Were the Wallabies burnt out?

[TOCC]

Apologies if this conflicts with any other threads..

But, in lieu of some of the players performances, i cant help but think a number of the Wallabies were burnt out after a long season... which further draws into question the merit of a spring tour(but heck thats another discussion).

Cooper, Beale, Genia, Samo, Pocock and TPN immediately spring to mind.. Not purely just a physicaly burnout but in the case of Cooper, quite probably a mental burn out as well...

On the flip side you have blokes like Barnes and Burgess who in there cameos looked a level above the rest just in terms of energy and decision making, which is no doubt a reflection of there comparitvely lightened workload over the past 2-4months.

In my line of work we deal with periods of intense 'work' and then lengthened periods of recuperation.. Its not unusual to see a lot of guys burn out, especially the younger guys who dont know how to pace themselves effectively, we tend to find physical exhaution/injuries can often be a reflection of the mental state of mind.

Thoughts??
Agree/Disagree

 

[QuadeCooperFan]

possibly. It certainly seemed the forwards were still hurting in the semi final after that mammoth effort against the Boks.

 

[pete88]

I was just venting today to my dad that the tournament was a month early and that helped no one's preparation much, but really didn't help the SH sides who were fresh off the TN which was straight after the S15. A break would have been a good thing, I mean EOYTs shouldn't be happening in a RWC year, that's a joke.

 

[Gagger]

I don't think we could have done that against SA if we'd been burnt out

We were also going into the tournament with one of the fullest squads we'd had for ages

 

[tigerland12]

I was about to post a thread about this WC coming maybe a year too soon for the Wallabies.

- An extra year to adapt to the longer season
- The younger more 'razzle dazzle' players ( Cooper, Beale, O'Connor) to learn how to play a more conservative style that was needed.
- Finding the right backrow and center combinations (two areas we were let down).

Always if's and but's about these things, but I can't help but think that if the WC was next year, we would of performed much better.

 

[pete88]

Yeah I mean the guys like Cooper and Genia that haven't had a break since February are just in blinding form right now... Do you not think guys like that wouldn't have benefited from a few weeks off between Bledisloe II and the RWC?

 

[Blob]

There is a reason that SA and NZ sent weak squads into Tri Nations games.

 

[cyclopath]

There is a reason that SA and NZ sent weak squads into Tri Nations games.

Paid off handsomely for SA then.

 

[grievous]

Pissing into the wind against other nations seasons, we spend most of the international season in plush training camps. Get real we need to HTFU

 

[whatty]

Paid off handsomely for SA then.

I am still a sad bunny.

I did comment watching the AUS semi that players looked lacking in speed after the previous week, maybe that and claiming the Tri Nations MAY have have been the price to pay

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I really think the occasion of the RWC weighed on a very young (in comparison to the rest) squad. They'll be the better for it though and come 2015 I think they'll really kick on.

Also, I wasn't too shocked by our loss to the AB's. They had a very draining, hard fought victory against SA the week before and that would have been very difficult to turn around in a week.

 

[cyclopath]

I am still a sad bunny.

I did comment watching the AUS semi that players looked lacking in speed after the previous week, maybe that and claiming the Tri Nations MAY have have been the price to pay

No doubt. Lose-lose situation for Aus - get some confidence and momentum (theoretical) from a strong 3N, or bin it and go for the RWC. Either way, I doubt we'd have had the game to beat all the teams we needed to beat in the RWC. I would rather see all Tests contested to the best of our ability (allowing for a few rotations in matches against real minnows, not Samoa ).
Alas, the RWC has become the setter of the cycle, and that changes things.

 

[Blob]

Paid off handsomely for SA then.

They rested their team for a reason. They lost because they were a bit crap and that had nothing to do with being rested.

 

[Dai bando]

I think Wales look tired too, was their worst performance of the WC,Argentina, England, England, South Africa, Samoa, Fiji, ireland, Australia, miight have been a game too far.

 

[cyclopath]

They rested their team for a reason. They lost because they were a bit crap and that had nothing to do with being rested.

I forgot, they were all injured.
My mistake, I thought it had something to do with the RWC.

 

[Muttonbird]

TPN

Hardly played all year.

 

[Blob]

I forgot, they were all injured.
My mistake, I thought it had something to do with the RWC.

I'm convinced that we are agreeing with each other.

 

[cyclopath]

I'm convinced that we are agreeing with each other.

You'd be mistaken, like I was.

 

[Blob]

In that case I haven't a clue of what you're on about. Ah well. Who cares.

 

[darkhorse]

I do think Samo was a shadow of the player he was in the 3nations. Cooper and genia didn't look themselves but I'm not sure if this was from overdoing the conservative play or tiredness.

Horwill possibly, but the rest were more likely underdone. vickerman, tpn, Horne, Mitchell, elsom.