Wallabies vs Boks Bloemfontein

[Joe Blow]

It really was a huge step for the young Wallabies to win against the Boks at altitude. Kudos to them.
They need to learn how to consolidate points and also to play the 10 minutes either side of the half a different way. That 20 minute period is often the most telling.
With Moore back the scrum was much better. Add Ben Alexander to that and they will believe they can take on the world.
Nathan Sharpe was once again prominent. He is really becoming an excellent second rower.
Next week should be interesting. Can we back up?
Deans will inject some fresh legs where he can.

 

[Langthorne]

Amazing match.

The fabulous attacking rugby of the first half, the big big effort for the last 10 mins with a player down, and Beale's ballsy penalty are the higlights for me.

Coming back after they basically screwed it up was huge. The confidence they get from that will hopefully stay with them. The final 10 minutes with a man down would have been very tough, but they made it.

The Springboks were poor in the first half. Deans needs to re think his half time routine as whatever he said didn't really help. Slipper looked way better than Mafu, even if he is still undercooked. Deans used his subs and what a difference it made. Rocky should have gone for the penalty rather than the scrum at the end of the first half, but it is all part of the learning curve (is it really so difficult? our scrum sucks, the half is almost over, lets eat up some time, keep the score ticking over, and then get possession back from the kickoff).

 

[Slim 293]

I haven't been through the thread so I don't know what's been made of this already...

But our forwards need to start putting in a full 80 minutes... they look so labored in the second half...

I kept screaming at the TV for them to get to the bloody rucks!

 

[Slim 293]

I must admit I'm getting pretty sick of the Wallaby formula under Deans:

Have a blinder for the first 35 minutes...

Get outscored over the next 40 minutes...

Mount comeback in the dying minutes only to lose match.

The only difference this time is that they actually won the game.

 

[dobduff11]

I like the gameplan if the wallabies win, also im glad they are playing such exciting rugby makes a change to the low-ish scores of last year

That first half was some of the best rugby ive ever seen

 

[disco]

t first half was some of the best rugby ive ever seen

Agreed.

I can't remember the last time our backline was so slick. Quade's pass to put AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the outside of JDV for the 1st try was wicked & then the set piece were Drew Mitchell come on the inside of Gits was surgical.

 

[cyclopath]

Just watched my recording - I was just stuffed last night and couldn't stay up.
First 40 was the best half I've seen from the Wallabies for years, end of story. They hardly put a foot wrong. The Bokke try just before oranges was an individual bit of brilliance from Matfield, and did not tarnish what went before. This backline is showing signs of what it might be. The Cooper pass to create that Beale try was sublime. Giteau looked so much better too. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) proved I am a muppet by passing several times, and effectively too. Keep doing it mate!! His defence was huge - stopped players in their tracks. I liked the changes - Moore, McCalman and to a lesser extent Chisolm.
The second half was not as dire by the Wallabies as I think some have said. It is easier to watch in the cold light of day, I think. The Bokke played good footy - they hit the ball at pace with their big men tirelessly smashing it up, they retained possession well, and they took the opportunities that came their way. The Wallabies were starved for much of that time. I thought the defence was generally well organised, and there were no massive blunders from that aspect. Kurtley's pass over the dead ball was just over-cooked; the Falcon was sheer bad luck. I liked that they stayed positive when under the pump a few times - moving it quickly, 1-2 players wider then someone belting it 60m downfield to relieve pressure. It was often Cooper and Beale instigating this.
Had we lost, it would have been unjust - I honestly thought the Wallabies played the better football and deserved it more. On paper I can see the negatives of conceding a big second half scoreline, but we should not dismiss the Bokke play in that second half - they were good.
Real positives - we won; the lineout was much better; the scrum was solid (apart from that bizarre TH with no strike by Moore); there are several very dangerous attacking options in the backs who will only get better with more time and confidence; apart from the razzle-dazzle the backs did a lot of basics well with good touch-finders, generally good defensive positioning, followed kicks well. Kick reception is still dodgy from them though.

 

[dobduff11]

McCalman took a great kickoff in the second half i think it was from a dan carter esque flat restart.

The line breaks and tries were awesome, quade ran a bit more this week and it was good to see him stepping some boks

Did anyone see why Maafu went off, both gits and genia looked to have knocks as they came off

Also has noticed how often morne steyn bumps people off, he did it to both pocock and elsom was quite surprising

 

[cyclopath]

McCalman took a great kickoff in the second half i think it was from a dan carter esque flat restart.

The line breaks and tries were awesome, quade ran a bit more this week and it was good to see him stepping some boks

Did anyone see why Maafu went off, both gits and genia looked to have knocks as they came off

Also has noticed how often morne steyn bumps people off, he did it to both pocock and elsom was quite surprising

Well Morne Steyn is not small, I guess we are less used to seeing him play that physical role, apart from swinging his right leg at the ball all day.
Ma'afu went off for being ordinary I think!

 

[Blue]

Moral of the story:

You can't got down by 31 and expect to win. As Smit said after the game, they canlt rely on character alone.

I would love to hear the coaching staff's explanation as to why we have 100% the same defensive flaws in the first half as last week. It's not like these are players who can't tackle. Great backline play from the Wallabies but the defensive structure was a total mess for two of those tries.

Amazing character to all but pull a victory from an impossible situation.

Just more question marks for the Boks. 15 missed tacles in the first 20 minutes. Sure the Wobs backs played well but the Boks didn't exactly make it hard for them. The gapin the defense this year vs last year is just too big.

 

[Gagger]

Have another look Blue, but I think there's just some shit hot attacking rugby being played in this 3Ns, by all teams at different times

 

[dobduff11]

Very true gagger the attacking rugby this year has been awesome best tri nations ever in terms of attacking rugby

I never seem to notice chis in the games he plays in, maybe he needs to wear a brighter scrum cap

I knew Maafu was having an average game but slipper came on after about 30 mins didnt he

oh yeah s finger got cited
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/tri-nations/Fainga'a-cited-over-tackle-20100905-14vmh.html

 

[Ruggo]

Great win and a huge confidence booster.

Well done KB (Kurtley Beale), some things did not go right for him but the ticker the bloke has is huge.

The first try was a rippa, the fact that both AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and O’Connor both distributed the ball for somebody else to finish off was huge.

Mcalman was huge in the first half but faded in the second which is understandable for a debut at altitude.

Sharpie was huge. Him running out the full 80 was what gave that little extra composure to the Wallabies to steal this one back from defeat late in the game.

The use of the bench was huge and cheers Robbie for using it. Sookface, A. Fainga'a and burgess all made huge positive impacts when they came on.

There was some negatives though. Chisholm was as ineffective has ever but the win may have covered this up. When the chips were down, O'Connor went MIA. This is not good enough for me. Mafu has to go completely.

Congratulations to the Wallabies for winning back the Mandella plate and claiming our first win on the high veldt in 47 years. Please take this confidence boost to Sydney but please don't waste it.

 

[Bowside]

Great first half, shithouse second half. Moment of brilliance at the end. This team is very young and will grow over time, one thing I think the wallabies need is more mentor types to be running water and giving chats in the dressing rooms - state of origin style, so that they can restore some pride and confidence in the jersey.

....There's something satifying about waking up the household with your screams of joy in the early hours of the morning.

 

[dobduff11]

good idea bowside, you could have timmy horan, bernie and Nobody on the sideline with the water. I bet they would give some good advice

To be fair Ruggo JOC (James O'Connor) plays on the right wing he is hardly in the position to control the match or inject himself when they were being battered

 

[Bowside]

There was some negatives though. Chisholm was as ineffective has ever but the win may have covered this up. When the chips were down, O'Connor went MIA. This is not good enough for me. Mafu has to go completely.

Chis was briliant at the line out, and the scrum got worse once he went off. I think he showed enough to keep his spot for at least another week. I dont think he's proven himself, but i think he added to the victory, and has the potential to find a bit of form and maybe push for a the number 3 spot behind sharpie and horwill.

 

[Reddy!]

Just woke up and I'm still feeling pretty exhausted and excited at the same time about that game. Well done Wallabies.

 

[Blue]

Have another look Blue, but I think there's just some shit hot attacking rugby being played in this 3Ns, by all teams at different times

I don't need another look.

I am not denying that the Wallabies and All Black attack has been incredible at times. But something is very wrong with the Bok defense. That much is plain to see. We have had a terrible missed tackle count all 3N. A large part of that is great attack. Fair enough. But this team's solid defensive play has gone to shits.

15 missed tackles in 20 minutes is not normal.

 

[Thin Thighs]

Bokke have played poorly this 3N, particularly in defence.

Perhaps coaches have sat on laurels believing that all they needed to do was turn up to win. Too much S14 success may have reinforced that false sense of security.

Coach behaving like a pork chop and not changing players or tactics on first part of 3N's not helped.

Changes in how the tackle/breakdown is reffed by Sir also not helped the cause of the Bokke.

Do they have the time, players and wherewithall to make the required changes before RWC?

 

[Blue]

Bokke have played poorly this 3N, particularly in defence.

Perhaps coaches have sat on laurels believing that all they needed to do was turn up to win. Too much S14 success may have reinforced that false sense of security.

Coach behaving like a pork chop and not changing players or tactics on first part of 3N's not helped.

Changes in how the tackle/breakdown is reffed by Sir also not helped the cause of the Bokke.

Do they have the time, players and wherewithall to make the required changes before RWC?

The same players did just fine in Super Rugby adapting to the new interpretations.

This team is badly coached, especially in defense.

Do we have the players? I think we do.