RWC 2015 Final - Australia v New Zealand, Twickenham, Sunday 1 November, 3:00 AEDT

[Brumby Runner]

I think Beale replaced giteau because it was so early in the game. To'omua used more as an impact player off the bench. I thought K B was our best actually. Fardy got replaced at 60 didn't he? I think that would have been part of the plan, fresh legs mccalman.

Since when haven't our locks been ineffective! It's been our weak link for the last couple of years, but overall I think they all had a pretty good tournament. Bear in mind that mumm was meant to replace Simmons, not Douglas.

Agree re Owens, but I'm not a ref basher so will leave that alone!


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Matt To'omua was used as head bin cover for Mitchell and I think didn't get back on after Mitchell's return. Similar situation existed in at least one of the lead up games. No way he can now be described as a 'finisher' when he sits on the bench at the end of a game. Last night's game was precisely the game he should have been on to shore up the mid field defense. That was where the ABs were making most of their line breaks with the likes of Nonu, SBW and Retallick. I can only conclude he has stepped on one or both of Cheika's and/or Larkham's toes so he is now effectively ignored.

Our locks have been largely ineffective for many a long year, unfortunately, and I don't see anyone who would have been particularly better than Simmons and Mumm in this RWC. But neither of those were up to scratch in this game, and haven't really been in the class of Retallick, Whitelock, Etsebeth, De Jager or some of the others either at any time. We really need to be looking out for some harder men to wear the second row jerseys.

Fardy was again one of our best and was still going strong when replaced. Just because a set time arrives, that shouldn't mean one of the best on ground is taken off. Shades of replacing the wrong back rower a couple of games ago when Poey was down injured, because his time had come. Better coaching and management required.

If there is any accountability placed on Owens for his performance, he will get to sit out all tests for at least the next year. He was terrible and intentionally or not very one sided. That does not detract from the fact the ABs were clearly the better side and no doubt woulkd have won the game had the officiating not had an undue influence on the way the match was played.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Kylie likes the Wobs

Hugh was watching

Play it and they will come.

 

[Pfitzy]

His head made contact with the ground.
Samoa/Fiji/Tonga? Certain Red.

Many players' heads make contact with the ground in the tackle. Despite Owens gagging to avoid the yellow card, in the end it was the right decision and as he said: shoulder into the ground.

Inasmuch as I hate using the term: We'll get the bastards next year.

 

[Brumby Runner]

To the genuine Wallaby supporters and rugby fans, Wallabies did you proud, they are a bloody good team with a good captain and coach.
To the ones complaining about ref, ring the Scots and ask them!!

Not at all the same Dan. Scots were complaining they lost the game due to a ref's error when the Wallabies were far and away the better side on the night. This game, my complaints only go to the quality of the refereeing. I am disappointed, but I have no trouble conceding the ABs were by far the better team and earned their win.

 

[Tex]

As much as that loss sucked we still kicked England out of their own party. Worth the price of admission alone!

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[Hugh Jarse]

What the notes said
<snip>
On Defence
<snip>
• Nonu steps back on the inside when linespeed against
<snip>

Boys didn't study their homework.

 

[KOB1987]

Those images look like tackle only situations to me. If there's no ruck, there's no offside line.

yeah, nah those are consecutive images following a ruck. It's been discussed though, they are inconclusive because the broadcast prior to SBW appearing is close up on the ruck so you can't tell at what point he advances. Given where the rest of the AB's are you would be reasonable to conclude that he is offside but we can't say for sure, the commentators definitely thought he was offside and they no doubt had the wider view. I think it's safe to say that the ABs tend to test that law to it's full extent!

 

[Dave Beat]

I would like to have seen how the game would have played out if.
That tackle Sio on Carter didnt get penalised 50/50 call.
The pass that went forward was called 50/50 call.
The high in front of the sticks on pocock gets called.

Not debating the result, enjoyed watching, but those calls being made may have had an impact.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Gutted about the result, but very proud of the boys. I don't think they could have done any more out there and they played their hearts out. That's all I ask.

Congrats to our NZ friends here and enjoy the moment. As shit as I feel about it right now, you blokes must be over the moon and rightly so.

 

[brokendown]

our lineout was shite-you cant expect to win a match when you you are unable to win consistant ball from your own lineout

 

[Omar Comin']

yeah, nah those are consecutive images following a ruck. It's been discussed though, they are inconclusive because the broadcast prior to SBW appearing is close up on the ruck so you can't tell at what point he advances. Given where the rest of the AB's are you would be reasonable to conclude that he is offside but we can't say for sure, the commentators definitely thought he was offside and they no doubt had the wider view. I think it's safe to say that the ABs tend to test that law to it's full extent!

If there's not at least one player from both teams competing over the ball then it's not a ruck. All Blacks don't have a player committed over the ball, just a tackler on the ground. It's definitely interpretable as not being a ruck.

And actually this situation happens all the time, and defensive teams could take advantage of it a lot more. If there's no ruck defensive players (who aren't right next to the tackle area) have every right to get right up in the face of the potential receivers before it's even passed. There's no offside line.

 

[Beefcake]

Congrats Darkness, thoroughly deserved. You dominated the game with better variation in attack, neutralized the fardy-pooper enough and overall more accurate, could of been and should have been more.

Commiserations Wobs, your defense was outstanding, however your lack of penetration was the difference, backline was mute, piggies were outgunned.
Very fortunate to get a yellow, I didnt think it deserved that. And no surprise this was the only time you got into the game.

Ref made errors both ways but i dont think enough to influence the outcome esp as some imply decisions collectively won the darkness the RWC.

Either way, SH rugby won.

HM to KB (Kurtley Beale), best attacking player for the Wobs

 

[whatty]

Wow the last thing I expected was there to be this much ref bashing, sure the obvious excuse brigade blaming the ref from the same peeps but certainly not to this extent.
Poor form, well played AB's, poor handeling, missed tackles and generally outplayed at the Lineout lost you the game.

 

[Pfitzy]

I would like to have seen how the game would have played out if.
That tackle Sio on Carter didnt get penalised 50/50 call.
The pass that went forward was called 50/50 call.
The high in front of the sticks on pocock gets called.

Not debating the result, enjoyed watching, but those calls being made may have had an impact.

Probably the single biggest decision was the turnover Fardy and Pocock didn't get in front of the posts in the 38th minute.

We go in at halftime with 9-3, it looks a lot better. Might have even been worth giving away the penalty, really.

 

[USARugger]

Probably the single biggest decision was the turnover Fardy and Pocock didn't get in front of the posts in the 38th minute.

We go in at halftime with 9-3, it looks a lot better. Might have even been worth giving away the penalty, really.

Took a few ref blunders to even get to this point

ABs were the better team and deserved the win but ref decisions in the 2nd quarter sealed the game with unlimited continuity for one side.

 

[pjm]

Like others have said. ABs were the better team, especially in the forwards, but the Wallabies were doing enough to stay in touch but the decisions from Owens just hamstrung them.

Blame for this loss can lie squarely on Simmons rather narrow shoulders. He was picked as a line out specialist so we lost presence around the ground. What happened was we lost that and nearly every lineout of our own and those we did win had messy ball.

Kurindrani also had a shocker. He's a plodder in defence who can't change his line when stepped and is a one trick pony when it comes to attack. I think Hooper would beat him in a foot race.

 

[Teh Other Dave]

Well done All Blacks; enjoy the win, Kiwi GAGR members. I enjoyed the banter and niggle, and I enjoy your input into the forum.

Disappointed that we got so close, but considering the position we were in after the Lions tour and when Cheika picked up the reins, we have exceeded all expectations. Couldn't be moe proud of our national team. There are areas to improve on before we can successfully challenge NZ on any given day, but I think we have the cattle and the brains trust to do it. Would love to see Cheika, Bernie, and Mario running the show in four years' time, though there's a lot of water to run under the bridge in that time.

 

[louie]

Is Cheika committed to staying on?

 

[The Snout]

Would love to see Cheika, Bernie, and Mario running the show in four years' time, though there's a lot of water to run under the bridge in that time.

Good news. Chek after the game.....

""I think we've made good ground in that area in the last 12 months," said Cheika "We are just starting and want to do really good things for Australian rugby going forward.""

 

[Brumby Runner]

Owens ruled that even if it was a high tackle advantage would have applied. That's not actually inconsistent. You can argue whether it's a good call or not, but unless there's an example of him playing a similar advantage and going back for the penalty, I don't see how it's inconsistent.

I cannot recall any other single incident of foul play where the penalty expired due to advantage having been played out. Foul play is foul play and must be penalised if it is to be eradicated, and that head high tackle on Pocock was indeed foul play. Just another very poor piece of officiating that went against the Wallabies.

The ABs are the best side in the world, without doubt. They do not need Owens, or Barnes, or whomever to be afraid to enforce the games laws against them. If the shoe was on the other foot, I'd be left with a very bad taste in my mouth after such a consistently poor refereeing performance contributing to a win for my side. A couple of mistakes will occur in all games, but for such a string of mistakes to go one way only is not tolerable.