Aus vs NZ - 1st Test Sydney 17Aug2013

[scaraby]

Lilo has to be there for his kicking but really want to start see more from him with the ball. Play him at 10, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) 12, & Kuridrani 13?

Otherwise i prefer Cooper over To'omua, with a 10 that attacks the line more, Lilo may find more space and width. To'omua wasn't bad though.

with you ...... .lilo is a 10..... was the best 10 in O z before injured....I'd put Lilo in 10,J JOC (James O'Connor) at 12 where he should always have played....he had a horror in defence tonight on the wing tonight but he is still truly a test player...AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) should be signed in at 13 for life....don't move him......Izzy straight to 15 ,sorry Jesse stay in super 15, Speight will be wing when eligible,in the meantime please the Badger..... Izzy 3 touches.....cmmoooonnnnnn guys??????

 

[Gnostic]

I remain disgusted that so many Kiwi fans continue to boo Quade Cooper. Was this a game in NZ? Arrogant, boorish and bad mannered - the NZ Rugby supporter.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

I would go with more or less the same line up next week. These guys need another chance to improve on the execution of the plan Link clearly has.

Agreed. Hope they don't end up llike the cricket team, hopelessly changing every week. These are talented players, pick long term selections and give them a tournament to prove themselves.

 

[Paradox]

..And I got vilified for suggesting AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 15 instead of the (at this point in his career) flakey Mogg

 

[Pusser]

- Genia is the best halfback in the world by a mile and is ever so consistent.

One of these statements must be false. A.Smith thoroughly outpointed him tonight so he is either not the best half back by a country mile or is not ever so consistent.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Slim 293]

..And I got vilified for suggesting AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 15 instead of the (at this point in his career) flakey Mogg

What does one have to do with the other?

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) shouldn't be moved from 13.

 

[maxdacat]

Just to lighten the mood....what was Robbie Deans worst result against the AB's?

 

[Paradox]

I thought he was also excellent at turning over the ball. Twice. Once directly leading to a try.

Did any of you watch the same game as me?

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I hate autocorrect .

Yes and you are blind. I recall Kuridrani putting away his winger which we haven't seen from an Oz 13 for a long time (not to mention breaking the gain line). Do you recall AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s debut in Perth? Was even worse.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to 15 (or Folau?). There aren't a lot of options and Mogg is too on and off at this stage of his career. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will do a good job.

 

[No4918]

One more thing - start MFH and LFG next week. MMM and Fardy can have the bench.

 

[Paradox]

What does one have to do with the other?

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) shouldn't be moved from 13.

Quite a bit actually. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a proven test fullback. Kuridrani has a combination with Lilo at 12.
The Wallabies are collectively stronger with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 15 and K at 13. Simple stuff.

 

[lewisr]

I remain disgusted that so many Kiwi fans continue to boo Quade Cooper. Was this a game in NZ? Arrogant, boorish and bad mannered - the NZ Rugby supporter.

It just makes me laugh now... I suspect Quade finds it fairly irrelevant now as well.

 

[Woodenspoon]

Well, I can hear Deans laughing.
There's still much to fix for the Wobs. Too many errors in defence, too many ball carries and line breaks wasted with a needless forward off-load or a turnover at breakdown, confusion in attack and so on.
In my opinion:
- Mogg was awful tonight, sure he has talent, but his flaws should be addressed by the Brumbies, not by the Wobs. I don't think he's worth of the n.15 shirt now.
- O'Connor looked weak in defence, but in his defence this is maybe the first time this year he plays at the wing and was the most effective player in attack (after AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) of course)
- flyhalf issues: To'omua is the best in defence, but seemed to be scared to do something beyond ordinary, Cooper is by far the best backline manager, but he isn't happy if he doesn't waste at least a couple of possessions per match. Foley plays fine with the 'tahs, but I don't think he can be the best option. I may be wrong, but Lealiifano could be the best option available if you find a reliable 12 to shift him at flyhalf.
- Genia scored a wonderful try, but he was at 60% of his potential
- forward pack: good at lineout, but nobody seemed to be a strong ball carrier or an impact tackler, except maybe Slipper, Sio, sometimes Moore. I'd give a credit to Kepu as well. We need a forward that makes an impact in the game.
- breakdown management: bad choice the selection of McMeniman, Hooper was left almost alone and did a good job nonetheless. Things improved with Gill imo.
The good new is that MacKenzie has plenty of errors to learn from for the next match.

 

[Slim 293]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is by far our best 13 and shouldn't be moved

Mogg, JOC (James O'Connor) and Folau are all still fullback options.........

 

[Very Happy Reds Fan]

From the NZ Herald​

James O'Connor, equipped with nothing more robust than a heavily gelled quiff, flapped like a gate with a loose hinge. It was an obviously pre-determined ploy to target his side of the field as there appeared to be certainty about what the All Blacks wanted to achieve down that channel​

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

O'Connor's defence was bloody ordinary but he did show some good things in attack. He'll get one more crack at it next week I suspect.

 

[boyo]

After one test using the new scrum laws/interpretations/instructions:-

1. Some crooked feeds were penalised (as they should be)

2. Some crooked feeds were let go

Not good enough.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Not too many changes needed for next week. I would prefer to see Izzy at 15 where he can get his hands on the ball more often. I do not want to see JOC (James O'Connor) start. He had his only good moments in the last 20 minutes. Honey Badger should start on one wing. Moggy or Kuridrani on the other until Speight becomes eligible.

Christian and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) both had solid to good games and should be retained. To'omua was average but will improve with time and experience. Quade showed he can be effective off the bench, but doesn't take the line on like he used to. Is he injured?

Nic White's service from the ruck was quick and accurate. A good backup to Will.

I seem to be alone in thinking MMM was reasonable. I would replace Simmons with Fardy to provide more 'mongrel', ie direct in your face play, and Scott Sio should start with Slipper at TH or should come on much earlier in the game.

I think the longer these players are with Link and his assistants, the better, more skillful they'll become. The Bledisloe has gone, maybe 3 - 0 to the ABs, but foundations are being laid for future successes.

 

[flat_eric]

I was quite surprised by the wallabies performance tonight with so much hype regarding this brand of ''attacking rugby.''

Things I noticed tonight:
- Horwill was a waste of space other than one or two hit-ups. He may have passion for the jersey but he needs to step up his game. No aggression whatsoever.
- Genia is the best halfback in the world by a mile and is ever so consistent. Don't think he should ever captain the wallabies though. I thought Nic White did a great job in the last 10.
- Mogg cannot tackle.
- Folau's body language tonight is a concern to me. Slightly worried he may be going back to league.
- Lealifano and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) had a great game. To'omua linking up with them will only get better over time.
- Hooper had a superb game. 3 Pilfers and one penalty turnover. I think that shuts up the critics.
- The scrum did relatively well albeit the one that led to the try.
- Simmons had a cracker with line outs and kick offs. needs to fix up his discipline though.
- Wallabies are missing Palu, Higginbotham and Pocock.
- Slipper and Sio are both really mobile props and EM should be looking to put at sio at 1 and slips at 3.

Folau's lack of involvement tonight is a concern to me. We are mad for not giving him a bigger role. JOC (James O'Connor) got a lot of good quality ball that I would like to have seen go to Folau on the other side of the field. We don't give him enough high ball to chase either. The guy was a king in the air in rugby league and has just come off two years in the AFL, where you know, they tend to kick and catch the ball in the air a lot.

 

[hawktrain]

Re: scrum penalties.

No penalties coming from a scrum should be full arms. Especially not in the case of crooked feeds etc where they are a short arm the first offence and then a full arm from the second offence onwards. Just make them all free kicks, and if you want to go a step further, make them free kicks where another scrum is not an option.

A second crooked feed in the game, in the 79th minute, 20m from a teams own line, should not decide a game IMO, but with them being full penalties from the second offence, this could easily happen, and a crooked feed/arm on the ground etc is simply not worth 3 points.

 

[madflyhalf]

For some reasons the final score is unfair for the Wallabies, for others it should have been much more severe!

There are many issues to fix after this match, but most of them aren't scary.
They would be fix with time and training, setting up new tactics and patterns: lack of combinations and structures let Wallabies down today, but there's no worry on those.

I'm a bit worried of the lack of impact of the backrows, for MMM was understandable, I probably stick with him again and against Argentina, and if we can say that Mowen isn't a pure 6, he performed better in that position against the Lions. Mixed cause here of course, still we see the big work made by Palu, not the best defenders, but he usually commit 2 or 3 defenders of his own.

Mogg probably isn't still suited for test level, though McKenzie was right in starting with him, his season was outstanding but of course his form is downward since 3 or 4 weeks.

Yes JOC (James O'Connor) cost a try, but he's been shifted again at the wing after 2 years he hadn't play there, and he was playing on the right side, not left!

To'omua did pretty good, ordinary let's say, but he combined well with Genia (first time), Lealiifano and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), I'd stick with him, but IMO McKenzie put big pressure on Cooper, I would never have put him in this game, with so many other problems around the park, he couldn't ever be calm enough.

I'd stick with the same XV, bar JOC (James O'Connor) on FB, Cummins on the left wing.
Maybe Fardy 6, McMeniman on the bench.

Willing or not, this is a rebuild phase, predicting a Wallabies win today was insane.