Some takeaways from our night at the rugby.
1. Getting in was bad and then it got worse.
This was the queue at our gate and then behind us with very little room within the fence of the stadium there are people trying to move in both directions trying to get to their respective gates. It got much worse once we got inside. The crush of people trying to move through the narrow concourses at the end of the ground was downright scary. Again people trying to move in both directions and then people trying to stand still in massive lines for toilets and drinks. It was a complete crush and this is the sort of scenario where something setting off panic etc. can lead to serious injuries and death. It doesn't need to be an actual emergency, just people believing that there is reason to try and rush.
This stadium needs to be rebuilt. It isn't close to being safe when there is a big crowd there.
Onto the rugby.
2. That was an incredibly physical and willing test match where both sides defended superbly. It was a tense decider in what has been the best three match series we've had in Australia in as long as I can remember. Well done to both sides.
3. Pocock was our best player out there in my opinion and played an excellent series. I find it interesting that there haven't been any comments complaining about his inability to deal with the referee. Every close decision went against the Wallabies and Pocock was powerless to do anything. Maybe Hooper isn't as bad at that as people claim him to be?
4. Tui was the addition our backrow needed. He had a strong game and I think we will see Pocock at 8, Hooper at 7 and Tui at 6 with Samu on the bench moving forward. Timu didn't do a lot wrong but he hasn't had the impact he needed.
5. Phipps had close to his best starting test I've seen. He is clearly a step down from Genia but he played well, he makes crucial tackles and his speed to the breakdown is a vital asset.
6. Latu was excellent and his low tackle on Kearney (I think) and then winning a penalty at the next breakdown was a brilliant piece of play that could have turned the match. He is very unlucky to be penalised late in the game to give Ireland a 4 point advantage. I thought he should have clearly won the penalty there. He should have started this game and should be the backup for TPN in the Rugby Championship.
7. As many have said, the TMO is being overused to be point of ridiculousness. They need to put the ref calls that you can hear through ref's ears over the PA system when those breaks are going on. It is crazy having 99% of the crowd not knowing what is happening for protracted periods.
I disagree with Folau's yellow card but his hands did contact the Irish player in the air after the contest for the balland that puts him at risk of being on the wrong side of the decision. Players being lifted by a single player are repeatedly getting hurt in aerial challenges though. This is a problem. We have seen many times where players being lifted by a single player are almost dropped on their head when there is no one competing with them for the ball.
The Coleman TMO review was ridiculous. It was already a penalty to Ireland and the first replay showed that Coleman had wrapped him arm, not dived off his feet and not made high contact with the Irish player. At that instant you knew it wasn't a card offence so why keep reviewing? It was already a penalty in the exact same spot?
8. All in all I think the Wallabies are a team on the up. Ireland really brought it this series and the Wallabies matched them across three tests and just couldn't get the job done. The challenge over the next year is to get better from here and be good enough to win these close tests against top sides more than we lose them. This year shapes as our best chance at winning the Bledisloe Cup in a long time.
