RWC: AUS v WAL (Twickenham): POOL A; 2:45am (AEDT) Sunday 11 October

[Groucho]

Are you serious? Chubby does nothing without thinking it through, that much we can be absolutely sure about. Ditto Stephen Larkham, who would have had a big say in backline selections.

Bled 2 was important, but not as important as working out whether or not Cooper was to be our first-choice 10 in the big World Cup games.

Yeah, that could've gone either way. A big game from Cooper in Bled 2 would've undoubtedly seen him in the A team now, and we'd have never seen Foley's heroics at Twickenham.

Bled2 was interesting in retrospect. What happened? We were hardly playing a weak squad: it was our big boppers and finishers to start. And they did okay. The game got out of our control when we had 14 men with most of the current team on the field. That period yielded three tries and the game was far beyond saving.

I wouldn't be blaming selections for that one. The Kiwis siezed the moment and fcuked us royally.

Carpe diem.

 

[No4918]

Are you serious? Chubby does nothing without thinking it through, that much we can be absolutely sure about. Ditto Stephen Larkham, who would have had a big say in backline selections.

Bled 2 was important, but not as important as working out whether or not Cooper was to be our first-choice 10 in the big World Cup games.

They had already worked that out. Palu, Cooper, Speight, Skelton and To'omua are all team B and then Horwill and White didn't even make the squad, Pocock was benched. Cheika played his cards in Bled 1.

 

[jollyswagman]

Interesting quote, but it's hardly correct. Grinding style? Despite a newly successful scrum, our current plan is still based around speed of execution.

LOL....I believe Matt's quote was from 2011 and at the time it was appropriate, I thought. Thanks for pointing that out as I think now is as good a time as any to find something else.

 

[Viking]

Are you serious? Chubby does nothing without thinking it through, that much we can be absolutely sure about. Ditto Stephen Larkham, who would have had a big say in backline selections.

Bled 2 was important, but not as important as working out whether or not Cooper was to be our first-choice 10 in the big World Cup games.

I agree with you, but I didn't at the start of the RWC.

I had my doubts about Cheika tactically given his super xv season and the failure to grow his Tah-ball strategy. Culturally I never had any doubts but he was easily out-smarted by the Highlanders in the finals - he didn't exactly think that one through did he? And he was the first to admit that.

All season he implemented the same one-dimensional bash-it-up style "Tah-ball" strategy - which I guess is fair enough as it won him a title the previous year but teams eventually worked it out. I guess I doubted his ability to be adaptable, as he seemed to implement the same bash-it-up strategy last EOYT but our players simply didn't have the skills to do it, it seemed to me like he was asking players like McCalman, Simmons, Fainga, Carter to bash it up the same way Potgeiter, Douglas, TPN and Palu did, which didn't work because they aren't that type of player.

You need to play to the strengths and skill-set of our players, which I think he is now currently doing, and I hope it continues.

You are probably right about Bled 2, I was just worried he might be re-verting back to his Tah-ball strategy for that game.

 

[jollyswagman]

Yeah, that could've gone either way. A big game from Cooper in Bled 2 would've undoubtedly seen him in the A team now, and we'd have never seen Foley's heroics at Twickenham.

Bled2 was interesting in retrospect. What happened? We were hardly playing a weak squad: it was our big boppers and finishers to start. And they did okay. The game got out of our control when we had 14 men with most of the current team on the field. That period yielded three tries and the game was far beyond saving.

I wouldn't be blaming selections for that one. The Kiwis siezed the moment and fcuked us royally.

Carpe diem.

Let's just all hope that Foley doesn't have a shocker this weekend so we can avoid the mandatory shit fight that follows on the forum anytime our #10 doesn't play well.

 

[Viking]

They had already worked that out. Palu, Cooper, Speight, Skelton and To'omua are all team B and then Horwill and White didn't even make the squad, Pocock was benched. Cheika played his cards in Bled 1.

Nah, To'omua was impressive from the bench and was definitely playing for a spot in the A-team.

White, Cooper and Speight I believe would also have pushed their way into the squad with good performances.

 

[Groucho]

Let's just all hope that Foley doesn't have a shocker this weekend so we can avoid the mandatory shit fight that follows on the forum anytime our #10 doesn't play well.

Let us indeed hope Foley doesn't have a shocker this weekend!

 

[Jellic87]

What are peoples thoughts on Wales shifting North into 13? I was somewhat pleased when i saw this as i figured it might give us a greater opportunity to curb hi influence as he is now marked by perhaps our best defender in the back-line.

Time will tell i guess as to how this works out, but does North ever feature at 13 for Northampton?

 

[Braveheart81]

North is at 13 because the top three 13 options are all injured and the young Tyler Morgan struggled there defensively against Fiji.

I think it's probably viewed as the lesser of two evils by Gatland.

 

[Viking]

What are peoples thoughts on Wales shifting North into 13? I was somewhat pleased when i saw this as i figured it might give us a greater opportunity to curb hi influence as he is now marked by perhaps our best defender in the back-line.

Time will tell i guess as to how this works out, but does North ever feature at 13 for Northampton?

I'm happy, North doesn't seem as effective on attack at 13, struggles to get into the game. He's a world class winger but at this stage an average 13 - probably due to lack of experience rather then skill-set.

I believe he's already versed us wearing the 13 jersey before?

 

[Joe Blow]

North is at 13 because the top three 13 options are all injured and the young Tyler Morgan struggled there defensively against Fiji.

I think it's probably viewed as the lesser of two evils by Gatland.

and a very good opportunity for us

 

[Jellic87]

I'm happy, North doesn't seem as effective on attack at 13, struggles to get into the game. He's a world class winger but at this stage an average 13 - probably due to lack of experience rather then skill-set.

I believe he's already versed us wearing the 13 jersey before?

Absolutely a world class winger, which is why i see it as a big win for us! I think Kuridrani should be able to get the job done there, plus i think it'll starve North of the little bit of space he usually thrives in.

 

[jollyswagman]

and a very good opportunity for us

and a very good opportunity for us

Yep.....I am sure the wallabies analysts would have pin pointed North as a potential defensive weakness, not because he can't tackle as he is generally quite good, rather that #13 is such a hard position to defend. My bet is that we will see some more variations based on the switch play we saw against Uruguay & England with an eye on isolating North a little wider out. Most likely Folau will receive the ball this time but look for a long flat cut out to Mitchell as an option.......well at least that is what I will be dreaming about tonight.

 

[Jellic87]

Yep...I am sure the wallabies analysts would have pin pointed North as a potential defensive weakness, not because he can't tackle as he is generally quite good, rather that #13 is such a hard position to defend. My bet is that we will see some more variations based on the switch play we saw against Uruguay & England with an eye on isolating North a little wider out. Most likely Folau will receive the ball this time but look for a long flat cut out to Mitchell as an option...well at least that is what I will be dreaming about tonight.

By the sounds of it mate you've already had very vivid dreams of how it will work out! Here's to hoping you're right!

 

[TOCC]

Im worried about the Wallaby line out, last time Mumm ran things it didn't go too smoothly.


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[Groucho]

Im worried about the Wallaby line out, last time Mumm ran things it didn't go too smoothly.


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Went okay against England in the closing stages.

 

[pjm]

Im worried about the Wallaby line out, last time Mumm ran things it didn't go too smoothly.

You can't blame the caller for technical screw ups.

 

[qwerty51]

Getting Hooper involved in the line out was finally starting to work out well. He may be short but he gets up there quicker than anyone with his weight.

 

[Cardiffblue]

I'm happy, North doesn't seem as effective on attack at 13, struggles to get into the game. He's a world class winger but at this stage an average 13 - probably due to lack of experience rather then skill-set.

I believe he's already versed us wearing the 13 jersey before?

singing or poetry?

 

[Cardiffblue]

North is at 13 because the top three 13 options are all injured and the young Tyler Morgan struggled there defensively against Fiji.

I think it's probably viewed as the lesser of two evils by Gatland.

I agree. North starting there is a try-out to see if he's up to the position and to try and get him into the game more. 13 is where the injuries are. Starting North at 13 gives Wales the maximum flexibility. He obviously didn't want to risk Tyler Morgan against Kurandrani but if its not working then Ook will be on and North will move back to the wing