Your chosen moniker says you’re another reffo Kiwi and proud of it.

Like so many AB’s you left to chase the money. [ this may be a portent of what's to come with our footballers too, but at least Rocky came back to play for his country]

This has reduced your depth while ours has increased (for the moment,) both metaphorically and in reality.

Let me suggest you allow us our positive feelings. You are after all a visitor and our gains are real just as the current failings of the AB’s are real.

Great to be able to heartily agree with this post. Like you I was excited by the changes taking place. How this will translate into Wins against our foes is not as important as witnessing the growth of a real TEAM.

The boys are feeling good!

So am I.

Roll on Auckland

LAS you will notice I disagree re Burgess and Baxter at TH any feedback? I’ll have to watch the replay

A solid win, the boys should be proud.

Peter K, your comments re Sharpe in previous posts made me change the way I watched that game, from a more detached and anyltical position than normal. I thought he played brilliantly in this game and after smith deserved MOM. I hope he keeeps improving and I noted he did’nt get dragged but Horwil did. I assume this is because he is a leader in the pack. I also reckon he made the most tackles of any forward.

Room for Improvement:

My other observations where:
Mumm needs to be given a wakeup in club rugby, was he on the field?

TH is still an issue although I thought the ref was a bit harsh, how many of the scrumswhere actually contested 3?, as an ex 5 this is extremely disapointing as it ruins the spectacle and cobativiness of the game. I think trestles rep will never change and as a result he will always be a liability wrt too the ref.

Half Back is another issue, in the second half Burgess made his only pass that was crisp and flat without taking a step. His running and passing are well read/telegraphed to the oppo. I’m not sure why he waits for the opp defence to form up 80% of the time he passes, he is frighteningly Greganesque. They must train this because the excuse of disruption is not available after this game. The AB’s and BOK will have his game well sussed by TN’s.

Would’ve been great to see Stirlo hold onto that ball, he would be pissed with himself.

Anyway I reckon the Wallas are going to be very competitive, time to start getting some odds off my Kiwi buddies!

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SWMBO – She Who Must Be Obeyed aka ‘er indoors…

All except Mumm for the starting team played very very well. Out of the reserves Alexander, TPN (good throwing as well bar 1), Pocock, JoC all did really well in their short time as well. Yes Brown is responding to the pressure and Sharp had his best game for years. Smith deserved MoM though.

Only poor aspect was the kicking.

I still expect Palu to start after 1 or 2 games. We were average in getting over the advantage line it was only 60% it should be at 70%.

It was a tough job listing the best players, as they all did well. Others that come to mind were Brown’s first half tackle was great. Robinson’s turnover late in the game was another sign of players growing in confidence and skill. Seeing Sharpe getting fired up was great, and out of character.

Rabbs, wasn’t it great to see the counter attack come back. SWMBO???? something something management Buy out????

Now on to the AB’s. If nothing else, it will be a cracking game.

I guess this is the Deans factor SWMBO commented that the counter attacks were very Crusaderesque.

The run on front row scrummaged well against a tricky and strong opposition, although Baxters binding was questionable at times (could this be a tactic?)

I agree with all your assesments. Another point I’d like to note is how well Pocock played when he came on. He wasn’t given much time but he REALLY impressed me with his intensity and work rate and made the most of the time he had. I think he came on for Horwill but he seemed to be playing at 7 to me. Conversely I didn’t notice Waugh much when he came on late.

I also thought Richard Brown had a barnstorming game. All this talk of “Palu and Elsom back soon” perhaps have brought the best out of him. They will probably give Palu a crack from the bench at some stage when he is fit but he now has to meet the bar Brown has set rather than walk into the team.

Elsom should still be walking into the team though. Mumm was better but nothing near the intensity and agression of blokes like Brown, Horwill, Pocock and Smith.