2012 Rugby Championship Round 6 Game 2 Argentina vs Australia - 6 Oct

[fatprop]

Lots of bitchy comments here. FFS we won when we were facing an up hill battle. It was never going to be pretty but shit all the boys dug deep and played with plenty of guts.

Well done Wallabies.

yeah, top win as far as I care

there were lots of reasons why we could have lost that game

but they got it done

 

[vidiot]

They really wanted it. That got them there.

 

[Schadenfreude]

They really wanted it. That got them there.

That and a lot of penalties.

 

[TSR]

Deans scrapes a win to save his skin. The team has not improved one bit this year with regards to skills and execution, let alone over the last 5 years. Yep just put your head back in the sand chanting "WE'RE NUMBER 2! WE'RE NUMBER 2! WE'RE NUMBER 2!"

All is well in Australian Rugby.

No mate, all is not well in Australian rugby and there are pages and pages of postings which probably 90% of posters here have contributed to in one way or another about various shortcomings.

But if you can't give any credit for a thrown together team grinding out a win against a pumped up opposition in front of their home crowd than to be honest mate, I think your a tough marker.

Good luck to you, its your perogative, but a few of us were just happy to pick up a tough, on the road win.

I don't have my head in the sand - but to be ranked second in the world and come second in the rugby championship is better than coming third.

 

[Braveheart81]

Yeah, he's not international level. But Dean's man management skills now leaves us in this position.

I disagree with this comment.

White had a bung shoulder and went off for surgery. With the number of injuries we've suffered in the Rugby Championship, I doubt playing an injured White who required surgery would have really helped us. I'd be highly surprised if he was still fit enough to play now if Deans had persisted with him.

I think there is a massive shortage of quality halfbacks in the country. This is hardly something that can be blamed on the Wallabies coach.

Deans scrapes a win to save his skin. The team has not improved one bit this year with regards to skills and execution, let alone over the last 5 years. Yep just put your head back in the sand chanting "WE'RE NUMBER 2! WE'RE NUMBER 2! WE'RE NUMBER 2!"

All is well in Australian Rugby.

From my perspective, an objective review of Deans' coaching performance in this test would be pretty positive. He put together a makeshift side in the midst of a massive injury toll and the unavailability of many first choice players and scored a win in Argentina (where Australia previously had a 3 from 6 record). We scored a good try from a set piece move and replacements were utilised well.

It would seem to me that the things in Deans' control went pretty well.

 

[Scotty]

He has been pretty good the whole RC, dare I say our best/most consistent back. I think this deserves some loyalty, dare I say like the loyalty Shipperley deserved.

Taps hasn't played the house down, not sure he is ready for the ABs just yet. And as far as reasons for selection go, 'let's find out more about his limitations' isn't exactly up there.
.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) had one good game at 13, but IMO was better at 15/wing. He has proven over the years he has an inability to utilise outside men, including on occasion in the last Argentine game. Tapaui had the same issue in this game but has generally proven otherwise for the reds.

Basically I am saying that his biggest problem last night was:

A) something he doesn't normally do
B) something that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is renowned for

Tap's performance last night wasn't good enough to gain automatic selection but my opinion is that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s hasn't been good enough either (at 13). Bring him back on the wing or at 15 and leave Tapaui at 13.

 

[Moono75]

I'm developing a huge man crush on Hooper. Huge game, very quick, I'm liking what he brings over Pocock.

Phipps pass is too inconsistant and he is indecisive. Beale is the answer at 10, Quade enojoy playing for the Reds or in League.

Taps had white line fever, its a team game look over your shoulder, you have support. He'll be better for the run.

The Badger, great in defence, little opportunity in attack, good under the high ball, the one drop was with some contact.

Deans, look at your players and mould your team around the attributes condusive to winning rugby. You need skill, speed, character, guts, strength, endurance. The gazillion players who have pulled on the gold jersey this year have exhibited some or all of those attributes. Find the right mix and you'll put together a great team. Don't just revert to the the safe selections and carry on with the status quo.

 

[Scotty]

yeah, top win as far as I care

there were lots of reasons why we could have lost that game

but they got it done

Good win but not a top performance.

Forwards generally very good but gave away too many penalties in defense.

Backs were good in defense but abysmal in attack.

 

[markjohnconley]

Moon, i'm agreeing with you, but what's going on there, fair enough the 'man-love' but you're not by chance floggin the log, greasin' ya piece....

 

[I like to watch]

Good win but not a top performance.

Forwards generally very good but gave away too many penalties in defense.

Backs were good in defense but abysmal in attack.

When were they poor?
They pretty much played 10 man Rugby all game.

 

[Jiggles]

From my perspective, an objective review of Deans' coaching performance in this test would be pretty positive. He put together a makeshift side in the midst of a massive injury toll and the unavailability of many first choice players and scored a win in Argentina (where Australia previously had a 3 from 6 record). We scored a good try from a set piece move and replacements were utilised well.

It would seem to me that the things in Deans' control went pretty well.

I just don't think you can count 1 performance as a measure of coaching success. I think this year we have regressed in a number of areas of our play and improved in none. I don't buy the injuries/make-shift team excuse either. These blokes are professional and have been in and around the squad for a while now.

 

[ChargerWA]

I disagree with this comment.

White had a bung shoulder and went off for surgery. With the number of injuries we've suffered in the Rugby Championship, I doubt playing an injured White who required surgery would have really helped us. I'd be highly surprised if he was still fit enough to play now if Deans had persisted with him.

I think there is a massive shortage of quality halfbacks in the country. This is hardly something that can be blamed on the Wallabies coach..

I was more thinking of his management of Burgess. Back in his "never use the bench" days, Burgess languished on the bench and thought....why am I bothering? More judicious use of the bench and an eye on the future from Deans would have kept Burgo at the Tahs and Wallabies.

In regards to Nick White, he was well and truly OK to play depsite needing shoulder surgery. He was told that he was required in the squad so he delayed his surgery, and then Deans picked Phipps ahead of him so the Brumbies rightly cracked the shits and sent him off for surgery.

Deans needs to be cut some slack due to the injury crisis we find ourselves in, but it shouldn't be forgotten there are some contributing factors that have made it worse than it needs to be. Imagine if Sharpe had told him to stick it and not played on for this series.

 

[Braveheart81]

I just don't think you can count 1 performance as a measure of coaching success. I think this year we have regressed in a number of areas of our play and improved in none. I don't buy the injuries/make-shift team excuse either. These blokes are professional and have been in and around the squad for a while now.

I don't disagree, but I think putting everything back on Deans is an easy option and achieves little in my opinion.

I believe we've played 38 players this test season and that includes (I think) 3 fly halves, 7 centre pairings, 7 wing pairings, and 5 fullbacks.

There is a lot we need to improve but I think a new coach at this point would be merely finding a scapegoat.

Players need to improve across the board. They are professionals and they need to improve their consistency.

 

[I like to watch]

I just don't think you can count 1 performance as a measure of coaching success. I think this year we have regressed in a number of areas of our play and improved in none. I don't buy the injuries/make-shift team excuse either. These blokes are professional and have been in and around the squad for a while now.

Being in and around the squad for years, does not make you equal to the first choice in your position.Playing 38 guys means you are down to your third choice or worse in at least 8 positions.
But if you knew the difference between running unders/overs lines you would understand that.

 

[Jiggles]

I don't disagree, but I think putting everything back on Deans is an easy option and achieves little in my opinion.

I believe we've played 38 players this test season and that includes (I think) 3 fly halves, 7 centre pairings, 7 wing pairings, and 5 fullbacks.

There is a lot we need to improve but I think a new coach at this point would be merely finding a scapegoat.

Players need to improve across the board. They are professionals and they need to improve their consistency.

Regardless, all squad members should be able to fall into position when required. That's what a squad is all about after all. These problems were around at the start of the Test season with incumbents were in place too, so its not just about combinations and rookie players like Cummins, Shipperley and Tapuai.

The line-out has gone to hell in a handbasket despite our 'best' line-out tactician in Sharpe being there all year. I'd also argue our technique at the breakdown has regressed significantly.

I really don't have any feelings on this win to be honest, positive or negative. It was just the same old same old.

 

[Roundawhile]

What the hell has the world come to? I have not seen one mention of the Ref!

My only conclusion from this is that we had a Referee that actually did his job well.

Again, what is the world coming to?

 

[Jnor]

Ok, ok, Sheehan's yellow was bullshit!

 

[tranquility]

Has Tapaui play 12 at all this year?

Yes. He played 12 outside Harris when Quade was injured, and was by far the best back in QLD. He only played 13 because we had no-one else, and it was the first level of rugby that he has played 13 at.

He was always a 12 at TSS, and at club rugby he moved inwards (to 10) as opposed to outwards (13). He doesn't have express pace by any means, and his x-factor comes from his ability to create space not utilise it. We would honestly be better off playing his brother Rex Tapuai at 13 for the Wallabies then Ben.

 

[cyclopath]

What the hell has the world come to? I have not seen one mention of the Ref!

My only conclusion from this is that we had a Referee that actually did his job well.

Again, what is the world coming to?

I thought Joubert was pretty good, but his strict and very fast applications of many breakdown laws leads to a bit of a stop-start affair. But both teams gave him ample opportunity to blow the whistle. Neither seemed to learn well. I recall one penalty I thought was just pointless - Wallaby forward off their feet when in attack and the ball was basically out, really had zero effect. Other than that, hard to find much fault.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Ok, ok, Sheehan's yellow was bullshit!

If the McCabe yellow was a 9 on the bullshit meter, Sheehan's was a 1.