Think your frustration was more with the Reds’ performance than the Rebels.
WTF? Conflation of conspiracy theories here.
So, I am a bit unsure. How was O’Connor allowed to join behind Mafi in a maul, ‘swim’ up over him, then in front and block people from tackling Mafi when he scored his first try. Is that really allowed? Surely not?
Yeah - I thought we got away with one there.So, I am a bit unsure. How was O’Connor allowed to join behind Mafi in a maul, ‘swim’ up over him, then in front and block people from tackling Mafi when he scored his first try. Is that really allowed? Surely not?
So, I am a bit unsure. How was O’Connor allowed to join behind Mafi in a maul, ‘swim’ up over him, then in front and block people from tackling Mafi when he scored his first try. Is that really allowed? Surely not?
Blatantly not true. Tonight was a great contest that could’ve gone either way. Rebels played to their strengths and should be praised for playing smart rugby. The wallabies would’ve won a few more games under Chek if they had a game plan like the Rebels tonight.
It was a bloody average stop-start game. For all this ‘praise’ of playing smart, no team should should be rewarded for not even attempting to play any rugby.Blatantly not true. Tonight was a great contest that could’ve gone either way. Rebels played to their strengths and should be praised for playing smart rugby. The wallabies would’ve won a few more games under Chek if they had a game plan like the Rebels tonight.
They had a smart game plan, especially considering the handicaps they were operating under because of the pandemic.What was smart about the Rebels?
If the Reds had not been so poor they would have won by 50 and the Rebels would’ve played EXACTLY the same - would they still be praised as having played “smart”?
The Rebels didn't lose their calm. They continued to play to the weaknesses of their opposition. That is smart rugby. It wasn't pretty and it wasn't exactly skillful and it was like watching mud dry, but it very nearly won them a game they shouldn't've have. If the Rebels played the same way and the Reds had not been so poor, then no, that would not have been smart. But the Reds were poor with tactics straight out of the Michael Cheika play book. I was relieved the Reds won. I imagine a few Reds supporters would have been tearing their hair out. I still can't fathom why O'Connor wasn't in the refs ear about the number of penalties the Rebels gave up in the 22. That is poor captaincy.What was smart about the Rebels? I thought they were decidedly average. Note I was at the game and haven’t watched the replay yet. The Reds were terrible but played rugby. Their halves were very very poor and their kicking game put themselves under huge pressure. Their discipline continues to be frustratingly bad and their handling was crap let alone the decision making (mostly by Tate and JOC (James O'Connor)).
Yet the Rebels never looked like threatening them in attack. They had a good kicking game and took every shot available and that’s it. They brought nothing to last night other than a boot and cynical play. If the Reds had not been so poor they would have won by 50 and the Rebels would’ve played EXACTLY the same - would they still be praised as having played “smart”?
I think the Rebels didn’t have many tackles in the 22 because the Reds would always give up a penalty as soon as the Rebels got in their half. If the Reds had better discipline who knows if the Rebels would of been able to breach the line, just like if the Reds had applied more scoreboard pressure by taking the points available then they might of won by 15.