According to the fox, sports statistics of the game, Will Skelton, an unbelievably damaging runner with the ball, did not make one run in the game last night. This is not his fault, but rather a failure of tactics to get him into the game. Not only is he a big body, but he’s also a very good ball player.

Clearly there is something going on in James Horwill’s personal life. two red cards already this season.

Second, Why don’t the Reds try Manly’s Sam Lane as flyhalf, now that Cooper is out for 8 weeks, (lets call it the rest of the season!!). He can throw accurate passes and understands back line play, the fly half role and can kick goals.

Scott, I am with everyone saying that we would love you to reconsider your decision. The trolls cannot win this one. Alternatively, find a media that you self publish, that does not allow commentary. your knowledge is too valuable to lose to the more decerning and committed rugby fan. Please reconsider………….please

Brett, Dont disagree with any of it but there were times that the English line speed was just simply super human, in other words, off side!!! The scrum woes are chronic and unlikely to be resolved by the RWC. Get em fitter, yes, and get them hitting harder in defence, definitely. There seems to be chaos behind the ruck, with forwards getting more first receiver ball than toomua and Foley combined. But, these forwards offer no guile, nothing to challenge the defensive line……..

Equally, the Poms are one dimensional. Their dimensions are no better than ours. They dominate the forwards, and if our backs can unlock the rush defence, and this is not beyond the wit of man, then, wholesale slaughter and scoreboard pressure will occur in the Wallabies favour.

And, so I decided to boycott all C10 programmes. Oh!!!!! I dont watch any of it now. Completes the circle really!!!!!

Complete Incompetence.

and I’m making it even easier for Roar readers.

http://www.freetv.com.au/Content_Common/OnlineComplaintStep1.aspx

Here is the number for C10: Tel: (02) 9650 1010.

C10 is a busted arse station already! They continue to rock from incompetence to incompetence. the non broadcasting of the rugby and the misleading way that it was placed in the schedules are just the latest examples. couldn’t get a profit from england V aust, couldn’t fit it in the schedule, any other excuses????? Give me a break!!!!!!

Im having a shot at your ACT roots and that the Waratahs, My roots, are champs. it wont last long so I plan to enjoy it while i can. on a serious note, the tahs learned to intimidate opponents, very good opponents with their defence. and it was fun to watch.

The Highlanders at home late in the season, with Feketoa in the centres and in great, unstoppable form, was stopped by the Tahs defence.

But, it took time. On good authority, it was Potgeiter who ignited it. Grey had been pushing it with Cheika but Potgeiter showed ’em how. How many aust teams have we watched who failed to intimidate in defence??? too many….

Brett, Your Brumbies roots betray you. We Waratahs supporters,and the 2014 Super rugby champions, are used to massive hits in defence, ably led by Potgeiter and followed by every other forward. I particularly love the Skelton hit. They stay hit!!!!

Cheika’s methods are simple and logical. Everyone has to do more, more attacking options, more tackles and more passion for the full 80 minutes. Finally, and the biggest and most dangerous one, more resolve to win after a loss. This team/squad is close. But Close doesn’t win RWC’s.

I agree, it was a a wonderful game of rugby. The Irish V Boks game was equally good, but maybe I’m biased because the Boks lost. The Paddies bashed ’em up.

Brett, I think the most interesting feature, and it is based on watching every Thursday evening game and three stars games, was that with the exception of a few, the Super rugby players did not stand out as much as I had expected and, as you say, the defences were relatively poor. I also observed that it took a few weeks for the teams to find some cohesion. No surprise there.

Frisby, Samu Kerevi, Pakalani, Tala Gray, Dane Haylett-Petty, Robbie Coleman, Jarrad Butler, Volavola and Holloway are exceptions. The Melbourne backline, as a unit, also qualify.

Several non Super rugby players excelled.

Hamish Angus and Sam Windsor made 10 look easy, were metronomic and a level above the younger, more highly “qualified” like McIntyre for Brisbane, Dunbar for the Stars or David Horwitz for the Eagles who continues to throw misjudged passes.

Andrew Kellaway continues to score tries. Better is yet to come from him. His best position is not winger, but more like 12 or 15. Dargaville was dangerous with ball in hand on the wing for the Stars.

Jake Gordon was good as was hooker James Willan for the Stars.

Jack Dempsey, an U20, continues to impress, and showed some surprisingly good (for a backrower) footwork. Michael McDougall Guy Millar was strong and must be close to the next level.

Jack de Guingand and Jamie-Jerry Taulagi did well for the QLD Country team.

The Vikings flattered to deceive. Seilala Lam was good as was Staniforth.

But my standout was Sam Ward, closely followed by Tom Matthews. Ward runs harder than any other forward one out from the ruck and never from a standing start!!! Matthews does the same in the midfield. We need more of those type of abrasive players and more of their style, particularly in the forwards to get the go forward momentum.

So, best back: Sam Windsor and best forward: Sam Ward!!!! coach of the tournament is Darren Coleman of the NSW Country Eagles for doing the most with the least, and followed closely by Nic Stiles, the inaugural winning coach who worked around losing Genia and Cooper in the final games.

Spiro, I fully concur with your assessment and joining of the dots. This is the beginning, not the end. The longer it goes on, the more damage will be caused. Well, I say damage, but it has been a great talking point. I didnt read Ms Devine or Wilson’s articles so thanks for including the salient points. All of this supports the body language that occurred on Saturday evening in Brisbane and the comment thanking the assistant coaches for their coaching of the team in recent weeks. Clearly, a slip, they not only coached the team when Link was driving troubled Patston to the airport, but the after that also. This also explains the team performance against the AB’s. The players and the assistant coaches shared a unifying target, Link!!!! WOW. Sad or what that the whole thing is self inflicted by Link.

The ARU has many answers yet to be tendered. Its not as if we have not enough life experience to join the dots ourselves!!!!!!

Keep up the good work!

better rugby and really took it to them. Melb could not respond. They failed to convert their 20 minute dominance into points………..

great football game too. This is a genuine TV product.

this is typical cheekier Cheika. the message is “KB, Im boss and you wont get anywhere carrying on like a pork chop. go and sit on the naughty boy chair!!!!!!”

More strength to Cheika. Subtle but very effective and easily understood.

And now we know what really happened. Patston chose to guild the lily to make Beale look worse. she further guilded it with the “run home” and “heavy medication” news stories. She was sadly completely unfit for the role, either due to personality or current health, not because she is female.

Why are there so few managers of the opposite sex to the teams that they manage?????? Its a no brainer and nothing remotely sexist. just practical.

Ken,

Close. but No cigar!!!!! Think proven combinations. The pack is harder but Hooper will shade Pocock. best ball carrier and much quicker, an essential requirement for the tahs style game. Poeie will be on the bench. Skelton will get lots of game time. expect the forwards to start to hit in defence more like Potgeiter. thats what happened at the tahs!!!!!! Ryan, Douglas, Skelton, robinson, Palu et al all pulled off great bone rattlers.

9. Phipps
10 Foley
12 Beale
13 AAC
15 Folau

Best backline in Super rugby for 10 years. Proven, potent and in tune with coach from the start. Speight and Kuridrani on the wings.

Bench is Genia, if reports are correct that he is back to his best, and C Lilleafano because he can play 10, 12 and 15. Imagine those back three running into and stretching the holes created by Cheika and his foley/beale/AAC magic!!!!!!!! Woo Hoooo!

the

GTW, expect beale to be available. It would have been a condition of Cheika’s, both from the tahs and Wallabies. Beale’s good, but he lights up Folau. DID you notice how quiet Izzy has been without the holes that Beale creates. He has resorted to low percentage grubbers or the coach ball, with a step. thats not his game……….He is a finisher.

GTW, expect beale to be available. It would have been a condition of Cheika’s, both from the tahs and Wallabies. Beale’s good, but he lights up Folau. DID you notice how quiet Izzy has been without the holes that Beale creates. He has resorted to low percentage grubbers or the coach ball, with a step. thats not his game……….He is a finisher.

bass, Qld’s pain aint over yet…..not by a long shot……………..I will be interested to see how KH and JOC go. Classy, skilful but with question marks……….

FOS, Link knifed himself. Not even his own coaches, the ones he appointed, would talk to him after Brisbane game concluded!!!!!!!!

More to follow. Word is that Cheika will appoint the best players, including those outside the existing pool. Alofa Alofa is a good example and the NRL dude.

Reading between the lines of Bill Pulver’s words, and observing the body langauge (I was at the ground, almost next to Links possie on the 22) on saturday evening between Link and his players and link and his coaches, Link was absent/persona non grata in the recent coaching efforts of the team.

There was no contact!!!! Nada!!!!

That also fits with his decision to not attend the team training and instead, drive Di to the airport………..

Cheika is a players coach, but only if you do what he wants/demands of you. and you and better be fit and able and filling to play running rugby and have the confidence, the fundamental self belief of the best athletes, to go out and win things. Luckily, he starts with a large number of disciples in the Tahs players.

Go get em and swing for the boundaries………….and Nick White, dont kick!!!!!

Slow up here. Robbie Deans made some disastrous decisions and in retrospect, was not the correct person to coach the wallabies in 2008. He was not the turnaround specialist that was required. Who would ever consider turning around either the Crusaders or the AB’s???? Neither was broke. The wallabies were very broke, and in many departments.

For starters, Deans gave the three infants terrible too much leeway and the senior players didnt like it. Then, he picked one of them, O’Connor, as 10 against the Lions.

Scroll forward to 2014: Something serious happened in the wallabies organisation. Body language says it all. It all points to McKenzie. He had lost the dressing room and support staff. Bill Pulver admitted that.

The recent situation is not about witch hunts by the press or anything like the england football team. just coaches who made serious blunders. BTW, the wallabies are ranked 4 in world, and on average, 2-3 for the past 5 years. England dropped out of the last world cup in the pool games and didnt win a game and are currently ranked 18th!!!!!

Brett,

Link had definitely lost the dressing room and support staff. I was at the game on Saturday evening, sitting about 20 feet from Ewen McKenzie as he stood, with his lap top, on the 22. Firstly, it was a great game. Secondly, at the conclusion of the game, i watched the coach’s body language. He remained in his game spot for more than 5 minutes after the conclusion of the game. He then slowly walked onto the field, past the AB’s, and commenced speaking to AB coach Steve Hansen who was on the edge of his player group, in mid field. They spoke, with no eye contact for a minute or two. Link then crossed half way appearing to be heading for his distraught players, and where McKay and Blades already were. There was no acknowledgement from either the players to the coach, or coach to assistant coaches, or vice versa. Hooper was sitting on the dais. McKenzie approached Hooper, spoke for a brief time, during which time Folau walked past, reacted towards Hooper but completely ignored Coach McKenzie.

McKenzie then walked slowly back to the side line and off the field.

I was stunned at what I had witnessed.

I conclude that there has to have been some very, very serious goings on for this to occur, things that are at odds with the ability and potential of this team. We supporters must patiently wait. The truth will out, eventually.

I am stunned that the beale enquiry will be delayed until after the boys leave for Europe. clearly a strategic/tactical move. Don’t understand why.

Cheika would have required that beale be available for 2015 as he is one of the critical keys to unlocking Folau.

Like Link, Bill Pulver is a good and decent man. CEO’s tend more towards being the spokesmen for the board particularly when the chairman is a strong character like Michael Hawker when it comes to such critical issues. Bill did take responsibility for the lack of oversight on Di’s appointment and presumably the lack of a manager.

I dont buy the parochial selection conspiracy theories. when you appoint the coach, particularly with such short turnarounds, you get his game plan and style of play. In this case, the tahs play a very demanding style that doesnt fit with the likes of toomua and even man of the match Kurindrani, at least in the initial stages. The cheika selection will result in a dramatic increase in the number of tahs in the starting team. there were just five tahs in Link’s last starting selection and AAC was out of position.

Even on Saturday evening, I did not see the signature backline play and skill, the great breakdown work, the big hits, the 80 minute fitness or the confident play from the wallabies that was there week off week with the Tahs of 2014.

me too. I think Cheika will make it a condition. I would, in the hope that i can manage him like in 2014 super rugby.picking him at 12 is a start. Lets be clear, I am not a beale fan, but am a strong supporter of the no dickhead policy but this is just too messy. he did the wrong thing, apologied, it was accepted and then reused. not good form, on the face of it, quite vindictive and in the circumstances, very selfish and ignorant of the team needs. Why did Link drive di to the airport? I just dont get it……….and can only conclude that there is more to it. the resignation says that there are skeletons that need to remain buried………………

guys, adults and kids. the players are just big kids, excepting maybe a end of career gregan. they are not up to effectively getting rid of a coach. A coach is 20 years older, or double their age and much more worldly wise, hopefully. coaches get rid of themselves. It is already clear that link, as nice a guy as he is, made some very poor decisions and was allowed to make them. Di was the wrong choice, at the wrong time and in the wrong place. word is she was chasing kurtley for his room service bill as he sat on the bench on the sideline, and it s a reliable source.

he would normally find the coach approach him, the player, first and using the pecking order, of which Issy would have been close to the top. they would engage each other about what just happened and console/rally together and try to say something that made some meaning of the situation, not least of which could have been, “Okay Boys. this sucks. lets remember this and never let it happen again.!!!!!”

i look at it from the other angle. Issy is a very respectful, humble devote guy who is no fool. What has happened in the team to get such a reaction (no reaction/acknowledgement) from Issy???? there is something going on. But for Issy, his opportunities have been limited in the wallabies jersey because he is a hole runner and no one is creating the holes. Issa has resorted to grubbers, and vey poor, mistimed grubbers at that.