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Wales v Australia, Monday 18 November 3:10am AEDT

drewprint

Dick Tooth (41)
Rapid thoughts.

I thought Kerevi was decent. Didn’t light it up, but first game back in ages. Maybe not everyone is like Sua’ali’i who can just kill it instantly. What we’ve learned with this team is the more time together the better they’ve gotten. Maybe it’s the same with Kerevi too. Worth sticking with.

Why did Slipper come off and Bell come on again? Real concerns about Bells minutes. Do we just play Kailea in that bench role next week.
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Looks like Schmidt's selections were pretty well vindicated here, Skelton destroyed the Welsh maul, Uru was great in the lineout and got through a good bit of work (though took a bit to build into the game) and even with the questionable red Kerevi carried and offloaded well and was solid defensively - Sua'ali'i's issues there were on show once he came on.

For the rest of the team I thought it was great to see a few more players really stepping up alongside the regular stars - stoked for Faessler to get reward for all his hard graft, Frost took another big step forward, McReight quieter (for him) but still somehow tackled 22/22 with two dominant and a turnover, Wright really making the jersey his own with Kellaway and Jorgensen supporting him really well and Lolesio shaking off an average start to really make his mark on the game.

I am a bit worried about Bell though, good on the carry but taught a lesson at scrum time and forced to play another 60 minute game with Slipper's head knock. Managing his minutes will be tough for the last two games of tour, particularly with Slipper likely out for a week.
 

PhilClinton

Mark Loane (55)
I am mostly happy with the fact that good decisions are being made and we clearly have some depth.

The next two games will be tougher no doubt, but I imagine we will welcome back at least a few of the injured brigade and I think someone like Skelton probably earned himself a bench spot.
 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Looks like Schmidt's selections were pretty well vindicated here, Skelton destroyed the Welsh maul, Uru was great in the lineout and got through a good bit of work (though took a bit to build into the game) and even with the questionable red Kerevi carried and offloaded well and was solid defensively - Sua'ali'i's issues there were on show once he came on.

For the rest of the team I thought it was great to see a few more players really stepping up alongside the regular stars - stoked for Faessler to get reward for all his hard graft, Frost took another big step forward, McReight quieter (for him) but still somehow tackled 22/22 with two dominant and a turnover, Wright really making the jersey his own with Kellaway and Jorgensen supporting him really well and Lolesio shaking off an average start to really make his mark on the game.

I am a bit worried about Bell though, good on the carry but taught a lesson at scrum time and forced to play another 60 minute game with Slipper's head knock. Managing his minutes will be tough for the last two games of tour, particularly with Slipper likely out for a week.
Yeah I really think we should be getting more minutes into Kailea's legs. Rolling poor old Slipper out again and again is torture.
 

griffins

Ted Thorn (20)
I'll watch in full later this evening but I'm interested in how Uru and Skelton went as a pair?
Wilson summed if up nicely but wanted to double down on Uru having a solid game after I'd questioned the selection. Nothing flashy but did his job and no cheap turnovers or moments of passivity in defence.

Still plenty to work on - scrum a concern (Bell had a rough night and as noted looks like he needs a break, which he now won't get next week). Frost again a couple of poor missed tackles and some cheap turnovers from individuals that would have attracted a lot more attention with a different/closer result (Noah poor option to even throw a cutout that also went into the stands in the first half, Wright dropping kickoff etc).

Obviously awesome to be 2/2, especially after looking creaky at half-time with Kerevi then getting red carded. Wales helped with their lineout absolutely disintegrating but our defence was also pretty solid (Suallii still a bit uncertain, that was a poor read on our line). Some entertaining tries in junk time to ice the cake too.

Also don't agree that Kerevi was poor - I thought he was punching through the gainline well, created a break with an offload and generally looked up to it (certainly a level above Paisami). The red card was also very stiff. Hopefully he gets off and gets more minutes next week
 

Alex Sharpe

Ward Prentice (10)
Great result with some good looking attack at times. Still plenty of room to improve, I think the final score line probably reflects Wales weakness more than our strength. The first Welsh try particularly showed that our goal line defence still needs to harden.

It's just a shame that yet another International is marred by a TMO farce and dubious red card. Unfucking this part of the game has to be Brett Robinsons first priority with World Rugby.
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Yeah I really think we should be getting more minutes into Kailea's legs. Rolling poor old Slipper out again and again is torture.
If there's one mistake Schmidt made with this squad I think it was not leaving Slipper at home to recover. Should probably be looking at Sio alongside Kailea as the back up right now, or maybe Hoopert. Doesn't help that if there was a game to give Bell a bit more of a rest it was this one.

Hopefully Tupou is right next week, it might give them a bit more freedom to give Bell a break, maybe running off the bench.
 

barbarian

Phil Kearns (64)
Staff member
For all the rational analysis, let's step back and look at one fact.

We just put FIFTY on one of the home nations at home. Scored eight tries. How bloody good!?!?

And I for one want to tip my hat to the bloke that set this all up, the man who has this team HUMMING - Hamish McLennan. He's too modest to say anything but his contribution outweighs those made by any player or coach. We salute you, sir!
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Has this game confirmed Nic White and Samu Kerevi probably won't be in Joe Schmidt's future plans? Injuries notwithstanding.
I haven't watched the Aus XV game yet, but reports of Lonergan's performance weren't great and that's what might keep White in the squad for next year.

It'll depend on the outcome of the judiciary, but it's unlikely Kerevi gets another shot to prove he should be there for the Lions. Will likely remain an option in the event of injury to Ikitau/Sua'ali'i/Paisami though.
 

Dctarget

Tim Horan (67)
Yeeeeee-fucking-hawwwwww!

Almost caught myself feeling sorry for the Welsh there, almost. Then I remembered the big bucks I shelled out to go sit in the stadium in Lyon and watch us get pummeled 40-6 in the worst fan experience of my life and my sympathy evaporated hot quick.

When was the last time we actually put a team to the sword? Ran riot against them? Deans days? We were scoring tries just for the shit of it at the end there.

Hard to judge because of how bad Wales are but that's a way better performance than against England, down a player for 20 and completely shut out a team. I'm in awe, such a good feeling.
 

whitefalcon

Ron Walden (29)
Quick thoughts.

- A great result but I didn’t feel we were as dominant as last week
- White is a step backwards from Gordon
- Discipline was a concern tonight but admittedly Doleman is terrible
- I echo the concerns about Slipper. He looks done and I’m not sure why Kailea isn’t getting a run off the bench
- The red shouldn’t have been a red
- How can a player who has been knocked out not go off for a HIA??
 

Tex

Greg Davis (50)
Reffing was generally okay. Not sure about the HIA penalty being overturned on the basis of the tackler being "out cold", who's then determined to be fine but "stunned".

Since when was being stunned an explanation for loitering at the bottom of our ruck?
 

JRugby2

Ted Thorn (20)
Rapid thoughts.

I thought Kerevi was decent.
Didn’t light it up, but first game back in ages. Maybe not everyone is like Sua’ali’i who can just kill it instantly. What we’ve learned with this team is the more time together the better they’ve gotten. Maybe it’s the same with Kerevi too. Worth sticking with.

Why did Slipper come off and Bell come on again? Real concerns about Bells minutes. Do we just play Kailea in that bench role next week.
Respectfully - he stank.

Be interested to see his stat line but he was ineffective all game.

Biggest body in either backline and I don't remember a single dominant carry or tackle. Hands we're average. How the hell he is held up is beyond me - his balance must have been all over the shop if he's turned over by a 80kg winger in motion as he's diving for the line.

The red card was the icing on the cake - first time he goes in with any gusto he's upright and rightly sent off.
 
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