Wallabies v Wales Game 2 Sat 13 July Melbourne

[liquor box]

Did Peitsch get on?

Who would he sub for? I dont think any of the options deserved to be brought off.

 

[Tomthumb]

I’d say it’s more obvious than interesting. Take the win but let’s call a spade a spade, that Wales team is diabolical. If we put that performance out v South Africa it wouldn’t be pretty

 

[Cauliflower Ear]

The old Wobblies would have lost that game 8/10 times, so it was good to get the win. A few overall notes:
- While his kicking was good, Lolesio really struggled to get the outside backs involved. Flook, Kellaway and Wright barely saw the ball in general play. He plays way too flat and often plays passes to static forwards on the back foot. Need to make a change at 10 for the Georgia game (Donaldson or Lynagh).
- Overall team defence was outstanding. Watching on TV, you could see young players loudly organising each other and punishing one-out running with some damaging gang-tackles.
- Unsure and undecided on Paisami, but improved from his game 1 performance.
- Kellaway to FB?

 

[BDA]

I actually found the game pretty entertaining. A very flawed performance from the wallabies but im going to be fair given that schmidt really cant be expected to turn around the team in just a few weeks. In terms of the positives, we led the whole game, took our chances and defended well. i thought the bench made a good impact. The negatives are many but getting the win was imperative so ill take that for now.

 

[Joe Blow]

The old Wobblies would have lost that game 8/10 times, so it was good to get the win.

It was pissing down rain for most of the night so hard to be very expansive. Donaldsons long boot would have kept us down their end most of the night. I reckon he and Lynagh moving forward but Schmidt might bring one of the old blokes from Japan into camp to guide them for the RC.
Lolesios pass to Wright under pressure, that missed tackle to let in the try and a few other sub standard options. He certainly was no better this week, maybe worse.
Absolutely we take the win. We missed Wright bringing the pack effort together.

 

[Cauliflower Ear]

I think you get Donaldson or Lynagh in and use a bigger body centre like Kerevi to steady the ship, using him as dump-off/reset type player that can also break the game.
Can't waste time playing old five-eights.
I agree that we missed Wright, but I honestly think McReight is the one that drops out of the starting team for him.

 

[Joe Blow]

No chance. McReight close to MOTM again.

 

[Slim 293]

Under-rated??

You'd be surprised by the commentary on Valetini from some online posters across a few forums, who all have a geographical location in common...

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Bobby V was absolutely immense tonight.

 

[Linerunner2023]

I’d say it’s more obvious than interesting. Take the win but let’s call a spade a spade, that Wales team is diabolical. If we put that performance out vs South Africa it wouldn’t be pretty

Agree and I’m glad he isn’t painting a flowers and roses picture
Wales is 11th in the world and lost thousands of caps to retirement, international retirement and injures recently - they came out with a week tier 2 side
SA and ABs would put a comfortable 50 on that side

 

[Linerunner2023]

Goods
- thought the backrow was very good (cale a little light but could see him staying there
- gorden has come to like and daugunu has taken his chance

bads
- pack still a little light
- faesler was off
- Noah still hasn’t nailed his chance and should have been subbed earlier
- Paisami and flook are just filling time for ikatau and Kerevi

 

[KOB1987]

No chance. McReight close to MOTM again.

Agreed, Charlie was less than outstanding so I’d say we revert back to the game 1 back row. Gleeson was pretty good off the bench, ripper line out steal among other things.

 

[KOB1987]

...how Jorgensen would go at fly half.

If you look at the possible backline options for the Waratahs I can 100% see this happening there. He has the skills and the spatial vision.

 

[Neo]

Noah L channel in defence is like running down the middle of Bourke St mall at 3am on a Tuesday night. Eddie got this one right the guy is not up to it. I’ve seen better 10s at club level.

 

[Neo]

I’ve been saying Noah is a dud on here for ages and copped some flack. Guess I’m just a much better judge than them.

 

[KOB1987]

I don’t like putting the boot into players too much, they all try their best. But, didn’t even Rennie eventually concede he had ‘backed the wrong horse’ re Noah? I think we all hoped he had developed over the past couple of years, but I think it’s now clear he had actually reached his ceiling, and some of his super performances were probably a bit flattering playing behind the strong Brumbies pack.

That said, I’m not sure what the answer is. I’m not sure it’s Donno, we might need to hope Lynagh cuts the mustard at test level, or perhaps the Jorgensen idea warrants further consideration in the longer term. He did play a bit there at school - I know schoolboy history is largely irrelevant but he hasn’t really had an opportunity to explore this path at a higher level, having been thrust into the Tahs starting team straight out of school.

 

[Ignoto]

A back row of Wright, Cale and Bobby is a bit all over the shop as the first two play a looser game.

Fraser's support play is incredible and something we shouldn't be taking for granted.

Cale had some good moments but I'd be getting Wright in there to help with defensive lineout and calling out own. I couldn't see who called last night?

 

[dru]

As usual game stats are interesting. some highlights, ah, rather salient points:

Possession 50/50 with the Wallabies having the edge in first half Wales in the second.
Territory huge advantage to Wales. That in spite Wallabies kicking more (29) than Wales (23).
Scrums for Wallabies at 100%? I wasn't too comfortable with the scrum until Nasser came on but the stat can't be wrong, can it?
Lineouts for Wallabies at 81%, again I recall the lineout definitely trending down compared to last week, though some excellent wins against the throw - Wales Lineout at 75%
Paisami with 3 passes - Flook can surely only be called on involvements with this in mind. Flook still had 4 runs (same for Kellaway). My read is a Wales structure with plenty of focus on the centres. This is backed up by the tackles in the centres, Paisami 11, Flook 9.
Daugunu run m way ahead of the others, but his tackles were equal to Wright and Kellaway together. Daugunu is clearly relishing his role within the Schmidt structure.

It isnt hard to think that we can do better than, say, Flook. But I'm thinking we are working with a developmental structure that is far from fully settled. I'd hope further development directed by the coaching team may open more involvement in the centres. Suggestions that Stewart might do better than Paisami are probably missing detail, but if we are not going to use an outside back at 23 (Pietsch) Stewart backs a lot of positions. I wouldn't complain about a return of Kailea - took his time with gusto.

 

[fatprop]

Great win, but....................

It reminded me too much of Tahs wins over the last couple of years, great individual moments, by individuals - not the team

But not enough structure yet, the centre pairing struggles to provide threat, the forwards need more cohesion, Cale doesn't have the physicality for test rugby at the moment

 

[Strewthcobber]

Suspect Schmidt will be happy with 8 penalties conceded and only 9 missed tackles.

Valetini only 5 tackles, so he was playing Wright's role in defense from last week. It does mean he's fresh enough for 17 carries.