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So, for the ones that think they know it all regarding Aus win over Fiji and playing it down that Aus team not up to standard, well firstly, put the Fiji v New Zealand into perspective and give Fiji some credit. The Fijians matched it with the All Blacks for in 1st half…… Then they had a player given the red card at very start of 2nd half. New Zealand played 15 players on 14 for an entire second half in very good weather. Fiji seem to drop their head and All Blacks ran riot on the score sheet.
Fiji play Aus and the score is 0 - 7 to Australia 1st half in crap weather and played on darkness. Also an entire different Aus team to the one that played Japan.
So for me taking into consideration of first half with full strength team -
Fiji 7 to 8 to New Zealand and then 0 to 7 against Aus indicates where the 3 teams are at. Give some credit to Fiji and stop bagging Aus coaches and players...
With team selection - there were over 85 players selected last October 2018 who had potential to make the final cut. With that, there are a lot of variables as to why some players did not make the final cut and players were dropped as the camps progressed.
For instance a 2017 schoolboy who played the house down in NRC comes into the first camp overweight and no way could match cohort for fitness.. That player was given opportunity to get their fitness up but again returns overweight and unfit so how could the selectors pick him???
How many other spent too much time eating and drinking over xmas and did not take the opportunity with full desire and commitment like players that had been selected ?
You can have all the talent and name behind you but you cannot play at this level on talent alone. I am certain there were other talented players got dropped also due to fitness reasons. So we can all write up about players missing out but unless you close to the coaching and selection you don't really know the reasons. I can assume the Aus coach wants to reach senior levels and I am sure he would select the best players available to make his resume look good for the next job application.
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Yep lack of respect being given to Fiji as only after the red card did the all black run riot. Oz u20s doing us proud at the moment and criticism unwarranted here