1. Pek Cowan – 6 Made his debut and earned praise from Deans for his performance. Did OK at the set-piece but didn’t provide near the impact around the ground of the first choice props.
2. TPN – 4 Wayward lineout throwing under very little pressure is once again his weakness. Good in the open field but lacking in key aspects of being a hooker.
3. Ben Alexander – 6 Continued his transition to become a tight-head replacement and was far more solid than last week’s cameo. Still managed to get involved with some useful close quarter running.
4. James Horwill – 5 Looked flat the whole game and didn’t provide the aggression we have come to expect. Must take some responsibility for the line-out failures as well.
5. Dean Mumm – 7 Not a fashionable player but shifts effortlessly between blind-side flanker and 2nd row. Was lively during the game which set him apart from the rest of the pack.
6. Peter Kimlin – 5 Last night showed that he is not an international standard blind-side, but let’s face it, there aren’t many too pick to from. Did alright trying to get a bit wider and run off Barnes or Smith, but it’s just not his game.
7. David Pocock – 4 Failed to have the impact at the ruck contest that Deans had spoken about all week. Bam-Bam has not brought his Super 14 form to the international series which is disappointing.
8. George Smith – 5 Some great pilfering work but didn’t provide the running threat that should be a no. 8, consequently the pack really had no go-forward. Instead he seemed to prefer playing fly-half again. On balance, not at his best.
9. Luke Burgess – 8 Made plenty of ground around the rucks where the Italian’s defence was at its worst. Had a good passing game in what was his best performance of the year.
10. Berrick Barnes – 7 Like Mumm, can swap between roles with no sign of hesitation. His decision making and option taking is solid as is his defence and all-round game.
11. Peter Hynes – 4 Didn’t have the impact of the other wingers and struggled to get into the game. This wasn’t helped by numerous trips to the blood bin, but a wasted chance all the same
12. Quade Cooper – 6 Mixed some fine passing and offloading with some terrible defensive lapses. Set up a couple of tries but was also responsible for missing tackles that would have resulted in tries if the Italians had better backs.
13. Ryan Cross – 7 Came into the game in last quarter when he was running at a tiring Italian defence, doesn’t provide the target the Mortlock does, but is able to beat a man with pace which is something Morty cannot do.
14. Lachie Turner – 9 Always looked good when he got the ball and has the pace to make things happen – just what Deans is after in his wingers. Popped up in midfield to score from Quade’s magic off-load.
15. James O’Connor – 6 Nowhere near the heroics of last week, but I guess you can’t score a hat-trick every game. Not what you would call a raging success with the boot either.
19. Phil Waugh – 7 No coincidence that the Wallabies pulled away from the Italians after he came on, was prepared to do the shit work that others weren’t. I reckon he is ahead of Pocock as the back-up to Smith.
20. Josh Valentine – 4 You get the feeling he is merely keeping the seat warm for Genia. In a game that you would reasonably expect him to get a fair bit of game time, he didn’t.
22. Adam Ashley Cooper – 9 Stole a march on Hynes and O’Connor with his many sorties from the bench. Playing the best rugby of his career and a certain starter against the French. Between him and Turner for Man-of-the-Match honours.
Rating system:
10 – A legendary performance to go down in the history books
9 – Man of the match worthy performance
8 – Outstanding
7 – Good game, great in parts
6 – Solid performance
5 – Average – ho hum
4 – Below par
3 – Had a bad game
2 – Tell your story walking pal
1 – A complete joke.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="3750 https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/?p=3750">30 Comments
Blaming Horwill for the line outs and not Mumm, who was calling them, seems a bit off. and poor Hynes marked down for spending a third of the game in the blood bin. Hard marking Juan
Howill being the main target should carry a fair part of the blame.
Hynes failed to do much with the two thirds of the game he spent on the field.
There are three people involved in a lineout win. The thrower, the catcher and the lifter(s). It’s all got to synchronise smoothly, but the first thing that has to happen is that the throw has to be on target. TPN has got to get this part of his game right.
But I don’t think he is going to unless he puts in some intensive sustained work on it.
Once a crooked thrower always a crooked thrower. His throwing needs major surgery.
Anton Oliver had the same problem and caused AB supporters endless handwringing every time he stood up to throw the ball in; and he never grew out of it.
As the joke goes about Anton after he fucked up that line-out throw some years ago when the Wallabies won the Bledisloe – immediately after the game he went out into the street and tried to throw himself under a bus, but he missed.
Everyone’s going to blame TPN anyway, so I wouldn’t worry about a 2nd rower getting it in the media.
I think TPN could have thrown better, but it was the timing rather than the throws themselves. I’m pretty sure they were all straight. Growden said in the herald today that TPN should be made into a tight head. I think his throwing isn’t as bad as it seems, he just needs stability around him, if he was going to start and had a consistent lineup around him he would eventually be consistent.
People have been telling him for about four years now that no matter how good his other areas are, he can never develop into a top-class hooker until he can throw properly into a line-out. The line-out never (never) functions properly when TPN is throwing in to it. Some throws might have been straight but his timing may have been off or he was over/under cooking them. Hard to believe now that he will ever be able to throw properly considering how long it has been apparent that this is such a problem area.
Much as I hate to agree with Growden, I’ve thought about that myself a bit as well…surely hooker to tighthead would be an easier transition than from loose to tight. Certainly John Smit appears to have made a successful transition?
You just want to see him on the field, someone was saying he should be in eight.
Agree he has to throw straight or give up. A great player but we need a reliable line-out.
And he played openside for aussie schoolboys. But last thing we need is another 7!!!!!!
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I think the comments on Pek are a little harsh. I thought he was very good around the field. On par with Robbo sure, and streets ahead of Al.
Scrummaging was inconsistent, but encouraging.
JC – I’m pleased to see that your ratings for this match have returned to earth after the stellar Baa Baas assessments of yore. I guess the reality is that a 2nd string Wallabies selection would always have difficulty with a Six Nations side, albeit of a lesser quality.
It was hard for this side to gain continuity and dominance with so many changes. Good to see AAC have a great match – hasn’t he matured and probably should be the first choice fullback against France.
and he is.
Scrummaging was horrific. It is was a flash back to days gone by when we where derided by the home nations for scrummaging ability.
Before hand I was sceptical about Pek Cowan at scrum-time. Does any remember the brumbies vs force game at the start of the season? The brumbies demolished the force’s scrum 5/6 times on their line only for it to collapse, eventually leading to a penalty try. And Alexander wasn’t part of that brumbies scrum, that left the Cowan embarrassed.
Can’t help but think Foley wouldn’t have stood for some of the selections in the front row. He’s no Robbie, but he knows his set piece. Robbey’s a great coach but how much exactly would he really know about what’s goes on at scrum time, doubt Jim william’s does having played all his time in the loose.
Bit harsh on George Smith I reckon. He wasn’t picked at 8 to bash it up midfield. He was picked at 8 because Deans wanted to give Pocock a run. His work at the breakdown was top notch and his ball away to Barnes to set up the first try was freakish.
I agree smith is no palu, but he’s as good as brown in 8.
I reckon Mumm was almost the best forward, I agree Smith did as much as anyone else this year has done at eight.
I would like to see Mowen but not sure if we will now, on that basis I would be happy to take the French with Waugh Smith Mumm. Smith could grow into no 8 I think.
Robinson Moore Baxter Horwill Sharpe Mumm Smith Waugh Burgess Gits Turner Barnes Mortlock AAC JOC.
I can’t believe you gave QC a 6? Were you watching the game through maroon tinted lenses?
If there was someone out there who proved he should never have been picked and just doesn’t have the qualities expected in international rugby it was Quade Cooper.
Absolutely frikken useless. The sooner he gets sent back to mungo rugby the better. Of course, he won’t be able to tackle there either.
I guess Cooper is a bit of a difficult one..a six is a solid performance and that is what I thought he showed.
If you were to break it down further, he efforts in a attack would probably rate about 7, while in defence it would be 4. Average that is 5.5, so I rounded up….
I agree that he is a fair way from being an international player at this stage, and against a stronger nation other than Italy, his errors would have had greater consequence.
Whether he keeps his place in the Tri-nations squad will be the critical factor.
I appreciate the considered response.
Maybe it is that I just don’t like the style of attack that he brings. For me – the beauty in rugby is a subtle mix of braun and brains, of which I feel QC has neither at the international level. I mean, lets be honest. When you think of the great backs of times gone by, QC doesn’t fit the mould or have the promise of any of them. I think the closest I can think of as a comparison is Carlos Spencer and while they are both capable of amazing plays,.. The meat that holds the sandwich together isn’t there.
Am I alone in this on QC?
Um, not quite alone, no, ..
I don’t think anyone here thinks he is ready for primetime. I think we would all rather see Tyrone Smith get a run at inside (implying Barnes as the replacement five-eighth). Then there is Lealifano and even Toomua.
No Eddo,considering previous discussions about QC, you are very much in the majority.
Would have been interesting to see how Tyronne Smith performed with a few weeks in Wallaby camp instead, but Deasns sees something in QC obviously.
I agree entirely with you. QC does offer some skills on attack, no arguement about that, but until his defence is substantially improved he is not going to be able to sustain a top XV spot. I would also much rather have seen Tyrone Smith there – he’s got loads of talent in both attack and defence, and can’t wait to see him operating outside Gits for the Brumbies. It’ll be the making of him and allow him to take a step to the next level.
ahh you boys give me the warm ‘n fuzzies.
Now the only thing I want to consider is…
Is it too risky to play our only decent back up 10 at 12??
all we need is for BB to go down first,.. then things look awefully fucked real quick.
Maybe it would be risk smart to bring in Tyrone sooner rather than later,.. or is TimTam in the squad as a 12?
Someone get Dingo on here. JC ? we want some clarification.
Great stuff JC.
I would’ve marked Pocock, Smith and Cowan a touch higher though.
Kimlin is simply not a blindside yet – still has tits for hands. Mumm seems to have a knack for getting isolated. We need another option.
QC was a defensive liability, but had a touch in 3 of the tries. Can’t not tackle like that in international rugby though.
I agree for Cowan, I think ‘not-quite-primetime’ (ie Bokstime) but he looks like he will play a bigger and bigger role. I think he will get on the bench next week but maybe an injury reserve for the trinations.
Quade needs to go to the Berrick Barnes school of Solid Defence. He was meant to be rubbish until Wayne Bennett got shane webcke running at him in remedial lessons.
the all blacks and springboks will be licking their lips in anticipation of quade cooper in the tri-nations.
Although Adi Jacobs did a fair impression of him over the weekend.
At 23 Peck Cown is still very young for an international front row forward. His best is still to come.
Quade Cooper has got some awful defensive habits and I’m amazed Robbie is still persisting with him, because his defensive lapses look to be chronic malfunctions which are almost beyond treatment.
The back row didn’t fire at all and they will pay for that dearly against the French, the ABs and the Boks. Robbie is right to focus their attention on it this week. Mind you Elsom and Palu aren’t far away and the current incumbents need to start impressing someone in high places if they want any game time at all come the tri nations.
I’m picking an ugly old win for the Wallabies this weekend mainly due to the French having to get up a third time to play at their most potent in a foreign country right at the end of their tour and their season. It’s probably lucky for the Wallabies that the French are playing them now and not ealier in the programme instead of the ABs.
I also think a full 80 minute focus from the “top two inches” is still just out of reach of the Wallabies squad. They will need to come to the party physically and mentally on Saturday or they are in serious danger of losing one which should be a “gimme” for them.
We will see.