Wallabies v Italy, Florence, Sun 13th Nov 12am AEDT

[griffins]

A couple of weeks ago I was saying how Foley should be done because of his errors, but there is a huge difference when Foley is on the field compared to Noah with the cohension of the backline. Foley at least makes half breaks and gets an offload away. The backline looks much more organised and threatening.

So I have changed my mind. Noah needs to have a very bloody good super rugby season before being considered again. He is just a complete passenger at 10. I will take Foley's 1-2 errors per game, at least he might create 1-2 tries to offset this.

They both look ordinary when we can't hold the ball for more than three phases. Everytime we got any front foot ball it seemed like we got isolated and turned over. That's not on the 10.

 

[Viking]

What Rennie and the entire coaching team (your Brumbies aren't escaping blame here) was be more respectful to the opposition, Wallaby jersey and his players. Oh yeah and the fans who stayed up / got up to support their team.

Why Kellaway, Hooper, Holloway, Porecki et al needed to be rested I don't understand.

Rest Valetini absolutely. So give Samu at shot at 8 or Hanigan at 6 for him, but keep the balance there with Hooper and Holloway.

Like I said, Kellaway should have played to provided one experienced level head in the back 3. Mark N (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) and Wright together is russian roulette. The ridiculous roundabout we've played with the 9s makes no sense. Knowing Folau is inconsistent with his throws and then having Lonergan on the bench is odd. Have Porecki has back up. The whole giving Donaldson 2 minutes at the end just for the sake of rotating given the state of the game. Just dumb.

We are under no obligation to ensure all players get a run. This isn't Under 8s. Donaldson and Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) can get their experience through training and mentorship. What did Donaldson get from that game? Bugger all.



What? Where am I saying that? What a ludicrous leap? Show me where I say that?

Players need to be rested because Test rugby is hard on the body. 5 games in a row, two being the 1-2 teams in the world, There is always going to be rotation. Get over it. Every coach would have done similar (and will do similar come RWC).

Why you continually mention the Brumbies is beyond me. I have literally been blasting Noah and Fainga but you seem hell bent on mentioning them every chance you get. You definitely have your own bias going on there mate.

You were making excuses for McReight and Hanigans average performances:

You stated "It's the same for Hanigan. Don't say 'this is your chance to make your claim for the test jersey' and then put him with McReight and Samu. Put him with Valetinie and Hooper. We can't say 'ok everyone, this is your time to step and prove yourself but we are putting you with a bunch of guys we consider not good enough to be in our best team'. It's terrible coaching and I can't think of a time it has worked."

Why can't you say this is your time to step up and prove yourself against a bloody ITALY? A team outside the top 10. That is so ridiculous. it's Test rugby, you get limited chances and you need to take them. No excuses.

And to put things in perspective Samu was the form backrower, better form then Hooper before last match. And Holloway and Hanigan are the most like for like players in the squad. Valetini gets good go-forward but so does Skelton who started this match.

Backrowers have very clear rolls, and they aren't relying on there forward pack to get them quick ball like a 10 or 9. They should be able to dictate the quality of there own games.

Selection is not the big issue for me. This team should have won. How about there be some accountability and less excuses for these so called Test level players.

As far as I'm concerned: Samu, Hanigan, AAA, McReight, Fainga, Gordon all reduced there stocks significantly after that match. F**K the excuses. You don't need to be playing next to Valetini and Hooper to have a good game.

 

[Viking]

Another thing we suffered with was their out the back, bodies in motion attack. We just weren’t reading and adapting to it and it kept creating overlaps and mismatches in defence.

It's quite embarrassing to watch isn't it. Especially for the one's who grew up in the Gregan-Larkham era watching a slick backline.

Now even Italy have a slicker backline then us.

 

[Joe Blow]

We have a bloke who can play anywhere from 10 to 15 JUST BLOODY PICK HIM AT 23 EVERY WEEK! he's only to play 20 min unless of an inj & will never "need to be rested". Its Robbie Deans all over again trying to created a wider squad but never nailing an actual side.

Its mind numbing that Hodge was not in the 23

 

[RugbyReg]

Its mind numbing that Hodge was not in the 23

He probably needed to be rested.

 

[Slim 293]

Dave Rennie and his coaching team all have input into the selections and the feedback players are given.
I am not convinced that he has the coaching team he would choose but some of the positions are at the request of Rugby Australia as they want the next Australian coach to be Dan MacKeller coming thru as Assistant.
Any coach should have 100% control of the set up and how they run it. They succeed on their own terms or move on. This is very much Michael Chekia’s view post his exit from the Wallabies job.
Given some of the strange selection decisions you can speculate that he is trying to keep the peace amongst the coaching team that Rugby Australia has given him.

I visualise a Queanbeyan diner, where Matt Giteau sits in a booth with Dan McKellar secretly running Australian rugby while struggling to get through the surf and turf…

Is this an accurate portrayal of what is running through your imagination?

 

[Rebel man]

No. I was talking all Australian Hookers. BPA and Uelese included. I don't recall them being great throwers. My point was Fainga 2-3 years ago was seen as the most accurate thrower of the international prospects BPA, Uelese included. That's how bad Aust Hookers are at throwing.

Why is Australia the only nation that we have hookers that can throw or scrum but never both

 

[Joe Blow]

He probably needed to be rested.

From what? Is he injured?

 

[Mr Pilfer]

You do know that If he put on McDermott then he would have had to pull another player for 10 minutes?

Yes he should have take a winger off. Trying to play without a half back is stupid

 

[eastman]

It's quite embarrassing to watch isn't it. Especially for the one's who grew up in the Gregan-Larkham era watching a slick backline.

Now even Italy have a slicker backline then us.

Can we grab Italy’s attack coach?

 

[Adam84]

Can we grab Italy’s attack coach?

Forwards coach, collisions coach and defensive coach while we are at it.

Also if they have a sports psychologist, grab them as well.

 

[eastman]

I think Cully is pretty spot on with his commentary.

Five minutes to save the Wallabies: Donaldson copped a hospital pass

A handful of minutes on debut and a missed match-winning kick will set back Ben Donaldson’s development. He should have started against Italy.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Serge]

The best teams at present win the majority of collisions in both attack and defence, which the Wallabies are currently poor at. In attack this provides better platforms for the ensuing phases and creation of opportunities, while in defence provides better opportunity for pilfers and counter rucking, as well as slowing opposition ball. One fundamental for selection for front rowers, second rowers 6, 8 and 11 through 14 should be the ability and competitive desire to win the collisions. Hookers, 7s, 9s, 10s and 15s I would be more lenient on their ability in collisions as they have some more unique roles. 7s need to be effective immediately after the collisions, while hookers need to be great at set piece first and operate essentially as a second 7 in general play.
Some of the players in the current squad are seemingly unable to win collisions - Hanigan probably the epitome of this. In my view we will never return to Tier 1 status until we select players with good skill sets but who can also fundamentally dominate collisions.

 

[tragic]

Yes he should have take a winger off. Trying to play without a half back is stupid

It’s not like a prop YC where you can do a shuffle for safety.
If you take a winger off to put McDermott on at the 15min mark then that winger is off for the rest of the game. If you don’t put Gordon back on after ten then so is he. So what do you do after the 10mins is up? Put your only outside back cover (petaia) on at wing? Then you’ve used up two of your three back substitutions in 25mins and left yourself with no outside back injury cover. And only one back, a rookie 10 on the bench for the next 55mins??
Just to punish Gordon??
Rennie can be criticised for a number of things but not that one.

 

[Adam84]

Porecki is only an average test level player. If you want a forward pack to win the collisions and dominate the contact zone, Porecki ain't going to do that. He is getting better around the park but I still find he lacks so much impact compared to other international counterparts.

Unfortunately, Porecki seems the only Hooker in Aus who can throw straight, although even he is now racking up some numbers in mis-throws but at least they aren't in crucial moments.

Porecki has come on leaps and bounds this year and showing consistency the others aren’t. If he is ‘only an average test level player’ then it doesn’t say much for the others, and maybe that’s the reality of the situation.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I visualise a Queanbeyan diner, where Matt Giteau sits in a booth with Dan McKellar secretly running Australian rugby

Queanbeyan is in NSW.

 

[HogansHeros]

Porecki has come on leaps and bounds this year and showing consistency the others aren’t. If he is ‘only an average test level player’ then it doesn’t say much for the others, and maybe that’s the reality of the situation.

Yeah the bloke has played 9 tests. Not really done anything that wrong, and seems to be the best we got... everyone wants consistency/cohesion and in the same breath, heads to roll.

 

[dru]

Haven't read the thread, just caught up with the game.

The worst performance in the Rennie era, so bad that Rennie is the primary and secondary fault. Third - daylight.

I hear some support for Skelton. Hell as a game experience builder maybe. I liked mostly (without the caveat, no-one), Gordon and Nawaqanitawase. Little but Hanigan.

But basically, no-one on the field tonight looked deserving of a gold jersey.

Ranking #8. Woohoo (not). Ireland next. Tonight next to irrelevant for Ireland except for coaching and vibe. Best chance? Ireland pays a B team because, you know, it's just the Wallabies.

 

[qwerty51]

This forum loves an overreaction; half the posts here wouldn't be written if Donaldson slots that over, which kind of makes no sense - since the posts aren't about Donaldson's conversion. Also seems like a lot of people didn't watch Italy the week before.

 

[RugbyReg]

This forum loves an overreaction; half the posts here wouldn't be written if Donaldson slots that over, which kind of makes no sense - since the posts aren't about Donaldson's conversion. Also seems like a lot of people didn't watch Italy the week before.

I'm not convinced the Aussie coaches did

and remember, Italy left about 14 points on the field too, including a few sitters.