David Pocock's blinder sees the Wallabies home over Ireland

Great comment rhino. I too was fixated on Pocock's excellent work in slowing down the Irish ball and allowing our defense to reset. As much as I love Hooper's engine, he doesn't seem to have the same smarts where on multiple occasions he got his hands on the pill but it still seemed to come for Connor Murray just as quickly. I thought Samu was very effective when he was on

Beale should rock the head band every game. Gives him a sweet 70's footballer vibe aye

Hes very very good at that one trick though.?

Okay, Ireland very rarely went wide, as opposed to never. Ireland score a lot of their tries through good tactical kicking, set piece moves and intercepts as opposed to going wide in regular play.

Go back watch the game again Fionn - sorry I don't agree - I agree with Horan - In the first half in particular Ireland were getting plenty of quick ball. So I respectfully disagree. And yes Pocock was a key reason Australia won the game though not the only one - but the point is, that he wasn't successful in every ruck but became more so as the game went on and Ireland did get quick ball and especially in the first half. And I don't know why everyone is saying Ireland never went wide - they went wide a few occasions and one move around the 24 minute mark, with a double runaround with dummy runners completely caught the Wallaby defence out leaving acres of space out wide on the Irish right flank - the winger made the mistake of putting in chip kick which Folau blocked into touch when he should have grubber kicked it in taken the tackle. Proving they are no slouches when they do go wide. So sure they play up the middle but Ireland are not a one dimesional side and never have been - they just don't go wide as aften as sides Wales, All Blacks, Wallabies and these days SA do. So what, they didn't get to no2 in the world by always playing narrow and never going wide. And look at the scalps they have taken to get there Fionn. But they did get quick ball for much of the first half. But hey we agree to disagree all good .

Cheers Fionn thank mate and that is what I meant by that is going to happen - but didn't know about cancelation in a WC year or thereafter so cheers.

@ Fionn " I also believe that there will be no July internationals the year after RWCs in order to protect player welfare. " ya yaaa - these are nice sound bites , but the only thing it protects is the cub structure and games. everyone agrees to reduce number of tests - but keep on trying to increase club games. if not for player protests England will have expanded AVIVA. but PRO 14 is still looking at adding saffa teams.

Literally every single Irish analysis has been about how they lost the match because Australia generally and Pocock in particular annihilated them at the breakdown. Ireland was not getting quick ruck ball consistently at all, and the times that Australia were turned over was generally when the Wallabies went wide. Ireland kept it narrow all of the time and so weren't turned over when isolated so often, but they were forced to keep it in tight in order to maintain possession, and even then it was slow and Pocock still often turned them over.

Not sure I agree with that entirely Pk - not so in the first half where Tim Horan commented at least 3 times on the fact that Ireland were getting much quicker ball from the ruck and he was right. They controled the game for at least 40 minutes in middel part of the game and there were periods when Australia stuggled to get out on their own half as has been comented on in NZ and SA TV but couldn'r capitalise through errors and also by Geoff Parks on the roar in one of his blogs. This continued early in second half but then Australia slow Irish ball more consitently and increased the speed of their own ball. Genia is not the fastest at the ruck because players like Murray and the king of the pass Aron Smith have much faster passes off the ground - again the former commented on by Horan in the match. Let's not forget that Ireland were winning with 14 minutes on the clock so it was that last 14 where the game was won. I went back and watched the game and Ireland - though they didn't score - and like Australia - botched some try scoring opportunities - some because of some great defence on both sides and others through poor decison making or execution in final plays - and again on both sides. Next week should be another close encounter and a cracker.

Fox, from next year the June internationals are being replaced with the July internationals so as not to upset Super Rugby. I also believe that there will be no July internationals the year after RWCs in order to protect player welfare.

Hi Taylorman - that is going to happen - the June break upsets the flow of the Super comp as well and drags it on too long. As for Sexton - Cheika praised Sexton's after he came on, and thought he was effective so I don"t think he would agree with Drongo's - as you say - narrow assessment Ithink they were running short on gas and as you say - so did England and France.

No wrong yet again Drongo - I have described as massive in defence in the tackle and a superb over the ball; a player who reads the game well in the D. but... Playing at 8 - where he wa- offers liitle lineout options ( and unchracteristically he took one last weekend) and he is not a great ball carrier which he is not and therefore the wrong player at 8 and I think he was. He is better at 6 - well so far based on one game against one oposition but he was good in the weekend.

Did anyone notice - The referee often directing remarks to Pocock - When the Wallabies huddled it was Pocock addressing the team He's a born leader and doesn't need the (c) to prove it, but why does he not have it?

I was rather disappointed in Ireland at times, there were passes going to no one, players getting isolated... you'd almost think the teams swapped jerseys pregame

OK hope to see you then bye

I can't remember enjoying a Wallabies game this much in ages. Credit to all, particularly Bambam and Beale (who looked like John Maclane at the end of Die Hard by full time)

True the great teams find a way to get up, regardless of whats in front of them. Since Ireland met oz last theyve won the 6N where oz have done nothing but SR a comp which cant be underestimated. If the oz teams are losing, theyre also always on the edge, under pressure. Give them anything and theyll take it. Ireland gave them too much.

Well hes right from a timing perspective but mapping it back to Sexton is a bit narrow. All three NH sides got worse the game went on, England and France spectacularly so, so it wont be Sexton, or the AB yellow, or the SA crowd. The end of season tour has taken its toll. Its a fact that we get it end of year these days as well as even the ABs used to put big scores on the AI sides. Now they scrape through. Times are changing. The toll is greater these days. Its a well known fact that Ireland managed resources better following the Lions and of the three didnt have a late match collapse. England and France are hit harder through their imports by either not bringing through talent through the clubs or overplaying their test players. I can see a move to end the June tours, its getting too difficult for them.

Never build a team around 1 player. Because that player could be out with an ACL for a while.*cough

Yes I thought that while watching the Rebels game against The Blues. Hodge kicked himself out of the wallabies starting XV. Is Maddocks worth a go? He's fast, smart, tough and can defend. His rugby skills are exceptional. Don't know about his kicking though. And what's the point of having Phipps as reserve half back? Genia is still the best but he's aging. Is Phipps the future? Surely Powell, Ruru, Gordon should be getting a look at Test rugby 2 years out from the RWC??