Wallabies vs All Blacks highlights: Bledisloe Cup Game 1 final scores, blog

It might not be the end of the world, but you can see it from here

We focusing on turnovers and breakdown but the ball is not there the AB have negated a past strength by taking it out of the game.

"just how much can one man (M.Byrne) improve this team in a 4 week camp as it seems some Roarers were expecting to see massive improvements, that is unrealistic"

This expectation is a feature, not a bug, an embedded characteristic in part time rugby fans I refer to as the Rodney Blake Syndrome. A decade or so ago the Wallaby forwards were hurtling headlong towards Twickenham Tellytubby fame and along came a young front rower who could play a bit. Instantly we were saved, the Wallabies would be great again! - excitable fans saying this was so made it so - he was dubbed "Rodzilla" and the game set about sending his career hurtling backwards marvelously well. No-one paid attention to the fact he was about 7 years old in front rower terms, including John Connolly - grrrr! Rodney barely escaped with his life and his career developed as it should, but not quite as much as it might have without the care and attention of the ARU. Mat Rogers was an earlier icon of the Rodzilla Syndrome and Tamana Tahu was a later version. There are a dozen blokes out there who cannot tackle, catch, run and pass early enough, grubber kick - incompetent in skills which one commences learning in the Under 11s for 8 or 9 years. If Mick Byrne can "fix" that he is a genius. Getting through to them has been beyond Foley, Graham, Stiles, McGahan, Hill, Larkham, Deans, McKenzie, Cheika and plenty of others.

Petes a very astute poster. By posting the Wallabies will get thrashed he's nothing to lose in terms of his status as a poster other than being wrong. For if NZers had all posted the Wallabies would get thrashed they'd be subject to post match ridicu!le. I mean look at Boz the younger who saw no reason the Wallabies would lose, I mean...(dir). But had NZ lost PK will have known kiwis would be in that nice space he likes, looking for reasons for the loss and would have lead the charge. And he's waiting for his chance to get even for the unfortunate choking comments. Like the win...All very predictable. ?

No pretty sure both tries were scored when he was off, particularly the TK try, as Smith would definitely have been part of the defence for that try.

Do read the sub-thread ThugbyFan and "get your facts correct before rubbishing posters here" - your comment

"Sheesh Alex and Mick from the Gold Coast, sorry fellows but please get your facts correct before rubbishing posters here"

was redundant 4 hours before you posted it.

Last two years oz were able to win and draw the first two at home yet only a week later were on both occasions completely outplayed when travelling to NZ. And most of those sides played last night. That suggests the away matches in NZ could be worse. So in respect of this side, home and away did matter.

Dhp is not a winger and wingers should be wingers. The only wallabies with any sort of minuscule go forward was Folau and it was when he was playing centre. Where he should play. However if we are playing an outdated old style of game , with poor skills and stupid tactics and fear etc etc which we are, then we could have a team full of Gods n we would lose.

Well said mate. We are all disappointed frustrated sick of playing badly rugby tragics

His contribution was kicking the first ball he received straight to Dagg who ran it back to set up the first try.

And I wish I had $10 for every Roarer who wants to move I.Folau to #13 so they can put DHP to #15. If he plays this badly on the wing, imagine him at fullback under pressure with bombs raining down on him. I too would love to see Izzy at outside centre but not until a very good fullback is at the back to replace him. Reece Hodge is listed as a fullback for the Rebels, maybe its time he gets a go in the WB (at wing firstly) to see how well he goes in the Test heat.

On Friday I asked just how much can one man (M.Byrne) improve this team in a 4 week camp as it seems some Roarers were expecting to see massive improvements, that is unrealistic. I just hoped to see better thought out kicks and organised chasers and guess what? Compared to the dross I saw at the 3rd test against England, the kicks were aimed to make a contest of it and the chasers were there to contest. Next up for Mr. Byrne is passing and catching. If these WB players can improve their thinking under pressure, kicks, chases, pass and catch by the end of next year, I would say M.Byrne has done his job and should get a bonus. The major problem I see is his attendance at different franchises may rub some people's egos the wrong way. As Alex says below, in Australia the SR franchises think of Numero Uno first. On the other side B.Foley seems to have early nerves as almost every important game I have seen him in, he fails to find the line on a touch kick and bugger me with a witch's broomstick, the opponents score a try very soon after. And wouldn't you know it, the AB 1st try tonight came from a Foley kick failing to find touch. Its deja vu every match. :(

Sheesh Alex and Mick from the Gold Coast, sorry fellows but please get your facts correct before rubbishing posters here. On Thursday and Friday in different Roar articles, PK was saying that this team was inviting a flogging, he even opined his reasons why and to be honest he was pretty spot on with his prediction. I was at the game and feel just as gutted and I also posted comments about this team selection. Even if that's what you feel (without knowing every post that Peter has said over the last week), why not just let it through to the keeper instead of snarky lil comments. We all belong to the Brotherhood of Hopeless Rugby Fanatics and are here to talk about the game, not belittle each other. :)

At the game (although I had a terrible seat) and Jaco.P seemed to allow a hell of a lot of coming into rucks from the side. Late in the game he pinged the Kiwis a couple of times, so I'll give him the benefit. I haven't seen a replay yet so its likely I was a mite one-eyed. LoL. I wish all test matches were, as Machpants says, we can honestly say the ref was really good and didn't affect the match result at all. NZ were like a well-oiled machine tonight, whereas the WB lacked team cohesion and had just had too many players out of form. Of course there are many other factors, which altogether conspired to this flogging. Of the backs, A.Smith and B.Barrett were awesome, R.Crotty was a menace until he had to go off and M.Fekitoa looked good although its hard to say was he really that good or was T.Kuridrani just plain horrible?

okay, seriously, i think it was last year. Kuridani's try was scored after smith came back from the bin and then the previous match we played against you was the rwc warm up, no AB players were binned and we scored one try.

for heavens sake, you were talking about home town advantage, so that's what I responded about

we played NZ tonight mate in case you didn't know

Ouch!

against 14 men

.....so true, must be a few years back at least.