The last three minutes

[Newter]

In the lead-up to this Bledisloe Test the talk was all about "mental" strength. We've imploded at big moments so often. Would we perform under pressure, when the game is hanging in the balance?

I just watched the last three minutes of the Test to see who actually did something to win us the game when it really mattered. A crucial clean-out, a decision to just tuck the ball under and run straight, a great pass onto the chest to the right man, a half-break, a full break, a kick through the posts (!), a good draw-and-pass... I included all these, because each of those deeds helped win the game. I also counted how many mistakes were made. For the record, the team collectively did about 27 good things, and 2 bad things, in this short final period.

Here's the individual tally:

Match-winning plays in the last 3 minutes:

David Pocock: 4 (two strong runs, one crucial clean-out, and pressured the Donald kick that failed to go out)

Berrick Barnes: 3 (one great inside pass to Beale, one sweet long pass, and a critical cleanout after Beale's 20 meter break)

Nathan Sharpe: 3 (two timely clean-outs and a 5 meter halfbreak)

Quade Cooper: 3 (two good draw-and-passes, and one hard straight run)

James O'Connor: 3 (two half breaks, including the try, and a sweet, sweet conversion)

Dean Mumm: 3 (two good cleanouts and a 5 meter break)

Kurtley Beale: 2 (two clean linebreaks)

Rocky Elsom: 2 (one critical cleanout and one straight hard run)

James Slipper: 2 (two important cleanouts)

Luke Burgess: 2 (sealed the ball after Mumm's break, and one good decision to snipe instead of pass)

Adam Ashley-Cooper: 1 (one half break)

Errors:
Drew Mitchell: 1 (ran the wrong way, got isolated and lost the ball)
Kurtley Beale: 1 (passed to an isolated Ashley-Cooper out wide)


Dean Mumm and Berrick Barnes both deserve promotions to the starting side for their performance here. You can watch the footage for yourself

[video=youtube;MPZszd1B66Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPZszd1B66Y[/video]

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

We showed fantastic composure last night and its the sign of a maturing team. The AB's defence was incredibly good in that last 10 minutes and we stayed patient and gradually chipped away at it. I get the feeling that we always thought there was a chance and the boys played like it.

 

[cyclopath]

What I like was that they didn't lose faith to keep moving it from one side to the other with quick recycles, rather than trying to plod it up one-off the ruck where the ABs invariably smash them back. In fact all for tries involved quick lateral movement of the ball, using it as much as anything to beat the man (except maybe Quade's try, which just involved no All Black wanting to tackle him). This is where Quade is so good - fast, flat passing that is usually very accurate.
The quick recycling allows you to stay on the front foot so well. Really great to watch.

 

[Henry]

Errors:
Drew Mitchell: 1 (ran the wrong way, got isolated and lost the ball)

Mitchell losing the ball was largely due to a useless 'clean-out' from S-finger as well as all black players lying allover the Wobs side of the ruck..

 

[Lee Grant]

Isn't it more fun to post after a win?

 

[QuadeCooperFan]

One more error:

At 0:35 there was a knock on. Wallabies were lucky to get away with it.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

What I like was that they didn't lose faith to keep moving it from one side to the other with quick recycles, rather than trying to plod it up one-off the ruck where the ABs invariably smash them back. In fact all for tries involved quick lateral movement of the ball, using it as much as anything to beat the man (except maybe Quade's try, which just involved no All Black wanting to tackle him). This is where Quade is so good - fast, flat passing that is usually very accurate.
The quick recycling allows you to stay on the front foot so well. Really great to watch.

Yep, that's how you play rugby football. The quality of the passing in the the last few tests has been top quality and bloody refreshing to see. Having good cleanout and rapid recycling is critical to this.

 

[tucker]

I think the Wallabies balls may have dropped in those last 3 minutes

 

[Newter]

We showed fantastic composure last night and its the sign of a maturing team. The AB's defence was incredibly good in that last 10 minutes and we stayed patient and gradually chipped away at it. I get the feeling that we always thought there was a chance and the boys played like it.

And nearly all of them got involved, which is the impressive thing. It wasn't just the senior players - virtually every Wallaby on the field did a couple of great things to get us over the line.

 

[Gagger]

Burgess' passing and decision making was on frikken fire for those 3 mins. Should get more time

 

[TOCC]

Burgess went well when he came on, i dont think he really did anything different in comparison to Genia except provide fresh legs though

 

[Muttonbird]

Isn't it more fun to post after a win?

Yep. There's a lot more of it on here, that's for sure.

 

[DPK]

Yep. There's a lot more of it on here, that's for sure.

This surprises you?

 

[Reddy!]

Burgess' passing and decision making was on frikken fire for those 3 mins. Should get more time

He's just so damn fast to the break down - good to see him not looking around like a headless chook for support.

 

[Sully]

He's just so damn fast to the break down - good to see him not looking around like a headless chook for support.

But he did!!!

 

[matty_k]

The was a couple of break downs where he waited for ages.

 

[Lindommer]

One more error: at 0:35 there was a knock on.

Might've been bumped forward from AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s left foot. Would like to see that from another angle.

 

[Lee Grant]

The quality of the passing in the the last few tests has been top quality and bloody refreshing to see.

Agree - there were some exceptions, as usual, but the contrast with some of the earlier tests this year was pleasing. Compared to then there were few passes at the man or those that were too high or too low.

Some of the passing in front of the player with both passer and receiver running at speed was the stuff of coaching videos.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The classic examples being of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s and Mitchell's tries. Absolutely perfect: hitting the line at top pace, pass perfectly directed out in front of the player and a great angle of running.

 

[farva]

I did like AACs dummy to the sideline at 3:03.
Not convinced the ABs bought it though.