Wallabies vs Wales - Docklands Stadium June 16

[Groucho]

How can you tell when the Wallaby supporters 747 lands? You can still hear it whining when the engines stop.

 

[vidiot]

The front row was great and while I think that Moore must be wondering how well he has to play to get to run on, TPN had a strong game.

Hopefully Vuna can see out the whole 80 minutes , and invert his tackles made:missed.

I wonder what shape Deans is looking at for the wallaby pack in the rugby championship? While I like the concept of getting Simmons polished up through June, it does seem imprudent not to give another lock - I almost don't care who - some time, at least from the bench.

 

[Groucho]

There's a lot of competition for places now which is good, vidiot. Especially now that Horwill is out - which is not.

No bad thing that Moore and Nau are fighting it out for top spot. Kepu, Slipper and Palmer for THP - no need for loosies there now. Robinson and Alexander for LHP.

The second row actually looks a bit light now unless Sharpie stays. Lots of youngsters after Simmons.

Back row stocks are excellent with Pocock established, and Palu, Higginbotham, Hooper and Gill working for the other places.

 

[Scotty]

I can't help but think the front row would be copping less criticism if they weren't all from NSW.

They all played solid games, our forwards were strong and we won the game.

Compared to the Scotland game where a scrum penalty at the death cost us the match, it seems like a strange part of the game to focus on.

We certainly didn't win or achieve parity in the scrums vs Wales though.

I think Alexander deserves to start over Robinson.

 

[Braveheart81]

That would make more sense if our scrum improved when Alexander came on.

I just find it a bit far fetched that there are suggestions to drop Robinson after one test where he didn't shine but was also perfectly solid.

 

[Scotty]

It isn't dropping him. We have said all along that the 2nd test vs Wales should be the top team. Before that scheduling did not allow it.

By extension you could say:

Why was Alexander dropped after a perfectly good performance vs Scotland?
Why was Fa'ainga dropped after a good performance vs Scotland?
Why was Dennis? Why was Moore? Why was Palmer?

 

[The Red Baron]

That would make more sense if our scrum improved when Alexander came on.

To me, that is the key determinant when picking a starting prop for a test match. Robinson is far more solid at scrum time than Alexander. Yes, Fat Cat's workrate isn't as high as it could be, and he isn't really nailing the scrums like we know he can do. However, he isn't fluffing scrums and is current workrate is adequate.

It was only recently that there were howls of protest to a certain poster (Mudskipper I think. If it wasn't Mudskipper, then apologies in advance) having the audacity to leave Fat Cat out of the squad. Now people think he is playing like shit and needs to be dropped to the bench. A bit extreme I think.

Fat Cat is fine at the moment. If his play really starts to deteriorate, then we should look at our options. It is nowhere near that point though.

 

[Braveheart81]

Each to their own I guess, but I don't think the case to omit Benn Robinson is at all strong. I've seen nothing to suggest he isn't the premier LHP in the country.

 

[light]

Deans has just widened the gap between our top 3 locks and the rest by not choosing another for this series. It is the perfect opportunity to let one of the young up and comers have a go and yet he just seems to continue using Dennis as cover. I am not one to harp on it but if we don't have a specialist reserve lock we are all going to be cringing come the 60th minute against the AB's next year when Simmons or Horwill need a break and Sharpe is no longer on the scene.

It's pretty clear that Timani is a little ahead of the rest of the pack on experience but I think there are others who are equally deserving of a go, others who aren't even in the squad... Regardless, if we don't have a reserve lock for the next game we will know that Deans thinks Dennis is our best option.

 

[BDA]

I must say I don't know why Deans waited so long to use his bench last week. He can be a bit reactive rather than proactive. It wasn't until we'd completely lost momentum that he brought on fresh legs. Some of those guys looked buggered.

 

[kronic]

Would love to see the GPS stats for Diggers from Saturday night. Can't wait to see him run a muck.

 

[Gagger]

I'm sorry Scotty, but the idea of benching our only LHP approaching international scrummaging ability has got me scratching my head.

I actually thought he looked OK around the park as well.

BTW - that one scrum we got penalised for going backwards and collapsing - watch the back row. Were all binding through fingertips from when the ball went in. Same old

 

[vidiot]

The second row actually looks a bit light now unless Sharpie stays. Lots of youngsters after Simmons.

Yeah, I'm not sure why developing depth there is not a priority. By playing the youngsters from the bench, rather than eking out 80 mins each from Sharpe and Simmons.

 

[Scotty]

I'm sorry Scotty, but the idea of benching our only LHP approaching international scrummaging ability has got me scratching my head.

I actually thought he looked OK around the park as well.

BTW - that one scrum we got penalised for going backwards and collapsing - watch the back row. Were all binding through fingertips from when the ball went in. Same old

I'm not convinced that he is ahead of the rest any longer.

Did the Tahs scrum dominate the Brumbies one in their last encounter? Don't recall it that way.

 

[Scotty]

I must say I don't know why Deans waited so long to use his bench last week. He can be a bit reactive rather than proactive. It wasn't until we'd completely lost momentum that he brought on fresh legs. Some of those guys looked buggered.

I said to a friend around the 50th minute - we are starting to struggle here and need some subs. We were slow off the line in defense and dropping off tackles.

It wasn't until closer to the 60th minute that Deans made the changes.

It was hard to believe he couldn't see the same issue, nor that he didn't have in the back of his head that some of the troops had played 80minutes 4 days previous.

 

[Sully]

Ah but Scotty has the Brumbies scrum dominated anyone? ..........................

 

[Gagger]

I'm not convinced that he is ahead of the rest any longer.

Did the Tahs scrum dominate the Brumbies one in their last encounter? Don't recall it that way.

Was Robinson packing against Alexander?

 

[Richo]

So the people predicting disaster because of an unchanged side... Are you guys gonna eat your words if we win on Saturday?

 

[Penguin]

I haven't seen many eat their words from the week before Richo, so I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Unchanged side = gutless move.

Horne and Vuna should go at bare minimum.

Then again, I'm hoping the Reds all get dropped so they're fresher for the finals.