Wallabies v Wales Game 2 Sat 13 July Melbourne

[LeCheese]

Fuck me it’s Groundhog Day from last Sunday. As with last week, Paisami got minimal pill as they were clearly playing off the 9. Similarly, his stats and noted involvements once again demonstrate he had a solid game.

 

[sterlingmortlocksgloves]

You have to be off your head if you think Petaia has any chance of selection outside of waterboy. He’s had 31 appearances and safe to say about 20 of them should be erased.

 

[Wilson]

Possession stats favoured us heavily last week, particularly while Wright was on the field. Didn't start to level out until the last 10 or 20 minutes. Makes it a bit harder to directly compare defensive involvement week to week.

 

[Aussie D]

What did Tom Wright do that he needs to be dropped for Kellaway? His positional play was reasonable, made his tackles and apart from one dropped catch under intense pressure was solid under the high ball. Can't recall any brain farts either.

 

[whitefalcon]

Ikitau is a world class 13. How about we play him at 13

 

[Sword of Justice]

What did Tom Wright do that he needs to be dropped for Kellaway?

I don't think he should be dropped for Kellaway yet because it's not like Kellaway is playing the house down but Wright absolutely had an enormous brain fart at the end of the game that even Schmidt called out in the press conference and otherwise was serviceable at best last night.

We just don't really have any pure fullbacks in Aus at the moment other than Beale and Campbell who I don't think are good enough right now to displace the incumbents.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Charlie Cale's stats are impressive. In around 60 minutes (was it?) he made more tackles than Rob Valetini and very likely proportionally as many runs with good but about half of Valetini's metres gained. With his lineout steal and generally playing tight rather than in the wider channels he did pretty bloody good in his first starting test. His involvements didn't have the impact of Rob V's, but whose do? I think he put to bed any thoughts he isn't up to this level.

Having said that, I do think our best backrow is Wright, McReight and Valetini with Cale to come off the bench right now.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Ikitau is needed at 13 where he runs the defensive line as well as getting ball to his wingers when the opportunity is there. I do think those opportunities are fairly severely limited with Paisami at 12. Rather than shift Lenny, how would Flook go at 12? He is a good defender, can make inroads with the ball and can set up his outside supports. I think he would make a really good fist of it.

 

[drewprint]

What did Tom Wright do that he needs to be dropped for Kellaway? Can't recall any brain farts either.

That quick tap at the end was a bit of brain fart. More a rush of blood to the head really. But I do agree, the whole team is slowly building and I’d like Wright kept on at 15. Think he’s been steady overall.

 

[capalaba]

Few posters here saying Slipper needs a rest...

And that's the problem, Slipper is just going through the motions and providing no energy or attitude at the breakdown or around the paddock.

Cron was rigbt at half time when he said we need some attitude out there. I think everyone needs to take their blinkers off and call it for what it is. I think with Slipper there is a focus on the milestones, because he was just ordinary.

Tupou is the reason for the scrum dominance, he is targeting the Hookers left shoulder which puts pressure on the THP. Our Maul D is shit, what the f was Faessler doing hanging off instead of targeting the drive?

Paisami was terrible, a poster said he put the blinkers on as soon as he got the ball. Flook always received the ball under pressure, the Wingers will never get any ball with him at 12, he needs to go.

And the work at the breakdown from our Tight 5 was pathetic, they were not really involved. It was a good thing our loosies played well and our bench looked great.

I thought we took a big step backwards this week. Game 1 was a very good hit out, this week we looked mediocre. Don't get me started on Lolesio.

Schmidt needs to rest players like Slipper and make some changes for the Georgia game. Defensively we looked bad I expected better strategy from the Coaching team. Sonny Bill was right this is a very bad Welsh Team need to stop with the pants on the back and. chasing milestones, need to call for it for what it is.

Was that performance good enough to beat any of the top 5 rugby teams? Shit no is the answer?

 

[Sword of Justice]

Obviously the maul D was very, very bad and I pin that on the tight 5 as a whole.

ESPN has Slipper at equal fourth for runs and sixth for tackles. No other Aus front rower surpassed him on either of those. He's in every lineout and every scrum. To call that going through the motions for a prop is just wrong.

I agree that Tupou is the difference at scrum time. However, some punters do not appreciate what players like Slipper bring which is pure graft. It's the foundation for other players to shine.

 

[Aussie D]

That quick tap at the end was a bit of brain fart.

We very nearly, and should have, scored from that quick tap. When he took it we also gained a penalty advantage so can it still be considered a brain farts?

 

[drewprint]

I mean yeah in hindsight it all worked out, but the calmer, smarter play was just taking the penalty goal straight up. As I said, more a rush of blood I think.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Heart in the mouth stuff when Tom took that quick tap, but other than the finish we actually executed that phase very well. We looked absolutely odds-on to score and it would have put the game beyond doubt.

 

[TSR]

Yeah, look - I think some of the criticism of Tom Wright is very overdone - but that choice was terrible and showed a complete lack of composure and game IQ. The fact it almost came good only highlights that - it fucking didn’t and that’s why you don’t take a quick tap with the game in the balance and the opportunity to kick 3. Because people fuck things up. It was amateur hour.

I’d still have him at 15 next week though but I’d be surprised if Schmidt is prepared to let it go on the basis Salakai-Loto stuffed up as well.

 

[stillmissit]

Charlie Cale's stats are impressive.

We disagree. I think Cale has raised more questions than he answered. If you want to use the stats he had 13 runs for 23m or many runs for less than 1m! 7 tackles v McReight's 15 and 42m runs is a telling stat for an 8. He also hung around the breakdown when he should have contributed or got out of the way for 2nd phase with his speed and size.
I am a big fan of his but this run did him no favours, let's see how Schmidt deals with him?

 

[capalaba]

Not drinking the Slipper Koolaide. Of course he topped the front row stats he played more minutes. The stats don't measure effectiveness. Kailea came in with what 20+ minutes left in the game and raised the tempo around the breakdown, I would argue he was more effective.

Changes need to be made, Slipper needs a rest for the Georgia game we have players ready to go. Start 7As (Allan Ala'alatoa) and bring Zane to the bench, Tupou needs a rest as well. Start Hodgman and bring Kailea off the bench he is great in the last 25, we need to finish strong.

It is a long International season, RC is up and guys like Slipper and Tupou need to be ready. Rotate the players and get call it for what it is.

 

[stillmissit]

I’d still have him at 15 next week though but I’d be surprised if Schmidt is prepared to let it go on the basis Salakai-Loto stuffed up as well.

TSR, with the RC coming up we cannot afford to have an amateur at 15 we need someone calmer and frankly better and that is Kellaway ATM. T.Wright is a large fast winger and should remain as such.

 

[KOB1987]

I don’t think Cale was neither terrible nor brilliant, but my concern about him still stands, he is too light for a test 6/8. Blokes like RG Snyman will rag doll him with one hand. He has a future but 2024 is not his year, off to the gym to find another 10kg.

 

[TSR]

I dunno - I don’t think it was Kellaway’s best year to be honest. I think he’s been decent in the two tests but I thought he made a lot of mistakes from what I saw in Super Rugby.

I know that reputations are hard to shake and (clearly) I thought Wright’s tap was a poor choice - but I do think this year his decision making has actually been pretty good.

Im pretty happy with the direction this coaching group is taking the team - although they have to address the maul defence ASAP. If Schmidt continues to back Wright at 15 I’m okay with it - for now at least.