I was genuinely crediting your support of your team, Slim. As the context of my entire post suggested.
My mistake!
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My mistake!
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
When thinking of what you need in a 5/8 ask yourself how like any of these QC (Quade Cooper) is:
Mark Ella
Grant Fox
Michael Lynagh
Joel Stransky
Stephen Larkham
Johnny Wilkinson
Butch James
Apart from Ella these are all RWC winning 5/8s.
Ella probably would have won one had there been one to win.
Even the Oz 5/8s in this list play nothing like the way (I'm not talking about execution I'm talking about style of play) QC (Quade Cooper) plays.
Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it: we have won RWCs when we have had a 5/8 who controls the game and constructs opportunities as opposed to one who plays off the top of his head, albeit with undoubted ability.
As a nation the issue is staring us in the face but we refuse to acknowledge it, or even consider it.
Mark Ella
Grant Fox
Michael Lynagh
Joel Stransky
Stephen Larkham
Johnny Wilkinson
Butch James
Apart from Ella these are all RWC winning 5/8s.
Ella probably would have won one had there been one to win.
Even the Oz 5/8s in this list play nothing like the way (I'm not talking about execution I'm talking about style of play) QC (Quade Cooper) plays.
Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it: we have won RWCs when we have had a 5/8 who controls the game and constructs opportunities as opposed to one who plays off the top of his head, albeit with undoubted ability.
As a nation the issue is staring us in the face but we refuse to acknowledge it, or even consider it.
What I saw was a guy playing 5/8 not getting front foot ball. Who had two player picked outside him who had no attacking flair and could not or would not set any other player up. And was given a game plan that said kick any ball you receive in your own half. I think he followed the game plan he was given. I also think he is copping a lot more of the blame than he deserves. In the semi final we were out played in every position but a lot of people are still focusing on the 5/8. Funny thing is that his fault apparently is his unpredictability, but he was very subdued all world cup. You really can't have it both ways.
And is it really fair to compare a guy in the first couple of years of his international career to some of the greats of the game? You have no idea in what regard he will be held in 10 years time. Find another rookie 5/8 to compare him too.
And is it really fair to compare a guy in the first couple of years of his international career to some of the greats of the game? You have no idea in what regard he will be held in 10 years time. Find another rookie 5/8 to compare him too.
The reality is that we will have Deans for the next two years, I thought it was worthwhile to put up this and I recommend everyone to look at the recorded interview on the Rugby Club.
In his own vernacular he talks about the need for every player to work on their weaknesses or as he put it "chink in one's armor" (a lot seemed to lightly veiled critiques Cooper in my opinion when he worked through the list but that could just have been the editing)
My reading between the lines I think he is saying ........ "we don't have the "complete" rugby players to select, so I plan to work on developing the skills what we have got"
Richo
John Thornett (49)
The strange thing seems to be, though, that player skills and execution degrade the longer they are in Camp Wallaby. Last year we saw this happen with a number of players (although not, notably, KB (Kurtley Beale) or Pocock) and against this year. For example, Cooper's tactical kicking was excellent in S15 and increasingly poor with the Wallabies.
If Deans thinks that developing skills is a key part of his role, why isn't this happening? Why don't we have a backs & skills coach? Why is goal-kicking coaching done via Skype?
I think that is a time and space issue, in the S15 there is much more of it, one of the the things he mentioned was that the team just had much less time to do stuff at the level of the RWC.
The term "accuracy" comes to mind again.
Ruggo
Mark Ella (57)
Good on you for backing your team. I have had my share of debates with you but I admire your loyalty to your team.
Richo
John Thornett (49)
If you contrast the ABs, though, you don't see the same drop-off on skills. I wouldn't necessarily expect improvement when entering the national camp (although you'd think the high level of ability in the squad would naturally lead to this) but a decline is unacceptable.
Ruggo
Mark Ella (57)
This is a bit of a catch 22 for a coach. Robbie selected Simmons to the dismay of many but the merits of selecting a working combination between him and Horwill (as an example) pretty much went un-noticed. I am sure it adds to the quantity of banter but this forum is always on about chewing the fat over individual players.
I believe the biggest woe for the wallabies has been trying to cram all the stars into the one team then poceed to play like 15 individuals.
Jnor
Peter Fenwicke (45)
I don't really have a problem with this. Link is still with the Reds (clauses etc) and we're likely to have RD til 2013 at least so why not have Link in some role before he ultimately steps up?
That is the point i think, today the ABs can produce those quality skills more reliably under pressure and because we are at the same time making errors at that level we can't put them under the same pressure.
When we do lift to a comparable level they made errors as well, like the Bled 1st half. I think we can match there intensity and skill, but today we can't do it under pressure for 80 minutes week in week out.
That is still to come
If you're head coach can't do his job, sack him! Get someone who can - they do exist!
Getting someone to consult to him coz he can't do it? Nuts
The idea that another set of ideas in there together with Nuci and Dingo will make things better - about as nuts
Getting someone to consult to him coz he can't do it? Nuts
The idea that another set of ideas in there together with Nuci and Dingo will make things better - about as nuts
To elaborate -
I've already heard player scuttlebut that mixed messages come out between Dingo and Nuci. How would adding Link - who many say will be next coach - into the mix help that situation? Who do you think the players will be interested in and following then?
JO'N and Dingo are no mugs so basically at most it would be a lip service commission - a sham and waste of time
I've already heard player scuttlebut that mixed messages come out between Dingo and Nuci. How would adding Link - who many say will be next coach - into the mix help that situation? Who do you think the players will be interested in and following then?
JO'N and Dingo are no mugs so basically at most it would be a lip service commission - a sham and waste of time
RedsHappy
Tony Shaw (54)
I'm with your line of thought on all this Richo. And let's recall: numerous Kiwi commentators highlight this very point re 'better coaches and a better coaching environments yield better skills and performances' when they routinely observe how the S15 'Canes players (whom are considered to be in an unstable/poorer coaching environment) perform so much better when uplifted to the ABs' coaching environment/team. So it's far more complex than the Deans' cheerleaders would have it that 'oh, many of the Aus S15 players show lowered skills in RWC as it's Tests not the much easier S15'. If this was strictly true, we'd not see the data the Kiwis observe in their own teams, as above.
waratahjesus
Greg Davis (50)
It's unfair not to ask the question that link is playing the same pollitics that Nuci and dingo are.
One thing that's stood out for me on twitter is the fatherly advice link gives. He has a young squad at the reds and they equate success with him, when things rant going well, confidence players like quade seek the ones they trust and that might not be his coach but rather his state coach.
One thing that's stood out for me on twitter is the fatherly advice link gives. He has a young squad at the reds and they equate success with him, when things rant going well, confidence players like quade seek the ones they trust and that might not be his coach but rather his state coach.
Bullrush
John Hipwell (52)
This just isn't true. Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava (to date), Adam Thompson (to date), Marty Hollah, Caleb Ralph, Wyatt Crockett are just a few names which come to mind.
Athilnaur
Arch Winning (36)
The canes had not dissimilar issues to the brumbies.
The all blacks have always demanded more from players. You see it in the tight coordinated play they drill for. If the players don't raise to the standard and click as part of the team they fall to the wayside.
We don't seem to show these team skills, and that is a stark contrast to the Wallabies of the 99 era. We hesitate so often.
A part of that may be selection but surely a greater part would be training.
Re Cooper it is (in my view) totally wrong to say he doesn't create play. The guy has shown his brilliance and selflessness to create for others time and time again. How many of us would cope with the pressure he has? And that in a retreating side? He has, and his game against the blacks was for me his best game under pressure. Even Carter is ineffective when the team goes backwards, just look at his first half in bled2.
Cooper will do us proud.
The all blacks have always demanded more from players. You see it in the tight coordinated play they drill for. If the players don't raise to the standard and click as part of the team they fall to the wayside.
We don't seem to show these team skills, and that is a stark contrast to the Wallabies of the 99 era. We hesitate so often.
A part of that may be selection but surely a greater part would be training.
Re Cooper it is (in my view) totally wrong to say he doesn't create play. The guy has shown his brilliance and selflessness to create for others time and time again. How many of us would cope with the pressure he has? And that in a retreating side? He has, and his game against the blacks was for me his best game under pressure. Even Carter is ineffective when the team goes backwards, just look at his first half in bled2.
Cooper will do us proud.
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