Wallabies V Samoa - Test 2011

[champo]

The worst part of all of this is that I have to have dinner with my Kiwi father-in-law in an hour. :banghead

 

[Gnostic]

Is anyone else annoyed Hanson and Cowan weren't brought on?

I would have like Alexander hooked at 40 and Kepu put to TH. with Cowan at LH. I think we would have seen a destructive Wobs scrum then that could have done something especially with the 5 metrs scrums early in the 2nd half.

 

[no9]

I think you're a bit harsh on the team. I think many of the players in our B side still have the _ability_ to step up and be great. However, we chose our team like we were playing a Tier two side, thinking we could put any team on the park and they would come together and look like superstars. Today Samoa played like a Tier one side you would _never_ put in an entirely fresh team against the Boks or the English. You would rotate in a man or two to allow them to come up to speed with the rest of the team. So the result was we didn't play like a team, and we completely lost our shape.

RR,
I'm confused,what you are saying supports exactly what I said about earning your stripes and that they played like they met on the bus to the game. 'A bit harsh' I don't think so. This was marketed as a TEST match and less than 30% of that team are likely to play against SA or the All Blacks. As a trial of the ability of those involved to compete at TEST level it showed that our B players (squad depth, competition for places, etc) aren't as good as Robbie has people believing. If the ARU want to find out if players are up to TEST level then schedule some A games to put our B players into. Australias' reputation as a TEST playing nation was severly tarnished today and that is no discredit to Samoa who picked a TEST team and played accordingly. The ARU has also managed to undo all the goodwill and hype that QLD's win last week did in the non rugby community in one quick move.

 

[biggsy]

In Davies defence, he got terrible ball. He could have scored in the first half, he was sitting on the wing unmarked. A simple QC (Quade Cooper) kick pass across field Davies in the Corner. Git has the ability to do that but his Rugby head is already over seas. Davies should get a second chance, with quicker ball and his speed and his line breaks will turn into points.....

 

[biggsy]

What did they do at training all week?

PLay with there new Blackberries and tweeting where they were having coffee around coogee

 

[DPK]

Get injured or sign jerseys

Or get injured signing jerseys.

 

[matty_k]

Your speaking as if they should be training 24/7.

 

[DPK]

In Davies defence, he got terrible ball. He could have scored in the first half, he was sitting on the wing unmarked. A simple QC (Quade Cooper) kick pass across field Davies in the Corner. Git has the ability to do that but his Rugby head is already over seas.

That is a lovely little fantasy.

 

[Garryowen]

Davies was awful, but it's a gross overreaction to disregard him completely on the basis of one poor showing.

 

[qwerty51]

Feels like he was picked on one too.

 

[BDA]

The forward pack looked clueless at times. they constantly failed to put a jumper up when the samoans had a lineout. Every time they were too indecisive and samoa won the lineout. I was yelling at the screen "just put a jumper up". It wasn't until the end of the game they actually contested it properly and got a turn-over.

Also what the fk was up with the mauls?!??! serious they were pathetic. The forward coach needs to give himself an uppercut.

 

[TOCC]

It was a piss poor platform laid by the forwards and inside backs, had to feel sorry for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and the back 3

 

[QuadeCooperFan]

why wasn't Pocock playing?

 

[TOCC]

Rubbish!

The agreement between SANZAR was reached because of the implications/pressure it had on the broadcasters and crowds.. This is exactly the same..We whinge about CH9 not showing this game in Vic and WA, not exactly putting up a compelling argument by resting players.

If they want to experiment/give exposure/rest players, then this should be Australia A.

My point is, we need to look at ourselves before whinging to much about the Boks.

congrats, the wallaby jersey today was devalued all for the purpose of building depth and testing a players test match ability...
Hopefully the first and last test match for many in the team today

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Pathetic, just really pathetic. Davies should never, ever, ever, .....ever be allowed in the WBs jersey again. Complete rubbish. We put out a 2nd string team that played like 4th graders. Samoa played well but it was only highlighted by our ineptness.

 

[Lee Grant]

Just back from the game. Am very disappointed in how Oz as a team, and many of the players individually, played. They didn't move before they got the ball and took a while before they went up to the Samoans on their ball too. Very passive and often clumsy.

Strangely I am not that disappointed about the loss because Samoa lifted my rugby spirits and geez, didn't they play well? Congratulations to Samoa as they were better on both attack and defence.

When I say defence I don't mean just tackling. They were nearly always in a good defensive pattern to make the tackles. Our guys were exposed time and time again because there were too many gold jerseys in the middle of the park time and time again,

On attack it was like the visitors were playing with a different ball; regardless they had better pass and catching skills.

Few debutantes put their hands up for 3N but I will leave to others to criticise. They will be better at it and one hopes that when they do so that state feelings will not prevail.

Again, well done Samoa - this is a wonderful result for their rugby and their nation. Truth be told it was a bit like when Tonga beat the Wallabies nearly 40 years ago: the score flattered the home side.

 

[qwerty51]

why wasn't Pocock playing?

Injured foot I think. Nothing too serious, should be back next week.

 

[lily]

Also just back. We were surrounded by Samoans so the atmosphere was awesome. Great win by the Samoans. How good was Tuilagi.Great initiative with the Fanday just a shame we sucked. That said they bashed us into submission.

 

[Rebel rouser]

RR,
I'm confused,what you are saying supports exactly what I said about earning your stripes

Actually, I think we pretty much agree as to most points. It was more you're playing ratings I was commenting were a bit harsh. You can't say on the back of that one game that a player should never be seen in green and gold again. I still think there are a number who will eventually press a case for inclusion in the first XV, but maybe not for a few years. And this experience may well have set them back a bit.

 

[Gnostic]

why wasn't Pocock playing?

Foot injury he has had all year.