The Wallaby gameplan

[Groucho]

We've witnessed complete change in the Wallaby gameplan over the course of the season.

At the start of the year we played a relentlessly wide game. Then, over the course of the year we began to kick more and more, especially with Genia and the box kick. Now we appear to be deliberately kicking away almost all possession, and relying solely on the counter-attack to score tries.

Is this is a good strategy, given the nature of our backs? Today we had to make an enormous number of tackles, and make them we did. A part of the reason for that was kick after kick.

There seem to be no sweeping backline moves any more.

What should we aim to do against New Zealand next weekend?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

What should we aim to do against New Zealand next weekend?

1. Win





Win by holding on to Gilbert, and denying the other mob access to the him.

Can't build pressure without owning Gilbert.

Serious work needed on our lineout, so don't kick for touch, or let the other bastards do the same.

Keep it in hand, keep it simple, don't push passes, keep it simple.

 

[cyclopath]

1. Win





Win by holding on to Gilbert, and denying the other mob access to the him.

Can't build pressure without owning Gilbert.

Serious work needed on our lineout, so don't kick for touch, or let the other bastards do the same.

Keep it in hand, keep it simple, don't push passes, keep it simple.

I for one was very surprised with the speed with which we kicked it away at times today, without trying to build any phases. Often by very telegraphed, and not very good box kicks too. And yet, when trying to kick out from our territory, very laboured at times, flat kicks that got easily charged (although I think a few times the defence anticipated the kicks more than they should have). Was it very smart? Didn't look it to me, as we essentially tried to out-kick the Bokke, which won't work 80% or more of the time. The lack of imagination of the Bokke attack startled me. Not that they often play it fancy, but they had so much ball they must have thought about using it more effectively at some stage.
We will need to do a lot more than that next week. Defence was awesome, but the ABs won't let us off the hook like that.

 

[RugbyReg]

We've witnessed complete change in the Wallaby gameplan over the course of the season.

have we? I don't think I've seen any change in game plan whatsoever, game to game. Opposition to opposition.

 

[pete88]

Good thread.

I wouldn't kick to the ABs back 3, whoever is fit/picked. Our lineout came up against Victor Matfield, who I would say was the best lock ever if I was South African and not a massive John Eales fanboy, and all his 190cm+ lineout buddies. They always screw up other people's lineouts. If we kick the ball HAS to land or go out.

I think one thing that hurts the hypothetically sound gameplan we took in to day is how much counterattack ball we kick away. Everyone has two lines against us now cos they know KB (Kurtley Beale) and friends like the chip, so when we kick for the line or kick for the turf during phase play, people are loitering for it. If we kick to turf in their 22 and chase hard I don't mind the volume of kicking itself, more that we aren't bringing the second line up to tackle before we do it. And if we are doing that we are probably getting go forward ball. The more I think about it, the more I think we aren't playing what's in front of us (haha) more what we have decided pre-game will work. I'd be worried we go back to not kicking enough like we did against Ireland as an over reaction to kicking too much/badly today.

 

[grievous]

You cant give the ABs the possession we gave the Jappe's tonight, their wide game would kill us. Look at he Argies for the first 60min, kept them tryless, defend like we did today but hand on to the pill and play like we did in the Bled, tight up the middle in the forwards soak up the pressure then unleash the backline moves

 

[Cardiffblue]

You mean there was a game plan- all I saw was some of the best last ditch defence ever and sheer blind luck

 

[Groucho]

You mean there was a game plan- all I saw was some of the best last ditch defence ever and sheer blind luck

I can see that's a troll post, but...

Yes, there was a gameplan: we got plenty of possession and we kicked it straight away. It was obviously deliberate, and it had an objective. In fact it was a reprise of a theory that has come and gone in Australian rugby over the past few years: that we choose to defend and then try to score on the counter. That theory seemed to have been put away when the new breakdown interpretations emerged.

Earlier this year we would have played a more 'conventional' gameplan, trucking it up then spinning it wide the moment we got fast ball off the back of the ruck. That way, South Africa wouldn;t have had the monstrous share of possession they did, and we wouldn't have had to defend so relentlessly.

 

[Hardtackle]

it's a fucking harrowing game plan that's what it is. right now though, it won us a game that had to be won so it'll do.

 

[Scotty]

It will be different vs the abs. I was actually telling my mates in the first hald that we should go for the try instead of the penalty that took us to 8 points. Theory was that I couldn't see the boks scoring enough to catch us on a two try lead such was our impact and breakdown dominance at that stage.

 

[Cardiffblue]

I can see that's a troll post, but...

Yes, there was a gameplan: we got plenty of possession and we kicked it straight away. It was obviously deliberate, and it had an objective. In fact it was a reprise of a theory that has come and gone in Australian rugby over the past few years: that we choose to defend and then try to score on the counter. That theory seemed to have been put away when the new breakdown interpretations emerged.

Earlier this year we would have played a more 'conventional' gameplan, trucking it up then spinning it wide the moment we got fast ball off the back of the ruck. That way, South Africa wouldn;t have had the monstrous share of possession they did, and we wouldn't have had to defend so relentlessly.

have watched these games too. The wallabies have had a backline built on youth and bravado and attitude. It was working. Then came Samoa and finally Ireland and it was decided somewhere that the way to win is %age play. It isn't. Trouble is Aus now lacks the backline resources to return to Plan A and Cooper is certainly not performing as the messiah he was portrayed in SMH before this started. It has all got to him.

 

[Hawko]

have we? I don't think I've seen any change in game plan whatsoever, game to game. Opposition to opposition.

That has got to be a wind-up. Reg you need to use smileys so your irony is appreciated.

 

[Cardiffblue]

That has got to be a wind-up. Reg you need to use smileys so your irony is appreciated.

'Specially with a chippy groucho on the loose

 

[Cutter]

I can see that's a troll post, but...

Yes, there was a gameplan: we got plenty of possession and we kicked it straight away. It was obviously deliberate, and it had an objective. In fact it was a reprise of a theory that has come and gone in Australian rugby over the past few years: that we choose to defend and then try to score on the counter. That theory seemed to have been put away when the new breakdown interpretations emerged.

Earlier this year we would have played a more 'conventional' gameplan, trucking it up then spinning it wide the moment we got fast ball off the back of the ruck. That way, South Africa wouldn;t have had the monstrous share of possession they did, and we wouldn't have had to defend so relentlessly.

Did the game plan really involve:

1. kicking away all ball;
2. losing the lineout;
3. dropping it in contact;
4. relying on the ref to not penalise us;
5. relying almost exclusively on our defence and, in particular, Pocock?

I think you're deranged if you think that was the case. Cooper and Genia both had shocking kicking games. The three times we scored were from front foot ball:

1. Coopers good early touch finder;
2. Beale's counter attack;
3. Barnes' good late touch finder.

If we'd had more of 1 and 3 in particular (instead of box kicks) we might not have had to contend with such a territorial mismatch. If the game plan was truly as you suggest it would have been on the basis that we tackle them in their half not in ours.

 

[pete88]

Worth pointing out that box kicks work pretty well when they aren't so poorly done. I think the reason 1&3 were so thin on the ground was that we never sucked in enough defenders to bring defenders from the second line in to the first line. The gameplan was ok, just poorly executed. As you say, front foot ball ball allows better kicking games, and Cooper & Genia actually can kick very well in those circumstances.

I want to go and rewatch the Tri Nations decider.

 

[Athilnaur]

Ignore the press, the kiwi pundits, etc; the All Blacks worst fear is a rampaging Wallaby forward pack with Genia and Cooper creating opportunities for Beale, Ioane, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), and O'Connor.

Cooper seemed to me today to be his own enemy. It wasn't the crowd. That's not his style. He's a belief player. He rattled himself.

Going into the next game its important supporters show we believe in him, and its essential the team supports him and builds around him. His brilliance is a key component of our game.

 

[Groucho]

Did the game plan really involve:

1. kicking away all ball;
2. losing the lineout;
3. dropping it in contact;
4. relying on the ref to not penalise us;
5. relying almost exclusively on our defence and, in particular, Pocock?

I think you're deranged if you think that was the case.

I obviously don't think 'that was the case'. But I do think 1 and 4 were.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

...snip...

Cooper seemed to me today to be his own enemy. It wasn't the crowd. That's not his style. He's a belief player. He rattled himself.

Going into the next game its important supporters show we believe in him, and its essential the team supports him and builds around him. His brilliance is a key component of our game.

Problem with QC (Quade Cooper) is that he is not having enough rice with his dinner.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Or breakfast

Do we really have to pretend we have faith in him? It's not like he's lacking in self confidence.... Just drop him


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[FairWeatherAussie]

According to French tv at about 65 minutes the saffa's had 10 five plus phases of play and we had zero. According to cyclopath it was 15-0 by the end. It definitely had to be an intentional game plan. And it's hard to criticize because it worked, we did win the game, but I have to question whether that was because of or despite the game plan. We could easily have lost that game by 20 if it wasn't for a superhuman effort by Pocock, some very lenient refereeing at the breakdown, and a little bit of luck.

It's been noted that Australia have done better when they have kicked more, but this game seemed to take a good idea to an absolute extreme with us not even attempting to hold the pill for 5 phases.