Wallabies V Boks Loftus Versfeld Pretoria 28/08/2010

[Toddy]

I wonder if the old training at sea level vs altitude debate will be brought up if we lose because I'm not sure why the Wallabies are preparing in Cape Town this week when both games in the Republic are at altitude?

Isn't the theory that it takes too long to acclimatise to the altitude so you're better off spending less time in it and only traveling up to it on game day or the day before?

 

[Groucho]

I think the Boks will 100% devote themselves to not losing five in a row.

That is more than enough motivation fore them. Has nothing to do with who they are playing.

Blue, what percentage devoted were they to not losing three in a row?

Were they crusing at 66%?

 

[Blue]

Blue, what percentage devoted were they to not losing three in a row?

Were they crusing at 66%?

Not sure if you are trying to bait but the simple answer is always 100%

If you are trying to bait, get fucked. Else, explain yourself better next time.

 

[PaarlBok]

Only want a improvement from last saturday from the Bokke.

 

[disco]

I think the Boks were unlucky on saturday & I've seen enough from our bunch to know better, Boks by 10.
I have fully prepared myself for a wallabies fumbling & bumbling session when the game is there for the taking.

I have no faith in Robbies Deans that this team has turned a corner in two weeks no way has he prepared a better game plan that what we've already seen this season.

 

[#1 Tah]

Robinson-Moore-Ma'afu
Mumm-Douglas
Elsom-#1 Tah-Pockock
Genia-Cooper
Gits-AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Mitchell-Beale-Turner

Moore-Slipper-Simmonds-McCalman/Higgenbotham
Burgess-Barnes-JOC (James O'Connor)

 

[Jnor]

so now we finally know. #1 tah is actually richard brown!!!!

how do you handle the criticism?

 

[Groucho]

Not sure if you are trying to bait but the simple answer is always 100%

If you are trying to bait, get fucked. Else, explain yourself better next time.

Oooooh-errrrrrrrrr. :lmao:

 

[#1 Tah]

so now we finally know. #1 tah is actually richard brown!!!!

how do you handle the criticism?

Haha I wish. I was suggesting that my 14 year old, tiny frame and defending inability would to better then him.

 

[Jnor]

yeah, whatever. the truth's out and there's no going back!!!

 

[Tangawizi]

I don't know why we didn't go over a week earlier and got ourselves properly acclimatised to the altitude and conditions up there. 2 weeks would have been more than enough. That approach seems to make more sense than running another 2 hit and run missions to the highveldt when that strategy has proven spectacularly unsuccessful in the past. The ball flies through the air differently up there so why not give ourselves time to adjust rather than trying to figure it out on the day?

The AB's didn't mess around at sea level. Straight to Jo-Burg, spent a week acclimatising, and got the result.

 

[louie]

$$$$$

 

[Langthorne]

$$$$$

So it is more expensive in Jo'burg than Cape Town? What price a win?

 

[jason]

$$$$$

THE Wallabies have added thousands of kilometres to their travel schedule in South Africa to sidestep a problem _ altitude.

It's the same problem the All Blacks confronted head-on last week.

Where the All Blacks disregarded the issue of playing at an altitude of 1753m in Soweto on Saturday by basing themselves in Johannesburg (about 1750m) last week in the lead-up to their Test against the Springboks, the Wallabies have taken the opposite approach.
Although their two Test matches against South Africa both will be played on the highveld, at Pretoria (1350m) on Saturday and at Bloemfontein (1395m) on September 4, the Wallabies will do all their serious preparation at sea level in Cape Town and Durban.

But in attempting to limit their time at altitude, the Wallabies have created a new problem for themselves, travel tiredness.
Had they followed the example of the All Blacks, who finished full of running at Soccer City to score two tries in the final three minutes for a stunning 29-22 victory on Saturday, they would have needed to make only one domestic flight before the Bloemfontein Test.

Instead, by ducking the highveld, the Wallabies have taken on three extra flights, two additional travel days and the added expense.

Scientists suggest between 10 and 14 days are needed for athletes to fully adjust to altitude, whereas the Wallabies have given themselves only eight days in the republic before the Pretoria Test by travelling to South Africa last Friday.
But, given that they spent last week in camp at a Sydney hotel, there would have been no extra expense involved in basing themselves at altitude in South Africa for a fortnight to adjust before the Test at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Instead, rather than merely making a 55km bus trip up the N14 to Pretoria once they landed at Johannesburg's Oliver Tambo Airport last week, the Wallabies caught an onward flight to Cape Town. On Thursday they will need to backtrack to Pretoria, travelling for about eight hours just two days before playing the Springboks.

Former Wallabies coach John Connolly yesterday described the itinerary as "ridiculous". "If there is one thing that really knocks you around it's not altitude but travel," he said. "Any plane flight you don't have to make is one too many."

Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie agrees, pointing out that the Reds went direct to Bloemfontein for their Super 14 match against the Cheetahs in March, down to Durban to play the Sharks and then back up to the highveld for their final tour match against the Lions in Johannesburg.

The secret to success on the road was minimising tiredness, McKenzie said. "We found it worked for us to base ourselves where we were playing, familiarise ourselves with the ground and get our sleep patterns established. We didn't talk about altitude at all."

Waratahs coach Chris Hickey also refuses to even discuss altitude with his players but otherwise is at odds with McKenzie, adhering to the same approach as Wallabies coach Robbie Deans.

"Research shows that unless you can be at altitude at least for 10 days to adjust, you're better off training at sea level and then going to altitude a day or two before the game," Hickey said.

"But as much as there is a physiological element to adjusting to altitude, I also think a lot of it is psychological, so Rule Number One at the Waratahs is 'don't mention it'."

There may be some truth in that, judging by the story told of a Wallaby prop training for the first time in South Africa after the country's readmission to Tests in 1992. "This altitude is killing me. I feel like I've got a plastic bag over my head," the player groaned.

"We're in Durban," a teammate wryly informed him.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...-in-south-africa/story-e6frg7mf-1225909122994

I can understand the whole train at sea-level, go up the day before thing if you're on a limited budget/schedule, but if the Wallabies have been in camp in a Sydney hotel, then I don't see why they didn't travel to Pretoria 2 weeks in advance to get fully acclimatised. Yet another baffling decision by the coaches.

 

[Linus]

My 2c worth. The prevailing school of thought is go 2 weeks or don't go until the last minute. As you lose fitness my training at altitude in the time before. So there is some basis for not going. Whether it was the right decision I'll reserve judgement. It's really a matter of opinion.

I did live at 1500m for 7 years or so and had opposing teams complain about the altitude, it really is just a different sensation which feels like you are short of breath and takes longer for you to "get your breath back". In general, as you saw with the AB's, the fitter side will be less affected whether they are used altitude or not.

 

[barbarian]

I think the issue of morale is also one that needs to be considered when looking at the two weeks vs two days scenario. In Sydney I would imagine the team are happy, relatively comfortable and relaxed. This would mean they would train better, sleep better, eat better etc.

However after two weeks training at altitude in the republic you would imagine they would be homesick (especially the players with young families) and tired- and considereing they have another match next week I think that Deans took the right option here.

 

[Blue]

Cape Town is a pretty good place to hang out. Pretoria and Johannesburg simply aren't.

They are training at Bishops in CT (I think). It's in the shadow of Table Mountain. Stroll down the road for a Soy Late and to get your hair done after training. That sort of thing.

In all seriousness I think it's simple case of picking a nice place to hang for 2 weeks.

Having said all that I dolt understand why they won't stay in Rustenburg, an hour from Pretoria. The Royal Bafokeng stadium was used in RWC so training facilities not a problem. Lots of good hotels, game tours are easy to fill in some time. Most importantly, it's about the same altitude as Pretoria so they would have been used to it.

 

[Reddy!]

Genia-Cooper
Gits-AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Mitchell-Beale-Turner

I really like that backline you listed mate. Reds halves, Brumbies centres, and Waratahs back 3 - could be a winning combination. This Wallaby team needs to establish combinations; playing provincial combinations should be an obvious way of doing this.

 

[PaarlBok]

Bok team will be announce today. Juan Smith struggle with a injury and a race against time. Kankowski has been called in, Frans Steyn back in camp but still no Bismarck.

Regarding the Wallabie altitude problems. Think they were pretty stupid to stay in Cape Town. Yesterday it was still raining, today clear but cold and more rain expect on wednesday and thursday while you only get cold up in Pretoria.

 

[DPK]

I really like that backline you listed mate. Reds halves, Brumbies centres, and Waratahs back 3 - could be a winning combination. This Wallaby team needs to establish combinations; playing provincial combinations should be an obvious way of doing this.

Reddy!, your sabbatical has been a great success; I agree that the backline needs to have the best players in the best combinations.