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D
daz
Guest
God help me, but this could be messy.
I have tipped the Wobs consistently come rain hail or shine. Since there is only likely to be 2 out of 3 of those conditions on offer in CCH, I therefore feel I can get away with breaking that rule for this game.
A pleasant few minutes reliving old Wallaby highlights on YouTube (Larkham drop goal, anyone?) has actually just made me depressed.
Blecks by 20.
Fuck that hurt.....
I have tipped the Wobs consistently come rain hail or shine. Since there is only likely to be 2 out of 3 of those conditions on offer in CCH, I therefore feel I can get away with breaking that rule for this game.
A pleasant few minutes reliving old Wallaby highlights on YouTube (Larkham drop goal, anyone?) has actually just made me depressed.
Blecks by 20.
Fuck that hurt.....
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
It's like Basil Fawlty's "Don't mention the war" - don't mention the test match.
We should do better than last week but that is no great ambition. I have two minds about possible bad weather.
On the one hand: it should blunt the Blacks attacking play and instead of 50-30, near enough, may be about 25-15 by dividing by two. On the other hand Oz rugby players since the retirement of the great Noddy seem to be genetically incapable of playing a wet weather game, so 30-10 may be a bit more like it. Ironically Barnes probably has the natural game for the wet but he had to be dropped IMO.
Come to think of it: the 28 points that Oz scored last week would usually win a lot of test matches. A pity about the 49 to the Blacks.
If there's anything I want to see from Christchurch is some improvement in restarts. Kafer described the situation well on the Rugby Club but what he forgot to mention is that it is a perennial problem for Oz. Sometimes there is excellence in the activity but it is so occasional that it seems accidental when it does happen.
Ironically the Kiwis have had some problems with restarts in the recent past and have fixed it. To be fair to the Wallabies: the All Blacks have obviously been practising.
I will have a teary eye when I see the Oz team with the twins run on in Christchurch. I met the Fainga'a family at Riverview during the 2004 Oz Schools tournament and the boys came over after their game and I said G'day to them. I'd like to say that I picked them both to be Wallabies, but it wasn't the case as it was a pretty average year.
Scrummie Josh Holmes looked the most likely of that tranche and Christian Lealiifano looked likely. Cowan was probably the best Schools LHP I ever saw but he wasn't that big and it was more his work around the park that took my eye. I opined on the other forum that he may have senior success as a hooker !! But I digress.
That's how much I know - and to be honest I wouldn't have picked the twins as future run on Wallabies last year either.
PS - the grandmother or aunt, I forget, wanted the boys to play league for her team, the Raiders. I bet she is proud of them now. Incidentally, I didn't notice the mum being of aborigine descent, but regardless: it's good to see 3 indigenous lads in the team.
.
JJJ
Vay Wilson (31)
We'll be crushed by wet-weather tactics. Moore should really be starting, with Fainga'a coming on 50-60 mins in. Our scrum will crumple. They may even throw in some embarrassingly effective mauls. One player will be sent off for ruck vigilanteism and probably another one for scrum infringements (ie Maafu). Kaplan will do to us what Kaplan does to us best. My liver will die a little more. Thus it is written.
The margin may be kinder due to the conditions though. It may even be respectable.
The margin may be kinder due to the conditions though. It may even be respectable.
D
daz
Guest
You won't be on your Pat Malone on that one, Lee. Just a massive, massive moment for Oz rugby fans, Reds supporters and the Fainga'a family. All the best to them.
I'll be toasting the twins when they run on. However, I expect that I'll be actually toasted by the end of the game....Just to dull the pain.
Ali's Choice
Jimmy Flynn (14)
Heard today that under Kaplan, the Waratahs have just one solitary win from 16 games. Whilst clearly the Wallabies are a different team, that stat would have to be worrying for Wallaby supporters.
C
chief
Guest
Kaplan's Record for Australia games. 4-6 win loss ratio. That's not too bad. There may be other games, but there is no record.
2000: Australia defeated NZ
2001: Australia defeated British and Irish Lions
2002: Australia Lost to NZ (12-6)
2003: Australia lost to NZ (21-17 )
2004: Australia defeated NZ (23-18 )
2006: Australia lost to NZ in Christchurch (32-12)
2007: Australia defeated Wales in Sydney (29-23)
2008: Australia lost to NZ at Suncorp (28-24)
2009: Australia lost to NZ at ANZ (19-18 )
2009: Australia drew with Ireland at Croke Park (19-19 )
There may be other games as well that he's reffed us. Maybe it does show that there's no merit in our Kaplan hating.
2000: Australia defeated NZ
2001: Australia defeated British and Irish Lions
2002: Australia Lost to NZ (12-6)
2003: Australia lost to NZ (21-17 )
2004: Australia defeated NZ (23-18 )
2006: Australia lost to NZ in Christchurch (32-12)
2007: Australia defeated Wales in Sydney (29-23)
2008: Australia lost to NZ at Suncorp (28-24)
2009: Australia lost to NZ at ANZ (19-18 )
2009: Australia drew with Ireland at Croke Park (19-19 )
There may be other games as well that he's reffed us. Maybe it does show that there's no merit in our Kaplan hating.
Hawko
Tony Shaw (54)
Maybe if you support one of the other franchises but not if you support the Waratahs. His bias is legendary.
His record reffing australia is better but IMO inside the game he doesn't handle us well. He referees us very aggressively, perhaps as a first strike strategy to avoid us getting over the top of him (what you might like to call the Gregan legacy) and he tends to let things go at the breakdown in the interests of a free flowing game. This often leads to resentment from the forwards and consequent appealing and back-chatting which he hates. A free-flowing game is OK only if it doesn't disadvantage the opposing team when offences are ignored.
Hawko
Tony Shaw (54)
What can you say that hasn't already been said? Repeating ad nauseum that we may see more application in the tackle this week and maybe a bit more skills work but we are unlikely to get a win with the current All Black skills supremacy, the weather and Kaplan intervening. It is pretty depressing if you dwell on it.
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
I think we will all be watching, as always, but most of us are thinking the result is a forgone conclusion. I can't say I have ever felt that the Wallabies have gone into a game where I give them no hope at all of winning. Given their good game one week and shit for the next 6 we have seen over the last two or more years we are all getting a bit sick of it. I hope JON is taking note because if Deans' reported comments about being totally focused on the RWC are true the ARU may well find they have eroded the supporter base back to the rabid Rugby following such as those of us that continue to follow the Tahs after 15 years of disappointment.
As Hawko says what can be said that hasn't been said. No real change has been made to the team apart from A. Finger and I doubt his impact with Giteau pushing him sideways from Flyhalf.
As Hawko says what can be said that hasn't been said. No real change has been made to the team apart from A. Finger and I doubt his impact with Giteau pushing him sideways from Flyhalf.
liquor box
Peter Sullivan (51)
Well I am disapointed at the result, but am happy for the future, given a few decisions that went against us and only a 10 point margin it was a better result than last week. A 10 point loss in NZ is not the worst thing ever.
We will look a lot more organized with QC (Quade Cooper) back next game.
We will look a lot more organized with QC (Quade Cooper) back next game.
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
My initial thoughts:-
Where has that effort been hiding for the last two years?
Giteau is not a Flyhalf's foreskin. He either plays 12 or not at all.
Ma'afu is a liability. He fell off a few tackles and should not take 40 minutes to work out his opponent in the scrum, especially since he played him last week.
Without Pocock the Wallabies backrow would be beaten and well beaten in everygame. Brown provides Zero go forward. He made the gain line once all game.
If we had able players in those three positions with that kind of effort that game was winnable, against all my earlier belief.
Where has that effort been hiding for the last two years?
Giteau is not a Flyhalf's foreskin. He either plays 12 or not at all.
Ma'afu is a liability. He fell off a few tackles and should not take 40 minutes to work out his opponent in the scrum, especially since he played him last week.
Without Pocock the Wallabies backrow would be beaten and well beaten in everygame. Brown provides Zero go forward. He made the gain line once all game.
If we had able players in those three positions with that kind of effort that game was winnable, against all my earlier belief.
Sandpit Fan
Nev Cottrell (35)
Yeah, trouble is we never really looked like getting over their line with phase play. At least they hardened up from last week.
Scratching my head as to why Kaplan didn't send Woodcock off - that was as deliberate a dirty hit as anything Bakkies Botha did, pretty fucking low act for mine.
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
Much better. That's the kind of gutsy, spirited performance that we've all been asking for. They gave heaps and came up short, but I don't think anyone can fault the endeavour. What is required now is the polish and the combinations to make them into a world class team. Cooper coming back will certainly help, though it upsets the midfield a bit. It would be very harsh to drop Anthony after that wholehearted effort, but Gits is great at 12. Kurtley did enough to suggest he's worth another crack at fullback and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) shut down Smith pretty well.
I think we still need better application at the breakdown, though this week was certainly an improvement. Another ball runner to bust the line is also needed in the pack. We aren't getting enough in that department right now.
I think we still need better application at the breakdown, though this week was certainly an improvement. Another ball runner to bust the line is also needed in the pack. We aren't getting enough in that department right now.
mark_s
Chilla Wilson (44)
Better, but still many mistakes to really pressure the blacks. I also thought the blacks clocked off after about 25 mins. IT would have been interesting to see what would have happened if gits had of kicked that loong range penalty.
Anyway, well done to the blacks. Best team over the first 5 games of the 3Ns by far.
Anyway, well done to the blacks. Best team over the first 5 games of the 3Ns by far.
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