Wallabies v Springboks - Adelaide Oval, Sat 27th August, 2022

[Up the Guts]

Very pleasing that we decisively won the territory game in the second half. SA basically shut out till the last ten as Noah, Hodge etc. were able to find grass and force or at least threaten line dropouts. The new 50/22 laws force the back three to defend the sidelines more heavily leaving space midfield, astute tactics to exploit this.

 

[Viking]

If we can steady our set piece for next week we will be in good shape.

As good as we were, the Boks were quite poor, I fear a much tougher assignment next week. The Boks kicking game was poor, I bet they will bombard Wright and Koro with contestable kicks- not sure why they didn't this match, I think they tried a few times but kicked long and Wright had fairly easy catches.

As you mentioned, set-piece also a worry.

 

[Viking]

Very pleasing that we decisively won the territory game in the second half. SA basically shut out till the last ten as Noah, Hodge etc. were able to find grass and force or at least threaten line dropouts. The new 50/22 laws force the back three to defend the sidelines more heavily leaving space midfield, astute tactics to exploit this.

Noah was great finding grass, I was surprised at how easy it seemed.

 

[dru]

I hope you're right JB, but if he doesn't improve his scrummaging technique, he will continue to attract penalties from non-Australian referees. Right now he is a penalty liability and in very poor form otherwise.

Yes Tupou gave a way a penalty. The big difference in penalty count though, that came from Slipper who is credited with 5 penalties. Do you think we should move him on? Massive risk there.

 

[RugbyReg]

Re Arnold — it seems very clear to me that Philip is the standout performer in the second row at the Wallaby level for the last two years but he seems to the one who keeps getting dropped and moved?

why? Am I alone in thinking this?

he can't last a test Philip. Start him for sure but he's got to be the one that comes off after 60 because he loses fitness after that and he's been found out in the defensive line (as he was again yesterday) in that scenario. If Arnold isn't fit enough to last the game, then he should be the bench man (I'd still have Frost ahead of him personally) with Swain starting.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think we should be trying a 6:2 bench with two locks on the bench.

Someone did an analysis of the Springboks in the last few years and of all their bench combinations, a 6:2 bench with two locks was the most successful. Now correlation doesn't necessarily equal causation but it does make a fair bit of sense to me.

Do we need to replace both Holloway and Valetini or would we be better off getting one of them to play 80 minutes and replacing Philip and Arnold with Swain and Frost?

 

[dru]

I think we should be trying a 6:2 bench with two locks on the bench.

Someone did an analysis of the Springboks in the last few years and of all their bench combinations, a 6:2 bench with two locks was the most successful. Now correlation doesn't necessarily equal causation but it does make a fair bit of sense to me.

Do we need to replace both Holloway and Valetini or would we be better off getting one of them to play 80 minutes and replacing Philip and Arnold with Swain and Frost?

Completely agree. I don't think we need the extra loosie but extra horsepower in the engine room could be very valuable.

 

[stillmissit]

Dru, I think we are short of horsepower in our locks and not sure what we can do about it. I will have a good look at Arnold when I'm back but not expecting too much. I think Philip runs out of gas due to the amount of work he puts in, if any of the other locks did the same amount as Philip we would be in good shape.

 

[dru]

Dru, I think we are short of horsepower in our locks and not sure what we can do about it. I will have a good look at Arnold when I'm back but not expecting too much. I think Philip runs out of gas due to the amount of work he puts in, if any of the other locks did the same amount as Philip we would be in good shape.

Agree SMI. Especially when you compare to the Boks, my God they have power in the locks if they can perform in a test. Our guys? Let's run 4 locks with no-one playing for more than 50 min. They've got a much better chance at hi muscle over shortened duration. Arnold fits from the bench as the second bench lock for me.

 

[Viking]

I think we should be trying a 6:2 bench with two locks on the bench.

Someone did an analysis of the Springboks in the last few years and of all their bench combinations, a 6:2 bench with two locks was the most successful. Now correlation doesn't necessarily equal causation but it does make a fair bit of sense to me.

Do we need to replace both Holloway and Valetini or would we be better off getting one of them to play 80 minutes and replacing Philip and Arnold with Swain and Frost?

Valetini has great match fitness, he's still hitting it up and making strong tackles in the last 10minutes, in fact it's probably the time he is the most effective. I don't think he needs to be subbed.

 

[wamberal]

Valetini has great match fitness, he's still hitting it up and making strong tackles in the last 10minutes, in fact it's probably the time he is the most effective. I don't think he needs to be subbed.

Players like him need to be rested before he breaks, not because he does. Harry Wilson could cover for him.

 

[Derpus]

Players like him need to be rested before he breaks, not because he does. Harry Wilson could cover for him.

Yeah I'd like to see Harry have another go playing at 8.

 

[tragic]

Koros lucky he didn’t bugger his shoulder or elbow in that tackle

 

[qwerty51]

I think we should be trying a 6:2 bench with two locks on the bench.

Someone did an analysis of the Springboks in the last few years and of all their bench combinations, a 6:2 bench with two locks was the most successful. Now correlation doesn't necessarily equal causation but it does make a fair bit of sense to me.

Do we need to replace both Holloway and Valetini or would we be better off getting one of them to play 80 minutes and replacing Philip and Arnold with Swain and Frost?

Think this is a solid plan if we get Skelton into the side on the EOYT. Start Skelton and Swain, finish with Arnold and Phillip/Frost/Neville.

 

[Adam84]

If Skeltons fitness is anything like Arnold, we cant afford to carry both in test matches

 

[qwerty51]

Skelton would at least be doing a pre-season with La Rochelle atm. When the EOYT starts, he probably will have played at least 6 games of the regular season. Arnold came back 6 weeks after his last game for Toulouse and had a calf injury which likely restricted him from regaining fitness.
Different scenarios - I hope.

 

[Rugby follower]

"Melon Farmer" is my TV edit version.

Seriously Grant you must be bored, fantastic tackle, arms out to tackle properly just couldn’t get them around due to that weird jump. Move on my man.

 

[duckbill]

Don't know if it was mentioned, but who took over captaincy duties when Slips left the field?

 

[Grant NZ]

Seriously Grant you must be bored, fantastic tackle, arms out to tackle properly just couldn’t get them around due to that weird jump. Move on my man.

That's an odd post to quote for your reply.

Obviously boredom is a factor but the main thing that interests me on this topic is the cognitive disconnect between how different supporters see it.

Also, if you're gonna say 'move on', perhaps don't rehash the argument in the sentence directly beforehand?

 

[RugbyReg]

Don't know if it was mentioned, but who took over captaincy duties when Slips left the field?

Sio