Winter Tour; Wallabies v France Wednesday 7 July, Brisbane

[Derpus]

Paisami is a try maker and a heart breaker.

Worth having someone who is going to roll the dice. His crossfield kick was the wrong option but his grubber was perfect and should've resulted in a try.

He could vary it up a bit by distributing more when on attack, though.

 

[Slim 293]

I think you guys are mad if you think we need to replace Banks after that game...........

 

[Joe Blow]

I think you guys are mad if you think we need to replace Banks after that game.....

Haha……..He was bad. Almost as bad as Gordon and Lolesio. Sorry Slim, shaky ground here for your mob.

 

[Braveheart81]

Overall our forwards were good and our backs were pretty average.

The bench really provided the impact we needed with Tupou and McDermott in particular provided the spark that ultimately got us the win. I'm still not sure you immediately go to start them. Gordon obviously played badly but what happens if you flip them around and they don't do the same thing in the first 50 minutes and then we have a bench that doesn't provide the impact we're looking for late in the game.

Gordon and Banks had bad games. Lolesio was a bit of a deer in the headlights early on but settled into the game as it went on. Hopefully he'll gain some confidence from playing out the full 80 and contributing to the win. I think he'll be out of the XV and maybe the 23 as soon as JOC (James O'Connor) is fit and maybe even Hodge will get a crack at 10 going forward.

Paisami and Koroibete were both pretty good and certainly provide most of the threat from our backline.

Hard to tell what changes will happen for game 2 because of the short turnaround between games 2 and 3. I imagine there will be a lot of changes for the second test that don't have a lot to do with form because we can't run out the same XV three times in 11 days.

 

[fatprop]

I think you guys are mad if you think we need to replace Banks after that game.....

Banks? I would suggest he didn't lock down his spot with a quality display

But that is the same as most of the side, we were quite terrible for large parts of that game and even when we were doing OK the structure, realignment and support play was quite crap

But it was great to see them tough it out

 

[Slim 293]

Haha……..He was bad. Almost as bad as Gordon and Lolesio. Sorry Slim, shaky ground here for your mob.

I didn't think he was any better or worse than the rest of the backs, with the exception of Koroibete...........

A mixed game like the rest of them.

 

[formerflanker]

In the end though it got us home..Swain getting up pressuring the lineout, Tate judging were the ball would go..

And Tupou chasing.

 

[Braveheart81]

He's had many times the influence on the game that MH has had. Not all of it legal, mind, but just doing what a No 7 should be doing.

What exactly could Hooper have done more to earn your praises?

He forced a couple of turnovers (one forced penalty and holding a player up to force a maul) and scored the crucial try that got us within reach of the win.

There's a reason their number 7 was more visible to you doing number 7 things. We had the bulk of possession. Of course they are going to win more breakdown turnovers and make more tackles when the total tackle count is 157 to 60.

We won 102/107 rucks and mauls for 95.3% retained possession and they were 41/44 for 93.2%. Of that, Hooper caused two of those three rucks and mauls they didn't win.

 

[KOB1987]

I didn't think he was any better or worse than the rest of the backs, with the exception of Koroibete.....

A mixed game like the rest of them.

I think the issue with Banks is that he's been given several opportunities over three or four seasons and has failed to capitalise every time. He seems one of those players who doesn't quite handle the step up, hence his ceiling appears to be Super level. His saving grace is that there is no one obvious to replace him. If Hodge is fit I'd be starting him next game though to give a comparison, or at least bring him off the bench with a view to starting the third game.

 

[Braveheart81]

Why do we call to the back of the lineout the moment Lonergan comes on in his test debut?

Surely a quick ball to number 2 is the option to get him into the game without putting a lot of pressure on him.

 

[Derpus]

What exactly could Hooper have done more to earn your praises?

He forced a couple of turnovers (one forced penalty and holding a player up to force a maul) and scored the crucial try that got us within reach of the win.

There's a reason their number 7 was more visible to you doing number 7 things. We had the bulk of possession. Of course they are going to win more breakdown turnovers and make more tackles when the total tackle count is 157 to 60.

We won 102/107 rucks and mauls for 95.3% retained possession and they were 41/44 for 93.2%. Of that, Hooper caused two of those three rucks and mauls they didn't win.

Why do you still bother with this?

 

[Joe Blow]

I didn't think he was any better or worse than the rest of the backs, with the exception of Koroibete.....

A mixed game like the rest of them.

It happens. I’m a massive fan of Ueleses but I can see that Lornegan brings a lot more than him and belongs. Lornegan was good last night. In the backs Koroibete edged out McDermott and Paisami. The rest were average or worse. Both Lolesio and Banks have failed to impress in any test at any time. It might not be for them?

That was a long way from our best possible combo. I’m sure we will see changes, some form based and others due to the short turnaround of the next two tests. Hopefully we are getting close to our best by the time the RC rolls around. We have some serious undisputed talent that was not available for last night.

 

[fatprop]

I didn't think he was any better or worse than the rest of the backs, with the exception of Koroibete.....

A mixed game like the rest of them.

Koroibete was a beast and Paisami showed enough - the rest were all below par, they were .............. well the standard aus tripe, too many fancy passes under pressure, not enough simple effective basic catch, pass and support while working the arses off the running lines and get into support positions

 

[Slim 293]

Why do we call to the back of the lineout the moment Lonergan comes on in his test debut?

Surely a quick ball to number 2 is the option to get him into the game without putting a lot of pressure on him.

I thought the exact same thing.......... it seems to be the favoured lineout call of choice for every hooker's debut throw.

 

[Pfitzy]

Too many mistakes, not enough accuracy at the ruck, midfield combination was misfiring.

Keep the same team, but by all means, but a few of those guys need to show enough to lock down the spot.

 

[KOB1987]

It's hard to know what to do with the next game, the French have stated they are going to save their strongest team for the last game, so do we double down for the next game to try to win the series now, and then potentially lose the third game with a lesser team, or roll with them for this game. I'd probably go the latter option, but I wouldn't make wholesale changes, just give most of the returning injured players the extra time for the third game. As a start I'd probably switch the bench from last night into the starting lineup, and have Hooper on the bench but only use him sparingly if at all:

1. Bell
2. Lonergan
3. Tupou
4. Swain
5. Philip
6. Valetini
7. McReight
8. Naisarani
9. McDermott
10. Lolesio
11. Kellaway
12. Foketi
13. Ikitau
14. Wright
15. Banks

16. BPA
17. Slipper
18. Ala'alatoa
19. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)
20. Hooper
21. Gordon
22. To'omua
23. Hodge

 

[Ignoto]

I think you guys are mad if you think we need to replace Banks after that game.....

Just like a Hooker who can't throw, Banks's inability to do a simple kick to find touch put us under immense pressure in the first half.

Rennie and past coaches talk about doing the basic things right. Those type of mistakes have cost us tries against the All Blacks before.

But yeah, we're the crazy ones.....

 

[barbarian]

I'd be tempted to run the same XV back. A few guys were well below their best, but I'm not willing to dump them out after one game. Banks and Gordon being chief among them.

A few guys looked great off the bench, but we do this after the first test of every season - we amp up the guys who came on against tired legs, call for them to start and then they aren't nearly as good.

I'd actually argue Tate and Tupou are perfectly suited to the roles they played last night - energy bench players who can up the tempo in the last 20-30. Taniela especially. He is probably the best impact sub in the world, and has played game-defining roles in many test matches off the bench. Why would we want to change that? It's working really well for us at the moment.

 

[Slim 293]

Just like a Hooker who can't throw, Banks's inability to do a simple kick to find touch put us under immense pressure in the first half.

Rennie and past coaches talk about doing the basic things right. Those type of mistakes have cost us tries against the All Blacks before.

But yeah, we're the crazy ones...

Sure, but in fairness that error early in the game didn't bother me half as much as some of the other poorly executed mistakes made by others during the match.

I think Paisami is great, and our first choice centre......... but kicking the ball away hot on attack when you're a point behind late in the game and there's offside French defenders chasing was far more idiotic.

 

[Adam84]

Issue with running the same XV is turnaround between the 3 tests, there's 6 days to recover between this and the next.

But then only 4 days to recover for the following test, so whoever you play next Tuesday may not be up for playing on Saturday.