Wallabies v All Blacks, Saturday 19th August, ANZ Stadium Sydney

[dru]

Exactly! Why have the guy who is not the best positional defender / reader in defence running as the sweeper / cover defence? Makes no sense.

What I see is the Clown selecting around his concept of the "Australian way" - largely attack on the back of possession. D is not even secondary, it's simply dropped on the D coach to do what he can. Kerevi is there for attack, the role he plays in D is simply with the quantity of players needing protection, Grey has few options. Confusion reigns.

It is wrong to put this either at the feet of Kerevi or Grey. If we were to sort out the clowning around, both may quite likely be found wanting. NBut we are not at that point for now.

 

[tragic]

I've historically been a big fan of Cooper's, but he appeared to be lacking both fitness and confidence IMO. And his defence has regressed to a point where he is regularly gives penalties and is a constant card risk. He doesn't seem intent to try and correct his technique. I just struggle to suggest he should be rewarded
with a test jersey.

For mine, Foley had been a lock in as the only option standing.

I must admit, I've come to the point where I'd be willing to give another option a go.

Exactly.
Which is why I've come back to Beale as the only other realistic option.
Whilst silently wondering what hunt would be like at 10..

 

[cyclopath]

What I see is the Clown selecting around his concept of the "Australian way" - largely attack on the back of possession. D is not even secondary, it's simply dropped on the D coach to do what he can. Kerevi is there for attack, the role he plays in D is simply with the quantity of players needing protection, Grey has few options. Confusion reigns.

It is wrong to put this either at the feet of Kerevi or Grey. If we were to sort out the clowning around, both may quite likely be found wanting. NBut we are not at that point for now.

I'm not blaming Kerevi - he was put in a position to do a job for which he was ill-suited. But that aside, he did look a bit pedestrian as well.
I do blame Grey and Cheika.

 

[cyclopath]

Obviously not.

Quite.

 

[TSR]

I'm not sure why Grey shouldn't be blamed for our atrocious defence. His only defence is the Peter Principal.

Edit: although that normally assumes he excelled in his last position.

 

[Lorenzo]

What I see is the Clown selecting around his concept of the "Australian way" - largely attack on the back of possession. D is not even secondary, it's simply dropped on the D coach to do what he can. Kerevi is there for attack, the role he plays in D is simply with the quantity of players needing protection, Grey has few options. Confusion reigns.

It is wrong to put this either at the feet of Kerevi or Grey. If we were to sort out the clowning around, both may quite likely be found wanting. NBut we are not at that point for now.

Planning around endless possession at test level is a fundamentally terrible idea and that ought to be clear to anyone that has seen a test. Position ought to be the primary focus as the team with he ball with fuck up soon enough.

 

[zer0]

I've always been unsure of Read as captain since he stood in for a test against Argentina a few years ago now. Following on from the Lions series, this All Black performance has done absolutely nothing to temper my doubts about his leadership abilities.

Whitelock would be a much better captain, I think. Just look at what he did with the Crusaders this year.

 

[dru]

I'm not blaming Kerevi - he was put in a position to do a job for which he was ill-suited. But that aside, he did look a bit pedestrian as well.
I do blame Grey and Cheika.

My complete and utter disrespect for the Clowning around means I am clouding other things - I did not think you were blaming Kerevi. ANd yes he looked pedestrian.

Honest though, so did Beale and Coleman, who I mention only because they are just about the only two guys picking up support here. The whole team was stuffed buy the positional shifting, especially in the first half. I thought most of the jogging, including by Kerevi was "well, where TF am I meant to be now? Am I first line tackle or setting up for next phase?".

Out of interest, can anyone identify the three WBs who played the fewest minutes? It's the only way I can think of selecting players for the 1-2-3.

 

[Lorenzo]

I realize this combo would get probably just as fucked, but id play Beale Hodge TK at 10 12 13.

 

[Viking]

The ABs are clearly in the heads of supporters as much as their opposition.
Sublime in attack
Only let in tries when they take their foot off the pedal.
They're just untouchable.
Don't know why we bother really.

Errrr okay? I think you completely missed the points of my posts. Simply being, do not get false hope from the second half, and be realistic to acknowledge our many shortcomings.

NZ are not unbeatable. But anyone who does not acknowledge that there is a very very good possibility that NZ switched off in the second half are in denial.

Now no team intentionally switches off, far from it, but don't you think after being 50 plus points ahead on the scoreboard players will not only start thinking "this is easy" but start believing it too? Surely that kind of mentality will start having deteriorating effects on their efforts.

 

[tragic]

Obviously not.

KAOP I think everyone gets you don't rate foley. I don't either.
I guess a realistic discussion of the alternatives is most useful here.
A year ago I would have said Cooper but I agree with others that he is a card risk and just as big a defensive liability, despite what he offers in attack.
Unless Cooper has a big turnaround in form next year I think we need to look away from both foley and cooper moving forwards.

 

[TSR]

Out of interest, has Peter Ryan ever been considered for the defence coach role for the Wallabies?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

QH, I agreed with you up to the point highlighted.

There were and are better players not in the squad, and there is no doubt at all in my mind that there are much better head coaches going around.

For starters, it was a crazy decision to leave Scott Fardy out of the squad as he is streets better than Hanigan. Even with that brain fart, to persist with Hanigan over the likes of RHP shows a real blindness on the part of the coach. Other players who would be better replaced include Hooper by Hardwick or McMahon until Pocock returns, Phipps by Powell, Foley by Lance, Beale at 12 by Meakes, Kerevi by Kuridrani, Rona by Naivalu when fit, Folau by DHP when fit. And on the bench, Robertson by anyone.

It is not simply that better players are available, but there are many better combinations. The makeup of the backrow has been a shambles just about all year, and previously under Cheika. The centre combination for this game was an obvious debacle waiting to happen.

All of the foregoing deficiencies are attributable to one man, Cheika. Any other head coach would not be son committed to continuing those failures in game strategy and player combinations.

Then the defense coach and his systems are really the pits. It is time for big changes. but I won't be holding my breath.

To all of that I would add that holding people accountable is not helped by having the main media outlet covering the game peopled with employees and board members of the ARU
Kafer's position is untenable as his performance on kick and chase last week showed in spades: he had graphs to discuss to back up the ARUs position on the force. Cannon at least called him out on it but as time goes on and the casual observer forgets or doesn't know his will be one less educated voice criticising that which needs to be criticised.
Eales has destroyed the myth of his perfection by his platitudes and the absence of criticism. It is laughable that he is an expert commentator who one might otherwise expect to have some criticism for the coach.
The insidious effect of the mind control this structure imposes will delay if not destroy any response to the dire position in which we find ourselves.

 

[dru]

Planning around endless possession at test level is a fundamentally terrible idea and that ought to be clear to anyone that has seen a test. Position ought to be the primary focus as the team with he ball with fuck up soon enough.

I'd agree with you, but it doesn't matter. If we are worning to a possession strategy then do it properly. Each turn over:
Folau, OK which side is open? ROna, where is center positioning at the moment? Kerevi, I'm shifting across but which way? Beale, Foley and Genia, Hey, I thought I was blindside? Speight, Ok I'll sweep, cause there doenst seem to be anywhere else to go. Hoops, OK ARE WE ALL IN POSITION!?!.

<Yeah boss, but they just scored>

The problem has NOTHING to do with defensive spacing a'la Foxtel commentary and Cheika post game slap and giggle. It has EVERYTHING to do with the clowning around.

Cheika, if you want to be the Clown Prince of Rugby you need to do it better than this. No excuse, no-one else, not fitness, not skills, not preparation at Soup IT'S ALL YOU BUDDY.

At least in the first instance. Solve that shit, then look at what the players are doing and the effectiveness of a possession strategy. Right now it's pointless discussing more than the barn dance.

 

[Lorenzo]

Last night's 4 or whatever trys were the same variety of consolation try that we often score in the 77th minute when we are down by 20. It's just they started earlier.

We lost by 20 and the result was sealed in the first half. There are literally no positives.

 

[Lorenzo]

I'd agree with you, but it doesn't matter. If we are worning to a possession strategy then do it properly. Each turn over:
Folau, OK which side is open? ROna, where is center positioning at the moment? Kerevi, I'm shifting across but which way? Beale, Foley and Genia, Hey, I thought I was blindside? Speight, Ok I'll sweep, cause there doenst seem to be anywhere else to go. Hoops, OK ARE WE ALL IN POSITION!?!.

<Yeah boss, but they just scored>

The problem has NOTHING to do with defensive spacing a'la Foxtel commentary and Cheika post game slap and giggle. It has EVERYTHING to do with the clowning around.

Cheika, if you want to be the Clown Prince of Rugby you need to do it better than this. No excuse, no-one else, not fitness, not skills, not preparation at Soup IT'S ALL YOU BUDDY.

At least in the first instance. Solve that shit, then look at what the players are doing and the effectiveness of a possession strategy. Right now it's pointless discussing more than the barn dance.

Lol I meant field position

 

[wamberal]

It is a sad day if we have to rely on the host broadcaster to "hold people accountable".

Fox Sports is in it to make money, not to act as some sort of independent umpire.


As for Ealesy, do people really, honestly, believe that it would be a good thing for an ARU Director to criticise the head coach publicly? There's an old saying that always worked for me. Praise in public, criticise in private.

 

[Quick Hands]

It is a sad day if we have to rely on the host broadcaster to "hold people accountable".

Fox Sports is in it to make money, not to act as some sort of independent umpire.


As for Ealesy, do people really, honestly, believe that it would be a good thing for an ARU Director to criticise the head coach publicly? There's an old saying that always worked for me. Praise in public, criticise in private.

Which is fine, but he shouldn't be masquerading as an analyst on TV as an analyst needs at times to be critical - same for Kafer. You can't be a media personality and an ARU employee/board member at the same time.

It's a massive conflict of interest by any standards.

 

[Quick Hands]

To all of that I would add that holding people accountable is not helped by having the main media outlet covering the game peopled with employees and board members of the ARU
Kafer's position is untenable as his performance on kick and chase last week showed in spades: he had graphs to discuss to back up the ARUs position on the force. Cannon at least called him out on it but as time goes on and the casual observer forgets or doesn't know his will be one less educated voice criticising that which needs to be criticised.
Eales has destroyed the myth of his perfection by his platitudes and the absence of criticism. It is laughable that he is an expert commentator who one might otherwise expect to have some criticism for the coach.
The insidious effect of the mind control this structure imposes will delay if not destroy any response to the dire position in which we find ourselves.

IS, you assume that the concept of conflict of interest has permeated the ARU culture.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Glad our defence coach just went full time. Looks like time well spent.

You and your mates who liked your post need a fucking uppercut or 10