Bledisloe 2 at Eden Park 18/10/20

[Brumby Runner]

You lost me at Wright for Hooper. Especially after this match. Despite a turnover Wright looked out of place at Test level.

Wright was playing out of position. We had all hoped we'd seen the last of that crap with the end of Cheika. Not a good look from Rennie at this early stage. Hope he has learnt a hard lesson. Wright would be a different proposition at 7.

We were missing physicality at No 6 today. High workload with some errors of execution from Hanigan as well as giving away a couple or three important penalties. Best way to compensate for Ned's small-man play is to bring back Samu at 6 and have Wright play 7 to provide that third man option in the lineout while still having good on ball presence required in a 7. Wilson looks to have the goods for the No 8 spot but is not a regular or proficient lineout jumper, as evidenced by his knock on when he was the target on one throw.

 

[Up the Guts]

Next match:

Samu for Wright - easy decision
Tate for Gordon - Gordon hasn't done much, least Tate has the ability to score a try or add some spark if needed.
Hanigan - I think his positives outweighed his penalties. I'd stick with him.
Petaia - needs to start

Banks - Swap for DHP if fit. Easy choice there. Banks has nothing in attack but solid everywhere else despite a game with a few dropped balls. Hodge boot is the only thing he has and doesn't offer anything extra around the park IMO (and his boot is still only a 50/50 at best). Maddocks I feel would have got destroyed this game. JOC (James O'Connor) at 15 is a risk under the high ball and needed at 10.

I mean, I'd say Petaia is easily our best fullback but I'd prefer to see him make 13 his own as he is a generational talent. Ridiculously assured when he came on, hasn't played a full game of rugby in the last 6 months and he just starts clowning ABs with ease. The work he did to send Koroibete over the line (for the no try) was sensational. Skips to the outside and pulls a runner underneath him and, in doing so, attracts a couple to make an overlap.

 

[footy1>31]

Hope To'omua is healthy but looks unlikely.

Was so optimistic in the first half and got overrun, hugely disappointing to see the team switch off.

Changes I would make factoring in a To'omua injury, with most coming in terms of backs/bench roles;

Nothing clear in the forwards, Hanigan played well besides the pens, showed great footwork into contact and looked up for it physically. Side note - the quick trigger of refs within the Simmons penalty last week and Hanigan penalties today piss me off, penalties like that should only be called if have an actual impact on the game, ref should be empowered to just tell the player to release until he does so, or actually makes an impact (making sure the actual player hears him unlike last week).

I'd bring in Tate for Nic White and keep Gordon as the bench option. Haven't been impressed by White at all, got caught out in D and pod is his kicking which hasn't mattered as much. Was impressed by Gordon's speed getting to rucks and accuracy today, but happy for Tate to get his shot.

I'd blood Noah or Will Harrison - Noah obviously preferred in Game 1 so think he will get the start. Move JOC (James O'Connor) to 12 with Jordy at 13. I prefer the dynamic of JOC (James O'Connor) at 12 and Jordy at 13 than Jordy at 12 and Paisami at 13 (with JOC (James O'Connor) at 10) - Paisami not quite up to it yet physically IMO.

Happy with wingers, Koro had a bad game. DHP at 15 for me if healthy, otherwise give Maddocks a shot - needed more from Banks and not sure where it comes from. Happy for Hodge to have 23 - love the versatility. Not sure about Paisami in 22 jersey, preferred would be a Banks/Maddocks/Harrison type. Semantics.

In terms of bench roles don't see the point of Liam Wright if Hanigan/Phillip are going to play 80 - his strengths of defensive breakdowns can be shared amongst Hoops/Ned/even Euelese. Put on some size and I reckon he'll be ready in a couple of years. Samu or Swinton in for me.

As a Simmons truther today was tough, got 20 so mins and was left wondering how good we could be with Skelton filling those 20.

I was so pleased with the first half and felt they were hugely vulnerable haha, such a shame for my hopes and dreams to be crushed again. In Rennie we trust.

 

[Up the Guts]

Wright was playing out of position. We had all hoped we'd seen the last of that crap with the end of Cheika. Not a good look from Rennie at this early stage. Hope he has learnt a hard lesson. Wright would be a different proposition at 7.

We were missing physicality at No 6 today. High workload with some errors of execution from Hanigan as well as giving away a couple or three important penalties. Best way to compensate for Ned's small-man play is to bring back Samu at 6 and have Wright play 7 to provide that third man option in the lineout while still having good on ball presence required in a 7. Wilson looks to have the goods for the No 8 spot but is not a regular or proficient lineout jumper, as evidenced by his knock on when he was the target on one throw.

Hanigan played much bigger than Samu did in test 1 in my viewing.

If you want a Steph Du Toit style six Valetini is the only one in the squad who fits the bill but you can't play both he and Wilson together because they're not good enough jumpers.

Can someone just get them to work on their hops over summer.

 

[Derpus]

Wright was playing out of position. We had all hoped we'd seen the last of that crap with the end of Cheika. Not a good look from Rennie at this early stage. Hope he has learnt a hard lesson. Wright would be a different proposition at 7.

We were missing physicality at No 6 today. High workload with some errors of execution from Hanigan as well as giving away a couple or three important penalties. Best way to compensate for Ned's small-man play is to bring back Samu at 6 and have Wright play 7 to provide that third man option in the lineout while still having good on ball presence required in a 7. Wilson looks to have the goods for the No 8 spot but is not a regular or proficient lineout jumper, as evidenced by his knock on when he was the target on one throw.

Pfft. Having the wrong number on your back doesnt excuse getting stripped by the fucken number 9 as a loose forward.

Hooper is clearly far superior to Wright imo and Wright was only ever a shot at 6. McReight will be the one to take the mantle from Hooper at 7.

Hooper made a match high 22 tackles and a pilfer. What the fuck more could you want from an openside.

This whole 'we cant accomodate Hooper because we need better lineout options' is really starting to grate. Its not the 7s job. If others cant do their job - that isnt the 7s fault.

 

[Viking]

Wright was playing out of position. We had all hoped we'd seen the last of that crap with the end of Cheika. Not a good look from Rennie at this early stage. Hope he has learnt a hard lesson. Wright would be a different proposition at 7.

We were missing physicality at No 6 today. High workload with some errors of execution from Hanigan as well as giving away a couple or three important penalties. Best way to compensate for Ned's small-man play is to bring back Samu at 6 and have Wright play 7 to provide that third man option in the lineout while still having good on ball presence required in a 7. Wilson looks to have the goods for the No 8 spot but is not a regular or proficient lineout jumper, as evidenced by his knock on when he was the target on one throw.

I don't think Wrights role changes much playing at 8 if he moved to 7. He'll play exactly the same around the park. But I do see your logic now. I like that idea.... but would work better with say McMahon at 7.
But if you're dropping Hooper then your better off with Samu at 7 and you could partner him with one of the fringe players Nasiarani, Swinton, Dempsey, Valentini (not sure on all the line-out abilities but they all have height) etc.
But Hooper will never get dropped. He's the Captain, and he's been solid.

 

[Up the Guts]

Should also add on the Koroibete no try that Mo’unga is just lucky he got completely steamrolled and Koroibete landed on him. If he’d not been complete roadkill Koroibete would have just driven through and scored.

 

[Viking]

I mean, I'd say Petaia is easily our best fullback but I'd prefer to see him make 13 his own as he is a generational talent. Ridiculously assured when he came on, hasn't played a full game of rugby in the last 6 months and he just starts clowning ABs with ease. The work he did to send Koroibete over the line (for the no try) was sensational. Skips to the outside and pulls a runner underneath him and, in doing so, attracts a couple to make an overlap.

Yeh I think he's just got to start at 13. Hunter was good last week. But this is Test rugby. Petaia is better and the best player should start.

Not sure he is our best 15, has he played much there? Any kicking game? High ball work?

I have been disappointed with Banks. He has zero on attack in all his caps now. We are missing DHP's ability to beat the first man. But I also don't rate any other option at fullback the others just don't have the foundation of solid under the high ball, good kicking game.

 

[Up the Guts]

Yeh I think he's just got to start at 13. Hunter was good last week. But this is Test rugby. Petaia is better and the best player should start.

Not sure he is our best 15, has he played much there? Any kicking game? High ball work?

I have been disappointed with Banks. He has zero on attack in all his caps now. We are missing DHP's ability to beat the first man. But I also don't rate any other option at fullback the others just don't have the foundation of solid under the high ball, good kicking game.

Yes to both high ball and kicking game.

Our potential fullbacks are all basically plodders imo. There’s no one there with the ability to both beat a man themselves and set up a player on the outside. Should aim to have Tom Wright there in 2023.

 

[Viking]

Yes to both high ball and kicking game.

Our potential fullbacks are all basically plodders imo. There’s no one there with the ability to both beat a man themselves and set up a player on the outside. Should aim to have Tom Wright there in 2023.

Now there's an idea Tom Wright would have potential at 15 in the future

 

[Namerican]

Not a fan of Hanigan. He had a few moments, but he still gets bossed around too much.

I can't understand how a poster thought Nic White did poorly, but liked Gordon? The ball was coming out like paste once Gordon came on and the attack melted.

Banks has been great at the aerial game and not doing anything stupid, but that's about it. I think he is better than Hodge in this respect and it isn't like Hodge is going to break a game open from 15. Neither is great for a test rugby 15, but there doesn't appear to be anyone else. To me that's the difference between the sides. The ABs just have so much more depth and star power on the whole. Banks would likely not even be on the radar for their team. Same for Gordon, Hodge, Hanigan, Rob Simmons, Samu, the hookers, Korobiete (I like him too), even Hooper, who would probably have had a Matt Tood like stint in black.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

The thing missing this week: composure. At least two tries from the counter-attack following brain farts and a lack of positional awareness to regroup in defence.

When we ran the ball straight and hard, we looked dangerous. On the few occasions where we were patient and held possession, we'd end up making inroads.

As usual, the box kick and midfield up-and-under on back foot ball made the team's job so much harder. It's such a low-yield play - it's a much leaner chance of retaining possession, and when the opposition (almost) invariably wins it, they take the ball at speed into a defensive line that's actively re-aligning. All for minimal territorial advantage. If we're going to put up the white flag, surely we're better off putting the back three under pressure with a deep, flat kick.

Yeh the box kick and mid field up and under are over used - both times needed deeper territory finder to ping ABs back in their half. Plus got hurt badly on counterattack and found wanting on lack of composure.

Need to regroup as ABs are beatable but Caleb Clarke concerns me as to me added another dimension.

 

[aeneas]

Wellington is a death pit for us. For some reason we haven’t been able to play well there. Our record sucks there. Burn the stadium I reckon.

I have very fond memories of watching the Lions test in 2005 - I'd like to keep the cake tin around for a bit.

Mind you Athletic Park was legendary.

 

[Dan54]

Was pleased to see videos of Wallabies and ABs sharing a beer in the dressing room after the game again. I personally find those as good as highlight videos as I feel a couple of teams are remembering what the game is about.

As an AB supporter after the event and going back over what I thought went well etc.
I was pretty happy with the way the forward pack went kudos to Ardie, PT,Coles (who was pretty good in loose too) ,Hodgeman and I think young Vaii showed he going to be pretty good he only 20 and will have a heap more in him yet,and will probably go back to bench and ease hi way back in with Barrett and Whitelock back, once again I think probably best of pack was Cane, I have never understood a lot of the crap he gets, he is an international 7 more than a Super level one where it a lot more loose.
Backs got better ball so could operate better, Mounga went better this week, whether it just cleaner ball or the fact that BB was making the defence a little jumpy about trying to just cream him I not sure, midfield were good without being brilliant, BB at 15 was bloody good and beat a fair few tackles doing what he does best, I still not sure about JB at 14, and Caleb Clarke?? Hell if anyone said Hey look at me, it was him, I just hope we don't expect the same every week and realise he has still got plenty to learn, though he seems a sensible and likeable kid!

 

[PhilClinton]

Foxsports journo today saying JOCs fly half role up for grabs now as the wallabies need to look towards the future.

Saying it should be Lolesio or To'omua. Fair chat about Lolesio as the future but To'omua is a year old than JOC (James O'Connor) and far more injury prone.

And we wonder why rugby journalists have no credibility in Australia.

 

[fatprop]

Yeh the box kick and mid field up and under are over used - both times needed deeper territory finder to ping ABs back in their half. Plus got hurt badly on counterattack and found wanting on lack of composure.

Need to regroup as ABs are beatable but Caleb Clarke concerns me as to me added another dimension.

The challenge with non contestable kicks Vs the ABs is that unless it is sent into the stand, they quickly counter and as the work their arses off to get back and support

It becomes a major threat, so we trust in the contestable and hope we can compete

That works when we make our tackles and actually compete

 

[Braveheart81]

Hanigan - I think his positives outweighed his penalties. I'd stick with him.

He ultimately gave away one penalty. There was a second one that led to penalty advantage but someone else then gave away another penalty further down field so that was the one that gets called.

He was clearly one of our best players and was instrumental in our only try.

 

[Derpus]

The challenge with non contestable kicks Vs the ABs is that unless it is sent into the stand, they quickly counter and as the work their arses off to get back and support

It becomes a major threat, so we trust in the contestable and hope we can compete

That works when we make our tackles and actually compete

100% every kick needs to be well thought out or punted to the moon. That kick to Caleb Clarke was terrible followed by some even worse defense.

Yeah he's obviously a big boy and a dangerous runner, but i'm pretty sure he ran over the top of two forwards breaking the line, with plenty of time to get set for the tackle.

All this shortly following the decision to run it out of the 22. Some truly mindless stuff.

 

[Braveheart81]

The worst thing is that losing by 20 points at Eden Park is actually our closest game there since 2011.

 

[Derpus]

^^
That's probably a positive.