Roar Rookie
Joined October 2013
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Around 64 minutes into the first test against South Africa, Greg Clark said "they need to get the ball to Folau sooner and more…
Agreed, Phillip is unlucky. He’s a great lock.
Michael Cheika sticks solid with winning Wallabies, confirms team for Bledisloe 2
Such a good point, when I was growing up in school and club rugby-land in the zeroes, there were many brilliant fullbacks who would rapidly run forward and belt anyone that broke the defensive-line.
Bledisloe 2 - now we're interested
Luke Jones came on with a lot of energy, the missed tackle looked like one that he was reaching for, as in, he was covering for somebody else. I would like to see him get a crack, his workrate is high!
That said, as an avowed LSL skeptic, I thought he had a good game. Nevertheless, I would pick the Pooper this weekend considering the weather and considering AB’s double openside approach; with either LJ or LSL on the bench for cover.
What we know after the Wallabies' stunning Bledisloe 1 win
Happy with the JOC experiment, he was tackling with perfect technique in his brief run on and if he defends his channel with the same technique and tenacity, he may find a home in that jersey.
Additionally, his attacking nous might be useful if he is hard at the ball.
If it fails, perhaps they will swap Hodge into 13?
James O'Connor confirmed to start in Bledisloe 1 as Wallabies make shock change at hooker
LSL has been a passenger, I don’t know why we keep picking low work-rate blindsides simply because they have a certain physique eg. Hanigan.
Jones has the highest workrate and also can be a lock substitute, allowing for a Samu to come off the bench as a finisher.
James O'Connor confirmed to start in Bledisloe 1 as Wallabies make shock change at hooker
Despite that Spiro has written some nonsense I have disagreed with over the years, this is not a bad critique.
I was a fan of Michael Cheika coming in, based upon his success with the Tahs.
However, I have some growing frustrations over his selections… Is there a panel which makes selections because I seem to remember this occurring with McKenzie!?!
As a result I worry we are going full-circle here in unnecessarily scapegoating the coach and so I temper my skepticism.
With new information, I might move to a more critical view.
Some points of note are:
1) The All Blacks must have a *no-smile* policy, evident from the top down with Hanson barely displaying any emotion.
Contrast this with the Wallabies who are often seen giggling.
2) Selections & Personnel Observations
– Moore is atrocious, I have never truly been a fan, so this doesn’t surprise me. I think people conflate his surly demeanour as a leadership quality. It isn’t old school, he’s just a loser… Replacement-wise, the Hookers-in-waiting aren’t that bad. ie. Hanson.
– I rank our lock stocks as Coleman, Arnold, Douglas and Jones… Jones is going the way of Pyle (remember him?) and other talented stock and heading to Europe.
– Anyone notice Pocock isn’t having the best season? I would drop him for McMahon where possible.
– The odd fact Phipps is still a squad member surprises me. A non-box-kicking Genia is a great element. Followed closely by Frisby.
– Quade is a starter over Foley, any day. But who is third choice? Godwin was a great kicking 10 at schoolboys, did the Force ruin him – hopefully the Brumbies can solve that issue.
– Centres: it cannot be Foley, he is not big enough to defend that channel. Hodge looks promising. Would a Hodge-Folau combination be an improvement. I think QC could do a great job with those runners outside him, he just needs solid wingers running off his inside-shoulder.
Wing: Kellaway, Ashley-Cooper, Mitchell, Morahan, Cummins, Speight???
Fullback: Haylett-Petty? Last weeks game almost made me wish for James O’Connor back.
ARU alert: Has Michael Cheika gone rogue?
Ben Mowen is the worst Wallaby since Pat McCabe… There’s no way either of those guys would ever make the boks or all blacks!
Wallabies' back-row worries deepen
Higgers can jump, we just use three jumpers and play Pocock at 6… Hoops is too good to be left out.
Wallabies announce 32 man squad for final Bledisloe, 2013 Spring Tour
Scott Allen was completely and utterly wrong in his analysis… Like I pointed out at the time, you can’t measure number of involvements without accounting for the value of those involvements.
Who would make the team of the Rugby Championship?
The only way to test is in real-time… And I would happily select Higgers Hoops and Poey! 🙂
A prescription for the Wallabies' attacking structure
Interesting Liam, valid points… I haven’t been able to really clue-in to any particular pattern, but perhaps you’re right.
Still, as an aside, even with four man pods, it can be structured such that the forwards offer good options to the inside backs and I am definitely not seeing enough of that.
You are very right, Australia does not teach this at any level, throughout my rugby playing years playing at arguably the best club in my state, and one of the top schools in my state, there’s only been one coach who actually understood this and taught it… After which I went on into grade rugby and nobody even understood it there.
During my teenage rugby years my club side was the only team in the competition for our age group who used the hammer, and we’d often use it as a platform for a rolling maul. At school, nobody used it and nobody knew how to maul. My club side won, because we were so well drilled, other Aussie styled teams with more talented players hadn’t come up against it and certainly didn’t know how to defend it. i.e. they couldn’t counter-ruck it and they couldn’t defend a rolling maul.
A prescription for the Wallabies' attacking structure
Time to give up with that line of argument David – each time is has been effectively refuted.
Genia back, O'Connor gone: Sanity, finally, at the ARU
Glad you brought your diagnostic manual Dan.
And when did a sociopathic narcissist stop fans wanting to see their team win?
Genia back, O'Connor gone: Sanity, finally, at the ARU
At 2:30 in the above video, when the forwards have a ruck on the right hand side of the field where Slipper is the only forward on the short side… Mowen comes in to the shot from full-back after the Beast gets tackled. What the f was he doing back there. This is effectively seagulling and going missing.
Genia back, O'Connor gone: Sanity, finally, at the ARU
Izack Rodda was binding too high in the scrums the whole game. Is there any wonder we were getting pushed off it?
My rankings for Blindsides in Australia wouldn’t have LSL in the top 5.
1. Luke Jones
2. Angus Cottrell (has mongrel)
3. Scott Higginbotham
4. Lachlan McCaffrey
5. Pete Samu
So much of a dominant rugby performance stems from the psychological advantage of having an enforcer… Not having one on the park is a serious issue, especially when playing against a guy like Savea.
Hodge is not a winger, we’d probably fare better with a specialist in his place.
Meanwhile, Kurtley is a liability… If I was dropping balls that much in high school, my mates would have ragged on me. His performance last night had me (an unbeliever of gods) asking why we had to lose Izzy due to Castle’s mismanagement!?!
In Izzy’s absence (before he wins) we need to decide whether we play Hodge, Banks or DHP at fullback?
I would persist with CLL at 10, but Quade would be my finisher, at least with him you can adjust the game plan.
Aside from the personnel issues, our general strategy and decision-making seemed poor. I wonder whether that might change when Larkham takes over?
Eight talking points from Bledisloe 2