Scotland v Australia - Sunday 26 November 1:30am AEDT

[KOB1987]

^^^^ I've had a look at the PDF and in fairness to Derpus 12% does seem a little low. I'd like to know their definition of 'tries resulting from a turnover'. Things that we count as a turnover e.g. a shit box kick, might not be included in the stats. Or that they are the tries scored in the phase immediately after the turnover or something. Also, the 50% of tries scored from a lineout would include those thrown in by the other team, i.e. turnovers.

 

[Braveheart81]

The figures are also skewed by the fact that the All Blacks score a lot of tries. They could score more tries than anyone else from turnovers and that percentage is less than a lot of teams who score substantially less tries from turnovers (but a greater percentage of their tries).

There's also the situations where you'd have to dig deeper to get a better understanding. How many times does a turnover result in a break and ultimately a penalty is given away 5m out from the team under pressure and then the attacking team takes a scrum or 5m lineout and scores from that set piece play?

 

[Derpus]

I remembered my point. Even if you don't 'score' from a turnover you earn a set piece which as above greatly increases your chances of scoring. (i really feel like this is splitting hairs though)

Easier to kick the ball away, defend well and either score or earn a set piece than to build up phases.
And that plays back into the dudes all being huge and great at defending these days.

 

[Up the Guts]

Quite a lot of inexperience for Scotland in the forward pack but Hogg up the back really is a class player. Doesn't have the physical prowess of Israel, who does though, but plays a lot like Ben Smith and is right up there competing for the mantle of best fullback in the world. His contest against KB (Kurtley Beale) should be good to watch.

 

[wamberal]

Hogg was superb against the Darkness.

 

[TOCC]

The figures are also skewed by the fact that the All Blacks score a lot of tries. They could score more tries than anyone else from turnovers and that percentage is less than a lot of teams who score substantially less tries from turnovers (but a greater percentage of their tries).

No the total number of tries from turnover is in line with the other tier 1 nations, the areas where New Zealand scored more total tries then others were at the scrum and line-out.

 

[wamberal]

To me, the big attribute that the Darkness have, is that they really believe that they can score from anywhere, at any time, from any situation, set plays, broken play, turnovers, it is all the same to them.

 

[cyclopath]

Is a kick return a turnover?

 

[TOCC]

big difference with the all blacks is the number of passes in the lead up to tries and the number of phases they were able to retain the ball for leading up to a try, thats where they stand out from the rest, by holding onto the ball for more phases and going through the hands.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

1. Scott Sio (42 Tests)
2. Stephen Moore (128 Tests)
3. Sekope Kepu (90 Tests)
4. Rob Simmons (81 Tests)
5. Blake Enever (1 Test)
6. Ben McCalman (52 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (78 Tests)
8. Sean McMahon (25 Tests)
9. Will Genia (vc) (87 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (vc) (54 Tests)
11. Reece Hodge (23 Tests)
12. Samu Kerevi (17 Tests)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (57 Tests)
14. Marika Koroibete (7 Tests)
15. Kurtley Beale (70 Tests)

Reserves
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (81 Tests)
17. Tetera Faulkner (3 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou*
19. Lukhan Tui (3 Tests)
20. Lopeti Timani (11 Tests)
21. Nick Phipps (61 Tests)
22. Karmichael Hunt (5 Tests)
23. Henry Speight (18 Tests)

Still a strong-looking team, hope they turn up and give Squeak the send-off he deserves. Excited to see Tupou get on the field and make one of those angled runs from 12/13 off a lineout like he was doing for Country. Incredible sight.

 

[TOCC]

Taniela Tupou to make his debut is good to see


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[KOB1987]

Matt Philip dumped.

 

[barbarian]

Team is fine enough, but the approach to Steve Moore seems very odd. Are we starting him just because it's his last test? He's been a great servant but TPN is head and shoulders above him at the moment.

Meanwhile Uelese won't play a minute this tour. So we said goodbye to an in-form Fardy by booting him unceremoniously, but give Moore a 10-game swansong?
.

 

[dru]

big difference with the all blacks is the number of passes in the lead up to tries and the number of phases they were able to retain the ball for leading up to a try, thats where they stand out from the rest, by holding onto the ball for more phases and going through the hands.

TOCC, I don't doubt you at all but again this just does not meet my expectations. I had expected to a very high rate of single and low phase tries, on the counter. With a willingness to live without possession on the basis that they don't need the ball log in order to score. Clearly something is adrift - I'm happy to concede it's me, but it is certainly odd. I'm wondering if their stats at the RWC may have been atypical?

 

[dru]

Team is fine enough, but the approach to Steve Moore seems very odd. Are we starting him just because it's his last test? He's been a great servant but TPN is head and shoulders above him at the moment.

Meanwhile Uelese won't play a minute this tour. So we said goodbye to an in-form Fardy by booting him unceremoniously, but give Moore a 10-game swansong?
.

I'd hope our resolution of the Fardy-Moore dichotomy would be more like how we are treating Moore and less how treated Fardy. No time to Uelese is odd given the amount of new caps that have been given this year. Still the experience in our 6 front rowers is way beyond Scotland and is hopefully a massive advantage. We are sticking with the last game "playmaker axis". A feature on playmaking outside of FH. But not at 12, at 15. (And potential assist from the wing.) Like the sporadic criticism of our back row, this provides a potentially unbalanced back line - if the opposition is good enough to exploit it. England were, but the game needed to do this was also helped by the conditions. If we are to develop the potential from the strategy that goes with these back line selections, we need to give the players the chance to develop within it, and for the coaching staff to see what needs improving. I continue to find it uncomfortable watching this style of development, but no doubt on the improvements overall.

 

[Rebels3]

I don’t quite understand how Enever and Simmons are ahead of Phillip but Thor and McCalman are very welcome additions. Our bench for the first time on tour has impact and some quality

 

[Strewthcobber]

TOCC, I don't doubt you at all but again this just does not meet my expectations. I had expected to a very high rate of single and low phase tries, on the counter. With a willingness to live without possession on the basis that they don't need the ball log in order to score. Clearly something is adrift - I'm happy to concede it's me, but it is certainly odd. I'm wondering if their stats at the RWC may have been atypical?

They scored 39 tries at the world cup, 7 against Aus/SA/Arg and 32 against France/Georgia/Tonga/Namibia

What's typical?

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[Brumby Runner]

Team is fine enough, but the approach to Steve Moore seems very odd. Are we starting him just because it's his last test? He's been a great servant but TPN is head and shoulders above him at the moment.

Meanwhile Uelese won't play a minute this tour. So we said goodbye to an in-form Fardy by booting him unceremoniously, but give Moore a 10-game swansong?
.

That question is on the money B. To make it worse, the likely replacement for Moore, Uelese, has shown he more ready for test match play than the initial replacement for Fardy, Hanigan. I continue to be dismayed by many of the test side selections over the past year or more. The replacement front row (TPN aside) is also a mysterious gamble to me. Sure, try Tupou off the bench but don't partner him with another inexperienced test prop at the same time. And does the absence of Philip from the bench indicate that Tui is now only seen as a lock? Not long ago he was apparently being groomed as a No 6, but if that's his future then Philip ought to be on the bench in place of Timani.

 

[Brumbieman]

Team is fine enough, but the approach to Steve Moore seems very odd. Are we starting him just because it's his last test? He's been a great servant but TPN is head and shoulders above him at the moment.

Meanwhile Uelese won't play a minute this tour. So we said goodbye to an in-form Fardy by booting him unceremoniously, but give Moore a 10-game swansong?
.

Brilliant eh. Treat the in form, test hardened, perfect blindside like shit and drive him away for no apparent reason. Have no replacement ready at all, and suffer through the whole year of watching Hanigan hit a ruck like a folding deck chair. Keep Moore stumbling around the field rather than building depth, cause....ya know, TPN isn't know for self-preservation and there's no chance he might have suddenly been out for the rest of the year. Keep playing Rob-shit-for-brains-Simmons at all opportunities and allow him to give away stupid fucking penalties that ruin our momentum and put us under pressure at least 4 times a game. Some pure genius going on this year. *That said, otherwise he's done a good job

 

[Brumby Runner]

http://www.rugby.com.au/News/2017/11/23/Wallabies-Scotland-Murrayfield-team-announcement

This is how the announcement of the team changes has been reported by the ARU.

Some questions spring to mind. Tupou arrived in Scotland only three days before the test but has impressed Cheika in his training performances. What a joke. Three partial days of training being suggested as sufficient basis for selection in the Wallabies test side.

Faulkner on the bench supposedly in place of Ala'alatoa. Don't they know the difference between LHP and THP?

Then, according to Mick Byrne (who I rate highly otherwise) :

"I wouldn't say it's tainted it, it's certainly, we weren't by any means happy with our performance last Saturday and winning and losing in Test match rugby, doesn't taint you at all," he said.

"Winning and losing's part of the game, it's what you do afterwards, preparation, how you review.

"Players were great on Monday, a lot of honest conversations were had Monday and it's been a great week and we just finished off on a great training venue today and as far as coaches go, we're really looking forward to Saturday."

Does this mean what it says? Winning isn't important, but the way you review the performance and prepare is the main thing. No wonder we have trouble putting in consistent winning performances.