Wallabies V Boks Loftus Versfeld Pretoria 28/08/2010

[Gnostic]

I find it baffling why Giteau has started falling off tackles. His technique is as good as ever, he isn't out of position but just falls off tackles that he made his whole career.

I disagree re:- Beale's defence Hawko. He has improved immeasurably since his early turnstile day in S14.

All other points could be just a see previous game critique really, and that is itself posing a very very disturbing question.

 

[DPK]

3. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) had a very poor game. Why he did not use his renowned fend is a mystery, and he was often caught in the tackle. Who would want to be a winger outside him?

I have to stop you there; did AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) have enough time to get his arm up to fend in the 2 milliseconds Cooper's pass gave him? AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) needs a long wind up to be most effective, where he had attract defenders a hold up in the tackle with his leg drive, not just catch the ball basically on the defenders toes and smash through. That's Mortlock's type of hit up, not AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

 

[Thin Thighs]

While I do not necessarily agree with every last word that Hawko has put forward in his summation, I think he has effectively summed up the game and the collective frustrations of all the armchair reviewers who are pissed off about the one that got away.

We should have won and by a reasonable margin. We did not. Put simply, about 20 minutes before the fat shiela started singing, we lost the plot and played (and were coached) like the under 12's in the state championships.

Where are the professional journalists asking the hard questions of Deans and his team?
We are left in the dark about what was actually going through the mind of Dingo Deans and his cronies in the coaches box.

Guess what guys? We pay your salaries. We are your shareholders! Without my hard earned $ paying for overpriced tickets, ARU merchandise, and Foxtel subscriptions, you have no revenue and are no better than the Australian Dodgeball Association.

Wake up, be honest and up front with your paymasters - US.

 

[RedsHappy]

....Guess what guys? We pay your salaries. We are your shareholders! Without my hard earned $ paying for overpriced tickets, ARU merchandise, and Foxtel subscriptions, you have no revenue and are no better than the Australian Dodgeball Association. Wake up, be honest and up front with your paymasters - US.

TT - your points about this 'business of rugby' being a fan-led, fan-paid business, and where we fans should - with every right - demand excellence of performance and results, are extremely important, and valid. Unfortunately, the current ARU is a kind of citadel of self-flattering complacency, but I sense, just as you imply, 'a shareholder revolt' is coming, and it can't come soon enough.

 

[Reddy!]

With all due respect, Reddy!, maybe watch the game before posting opinion on it.

Or you could answer some of my questions and inform those of us who don't have time to watch football matches. I was sleeping !!! But don't worry, I have since caught up with all the goss.

 

[Joe Blow]

Hawko is right that there does not appear to be any structure embedded for the team to fall back on in the last 15-20 minutes when they were tired.
Is it possible that these issues were not discussed during training this week?
What happens when Sharpie goes off or if Vic breaks our lineout code.
What happens if we are unable to tire the Bok defense by Crusader like side to side play?
What set moves to play from a lineout or scrum deep inside the the Boks 22?
How should we consolidate after a score?
Late in the game when both sides are tired how should we play the game?

You would think that all of these issues have been discussed and solutions decided upon. If so why are the players not carrying out the coaching teams instructions?
If this is the case then Deans needs to change the players who are not following instructions.
Maybe he favours Maafu, Fainga'a, Mumm, Brown etc because they genuinely do follow his instructions, or try to, and others do not agree with his tactics?

The whole setup is a bit of a mess at the moment with an obvious lack of self belief and confidence in the coaches and other players.
As for not using the bench at altitude when it was obvious that several players had run out of puff...........what the hell was that?

 

[cyclopath]

Or you could answer some of my questions and inform those of us who don't have time to watch football matches. I was sleeping !!! But don't worry, I have since caught up with all the goss.

Strangely, I was not worried, bloke.

 

[Spewn]

Did anyone see Knuckles's team in the Herald. Thank god he is not the coach. He still wants the Chis in the 2nd row.

For the first time I have to give it to KB (Kurtley Beale). He was good. This nonsense about dropping JOC (James O'Connor) for the big jaw from Newington should be squashed. Turner would never have scored the two tries Bieber scored.

Giteau offers zilch. I say see what happens when he is dropped.

Stop wasting bench space with burgess and barnes. Why would anyone want them to come on.

Can we please dispense with brown and mumm. They are not test level.

Maafu cannot tackle or clean out. Why is he there?

The attack was light years ahead of Christchurch. Cooper made a huge difference but we need more direct runners.

We will win the next three matches.

 

[DPK]

I like Spewn's solution:
1. Chop all the dead wood.
2. ?
3. Win all remaining games.

 

[I like to watch]

How? are we going to play 59 minute test matches from now on?
We had the fuckers on toast and took our foot off their throat.
Last night I was filthy with Robbie regarding his use of the bench, but on reflection we have been in a position to win plenty of matches before capitulating.It seems to me that we can compete but we cannot put them away.It is a mental toughness thing.don't know where the blame lies but this seems to be a characteristic of this playing group.
Bring back Eales he knew how to close out a match.

 

[PhucNgo]

The two positives I took from the game were Beale's continuing confidence and Rocky's development as a leader. The only thing missing from Beale's game now, to be a top class 10 is a long ball off both wings. For mine this is the major difference between he and Cooper. He should be the starting 10 for the Tahs next year without doubt if he's to be ready for the WC. As for Rocky, Saturday's game was the first time I've seen him actually buttonhole the ref. More often he says zip and let's poor decisions off the hook. Keeping the team together in the last twenty minutes tho is another matter.

I also liked the idea of Kane Douglas being put into the mix. He has to be a contender for the NH tour. He has the mix of athleticism and aggression that Mumm and others don't seem to offer, including Horwill, who for mine is bait of a lumberjack.

 

[RedsHappy]

Last night I was filthy with Robbie regarding his use of the bench, but on reflection we have been in a position to win plenty of matches before capitulating.It seems to me that we can compete but we cannot put them away.It is a mental toughness thing.don't know where the blame lies but this seems to be a characteristic of this playing group. Bring back Eales he knew how to close out a match.

ILTW: Yes. It's amazing me that many posters are indicating surprise and new dismay at this the latest style of Wallaby debacle. This format of Wallaby loss in big 3N games has recently been more constant than exception. Just go back to the 2008 and 2009 core pattern of Wallaby losses v ABs. Consistently, we led at half-time, consistently we began to respond poorly to increased AB pressure in the second half, then consistently lost structure and composure, errors increased, AB's soon ready to eat the exposed meat and play better, game over, game lost.

With an indentured pattern like this, there can be question that part of the problem is psychological and lack of 'hard mind'. 'Hard mind' is well understood in, for example, the military, where it's been comprehended for centuries that the mental capacity to remain calm, resilient and clear-headed under high pressure is absolutely crucial to officers' ability to execute the right tactical battle plans, make rational not panicked choices, and thus win battles and minimise loss of life in doing so. Thus, developing 'hard mind' is today a crucial part of officer selection and training. There's nothing new or trendy about these concepts. They absolutely can be, and are, applied to elite sports.

These Wallabies - especially the senior ones - manifestly lack the hard mind required to win top games, and thus to exploit and not lose a key points lead. Dealing with this problem will not be recovered by yells and 'tough dressings down' by captains and coaches, in fact, that form of 'negative motivation' can worsen the problem as its roots go more and more underground. What is required is the use of modern coaching techniques in mental skill development and the creation of a team culture and mindset that is resilient under adversity, and uses adversity as a positive platform for intelligent courage and superior decision-making. But the current Wallaby coaches are clearly uninterested in, and/or completely inexperienced in, these modern forms of skill development.

 

[RedsHappy]

I think they should be on incentives, not lofty base salaries

EDIT:
Something like
Solid Retainer
+Bonus for picked in 22
+Bonus for picked in 15
+Bonus for game win
+Bonus for tournament win

No individual player bonus' to avoid conflicts, but "star" players can be rewarded with an improved retainer up front that is negotiated at the end of every WC
It makes sense from an admin POV as well. Team wins = greater income and therefore greater cash reserves

rsea, there's a lot in what you propose (or some variant of it). IMO it's absolutely an ideal ingredient somewhere in what's required to radically reform the Wallabies. Trouble is, it's very hard to implement now when it's not been attempted or even started in any form in the past. All of the players need to buy in, it can't be done for a few, and the senior players would absolutely have to take the lead in such a change in player remuneration, however IMO we have very few real leaders today in the Wallabies of a type that would lead by example in this type of change, rather, I sense, they'd be threatened by it unfortunately.

 

[dobduff11]

I don't think kurtley should go to 10 for the tahs next year, he has found a position and should stick to it maybe go to 10 in a couple of years, sookface will play 10 anyway so its not a problem position

Also did anyone see Rocky having a go at JOC (James O'Connor) after the Steenkamp try. Bit harsh seeing as JOC (James O'Connor) gives up 30 kgs to big gurthro

 

[fatprop]

I don't think kurtley should go to 10 for the tahs next year, he has found a position and should stick to it maybe go to 10 in a couple of years, sookface will play 10 anyway so its not a problem position

Also did anyone see Rocky having a go at JOC (James O'Connor) after the Steenkamp try. Bit harsh seeing as JOC (James O'Connor) gives up 30 kgs to big gurthro

I would prefer to see Kurtley stay at 15 and play the second player maker from there.

I re watched the highlights and his decision making for both try assists was just excellent, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was well covered on the right so he went to Elsom, then didn't panic when Elsom was tackled, was unselfish to put JOC (James O'Connor) over.

 

[DPK]

I would prefer to see Kurtley stay at 15 and play the second player maker from there.

I re watched the highlights and his decision making for both try assists was just excellent, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was well covered on the right so he went to Elsom, then didn't panic when Elsom was tackled, was unselfish to put JOC (James O'Connor) over.

Same with the Mumm try, beautiful pump pass to the man in space. Very un-JO'C like I'd have to say, one of Beale's best qualities (that he isn't JO'C, I mean).

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

One of the areas that I think has shone like a beacon this season is the apparent lack of game breakers in the squad. That is, guys in individual positions where their influence over the game is significant. It could be a ball running hooker, a lineout general, line breaking centre etc. However, I think we have also found a couple of blokes in the last 12 months who either are or have the potential to be in that category. Genia, Cooper, Pocock and now young Kurtley all have that written all over them. KB (Kurtley Beale) in particular has shown that he now has the maturity to step up at this level and I'm hugely pleased by this. His last couple of performances reflect that. A couple more like these blokes in the pack and we could start going places. That's why it's disappointing that we've had the injury problems in the forwards: with TPN, Alexander and Horwill in particular I feel we could have given this comp a bit of a nudge. The Saffers would say the same about not having FdP or BdP too I guess.

 

[DPK]

Can I just say that if I could pick one Bok to bring to the Wobs it would probably be Juan Smith? He is awesome.

 

[RugbyReg]

I was heartened by Benny Robinson's form. It's taken him a while, somewhat understandably, but I saw glimpses of what he's best at on the weekend. Come the return bout v NZL in Sydney I think he'll be on top of his game.

 

[Richo]

DPK, I'd take Matfield... but yep, after him it'd be Juan.

Also, Beale definitely should not play 10 for the Tahs. He's found his position and if he continues to improve under the high ball and in defense, we've got the 15 of the future -- in S15 and at test level.