Below is some of the comments from each coach from last nights after match press conference.
Robbie Deans
“It was a great work out for us, essentially, very physical which we always anticipated. Off the back of a game where we got a lot of latitude in (the Baa-Baas), that was a really good physical workout. We were a little bit inaccurate around the contact but in a contest where we struggled to get any momentum, we were still able to score 5 tries, so you can’t fault that”
“We need more than 22 blokes, we need more than 30 blokes ultimately, everyone will get opportunities throughout the year so it’s a good problem.”
“We struggled to adapt (to the early physical nature of the game) and we were a little bit lateral in the way we played the game but we still got what we wanted out of the contest”
“These guy’s are it for now, it’s important that they maximise that moment. There are no guarantees around what’s coming but there are some great opportunities and they are enjoying the chances they’re getting”
“The kicking game was good again, to back up in that area was pleasing. We possibly could have put some more ball out but then a lot of our kicks were from ball that was transferred back into the 22. That’s two weeks in a row where our kicking game has been superior to what it was last year so that’s good growth and we’ll keep working at it”
Nick Mallet
“I don’t think we were very happy with our game, but there were periods when we managed to hold onto our ball and put them under a bit of pressure. Just before half time Craig (Gower) did very well to create our one opportunity which Kaine Robertson scored from.”
“Craig Gower is a good player, he’s a very good player. The problem we’ve got is we need to give him ball on the front foot. The service to Craig wasn’t good, he got a couple of balls along the ground and a couple quite high and a fly-half needs ball on the front foot so he can attack the line. There were signs there that given good ball he can certainly help our backline play”
“The only problem with his (Gower’s) game was his re-starts, you can’t kick two balls directly out and one into the in goal area, that’s three middle scurm re-starts for Australia. Every single time they used Giteau’s left foot or Barnes’ right foot and put us straight back in our 22, so hopefully they are errors he won’t make in the future.”
“We weren’t wanting to move the ball to far away from our forward pack and keep the ball in hand but we found that very difficult”
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="3588 https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/?p=3588">8 Comments
Fair calls from both. Next week should be a better game if the Wallabies can be a bit more clinical around the ruck and the Italians will be quite a bit more expansive if their halfbacks can remember how to pass. really looking forward to seeing the wallabies have a crack at france now especially if the frogs back up against the blacks
The reserve halfback was much better than the starting one. A blessing in disguise for the italians that he got injured. I was really impressed with his pass. How could they let that other muppet on? though he could he run bloody well… the best call clarkey made all night “he can’t pass, but he can he can bloody run”
Did he get injured? I thought he got pulled cause he was crap. There was one pass he made where he wasn’t even passing from a ruck – in his own 22, lined it up and fired it off to nobody. That takes an impressive level of incompetence.
Pretty sure he got injured. I saw him get involved in a nasty tackle before half-time, which he came out limping badly.
But ur right even if he could play they probably wouldn’t have put him back on he was going so horrificly.
Although I agree with most of what’s been said I find it amusing that Deans main positive was that we kicked well. So we can out kick a throw together team and Italy, great strides for Australian Rugby indeed!
Agreed who wants to kick when Drew Mitchell was showing eveyone how easy it was to go through the middle and spin it wide.
If not for that poor AAC try assist to Mortlock we might have seen a blow out. Reminded me of Tiqiri, just needed to pass it early, noone will stop morti that close, as he showed in the next 5 mins after that play.
Something was wrong with Australia this game, I didn’t think Turner, Mumm, Sharpe, Baxter or Brown deserved their spot this game.
Barnes didn’t do much wrong but was wasted, Deans should have seen this and employed AAC in 12 when he saw Italy’s defensive tactics.
Deans must be a great coach at training but during the game he seems like he tries not to change it up much.
also would like to See TPN in 8, dont wanna see Moore and him fight for 1 spot when they’re both good enough to start in any team.
The scrum looked pretty bad once baxter went… it disintegrated without him. I think we all agree he ain’t the best around the paddock, but the backups can’t handle the heat at scrum time.