby is off the bench or not at all (at this stage).

 

[Slim 293]

I echo the thoughts of many on here re: Sharpe and Higgers, especially Sharpe. What a boon it would have been for both him and his team mates for him to run on for his 100th test.

However, the most concerning aspect of the team for me is the potential centre-pairing. We will have no penetration if McCabe and Fainga'a are the centres. I'm well aware that they were the centre pairing when we last played the All Blacks, however in that game they offered virtually nothing in attack and let both their opposites score tries.

Moreover, I have little confidence in Quade's form at the moment and neither McCabe nor Fainga'a can be relied upon to relieve the pressure on Quade in attack. This is even more important given we are probably going to be down a second playmaker given Beale's injury.

We cannot expect the All Blacks to waste both possession and position like the Boks did. But with an out of form 10 and a limited centre-pairing, I don't see how we expect to control possession or field position.

Having Berrick at 12 would have dealt with these issues.

I hardly believe McCabe and Fainga'a were to blame for Nonu and Smith's tries...

While they were they were their opposite numbers, those tries did not come from any form of play where they were at fault...

It came after the AB forwards had split the Wallabies apart, and players had to move out of position to cover tackles leaving gaps out wide...

It was actually the best containment of the AB centres the Wallabies have had for years after various combinations of Giteau/Barnes/Mortlock/Fainga'a/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Horne etc.

One of the toughest roles in world rugby is to defend against that AB centre pairing, and I have confidence in these two guys doing their job if need to... there are still plenty of excellent attacking players in that backline and there's no excuses why we can't score tries...

 

[Slim 293]

Adding to the above, it won't matter who we play in the backs if our forwards don't show up because all of our matches against the All Blacks have been determined by the performance of our forwards...

It's already been mentioned plenty of times but Sharpe has been hard done by from Deans...