Wallabies v England, Sat 11th June, 8.00pm, Suncorp Brisbane

[Lorenzo]

I agree @Lorenzo. We are "having a crack" too often in our own half. We should only be doing this if their a clear opportunity like an over-lap out wide.
There was no need for Folau to make that pass, even if it landed right on Foley's chest it there was still 3 or 4 English players verse only Foley and Kerevi.

I think we need a bit of Jake-White ball in our own half, and Cheika ball in theirs.

A good fullback would know there that there is no one behind him, and that he should put the ball back in front of his pack. So what if he gives the ball back to England? Let them fuck it up in their half, rather than us doing it in ours.

 

[barbarian]

I also think Moore has to get close to playing 65 - 70 minutes. I think he would have been able to last night easily. He's our best lineout thrower and a good captain, he was subbed off too early last night and it showed when decision making went amiss and the lineout fell to buts.

I thought Moore was below his best, and the decision making was fine without him. I think he made a bad call to go for touch at 13-26 down with half an hour left, and it hurt us.
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[Lorenzo]

I thought Moore was below his best, and the decision making was fine without him. I think he made a bad call to go for touch at 13-26 down with half an hour left, and it hurt us.
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I think you are being generous. That was an awful call.

 

[Viking]

Really? I disagree. I thought it was pretty even, and we found grass frequently - DHP especially. Certainly they didn't pin us down in our own corner or anything.

I don't think it was a factor in the result either way.
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I agree. The kicking wasn't a factor in the loss. We were fine. I think Foley had one maybe two touch finders that didn't find touch. Which was very poor, but the general play kicking was fine.

 

[Lorenzo]

The kicking needs to be better, but I agree that it wasn't a big factor. I'd wish they'd go for grass at the expense of distance sometimes, but I understand the desire to get max distance and hangtime. It's the same hangtime that allows our guys to get there that allows their guy to get under it.

 

[Viking]

It is bizarre we have such average kickers given we have the AFL and all the kicking coaches at our doorstep.

 

[TOCC]

I thought Moore was below his best, and the decision making was fine without him. I think he made a bad call to go for touch at 13-26 down with half an hour left, and it hurt us.
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That was a bad call, so was going for a penalty goal with 5mins left when they are 7 points behind..

 

[KOB1987]

I think McMahon and Gill can play 8. I'm sure Gill would have packed down there at one stage. I'd have him at 8 over Hooper if they were both in the starting team.

And when I say 8, It is really just referring to packing down at the scrum as his game-play would not change, he'd still have the traditional 7's role.

All that being the case I can't see gill leapfrogging McMahon into the starting side. McMahon starts.


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[KOB1987]

That was a bad call, so was going for a penalty goal with 5mins left when they are 7 points behind..

No I thought that one was fine after I thought about it. There was no guarantee we'd score a try and then it needed to be converted just to level up. Either way we were going to need another score to win.


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[the sabanator]

It is bizarre we have such average kickers given we have the AFL and all the kicking coaches at our doorstep.

I'd hardly say the AFL is some wonderful fountain of perfect kicking. K Hunt and Folau both played two seasons of it and neither are exactly wonders with the boot.

 

[TOCC]

No I thought that one was fine after I thought about it. There was no guarantee we'd score a try and then it needed to be converted just to level up. Either way we were going to need another score to win.


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There's never a guarantee that they would score a try, but the simple truth is Australia needed a try to either win or draw, it's a three test series, not a grand final... Cheikas reaction to the call suggest he wasn't happy with the decision either

 

[TOCC]

Really? I disagree. I thought it was pretty even, and we found grass frequently - DHP especially. Certainly they didn't pin us down in our own corner or anything.

I don't think it was a factor in the result either way.
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Do you actually think Australia's kicking game was good?

Foley failed to find touch from a penalty and Folau kicked out on the full from outside the 22, these are simple errors that can't be afforded at Test level.

 

[Groucho]

I think Hooper needs to use his speed to get to the ruck first a little more often. The Wallabies are playing Fardy on the Left and Hooper on the right, and Pocock in the middle to be in everything. With the Wallabies playing such a wide, expansive game, it's imperative that we're securing our own ball in the wider channels. We struggled to do this in the middle of the field especially.

England played very smart and took Pocock out of the next phase every time he went into a ruck (holding down, etc).

We got beaten by brain explosions tonight and poor skill execution.

The reason Fardy and Hooper stand so wide is for the the next ruck, to widen the umbrella covered by our loosies. Rushing in to join the current ruck would defeat that purpose.

 

[Braveheart81]

There's never a guarantee that they would score a try, but the simple truth is Australia needed a try to either win or draw, it's a three test series, not a grand final. Cheikas reaction to the call suggest he wasn't happy with the decision either

I think it was the right call. A draw puts us in no better position than a loss in a three test series where we aren't the cup holder.

If you kick for the corner at that point it becomes a good tactic for England to keep spoiling and giving away penalties to waste time.

It's incredibly low percentage either way but I think you have a better chance of winning the game kicking the penalty first.

 

[TOCC]

I think it was the right call. A draw puts us in no better position than a loss in a three test series where we aren't the cup holder.
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Technically not correct, in terms of possible outcomes a draw gives the Wallabies a better chance of winning the cup then a loss.. Not to mention it would have given the players a bit more confidence and shaken England a bit by stealing the win from them.

Anyway, It's all a bit irrelevant now given that they lost anyway.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Thoughts on Nathan Grey appearing to attempt to interfere with the ball while in play?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...ant-coach-in-heated-sideline-play-in-brisbane

Unless the ball was going to hit him, I don't think he has any valid reason for touching or attempting to touch it.

 

[Jagman]

What I thought happened in the Folau, Foley, Kerevi stuff up was that as Folau was running the ball back Foley signaled him to by pointing long. I'm not sure what this meant but after that Foley angled toward Folau as if to back him up or chase a kick and just as he did that Folau rocketed a pass to him which perhaps would have been catchable had Foley not changed angles. Miss communication between the two.


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[The torpedo]

Thoughts on Nathan Grey appearing to attempt to interfere with the ball while in play?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...ant-coach-in-heated-sideline-play-in-brisbane

Unless the ball was going to hit him, I don't think he has any valid reason for touching or attempting to touch it.

Doesn't really seem to matter because Hooper(?) and a couple others had rushed up to stop the quick throw anyway.

That being said I reckon that it was a stupid move by Grey and there will probably be a clamp down on it if it happens again.

 

[Braveheart81]

Thoughts on Nathan Grey appearing to attempt to interfere with the ball while in play?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...ant-coach-in-heated-sideline-play-in-brisbane

Unless the ball was going to hit him, I don't think he has any valid reason for touching or attempting to touch it.

He was within the coaches box that he has to stay in.

It's gamesmanship and whilst a little morally dubious I don't think there's anything too much wrong with it.

I wouldn't complain if England's sideline coach/water person did similar if they were within their area.

 

[Pfitzy]

Technically not correct, in terms of possible outcomes a draw gives the Wallabies a better chance of winning the cup then a loss..

We still have to win two games this series to get the Cook Cup as England are the holders. A draw doesn't change that.