Tri Nations - AUS v SAF 23rd July 2011.

[Prodigy]

Don't really want to trawl through 34 pages, but I was very interested in the defensive tactics used by the Wobs last night in regards to Quade Cooper. From the stands it looked as though Quade was playing as a left fullback and KB (Kurtley Beale) was playing as a right fullback.

A very interesting tactic....

 

[TOCC]

Plausible - but he doesn't call it until much later and the correct call is pushing before the ball came in......how come when that happens to us we get down for not taking the hit?

Pretty sure he was playing kind of advantage, seeing if the scrum could settle and get the Boks clean ball, when they didn't he blew it up..

I see what your saying about the correct call been pushing before the ball in, but then again every team pushes before the ball isnin, it's physics... I think he was just explaining to the Wallabies that they were pushing too much.

It's a 50/50 call but this time I think he got it right, the boks were pushed off the mark before the ball was in...

 

[Anyaussiesidewilldo]

I just re-watched the game and although we did push them fractionally before the ball was in, most of the damage was done after.

Also, there was a clear infringement early in the 2nd half where the SAF THP backed off in the scrum making our scrum on our feed go nearly 180 Deg. Thier LHP had not advanced at all, so this should have been a penalty to us for backing off.

Not trolling here, just hoping that the Wobs scrum is not still seen as a penalty machine for IRB referee's.

 

[DPK]

That's a good explanation, TOCC, and a good call by the referee.

I've noticed that the Crusaders this year were using an extremely fast put in at the scrum. This meant that they could start pushing as soon as they engaged. The tactic may flow through to the AB's so that it's good to see the Wobs pushing ASAP.

 

[GC]

Injury status:

Kurtley Beale could miss the match after arriving at Sydney airport on Sunday looking like he’d been mugged.

The classy fullback was limping from a twisted ankle, sporting a black eye and four stitches in his head and had his left shoulder in a sling courtesy of Saturday night’s bruising battle with the Springboks.

“Kurtley’s a bit banged up. He probably came out of the game in the poorest shape of the group,” Deans said.

“I don’t think the ankle’s too bad. So that should recover. His shoulder should also recover, but he’s just sore right now.”

Deans also said he was unlikely to have any of his other 10 or so injured or recovering World Cup hopefuls available.

Reserve halfback Luke Burgess and prop Salesi Ma’afu are slight possibilities to make a return, but are more likely to be available for Australia’s return clash with South Africa in Durban on August 13.

Deans was hopeful that forwards Wycliff Palu, Tatafu Polota-Nau and James Slipper would come under consideration for the final Tri Nations Test against New Zealand in Brisbane on August 27 and that winger Drew Mitchell would also be back running when the Wallabies returned from South Africa.

He said outside centre Rob Horne was returning to club rugby this weekend and remained in the World Cup mix along with midfielder Berrick Barnes, who made a successful comeback for Sydney University on Saturday.

 

[qwerty51]

So Robbie is going to have to announce his WC squad before Slipper, Palu and TPN get back on the field.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Game went as expected really apart from the scrum - where your boys got the upper hand! (some of you may have picked this)

Aussie backs too fast & talented, SA disjointed and looked exactly like what a B team looks like. Whats up with Steyn? SA looked so much better when Lambie came on?

Good start for Australia.

EDIT: Forgot to ask.. what happened to atmosphere? What was it like for those at the ground as it came across as dead dead quiet on the tv?

 

[Apostle]

I thought the atmosphere at the game was pretty good ... but then I was rather boozed, as were most of the people around me, which makes a fair difference!

 

[Scotty]

Just noticed in Lance's article that Ioane topped the tackle count. Not only made 15 tackles, but I reckon at least a third of these were 'dominant tackles'. It was awesome to see.

I just wonder how long he can keep doing it before he breaks.

 

[Lee Grant]

The crowd atmosphere was quite good for Sydney, which is not saying a lot. The impression on crowd noise you get on TV depends on how high the broadcasters turn up the microphones outside the commentary booth.


The guys on the radio couldn't work out the "too much pressure" call either, but it goes down as another strike against the power hit. You are supposed to engage, then wait for the ball to be put in, then push. This goes against nature. You are not allowed to push through the hit, which makes you wonder why the power hit, with all it's possibilities to stop play (through collapses, too early pushes and yarda, yardas) is a good thing for the sport.

But it's an old song I sing.

Also, there was a clear infringement early in the 2nd half where the SAF THP backed off in the scrum making our scrum on our feed go nearly 180 Deg. Thier LHP had not advanced at all, so this should have been a penalty to us for backing off. .

Tell me it's not true. Seriously, that's the classic wheeling method and usually the LHP bores in to emphasise the turn. I can't remember it but you're right: it should have been a penalty.
.

 

[Tiger]

Just noticed in Lance's article that Ioane topped the tackle count. Not only made 15 tackles, but I reckon at least a third of these were 'dominant tackles'. It was awesome to see.

I just wonder how long he can keep doing it before he breaks.

Particularly when he's had shoulder problems before...

 

[Cakeboy]

If Deans is going to move Quade out of the defensive line I'd prefer JOC (James O'Connor) to cover his position. His defence is solid and if there's a turn over ball he has the experience of playing as a 10 to capitalise on it.

 

[Red Rooster]

Don't really want to trawl through 34 pages, but I was very interested in the defensive tactics used by the Wobs last night in regards to Quade Cooper. From the stands it looked as though Quade was playing as a left fullback and KB (Kurtley Beale) was playing as a right fullback.

A very interesting tactic....

I was at the game - there were three back with Quade at 15 and Kurtley on the left wing - as the defence pendulum works it appears that there are only two as the right wing pushes up as the boks moved the ball to their left hand side - same as the Reds really when Morahan was a full back (with lucas and lance they direct swapped with quade), the only difference was that reds defended ioane at 13 and not at 10 - nothing actually new really

 

[Red Rooster]

The crowd atmosphere was quite good for Sydney, which is not saying a lot. The impression on crowd noise you get on TV depends on how high the broadcasters turn up the microphones outside the commentary booth.

Was this because they started the mexican wave and threw all the cushions in the air?? it was pretty flat overall as every game is at that venue

 

[barbarian]

Were they cushions? What was the deal with that, mexican wave looked really cool.

 

[#1 Tah]

Were they cushions? What was the deal with that, mexican wave looked really cool.

Some seats were wet, so most people got little foam squares with Castrol and Wallabies logos on them to sit on.

 

[Danix]

Yep. They were giving out free foam seat cushions with Castrol Edge logo on them (It would have been better if they had made them a gold colour). I don't think many were being used as I got hit in the head a few times by them when the wave went around. It did look cool. The atmosphere was OK for the crowd size, but still nowhere near as good as it should be. There were a lot of South Africans up the Northern end making noise and they were the ones to start off the Mexican wave.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Just noticed in Lance's article that Ioane topped the tackle count. Not only made 15 tackles, but I reckon at least a third of these were 'dominant tackles'. It was awesome to see.

I just wonder how long he can keep doing it before he breaks.

Particularly when he's had shoulder problems before...

STOP! No more talk of Digby possibly breaking down! He's going to be fine.

 

[Blue]

There were a lot of South Africans up the Northern end making noise and they were the ones to start off the Mexican wave.

Bloody rabble. Honestly, you can't have people getting excited at ANZ. It's just not on.

 

[Danix]

Bloody rabble. Honestly, you can't have people getting excited at ANZ. It's just not on.

Ha, no I thought they were great. I wish Aussie crowds were more rowdy and vocal