Wallabies vs England, Perth

[liquor box]

Ma'afu is club rugby standard at best. Don't think Peter McNeilly* got the pats on the back these guys are getting.

*Obscure boxing reference...

our forwards were wrapped in a cocoon of horror

*further obscure reference

 

[daz]

Did anyone think the Sookface and Quade combination looked uncomfortable. I did not see much comraderie amongst them.

I am not a Robbie basher but you said selections were based on Super 14 form. Stop contradicting yourself Robbie.

Got say that I am a Barnes fan. Barnes and QC (Quade Cooper) will be a formidable combo in very little time. Although, I really had a scream or two at BB during the game for kicking ball away, usually to no advantage.

Having said that, RD has said that BB is one of those players who thrives at Test level, regardless of S14 form. I do tend to agree with that to some extent.

 

[RedsHappy]

Did anyone think the Sookface and Quade combination looked uncomfortable. I did not see much comraderie amongst them. Mr Barnes a bit of control freak who can't play second fiddle? I'm pissed off that Barnes basically killed off any chance of Horne getting any ball. With the late pull out, Fainga'a would of made more sense. Yes he is green but he knows exactly how to play alongside Cooper.

I am not a Robbie basher but you said selections were based on Super 14 form. Stop contradicting yourself Robbie.

Ruggo, I agree with you. But I just have this sixth sense that RD is somehow now on a mission to rebuild Barnes' playing and play-in confidence. I mean, why did he have to co-caption the BaaBaas, and, just for the reasons you note, putting him on Coop's outside was hardly a finely honed and creative selection call craftily designed to get the best out of all involved (especially when these guys were clearly non-sympatico in the Reds' 2009 S14)?

To the same point: why was the high-risk placement of Slipper a better risk-reward calculus than giving Finga a 'youth and development' run-on, when he has proved so incredibly productive with Coops in the S14, in virtually every game they played together and beat some excellent teams (Slipper hardly played S14 at all). I'm sorry to say, but if you look for productive consistency in many of this year's 'risk and youth' selections, it's not always easy to discover.

 

[naza]

Got say that I am a Barnes fan. Barnes and QC (Quade Cooper) will be a formidable combo in very little time. Although, I really had a scream or two at BB during the game for kicking ball away, usually to no advantage.

Having said that, RD has said that BB is one of those players who thrives at Test level, regardless of S14 form. I do tend to agree with that to some extent.

I agree that Barnes makes sense right this second. He's solid, limits your fuck ups, organises well, plugs holes in defence. He's calm, reads the game, plays the percentages, works for good field position. You need that when you have a bunch of talented but inexperienced kids coming through.

I don't see him in our starting XV coming RWC though. If he were an elite goal kicker, perhaps. But his conservative style, ie: English flyhalf deep in the pocket, is at odds with the rest of the side. He will be overtaken by the more dynamic athletes coming through. He is not the playmaker he is billed as.

 

[Epi]

our forwards were wrapped in a cocoon of horror

*further obscure reference

Gold!

 

[cheezel]

Did anyone notice on foxsports coverage that you could change the commentators to the poms or turn it off and just listen to the ref.

 

[Blue]

Did anyone notice on foxsports coverage that you could change the commentators to the poms or turn it off and just listen to the ref.

Yes. I am still undecided whether my order of preference is:

1. Crowd, 2 Poms, 3 Aus
or
1. Crowd, 2 Aus, 3 Poms

 

[DPK]

Is there some sort of "Easy Listening" setting?

 

[chief]

Oh and what a shit crowd. 32k only. Just give Perth a Bledisloe to keep them interested in Rugby at least

 

[daz]

Oh and what a shit crowd. 32k only. Just give Perth a Bledisloe to keep them interested in Rugby at least

Yeah, really disappointed to see the empty seats when I turned up. I heard the game was a sell out but 32K is piss-poor. The Pom support was pretty good though, given most of Northern Perth is Pom ex-pat central.

And if I may, my main whinge about Perth crowds is the sheer one-eyedness and lack of Rugby nous. I know it is an AFL heartland and thanks for coming out to support one of our national teams and everything, but FFS learn the rules. I had a bunch of "supporters" behind me constantly calling the ref a cheat everytime he pinged the Wallabies; calling the Poms a cheat for daring to accept the ref's kind offer of a penalty; the singing of that fucking chariot song and the price of the beer a cheat. Ok, I'll go with the chariot and beer call.

Seriously, is that too big a thing to ask or am I being just a tad senstive and snobby....?

Oh, I forgot to mention, lots of folk left at half-time. Must have been at least 5-7 thousand just disappeared!

 

[Ruggo]

Oh and what a shit crowd. 32k only. Just give Perth a Bledisloe to keep them interested in Rugby at least

Saints and Freo played in the AFL today. 3rd v 4th which may have hurt the crowd numbers. The crowd last week in Canberra was a bloody disgrace. I was at the Reds v Brumbies and also at the test last week and I swear there were shitloads more people at the Reds game. It was very dissipointing. Time to start thinking about taking some of these games to where the might be appreciated.

 

[RugbyFuture]

Saints and Freo played in the AFL today. 3rd v 4th which may have hurt the crowd numbers. The crowd last week in Canberra was a bloody disgrace. I was at the Reds v Brumbies and also at the test last week and I swear there were shitloads more people at the Reds game. It was very dissipointing. Time to start thinking about taking some of these games to where the might be appreciated.

well, compare this to the mungoball match played in manchester, england vs france, crowd 7k

 

[RedsHappy]

Saints and Freo played in the AFL today. 3rd v 4th which may have hurt the crowd numbers. The crowd last week in Canberra was a bloody disgrace. I was at the Reds v Brumbies and also at the test last week and I swear there were shitloads more people at the Reds game. It was very dissipointing. Time to start thinking about taking some of these games to where the might be appreciated.

Guys, two points if I may: One, crowds at the vast majority of home S14 and Wallabies matches have been declining in a financially and rugby-future-caring way for well over 3 years now. The reasons are well known: unattractive playing styles (mostly), no S14 final or consistent S14 semis wins by anyone other then than the Tahs, and the Wallabies' repetitive 'here today and gone tomorrow' performances of little consistency and passion (mostly) and where we thus look like a generally declining icon of the sport. Two, the England games in (for example) Brisbane would have attracted far larger crowds, especially after the recent Reds' renaissance. I wouldn't mind betting that the Perth crowds would have preferred a Springbok game than last night's mediocre affair.

And it's not so much moving the games around that is going to _strategically_ matter. It's getting the W-L ratio of the S15 and Wallabies games up at all public levels based upon dynamic, fast, aggressive, free-flowing rugby play styles that entertain and exhilarate (most of the time), and make ordinary followers really excited by and proud of the code again (as they largely were 10+ years ago).

 

[Ishmael]

Did anyone notice on foxsports coverage that you could change the commentators to the poms or turn it off and just listen to the ref.

Yes, thank Christ. I changed over as soon as Marto started giving the ref a verbal lambasting for fluffing a marginal forward pass call and then carried on with it as the poor bloke tried to manage the scrum. Seriously, can we start a petition to get this muppet banned from coming within 100 metres of a microphone?

 

[MrMouse]

Guys, two points if I may: One, crowds at the vast majority of home S14 and Wallabies matches have been declining in a financially and rugby-future-caring way for well over 3 years now. The reasons are well known: unattractive playing styles (mostly), no S14 final or consistent S14 semis wins by anyone other then than the Tahs, and the Wallabies' repetitive 'here today and gone tomorrow' performances of little consistency and passion (mostly) and where we thus look like a generally declining icon of the sport. Two, the England games in (for example) Brisbane would have attracted far larger crowds, especially after the recent Reds' renaissance. I wouldn't mind betting that the Perth crowds would have preferred a Springbok game than last night's mediocre affair.

And it's not so much moving the games around that is going to _strategically_ matter. It's getting the W-L ratio of the S15 and Wallabies games up at all public levels based upon dynamic, fast, aggressive, free-flowing rugby play styles that entertain and exhilarate (most of the time), and make ordinary followers really excited by and proud of the code again (as they largely were 10+ years ago).

Mate you're forgetting possibly the biggest factors - the ridiculously inhibitive cost of attendance, and the piss-poor marketing from the ARU.

Ruggo mentioned Saints v Freo taking patrons away - no bloody wonder when top category tickets are $56.20, or as little as $27.05. Not sure how much Perth tickets were, but Wobs vs Eng this Saturday $115/59. Wobs vs Ireland in Brissie $104/49. God help anyone wanting to introduce their kids to rugby or go with mates to the Bledisloe, at $164/89, and no concession pricing if you actually want to SEE the game (Gold/Platinum). Then the ARU and Grumbles bitch and moan that the Australian public don't support them! Aiesh!

 

[cyclopath]

I wonder if they cut prices a fair bit, and got some really good crowds in, whether this would have a positive impact overall, and in itself draw more fans? I know the main reason I don't want to go to Tests at Homebush is not the price (I am fortunate enough to be able to afford it, although I would stop well short of calling it good value) but the shithouse atmosphere / location et al. And no, I don't mean that Homebush per se is no good geographically, but there is bugger all out there around the venue that makes you want to either go early, or stay late, and for me a night at the footy is a social event. If I knew there would be 70-80 000 at a test, it would be far more appealing. Sorry if any feels that makes me shallow.

 

[Lee Grant]

Did anyone notice on foxsports coverage that you could change the commentators to the poms or turn it off and just listen to the ref.

On TV?? No, I had no clue - which button do you push?

I watched the game on Fox Sports but recorded Channel 7 as well and watched it on Sunday. It's a good change but a pity about the commercials though. I'm getting a bit weary of the Fox Sports guys: Marto moaning about the scrums and saying Oz should feign injury and get uncontested scrums, just about made me turn the sound off.

Crowley seems to be more up to speed on the scrum happenings than Kearns. It's been a while since I've listened to Bray. I still find his comments such as who was Nick Easter's godfather annoying but I liked the change and his better neutrality.

The Fox Sports guys are better entertainers but you couldn't fault Crowley's funny comment when Hape stuffed up a pass near the Oz goal line - something like: "He's a Kiwi playing for England - he doesn't have much going for him does he?"

 

[daz]

I've always liked Bray. I'd have him and Greg Clarke in the same booth with special comments by Crowley, and Kafer on the sidelines.

Marto really is an annoying fool, and whilst Kearns (Fox) and Horan (7) are both heroes of mine they really doesn't offer anything particularly special.

 

[Epi]

We are agreed then.. We lose Kearns and Marto. Can't wait...

 

[OZGOD]

Did anyone notice on foxsports coverage that you could change the commentators to the poms or turn it off and just listen to the ref.

Yea I used to switch them off back in 2005. Unfortunately when you're living in Seppoland you have to deal with the commies, be they Ozzie, Hobbit, Jaapie, Pom or whatever