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RWC 2015 Semi Final 2 - Australia v Argentina Twickenham, Monday 19 October, 2:45 AEDT

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RugbyReg

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
chasmac said:
Can anyone recall if Mendoza was the first time we saw the Pooper? Or did The Hoop do a direct sub with The Cock?
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POOPER! From the 5 observations of the game on the blog:


SUPER POOPER IS FANTASTIC – DEFENSIVELY FEROCIOUS.

For the second test in a row the starting openside flanker for Australia (Hooper v South Africa; Pococok v Argentina) was an absolute powerhouse from the kick-off. For the second week in a row, their performance was enhanced by the introduction their ‘competitor for the position’ (Pocock v South Africa and Hooper v Argentina).
What the two tests have shown is that Australia has a couple of brilliant options here and the challenge for coach Cheika is how he uses them. Their physicality in defense is incredible, while their their running game is a similar asset, with Pocock proving many doubters wrong in particular this test.
There is a long held selection belief that you determine your fifteen best players and then work out how to fit them into your team. Going by this, then GAGR’s own Pooper (a Pocock / Hooper combo) needs to start. The chance to try this out before the RWC now seems curtailed by Hooper’s likely suspension for striking against the Pumas.
Will it mean Cheika tries to replicate the impact this duo has made against the All Blacks? Perhaps a McMahon – Pocock combination (McCock?) or even Gill-Pocock (Gocock)? Regardless of the combination chosen, and whether they start together, this Wallaby team will definitely miss the impact from the bench that the Hooper / Pocock combination has provided them.
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Spruce Moose

Spruce Moose

Fred Wood (13)
Omar Comin' said:
Everyone's starting to get very optimistic now that it's late in the week and the anguish of the performance against Scotland has faded into a vague memory.
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Agreed we shouldn't forget our several brain fades last week and more importantly the scrum penalties we conceded which makes me worried the most, conceding 9 points from scrums will kill us.

However as much as our mistakes made Scotland looked good, so did Ireland's slow start make Argentina look very good. You can't concede 14 points in the first 10 minutes and expect to have any chance of winning. The effort required to get back in contention meant that Ireland were dead at the end and gave up once the Argentina's scored the try in the 70th minute then Argentina scored 10 easy points at the end.
 
boyo

boyo

Mark Ella (57)
This match will be a doozy if the Argies play similarly to way that they played against Ireland.
Hopefully they're stuffed after last weekend, but their pace was immense.
 
ACT Crusader

ACT Crusader

Jim Lenehan (48)
Spruce Moose said:
However as much as our mistakes made Scotland looked good, so did Ireland's slow start make Argentina look very good. You can't concede 14 points in the first 10 minutes and expect to have any chance of winning. The effort required to get back in contention meant that Ireland were dead at the end and gave up once the Argentina's scored the try in the 70th minute then Argentina scored 10 easy points at the end.
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I think you're being a little harsh on the Pumas there. They moved the ball in attack and used expansive passing with players in motion to get that rapid early lead. Don't recall any "gifts" in there from the Paddies.
 
Groucho

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
chasmac said:
Yes Fitzy - I'll be looking for big Kane Douglas shooting out of the line on defense and engulfing their little fairies. Similar for Hooper and the rest of the pack. The biggest letdown from the QF was the defensive intensity. Lift it, we win.
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I thought our defence (in terms of systems and intensity) was fine. We expended as much effort as we needed to. The Scots didn't get through it, and didn't really look like getting through it. They got their field position and tries through stupid errors on our part. That's what we need to cut out.

That doesn't mean we need to play passively against the Argies. They're a much better team. But if we'd flogged ourselves unnecessarily against Scotland then we might not have anything left in the tank for this one.
 
Groucho

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
Omar Comin' said:
Everyone's starting to get very optimistic now that it's late in the week and the anguish of the performance against Scotland has faded into a vague memory.
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As we should be. It was by far our worst game of the year.

Pessimists will always tend to believe that that's how we play now, like when you make an ugly face in the mirror and it sticks, but in reality we tend not to produce two in a row.

In reality we're 9-1 up for the year, beat Argentina soundly last time out, won the Rugby Championship, beat New Zealand and the Japies along the way, and have recently dealt with England and Wales.

Many of those games were close, but winning close games is a wonderful habit to have.

There's doom and gloom in there, but only for our vanquished foes, and their despairing women.
 
Mr Doug

Mr Doug

Dick Tooth (41)
I don't subscribe to the theory that "the Wallabies can't win without Pocock and Folau".
We have worthy replacements, which I would prefer to see "start", (given that they both acquitted themselves well against the "whinging" Clansmen).

If Pockock and Folau are near 90%, then put them on the bench, if not use players who are fit.
If we win, (but bust them in the process), we will be well behind "the 8-ball" when we line up against SA or NZ in the final!
 
Mr Doug

Mr Doug

Dick Tooth (41)
Just read the latest news on Euro-Sport website.
The team announcement has been delayed.
It appears Folau has a more serious injury: ........... "number eight David Pocock (calf), full-back Israel Folau (full-back), and prop Scott Sio (elbow)"!!
No proof-readers at Euro Sport, methinks.

Those "full-back" injuries are very painful, and usually take months to heal!!
 
Blue

Blue

Andrew Slack (58)
Mr Doug said:
I don't subscribe to the theory that "the Wallabies can't win without Pocock" and Folau.
We have worthy replacements, which I would prefer to see "start", (given that they both acquitted themselves well against the "whinging" Clansmen).

If Pockock and Folau are near 90%, then put them on the bench, if not use players who are fit.
If we win, (but bust them in the process), we will be well behind "the 8-ball" when we line up against SA or NZ in the final!
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Agreed but it will be harder because they do so much and their replacements are not like for like.
 
Groucho

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
Mr Doug said:
Just read the latest news on Euro-Sport website.
The team announcement has been delayed.
It appears Folau has a more serious injury: ..... "number eight David Pocock (calf), full-back Israel Folau (full-back), and prop Scott Sio (elbow)"!!
No proof-readers at Euro Sport, methinks.

Those "full-back" injuries are very painful, and usually take months to heal!!
Click to expand...

I'd be much happier if Folau had a half-back injury. Sprained mouth or something.
 
Rugbynutter39

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Omar Comin' said:
If Folau were to miss this game, and we win with Beale playing another really good match, what are the chances of Beale usurping Folau for the final even if Izzy is fit?
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Omar really

Folau world class so cheika would simply find a way to start both Beale and Folau
 
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