This rubbish from our pack has really gone on since 2003

[Thomond78]

Thomo I have the explanation, they did turn the nr1 team over a week earlier. That is the differense. When the All Blacks had that rating they did it in the past to them.

Just one thing, altho I hate him a bit (a sign that he is a good player if it is the opponent) but Phil Waugh is a taai toffee when it comes to the rucks. Experiense and much more robust compare to poCock or Smith, maybe he should get a crack.

Now, that's a fair point, and one that connects to mine.

The White Orc is a right hard, nuggety bastard, the exact same sort of guy that Wallaby packs used to be like up to and including 2003 (crap scrum in 2003, but no-one's idea of soft-cocks, let's be frank). Yet to a large extent he now stands out as a bit of a relic in that regard, the last living fossil of the Macqueen era. Why is there no-one else like him coming through, no other pain-in-the-arse, niggly-workaholic-breakdown-nightmare back fives? Why are you getting Sharpes instead of Finnegans these days? :nta:

 

[Biffo]

Thomo I have the explanation, they did turn the nr1 team over a week earlier. That is the differense. When the All Blacks had that rating they did it in the past to them.

Just one thing, altho I hate him a bit (a sign that he is a good player if it is the opponent) but Phil Waugh is a taai toffee when it comes to the rucks. Experiense and much more robust compare to poCock or Smith, maybe he should get a crack.

Now, that's a fair point, and one that connects to mine.

The White Orc is a right hard, nuggety bastard, the exact same sort of guy that Wallaby packs used to be like up to and including 2003 (crap scrum in 2003, but no-one's idea of soft-cocks, let's be frank). Yet to a large extent he now stands out as a bit of a relic in that regard, the last living fossil of the Macqueen era. Why is there no-one else like him coming through, no other pain-in-the-arse, niggly-workaholic-breakdown-nightmare back fives? Why are you getting Sharpes instead of Finnegans these days? :nta:

When did Sharpe last play in the Wallaby back row?

 

[Thomond78]

Thomo I have the explanation, they did turn the nr1 team over a week earlier. That is the differense. When the All Blacks had that rating they did it in the past to them.

Just one thing, altho I hate him a bit (a sign that he is a good player if it is the opponent) but Phil Waugh is a taai toffee when it comes to the rucks. Experiense and much more robust compare to poCock or Smith, maybe he should get a crack.

Now, that's a fair point, and one that connects to mine.

The White Orc is a right hard, nuggety bastard, the exact same sort of guy that Wallaby packs used to be like up to and including 2003 (crap scrum in 2003, but no-one's idea of soft-cocks, let's be frank). Yet to a large extent he now stands out as a bit of a relic in that regard, the last living fossil of the Macqueen era. Why is there no-one else like him coming through, no other pain-in-the-arse, niggly-workaholic-breakdown-nightmare back fives? Why are you getting Sharpes instead of Finnegans these days? :nta:

When did Sharpe last play in the Wallaby back row?

A lot more recently than he played where a second-row should be around the park...

Attitude, more than position, Biffo.

 

[Biffo]

Thomo I have the explanation, they did turn the nr1 team over a week earlier. That is the differense. When the All Blacks had that rating they did it in the past to them.

Just one thing, altho I hate him a bit (a sign that he is a good player if it is the opponent) but Phil Waugh is a taai toffee when it comes to the rucks. Experiense and much more robust compare to poCock or Smith, maybe he should get a crack.

Now, that's a fair point, and one that connects to mine.

The White Orc is a right hard, nuggety bastard, the exact same sort of guy that Wallaby packs used to be like up to and including 2003 (crap scrum in 2003, but no-one's idea of soft-cocks, let's be frank). Yet to a large extent he now stands out as a bit of a relic in that regard, the last living fossil of the Macqueen era. Why is there no-one else like him coming through, no other pain-in-the-arse, niggly-workaholic-breakdown-nightmare back fives? Why are you getting Sharpes instead of Finnegans these days? :nta:

When did Sharpe last play in the Wallaby back row?

A lot more recently than he played where a second-row should be around the park...

Attitude, more than position, Biffo.

Don't hang about for the ref's decision on that one, Leprechaun. Get back ten metres pdq.

 

[Thomond78]

Thomo I have the explanation, they did turn the nr1 team over a week earlier. That is the differense. When the All Blacks had that rating they did it in the past to them.

Just one thing, altho I hate him a bit (a sign that he is a good player if it is the opponent) but Phil Waugh is a taai toffee when it comes to the rucks. Experiense and much more robust compare to poCock or Smith, maybe he should get a crack.

Now, that's a fair point, and one that connects to mine.

The White Orc is a right hard, nuggety bastard, the exact same sort of guy that Wallaby packs used to be like up to and including 2003 (crap scrum in 2003, but no-one's idea of soft-cocks, let's be frank). Yet to a large extent he now stands out as a bit of a relic in that regard, the last living fossil of the Macqueen era. Why is there no-one else like him coming through, no other pain-in-the-arse, niggly-workaholic-breakdown-nightmare back fives? Why are you getting Sharpes instead of Finnegans these days? :nta:

When did Sharpe last play in the Wallaby back row?

A lot more recently than he played where a second-row should be around the park...

Attitude, more than position, Biffo.

Don't hang about for the ref's decision on that one, Leprechaun. Get back ten metres pdq.

Could someone translate this out of Biffo and into English? Thanks.

Sharpe Syndrome - hanging out wide looking for the Killer Ball - is the curse of the modern Wobblies. It never used to be thus. The 1999 RWC winning team were as dull as buggery, frankly, and just happily defended and smashed the shit out of the breakdown all day. There are guys coming through to the Wallabies now for whom guys like Eales, Kefu, Finnegan et al - proper forwards - would have been their child-hood heroes. So, why is the only guy like that left Phil Waugh?

The nature of Aussie rugby, and especially Aussie forward play, changed sometime in those ten years 1999-now. And not for the better, I may add. If you can pinpoint the difference, you're part of the way there. For what it's worth, the ABs have a similar, albeit less severe, dose of the same illness; BBBT, a Classic Edition AB if ever there was one, looks like a throwback at times, and the relentless, clinical pressure game I've always associated with the ABs seems to have been abandoned for lunacy like running it from your own line away against the Springboks.

 

[Biffo]

a very correct response

 

[Lindommer]

Don't hang about for the ref's decision on that one, Leprechaun. Get back ten metres pdq.

Could someone translate this out of Biffo and into English?

Translation: I'm a referee, you're pinged, get back 10 metres, NOW. What's that? You want to argue. Back another 10 metres. STOP, wait till they get back. Righto, away you go.

 

[Scarfman]

Agree totally, except that he is about as mobile as Dean Mumm is handsome.

But we certainly need a fair bit more of this:

 

[Biffo]

Agree totally, except that he is about as mobile as Dean Mumm is handsome.

But we certainly need a fair bit more of this:

Yes, provided the target of such sprays is not the ref

 

[Red Beard]

Sometimes I think forward packs become indecisive because they are expected to be over technical as opposed to ruthless and instinctive. Its a basic game, you need to get there first in numbers, hit rucks hard and low and smash the opposition. Ive seen All Black teams under previous coaches lose their way at times on the field because they are trying to do too much, (ie apply whiteboard theory in differing contact situations). When sides look hesitant they always get labelled soft. The answer is to simplify things, roll your sleeves up and hook in. There are so many different tackle ball scenarios I think this area of ther game can be overcoached. Players need to sum up the situation quickly, make a decision and get in first.

 

[junior]

Sometimes I think forward packs become indecisive because they are expected to be over technical as opposed to ruthless and instinctive. Its a basic game, you need to get there first in numbers, hit rucks hard and low and smash the opposition. Ive seen All Black teams under previous coaches lose their way at times on the field because they are trying to do too much, (ie apply whiteboard theory in differing contact situations). When sides look hesitant they always get labelled soft. The answer is to simplify things, roll your sleeves up and hook in. There are so many different tackle ball scenarios I think this area of ther game can be overcoached. Players need to sum up the situation quickly, make a decision and get in first.

Good call. The Wallaby forward performance had "Should I smash into this ruck or should I make my way into midfield for the next phase like I practised at training" written all over it.
I think the simple things is for forwards to always be focussing on the next breakdown. If you're not needed there, you'll know because someone with a brain will generally be telling you, or you can see the ball sitting at the back of the ruck already.