RWC: AUS v URU (Villa Park, Birmingham): POOL A; 9pm (AEST) Sunday 27 September

[fatprop]

I agree, I actually like your constructive comments.

I don't think Foley or Quade are currently in the pool of the top 5/8's in the world. The strength of each players is the other ones weakness. Quade might have the raw talent to pull some fantastic plays out but he lacks the composure and temperament that Foley has in controlling a game, that been said whilst Foley has composure he doesn't have Quade's passing game and his style is much more predictable.

It would be nice at times if both players had a bit more of eachother about the them

Foley would be better if he had a longer kick and better wide money balls

Cooper would be better if he bent his back in defence and didn't try to throw a miracle ball every time

 

[fatprop]

Why doesn't a lock with height satisfy that requirement?

Lineouts are important but we don't need to design our game around them.

We need three lineout options to be an effective unit.

With two, the opps can easily mark our real options so we either throw to a contest or throw off the spare

McMahon is great on the ground, but McCalman provides more flexibility and aerial skill on the bench

 

[swingpass]

McMahon does a lot of lineout work with the Rebels, he is no klutz at lineout time

 

[Pfitzy]

Foley would be better if he had a longer kick and better wide money balls

Quade threw a handful of wide passes - and they look beautiful through the air - but only 2 or 3 of them were effective. The others were completely unnecessary, when we could have put on simple pass-and-catch to draw the defenders, who were outsized and outpaced.

Most of our backline were guilty of stupid shit in that first half, so its not just Quade.

 

[fatprop]

Quade threw a handful of wide passes - and they look beautiful through the air - but only 2 or 3 of them were effective. The others were completely unnecessary, when we could have put on simple pass-and-catch to draw the defenders, who were outsized and outpaced.

Most of our backline were guilty of stupid shit in that first half, so its not just Quade.

It is the Aus backs disease, too often they go for the "money" ball instead of (as the ABs consistently do) keeping it simple, effective and trusting the basic skills of the guy outside of them

 

[Quick Hands]

^^^Ball through the hands would have seen a couple more tries in the first half.

 

[No4918]

It would be nice at times if both players had a bit more of eachother about the them

Foley would be better if he had a longer kick and better wide money balls

Cooper would be better if he bent his back in defence and didn't try to throw a miracle ball every time

Really wasn't expecting the second statement after the first. I agree with your statement generally but bending their backs on defense is hardly a strong point of either.

Take goal kicking and a dodgy yellow out of the equation and Cooper is the 10. Put it in and it is hard to make a case after last night. Over the course of the season both have been similar enough in that regard so lets just hope Foley isn't saving his off game for one of the next two. Pressure on the kickers will be ramped up after last night.

 

[barbarian]

Quade threw a handful of wide passes - and they look beautiful through the air - but only 2 or 3 of them were effective. The others were completely unnecessary, when we could have put on simple pass-and-catch to draw the defenders, who were outsized and outpaced.

Most of our backline were guilty of stupid shit in that first half, so its not just Quade.

The irony of his lovely double-cut for Mitchell's try is we had a 3 on 1 and Tomane was in a massive hole if he just shovelled it.

Was a great thing to watch and all's well that ends well, but it was a low-percentage play under the circumstances.
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[The Snout]

I'm more impressed with only letting in 3 than scoring 65.

 

[Quick Hands]

McMahon does a lot of lineout work with the Rebels, he is no klutz at lineout time

Another thing that McMahon does really well is at the back of the rolling maul. He's pretty much the only guy in world rugby who correctly maintains his bind with the full arm. Pocock momentarily unbinds almost every time and holds with his hand only for short times. In the Scotland v Romania game, the Scottish bloke was allowed "bind" by holding a teammates jersey with his hand and his body was arm's length away.

 

[fatprop]

Really wasn't expecting the second statement after the first. I agree with your statement generally but bending their backs on defense is hardly a strong point of either.

Yeah, the majority of 10s will miss tackles.

More of an attitudinal issue to me, I just dislike "arm grabber" defenders, they never look like like they are taking their defensive "efforts" seriously. Beale fits in that genre as well.

They both have too much emphasis on being available for the next play rather getting the current play done.

 

[ForceFan]

McMahon does a lot of lineout work with the Rebels, he is no klutz at lineout time

I suggest that the opposition is significantly better at Test level.

 

[I like to watch]

The irony of his lovely double-cut for Mitchell's try is we had a 3 on 1 and Tomane was in a massive hole if he just shovelled it.

Was a great thing to watch and all's well that ends well, but it was a low-percentage play under the circumstances.
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Disagree,
There were 2 defenders coming across hard,I doubt he scores untouched,if at all if it went through the hands.
Let's criticise him for the things that didn't come off,rather things he did with good execution that did come off.

 

[swingpass]

I suggest that the opposition is significantly better at Test level.

so should his callers, lifters and throwers. i am not suggesting he is the go to man on a 5 metre defensive lineout, but he is an option just as much as anyone

 

[barbarian]

Disagree,
There were 2 defenders coming across hard,I doubt he scores untouched,if at all if it went through the hands.
Let's criticise him for the things that didn't come off,rather things he did with good execution that did come off.

Fair point, didn't really mean to criticise the option itself, and the execution was brilliant. It's more about the difference in how Quade plays the game, compared to Foley, and how it's perceived in some quarters.

As I said on twitter at the time, 2011 Quade would have torn that team to shreds. 2015 Quade has a decent enough game, but only showed a few glimpses of the highlight-reel play we know he is capable of.

This is the harsh reality of QC (Quade Cooper) right now. A good player, sure, and he may still be our best option at 10. But for mine he's still a fair way away from being the player he was in his prime.
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[Froggy]

We saw the real Quade Cooper last night, brilliant and awful!

For the fans, there were some good attacking runs, and his exquisite passing game. The flick to Tomane for his try, the great pass to Beale off his own break for To'omua's try, and the best of all, that long flat pass to Mitchell. There are very few people on the planet apart from Cooper could have pulled that off.

On the other hand, there were passes to no-one, poor kicks out of hand, the diabolic 5 from 11 goalkicking, and of course the YC. Cooper now has a YC from his last three starting tests, each for a high tackle. I wrote after Eden Park that his tackling style is inherently risky, there's the proof. It must be rectified. No team can afford to be regularly down to 14, we scored no points last night with him off, and against the AB's they put 21 on us during his rest.

I was one who wrote in this forum a couple of months ago that he was our best option at 10. I was wrong, he's a luxury we can't afford.

 

[Froggy]

Looking at individuals last night, I thought those to advance their case were McCalman, McMahon, Phipps and Beale.
Those who set their cause back were Palu, Skelton & Cooper (see above). The rest, nothing much changes.

 

[Froggy]

On a final note, I thought Phipps was very good last night.

His passing was crisp and accurate ( don't recall a misdirected one) and given the ball we had, he would have thrown as many passes as most halves do in two games. He defended well, had a great little snipe to put Mumm in for his try and took a great high ball under pressure.

Having said all that, I think Genia will retain the job for the England test.

 

[barbarian]

On a final note, I thought Phipps was very good last night.

His passing was crisp and accurate ( don't recall a misdirected one) and given the ball we had, he would have thrown as many passes as most halves do in two games. He defended well, had a great little snipe to put Mumm in for his try and took a great high ball under pressure.

Having said all that, I think Genia will retain the job for the England test.

Agreed, especially considering the amount of times he had to hurdle over discarded Uruguayan tacklers to get to the breakdown.

Did everything he needed to do.
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[maxdacat]

Another thing that McMahon does really well is at the back of the rolling maul. He's pretty much the only guy in world rugby who correctly maintains his bind with the full arm. Pocock momentarily unbinds almost every time and holds with his hand only for short times. In the Scotland v Romania game, the Scottish bloke was allowed "bind" by holding a teammates jersey with his hand and his body was arm's length away.

Yes but in this world cup the ref's have decided to penalise the tackler for not waiting 0.01 seconds longer for the guy to play the ball.