Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Horwill hasn't been too bad. I think he is getting better each game. Agree with the others, Alexander has been horrible and Robinson has made no impact at all.
Wallabies v All Blacks @ Suncorp - 18/10/14
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Horwill hasn't been too bad. I think he is getting better each game. Agree with the others, Alexander has been horrible and Robinson has made no impact at all.
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
A slightly different view on player ratings, from behind enemy lines.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11345192
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11345192
Joe Blow
John Hipwell (52)
Have just watched a replay that confirmed it was a high calibre game of rugby. Top pace and quality from both sides.
For the Wallabies the standouts were the whole front row, who probably should not have been subbed until after the NZ yellow card was up allowing us to get more momentum at the scrum. They all carried and defended fiercely. Slipper is growing with every test and adding new elements to his game. I have been critical of Fainga'a in the past but he looks very much at home in the test arena and may now be our #3. Kepu looks fitter and is throwing himself into the fray with no thought of self preservation.
The others are Lealifano who was outstanding and may give the new coach a selection headache with who to start at 12 next test. His best test performance that I can remember. Of course Kuridrani was probably best on ground. Phipps decision making was spot on and showed great commitment. Fardy looks to be back to his best
And last but not least Hooper was again everywhere. We have come to expect this from him but he displays such awareness of what is unfolding on the field and continually puts himself in the right place at the right time. I don't think McAWE or Smith had that level of competence so early in their respective careers.
It was a bad decision by Nic White to kick the ball away near the death but let's not forget that his long range penalty put us in a position to win the game.
Tough loss but a very good performance to instill confidence on the field moving forward.
For the Wallabies the standouts were the whole front row, who probably should not have been subbed until after the NZ yellow card was up allowing us to get more momentum at the scrum. They all carried and defended fiercely. Slipper is growing with every test and adding new elements to his game. I have been critical of Fainga'a in the past but he looks very much at home in the test arena and may now be our #3. Kepu looks fitter and is throwing himself into the fray with no thought of self preservation.
The others are Lealifano who was outstanding and may give the new coach a selection headache with who to start at 12 next test. His best test performance that I can remember. Of course Kuridrani was probably best on ground. Phipps decision making was spot on and showed great commitment. Fardy looks to be back to his best
And last but not least Hooper was again everywhere. We have come to expect this from him but he displays such awareness of what is unfolding on the field and continually puts himself in the right place at the right time. I don't think McAWE or Smith had that level of competence so early in their respective careers.
It was a bad decision by Nic White to kick the ball away near the death but let's not forget that his long range penalty put us in a position to win the game.
Tough loss but a very good performance to instill confidence on the field moving forward.
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
Grant NZ, bro, sometimes its just better to let some posts from certain posters go straight through to the keeper... 
Savea's play in both attack and defence is invaluable at the moment. Long may it continue.
Savea's play in both attack and defence is invaluable at the moment. Long may it continue.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Does anyone think going for the kick was a poor choice. I would have gone for touch for these reasons:
1. if you get the kick the All Blacks will have a re-start where they have been dominating, and at best you will be in your own half under pressure with only 6 points up. Which is what happened.
2. There was 5 minutes remaining, wouldn't it be smarter to kick to touch, attack the All Blacks in their own half for only 5 minutes to win the game. Best case we score another try, Worst case scenario we lose the line-out but the All Blacks will have to get out of their own 22.
formerflanker
Ken Catchpole (46)
Poor Colin Slade. He soaks up all the tension and pressure to kick the ABs to a win - and then gets dropped from the ABs tour of USA and Europe.
Just rewatched the game. I thought we played great.
Where did Lilo come from? He was phenomenal, best IC performance of the year by a comfortable margin. TK and Slipper huge as always, while Phipps and Higgers had their best ever Wallaby games.
The wheels really started to fall off in the last 10 though, and it all comes back to physicality. The AB forwards really got on top of us, and once again our bench had a worrying lack of impact.
The problem with White's box kick was shown in the phases before. We had good clean ball in the middle of the field, but over the next few phases marched towards the sideline with a couple of very static hit-ups. Then White kicked from an impossible position.
We needed to be hitting the ball at pace and looking to break the advantage line. There is no substitute for forward momentum- a key example of this was in the Super Rugby final in the dying minutes. The Tahs were looking to play out the clock, and with thirty seconds left Skelton took the ball flat-footed but still broke two tackles and carried the ball 5m past the A-line. A key play that secured the game.
We needed just one hit-up like that, but it never came.
.
Where did Lilo come from? He was phenomenal, best IC performance of the year by a comfortable margin. TK and Slipper huge as always, while Phipps and Higgers had their best ever Wallaby games.
The wheels really started to fall off in the last 10 though, and it all comes back to physicality. The AB forwards really got on top of us, and once again our bench had a worrying lack of impact.
The problem with White's box kick was shown in the phases before. We had good clean ball in the middle of the field, but over the next few phases marched towards the sideline with a couple of very static hit-ups. Then White kicked from an impossible position.
We needed to be hitting the ball at pace and looking to break the advantage line. There is no substitute for forward momentum- a key example of this was in the Super Rugby final in the dying minutes. The Tahs were looking to play out the clock, and with thirty seconds left Skelton took the ball flat-footed but still broke two tackles and carried the ball 5m past the A-line. A key play that secured the game.
We needed just one hit-up like that, but it never came.
.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Exactly. Plus the wallabies should be aware the All Blacks would always chase the win, I doubt they would have gone for 3 points if given the chance, they would go for the win 99% of the time. So keep the god damn ball at their end of the field.
They will go for the win, that's true. But 5 minutes or more is a long time to try and keep the All Blacks in their 50m or 22m zone - they are bloody good at exiting, as we saw a number of times on Saturday.
I thought we would kick for territory watching the match live, and commented straight after to my wife, who watches little rugby, that 6 points can go in a flash against the ABs.
But at least the 6 points mean they must go for the try, and don't have the bail-out option of a draw, if it came to that. Plus, if the kick failed but went dead, they get a 22m receipt and a chance to get back there.
It's a tough one for me, but I am inclined to agree the kick for touch might have been the slightly better option.
I thought the decision earlier to go for touch in the first half was more odd - but Hooper justified it by stating they felt the ABs were under pressure, had a warning and a yellow card was a possibility, plus the kick was near the sideline so harder. Hmmm, maybe.
I'd hate to be making these calls - you'll never please everyone.
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
In theory going beyond 3 does allow you to push the envelope defensively and put pressure on the other side to 'make the play'.
What I noticed was that the Wallabies were really struggling to keep up with the pace of the game in the last 5-7 minutes. Things looked disorganised and I remember feeling that if we can just hold on to the ball and start fronting up at ruck time (thanks to our forward subs) we would get an opportunity to win the game.
So really any margin <7 was always in danger given that the tide had turned in the last few minutes.
What I noticed was that the Wallabies were really struggling to keep up with the pace of the game in the last 5-7 minutes. Things looked disorganised and I remember feeling that if we can just hold on to the ball and start fronting up at ruck time (thanks to our forward subs) we would get an opportunity to win the game.
So really any margin <7 was always in danger given that the tide had turned in the last few minutes.
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
I was happy with the fact that we went for the sticks. As you say Cyclo, it meant that the AB's had to go for the try. We didn't treasure the ball enough in the last few minutes though and that's what cost us the game.
Mr Doug
Dick Tooth (41)
HJ, I mentioned this a few tests ago, and compared his ability to that of Chris Latham, saying he had a lot to learn. I was admonished by a member who is far 'wiser' than me, saying that Folau is already a better #15 than Latho ever was!!
Izzy gets away with being out of position when Quade Cooper is on the field, because Quade spots the 'hole' and drops back to cover the position. Since Quade's injury, Izzy has been found wanting on several occasions.
One of the Kiwi supporters that I 'endured' the BC 3 test telecast with, commented that Folau seems to be inhibited when facing a top ranked team.
Hopefully, he can continue to adapt to Rugby on the Spring Tour, and he can start 2015 with an enlarged "bag of tricks"!
scaraby
Ron Walden (29)
I can see your call on the last play he wasn't the only one though, just good play by the blacks to stretch us to breaking point but I question how inhibited he was. Being at the game you don't see everything but his run stats would have been pretty good me thinks.....anyone got any numbers from the game?
@Hugh Jarse - I'd need to look at a replay leading up to that point, but on the phase Coles scores, the ABs start from the centre of the field about 25m out.
Phipps is the sweeper on the right side of the field (where the try is scored) and Folau looks to be sweeping on the left side (as he is out of shot).
The fullback will be the last line if the play starts from further out, but 25m out from the line, if they're the only person in the backfield, they'd have to stand in the middle of the field and chase the ball and invariably the ball would beat them to the corner every time.
Phipps was there for the cover but Coles stepped him as he ran across to make the covering tackle.
Phipps is the sweeper on the right side of the field (where the try is scored) and Folau looks to be sweeping on the left side (as he is out of shot).
The fullback will be the last line if the play starts from further out, but 25m out from the line, if they're the only person in the backfield, they'd have to stand in the middle of the field and chase the ball and invariably the ball would beat them to the corner every time.
Phipps was there for the cover but Coles stepped him as he ran across to make the covering tackle.
T
Train Without a Station
Guest
So you're saying it's Phipps' fault we lost? I knew it!
One of several. I'd say Foley was at fault firstly for rushing up a bit on Barrett and allowing the overlap. Carter didn't get across fast enough to cover Coles and then Phipps couldn't make the covering tackle.
Realistically, once we were down to Phipps it's always a low percentage play. He's racing across field at full pace knowing that he might have to give it everything to make it to the corner before the try is scored which gives the player on the break a pretty easy chance to step back inside them as Coles did.
Initially, we needed defence more like AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) early in the game where he knew he was outnumbered but he bought time by backpedalling and Kuridrani then came across and made the covering tackle.
Foley should have backpedalled with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and between them they could reasonably cover Barrett, Coles and Savea whilst Carter and Phipps got across in cover.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
It was a Do and Di game
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