Terrific game where both sets of fans had highs and lows.
• Oz were out-coached at Eden Park but it was the other way around in the 1st half as the Blacks dropped ball after ball when they dished it wide in greasy conditions. They got it right by going narrow in the 2nd half. It was a no brainer, and it was disturbing how something so obvious could not be defended by Oz.
The Ireland coaches will have a few notes on that. They could play that game against us even if it is dry, with the brilliant SOB making a few long runs every now and then.
• The scrum was found out. Myth kept denying right shoulder to Alexander and sometimes drove through him. I can't wait until Slipper gets up to speed and can start with Kepu - that's if Deans calls it that way, since he seems to have some man-love for Benny. I am not so worried about the mistakes in the lineout. The individuals are technically proficient; so the errors are more easily fixed.
• I was concerned about the shape of the Oz backline before the game but they played the greasy conditions better than the Kiwis. The man for all seasons, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), was made for this game and the no-frills midfield thrived on attacking defence except when the Oz forwards went missing in the 3rd quarter.
• The Samo try will still be shown a hundred years from now with other favourites such as the Horan try, also against the Blacks, at the 1991 RWC. His rugby story will form a small part of Wallaby history too, and if we bring Bill back – it will be part of a legend.
• Vito was terrific for the Blacks in their narrow game of the 2nd half. Coaches love players who are not that big on the scales, but play big. The Blacks midfield was dangerous in the 3rd quarter and I thought then that they would have the winning of the match. Little Kev played well and when he wasn't tripping Wallabies A. Williams played well of the bench.
Did Corey Jane actually play? Can't remember him – no, that's right: he tackled Samo on the line, I think.
• I thought referee Barnes had a fine game, give or take a few things others saw too, and much superior to B. Lawrence in Durban, but players from both sides, including Vickerman and Moore from Oz, should feel lucky that they weren't pinged for attacking rucks with their shoulders. Kepu continues to be a goose sometimes: tried to pull down a maul right in front of the ref but fortunately did not succeed.
• Am stoked that the Wallabies came right back after the Blacks 2nd try, as NZ did after Elsom's try at Eden Park, and that the Wallabies have won 3N, but, in a way, I'm even more stoked that they have played two good test matches in a row against top opponents.
