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David Codey (61)
You must have stopped counting after their first 3 throws!Yeah I counted at least three throws that weren't straight. Anyone who suggest that we got the rub of the green from the ref has rocks in their head.
You must have stopped counting after their first 3 throws!Yeah I counted at least three throws that weren't straight. Anyone who suggest that we got the rub of the green from the ref has rocks in their head.
Was it just me - but I thought Toby Smith brought a lot more solidity to our scrum when he replaced Slipper.
Slipper with his injury is just not the player he was. Our one consolation is NZ scrum not as good as Argentina scrum.
But the positives our back 3 - Fardy Hooper and Pocock - would not swap them for anyone - world beating..
We don't have the fastest wingers but fast thinkers they are - smart positional winger play by them.
And how good did Genia play..very positive..and Foley in terms of leading the side in attackj and moreso cover defence very good..kicking a bit so so - but sealed for me any doubts that he will be our starting 10 for some time..
Look at the evidence. There is no argument.
Another amazing characteristic of Pocock is his fitness. After 80 exhausting minutes of being a pilfer merchant, he still looked to be the most energetic on the field, including substitutes.
What a bloody engine.
Few things I took from the game:
- The uncalled not-straight calls everyones complaining about: I saw a few crooked throws, but I also didn't see Australia contest a lot of them. If we don't lift a jumper, its not a penalty. If it doesn't haven't a material effect on the game, its play on.
The wider (read: everywhere other than AUS) reactions to these great results is just as satisfying as the wins themselves.
Cheated England out at scrum time. Robbed Wales during a period of 13 man cheating. Paid off Joubert for a 'match deciding' penalty to steal the game from Scotland. Scraped past Argentina after a 'forward' pass where Barnes was on our side the whole match.
Pathetic.
With the usual caveats (some tackles are more important than others, some of the missed tackles effective if they disorganize the structure of the attacking team etc.), the defensive stats of the wingers are nothing to be particularly proud of: AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) 4/4, Mitchell 6/5.
Fardy (16/1) and Douglas (14/1) both very good as expected.
Obviously I'm biased but I thought we got hammered by Barnes.
Not only did the 50/50 calls go their way but the amount of non-calls was crazy. Not straights, collapsing mauls, offsides etc.
My fave was sometime in the second half Kurindrani got over the ball that the Argie had place. Once his hand hit the ball, the Argie (lying on the ground) picked it up and pulled it back into his chest. This happened 2 m directly infront of Jaco and maybe 4m directly infront of Barnes. We got penalized because Fardy then came in from the side. An argie sealed off two on the initial clean out, diving straight off his feet. 2 pens against Arg ignored then we got pinged. We had several off side as a result as Tevita going past the ball and it still a ruck, but Fardy marginally coming through the side got pinged.
Few things I took from the game:
- The uncalled not-straight calls everyones complaining about: I saw a few crooked throws, but I also didn't see Australia contest a lot of them. If we don't lift a jumper, its not a penalty. If it doesn't haven't a material effect on the game, its play on.
It's 4:30 am in London right now @Dave Beat.<snip>
Trusting the boys are in bath tubs of ice right now.
Yes the world 15 selection will be interesting.
I'm with you - balance, and skill set of these 3 cover so many dynamics, in their positions played.
But as does.
Kaino / McCaw / Read - they also bring a balance, a different balance.
Both combo's can lay claim to World XV starters - it will be interesting.
Kaino & Read play allot looser than Fardy & Pocock / Hooper brings a varied game to McCaw because of his partners in crime.
A world XV back row is sure fun to speculate. I think Poey and Read would get in- they compliment each well. One tight and hard, the other loose and skillful. Then i'd probably chuck in Vermulen on the blindside flank cos he's a beast, or a 2011 Kaino. But then McCaw misses out (which is crazy that guys leadership alone might get him a spot) and Fardy is probably the form 6. Too many good back rowers.
Some people have more refined warm down methods