Wallabies Squad - the Link Era

[RedsHappy]

Link won't be judged greatly on this TRC, or even this year's BC.

The honeymoon will fail away - as it should - for the Slam tour in November and December when Link has had proper time to assess his optimal squad, direct his assistant coaches in his chosen strategies, and can ingrain into that squad the type of game and modes of play he believes will be successful.

Link's smart enough to know that it's not wise to rush for plaudits now unless he also builds very solidly for enduring and better-than-Deans success in 2014 and 2015, when the time for excuses and get-outs will be well and truly over.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Only way he wins TRC is by beating the All Blacks with the 4try at Sydney and then, at worst, losing by less than 7 in Wellington.

Do-able, but nobody expects it of him straight off the bat.

 

[I like to watch]

....Link's smart enough to know that it's not wise to rush for plaudits now unless he also builds very solidly for enduring and better-than-Deans success in 2014 and 2015, when the time for excuses and get-outs will be well and truly over.

Why do you think Link will be held to a higher standard than his predecessor?
My view of the ARU is that on most occasions, no decision is their standard response.
That should just about get Link to his retirement, at a time of his choosing.

 

[Athilnaur]

If the Wallabies get thrashed by the Kiwis McKenzie will get roasted by the press. He has not been backward in pushing his case and others have blown his trumpet hard. But I doubt they will be thrashed, the team is looking the best it has on paper since 2011 and he will use them well.

There will be little controversy on the xv. A bit of debate over the locks, one prop, which loosey starts, who plays fullback but that is fine tuning. the new guys to get their opportunities primarily from the bench and injury. That will bring more than enough change. Any more than 3 players starting and that is a 27% change to the lineup.

 

[Train Without a Station]

If the Wallabies get thrashed by the Kiwis McKenzie will get roasted by the press. He has not been backward in pushing his case and others have blown his trumpet hard.

That's what I'd like to see Link target first. Eradicating the inconsistency in the Wallabies. He may not be able to massively improve us immediately, however removing those aberrations that have been so common and ensuring we are playing at a consistent level would be a great start. We do that and we probably bank another 1-2 wins annually which improves the win %.

 

[fatprop]

Deans generally kept close to the ABs by playing tight and grinding

So is Link to open up the game more and play with width ? That is a really high risk, high reward option against a team whose key skill is leveraging transitions from getting turnovers out wide

Do we kick more and make them play from near their 22? Against a side set up to counter and that does it very well

We can't attack their scrum, we may get reward from attacking their lineout

The more I think about it, the more I think we will continue to play tight and grind for long periods

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Pfitzy]

Don't be surprised if we change tactics midway through a game just to keep the ABs off balance.

And I see no reason why we can't attack their scrum - no point saying "can't" to anything when its just 15 blokes up against 15.

 

[Pfitzy]

Key quote from Link:

"You don't want to shut that down or dampen it all, or say "it's a Test match you can't do anything".

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/t...hip/story-e6frf4qc-1226691669718#.UgAvUtIwcns

 

[No4918]

I liked his talk about the ABs just being the same guys that they have been playing all year in Super Rugby quite successfully. It sounds very simple but that will the players are a lot better off hearing that than the coach saying the ABs are a couple of levels ahead. Deans should have been hung when he said that.

 

[Dumbledore]

Deans should have been hung when he said that.

Stay classy.

 

[Braveheart81]

I don't think the media and public are likely to give McKenzie much breathing space during the Rugby Championship.

I don't think there is an instant expectation that we will win the Rugby Championship however I think there will be the expectation that we are as good as we were under Deans (competitive in most games, beat South Africa in Australia, beat Argentina in both matches).

McKenzie has been pretty vocal regarding his comments about the Wallabies and certain players being selected or more to the point, not selected. He has set an expectation that his decisions will be better and that it will provide better results.

If he selects Cooper as his 10 there will be far less sympathy in terms of giving him time to develop into the role again than say To'omua who is uncapped and won't be seen as a McKenzie favourite (at least initially).

 

[Scotty]

Deans generally kept close to the ABs by playing tight and grinding

So is Link to open up the game more and play with width ? That is a really high risk, high reward option against a team whose key skill is leveraging transitions from getting turnovers out wide

Do we kick more and make them play from near their 22? Against a side set up to counter and that does it very well

We can't attack their scrum, we may get reward from attacking their lineout

The more I think about it, the more I think we will continue to play tight and grind for long periods

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

I don't think we will grind as such - more of a high tempo game that keeps the ball close to the ruck. Pick and drives and forwards running off Genia. Not the static and deep pods we saw from Deans but the flatter multiple forward runners that the Reds utilise when playing well.

Simple passes and playing close to the ad line with the hope to get in behind them or at least draw them into the middle before moving the ball fast out wide.

Sounds easy, right?

 

[No4918]

Stay classy.

'Hung out to dry' for the precious among us.

 

[Dumbledore]

'Hung out to dry' for the precious among us.

Uh huh. You'd be singing another tune if it was suggested that McKenzie be hanged. I probably am the precious one though.

 

[No4918]

Uh huh. You'd be singing another tune if it was suggested that McKenzie be hanged. I probably am the precious one though.

If he says something so stupid then I can guarantee I wouldn't. So Reds fans aren't allowed to be critical of Deans now or they're accused of state bias? Serisously?

And I wasn't suggesting he be hanged, I can see how it reads like that but 'hung out to dry' was certainly how I intended it to be read.

 

[I like to watch]

I don't think we will grind as such - more of a high tempo game that keeps the ball close to the ruck. Pick and drives and forwards running off Genia. Not the static and deep pods we saw from Deans but the flatter multiple forward runners that the Reds utilise when playing well.

Simple passes and playing close to the ad line with the hope to get in behind them or at least draw them into the middle before moving the ball fast out wide.

Sounds easy, right?

isn't that exactly what the Wallabies were doing against the Lions,and the Reds supporters were complaining that Genia was playing 10 as well?

 

[Dumbledore]

If he says something so stupid then I can guarantee I wouldn't. So Reds fans aren't allowed to be critical of Deans now or they're accused of state bias? Serisously?

And I wasn't suggesting he be hanged, I can see how it reads like that but 'hung out to dry' was certainly how I intended it to be read.

If that's how you meant it then fair play, I take it back.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I don't think we will grind as such - more of a high tempo game that keeps the ball close to the ruck. Pick and drives and forwards running off Genia. Not the static and deep pods we saw from Deans but the flatter multiple forward runners that the Reds utilise when playing well.

Simple passes and playing close to the ad line with the hope to get in behind them or at least draw them into the middle before moving the ball fast out wide.

Sounds easy, right?

That's certainly what I'd like to see. Static pods of forwards are a pet hate of mine. I much prefer to see big bodies hitting the line at pace, with other blokes running close in support. It's great footy when executed well.

 

[Braveheart81]

If he says something so stupid then I can guarantee I wouldn't. So Reds fans aren't allowed to be critical of Deans now or they're accused of state bias? Serisously?

And I wasn't suggesting he be hanged, I can see how it reads like that but 'hung out to dry' was certainly how I intended it to be read.

That's good because I was about to criticise your grammar.

If you'd wanted Robbie Deans to be hanged, at least do him the courtesy of being put out of his misery in a grammatically correct fashion.

 

[Lindommer]

I couldn't agree more, B81, it makes all the difference when correct grammar's used on the execution document. One feels so much better.....

Isn't there a Monty Python skit on this point?