RWC - Wallabies v Ireland - 17th September 2011

[Joe Mac]

Anyone but McCalman. TPN to No7 and I would be more confident than McCalman playing another test

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

ABs haven't had a fetcher for years and continue to not have one.

I am totally for a fetcher (and it's one of the reasons the ABs fail at WCs) and McCalman is able to perform that role if given it. He's an adaptable player, certainly not a Test standard #8 any more because of his weight.

In the last 2 world cups, RMC was just about exclusively playing the fetcher role. In 1999, Kronfeld, who defined the fetcher role, was still playing wasn't he?

Like every other perceived weakness of the AB's, that's not why we haven't won world cups. We haven't won world cups because there has been days in every cup that teams have out played us - physically, tactically or strategically. It happens, as it's sport.

Anyway, on topic, the Irish back row is strong, but I don't think this will change much. You shouls still win and win handsomely. I will be there, green shirt on! Ok, I can't back that up.. but I'll be there!

 

[Scotty]

Most of that rain came through in the morning though. I did a 28km "Fun" run on Sunday morning before going to the match and it was up there for the worst conditions I've run in - worst raced in anyway. There was also a mini-Tornado that tore some family's house apart in the morning.

At the actual match there was a period of heavy rain in the first half but it passed fairly quickly and things were ok from there on - which partly explains the improved handling and thumping of the Italians that we dished out after break.

I think we've got too much class for the Irish either way, especially the way they've been playing lately.

But they certainly won't lacking for support at the ground. Plenty of Irishmen in the Auckland streets tonight and on the radio over here, every 2nd station has some knob DJ banging on about how all the Kiwi "neutrals" hope the Irish put one over us. Much like at the Italy match, I think a fair few Kiwi's will magically re-discover their Irish roots on Saturday and cheer for them.

Yeah there were a lot of kiwi Italians at the match. They can't think too far ahead though can they? If aus loses a match they will likely come second in their pool which will put them in the nz side of the finals draw and make that side a lot harder to get through.

 

[chief]

Oh fuck if Pocock's out, it won't be good.

Tommorrow's game is going to be insanely close. Weather is predicted to be wet with a lot of rain. This is going to be a game that the boot will be the difference. Bryce Lawrence is refereeing so the game won't be a high scoring game. It is going to be the penalties which count. I worry without a Openside Flanker and without really a specialist kicker, we are in a lot of trouble.

It simply is beyond me why we took both Higginbotham and McCalman and didn't take Hodgson. Deans really confuses me.

 

[Scotty]

Watching Jamie Roberts the other night, I bet Robbie Deans has had some wet dreams hoping Patty McCabe learn how to play like that in the next 3 or 4 weeks. I think under our current structure, that would be Robbie's ideal 12. Is it possible to prefer a 12 over Nonu? Im not sure....

I was saying that to the bloke I was watching the game with. I wish Roberts was an Aussie. For me his performance was the standout performance of the first weekend.

 

[Braveheart81]

Hodgson had a complete shocker in the one test he played this season against Samoa.

Maybe Deans has decided that McCalman is his next best option at 7 after Pocock.

Graham Henry said that he only picked one genuine 7 because he viewed Adam Thomson as being his second best option at 7 out of all the possible candidates.

 

[Jets]

It simply is beyond me why we took both Higginbotham and McCalman and didn't take Hodgson. Deans really confuses me.

While I'm not a huge fan of McCalman at 7 I think that if he makes lots of tackles then he can do a job. It does play a bit into the Irish hands. Hodgson on the other hand should be kept well away from the Wallabies as I don't think he adds anything.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Yeah there were a lot of kiwi Italians at the match. They can't think too far ahead though can they? If aus loses a match they will likely come second in their pool which will put them in the nz side of the finals draw and make that side a lot harder to get through.

If you lose to the Irish, then we should think about losing to france....

although it doesn't really work like that in my opniion. I think you should try and win everything, regardless

 

[Groucho]

Anyone but McCalman. TPN to No7 and I would be more confident than McCalman playing another test

Why? McCalman plays very well for the Wallabies.

 

[Victorian Reds Fan]

Anyone but McCalman. TPN to No7 and I would be more confident than McCalman playing another test

S. Fainga'a?

 

[Groucho]

Oh fuck if Pocock's out, it won't be good.

Tommorrow's game is going to be insanely close. Weather is predicted to be wet with a lot of rain. This is going to be a game that the boot will be the difference. Bryce Lawrence is refereeing so the game won't be a high scoring game. It is going to be the penalties which count. I worry without a Openside Flanker and without really a specialist kicker, we are in a lot of trouble.

It simply is beyond me why we took both Higginbotham and McCalman and didn't take Hodgson. Deans really confuses me.

This forum is full of drama queens at the moment. With all due respect to the Irish, they are in terrible form. Predicting an "insanely close" game, or even a loss as some are doing here, is pure self-indulgence. The Wallabies should win this one comfortably to have any realistic claim to winning the seven straight they need to win the tournament. If an out of form Ireland is genuinely problematic, then we'll get knocked out by the first team we meet in the knockouts, who will likely be a far more serious proposition than this Ireland team is.

 

[barbarian]

I reckon Pocock will play. I highly doubt he would miss such a crucial game with a 'sore back', especially considering he has two weeks to rest up after it. Pump him full of painkillers and get him out there.

 

[Braveheart81]

Pocock will play.

He's Bam-Bam, not Pebbles.

 

[Sully]

Pocock will play.

He's Bam-Bam, not Pebbles.

That Nice. Put it up for the Scarf awards!

 

[Joe Mac]

Why? McCalman plays very well for the Wallabies.

Sorry Groucho, I think McCalman is the weakest link in this squad. He needs to be 10kg heavier to add any value to the backrow. Maybe an option in 2015 but he is really out of place in this squad. Look to his dominant tackle count to see why he is not yet suited to this level.

Coming up against a serious world class backrow (or group of world class back-rowers) in the Utopian Irish rugby weather; we have every chance of being done tomorrow. Not to mention the vocal crowd they will have behind them...

On a side note: I would love to see Sean O'brian try one of the those bollocking runs against a TPN missle. That would make for an awesome collision.

 

[Paddysboy]

I tend to agree Groucho. Having read through these comments over the last hour, I was wondering why doom and gloom was descending, given the comparative form of the two teams. I had a scrounge around Ireland's Six Nations matches for some guide to their form. Though 13 of tomorow's starting 15 were the same as when they knocked the Poms off in March, 9 of them also started in their game against Italy when they managed to win from a last gasp O'Gara drop goal - so that was a useless exercise. Admittedly these games are largely irrelevant given they were so long ago, but I pretty much had to go that far back to find them in any kind of form at all. All it illustrated for me is that they seem to be all over the shop and while the Wallaby games against them historically tend to be heart attack stuff, we appear more solid than in 2003 and though 1991 still lingers, Ireland are a long way from home.

The crowd will be with the Irish but the Wallabies really should win by a couple of tries. Definitely better to play them in game two rather then the last pool game - by which time they might have found some form. If we can't beat them tomorrow though, we really can't feature past the pool stage (nor should we). Hopefully Sean O'Brien doesn't pull out a Gordon Hamilton type run down the field for a run away try near fulltime to bugger things up either......

 

[qwerty51]

Sorry Groucho, I think McCalman is the weakest link in this squad. He needs to be 10kg heavier to add any value to the backrow. Maybe an option in 2015 but he is really out of place in this squad. Look to his dominant tackle count to see why he is not yet suited to this level.

Mate the whole point is he is playing 7 and not 8! He would be just about the heaviest 7 in world rugby.

McCalman is an aggressive player that is capable of pilfering the ball. He's very on the ball and definitely doesn't play loose. If he gets the chance to play 7 I think he could prove a few wrong.

 

[Jnor]

I reckon Pocock will play. I highly doubt he would miss such a crucial game with a 'sore back', especially considering he has two weeks to rest up after it. Pump him full of painkillers and get him out there.

Depends if it is just a sore back or something more serious. I guess we find out presently.

 

[Hawko]

David Pocock is in doubt for the game with a sore back.

This is exactly why we needed a back-up 7 in the squad! Us G&GR pundits may be idiots and not know anything but too many of us said when selections were announced that Beau or Matt should have been taken as cover. Now either Pocock has to risk aggravating his injury or we play McCalman and don't have a fetcher when this is one natural advantage we hold over Ireland. Not happy Jan.

 

[Hawko]

This forum is full of drama queens at the moment. With all due respect to the Irish, they are in terrible form. Predicting an "insanely close" game, or even a loss as some are doing here, is pure self-indulgence. The Wallabies should win this one comfortably to have any realistic claim to winning the seven straight they need to win the tournament. If an out of form Ireland is genuinely problematic, then we'll get knocked out by the first team we meet in the knockouts, who will likely be a far more serious proposition than this Ireland team is.

Remember 1991. Ireland, badly out of form, no hope really against Campese and Horan almost won it. I still have heart palpitations watching that match today trying to figure out how we pulled it off. This is a huge danger game.