Winter Tour; Wallabies v France Wednesday 7 July, Brisbane

[Slim 293]

I'd like to see the same team for the next test, get some cohesion and hopefully bag another win, and then mix it up for the last game..........

 

[Pfitzy]

Sure, but in fairness that error by a Brumbies player early at any point in the game didn't bother me half as much as some of the other poorly executed mistakes made by others players who aren't Brumbies during the match.

Fixed

 

[Derpus]

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.

Banks errors lead to 13 (try and two pens) of Frances 21 points. That's a lot of mistake making.

That decision to kick was infuriating but he's clearly been told to kick in behind. He barely does it for the Reds.

 

[Slim 293]

Banks errors lead to 13 (try and two pens) of Frances 21 points. That's a lot of mistake making.

He was packing at no 8?

 

[Slim 293]

Fixed

To be fair, I haven't targeted any player or called for anyone to be dropped, and replaced with another player from (insert my team here).

 

[Pfitzy]

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.

Run the same XV to keep building combinations, win the series, then look at the wider squad for combinations you can implement in Game 3.

Take guys who are playing together at Super Rugby level and put them on together at Test level - familiarity breeds confidence.

 

[Adam84]

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.

Mistakes under pressure don't irk me as much as poor execution like kicking for touch.

I have no issues with the kick across field, it was an opportunistic and only inches from been a great try. Did the same thing in Super Rugby this year against the Brumbies and it finished with a win, i wouldn't want to see that opportunism stifled.

 

[Pfitzy]

To be fair, I haven't targeted any player or called for anyone to be dropped, and replaced with another player from (insert my team here).

Agreed, but your levels of forgiveness for your favourites are somewhat higher than anyone else.

They're all wallabies at this point.

 

[barbarian]

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.

The option was good I thought, just the execution was off. Kellaway was in a mile of space but with the retiring French defenders it may have been impossible to just put it through the hands. The next kick was far less defensible.

I thought Paisami was pretty good overall, the only back who looked threatening in attack.

 

[Slim 293]

I largely agree on what everyone is saying........ just on Banks I didn't really come away from that game thinking much of him either way, like some of the others.

He bottled that kick for touch which was inexcusable, but also took a screamer of a high ball in traffic late in the game.

 

[Braveheart81]

I have no issues with the kick across field, it was an opportunistic and only inches from been a great try. Did the same thing in Super Rugby this year against the Brumbies and it finished with a win, i wouldn't want to see that opportunism stifled.

It was definitely on and a good option with penalty advantage.

I think the play though was that the kick could have been more conservative. He didn't need to hit Kellaway on the chest with a kick pass. There was a lot of space in that back corner and the ball ending up anywhere in the in goal or in the 10 metres out from the try line within 10m of the sideline would have seen Kellaway get there first.

I loved the kick in behind that almost resulted in a try to Wright (similar to the matchwinner by Petaia in Super Rugby AU against the Brumbies). It was a bit mind boggling which we had backs joining a maul that was going nowhere but then it was clear we were just trying to draw players out of the backline for that specific play. It was executed perfectly by Paisami and just failed on the bounce of the ball.

The last kick was a poor one. We just got lucky that the French kicked it back into touch fairly ineffectively and we could reload.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Yeah that cross field kick from Hunter had me throwing things at the TV

 

[Joe Blow]

We have several first choice players that were not available. If they become available now you would think they will either start or come off the bench.
JOC (James O'Connor) and White first and foremost. They could control the game much better, as could the combo of Tate McDermott and JOC (James O'Connor).
You would have to think that if some others become available, Hodge, Vunivalu, Petaia etc then they must be included or at least given serious consideration.
This short test series against a France B side is not the time to stick with the first team picked just because thats what you do. This is the time to work out what your best 23 is and to fine tune that group/squad looking ahead.

 

[barbarian]

We have several first choice players that were not available. If they become available now you would think they will either start or come off the bench.
JOC (James O'Connor) and White first and foremost. They could control the game much better, as could the combo of Tate McDermott and JOC (James O'Connor).
You would have to think that if some others become available, Hodge, Vunivalu, Petaia etc then they must be included or at least given serious consideration.
.

Isn't White out for a while? I thought JOC (James O'Connor) and Hodge are the only two with a chance of a return.

 

[Ignoto]

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.

If Banks can't execute one of his core skills while fresh in a low stakes game, what hope does he have to do it while fatigued and under pressure?

I also wasn't happy that Hunter kicked, but we were chasing the game. Out of the '3' play makers; Gordon, Noah, and To'omua, Hunter's option taking seemed to be the only one that questioned the French.

 

[Tomikin]

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.

Well we know Rennie said that Tupou will start the Second game and him and AAA will share the duties through the tests. I'm thinking we probably stay pretty much the same next test, with few injured players coming back into contention (JOC (James O'Connor)/Hodge) and 3rd game we will probably be a wait and see how people pull up.

 

[Tex]

I felt a few home team decisions went our way in that game but them's the breaks. Hunter's kick to Kellaway with momentum and an overlap almost cost me a new television. Staggering decision.

 

[Tomikin]

He was packing at no 8?

He also dropped it cold out there on the wing after the missed sideline kick.

 

[cyclopath]

*Of course White comes in if fit

He isn't.

 

[dru]

Ive said it before here and last night confirmed that Lolesio is still a fair way from being a serviceable test 10. He may never be one. There are a couple of other youngsters that look more natural in the role in a fast game. Every test is a fast game.

Thought that the game plan and organisation did really well at letting Lolesio get introduced. Largely protected and out of the direct action but with room to step in. Thought it worked and while the bloke is clearly green at this level I thought the process was well successful.

A lot of negatives being focused on here. Personally I thought our lineout, scrum and rolling maul were excellent - the Dan McKellar effect!

Also take out the first 20 minutes, in which we were awful, we outscore the frogs 23 - 6 with a few genuine try scoring opportunities gone begging.

A lot to work on obviously, but certainly a lot to build on there as well

+1

On Banks and Wright - I'm not particularly a fan of either but honest the complaints are OTT. Both need fine tuning, both did well, and both taking things a step closer to being 1st XV.

All three locks performed quietly and with muscle. Ditto the two front rows.

It will be interesting to see the selections for game #2 and who is or isn't rested.

Well done Wallabies!