Tri Nations Game 3 New Zealand v Australia - Saturday 6 August 2011 - 3N2011

[Victorian Reds Fan]

I know at half time the Wallabies had 55% possession and 68% territory for no points! That is a sorry statistic!

Is good and bad. Means we can get the ball and make the yards, but struggle to get over the try line.

 

[RedsHappy]

....As I watch genia and horwill are doing most of the talk in the post match huddle. Time for more official leadership roles for them and pocock who did a lot of talking during the game....

At the very best, Rocky should play only. He is not an adequate captain, and, to be generous, it seems to burden his play which was mediocre to poor for all but the last 10 or so mins. Horwill should captain, Genia vice, and Horwill to insist on major changes to the the backrow.

 

[jollyswagman]

Vickerman to start for Simmons
Higginbotham to start for McCalman

I like the sound of that. Maybe Finger could get a start over McCabe too??? The only criticism I have of Higger is her is very loose when packing. He offer nothing on the hit and the scrum looked far less stable while he was on.

 

[FrankLind]

What is this crap about Cooper being inferior to Carter? You try playing behind a piss weak pack and see how you go? That is a performance where one can squarely blame the selectors. Forwards were gutless. And I repeat Sharpe would not have added a thing. In the backs, i dont think McCabe is the answer but very hard to say when the forwards are going backwards.

Cooper's in game kicking was inaccurate, he threw a couple of forward passes, almost gave away a try on his own goal line, and as far as I could see didn't tackle anyone. QC (Quade Cooper) did a nice pass for Elsom's try.

Carter missed no kicks, took on the line, tackled well, turned ball over in the tackle. He stepped up, Cooper didn't.

 

[Victorian Reds Fan]

If Beale hadn't rushed out of the line for the Nonu try, if Moore would have been stronger to hold up Mealamu over the goal line, and if some more passes from Cooper would have stuck, you guys would have blown the ABs off the park! Reason to celebrate!

You will choke at the WC.

 

[rsea]

Come on, Spewn. Cooper had a shit game. Playing off the back foot is one thing, but he made plenty of unforced errors and generally took the wrong option all night. That doesnt make him unique and he wasn't close to the worst Wob, but to think he didn't have a role in a bad poor peformance is a bit off.

But I take your point re the forwards. Torrid!

It's not Cooper, it's the players around him. I'd say he played at least as well as anyone else on the wabbs side of the field

 

[cyclopath]

The Wallabies had plenty of chances in the first half to get points, and failed. The ABs missed none. I take no comfort in that, as that failure to capitalise, the lack of structure in those positions is what irks me most. We went lateral, and did not keep hitting up close, where some good ground was being made at times.
The lack of any grunt at the breakdown continues to alarm. Nobody hits. The lack of good low running position also. They start from 2 m behind the gain line standing bolt upright - I am looking at Elsom, McCalman, Pocock, Simmons. Only Horwill, Kepu, Moore really got forward.
Cooper was Cooper - at his mercurial worst, which is what we get with him once in a while. But he could have been brilliant, and we were no chance, as the grunt was missing. The defence line speed was poor, ABs great. Sure a few decisions went their way, but in the cold light of day, I'm sure a few went our way too.
Same shit, different year.
And they've got Jane, Guildford, SBW, Dagg in the shed. Not to even mention the forwards.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

What is this crap about Cooper being inferior to Carter? You try playing behind a piss weak pack and see how you go? That is a performance where one can squarely blame the selectors. Forwards were gutless. And I repeat Sharpe would not have added a thing. In the backs, i dont think McCabe is the answer but very hard to say when the forwards are going backwards.

I don't think the pack had much to do with it tonight. QC (Quade Cooper) didn't look interested in contact at all. At one point he threw and absolutely suicidal pass that could have resulted in an AB try. Luckily JOC (James O'Connor) was on the spot.

The thing I found hardest to watch was how clueless we looked in attack. These blokes literally looked like they had only just met. The running lines were absolutely terrible.

 

[Major Spliff Biggins]

There are some positives to take away from the game in there somewhere. Vickerman impressed me while he was on - more physical and effective at the breakdown IMHO...Simmons failed to impress me. and looked out of condition - lots of walking and often struggling to get back onside before the next phase. Cooper didn't have a great night so let's hope he has that out of his system. The stats tell a different story to the scoreboard I would think. Definitely were beaten by the better side tonight. That said, add three 3 pointers O'Connor missed and scrub the try from the restart that was knocked forward and you have 23-23. We will get em at home.

Which is astonishing considering how under the pump we were.

Any positives? Thought the scrum held up well in the first half, and Kepu is progressing nicely. Ioane is world class and has some serious pace.
Too many negatives to list, but Cooper was especially awful. It was almost worth hooking him and placing JOC (James O'Connor) at 10. Despite his kicking- JOC (James O'Connor) has composure.

 

[qwerty51]

I'd rush Horne back in straight away. We need someone to tighten up the backline D. Too many times someone rushed out.

 

[da_grubster]

All of AB's tries in the first half came from poor kicking from QC (Quade Cooper), which is very unlike QC (Quade Cooper) who normally kicks tactically or runs it back on the counter, nerves got too him i reckon. Not so 'Super' Cooper today.

Pooper Cooper? He was dreadful tonight, I did say that he can be got at by cutting down space and time and he didn't dissapoint me tonight. How many forward passes did he throw when under pressure (Annoyingly not called by Joubert!) and that one on his goalline was priceless.

In a cooker pressure RWC match, I don't know if you can rely on him to do the basic duties well. I dont think his little bit of magic is enough tbh

Anyway, All Blacks played well tonight without being top drawer....very clinical tonight, virtually every time they got into the Aus 22 they came away with points.

Very good defence apart from around the fringes still needs stiffening. Attack was strong and it was noticeable that we are able to make large inroads into the Aus defence with ball in hand. Not sure I like our mini pods around the ruck. They take too long and are too predictable, we don't seem to have a pick and go at the moment and perhaps that is because of concern of losing the ball.

Nice to see that we are able to make 7 changes, bring in some guys who haven't played for a month and still win very well. It also shows there will be some upside from us to come..

 

[cyclopath]

I'd rush Horne back in straight away. We need someone to tighten up the backline D. Too many times someone rushed out.

Seriously? He's just started a bit of Shute Shield. Not ready.

 

[Joe Mac]

I hope that is the last time we McCalman in the Green and Gold for 2011. He needs to head home, and put on 10Kg's before he gets another shot. Absolutely hopeless. What the fuck does Samo have to do to get a gig?

Pocock had an off game and in light of that it would have been nice to have Beau Robinson to bring in to try his hand at the breakdown.

Sharpe is needed for line outs and hitting the ball up. His cool head would have been very valuable tonight.

Vick's looked good. I think he has progressed past Simmonds in the pecking order.

Kepu and Moore were excellent. The best two forwards on the park for us...

Genia pulverised with a bunch of fucking pussies protecting him. Quade got no clean ball because of this...

 

[Riptide]

The concern is that this Wallaby team is only fabulous running downhill, but in a tight test match? Well, there is a lot of evidence to support the argument that they can be too easily squeezed or managed out of the game. After this match, the Ireland match may loom as more of a threat that I certainly considered it to be.

 

[Set piece magic]

points:

1) All Blacks ruthless in tackle - gotta give that to them
2) All Blacks had no ball but still clinical

3) Joubert needs to learn that you must release a player before going for the ball.
- It's happened with him before, and I cite england v australia 2010 twikenham where genia was never released and ashton scored his famous faggot try. It's no use saying "we need to adjust to his interpretation" - our WHOLE gameplan revoles around quick ball favouring the attacking team. Every other ref has got it. For some reason he hasn't and I really do think he needs a word with Paddy O'Brien after his utter refusal to accept the law, it's critical.
4) Offside was a problem for both teams, but moreso the All Blacks

 

[qwerty51]

Seriously though, where are the ABs going to improve, that's their top gear imo. We were pretty capable in that game.

 

[FrankLind]

The Wallabies had plenty of chances in the first half to get points, and failed. The ABs missed none. I take no comfort in that, as that failure to capitalise, the lack of structure in those positions is what irks me most. We went lateral, and did not keep hitting up close, where some good ground was being made at times.
The lack of any grunt at the breakdown continues to alarm. Nobody hits. The lack of good low running position also. They start from 2 m behind the gain line standing bolt upright - I am looking at Elsom, McCalman, Pocock, Simmons. Only Horwill, Kepu, Moore really got forward.
Cooper was Cooper - at his mercurial worst, which is what we get with him once in a while. But he could have been brilliant, and we were no chance, as the grunt was missing. The defence line speed was poor, ABs great. Sure a few decisions went their way, but in the cold light of day, I'm sure a few went our way too.
Same shit, different year.
And they've got Jane, Guildford, SBW, Dagg in the shed. Not to even mention the forwards.

The Franks brothers, Mealamu, Hore, Thorn, Read and Kaino. These are the difference at the physicality at the breakdown.

I think they consistently out-muscle the Aussie forward pack provided they are up for the game.

The real problem in terms of beating the ABs are the ABs know the formula to beat the Aussie - out-muscle in contact. They are playing to their strengths. It is a simple template they know they can repeat.

 

[Scotty]

If Beale hadn't rushed out of the line for the Nonu try, if Moore would have been stronger to hold up Mealamu over the goal line, and if some more passes from Cooper would have stuck, you guys would have blown the ABs off the park! Reason to celebrate!

tragic: scrum parity? questionable scrum penalty? Did you not see your whole front row stand up? ABs clearly had the better scrum as soon as B Franks came on.

Wow, you are a very gracious winner.

 

[Victorian Reds Fan]

Seriously though, where are the ABs going to improve, that's their top gear imo. We were pretty capable in that game.

Good point Qwerty, I actually don't think it was as bad as some think.

 

[Larno]

Thoughts:

Your locks are now Sharpie and Kev starting with Vickerman on the bench. I'd say Vickerman to start, but I'd question his ability to last 80. But he is the man come the physical exhanges.

Rocky needs to up his game, BIGTIME.

Props to the front row (har har), they held the scrum solid all night.

QC (Quade Cooper) had a shit game, but will hopefully learn from the experience. Needs to start taking defenders on again, I remember him offloading to AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (I think) out of three England tacklers last year.

Nice cameo Higgers.