Wallabies v Wales Game 2 Sat 13 July Melbourne

[TSR]

Aaron Smith? One of the very best decision makers in terms of game management?? I doubt it.

Look - Dru explains above perfectly why it was mistake. If you don’t agree with the logic, fine.

 

[Hawko]

Clicking a like to this comment does not do it justice. Maybe SA or England would have immediately taken the 3 (notice that both teams have better kickers). But NZ would have usually tapped and run whether it was Aaron Smith or Ardie Savea. Of all the teams, NZ will take that sort of option WHEN THEY HAVE GOT THE OTHER TEAM ON THE BACK FOOT. They do not miss the opportunity for 7 when its on. And Tom Wright was correct - it definitely was on. That we didn't execute and score under the posts is just a measure of how far our attack has to improve, not a measure of how stupid Tom Wright is.

Had we stopped for the penalty and the kick had been missed then the Welsh were close enough to score and reverse the result. Lolesio might be our best kicker, but that doesn't make him an accurate one. Some of his later kicks last night were from reasonable positions but he missed two, one by a long way. Wright made exactly the right play, playing what was in front of him.

 

[Yoda]

The quick tap is so under used by us Aussies. Such a great attacking option. It is pretty poor that teams that are penalised are allowed to hold ball or throw it away to prevent a quick tap. Often right in front of a referee or touch judge and nothing is done. They should be marched 10m and the practice would stop overnight. Why is that not policed? It makes for exciting and enterprising play.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Donaldson was on the field by this point, hopefully not thinking about his last minute kick against Italy in 2022

What's the goal kicking percentage from 42m in front?

 

[Yoda]

Yes Hawko…. People who don’t understand this and criticise Tom Wright literally don’t understand rugby and how often that strategy is successful. Everyone in the team has to buy in though, which the All Blacks do. Do what the opponents don’t expect you to do…

 

[Yoda]

“Aaron Smith? One of the very best decision makers in terms of game management?? I doubt it.”
You are kidding right?

 

[Sully]

Good call Sully.
The rule here is everyone agrees with you or they're a dropkick.
Interesting take on a public forum

Now that you understand, stay in line buddy.

 

[Yoda]

Froggy. This rugby forum is full of some good and learned takes and comments on all things rugby as well as a hell of a lot of complete an utter garbage. All in a days scrolling!

 

[Strewthcobber]

When he was thrown on the field ... On debut….. with 4 minutes to go… after the team had played absolutely crap for 76 minutes…. Lolesio should have stayed on… but that was poor coaching.

He would have been on the field for 5 mins when called up to make that penalty on the weekend.

I did feel sorry for him. Pretty much his first act after 70min on the bench was a line drop out.

 

[TSR]

I’ve explained my point a few times and Dru covered it as well. At that time and with that score a 5 point try was of no higher value than a 3 point penalty.

I can’t say 100% what Smith would do any more than BR can. But I can say I feel like I’ve seen Smith 100 times jumping around celebrating winning a decisive penalty which would win or ice a game.

Anyway - it happened and we still won. Yah us!!!

 

[cyclopath]

Were he still around, Aaron Smith would have tapped and run every day of the week.

True, but in the era he played, he had players around him who were playing in that way at a level several notches above the level the Wallabies currently sit. Not sure the two scenarios are equivalent. But I do think a quick tap should be an option they take sometimes.
That said, hopefully, with a few more wins, this team gets the level of cohesion that the All Blacks of that era had. But right now, they're trying quite a few different combos. It needs all of them looking for the opportunity, not one guy. I don't think Wright needs to be criticised for it though.

 

[Strewthcobber]

No matter what you think of Tom Wright's decision making, can we all agree that this was the single worst play of the weekend (outside of a lineout maul)

 

[Derpus]

That photo makes this situation seem absolutely fucken criminal lol. I vote on the side of fun things happening. Wright may continue.

 

[stillmissit]

I think my playing history is irrelevant...

Your playing history is relevant, you can have ideas about the game, get advice from ex coaches and may have some insights, but if you played anywhere outside of school the respect for what the game is about and it's fundamentals, in personal terms are very important. I was a decent player an OK ref but a lousy coach and I admit that to anybody. But ignoring ex players if you have little or no experience on the pitch means you have little understanding what the game is about. I had 11 years of senior rugby, ~25 years as a ref and 5 years as a coach. I don't know as much as some here but I think I know more than you.
BTW this site is not multiple posters agree therefore it is real scenario.

 

[Derpus]

These types of arguments are super fucking lame and I want to not read them in match threads if at all possible sir.

 

[cyclopath]

No matter what you think of Tom Wright's decision making, can we all agree that this was the single worst play of the weekend (outside of a lineout maul)

I'd almost blotted that out of my mind. Thanks for dripping lemon juice on the paper-cut.

 

[eastman]

It was one hundred percent the type of play that NZ would do except that they would have scored from it. I feel like he could have done better but he somewhat gave up when he realized he had no support.

Also if people haven’t been watching, we haven’t been winning these games from sustained pressure and composure, it’s largely been through opportunistic tries. It’s a little NZ- like.

 

[Yoda]

Your playing history is relevant...

Sounds a bit like Jeff Vader from the Death Star canteen skit…. “This is not a game of who the fu.k are you…For I am Vader, Darth Vader… Lord Vader”…. on youtube. Classic.

 

[fatprop]

mmm ...................... the pass on the goal line, that turned out so wonderfully, did remind me of this

One of the challenges of being old, but not old enough to lose scarring memories

 

[stillmissit]

It is pretty poor that teams that are penalised are allowed to hold ball or throw it away to prevent a quick tap. Often right in front of a referee or touch judge and nothing is done. They should be marched 10m and the practice would stop overnight. Why is that not policed? It makes for exciting and enterprising play.

I did it regularly when I was a ref, I get annoyed that it is not used and it's a loss of playing time. That along with insisting the quick tap is taken within 6" of where the ref is pointing are 2 very annoying parts of modern reffing.