Wallabies v All Blacks, Saturday 19th August, ANZ Stadium Sydney

[Dismal Pillock]

Struggling to give a shit. Between the garbage French refs and constant finicky arcane law "controversies" and money wankers

"We 'ave a deal". Did anyone ever come out and say what that was even all about? Hello? Any transparency? We're the fans here, we prop the whole artificing edifice up.

If they're just going to insult us why bother.

 

[Braveheart81]

 

[A mutterer]

nice promo.

certainly got my blood pumping.

 

[Moono75]

I don't know. Everything surrounding the promotion of this game and the messaging about unity just feels like a slap in the face.

I'll watch the game at the pub but for the first time in a very long time I won't be donning the Wallabies jersey and I can't see myself actively cheering the team on.

The ARU has a lot to answer for, they have managed to orchestrate a disconnection between fans and our national team

 

[A mutterer]

I don't know. Everything surrounding the promotion of this game and the messaging about unity just feels like a slap in the face.

I'll watch the game at the pub but for the first time in a very long time I won't be donning the Wallabies jersey and I can't see myself actively cheering the team on.

The ARU has a lot to answer for, they have managed to orchestrate a disconnection between fans and our national team

totally get where you're coming from.

however, despite what some pundits think, hooper as captain of both the tahs and wallabies hasn't been the secret mastermind behind all of this.

you have some of your lot playing game day - pretty sure they'd appreciate the support for the team and for themselves

 

[Braveheart81]

I understand where the Force fans are coming from, but I really don't get how supporting the Wallabies has ever been about the ARU executive or the board or ever will be.

The 23 blokes out on the field on Saturday night have nothing to do with this mess.

 

[emuarse]

I have supported the Wallabies for over 50 years.
Nothing will dim my ardour for the team, ever.
Those who are selected to play, will give their all - no doubt. As their predecessors have done before them.
So stand behind your team... or fuck off!

 

[Ignoto]

I don't know. Everything surrounding the promotion of this game and the messaging about unity just feels like a slap in the face.

I dunno, maybe it's the alcohol, but if Queenslanders are able to push through the pain of cheering a Tah on while wearing Gold then you'll find, that you're able to support the Australian national team!

 

[Tangawizi]

Wonder what the forecast crowd is. Seems you can now pick up a ticket for $46 on Ticketek website.

Meant to be sky high at that price but you could probably move closer fairly easily.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[wamberal]

I understand where the Force fans are coming from, but I really don't get how supporting the Wallabies has ever been about the ARU executive or the board or ever will be.

The 23 blokes out on the field on Saturday night have nothing to do with this mess.

Neither do any of the many thousands who play the game at various levels, and the myriads who support them. I do get a bit tired of the constant carping and back-biting. We have real enemies, we should be grouping together to fight them (figuratively), not each other.

 

[TSR]

So stand behind your team. or fuck off!

The last thing we need right now is to be telling a single rugby supporter to 'fuck off'.

All Western Force supporters can justifiably feel aggrevied at present. A good number of non WF supporters are too. Some/many possibly even most are already lost to the game.

The last thing we need is to be turning on each other and disenfranchising whatever remain connection they have to rugby.

 

[TOCC]

Ah who we kidding... it's Cheika... Foley will be 5/8, Beale at 12 and Folau at 15

 

[upthereds#!]

almost think a team of non selected/ unavailable players would have a better chance, and that's not even game 23...it's in the 34 man squad.

1.Slipper 2. Latu 3. Ainsley
4. Carter 5. Skelton
6. Fardy 8. Higs 7. Pocock
9. Gordon 10. Quade 11. Naivalu 12. Hunt 13. Horne 14. Tomane 15. JOC (James O'Connor)
16. Hanson 17. Smith 18. Holmes 19. Tui 20. Mccalman 21. Louwrens 22. Gits 23. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

 

[Nick Christie]

I actually find this ad really refreshing to some of the ones from the past. Usually its some deep voice going "this year is our year" and so on and it makes even a loyal fan cringe (maybe especially a loyal fan unsure at this point). So its nice to have an ad that kind of goes to the core of a team sport in fighting for an extra inch for the blokes beside you.

 

[jimmydubs]

I prefer van Humphries Sunday speech.

Just need some clever editing to make the red turn into gold (or budgie yellow)

 

[KOB1987]

Ah who we kidding. it's Cheika. Foley will be 5/8, Beale at 12 and Folau at 15

In fairness, how many coaches would select differently?

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Wonder what the forecast crowd is. Seems you can now pick up a ticket for $46 on Ticketek website.



Meant to be sky high at that price but you could probably move closer fairly easily.



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Sadly I think like most the crowd will be one of the lowest on record for a Sydney vs All black test match going back a long time. Probably still get quite a few kiwi ex pats given large numbers in Sydney and few remaining very rusted on still hanging on. If the crowd was an absolute shocker and put the final blow torch on the ARU to lead to a complete cleanout and overall of the ARU executive and board I would take that short term financial pain/hit for longer term benefits this would bring.

I will still watch the game with my mates at the pub but as also discussed with a few of them this week, unfortunately all the goings on with oz rugby not being competitive at Super Rugby and Wallaby level and now with the ARU baffling decision to axe the force means we are just too disengaged to want to spend the money going to a Super Rugby or Wallaby game.

But we are all planning to watch more club rugby and NRC games so we are not lost to the game, but level of and how support the professional game been diminished. Hope something happens to change that over time, but otherwise we are done going to live Wallaby or Super Rugby games.

I feel for players representing the wallabies this Saturday as they don't deserve it, but the fans also don't deserve to have the current ARU board and executive in place who have so badly alienated fans like myself and my mates. Somethings got to change to get us back wanting to go to a live Super Rugby and Wallabies game.

 

[TOCC]

Be lucky to crack 40,000 at this match, maybe mid 30s

 

[Braveheart81]

A big challenge in this game for the Wallabies will be scrum stability at LHP. It was a clear weakness for us in June.

You would assume Sio will start and the bench option will be Faulkner or Robertson.

I don't think there is much difference between any of the options currently and they will all have to improve on where they were at in June.

I assume TPN will start and it seems clear that Timani is starting at 8 from the media yesterday. Sio and Ala'alatoa will be the starting props, Coleman and Arnold the locks and Hooper at 7.

Hanigan or McMahon at 6 but it does sound like Hanigan may retain that spot with McMahon on the bench (I'd start McMahon).

I think the backline will be Genia, Foley, DHP, Beale, Kerevi, Speight, Folau.

I'd imagine Moore will be on the bench with Kepu, Rodda will be the reserve lock, McMahon (or Hanigan) the reserve backrower. Phipps, Hodge and Meakes/Kuridrani/Rona to round out the 23.

It sounds like Rona has spent a fair bit of time training on the wing so perhaps he is a decent chance at the 23 jersey.

 

[fatprop]

Always worth remembering whether a forward is starting or finishing is usually an argument over 5 to 10 minutes of playing time