Different week, same problem! We alluded to it in last week’s edition where they had 59% of possession and scored just one try, and last Saturday again highlighted the lack of penetration in the backline attack of the Western Force.
Despite the Western Australians’ hard-working pack providing a 52% possession ration overall – with the share rising to 64% in the second half alone; the Force managed just one try: and from a close range forward barge, compared to the six tries – five of which were scored by outside backs – grabbed by the home side in its impressive 41-7 victory.
The Force’s ills are the result of execution, not effort.
Indeed the visiting side only missed one more tackle than did the Brumbies: both teams made 146 tackles in the game, with the Force missing an additional 19, while the Brumbies failed on 18 occasions.
As with their attack however, it was the Brumbies who were the more accurate defensively, limiting the Force to just four off-loads in the tackle, while achieving 10 themselves.
A Springbok in waiting
With Marcell Coetzee and Heinrich Brussow on the loose, South African rugby is already well served by quality opensides, but don’t be surprised to see Arno Botha join them some time soon.
The impressive 21-year-old underlined his credentials again at Loftus Versfeld last weekend where his statistics compared favourably with the Wallabies Test seven, Michael Hooper.
Botha carried the ball on 13 occasions, while completing 12 tackles, in contrast to the 13 tackles but just three ball carries made by Hooper through the game.
Game turning
If you want to beat the Bulls at Loftus, the lesson is clear: don’t give them free ball!
The Waratahs did, and paid the penalty – literally, with sharpshooter Morne Steyn kicking six penalty goals, alongside the Bulls’ two tries, one of which he scored himself.
As good as the Bulls were; the Waratahs were the architects of their own demise, with a deplorable lineout and inadequate re-start, which saw the turnovers stacked heavily against the visiting side. All up, NSW gifted the ball to the Bulls on 16 occasions from set pieces (six of which were errant lineouts), while receiving the ball ‘back’ on just seven occasions from set piece turnovers in reply.
For all the subsequent complaints from Tahs coach Michael Cheika about the performance of Argentine whistler Francisco Pastrana; you can’t expect to win a game while returning stats like those!
Godwin’s a ‘Good-un’!
We’ve already discussed the short-comings of the Western Force, but one player on whom little blame can be attached is the highly promising inside centre Kyle Godwin.
The Zimbabwe-born flyhalf has been used primarily at inside centre this year but hasn’t let the side down, with last Saturday’s performance in Canberra being a prime example.
Although he featured in an outfit which was outclassed by 34 points; Godwin was both the top ball carrier (with 15) and the top tackler (with 19) for the game – for both sides.
Nor was his yardage token, making 100 metres for the Force, which was bettered only by Joe Tomane and Matt Toomua on the Brumbies side.
The JOC ‘Factor’
If Robbie Deans needs at all to ‘sell’ the prospect of James O’Connor as his first choice Test flyhalf, then Sunday’s performance against the Crusaders in Christchurch, which both Deans and his All Black counterpart Steve Hansen watched from the grandstands, was a pretty handy advertisement!
Concerns about the O’Connor kicking game appear unfounded, with the 235 metres he gained highlighting the usefulness of his tactical boot.
It was with the ball in hand, however, that O’Connor was at his most effective, repeatedly breaking the line to get in behind the Crusaders, with his nimble footwork and strength exposing less athletic forwards.
O’Connor totalled 135 run metres for the game, which was 55 more than the total yardage achieved by the best Crusaders player in this category (by comparison, Australian flyhalf rivals Bernard Foley ran for 108 metres against the Bulls, Quade Cooper for 103, although some of his were accrued returning the ball from his position at fullback when the Reds were on defence, while Matt Toomua clocked up 102 for the Brumbies against the Force).
Fortitude not flash
The Reds built up a reputation for flash when they won their Super Rugby title in 2011, but this year the recurring theme through their seven wins has been that the Queenslanders have been at their most effective without the ball.
As with their outstanding win over the Chiefs two weeks ago, where the home side made an incredible 15 line breaks to the Reds’ five but still lost; Friday night’s 12-11 win over the Blues was also built on what Queensland did when the Blues had the ball.
The Blues recycled the ball on 133 occasions to the 73 of the Reds, and forced the Queenslanders to make a whopping 233 tackles, yet they could score just one try!
The workload may have taken its toll on the Reds ball retention though, as they coughed it up seven times at the breakdown, which is most unlike them.
One tactic that the Reds have employed that opposition teams seem to have cottoned onto is their rolling maul, which Queensland had used effectively earlier in the competition. On the six occasions that the Reds tried it against the Blues, they were held up three times, forcing possession turnovers.
Stats courtesy of Verusco Sports Statistics, official supplier to Australian Rugby
Bunyip
Guest
Are you mad?? " the future is Bernard Foley"!!!! Then the future is quite bleak. We must be watching different games, because in this pocket universe BF is a massive liability .
jeznez
Roar Guru
I am certainly not in favour of the signing of Phipps. It worries me he is coming to the Tahs next year. Ps. I am certainly not calling Volavola a failure it is just that most of his club footy has been at FB and that is where his best performances for the Tahs have been to date. I like Crawford but don't think the other Wingers have done a huge amount. A shift of Folau to the wing for Volavola at FB with Crawford retaining the other wing would definitely be worth a look.
ScrumJunkie
Guest
Well said Elisha. JOC is more devastating on the wing, lacks the vision to set up his outside backs if playing 10. The vision to see opportunities for him self while running the ball, is second to none.
Roy
Guest
Quade and JOC have definitely peaked ...and still have deficits ...Matt T is very solid especially in defense but he is way too slow in attack to be of any threat at an international level...he just offloads in attack to either CL or George who beat players for him, he makes it easy for defenses to set...unfortunately he has no acceleration and no step ...the future is Bernard Foley, still learning his trade so he will improve and he runs great straight lines and he has a great skill set and usually a good steady head, this was just a poor game by him. I have no doubt Cheika is looking to the future and will pick Bernie next game.. Jake White stuck by Jessie Mogg last year despite worse games and look how he has flourished this year....
Bunyip
Guest
Anybody else would be an improvement ! Seriously......BF has had all year to progress and hasn,t and the waratahs are out of it for this year , so it is time to nurture new talent for next year. Despite having some great games many years ago, Barnes is no longer a great option if he persists with overly frequent and inappropriate kicks. I don,t mind him as long as he is told it is $1000 fine for each unnecessary kick. Surprisingly Lachie Turner could have been an option as he played 5/8 when my son played briefly in Eastwood juniors, but his injuries kill that idea. Try volavola and give him the 8 games Foley has had before you call him a failure. ps. The poor waratahs are kidding themselves that Phipps is an answer to their 1/2 back woes. Marginally better than McKibbin, thats all! Same poor passes and slow to the breakdown. White has been a revelation this year but still miles behind Genia, who is at the peak of his powers.
rl
Guest
and despite my defence of Quade's on-field performances, I think Robbie is still entitled to have his doubts. He's the coach after all, and if for one second the coach thinks a player could be a disruptive presence to his team, then he's going to be a question mark.
Dcnz
Guest
Robbie must be hating that he must pick a guy he doesn't like at 10 ....
jeznez
Roar Guru
Bunyip - so who would you like to see there? Barnes is injured and I'm happier with the shape of the team with Foley at 10 than anything we've seen from Berrick in the last few years. The other option is Volavola who's best performances have been at 15. I could handle Folau moving to the wing, Crawford on the other and BV at the back but it doesn't do anything to change 10 where Foley looks to me to be the best option in the squad. At halfback I'd like Lucas to get a starting game and would like to see Hart given a run, at blindside/number 8 I'd like to see Lopeti Timani getting some minutes again (assuming he has been working on the work rate that Cheika asked him to lift). There are options in a few of the other positions but I don't see a better one at 10. You are calling for Foley to be dropped - who do you want there instead and what have you seen of them to make you think they will be an improvement?
Rob na Champassak
Roar Guru
The Brumbies did beat the Bulls at home. Just like the Bulls beat the Brumbies at home last year. Wait... I think I just felt something flying over my head...
Rob na Champassak
Roar Guru
Oh yeah, the Brumbies had the five-point bye this week...
Elisha Pearce
Guest
I wasn't saying Foley had a good game, he was poor. So was Volavola when he came on - shovel, shovel, shovel it on. What I said up higher was Foley is clearly behind Cooper and Toomua and O'Connor is too. Volavola isn't going to be an improvement on Foley at this stage either, so it would be short sighted to drop Foley who contributes in other ways, however limited some of his game management - at this early stage of his 15 man career - is.
Bunyip
Guest
Elisha, et al, I really am surprised at your assessment on Foley. Sure, I have had serious misgivings about him for all but 1 game, and this performance confirmed all my previous assessments. Many of you seem to misunderstand the role of a 10, the ability to read a game, correct decision making,good passing, good kicking. his failures in these areas far exceed any good from his darting runs. A bit like an erratic Quade Cooper. If the poor aspects of his game outweigh the good, QC is not a worthy wallaby 10. His last game showed he is capable of fullfilling that role again. I repeat , again, WATCH the game and assess everything BF does. It was truly terrible and many aspects of this performance have been evident all year. Solely quoting official match stats don,t record the failings in his game, as i didn,t see "poor passes leading to dropped balls "listed there. Godwin is a future superstar, solid attack, defence, ball handling, decision making and effort. It is all there. All the things BF lacks.
Justin2
Guest
oohh Timmy, absolute Master, what a legend!!!
Fin
Guest
seems to me he made up his mind a while ago and has been sweating on a below par performance to express it
Blue
Guest
Arno Botha is not an openside. He is a number eight playing on the blindside.
rl
Guest
EP, as a Reds fan if there is one player I look at from other teams and wish was in the Reds squad, its Godwin. (oh, and Dan Palmer - so hot for him right now!!!)
rl
Guest
J2, as I said on Brett's article, I just worry that moving JOC to 12 means we might lose that counter attacking brilliance. But I gotta say, his running is starting to remind me of Timmy Horan (he almost appears to lower his suspension without losing speed!).
Fin
Guest
Every comment about Quade has a disclaimer on it- positive or negative depending on which side of the fence you sit. He is that type of player.
The OG AlBo
Roar Guru
Totally agree. All the weekend showed is just what a dynamic back three option he is. This is where he is genuinely world class. At 10 he is only decent.
Justin2
Guest
Well that would be a massive mistake. Foley has been excellent this year and suddenly people want him gone after a below par effort.