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

[Braveheart81]

Lack of turnovers last week was a lot to do with the passive defense; dominant, aggressive defense gives units that extra moment to latch on.

Sure we missed Pocock, but we missed defensive aggression more.

Absolutely. The opportunities presented at defensive breakdowns were chalk and cheese relative to the England and Wales games.

 

[Pfitzy]

Bingo. Turnovers in the classic first-man-in mode are awesome, but hard. The opposition doesn't like them, but can improve their timing to cover it.

Turnovers as a result of counter-ruck are fucking awesome, real motivators for the rest of the team, and it doesn't matter HOW good the attacking side is: if your ball carrier is being driven back a few yards and three guys pile in behind the tackler, you can either fan out and concede the ball, or drop onto the ball and concede the penalty.

FIRE UP!

 

[ACT Crusader]

Hooper needs to be leading the charge at the tackle. That is where Pocock is so good. He's a big time tackler and it sets the tone for others. As noted a few times, OZ were fairly passive in defence vs the Scots and therefore for most of the game they didn't have the platform they would've liked.

Also the Pumas will attack far different to Scotland, Wales or England. They are expansive and their inside backs are very good at passing the ball in front of the man (simple skill you say, but so many passes from all teams go behind the player and has them reaching back or to the side rather than in front), and genuine pace in the back 3 that will sniff a chance.

Also I do look forward to those big Puma forwards smashing the Aussie 'fairies'

 

[Omar Comin']

The scariest thing about this game IMO, is that for the first time in the tournament it's not a game I feel is 'on our racquet' - to use a tennis term. Against Wales, England and Scotland we dictated most of the play, took on the risks, and the result was determined by how accurate we were.

Argentina play with a lot more risk and in this tournament their attack has been really good. They'll fire a lot more shots than the NH teams did, and I feel the game is less in our control. Not saying it's on their racquet either, but it feels more 50/50 in terms of who's play will determine the result.

 

[Blue]

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?

Squadoosh.

 

[Braveheart81]

Well hopefully Stephen Moore wins the toss and chooses to serve first.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Bingo. Turnovers in the classic first-man-in mode are awesome, but hard. The opposition doesn't like them, but can improve their timing to cover it.

Turnovers as a result of counter-ruck are fucking awesome, real motivators for the rest of the team, and it doesn't matter HOW good the attacking side is: if your ball carrier is being driven back a few yards and three guys pile in behind the tackler, you can either fan out and concede the ball, or drop onto the ball and concede the penalty.

FIRE UP!

One of my favourite things to see on a rugby paddock is a bunch of big bodies piling into a breakdown at pace, in an organised way, and blowing the opposition off the ball. You're right that it lifts a team, just like shunting an opposition scrum backwards. There's some sort of primal pleasure in doing that I reckon.

 

[Joe Blow]

Is it time to bring another on the ball back rower into the squad? The Wallabies are a far superior beast with someone who is strong over the ball.

 

[fatprop]

Is it time to bring another on the ball back rower into the squad? The Wallabies are a far superior beast with someone who is strong over the ball.

No time this week, and again I suggest defense was the issue last week

 

[Marcelo]

This is the Mendoza team from this year.​

​

ARGENTINA: Cordero Santiago, Gonzalo Camacho, Matias Moroni, Juan Pablo Socino, Juan Imhoff, Nicolas Sanchez, Martin Landajo; Facundo Isa, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Javier Desio, Tomas Lavanini, Manuel Carizza, Ramiro Herrera, Agustin Creevy (captain), Marcos Ayerza. Reserves: Santiago Iglesias, Francisco Nahuel Tetaz, Matias Diaz, Leonardo Senatore, Tomas Cubelli, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Lucas Amorosino​

So the Wallabies beat this year an Argie side with: Creevy, Herrera, Ayerza, Lavanini, Fernandez Lobbe, Nicolas Sanchez, Landajo, Juan Imhoff, Moroni and Cordero. ALL of them starters against Ireland. And most of them with good performances.

Why the hell the lads can't beat them without Pocock, Folau and Sio???? Just for the poor performance in defence against the Scots?

 

[Pfitzy]

No time this week, and again I suggest defense was the issue last week

Yep - and the Argies won't leave a lot of room for a fetcher at the breakdown anyway.

Driving tackles, counter ruck. That's the key

 

[fatprop]

Just for the poor performance in defence against the Scots?

We didn't "turn up" mentally last week, if we do that again this week, we will lose.

"If" we turn up, we have the ability to win, but I expect the scores to be close in a high scoring match

 

[Omar Comin']

So the Wallabies beat this year an Argie side with: Creevy, Herrera, Ayerza, Lavanini, Fernandez Lobbe, Nicolas Sanchez, Landajo, Juan Imhoff, Moroni and Cordero. ALL of them starters against Ireland. And most of them with good performances.

Well they were missing Matera and Hernandez, who are two of their most important players IMO. They'll also have Bosch back this week and he is an excellent defender and kicks goals from 50+. But more relevant is that Argentina have been playing better in this tournament so far than they did in the RC. And last week they comfortably beat the 6 Nations champions while we stumbled past the wooden spoon winner.

That said I definitely think we can beat them without Pocock, Folau and Sio. But IMO it would take us down from a 70% chance of winning to more like 50%.

 

[Marcelo]

Yep - and the Argies won't leave a lot of room for a fetcher at the breakdown anyway.

Driving tackles, counter ruck. That's the key

The little Cordero has had problems with the ball in the air. I'm not sure but I think he made 2 knock-on or something like that against the Irishmen. Australia has good kickers for the open game like Foley, Mitchell, Giteau and Kurtley Beale.

Moreover, their fullback (Joaquin Tuculet) is very safe in the air, so every kick should be directed to Cordero.

Yeah, he's very fast but has problems with the ball in the air and he has the height of Genia. So put someone like AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to jump with him. Would be good to have Folau for cross kicks. Beale was safe in the air against the Scots, so maybe we have an opportunity by that way.

 

[Mr Pilfer]

If Pocock is somewhere around 90% fit I think a good option could be to play him off the bench. If the game was close he could come on for the last 20 mins and win some crucial penalties. Alternatively if we were winning comfortably (hopefully) then he could stay on the bench.

 

[Dctarget]

If Pocock is somewhere around 90% fit I think a good option could be to play him off the bench. If the game was close he could come on for the last 20 mins and win some crucial penalties. Alternatively if we were winning comfortably (hopefully) then he could stay on the bench.

Dave, why are you speaking about yourself in 3rd person?

 

[RugbyReg]

If Pocock is somewhere around 90% fit I think a good option could be to play him off the bench. If the game was close he could come on for the last 20 mins and win some crucial penalties. Alternatively if we were winning comfortably (hopefully) then he could stay on the bench.

It's a risk isn't it? What if Hooper goes down after 5 minutes and then Pocock has the play throughout? I'd still prefer we don't risk Pococok and back McMahon to play his role.

 

[chasmac]

The Argies are playing like the mythical French and the French are playing like the..... wait...... they're not playing!
Point is the Argies have come a long way in this tournament and shouldn't be compared to the team we flogged in the TRC even though the players are the same.
Can anyone recall if Mendoza was the first time we saw the Pooper? Or did The Hoop do a direct sub with The Cock?

 

[ACT Crusader]

It's a risk isn't it? What if Hooper goes down after 5 minutes and then Pocock has the play throughout? I'd still prefer we don't risk Pococok and back McMahon to play his role.

It's a massive risk. The bench forwards will be very important as the Argies will go to their bench and they had a big impact in the final quarter vs Ireland. Oz will need the same sort of impact from their reserves.

I'd say for such an important test, if he's fit enough to be on the bench then he's fit enough to start.

 

[qwerty51]

Can anyone recall if Mendoza was the first time we saw the Pooper? Or did The Hoop do a direct sub with The Cock?

We first saw the Pooper in the 1st Test of 2012 vs Scotland.

As for when they first started together, the first Bledisloe.