Comments on: Wallaby tour will end as it starts, with a loss

By: Armchair-critic

Armchair-critic — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:09:49 +0000

I think this shows the boks amazing turnaround this year.

They only won 2 games in last years entire 3N and this year they were near unstoppable.

Perhaps a glimmer of hope for Wallaby fans

By: JustinB

JustinB — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:57:28 +0000

here you go: RSA vs NZ since 2004 (winning team listed after the date)

24 July 2004 All Blacks 23-21 Jade Stadium Christchurch 2004 Tri Nations
14 August 2004 Springboks 40-26 Ellis Park Johannesburg 2004 Tri Nations
6 August 2005 Springboks 22-16 Newlands Cape Town 2005 Tri Nations
27 August 2005 All Blacks 31-27 Carisbrook Dunedin 2005 Tri Nations
22 July 2006 All Blacks 35-17 Westpac Stadium Wellington 2006 Tri Nations
26 August 2006 All Blacks 45-26 Loftus Versfeld Pretoria 2006 Tri Nations
2 September 2006 Springboks 21-20 Royal Bafokeng Stadium Rustenburg 2006 Tri Nations
23 June 2007 All Blacks 26-21 Kings Park Stadium Durban 2007 Tri Nations
14 July 2007 All Blacks 33-6 Jade Stadium Christchurch 2007 Tri Nations
5 July 2008 All Blacks 19-8 Westpac Stadium Wellington 2008 Tri Nations
12 July 2008 Springboks 30-28 Carisbrook Dunedin 2008 Tri Nations
16 August 2008 All Blacks 19-0 Newlands Stadium Cape Town 2008 Tri Nations
25 July 2009 Springboks 28-19 Free State Stadium Bloemfontein 2009 Tri Nations
1 August 2009 Springboks 31-19 Kings Park Stadium Durban 2009 Tri Nations
12 September 2009 Springboks 32-29 Waikato Stadium Hamilton 2009 Tri Nations

RSA 7
NZ 8

Pretty even don’t you think?

By: tighthead prop

tighthead prop — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:59:21 +0000

for those who don’t know there a two wheels in a Scrum, conventional and reverse.

In a conventional wheel, which is the easier of the two to perform the loose head pushes and the tighthead pulls back.

In the reverse wheel which is much harder to achieve the TH pushes and the LH goes back. As most wheels are conventional to the untrained eye or back it looks like the TH is getting pushed back whereas that’s the objective.

There was minimal repacks tonight so I as a TH would say Alexander did his job well

By: Stash

Stash — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:51:05 +0000

George Smith was great of the bench – Digby is class – Oconnor done his best deer in the headlights impersonation yet again – the kids good but the ABs are his vodoo team.

Gineau is your best half-back.

Some nice touches by the all blacks when they were in the Wallabies 22 – hard to defend when the flow is on with some slick passing by the backs.

Carters boot was in devastating form today.

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:46:15 +0000

‘Isn’t the tactic these days – wheel the scrum to gain a turnover or atleast disrupt opposition ball.’

Not on nearly every single put in. Purposeful wheeling is illegal.

Let me give you an example of how a scrum wheeling could be put attributed to one prop. In the 07 WC SF (Argentina v SA), Os du Randt and Martin Scelzo cancelled each other out. On the other side of the scrum Rodrigo Roncero drilled CJ van der Linde, hence the scrum wheeled. Let me add that Woodcock gave Alexander a going over the last time they met.

By: Armchair-critic

Armchair-critic — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:41:03 +0000

Isn’t the tactic these days – wheel the scrum to gain a turnover or atleast disrupt opposition ball.

And i cant see how the wheeling of the scrum can be put solely down to one prop, mind you i have never been involved in one so can’t say it’s my area of expertise!

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:31:28 +0000

The scrum kept wheeling, and not because of Robinson.

By: Armchair-critic

Armchair-critic — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:29:57 +0000

I disagree. I thought Alexander was very solid particularly in the first half – the only penalty came when the Wallabies screwed the scrum.
It was Robinson who was penalised for going to ground in the 2nd half

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:27:44 +0000

That’s not what the ref thought.

Australia needs a proper 3. Alexander struggled.

By: Tight Head Prop

Tight Head Prop — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:23:10 +0000

Well the scrum was good as predicted now all we need is seven more forwards on the field and we will win a game

By: mcxd

mcxd — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:42:46 +0000

add 1, 4, starting 7, defintely 8, 12 & 13 and youll be right.

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:20:56 +0000

The All Blacks changed their front row which subsequently handed out a lesson in smack down, THP.

By: Viscount Crouchback

Viscount Crouchback — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:27:22 +0000

The spine of this Australian team is horribly weak. 2,5,9,10,15 – there are question marks over every single one of them.

By: funmaster

funmaster — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:12:23 +0000

And what would the NZ vs SA recent results be JustinB?

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:52:41 +0000

But what I’m saying is that the chances of a NH away win are miniscule due to myriad reasons, so they’re just shipping points.

By: Knives Out

Knives Out — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:51:46 +0000

Why were you at the match if you don’t understand rugby, Eiger? Did you win a competition? How can a pack be shown up if it dominates such an important part of the game? If you were a fan then you would have noticed that Al Baxter did his usual and collapsed time and time again. I think what you’re trying to suggest is that Australia had a powerful scrum, which it certainly did but unfortunately most of Australia’s penalties that arose from the scrum came from arbitrary refereeing rather than good technical scrummaging. You can make juvenile generic comments about the 3rd string English forwards all you like (‘they still lost’ – ho ho ho.. genius!) but I doubt you know much about them, and even if you did then you still ignore the key point which is that certain players are chosen for their ability to excel at various aspects of the game. Phil Vickery was chosen as the 1st choice tighthead on the Lions tour and was exposed as a scrummager. Adam Jones – the 2nd choice 3 – came in and absolutely reduced Mtawarira to looking like the poor scrummaging prop that he is.

By: JustinB

JustinB — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:55:14 +0000

Something for all you Wallaby supporters to think about this weekend:

By: Eiger

Eiger — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:56:34 +0000

Disagree, still think its drivel, but then, thats the great range of opinions that are on the roar. Its all swings and roundabouts though isnt it? Do well in one areas and let another slip a little. I was at the game last November KO so I dont actually need to cite myth – the English pack were shown up – pure and simple, they may well have dominated the ruck contest but that doesnt really matter, they still lost.

By: Go_the_Wannabe's

Go_the_Wannabe's — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:30:42 +0000

4 BC tests on the trot this year. Sorry, my mistake for not fully clarifying that important point in my spiel earlier.

By: Harry

Harry — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:13:51 +0000

Was preapred to give Deans the benefit of the doubt until now but major loss of faith in his repeated selection of JOC at 15 and shuffling poor old AAC round the backline. Barnes failure to be fit consistently, and our forwards softness, is killing the reign of Aussie Rob. Crazy also his promotion and conversion of Alexander to starting tighthead prop, there are no shortcuts to a long hard apprenticeship in this position.

By: Harry

Harry — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:51:21 +0000

Prediction for the weekend:

NZ by 15, NZ to be out of sight (thats more than 2 converted tries or more ahead) by half time as our poorly selected backline is exposed. Kiwi’s to take the foot of the pedal when the lead gets over 21 and thoughts of more serious upcoming challenges in Europe predominate, allowing the Walls a meaningless try or 2 in the last 20 minutes, and the usual post match crap about how we “showed improvement” and “are heading in the right direction, just need to sharpen our execution”. Robinson or Elsom to have tour ending injury.

Me to dig out the RWC 91 and 99 videos to sustain the soul for the coming month.

By: reds fan

reds fan — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:45:26 +0000

I’d love to be wrong Tight Head!

By: Tight Head Prop

Tight Head Prop — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:40:21 +0000

And all this from a Reds Fan! hope that Man U and not Queensland? After all you lot really know your rugby hahahaha

By: reds fan

reds fan — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:37:41 +0000

AB’s win by 20+
England win by 12 (all pens kicked by Johnny)
Ireland win by 14 (two converted tries better than us)
Scotland lose by 3
Wales win by 21 (three converted tries better than us.)

Deans sacked in Feb.

By: Dean Pantio

Dean Pantio — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:24:51 +0000

“lose 4 on the trot to the AB’s?” They’re on a six test losing streak now. They lost five in a row in 2005-06. They lost seven in a row in 1995-97.

By: Ben C

Ben C — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:09:57 +0000

WNM

Sadly a walloping is on the cards. Like many in the last two threads about the tour, I am beginning to question some of Dean’s selection although I also wonder what help he is getting from the assistant coaches.

AB by 15.

By: Who Needs Melon

Who Needs Melon — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:56:26 +0000

“Unconditional” made his call above. Let’s hear from the rest of you?

Mine is pretty close to “Unconditional”s – i.e. I think we’re going to get walloped again. Sorry – I’m a true blue aussie fan and all but I also recognise when ‘a positive attitude’ verges over into ‘sheer fantasy’.

I’d LOVE to be dead wrong but I think the All Blacks will win this comfortably – by, say, 12 points.

And unfortunately I think the loss will have a real negative impact on the rest of the tour. To end on the only positive note I can muster at the moment, I only hope that some of the players at least come back tougher from having faced so many tough experiences.

By: NickF

NickF — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:53:11 +0000

God I’m sick of articles all about statistics.
Any argument can be helped with stats.

“seven of the starting team have 390 caps between them”
What does this mean. George Smith has over 100 all by himself, and he is starting from the bench!

NZ is “34 points better than the Wallabies in the last three Tests” yet “the All Blacks scored just 10 more points than were scored against them” So what. Austealia against the All Blacks were crap, the score was flattering to the Wallabies, but before that they were great against the world cup holders.

I can’t remember the last time stats helped me to predict the next game, and stats won’t help me understand the current form of the Australian Wallabies. All I know is that without Barnes and a dysfunctional backline that we have had this year it doesn’t look positive for a good tour, but hey, anything can happen.

By: rich1612

rich1612 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:15:15 +0000

Don’t understand why AAC gets moved from position to position.

I think he’s a good fullback, not great but good, a bit like Marty Roebuck. You can depend on him.

JOC is currently very risky, especially under pressure. We have seen him not handle the high ball well, make poor clearances, make ineffective tackles and isn’t a great kicker. What he is, is fats, an elusive runner and unconventional. Seems like a good winger to me.

Barnes is a big loss, difficult to come up with a replacement but I think I would like to see with Cooper or Beale be given a go at 12.

By: Go_the_Wannabe's

Go_the_Wannabe's — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:13:05 +0000

The Enzedders won in Wellington because they didn’t want to be known as the losingest side in AB history – 3 home losses in a season? Unthinkable for them – we never stood a chance…….now the shoe is on the other foot……can the Wannabe’s motivate themselves to not be the losingest Wannabe’s ever and lose 4 on the trot to the AB’s? Sadly, I think not. This dysfunctional group don’t have any sense tribalism or the ticker for it all.

You see, It’s all about money these days. Until they hit them in the hip pocket, nothing’s going to turn them around. So how do you fix that? Here’s an idea…..if all they care about is the hip pocket, then make it a $10/player bonus payment for a loss and $50,000/player bonus for a win, come what may (other than their normal salary, of course). That’s how you turn it around!!!!!

Now, predictions for the rest of the debacle laughingly known as the GS tour:

1. vs English Petals – 2 teams here competing to be the most dysfunctional of all time – tough one to call really. After the loss to the AB’s in Tokyo, Gits will move to IC, Cooper to 5/8, 2 Dads back to FB, JOC to the bench. Aussie Golden Wattles by 4.

2. vs. Irish Bog Hunters – Pouring rain of course with 80,000 Landsdowne Lunatics baying for blood…….like, well, Irish blood hounds anyway. After several injuries in the previous match JOC tried at IC with Gits at 5/8. Doesn’t matter who else plays in backs because the mud encrusted ball will never get to them anyway. The fighting Irish win 9-3 to the delight of the fans. Rocky Elsom suspended by Deans for 1 match because he tackled his own players all day. You can take the boy out of Ireland…..

3. vs. The Thistly Scottish – Yes, they will be very prickly indeed due to all the write ups of them being the only sure win of the tour for the Wannabe’s. And they’re right. Remaining Wannabe’s squad without injuries plays a dour match…..Deans has to warm bench (and gets a run with 5 min’s to go)……Wannabe’s win freest flowing match yet…..12-3 (4 penalties to 1).

4. Ahhhh, now who’s left? Yes that’s right, the Welsh Rarebits…….no chance here for the Wannabe’s. They have never beaten Osprey (I think) at Cardiff. So how the heck are they going to beat the test side????? These Taffies will have been tuning up on some of the best sides in the world just before the Aussies Lambs head to the slaughter. This will be unfortunately humiliating. Barnes makes his comeback (because there’s no other backs left standing) at 5/8. Gits is shunted to IC but throws the toys out of the cot because he’s lost the VC (again) and his position (again). Barnes is so rusty he wouldn’t have made the Cobar Camels 3rd grade anyway. Deans retires from professional coaching after being on the receiving end of a 38-0 thumping and moves back over the dutch to open a B&B in Invercargill.

Phew, what a tour…..I’m glad that’s over (but not as glad as Dingo will be!). I can hardly wait until the next year’s TN when we at least have the excuse of being hammered by the no.1 & 2 teams in the world!!!!!

It’s a good thing we’re at the bottom of the trough and we’re on the way up again for the RWC in 2011. Right???? Yeah, right.