Wallabies hold off Italy for 22-19 win

I rate Ian Prior better then Phipps

Mate, Italy in 80's and 90's were a 50 point bunny every time they went out. You're 100% right they are not consistent but they DO shine quite often...... My point is, I cant stand people showing no respect to them playing well. As for MAJBs comments about their premier league being like lower grade stubbies...please double your dose.

Not accusing anyone of anything mate............not quite sure where you get that idea. And besides...why so uptight?

How many shockers has Phipps had in his last 5 games?

One thing that is really starting to piss me off, is the attitude of the media (rugby journo's esp. NOT excluded) towards the so-called minnows. Italy, for instance, is improving steadily and after their last two games should continue to do so. Argentina is still considered plucky, this despite their proving able to go toe-to-toe with the big 3 of the SH &thumping the reigning 6 Nations champs. As for Samoa. Well, Samoa also thumped Wales & were damned unlucky against France. In fact, they have legitimate complaints re: their RWC matches vs. South Africa & Wales last year. And then we have Tonga. Beat France in RWC 2011, narrowly lost to Italy this year & just beat Scotland 21 - 15. Having achieved that feat , their reward is to praised as "lowly Tonga beats Scotland". I not certain of this, but I'm fairly sure that Tonga is now ranked higher than "lowly" Scotland, who have sunk to 12th on the IRB rankings. This assumes that I have done my math correctly, as the IRB website has yet to update. So can we please be a bit more generous with or praise of these teams when they beat, or come close to doing so, our beloved first ranked sides? Because (AB's execepted) the gap ain't that large anymore. P.S. I also predict that Argentina will be the 6th nation to defeat the AB's in the not to distant future. Won't like seeing it happen, but will be richly deserved when it does.

You're onto something here. In fact, I think it's all part of Deans' cunning plan, i.e. play a boring, conservative game displaying no attacking creativity, then unleash 5 years of attack plans on the Lions (and later the WC). It's a bit like Rocky (1) fighting southpaw, then switching late in the fight (or was it the other way around?)... And then I wake up...

Exactly Shop. Many people need to bone up on the forward pass rule, err, law. There's a very good vid out there that explains the physics behind it (ball floating forward etc). Sorry, don't have it now, but a simple search would unearth it. And having said that, the overhead showed it to be pretty flat anyway. Tired of people screaming 'forward pass!' when they've seeing it on the television via a camera behind the play.

yep, beating scotland and coming close to beating someone else at home (and the rest 20 point floggings) is a fairly standard performance from italy and has been for a long time. no positive trend that i can see. they've got to turn that close loss into a win and then 2 of the 20 point losses into wins in the space of three years. nothings impossible but like i said, there's no evidence to suggest it will happen. the gaps might be narrowing but if we put in something close to a good performance we still shouldnt be coming close to being beaten by (or drawing with) these teams. trying to put a spin on it saying these teams are improving does not alone account for the close margin. these teams would have to play very well AND we play fairly poorly for us to lose. i am not denying that these teams are playing better but some seem to be in denial about the second part of the equation.

Haven't seen the Italy game yet, but I don't agree that against England Phipps' pass to Cummins was forward. I looked at it a few times and Phipps is stopped dead in his tracks after he passed the ball which makes it look forward because the ball lands in front of where he passes it. His hands however propel the ball backwards which what is the crucial factor in a forward pass ruling.

Justin , Thankyou. S,K Italy has around 70,000 registers senior players. The standard of there premier comp is about the same as lower grade subbies. Italy has never performed consistently well in the 6 nations. Australia should have won by 30. The Wallabies may not need Viagra but they certainly need some sort of artificial stimulus, natural ones are not working.

Care to demonstrate how they have been getting better and better? What scalps have they got recently that would indicate they are on the up? Just because you say it, don't make it so...

Last season's Six Nations. Italy won one match, lost four. Scorelines: v France: 12-30 v England: 15-19 v Ireland: 10-42 v Wales: 3-24 v Scotland: 13-6

Pass last week was forward, Australia should have been done for 'holding on' in the breakdown before the try. The Italian player (Zanni I thnk it was) was first in and held on to it for several seconds but the referee ignored it.

Italy challenging France for the 6N? Right... This is the usual, 'we weren't that bad, they were just very good'. It's basically the opposite extreme position that you accuse others of taking.

The game has changed alright for the worse. I remember a time I couldn't wait to watch the game, attend th match, pay good money for an hard well one game. No I only wait to see what the result was and follow the comments to see if it is worth watching the replay. and there are many like me. The palyers are over paid for what they produce. there a few games worth watching a full 80 minutes. I now follow the All Blacks because everyother team lift to beat the worlds best. The Australian games leave me flat for 40 minutes at the minimum so not bothered. Shame really as I really did enjoy it. S15 went much the same way for me.

Crap with ALL CAPITALS -- CRAP

So they win two in a row and let's be honest the game was crap. But with this team that's an improvement. All Blacks aren't exactly flawless either so the NH teams are losing more than they win French excepted. Anyone realize that Italy.Samoa.Tonga and Argentina have all improved? Also in not too distant future USA, Canada, Russia etc will also provide a competitive level for the so called top tier or flight and I for one am excited by that prospect. So unless ARU and others start really creating opportunities for the development of players by having a next level of competition below S15 then they will quite honestly fall by the way. Over the past 3 weeks the standard of rugby at international level has been appalling with only few teams playing a marketable game for fans to enjoy. Oh and when the Wallabies finish with a tour avge of 3 wins from 4 matches 75% thecomplaints will be it wasn't done with the good old Aussie attacking styleand flair renowned from Aussie teams of old. Well guess what times have changed and so has the game but for many Of us roarers we need to acknowledge the past and respect players who have gone before but for goodness sake support your team. I am an avid AB supporter who revels in their achievements but still get frustrated at times when they don't fulfill their potential ie 35 to 40 mins of great rugby and crap for the rest or like the Wallabies maybe 20 to 25 mins per game. So get behind them the Lions tour next year provides an excellent opportunity to grow the game here and also develop more new players.

Nice one dizzy, finally a bit of common sense.

It could have a been a wee bit of a mind game.....

How much of a factor was the soft turf?