Japan XV vs Australia A: Rugby live scores, blog

Hilarious comment. The soft #6/lock prowls on the right wing hoping the small Japanese winger will give him less trouble than tackling the "monsters" in the middle of the park. That being said, he still couldn't run over his opponent. Yep, Ned is a very good tackler, he rarely misses and that is a massive plus. But I would rather be tackled by Ned Hannigan than by R.Leota, L.Gleeson or his Tahs mate L.Swinton. N.Hannigan is a good player, but he just is not a hard test player. Against a running Japan team he is in his element running and tackling smallish blokes. Against an Ireland pack with brutish intent and on a muddy pitch he would be overwhelmed and a liability to his WB team. :crying:

Langi Gleeson looked pretty lightweight for the most part Davo.

Really liked the Isaac Lucas highlights reel I saw today

Gleeson seemed to be relying too much on brute force. But the Japanese tackling technique was solid. He probably has more nuance to his game but we didn’t see it. I suspect as well that the J coaches realised he could be a talisman for us if he got momentum.

There’s been a lot of positive talk about Campbell. I want to be on board because I like his spark but his reads and decision making in defence need maturing. His speed will not always save him against good teams.

Leitch is a special player. Excellent decision making and plays at a high level consistently. Japan are fortunate to have had him for all this time. He’s the sort of player others would enjoy playing with.

Thanks for that Mungbean. I thought I must be losing it, as I was pretty sure this was pretty close to the usual team that I see run out for Japan. Speaking of which, how good was Michael Leitch eh? His experience & timing were causing us all kinds of problems. What a great asset he is. Small wonder the Fukuoka crowd loved him.

He’s a smart player Stewart and a great defender. I think Rennie likes a bigger body at 12 though, which I don’t necessarily agree with. Hopefully he gets a run.

It’s Japan’s top team…. I’m an Aussie living in Japan and this is there top team, with a few guys out with injuries

I’d like to see banks , kellaway and Campbell back three . I think there could be some good linking and hole running with positional smarts as well . I really don’t see what we lose.

Put this game into context, this is Japan B! No one in AUS A has thus far dominated play in a way to displace the current WB test squad. Yes, some in AUS A deserve to go to Spring Tour to get touring experience with the test squad but that is all. It’s only 10 test or less to RWC23 so there’s no way WB coaches make changes now toward debutants in AUS A unless injury enforced. Only Neville, Frost, Banks (current test players) and maybe Langi get game time in Europe barring injury. Every other Possible in AUS A will need to look toward RWC27.

Yeah the 3rd game selection should be easy .... Donaldson at 10, Stewart at 12, Vunivalu in the stands .... he is simply not good enough.

Unfortunately SR and Test Rugby are different games. I am always amazed on this forum how fans don't see this. SR players and coaches have to learn how to make the transition to Test Rugby. Good SR players (particularly good wide running players) can fall apart in Test rugby which is pressure rugby. Harry Wilson is a good example of this.

Campbell will never be a Test 15. He is not physical enough.

“ The wallabies should be the best player available in each position IT IS NOT A DEVELOPMENT SQUAD!” Yes Hoges, BUT in the world we are in, and in which Rennie finds himself, the cattle delivered to his pen are ‘under bred’. Hence the development ‘in service’. I am sure he would rather do it ‘your’ (and our) way. But if the gun is jammed, the wise combatant uses whatever he’s got- the butt, the mouth or the legs, spinning. It’s not the WB coach’s (or selector’s) fault that the product they’re working with is not ‘ready’.

He was definitely better this game, but Stewart won Australia A the game. Stewart has been continuously overlooked for higher honours, even though being the form 12 in Australian Super Rugby for a number of seasons.

I think Kunzell was solid and direct and improved as the game went on. I haven’t been a fan particularly but thought he was quite good.

Thoughts on the game: 1) Vunivalu continues to play himself out of Wallabies selection, again showing he is garbage truck juice. Let the NRL have him 2) Campbell got shown up in defence - ok try though 3) Banks is a deserving test player 4) Ref was average 5) Michael leitch best player on park 6) Robertson, Lonaghan, Kuenzal, Creighton very average with a whiff of garbage truck juice

Don’t see anyone putting their hands up particularly. Campbell let I’m that first try in, but made up for it soon after. Pone has penetration, but I’ll let wiser cauliflowered people tell me whether he’s a legit option “moving forward”. Hoped Frost may have made a bit more of a statement. Langi I’m mad for, but he was quiet. Edmed was serviceable. Actually if anyone put his hand up it it’s Brad Wilkin - plays with a lot of penetration. Not sure he’s a classic 7, but me likey!

Don’t see anyone putting their hands up particularly. Campbell let I’m that first try in, but made up for it soon after. Pone has penetration, but I’ll let wiser cauliflowered people tell me whether he’s a legit option “moving forward”. Hoped Frost may have made a bit more of a statement. Langi I’m mad for, but he was quiet. Edmed was serviceable. Actually if anyone put his hand up it it’s Brad Wilkin - plays with a lot of penetration. Not sure he’s a classic 7, but me likey!