Wallabies v France - June 14 Etihad Stadium

[Tex]

The ARU need to take a leaf out of the FFA's book and play games at rectangular stadiums whenever possible. There would have been many neutral fans last night that won't be returning to a game of rugby any time soon. Not necessarily because of the spectacle that was served up on the field, but the absolutely dire and sterile atmosphere that was served up in a half full AFL stadium. It just does not represent value for money. However, play that same game at a packed out AAMI Park with sensational sight lines from every seat and I'd be singing a different tune. With a crowd of under 30,000 that would have been possible. But the ARU dropped the ball yet again.

I believe the Victorian Government has a lot to say in where Wallaby matches are played. Hopefully this is the nail in Etihad's coffin.

 

[Tomikin]

If Genia had a game like that - slow to get the ball out and kicking it away too much - the reaction on this forum would be different.

Funny how different players are held to different standards!

Bullshit when Genia has played that way we have lost.

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[Mr Doug]

Replay is on Chn One at the moment, 12 mins in!

 

[Slim 293]

Since the directive from Link was to go for territory, I'm sure there would've been a much different reaction if we'd relied on Genia's box kicks...........

Anyways, White had an overall good game........

 

[BDA]

Genia is apparently injured until August.

 

[cyclopath]

Something struck me last night.
Early on, we had a wonderful set of phases (about 13-14) with fast recycles, crisp delivery and organised runners that was well nullified by the French, although we made some decent ground. And then it stopped.
Coach-mike revealed McKenzie saying we were going too lateral, not respecting the French enough, and I guess implying he wanted more ground being made in close before moving wide. Makes sense. Wanted us to clear our half quickly. Makes sense.
We only really did the latter, kicking to get out of our zone ASAP, but badly directed, and the French kickers were so much more accurate and pinned us back where we started, or worse, with ease.
We need serious attention to kicking from hand - it's just not consistently good enough. Distance of kick was fine, but just badly directed a lot.
We saw precious little pick and drive with any serious application.
I wonder why not?
Our ball runners 2 wide of the ruck were getting isolated too much, and we didn't seem to learn from that. And yet we managed a win.
We'd have lost that game in the past, I reckon.
Just some ramblings.

 

[BDA]

Since the directive from Link was to go for territory, I'm sure there would've been a much different reaction if we'd relied on Genia's box kicks.....

Anyways, White had an overall good game....

White was ok. But with one of the world's best 9's (genia) sitting outside the 23 waiting for his chance, he needs to do better (as does Phipps) if he expect to hold his position. thankfully for both of them Genia is now injured so they will retain their spots in any event

 

[the sabanator]

Genia's had ankle surgery apparently, out 8 weeks. Saw him at Bottomley Park yesterday coming off the bench for Wests and I think it is troubling him, I don't think he'll play professionally again this year, at least on Australian soil. Maybe EOYT

 

[cyclopath]

White was ok. But with one of the world's best 9's (genia) sitting outside the 23 waiting for his chance, he needs to do better (as does Phipps) if he expect to hold his position. thankfully for both of them Genia is now injured so they will retain their spots in any event

I'm not having a go at you, and I agree, at his best, he is.
But it has been some time since this can really be said of him.
I wonder if this injury (apparently a chronic one) has been hampering him as well?

 

[Braveheart81]

Hard to say anything negative about Phipps from this game. He came on at 78.30 and made 3 tackles and won the penalty to end the match.

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[Slim 293]

White was ok. But with one of the world's best 9's (genia) sitting outside the 23 waiting for his chance, he needs to do better (as does Phipps) if he expect to hold his position. thankfully for both of them Genia is now injured so they will retain their spots in any event

Even if Genia wasn't having surgery I don't believe that either White or Phipps were at risk of losing their positions after that performance.........

White has been one of our best performers two weeks in a row, and Phipps didn't have enough game time last night to be judged as being poor..........

 

[gel]

I really enjoyed the tussle last night. I thought both teams' defensive efforts were supremely stifling (without having to resort to constant cynical infringements as well!!).

I wonder whether the ground had a big influence of the way the game was perceived, because it seems that quite a few of those that were there appear to have hated the game, whilst quite a few who watched it on TV seemed to appreciate it more. Not unanimously though, obviously. Odd though that other games that have been played there before haven;t yielded the same "meh" response.

I can remember a state of origin game a (long) number of years ago that ended up with a score of 2-0. I was glued to the TV then in the same way I was last night - leaning forward with hands clenched and holding my breath every time someone ran into the defensive line. It's not always about tries for me.

 

[Ruggo]

Jeez these blokes can't win, can they. How were they to know the game would be a bad one to watch live?

If they put it in a smaller venue, sure it would be a better viewing experience. But they make less money, which means they cop it from us down the track for 'bad financial management' as our best players leave for the NH and our junior clubs have to pay more. Put it in a big venue and they get bashed for providing a bad 'viewer experience'.
.

For Christ's sake mate, nice piece of selected quoting there. Funny it is the rest of my post that gives the piece you have quoted some context. Would the crowd they drew last night had of sold out the smaller venue? I seriously doubt it, so that argument holds no weight. That is just your average conservative dribble and maybe you should expand the thought to considering how hard the sell will be for next years Melbourne fixture. Is it not a market where the ARU needs to extend the games profile. Speak for yourself and not "us" on the financial management argument because personally I don't view the game through that prism as the first thought. Expand the game to increase the revenue. The rectangular stadium holds 30,000 in a more conducive environment to view a game of rugby. That is a hardly a small crowd. Do you seriously think Docklands was going to be sold out?

The ARU needs to break the mould and take a chance at the new venue. Much like it has started with Saturday arvo tests at the SFS. On the basis of your argument, that should be scrapped and back to the Olympic Stadium test rugby goes. Do the Melbourne public, both new fans and the current rugby tragics not deserve the enhanced experience? In answering that, also consider that unlike Sydney, they only get one test match experience each year.

 

[Ruggo]

I understand why the Wallabies played conservative. Very different French side on paper this week so analysis of last week not so helpful. They went into this game facing a bit of an unknown and given how unpredictable the French can be, it was the right move. What I liked most about last night and looking forward is the Wallabies are now demonstrating a much stronger set piece to play our own attacking rugby from.

 

[Pfitzy]

Watching the replay - To'omua didn't even need to bump Dulin. If he'd picked up the ball it was a 5m scrum for us from carrying it back. *sigh*

How fucking good was our maul on both attack and defence?

A lot of those attacking raids could have succeeded if we'd stayed closer to the rucks and our forwards were able to PnD faster. That will be corrected next week, including White passing from the base of the scrum to give our backs 1 on 1 opportunities.

 

[BDA]

Even if Genia wasn't having surgery I don't believe that either White or Phipps were at risk of losing their positions after that performance...

White has been one of our best performers two weeks in a row, and Phipps didn't have enough game time last night to be judged as being poor....

You seriously think White was one of our best performers this week?! come off it. Our halves must shoulder a lot of the blame for our poor attack. I didn't say White should lose his spot, but Genia has a history of being an outstanding test player and also deserves a run at some point. I believe he would have got a run next weekend off the bench

 

[qwerty51]

What did White do wrong? If you're blaming him for kicking the ball that's the coaches directive not his.

 

[Slim 293]

You seriously think White was one of our best performers this week?! come off it.

http://tenplay.com.au/sport/rugby/extra/season-2013/man-of-the-match-3622710529001

 

[Tomikin]

You seriously think White was one of our best performers this week?! come off it. Our halves must shoulder a lot of the blame for our poor attack. I didn't say White should lose his spot, but Genia has a history of being an outstanding test player and also deserves a run at some point. I believe he would have got a run next weekend off the bench

Seems like Motm on 10 and a lot of votes in the green and gold Motm thread disagree with you.. it wasn't pretty but he put himself in the middle of a dog fight and won..

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[boyo]

The Horwill head high was perhaps a little unlucky because he ducked but Horwill did grab him over the shoulder. Fair penalty. Nothing more than penalty though. The French player in my view was milking it hoping for more, considering there was at best, marginal neck contact and all the impact was over the shoulder.

Egads!

A French player milking it?

What will they think of next?