Springboks vs Wallabies @ Newlands 27/9/2014

[Lorenzo]

We keep finding innovative new ways to give away possession when we are hot on attack.

A couple of years ago it was chip kicks and poor box kicks. Now it's grubber kicks from a guy that can't do grubber kicks. WTF is going on??

 

[Lorenzo]

Your hate clouds your judgement. Kerevi your dreaming..

At least Kerevi wouldn't grubber kick the pill to the fullback.....when we are hot on attack.....in their 22.....multiple times

 

[BDA]

To'omua didn't have the best game, but anyone saying that he should be dropped is mad. he the incumbent 12, has been consistently decent for us over the last 12 months. Let's drop our incumbent 12 because he made some poor decisions on attack and defended like a demon. FFS.

Just out of interest just who is this no.12 that deserves to unseed To'omua?

 

[Juan Cote]

Why not put Hooper at 12?

 

[Merrow]

So because Kerevi's carving it up in the NRC, he should be slotted into the WB's? Hmm.....kinda not quite the same level of intensity.

 

[Merrow]

Why not put Hooper at 12?

Cos he's a winger

 

[troxler]

Hoping Beale is not in the 23 for next weekend...Give someone a go who is going to tackle and put in for the team effort, not constantly rush up in defence and miss tackles while going for the miracle interception, he's soft as butter.

 

[Brumby Runner]

They all defended well, but I struggle to think of a positive contribution To'omua had with ball in hand. All I remember is poor, aimless kicks.

And Phipps was OK, but his option taking and passing was a step back from last week.

No-one had a shocker, and overall it was a good effort.
.

At the outset, I'll say that Phipps should continue as first choice No9 until Will returns to his former self. But, his passing game last night really wasn't any worse than it has been in other games. He always throws wayward passes, just some are not noticed by his fans because of Foley's uncanny ability to take them over his head, at his face and below his knees. Also, his option taking is poor compared with other No 9s including Nic White. He simply does not look to see where opportunities are before unloading at the back of the ruck. Never been different.

He is our best bet atm but we'll not go much further up the rankings if he remains our No 9.

 

[Brumby Runner]

That be the first I've seen he doesn't take the kicks for the Brumbies.. Maybe one other, and it is not the only guy who does it.

I think you'll find the Saffas missed a penalty kick for line last night as well. Maybe Pollard should be axed too?

 

[Lorenzo]

To'omua didn't have the best game, but anyone saying that he should be dropped is mad. he the incumbent 12, has been consistently decent for us over the last 12 months. Let's drop our incumbent 12 because he made some poor decisions on attack and defended like a demon. FFS.

Just out of interest just who is this no.12 that deserves to unseed To'omua?

What is the cost of trialling alternative players? That we might lose the dead-rubber test in Argentina? Or the Brisbane bled? Yeah we better not drop Matt To'omua, because without him, we might lose to the ABs. Oh wait.....

To'omua hasn't shown anything in attack this series at all. It's not all down to the forward pack - Kuridrani can make plenty of progress behind this pack and has for the last 3 tests.

And what does being the "incumbent" have to do with it? Beale was the "incumbent" 10 after playing the first two tests against the ABs there. Ashley Cooper was the incumbent 13 after the France series and the Bleds and now his position has been filled by a guy that is playing better than anyone.

 

[Lorenzo]

So because Kerevi's carving it up in the NRC, he should be slotted into the WB's? Hmm...kinda not quite the same level of intensity.

If you aren't giving players a shot based on their performances in lower tiers, you'll soon have an empty team. I'm not saying the replacement 12 needs to be guaranteed 10 starting caps, but I can't see the cost in rotating To'omua to the bench for the next two tests. What's the worst that can happen? We lose? Well.....

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Oz "kicking game" is illogical.
They avoid touch when they need relief, go to touch when they have position and chip or short kick it away when they run out of ideas.
I guess if the intention is to prevent anyone working out what our unifying theory is then its working.

Thought the same, very shonky. Could do with some fine tuning. That Phipps grubber was so daft it looked like it was preplanned one afternoon in 1066.

Horwill etc etc sliding off Lambda Lambda for the try was not flash.

Great to see the Bokkes running though, that Pollard bastard could be the next Honiball. Far better viewing than the Morne Steyn boot it high and hope someone over there drops it dullardry.

I agree with Teach about Hooper: wayyy too much time playing with his lovely hair. And being the one to get involved in a sooky stoush in the in-goal after a try's been scored is never a flash look for the captain.

 

[Lorenzo]

I've never had the nerve to bring up Hooper's habit of playing with his hair.....but he seems to be doing it during every close up camera shot they take of him.

 

[Swandive]

One thing I noted while watching the telecast was the downright bias and negativity of the South African commentators. Everything that South Africa did was golden while everything Oz did was negative.
I understand that they are doing that for the home team but they surely must realise that the telecast goes global. It was:
"Negative tactics from Australia - slowing down the ball"
"Australia don't want lineouts - they are taking quick ones whenever they can." "Not surprising Australia is getting back very casually behind this kick"."That is a yellow card offence" (on Fardy or Carter methinks & it had just happened 5 minutes before with a Saffa doing the same thing and no mention of a card)
The negativity just went on and on. They barely mentioned Ashley Cooper's try because they were too busy going on about Habana's injury.
I felt like putting my fist through the TV a few times.They were just so picky and negative when it came to OZ play. (Note: I think Justin Marshall is the best commentator so not just saying from a biased Aussie's point of view)

For Wallabies:
Positives: Defense is immense & Fainga'a is leading the way
Fardy improved performance
Kurindrani having a blinder, explosive running
Scrum solid as a rock
Negatives: Phipps is hot and cold, good urgency, nice defense, but
some poor passes, nothing kick when on attack in S.A 22.
To'omua's kicking out of hand quite poor, not his best game.

Soft penalty on Foley for S.A to go from 10 v 5 to 10 v 8. No one in front of him and pushed from behind. Silly rule. Why oh why do S.A get three points when they were too slow to get a single person to the ruck (thereby stopping Foley from falling onto the wrong side). Oz had clearly already secured the ball then get penalized 3 points. Maybe not ref's fault but rugby rules fault. Just not worth three points!!!

South Africa have got nothing. Just a strong maul. They live on a strong maul and crappy unworthy penalties.
South Africa trying to play with the ball in hand which is refreshing but have got nothing.

This Willie le Roux is rubbish. Just a kicker. Don't know what he thinks he has that makes him so arrogant.

Then S.A got that drop goal ( I had been scribbling a few notes down and this is what I had written so far - you'll notice a change in tone)

Oh well, the crowd got S.A home. (until this stage I thought Oz had it wrapped up with a superior game and now thought S.A would win by a point). Oz had pretty much dominated for most of the first 60.

Australia should be proud. The boys have really stood up tonight. Just one or two more things to go our way and we are there. Not easy to win at (whatever field's name is).

S.A score next - well they missed more tackles in that movement than they did all game so far. Did my eyes deceive me? Did that pass not float forward? Was the black player who made the tackle on the Aussie with the ball from behind 5 metres out, not offside? (i never did go back and confirm this so may be wrong)

Then the game turned on its head
Holey macaroni. They just disintegrated. How can a team who defended so well for the first 60 mins just start falling off tackles all over the place.

I guess the big question is: Did the reserves come to the party? I believe the S.A reserves provided excellent impact.
Alexander dropped ball first touch
Beale can't afford to go to ground, lost it twice on my count.
Horwill missed tackle on Lambie.
Horne was good though.

I still think the boys should be proud. They really gave it to the Saffas for 60 minutes and should have made more of their opportunities. I was mighty impressed with the scrum.
What happened over the last 15 minutes remains a mystery to me. How to fix it is the no.1 job for Link, though I would lay all blame at the players feet rather than the coaches.

To the Saffas. Well done. Came home super strong. Shut my gob up with some of my earlier comments. I wish you played like that all the time. It was an exciting (yet heart-breaking) last 15 minutes. New fella (no.7) had a good debut. Good to see Burger back out there smashing it up.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Thought the same, very shonky. Could do with some fine tuning. That Phipps grubber was so daft it looked like it was preplanned one afternoon in 1066.

and not by the Normans

 

[maxdacat]

Godwin, Kerevi, jesus Higginbotham would be better than To'omua at 12 at this point.

I do like the idea of Higgers in the centres

 

[Dctarget]

Though injury or just your opinion?

Through injury.

Rubbing salt into the wounds, Matt To'omua (concussion) is unlikely to play Argentina in Mendoza next weekend while forwards Rob Simmons (head knock) and Ben McCalman (shoulder) are also in doubt.

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8912154

 

[maxdacat]

South Africa have got nothing. Just a strong maul. They live on a strong maul and crappy unworthy penalties.

jeez....credit where it's due and all that, they obviously don't have "nothing".

 

[qwerty51]

Looks like I was right.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Looks like I was right.

Well not exactly mate

We didn't get pumped, but the score line suggests it.