Cape Town no 'happy hunting' ground: McKenzie

I'd say frustratingly amusing and as you noted above I'm not immune to getting caught up in it.

1. The Coach: Watching the All-Blacks in their last two games is a blue-print for playing as a team. Every player functions as a team member and the team functions well with a common aim. This is a function of good coaching, superior strategies, and the people skills of the coach getting the players to do-or-die for themselves, and each other, for 80mins every game. Link has not achieved this yet. He may not be able too. Cheika has shown he can quickly mould a team as Hansen does. I would love Cheika to take the WBs to the RWC. He would need 12 months so change would have to be now. 2. Selections: There has been enough seen for me to settle on the following backline (the forwards are harder to settle on): Beale - fullback Folau - right wing Speight - left wing Kuridrani - outside centre Toomou - inside centre Foley - 5/8 (Cooper as alt when fit) Phipps - halfback (Genia as alt when fit) This is a potent attacking backline and can defend. I get the feeling that these are the player's true positions in terms of their skills and intuitive play. It's time to lock it in, and drill them. ACC on bench with the 5/8 and 1/2 left out from above. Fowards: Liam Gill should be bought into the squad and Will Skelton returned. I favour backrow of Hodgson, Higginbotom, Hooper, With Skelton and Fardy second row. Sio, Slipper, Kepu and Robinson as props, God knows which hooker now. Bench = Gill, McCalman, 2 props from. above. Again, keep them and drill them. In summary, change to Cheika now, make the backs play where they play best and drill them into a do-or-die team in the mould of the All Blacks. Commenter Dr Dave Byron Bay Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/when-winning-is-not-enough-what-to-do-about-the-wallabies-20140919-10jamp.html#ixzz3DxKR4eMV

1. The Coach: Watching the All-Blacks in their last two games is a blue-print for playing as a team. Every player functions as a team member and the team functions well with a common aim. This is a function of good coaching, superior strategies, and the people skills of the coach getting the players to do-or-die for themselves, and each other, for 80mins every game. Link has not achieved this yet. He may not be able too. Cheika has shown he can quickly mould a team as Hansen does. I would love Cheika to take the WBs to the RWC. He would need 12 months so change would have to be now. 2. Selections: There has been enough seen for me to settle on the following backline (the forwards are harder to settle on): Beale - fullback Folau - right wing Speight - left wing Kuridrani - outside centre Toomou - inside centre Foley - 5/8 (Cooper as alt when fit) Phipps - halfback (Genia as alt when fit) This is a potent attacking backline and can defend. I get the feeling that these are the player's true positions in terms of their skills and intuitive play. It's time to lock it in, and drill them. ACC on bench with the 5/8 and 1/2 left out from above. Fowards: Liam Gill should be bought into the squad and Will Skelton returned. I favour backrow of Hodgson, Higginbotom, Hooper, With Skelton and Fardy second row. Sio, Slipper, Kepu and Robinson as props, God knows which hooker now. Bench = Gill, McCalman, 2 props from. above. Again, keep them and drill them. In summary, change to Cheika now, make the backs play where they play best and drill them into a do-or-die team in the mould of the All Blacks. Commenter Dr Dave Byron Bay Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/when-winning-is-not-enough-what-to-do-about-the-wallabies-20140919-10jamp.html#ixzz3DxKR4eMV

Rob, who knows whether he has moved on, backwards or sideways.... but his on-field performances never seem to be affected by the storm going on around him. Heaps of NH players are considered to have somewhat out of control egos, but however it works these teams manage to make it work for them. Maybe they just naturally settle down. I don't know. I just like to see talented players playing, even if a bit of drama follows them about. Some think that the drama defines the person... for me it just makes them somewhat interesting and introduces a few challenges for those around them. I think JOC will do fine whatever he chooses. His testosterone level will eventually subside. He is not an out of control drunk or drug addict from what I know...or a criminal...so I'm sure it will all even out, but by the same token there will always be those around who try to make mileage out of such things... including the guy who publicly spelled out the terms and conditions for JOC's return to the Wallaby jersey. Cept now poor Ewen looks like he is more on his knees than the heavy handed parent he started out playing. But I hope for rugby's sake down under he returns to these shores for a long time. He is without a doubt a talent and I would hae him on the field, especially now just about everyone else has been given a go and been shown to not be as good as the press pushed out by fans.

Hansen is the best - inherited from the previous best EM has room to improve.

MOTM for the game, deservedly. 110m, 10 defenders beaten, 3 clean breaks, 1 try assist, 3 tackles, 5 conversions Apparently he's moved on from the past

Link is trying to play the mind games but is looking like an a grade tool, as he is not delivering and we will get annihilated overseas.

And protesters respond in kind.Calling people haters is just adding fuel to the fire. You know that Jez more than anyone. Front row forwards are often more thoughtful before making such responses. Some of us refer to them as a bit slow :-), but that is a subject for another day. But your response is really a bit spikey too (or hateful if you prefer towards those you consider haters). In my experience one spikey comment often begets another... much like yours :-). If one side is called hate, I would be inclined to take emotive responses as not being too far removed from being considered the same. Me, personally. I think it is good for entertainment, much like plastic chairs on the field and sideline charlie with his laptop... Simply Jez, if you dress in fishnets and a skirt, you may come in for a bit of stick. Right now Ewen is looking like a bit of a goose after many of his earlier statements about his predecessor and how he know how to beat the AB's. Is there a way out for him. Yes it is called winning and backing up his comments. So far he hasn't really done so well in that area. PR thinks he is understated, I agree in both his appearance and his public persona; but imo he has never been too understated in his political ambitions or public statements. But that is just my opinion and I am sure he will be judged differently by different people. Whatever the case it is at least amusing :-)

Hilarious !! and foolhardy .. Boks by at least 10

AND THEIR 'HAIRDRESSER'

Of course Rob... Public statements are not made public for no reason, regardless of whether posed as a question or statement. But normally there is only one winner and that is determined by what happens on the field... Consequently Hansen looks like a legend and a good grasp of reality... Ewen not so much :-)

Even if he is a precocious prat and a lot if trouble to boot.... I still like watching him play everytime he pulls on a Wallaby jersey. His plays are mostly low risk high returns, unlike some of his friends.

You don't appear so immune to the drama and having an opinion on it as you make out.i would say the spoils always fall to the winner. Australian sport is littered with arrogant comments from winning coaches which plenty on here would justify. Because the shoe is on the other foot, not so much fun. Bottom line is AB's blew Wallabies off the park. Hansen comes away looking like his point is valid and Ewen's was hollow rubbish. The way she rolls. Hankies at 20 paces... and blow :-)

That has me absolutely ropable. He should be wearing gold right now, how the ARU let this happen has me flabbergasted.

No, I didn't although I have found myself watching a bit of northern hemisphere rugby recently. I've always liked JOC as a player. I think he is one of Australia's genuine world class players.

Did you get to see JOC in Toulon Brive yesterday. pretty good

People finding offence with the quotes above are just looking to find fault. He was respectful and factual, there is no story here but that would leave us with nothing to comment on so the haters hop on and hate. I like what you said there PR.

A test march is a great place to trial things. Let's put Beale on the wing. Just a small point kicking has been a bit of a requisite for a fullback for a while. Outside Cullen, I am struggling to think of a non kicking fullback the AB's have had. Folau is no Cullen and when Cullen lost a touch of pace he got dropped. So what options to compensate; stack the rest of the team with kickers. What happens if Speight is on one wing and Tomane or the like on the other. None of the back three could then kick. So trial Beale on the wing (although you said you don't like trialling new things... Should have added unless you thought of them :-) ) and then the next talk will be about how good it will be when JOC gets back.... In the meantime we will just continue to do our best?

Sweet, must remember that. Just to be clear if I am winning I can be a tool?

I don't agree re Folau, Nigel, though the rest of your post was excellent. Folau is a running fullback and the safest man under the high ball. His defence is fine. Under Cheika, his deficiencies at kicking were rarely an issue. He was giving the task of running the ball back and it worked fine! It got him the Wallaby fullback position. McKenzie knows better! He knows how to put his players under pressure. Ask them to do something they haven't had to do! A test match is a great place to trial things, eh? I would put Beale on the wing. Not too different. Leave Izzy where he is but get him to run when in doubt. He's very good at it! With the Tahs he flicked it to Beale at the back to make the kicking decisions. It proved to be part of winning!