Wales v Australia

[Pfitzy]

Pfitzy, you really like to play the man with sarcasm don't you.

Like the Wallabies, I have to find ways to play down to the level of my opposition.

I'm also extremely fucking tired of people accusing me of "playing the provincial card" when they're the ones starting it.

The big problem is that some people are judging Foley on performance, but their own favourites on potential.

So, as the cricket saying goes: runs on the board count. Foley is 100% kicking, 100% results on the EOYT at 10. No-one else is.

first half the defence was average, second half the defence was very solid, whatever the technical issue was, it was fixed

Welsh were disrupted a bit by injuries too. Biggar was having a decent game when he wasn't trying to kick it into the roof (I'm still laughing at the mental midgets here saying he ran his attack better than Foley), and Priestland hasn't materialised into the saviour he looked to be a couple of years back.

Webb was sharp, and replacing him with Mike Phillips was probably the biggest difference. Phillips is a physical threat but a bloody ordinary half back.

 

[barbarian]

Game situation (timing, ref, kick-off receipt location) was almost identical to the Super Rugby final, except the Wobs were out of penalty goal range. Tahs managed to do it fairly easily in the end by keeping the ball in hand.

Agree you would hope the forwards would have shown a bit more urgency, not sure Genia and Foley had any other options.
.

 

[Viking]

Hmmm yes but Hooper put him over for one, and Wales put him over for the second. if he doesn't take the intercept he is in the shit for being out of position.
Yeah i had Phipps up there, and Kurindrani had another good game.
Wonder how long its going to be until Kurindrani usual good game has him always sitting mid pack, cant wait to have To'omua and Kurindrani back in 12 / 13.

Yes after watching the reply I regret not putting Hooper in my 3-2-1.

 

[Tomikin]

Yes we all know that allowing Foley to kick the drop goal is part of the secret Waratah plot to take over the test team.

In the eyes of some, one Waratah in the test team is one too many. (And then any loss is blamed on the Waratahs not pulling their weight in Australian rugby - just like lack of coverage for the NRC final was the Waratahs fault because none of our teams made the final)

I thought Phipps and Foley were both great and they are both maturing and getting better every week. Phipps seems to be the only half who can pass flat without taking a skip step or two. Kurindrani continues to excel. Folau and Hooper at their usual high standard.

The scrum started well and while they were under pressure leading up to the penalty try, the scrum feed was at 45% and should have been a Wallaby FK - or are we back to not enforcing scrum feeds?

A solid performance all round from the team - particularly impressed that they came back and won after losing the lead in the second half.

What a fucking load of crap.. We all are bias a little mostly because thats the players we watch most.


I agree with the rest the guys went well. But for years in a row we beat Wales they are no AB'S Boks or England...

 

[Tomikin]

Didn't we win?? Fuck that new coach and we beat the Welsh again and at there game Foley field goal.. Eat a Dick Welsh

 

[Pfitzy]

Yep. We won. Played hard, done good.

But fuck we'll need another gear for France across the park, and I include Foley in that for reference.

Question is- actually I'll go over to the French thread now.

 

[Ash]

Like the Wallabies, I have to find ways to play down to the level of my opposition.

I'm also extremely fucking tired of people accusing me of "playing the provincial card" when they're the ones starting it.

If you go back, you will find that you, actually, were the one who started the accusing.

Welsh were disrupted a bit by injuries too. Biggar was having a decent game when he wasn't trying to kick it into the roof (I'm still laughing at the mental midgets here saying he ran his attack better than Foley), and Priestland hasn't materialised into the saviour he looked to be a couple of years back.

Webb was sharp, and replacing him with Mike Phillips was probably the biggest difference. Phillips is a physical threat but a bloody ordinary half back.

Not only is this sort of abuse unacceptable to other posters, in the context of the game it is severely questionable. Biggar was off within 50 minutes and the Welsh attack went to nothing with Priestland came on. When Biggar was on he had the Welsh playing at width, causing us massive problems.

Overall, lift your game, Pfitzy.

Right now you are just plain abusive with little addition in your posts.

I am starting to your holier than thou attitude annoying, when it is you often bringing the abuse and conversation downwards, whether it is direct or passive aggressive.

 

[Joe Blow]

Yes after watching the reply I regret not putting Hooper in my 3-2-1.

It's easy not to as we all expect him to play at that level week in and out, much like Folau.

 

[ForceFan]

I've commented that Hooper needed to be subbed on a number of occasions because he looked "spent" after ~65 minutes and was having little impact on the game. BUT in the game against Wales he really lifted in the last 13 minutes.
In the last 13 minutes:
+ Hooper laid on 6 of his 17 tackles. Others with good numbers were McCalman 3 (of his 10) and Faulkner 3 (10 mins).
+ There were 48 rucks in these 13 minutes (33 in Attack and 15 in Defence).
+ Hooper made 16 (48%) of the rucks in Attack but only a single ruck in Defence. Seems that he was providing tackle support.
+ Hodgson made 10 (30%) of the rucks in Attack and 8 (53%) of the rucks in Defence.


+ Hodgson* made 18 rucks, 15 early (83%) and 11 with impact (61%); 1 critical turnover, 1 tackle.
+ Hooper made 17 rucks, 9 with early engagement (1st or 2nd) (53%) and 5 with impact (29%).
+ Skelton* made 11 rucks, 9 early (82%) and 5 with impact (45%). 1 tackle and 1 tackle-assist.
+ Horwill made 11 rucks, 8 early (73%) and 8 with impact (73%).
+ Hanson* made 9 rucks, 8 early (89%) and 2 with impact (22%).
+ Leali'ifano made 8 rucks, 8 early (100%) and 8 with impact (100%).
+ McCalman made 7 rucks, 6 early (86%) and 2 with impact (29%).
+ Alexander* made 7 rucks, 4 early (57%) and 1 with impact (15%).
+ Kuridrani made 5 rucks, 4 early (80%) and 2 with impact (40%).
+ Tomane made 4 rucks, 4 early (100%).
+ Faulkner* made 4 rucks, 2 early (50%) and 2 with impact (50%).
+ Folau made 3 rucks, all early and 2 with impact (67%).
+ Other players had only minor ruck involvements.
Comments:
* Indicates replacements. These 5 all worked hard.
+ Early engagement = 1st or 2nd to ruck.
+"Impact" means active engagement, strong physical contact, changed shape of ruck, clean-out, etc. i.e. more than hand on someone's bum or playing statues.
+ Ben McCalman was a workhorse all game and still put in at the end!
+ Good 7 minutes by Tetera Faulkner
+ Impressed by the ongoing involvement in rucks by Leali'ifano, Kuridrani, Tomane and Folau (2 impressive cleanouts). I expect that these players are listening to Cheika.
+This is my own ruck data gathered from replays.

 

[Braveheart81]

Great insight ForceFan!

Hooper was incredible in those last few minutes in particular. His covering tackles together with a dominant tackle or two after the kicks downfield were the difference that got us home in my view.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Have the Wallabies improved if they've just come off a win against Wales? A team they traditionally beat - won 14, lost 2 and drawn 1 since 2003.

Wales are no slouch in my book, but it just seems that the Wallabies have held a longstanding win record against them and on their turf (7 of the last 8), that the coach really hasn't been a factor.

However such records do not stop it seems questions being asked about the coach. Hence we get into debates with statements thrown around like "we are in no better position under [insert coach name of the last decade] than we were when [insert another coach name of the last decade]."

I thought OZ played some really positive rugby at times and that needs to be taken on its merit for what it was. There were some concerning signs with the lack of physicality at the breakdown and not enough support when needed. I think that is reflected in the fact that the Wallaby 4,5,6 struggled to win over fans with their performances.

But well done Cheika, first test win. Regardless of whether its Wales or any other nation, it would've felt good to get the test win and the team should be congratulated IMO

 

[Braveheart81]

I don't think you can say the Wallabies improved but it was a good win given the recent turmoil and having a new coach trying to implement some new systems (particularly a different defensive structure0.

Given it was our first away win for the year, it's hard to view it as anything other than a success.

The challenge now is to show improvement over the remaining three games and hopefully win a couple of them!

 

[Viking]

Was definitely a success. Still lots of improvement to be made too. Which is exciting.

Would love to see more runners hitting the ball at pace. There seemed to be a lot of flat-footed play. I expect to see less flat-footed play as the players adapt to "Cheika-ball".

If we continue to improve and adapt, this is going to be a cracker of a tour.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Am I the only one that feels that half of the wallabies problems come scrum time is the fact that they always seem to be in damage control rather than on the attack? The amount of times I saw slipper brace and take the Samson Lee's weight was insane you can't win scrums that way.



I am not saying hey never attack opponents scrums but they definitely do it a lot less than most top tier nations.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Am I the only one that feels that half of the wallabies problems come scrum time is the fact that they always seem to be in damage control rather than on the attack? The amount of times I saw slipper brace and take the Samson Lee's weight was insane you can't win scrums that way.

Im no expert but isn't that a concern at the Welsh packing so as to over extend us?
That is they let us come to them - not sure that works any more but that used to be a favourite northern hemisphere trick, IIRC.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

^^^are you saying we were over extended or they were?



If we were trying to get the welsh to over extend there legs. Then we failed to utilise it as when prop lets their feet get out from underneath them and 'lock' their legs. They are in prime position to for a team to attack.



But I think you will find if anyone was locking out it was the Wallabies.



Scrums are physics if one scrum continues to move forward the other scrum must match there force to stay counter act their momentum. Obviously locking out does work at times but only when the ball is coming straight out. Such technique can't last forever hence the wallabies struggled at times. On the odd occasion we did actually try and move forward we looked good.

 

[USARugger]

Great insight ForceFan!

Hooper was incredible in those last few minutes in particular. His covering tackles together with a dominant tackle or two after the kicks downfield were the difference that got us home in my view.

The sheer workrate and intensity involved in the final play of the game from Hooper actually had me feeling a little gassed..

That's just unreal at 82 minutes.

 

[Braveheart81]

It certainly wasn't the finish I wanted when it was after 3am and I wanted to get straight to sleep.

Took me about half an hour to calm down after the match. Talk about an intense finish!

 

[Jagman]

Answering my own question I posed earlier, no Australia does not move up from their ranking of fourth.

Yes they will when the IRB website puts in the weekends result. Australia will go up by just a little less than 1 point to about 85.4 and England will go down by .5 to about 85.3


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Inside Shoulder]

^^^are you saying we were over extended or they were?

us.
Not saying I'm right, either, only that it used to be a ploy