Wallabies vs Scotland - 5 June 2012

[AngrySeahorse]

Completely off topic, did anyone else think that the singer of the national anthem stuffed the words. I thought he said 'with noble soil, instead of with golden soil'. Maybe a bad omen from the start.
.

Could'nt tell, me & all the others around me were belting out the words ourselves too loud to notice (in the name of being a good sport I sung the Scots anthem too - not as loud though).

And great crowd. Good from Newcastle.

Cheers Antony, I was one of many who braved the weather. The official crowd was around 20080, which is understandable given the rain & wind. Over 33000 tickets were sold but having sat there in Bay 5 not under cover I could see why some people were put off. I mean, there have been storm & flood warnings after all. It wasn't a 'little drizzel' by any means - not that it bothered me (I'm a hard arse ). My mother on the other hand whinged about it the whole night only broken up by her gushing over Gray .

I got home about just over an 1hr ago, the water was that high whilst on the ferry that walking off it on the walk away was elevated off the ground & the water line was going over the pavement on the otherside - its normally a whole meter deeper. Its bucketing down & howling outside now, my house is actually rocking (hold asbestos! hold!). I've got out of my soaking clothes & have read the new comments in this thread. Now, my observations after watching it from the stands (& yep I had a really good view from where I was, up near the front on half way).

1) Genia......OMFG, I love you but man that was bad, really bad. His service to Barnes was shocking. I could see from side on that not only was he slow to get the ball out but the pass itself was slow & slightly 'lobbed' which gave Scotland heaps of time to run up into Berricks face. He was slow from the ruck at times when we just needed to go quick, whether it was to Barnes or to a forward.

2) Berrick did fine under the circumstances TBH. Kicking for the wings was good.

3) The kicking in the first half, Genia's first kick should have been the warning that at Hunter stadium if you kick it high then the wind will grab it & push it back (if its windy & hell I think 80km-100km/hr is pretty windy). We seemed to be a bit slow to learn this but the lower level kicks tended to work later. The Scots did not seem to be too smart in this department themselves, they were shown by us in the 1st half how bad it was to kick high then in the second half they did the same thing. Also, in the second half we did not learn that the ball would be blown even further now that we were running in the other direction - thus Harris' kick over the dead ball line. I was spewing that he missed that penalty too.

4) Forward pack I thought did well, very unlucky not to go over a few times, not just with Simmons. In fact the ball handing was quite good. The pick & drive was the go however sometimes we just went for one too many - I was yelling with others in the crowd "Yes! now get it out to the backs for christ sake!" - but that never happened. I know it was wet but 5m or less out from a try with the piggies doing quite a number of phases I'd think at some point the ball had to go out - it didn't. Line-outs were solid. Scrum suffered a bit, not sure if its more opponent or conditions there.

5) The outside backs did very well but Diggers was the best back overall IMO. He was the only back breaking the line consistently - watching the game he was the only one I was confident was going to break the line from the backs.

6) On Scotland: Sealing off the ball - I screamed until I was hoarse as they did it a lot. However, their defense, in particular their speed off the line, was brilliant. I thought their hands were a bit better, particularly from fielding big kicks. They didn't seem to do much in attack though. The conditions favoured the Scots.....trust me.....like I said I was there. I had Scots supporters talking behind me when I was getting drinks at 1/2 time saying it was like "being back at home" & that "surely this can't be Aussie weather?" (yes it can be). I may be shouted down for this but I thought the Scots played the ref at the end there for that scrum penalty. I saw straight through the tunnel from where I was & the first body to hit the floor was a Scot but that being said we were stupid enough to let them get that close. Ultimately the Scots deserved their victory, well played.

7) I thought we did very well to defend as much as we did early in the 1st half & to then get on the front foot & get ourselves into quite a few try scoring opportunities. Just not seizing them.

8) The backs tackling was very good, Anthony Fainga'a put on a couple of beauties that the crowd appreciated.

9) Joubert on one touch line took 6m approx off a Wallaby touch finder & the crowd let him know about it.....

10) Pocock had a good game. I think Pocock thought we were going to go in for 7 points, that was why he took the options he did IMO. Not a bad choice, just the wrong result. He could have taken the 3 & soon after a Scot may have slipped through (which they nearly did running close to where I was) & nabbed it with 5 or 7.

11) I thought putting Hooper on the open side in the last 15min was a nice roll of the dice despite not getting the win.

A few extra bits & pieces. Nice bagpipe players there. Merchandise sector must have gained a pay packet & a 1/2 from people buying scarves & beanies & the like (they got me & Ma).

Despite the loss & the weather I really enjoyed myself, especially given I was seated among 80 or so other Rugby people I know. I enjoyed seeing the Wallabies live too.

Had a good laugh at a bloke in a kilt who ran on the field at FT who out stepped a security guard that fell A over T trying to get him. He then proceeded to lift his kilt & show us his 'hardware' in a circular fashion pretty much putting the icing on the cake for what was a tough night as a Wallaby fan but gave everyone a good laugh.

Hearing someone yell out to Kafer on the side line freezing his arse off "Welcome to Newcastle Kafe!".

Before the game I lined up for autographs, I met the sons of former Queensland Reds player Munday (I've completely forgotten his first name - must be the cold, remember him as a player though). What a nice couple of young men! Very friendly. My Ma & I had a nice chat with them. The older one was nice enough to take two photos of me (one with Rob Horne & the other with Bernard Foley). I was very happy to get the autographs & photos.

On the result of the game, whilst its disappointing to lose I'm not panicking over this.

Lastly, it is a shame that such freak weather happened for this game. We get it like this sometimes in the Hunter but really it was just bad luck that it was this bad. I hope we can get another test in the near future but I hope unlike tonight that it is done with far more sensible planning. The next game scheduled for the Hunter-Newcastle area I believe is the British & Irish Lions next year - & like tonight I will be very excited for that too.

HUGE POST! BUT A LOT OF STUFF WENT DOWN!!!

 

[Bullrush]

I was at the game and I really think people are underestimating how bad the weather was. Watching it on TV now and it doesn't come close to conveying what it was like out there. One minute the wind was 100km an hour with driving rain, then it's switched or stopped then the rain started and so on. It was not consistent. Thatts why box kicks went up and went backwards. The moment before there was no wind.

When Harris didn't take the kick when in the 22 it was because there was no way on earth anyone could kick it with the wind speed and the direction it was moving when that kick was on.

Scotland kicked 2 goals in the first half in the same wind. And by your own words, the wind could have completely stopped from the time Harris set-up to when he actually took the kick. At he very worst, he misses and you start again. And surely he had a better chance of making that kick then he did the 2 50-odd metre ones he attempted. Or Barnes' drop-goal. In those conditions, they take every offer of points and look to keep building pressure. Every rugby fan in the world knows that.

Which is why I don't get some of the blame Deans is taking for this loss. I'm no fan of his AT ALL but the game plan and even most of the execution was pretty much spot on. Had Harris made that penalty kick, I think the game would have changed. And as I said earlier, I think Deans was pretty pissed off they didn't go for it. He seemed pretty keen to talk to Harris and Pocock to find out why they didn't.

And just off the topic a little bit.....I thought the post-game panel were also pretty spot-on with their assessment of Sharpe. I've been a bit of a fan of his for the last couple of years but I think his carries tonite were predictable and easily shut down. Moore, on the other hand, is just a great ball carrier. Even in the tightest spots he still seems to beat at least the first tackle and make an extra couple of metres. Reminds me of an in-form Mealamu.

 

[Riptide]

The conditions is what most Northern sides play week in week out, suited scotland more,

It just about attitude. Scotland's skills are inferior and yes, the conditions are an equalizer of sorts but it's just about getting stuck in. The attitude of this Wallabies team has been wrong too often.

 

[Brumbieman]

Palu, certainly not.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), perhaps. Robinson, maybe, but we still have the 'Aus scrum = shit' myth hamstringing us. No way was that last scrum a penalty to Scotland. It was ruled that, however, and cost us.

 

[The Big Code]

Scotland kicked 2 goals in the first half in the same wind. And by your own words, the wind could have completely stopped from the time Harris set-up to when he actually took the kick. At he very worst, he misses and you start again. And surely he had a better chance of making that kick then he did the 2 50-odd metre ones he attempted. Or Barnes' drop-goal. In those conditions, they take every offer of points and look to keep building pressure. Every rugby fan in the world knows that.

Which is why I don't get some of the blame Deans is taking for this loss. I'm no fan of his AT ALL but the game plan and even most of the execution was pretty much spot on. Had Harris made that penalty kick, I think the game would have changed. And as I said earlier, I think Deans was pretty pissed off they didn't go for it. He seemed pretty keen to talk to Harris and Pocock to find out why they didn't.f

And just off the topic a little bit.....I thought the post-game panel were also pretty spot-on with their assessment of Sharpe. I've been a bit of a fan of his for the last couple of years but I think his carries tonite were predictable and easily shut down. Moore, on the other hand, is just a great ball carrier. Even in the tightest spots he still seems to beat at least the first tackle and make an extra couple of metres. Reminds me of an in-form Mealamu.

I think that is spot on Bullrush. Deans is a pretty easy scapegoat - and to be honest he hasn't exactly done a lot to redeem himself to the fans, but I am not convinced all the blame should be loaded on to him tonight. He was the one taking poor options at critical times, that needs to be on the players.

Sharpe has been a great player but his time has come. He turned the ball over a number of times and I thought he was going to every time he ran the ball. His lineout play was excellent but it's time to get the young guys in there. Simmons showed that he is a first choice second rower when he came off the bench and used his size to great effect.

 

[The Big Code]

Palu, certainly not.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), perhaps. Robinson, maybe, but we still have the 'Aus scrum = shit' myth hamstringing us. No way was that last scrum a penalty to Scotland. It was ruled that, however, and cost us.

We do, and it's a tough one to overcome. I had a different reading to you on the scrum at the end - it looked like a penalty to me (Slipper went in and down first, even if the Scot guy was boaring in a bit), and on TV they showed the scrum end on end and our body positioning, almost to a man, was horrible. However, that exact scrum had been called play on all game because the ball was at the back and playable. If not for the scrum before (which I actually thought we did well to wheel and could have got the feed) and the Scots getting in Jaco's face, he wouldn't have blown the penalty.

As for Palu, I am not his biggest fan, but we could have used his ball running tonight, even if he could only have stayed on the field for 50 minutes. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Robinson are first choice, even after the Tahs have been so poor all year.

 

[Brumbieman]

We do, and it's a tough one to overcome. I had a different reading to you on the scrum at the end - it looked like a penalty to me (Slipper went in and down first, even if the Scot guy was boaring in a bit), and on TV they showed the scrum end on end and our body positioning, almost to a man, was horrible. However, that exact scrum had been called play on all game because the ball was at the back and playable. If not for the scrum before (which I actually thought we did well to wheel and could have got the feed) and the Scots getting in Jaco's face, he wouldn't have blown the penalty.

As for Palu, I am not his biggest fan, but we could have used his ball running tonight, even if he could only have stayed on the field for 50 minutes. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Robinson are first choice, even after the Tahs have been so poor all year.

What ball running? Run into the opposition halfback and get flattened? He's a flat track bully, and soft as soon as an opposition team actually stick it to him.


The last two scrums were a joke. We should have had the feed from the 2nd last one, after successfully wheeling it against hte feed. That's a goddamned turnover.

 

[The Big Code]

What ball running? Run into the opposition halfback and get flattened? He's a flat track bully, and soft as soon as an opposition team actually stick it to him.


The last two scrums were a joke. We should have had the feed from the 2nd last one, after successfully wheeling it against hte feed. That's a goddamned turnover.

Yep, agreed. We should have got the feed in that second last scrum. But didn't and that's that.

I can't really believe I am sticking up for Palu, but I think a backrow of Higginbothom-Palu-Pocock gives you more, even though Dennis had a pretty solid game. Also thought Sharpe and Timini were both rubbish.

 

[p.Tah]

Scotland kicked 2 goals in the first half in the same wind. And by your own words, the wind could have completely stopped from the time Harris set-up to when he actually took the kick.

but that's it Bullrush, it wasn't the same wind. It was directly behind the kicker when the Scots were kicking in the first half. When Haris had the opportunity it was a completely different direction! He was kicking from a different side of the field and the wind was much much stronger.

That's not what lost the game. It was Harris' mind field bomb that was caught by the wind and went 70m and then across the deadball line. That was the only time in the second half the Scots got close to our 22!

 

[Riptide]

When will this Wallaby team stop playing down to the level of it's opposition. Losing at home to the ABs is one thing, but to be so poor against a less than stellar England, Samoa and a lousy Scotland?

Deans is not getting the best out of the talent available to him.

 

[Jiggles]

Just watched the replay (I enjoy self harm...) and Sharpe was rubbish. You get nervous every time he takes the ball to the line. As soon as Alexander came on, pressure came through his side of the scrum and was the key to the last 2 or 3 Scottish scrums. The bloke has been under pressure all year in Super Rugby. He is just not up to it. Timani had an ok first half, but was rubbish in the second before his injury and confirmed (again) how soft he really is. Higginbotham was trying too hard. He just needs to be told to calm down, and you have the series to cement your spot.

I watched Barnes closely, and he took the wrong option pretty much every time. He couldn't coordinate forward runners in his back line, and he couldn't communicate with Genia. He isn't up to it.

But the biggest annoyance for me tonight was Pocock's Leadership, or lack of. It was crap. I don't want him as captain of the wallabies again anytime soon. He just isnt ready.

 

[waratahjesus]

Think your forgiving genia there, just watched it twice, while Barnes took the wrong option at times, genia failed to deliver him consistent ball nor fast ball,even when it was available, not sure any as 5/8 th would have survived against slow ball, slippery ground and a rush defense.

 

[Reido]

You're right, Dingo's history of persisting with underperformers will not be changing in the near future, so it's a little moot.

More pain to follow?

I believe your "More pain to follow?" remark unfortunately should be a statement, not a question.

 

[Reido]

maybe this will make you smile again (is the gif working as an animted picture? Otherwise disregard it)

And this is what beat us........

 

[Reido]

Thank God we have the U20's to watch. At least that is far less embarrassing than the horse shit we all just sat through.

 

[Slim 293]

I'd like to know why Sharpe was packing down on the tighthead side of the scrum?

 

[Slim 293]

I think I know what it feels like to be a Waratahs' fan after watching that...

I seriously stopped paying attention to the game for the last 10-15 minutes, and I couldn't have cared who won in the end...

In fact, I gave up on the delayed Ch9 feed and went online to see the result with a couple of minutes remaining just to put me out of my misery...

How long until Super Rugby kicks off again?

 

[maxdacat]

Just caught the game on delay (big thank you to channel 9, especially for starting when advertised).

It kind of doesn't feel as bad as losing to Samoa last year. Probably just because it was a bit of a nothing game i'm a bit meh.

 

[Moono75]

Another piss poor Wallabies performance. Can't play in anything but picture perfect conditions. Where's the pride in playing for your country, they are handing out the gold jersey too easily......try earning it!

A marked improvement required if they are to beat Wales.

 

[maxdacat]

I was at the game and I really think people are underestimating how bad the weather was. Watching it on TV now and it doesn't come close to conveying what it was like out there. One minute the wind was 100km an hour with driving rain, then it's switched or stopped then the rain started and so on.

I think that's one reason why i'm not too bothered by a loss.....mainly in awe that a bunch of guys are playing in these sort of conditions.