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I’m sorry Robbie, we all think you are a great bloke with a good football brain, but you can’t do it with this bunch of gutless Gen Y ‘me only’ players.
I blame you for showing too much faith in players who have repeatedly shown just enough to hold the jersey but not enough to win the jersey.
Deeper than that is the feeling I have that you can’t read a game as it is unfolding. It was obvious, even to Mardo on Fox, that O’Connor had to come off the pitch, and you did nothing.
At half time when it was obvious the game was lost everywhere but on the scoreboard you made no changes. Halfway through the second half when the only supporters who thought we could win had an IQ of less than 50, still you made no tactical changes.
There is also my grinding, old forward feeling that you didn’t make it clear to them, in language they can respond to, that they had to commit more than one and occasionally two to the breakdown.
When did you tell them that this game needed total, prepared-to-die-on-the-field commitment from this entire bunch of bastards? At the start? Or was it at half time? Or didn’t you think it was necessary, as you had faith in the group?
These guys are looking for the shortest route to a pay-day that doesn’t involve putting their bodies on the line too much. It is your job to change this attitude in them.
Of course, I understand there were some who stood up, Rocky Elsom, Horwill and Polatu Nau tried hard but without the back up of their other forward ‘watchers of the breakdown’ they were whistling in the dark, on their own.
When did you tell Giteau to start wandering around like a mutton-bird without a flight in it? By the way did you tell O’Conner that it didn’t matter about kicking for touch, he just had to ‘back himself’.
Sorry Robbie, this game was absolute rubbish and if you wanted an example of how not to play the All Blacks, this is the best blueprint anyone could have given you.
You are an ex back so you could be forgiven for not knowing but games are won or lost at the breakdown. And, like most things in rugby, it is about attitude.
These guys were not prepared to fight that fight and preferred to line up in the D and take the soft option. Bloody pathetic! I thought, was this OK with you? Have these forwards of ours ever heard of the pod theory? I guess not.
All the players, but mostly the forwards, were too busy making sure they didn’t make a mistake on the loose ball, so they let the All Blacks have it. They also didn’t jump to compete for the high ball, or chase any kicks in the field of play.
Like most Australians, I believed that we were developing into a harder team with some unity and purpose. You can forget this idea.
Robbie, your day may well be coming. I don’t love you any more. Not sure how John O’Neil feels. Guess you will know on Monday.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.