Wallabies v Springboks - Suncorp, Brisbane, 10th September 2016

[TOCC]

According to Fox Sports stats, in the Rugby Championship so far the Wallabies have made only two attacking kicks, have had five charged down, kicked two out on the full and have found space with just 29 per cent of their long clearing kicks.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...r/news-story/387bacc0b51963a6d3b33e356419818d



Again Wallabies don't need a game built around kicking, but they still need a respectable kicking game to complement any game plan.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Who were the kickers who had their kicks charged down? I recall two by Foley which resulted in tries to the opposition, but the other three?

 

[KOB1987]

it has so much going against it:

- Boks a traditional poor crowd drawer
- 2nd test of the year
- poor Wallaby performances
- poor QLD rugby environment
- last round of GPS rugby meaning focus is elsewhere.
- big storms expected this arvo
- big NRL game here last night.

Oh and basically no ARU marketing of the event

Yeah I'm not going to read too much in to a poor crowd, it's pretty much a perfect storm to ensure that happens.

Ultimately the best way to get the crowd back is to gain their respect through performance.

 

[Lindommer]

Two south-east Queensland sides, can't get much more local than that. Which probably boosted the crowd number.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Shit side picked.
Several players playing out of position or not in their best spot.
A few players who should not be in the team.
A couple (at least) of failed combinations persevered with

Am hopeful, as always of a Wallaby win but reckon the Bokkies will touch us up.

 

[Lorenzo]

According to Fox Sports stats, in the Rugby Championship so far the Wallabies have made only two attacking kicks, have had five charged down, kicked two out on the full and have found space with just 29 per cent of their long clearing kicks.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...r/news-story/387bacc0b51963a6d3b33e356419818d



Again Wallabies don't need a game built around kicking, but they still need a respectable kicking game to complement any game plan.

The wallabies need a game plan built around winning.

We need to jettison this idea that the wallabies can and should only play "running rugby" or whatever it is currently called. How about an approach that is tailored to the opposition, the ref, the players you have available, the conditions and the amount of risk you are willing to take? And no, merely stating that Australia has never had a gameplan that was built on field position is not a good reason for us to obsessively avoid it in the future.

There are going to circumstances in which more kicking is better than less. There are going to be circumstances in which kicking is imprudent. Around these parts though, and this has at times included public statements by Michael Cheika, any kicking that exceeds the absolute bare minimum (clearing your own in goal area) is considered to be rugby blasphemy.

Instead of looking at winning at working backwards from that, we seem to start with "entertaining" and try to figure out how we can turn that into winning. I don't know about you but I am thoroughly unentertained at the moment. Id rather we won 9-6 with no ball than losing whilst chick it around all night.

Critically, none of our primary opponents - in fact probably none of the other test sides at all - appear to be worried about style for style's sake. I don't think we will ever be consistently where we can be whilst there exists beneath - but very close to - the surface an obsession with style.

It's been demonstrated that the days of us having fitter, better skilled and more dynamic players than everyone else bar NZ are well and truly over. We are entering a new era of genuinely pro rugby and we need to be professional about what we want to achieve rather than nostalgic about how we remember things being. Do people think the New England Patriots devote as much thought to "style" as we do?

 

[Scrubber2050]

Two south-east Queensland sides, can't get much more local than that. Which probably boosted the crowd number.

Two south-east Queensland sides, can't get much more local than that probably boosted the crowd number.

Couldn't help myself Lindo

 

[Marcelo]

Has Hodge got speed? As would like to get back to having wingers that are genuine finisher with pace to burn. As call me simple but I thought that use to be the key pre-requisite for a quality winger.

The current wingers' issue is a highway straight to a starter spot for Naivalu and Koroibete

 

[Tangawizi]

Bucketing down now in Brisbane with bit of thunder & lightning around. Hopefully it passes through before kick off.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

 

[Quick Hands]

The wallabies need a game plan built around winning.

We need to jettison this idea that the wallabies can and should only play "running rugby" or whatever it is currently called.

Critically, none of our primary opponents - in fact probably none of the other test sides at all - appear to be worried about style for style's sake. I don't think we will ever be consistently where we can be whilst there exists beneath - but very close to - the surface an obsession with style.

The myth of running rugby has so pervaded the game in Australia that it has indeed become an obsession. But it's an obsession with no basis in historical fact. "Running rugby" only works on a regular basis when you have a dominant forward pack and an intelligent kicking game. (Or you opposition is so bad that it doesn't matter what you do)

Unfortunately we now have a generation of supporters who equate "running rugby" with never kicking the ball, but maintaining possession until you can eventually break the line. Such one dimensional play has almost no hope in the professional era with structured defences and high levels of fitness. (And I'm not sure that it worked particularly well in the amateur era either)

 

[Moono75]

Excited to see the inclusion of this young up and comer Dean Mumm

He's a late bloomer and isn't projected to hit his peak until he hits 37. If we can just put up with 5 more years of learning the game and banking that experience, we'll all be laughing come 2021 when we hold that Bledisloe Cup aloft. What a cunning plan Cheiks.

 

[KOB1987]

The myth of running rugby has so pervaded the game in Australia that it has indeed become an obsession. But it's an obsession with no basis in historical fact. "Running rugby" only works on a regular basis when you have a dominant forward pack and an intelligent kicking game. (Or you opposition is so bad that it doesn't matter what you do)

Unfortunately we now have a generation of supporters who equate "running rugby" with never kicking the ball, but maintaining possession until you can eventually break the line. Such one dimensional play has almost no hope in the professional era with structured defences and high levels of fitness. (And I'm not sure that it worked particularly well in the amateur era either)

Now that you blokes are talking about this, I seem to recall a Mr Pulver standing up on his perch not long after he got the gig highly excited and telling us all about how the Wallabies were going to be at the forefront of delivering this new entertaining brand of running rugby. Or something along those lines anyway.

I'll scour the web and see what I can dig up, maybe the problems with our coaching style are symptoms of directives from higher up..

 

[No4918]

Excited to see the inclusion of this young up and comer Dean Mumm

He's a late bloomer and isn't projected to hit his peak until he hits 37. If we can just put up with 5 more years of learning the game and banking that experience, we'll all be laughing come 2021 when we hold that Bledisloe Cup aloft. What a cunning plan Cheiks.

I'm in no way a Mumm fan but think his selection can be justified. Fardy vs Mumm on current form is a toss up and you can easily argue his line out calling is needed.

The bigger issue is the lack of options to replace the Mumm's of the squad. Where are the 6's demanding selection? Been a few hyped after one good Super Rugby season and failed to kick on. You could argue the continued Pooper selection has limited Cheika's options at 6. Maybe some merit to it but again, to me it is a sign of the worsening depth in Aus rugby.

 

[Mustafa]

Has Hodge got speed? As would like to get back to having wingers that are genuine finisher with pace to burn. As call me simple but I thought that use to be the key pre-requisite for a quality winger.

No speed as a winger. Out of position ridiculous Hodge playing on the wing. He is no winger it's a specialised position and knowing defensive positioning is so important. Pick players in their correct positions. FFS Watch them blitz his side

 

[Strewthcobber]

No speed as a winger. Out of position ridiculous Hodge playing on the wing. He is no winger it's a specialised position and knowing defensive positioning is so important. Pick players in their correct positions. FFS Watch them blitz his side

Hodge won't be defending on the wing.....

 

[Lorenzo]

Now that you blokes are talking about this, I seem to recall a Mr Pulver standing up on his perch not long after he got the gig highly excited and telling us all about how the Wallabies were going to be at the forefront of delivering this new entertaining brand of running rugby. Or something along those lines anyway.

I'll scour the web and see what I can dig up, maybe the problems with our coaching style are symptoms of directives from higher up..

Yes pulver goes on about it.
From February this year:
“I give Michael Cheika (Wallabies coach) and others great credit for the fact that Australia has a real focus on smart, creative, running rugby. That’s what fans want to see and that’s what they will come back time and time to watch."

People want to see us win, Bill. Let's put a run of wins together, say 7 or 8 out of 10, and then let's worry about how 'smart' and 'creative' our rugby is.

Want a full ANZ stadium for the bledisloe? Allow people to think we might actually win it.

 

[vidiot]

Bucketing down now in Brisbane with bit of thunder & lightning around. Hopefully it passes through before kick off.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Yep Just wasted a couple of hours at the Roar's preseason game a couple of suburbs away at Newmarket. The rain was very heavy and the field underwater - game called off

Looks like another line of storms will hit in the next half hour or so. Might be packing the rain gear tonight

 

[The torpedo]

Excited to see the inclusion of this young up and comer Dean Mumm

He's a late bloomer and isn't projected to hit his peak until he hits 37. If we can just put up with 5 more years of learning the game and banking that experience, we'll all be laughing come 2021 when we hold that Bledisloe Cup aloft. What a cunning plan Cheiks.

So the 2nd coming of Radike Samo?

 

[The torpedo]

Yep Just wasted a couple of hours at the Roar's preseason game a couple of suburbs away at Newmarket. The rain was very heavy and the field underwater - game called off

Looks like another line of storms will hit in the next half hour or so. Might be packing the rain gear tonight

Live radar:
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR663.loop.shtml#skip

 

[Moono75]

I'm in no way a Mumm fan but think his selection can be justified. Fardy vs Mumm on current form is a toss up and you can easily argue his line out calling is needed.

The bigger issue is the lack of options to replace the Mumm's of the squad. Where are the 6's demanding selection? Been a few hyped after one good Super Rugby season and failed to kick on. You could argue the continued Pooper selection has limited Cheika's options at 6. Maybe some merit to it but again, to me it is a sign of the worsening depth in Aus rugby.

Yes I think the problem is we are trying put square pegs in round holes. The philosophy has been to just get our best players and make them fit in the team regardless of what position they play. Its the old adage "a champion team will always beat a team of champions".

I think Cheika isn't open enough to consider change. Give Folau a run at 13 and put DHP in at fullback. And the Pocock/Hooper "Pooper" has run it's course.

BUT Go Wallabies....no one likes to lose to the Boks!