I justed rewatched the game, and have many thoughts that I need to get out.
1. The game was a cracker, and really good to watch. Good skills from both sides, plenty of tries yet a good level of physicality.
2. Joubert needs to take some credit for this. He was actually quite good, and I take back my earlier criticisms. No real glaring errors, let the game flow pretty well. I was never screaming at him, which is all I can ask from a ref.
3. The scoreline belied the closeness of the two teams. The ABs played very well, sure. They deserved to win. But they were not the all-conqueirng dominant force that some have made them out to be here.
4. The ABs won the game by converting their opportunities into tries with ruthless efficiency, especially in the first half. Look at the first half tries: Carter charge-down from outside 22, Muliaina after flukish kick from Jane from outside 22, McCaw after ball spilt from ruck outside 22, Jane after their first real attacking foray within the 22. 4 chances, 4 tries. They didn't really threaten other than those 4. This is what they are so good at, and what we struggle at. Look at Giteau's breakout early in the first half- we needed to score a try from that. Maybe not directly from the break, but certainly in the two or three phases that followed. That was where we lacked composure and organisation. As it was, Barnes threw a poorly directed cutout, and all of a sudden Elsom has the ball on the wing 10m behind the gain line with 3 ABs in defence and no support.
5. We are too predictable around the ruck. I can't remember a pick-and-go all night. Pre-game Austin pointed out opportunities one or two passes off the ruck, and clearly Deans viewed that because we stuck to it ruthlessly. And it worked in parts. But once the ABs realised this and adapted to it, we didn't see this and vary our game plan to exploit the fact that their pillar-men were resting on their laurels because they knew they wouldnt need to make a tackle. We missed Cooper badly here- we tried two inside balls all night. One went to JOC (James O'Connor) and he made a half break before slipping and passing off to AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), and the second went to Beale who overran it and dropped it, but would have been through otherwise. Here the mantra of 'play what's in front of you' clearly was not followed.
6. Mitchell can consider himself a bit unlucky. Not ripped off, not robbed, just a tad unlucky. When Joubert gave his warning to McCaw and Rocky he said he MAY have to give yellow for the next one. It was not an ultimatum, not a guarantee, just a possibility. The AB's were NEVER going to take a quick throw, their were gold shirts fucking everywhere. It was stupid, but I think Joubert had enough wiggle room from his earlier statement to just give Drew a very stern warning.
7. No-one had a shocker. There won't be widespread changes next week. Brown misses tackles, but was our best ball-runner in tight all night, and actually resembled Palu close to the AB line. Barnes was innefectual, but made his tackles and didn't do anything stupid (although he was far too flat when the charge-down occurred). Ma'afu was not as dynamic as last week, but he wasn't cumbersome. I would make two changes to the team for next week- Beale (who looked pretty good in his 15 minutes) to fullback with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to outside, and Hodgson to 6 with Rocky moving to 8 and Brown riding the pine. This reshuffle saves Nathan Sharpe from the axe, because without Brown we really lack ball-running forwards so he gets to stay.
8. The ABs have not been under pressure at all this 3N campaign. I think 8-3 is their biggest deficit so far. The way we win in Wellington is by starting fast, and hopefully getting a bit of luck along the way (a charge down, fluky skilfull act etc) . A bit like the RWC semi. Then we have our tails up and hopefully can hold on. It's a long shot, but not impossible.
Basically I came away from my second viewing not as depressed as I thought I would be. We didn't play too badly, but made a few silly mistakes at crucial times. The best example is Giteau after Franks was binned. He fails to find touch then concedes a very stupid penalty. We obviously face an uphill battle to win next week, but I honestly believe we can beat the ABs in Sydney. A few injuries to NZ wouldnt go astray and we need the bounce of the ball to go our way. But we are not too far off, and I think a few people here have overreacted a touch.
