Wallabies vs Wales - Docklands Stadium June 16

[Cardiffblue]

Glad that Wales went we Jones at eight instead of the rumoured ploy of switching Warburton to 8 and playing Tipuric at 7.

They ve gone for the sensible option. Tips on the bench give much more options for replacements and Ryan gives absolutely everything when he plays for wales. Deserved a run on

 

[Cardiffblue]

Yep I agree, although I thought our best chance would be the first game, if we can contest the breakdown, and present the ball better in the tackle it should be worth the watch.

I don't feel the force is strong with you dai

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I don't feel the force is strong with you dai

Careful with the Gnome, Boyos. He's a bit twitchy at the moment, and the slightest thing will set him off.

Has the referee been announced? If so what is the feeling on their potential impact on the game particularly their past history with scrum and breakdown rulings?

The Breadman came off second best against Bam Bam on Saturday.

Is he ready to give it a red hot go this time around?

 

[Braveheart81]

Referee is Chris Pollock.

 

[RedsHappy]

The highlight for me in Wales 1 was absolutely, incontestably, the whole calibre of the Wallaby forwards work. Aside from the The Little Master, that's all that got me excited, yet I was very excited as this area of Wallaby play has been 'the lost zone' for years: low intensity, poor technique, slow pods, poor dominance in tackles, observers not game-changing actors driving the stage play. We started to believe the dangerous illusion that the Gen X backs would save us. Post RWC, we surely now know.

I won't list all the attributes of Wallaby forwards goodness from Wales 1. You all saw them.

I have this little intuition (as I posted after the game) that Totality Tony is already adding value, potentially big lumps of it. I was a trenchant advocate that if Williams had been sacked years ago, no one would observed his passing, zero value add, and a big negative reason why Nuci was asked to quietly rescue Deans from 2010. The ARU then arose post RWC, and acted.

Deans on the ABC today said: 'it's good to have the new coaches on board and they're adding things, bringing language of their own' (the last 5 words a classic Robbieism). I sensed he really meant it. His poor previous assistants (and the absence of some specialist assistants that should have been hired) came close to writing his death sentence and were a big reason why so very few of the finer aspects of Wallaby play improved since 2008.

So on Saturday night, I'm officially on Totality Tony Watch. Please join me and report afterwards.

 

[Dai bando]

I don't feel the force is strong with you dai

Not at all Blue, I've been more optimistic this tour than any other, I suppose you could compare me with a duck, calm on the surface but, peddling like mad under the water,
I know we will give them a game, if the 50/50 calls are even then who knows Blue, our scrum looked good our lineout worked other things did not, as I mentioned the tackle area is a concern so to our kicking game, get them right and happy days.

 

[fatprop]

I expect to see the Welch make the breakdown a shit fight.

Flood the breakdown and ensure Genia gets shit slow ball as much as possible. The the rush umbrella defense will then potentially push Barnes deeper and deeper into the pocket.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Not at all Blue, I've been more optimistic this tour than any other, I suppose you could compare me with a duck, calm on the surface but, peddling like mad under the water,
I know we will give them a game, if the 50/50 calls are even then who knows Blue, our scrum looked good our lineout worked other things did not, as I mentioned the tackle area is a concern so to our kicking game, get them right and happy days.

Got my dream day planned this time. Watch HAC vs. Blue Mountains in the afternoon. Hopefully we get wins at least first and second grade. Wazee Yah!

Then down the Richmond Inn to suffer two hours of derision before the bois come out and do the biz. Then loud and obnoxious for the rest of the evening. Bliss

 

[Cardiffblue]

Careful with the Gnome, Boyos. He's a bit twitchy at the moment, and the slightest thing will set him off.

Has the referee been announced? If so what is the feeling on their potential impact on the game particularly their past history with scrum and breakdown rulings?

The Breadman came off second best against Bam Bam on Saturday.

Is he ready to give it a red hot go this time around?

You're telling me. Saw $6 laughing gnomes for sale at Bunnings last week before the game. Should have recognised the omen at the time. Fair made me shiver at the thought he was stalking me.

It's true that Warbs did come off second best last weekend. Took him at least the first half to get used to the rules of the breakdown (or lack of them!).

Googled Chris Pollock. What games did he ref at the RWC?

 

[Groucho]

I expect to see the Welch make the breakdown a shit fight.

Flood the breakdown and ensure Genia gets shit slow ball as much as possible. The the rush umbrella defense will then potentially push Barnes deeper and deeper into the pocket.

Of course flooding the breakdown has effects elsewhere.

 

[emuarse]

You're telling me. Saw $6 laughing gnomes for sale at Bunnings last week before the game. Should have recognised the omen at the time. Fair made me shiver at the thought he was stalking me.

It's true that Warbs did come off second best last weekend. Took him at least the first half to get used to the rules of the breakdown (or lack of them!).

Googled Chris Pollock. What games did he ref at the RWC?

He was a reserve referee for RWC. H didn't referee any of the finals.
Whether he was called upon to referee one of the round games I couldn't say.

 

[Cardiffblue]

He was a reserve referee for RWC. H didn't referee any of the finals.
Whether he was called upon to referee one of the round games I couldn't say.

This isn't his first major international is it? I d hate to think we re faced with a man seeking to leave his mark

 

[troxler]

This isn't his first major international is it? I d hate to think we re faced with a man seeking to leave his mark

New Zealand’s Chris Pollock makes his 10th appearance as
an international referee when he officiates Wales’ Second Test
against Australia on Saturday. Pollock made his Test debut in
2005 when he refereed the Niue Island versus Tahiti.


http://www.irb.com/mm/document/newsmedia/mediazone/02/06/28/19/20121406australiawales.pdf

He has officated a 6 nations game between Ireland and Scotland

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Niue vs Tahiti. That would be good for the CV. LOL

 

[Cardiffblue]

This is not making me feel any better about mr pollock. Can't concentrate on sbs history of wales

 

[Hugh Jarse]

New ref. Wales at full strength with their backs to the wall. Cementhead back in charge. The Wobs overconfident.

This will be a walkover for the Red Team. Surprised that SportsTAB are still taking bets on this game.

 

[Cardiffblue]

New ref. Wales at full strength with their backs to the wall. Cementhead back in charge. The Wobs overconfident.

This will be a walkover for the Red Team. Surprised that SportsTAB are still taking bets on this game.

This reverse psychology is not fooling anyone Huw

 

[Vanuatu Chiefs]

Chris Pollock officiated the 1st game of the Tri Nations in July 2011 when the Wallabies played some expansive attacking rugby against the Boks & won 39 - 20. Genia was man of the match. That was the game the week after our ludus horribilis against Samoa.

 

[Garry Owen]

I don't know why Deans has named the same side. It means that forwards Pocock, Higginbotham and Sharpe - and backs in high traffic areas, Genia and Barnes - will be starting their 3rd test in 11 days.

The Wobs didn't recover any of their restarts.
.

These two aspects have not changed during his WB tenure.

He has a history of poor player management, coupled with the likeliness of complaining about a lack of depth due to injuries. He doesn't seem to have the forsight to see these two points as related. He is not of interntional standard.

Nor have we been able to straighten out our kick off receives. It costs us at least 3 turnovers a game (stats via a generalisation pulled from my arse), and field position. During the last match my father (who played both codes, but mainly watches RL these days) asked me why can't they catch their kick off receives?

"Hmmm" was all I could answer him.

 

[Slim 293]

To be fair, all of the Australian teams are poor at restarts.