Right, finally watched the game. Moving from front to back:
If Robinson wants a Wallaby jersey back he's going to need to up his work rate. He's not been to a Rugby World Cup, and Cheika needs to take him aside and tell him to start doing extras and lay off the pies.
Finger was a bit quiet. Some silly stuff in there too, but mostly from his own over-eagerness.
WHY the FUCK does Ben Alexander believe its OK to shuffle his feet backwards some time between the words "crouch" and "engage"? This must be a character flaw, because even Gandalf couldn't coach it out of him in Brumbieland. Fucksake...
Not sure why everyone is lining up to smoke Horwill. His game was decent, nothing more. Certainly better than a lot of his work this year, but that isn't saying much. If "wasn't shit" is your criteria for starting Wallaby, then you have a problem. So many times when he makes a tackle he gets in a really bad position - no wonder he gives so many penalties away.
Carter had a couple of good carries and hit the odd ruck, but jeez he needs some more time on reading a player in defence. The number of arm tackles I saw him attempt and miss was awful.
Higgers - poor bastard. Have a good rest sunshine and maybe a haircut, because McMahon fucking bossed it. Great enthusiasm and some of our forwards could take a lesson out of that. The kid's got moxie.
Hodgson had a pretty good game but with the tight five achieving precisely 34.8% of Fuck All on the EddieJonesometer you couldn't really see him standing out.
McCalman had a solid run too - some big carries, good hits, and good support lines too. Suffered a bit from the same things Hodgson did: a tight five unwilling to work hard.
Genia and Cooper can be lumped in together ... actually that's unfair to Cooper. Genia was bloody ordinary. He'd be lucky to make a Super Rugby starting XV in this country with form like that. Less running, more passing. You can't "stick" a defender if you're not threatening the ad line. Passing awful. Running awful. Just awful.
Cooper was a bit to blame for standing so wide and deep. Some of his passing was rusty as fuck, and his defence was no great shakes either. Those people barring up over him defending in the line can get back in their box - he was out the back most of the game when we didn't have the ball, and going upright with it.
Both of them are going to get minutes - for which Nic White can consider himself unlucky - so hopefully they start to come good.
Horne continues to show that hard work can exceed natural talent in a given rugby position. Just does things right. Acceleration over the first 20 is his game, plus smashing pricks. He and McMahon absolutely levelled a bloke. If only he had another two yards of top speed...
To'omua was meh. He's sort of hit a plateau this year.
Kuridrani was Kuridrani - Destroyer of Worlds.
Speight was a bit quiet, and I wouldn't be surprised if his hammy was still acting up and he's just chosen not to tell anyone. Didn't help that the distribution network inside him was busted arse.
Folau showed some nice touches but his lack of top speed was again on show when he broke through and Sarel - who is no slouch - ran him down.
Chibba was quiet, Slipper was good, Kepu was solid, Skelton was well looked after, and needs to work on his shoulders at scrum time. All these things we expected, and I've covered McMahon elsewhere.
The bench reserve backs really added some spark when they came on. The speed of ball with White over Genia was like someone hit the nitro button, and Foley's game right on the ad line jolted the men in gold into action. Lilo had some nice touches and just seems to "get" the Foley combination in a way To'omua didn't.
So when you look at the team selected for Wales, no-one is surprised, are they?
Expect Skelton to be the one missing out from the bench.
