Where did we go wrong? Wallaby Recovery thread.

[Gnostic]

Again, it seems fortunate I am on hand to point out the truth to a few people who don't appear to know what rugby looks like around here.

I'm most disappointed in barbarian - mate you talk a lot about bending the line, well shit we broke it several times but just couldn't finish it. Cliffy Palu isn't coming back. Let it rest. And JOC (James O'Connor) was the only back who threatened the line? AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) perhaps?

1) you don't move the blokes who actually played well.

2) you don't fuck around too much with your playmakers, especially the guy on debut.

3) you drop guys whose performance at key moments, or whose basic errors stuffed your momentum, where you have better options

4) the guys you bring in have to be the kind who fix problems. Like straight running instead of drifting. Taking it to deck instead of stupid offloads

To this end:

1 Slipper
2 Moore
3 Alexander
4 Simmons - I'm a critic but I thought he turned in a decent performance.
5 Horwill
6 Fardy
7 Hooper
8 Mowen
9 White
10 To'omua
11 Cummins
12 Lilo
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 Folau
15 Cooper

The fullback was the trickiest position for me. I thought Foley could have been an option too, balancing his superior defence against Quade's bigger boot, but in the end experience won out. Foley on the bench.

The astute among you (both of you) and various out raged QLDers will notice I've dropped Genia. He's been on a bit of a down slope this whole year. Give someone else a chance.


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I hate autocorrect .

I agree with most of your premises for selection, but FFS we have just got over 5 years of Deans picking blokes out of position, don't start that shit again. Folau to 15 and a WINGER at 14.

I would also give though to starting Gill at 6. You don't lose anything in the lineout and as far as I am concerned the size fixation does nothing if they cannot compete and stay on their feet at the ruck. At least Gill competes.

 

[wamberal]

Don't despair chaps, we are not all that far away from winning. We did some really good stuff in attack, but did not finish well, and made a couple of very dumb schoolboy mistakes.

I too was very surprised at how well Simmons played.

Folau either does not understand the game plan, or is not willing to trust himself. Or maybe the ball just went the other way - that happens.

A couple of big plus points. We kicked our bloody goals. At last we have a reliable goal kicker.

And we can only get better.

 

[Gnostic]

Yes, perhaps a little ill-advised, but trolling from that guy wasn't going to fly.

I thought you must have been drowning your sorrows in the red since 15 minutes into half time....

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I thought you must have been drowning your sorrows in the red since 15 minutes into half time..

cyclopath I think that sort of pre-emptive elimination of the threat is precisely what the Wobbs need: you should attend all training sessions this week and show them how its done.

 

[barbarian]

Funny, am watching the replay. At 47 minutes and 22-25 we look red hot, playing our best footy of the game.

But ten minutes later and we are gooone.
.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Funny, am watching the replay. At 47 minutes and 22-25 we look red hot, playing our best footy of the game.

But ten minutes later and we are gooone.
.

While you're at it - have a look at about 59 mins.
We go into touch in a clust****.
the line of touch is outside the 22.
AB's take a "quick" throw - back to Cruden who - I reckon - kicks it straight into touch.
since the line of touch is outside the 22 I dont think it matters that the throw may have taken place from behind the 22.
right or wrong?

 

[the sabanator]

• O'Connor's defence was awful, I thought he was a positive in attack.
• I'd like to see Mogg given another chance. He proved throughout Super Rugby he was an excellent kicker and counter attacker and played well against the BI Lions. Have noticed how small he is though - definitely needs a solid offseason in the Brumbies gym. He was the only player in the pregame sequence who didn't appear to be bursting out of his jersey.
• Genia's service got poorer as the game went on, but he's our x-factor player as proved by his try.
• To'omua was ok, good but not great. Deserves another shot and would much rather he starts in New Zealand than Quade.
• Quade played well in his cameo. Apart from one or two little things I didn't see many QFUs (Quade Fuck Ups).
• We miss having a big, running winger like Ioane circa 2011.
• Forwards got monstered at the breakdown. Hooper and Gill are excellent players but I cannot wait until we get Pocock's size back.
• Apart from the intercept try, which looked like a communication muck up with QC (Quade Cooper), I thought Simmons was effective.
• Scrum looked alright. Was baffled by some of Joubert's interpretations but I usually am. Lineouts are a real positive.
• Gill/Hooper combo did look good at the end. Would like to see Gill given a chance to start but Hooper did nothing deserving of a benching.
• Mowen was more effective at 6 during the Lions tour. We need a really big bopper back at 8, and I don't think Higginbotham fills this role. It's a dire need.

On to next week we march

 

[barbarian]

• O'Connor's defence was awful

Just watched the game again, and think this is rubbish.

He makes one bad read, leading to the ABs first try. Still a bloody ripper pass from Cruden, but it was a clear error.

From that point on he is fine. He was forced infield in McCaw's try to cover for Hooper and Horwill, who were still getting up from a ruck. He doesn't push in and the ABs score on the inside of him. As it was they used the numerical advantage and scored in the corner. Not much JOC (James O'Connor) could have done about it.

He made all of his tackles that I could see.
.

 

[TOCC]

On the plus side, there was no injury concerns following last nights test

 

[wamberal]

On the plus side, there was no injury concerns following last nights test

And the Blcks had a couple.

 

[the sabanator]

Just watched the game again, and think this is rubbish.


He makes one bad read, leading to the ABs first try. Still a bloody ripper pass from Cruden, but it was a clear error.

From that point on he is fine. He was forced infield in McCaw's try to cover for Hooper and Horwill, who were still getting up from a ruck. He doesn't push in and the ABs score on the inside of him. As it was they used the numerical advantage and scored in the corner. Not much JOC (James O'Connor) could have done about it.

He made all of his tackles that I could see.
.

I haven't watched it again, but from what I remember with McCaw's try he came in and covered the inside man who Hooper had, leaving McCaw wide open.

Also hats off to Richie, had an excellent game despite many doubts about his fitness.

 

[TOCC]

Sorry, but I'd have to say it's closer to the exact opposite. Cummins is also a much, much harder runner than Tomane - or at least has been for the past several months.

Not what i was saying, i said Tomane involves himself more in a style reminiscent of Ioane, he knocks off the first defender nearly every time.. Yes Cummins is a hard runner, but he doesn't play the roaming role as well, he is good at sitting on the wing and running hard.

 

[FrankLind]

The worst thing to do is to make a lot of changes week to week.
Combinations are needed, especially in the backs.
That said, Folau needs to get the ball more. FB is a better place for him. Cummins to the other wing. And that's it. Chopping and changing all the time searching for the magic team won't work.
With the forwards, there can be a little more experimentation.
The ABs know each other so well because combinations have been given time to settle.

 

[fatprop]

I think it is worth acknowledging that this is a fantastic AB side, who do everything, very very well.

Before the game I said that I was unsure how Link was going to use Mogg. Frankly, I don't think he suited the game plan. If the goal is to play ball in hand kick return then Folau or JOC (James O'Connor) are just better suited, those two are just more likely to beat that first defender.

The ABs kicked to him a lot, chased well and he was bottled up quite easily on kick return. Honestly Folau is the only kick receiver we have who looks comfortable under the high ball - the rest have me going "oh f*ck, oh f*ck"

Now for our kicking, meh (a cynic could say "Barnes like", but these guys are better than the dis-guarded right? right?), so little pressure, so little chance of a chase, so little attempt at a chase.

So we had a previous coach, who was castigated for playing tight and "trying" to limit turnovers and easy transitions. So last night we play fast and loose and we get lots of ball turned over and they nearly put 50 on us.

Now for heretical bit, which approach is closer to test rugby?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

No panic boys and girls, because I think we have the right group of players and a game plan that can win test matches. As Barbs said there were times we looked terrific last night and it was really only at about the 50-odd minute mark that the AB's lifted their rating and we couldn't go with them. There is plenty of improvement in this team and last night wasn't the train wreck that the scoreline portrayed.

 

[Richo]

We seem to have this thirst for a back line messiah. I'm not at all surprised that To'omua was fairly quiet and lacked a bit of confidence. We need to persist with players who are clearly talented, but simply need time at the top level. We need to build a team that trusts each other, not hope that the next line up change will unleash the magic.

 

[p.Tah]

Saw Drew Mitchell at the game he should have brought his boots. After his game against the Lions (vs NSW) I would have liked to have had him out there this week.

 

[barbarian]

I haven't watched it again, but from what I remember with McCaw's try he came in and covered the inside man who Hooper had, leaving McCaw wide open.

Also hats off to Richie, had an excellent game despite many doubts about his fitness.

Nah he was always inside, with Hooper and Horwill getting to their feet from the previous ruck outside of him.
.

 

[Richo]

What's people's opinion on Horwill's captaincy?

He seemed not have a good line of communication with Joubert and didn't really articulate his concerns about repeated Kiwi infringements very well. I'd have though this an area he'd have improved by now.

I'm not saying he should be demoted, but I'm wondering whether he's the best option long term. Thoughts?

 

[No4918]

We seem to have this thirst for a back line messiah. I'm not at all surprised that To'omua was fairly quiet and lacked a bit of confidence. We need to persist with players who are clearly talented, but simply need time at the top level. We need to build a team that trusts each other, not hope that the next line up change will unleash the magic.

Yep, It has taken Cruden several years and a few forgettable performances but he is now at a point where the only time they missed Carter was restarts.

 

[Langthorne]

@ p.tah - Bring in another Waratah?! Too many Waratahs in the team was what was dragging the Wallabies down under Deans. Once McKenzie gets rid of the last 3, the recovery will be truely underway.