New Zealand v Australia - Auckland - 23 August 2014

[Brumby Runner]

Ah ok, thanks. I thought it was probably an error from Stew Berry. Not sure why he was a match official, he was one of the super rugby refs that were rested because of poor games.

I wasn't saying that it was definitely a correct, or incorrect, ruling. I don't know if the ball crossed the plane of touch or not. TV didn't give a good look at it because the ABs played on immediately. But it would have been the explanation if the ruling was correct.

 

[FrankLind]

I think he's not being picked because he's signed for us up here at Leinster so won't be in the Wobs RWC plans.

Did he sign because he wasn't going to be picked for the Wobs', or he is just fucking off regardless?
Simmons is *** just no*** Someone else can learn to call the lineout.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Amen Filth.

The Waratahs season was all about the basics- speed of realignment, communication in defence, passing in front of the man, hitting the line at pace, looking for the offload where you can. Same with the Reds of 2011.

Where was that tonight? We looked disorganised, our skills were poor and our attitude worse.

As usual the critics flock to put the boot into a flashy backline player and ignore the fact that like all rugby games it was won and lost in the forwards, and we got DICKED.

Were you even out there Simmons? Ah yes because you copped a yellow. But what do you bring to the table? The lineout, maybe. But our lineout hasn't been that good. We didn't get close to pinching any of theirs, but they got a few of ours. I'm not sure the 'lineout general' tag is enough to keep you in the team considering how little you have offered around the field in the last two tests.

I'm not sure Carter is ready either. The little weaknesses he showed last test (carried high and soft) were brutally exposed this week, and will be again.

Palu and Fardy didn't cover themselves in glory either, and we really missed Squeak/TPN- Hanson did well for injury cover but he's just not in that class.

It's not time to throw the baby out with the bathwater- we are still a good side and I am willing to write this one off as a bad day at the office by and large. But we need to bounce back hard.
.

Barb, about time I think for you, and others, to concede that KB (Kurtley Beale) is not a starting 10 for the Wallabies. Despite the shortcoming elsewhere, and there were many, it is his inability to tackle and therefore the need to try to hide him in defense that weakens the whole team effort. The ABs were able last night to find him at will and target their attack accordingly.

In return, I will concede that Nic White should be replaced by Phipps for the next test. Time to see if it will make a difference if the pack is under pressure.

Otherwise, last night Cliff was almost invisible. Higgers was more effective when he came on, admittedly at the end when the ABs had most of their replacements on the field (but isn't that also the time Phipps comes on?). Rob Simmons reverted to his more common ineffectual self. I would like to see Horwill come back at Simmons' expense. Any Reds fan will tell us that Kev can call the lineouts second only to Rob.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) back to the wing and Kuridrani to 13. This works best with the present cattle and shouldn't have been changed around by Link.

Wallabies will still be able to match it against the Saffas and Argies imo but only if the pack can play with a bit more authority (which I think they can) and we go back to a better structured backline that has the runs on the board from the EOYT and French tests. Henry will make a difference when he is eligible but isn't the messiah. Won't win matches by himself but will allow improved structures to be put in place in the backline.

 

[It is what it is]

Simmons is the Wallabies reincarnation of Al Baxter.
Both seem like nice chaps, both wouldn't bruise a grape.

 

[cyclopath]

Did he sign because he wasn't going to be picked for the Wobs', or he is just fucking off regardless?
Simmons is *** just no*** Someone else can learn to call the lineout.

It was indicated to him that he was down the pecking order.
And he had a tough time after his mother's death, and his priorities for his career etc changed a bit, I gather.

And don't use terms like the one I deleted above again. Against forum rules.

 

[fatprop]

Simples really, the ABs were just far too effective and efficient last night.

We were tested and came up well short

Too many mistakes? Well pressure does that, and they had the ability too punish nearly every mistake

 

[BPC]

It really pains me to say but Wob fans have eclipsed the Poms as the biggest whingers for the last few years. I miss the days when Aussies would take it on the chin then come back twice as hard in the future. It can't be the refs fault every time you lose.

We used to leave it all to to Eddie Jones. Link is too enigmatic so the chattering classes have to step up and fill the void.


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[Pieman]

Maybe this is a bit simplistic, but the Kiwis always seem to play with fantastic pace. Both physically and mentally. By the time the ball gets to the outside backs they usually have room to move. You see it in just about every ITM cup game and you certainly saw it last night.

 

[JRoss]

No Dan Carter, No Nonu, No Kiano, No Woodcock, scary!

Exceptional fortitude showed by the AB's...

Last week The AB's were off their game, played with 14 men for 20mins on OZ soil and still drew the match, and after reading the hype of matching the AB's to a draw, the OZ team and fans fell into the trap of thinking they were better than they were. Game 1 was a very poor showing by the AB's, yet the Wobs took that as " we are getting better and have a real chance on a fast track in NZ..."

Hanson take a bow, Link, you have some serious issues with your team.

 

[Athilnaur]

Well if I was numb last week due to the draw I am flattened now after that farce.

Firstly credit to the ABs, in particular Dan Coles and Aaron Smith who I thought were superb. So too the whole kiwi forwards who were fantastic in tight, hunting like a pack and surging forward like waves.

If I have one bone to pick, in hindsight, it would not be Beale at half, though I can see the argument. No my bone would be our inability to control the direction or tempo of the game. McCaw goes off and the ABs have all the possession. Simmons has a brain fade (was that even vaguely dangerous? Penalty any day but yellow? Not sold Mr Poite). And it hurt to see the issue of Simmons compounded by the missed high tackle. The counter try, hauntingly similar to the Crusaders counter attack try, hurt. ABs up the tempo even more, holding the ball and playing at great pace, a la Bled 1 2011 and we couldn't slow them.

Which brings me to my one bone to pick. Our leadership group didn't read the game, didn't provide direction to the team to counter the ABs tempo and control during two critical stages of the game, when McCaw was off and when Simmons was off.

Hooper and co needed a circuit breaker but from where I sat they didn't even have the discussion. We needed to slow the game down, find a way to change it, never more than immediately after that counter try, but really quite a long time before it.

I have mentioned Poite, and those two decisions were at a crucial time, but Poite was very good I believe. But where was the leadership?

 

[fatprop]

It really pains me to say but Wob fans have eclipsed the Poms as the biggest whingers for the last few years. I miss the days when Aussies would take it on the chin then come back twice as hard in the future. It can't be the refs fault every time you lose.

Nah, we are just as bad as the every other lot of supporters

Every loss starts with some congratulation to the opposition, some lament on your team's performance, followed by endless videos and screen shots trying to justify how it was all the ref's fault

 

[TahDan]

It’s funny when you watch games when you’re team gets blown off the park like that. I almost don’t feel bad; we were just never in it, so the prevailing sensation is a sort of cold detachment.

When my favourite teams (Wallabies, Tahs – Roosters, Blues, Roos) lose in tight, big games, I feel like someone who’s just been in a massive car accident and yet somehow survived, but suffering a bit of shock and trauma (yea, I get into my sports a little too much).

But in games like last night, the sensation is more akin to being at the site of a large crash to conduct an insurance assessment; it’s horrible, but I don’t really feel anything.

In terms of my assessment, the take away I have is fairly straightforward:

- Fitness: The All Blacks looked fitter from the outset and played the game at incredible pace, which the wallabies really struggled to keep up with the game even after 20 minutes.

- Defence: the Wallabies looked poorly organised and had no punch. They both read the ABs poorly and lacked commitment in their tackles with 13 missed tackles already by half time.

- Support play: when the Wallabies did have the ball and made breaks, they either didn’t use their support or there was none to speak of. Link really needs to look at this, because the Waratahs look better with their support than the Wallabies (Gibson is clearly the better attack coach).

- Guts and passion: I’ve brought this up before, but it’s telling that NSW Blues coach Laurier Daley spent time with the All Blacks last year after losing an 8th straight series to A freakishly talent Qld team. The Wallabies had nothing like the guts and commitment of the Blues in Origin – the summit both sides were trying to climb was similar, but the wallabies had nothing like the level of absolute intensity, commitment and desperation shown by the Blues in Origin.

 

[louie]

Out coached. Simple. The All Blacks aren't pulling of magic tricks. It's all hard work. Steve Hansen gets his pack working together and hard, then picks back line players in their correct position. The Wobs are just badly coached. We have the cattle, that's why we two teams the top four and a team that won the super comp.

 

[TahDan]

Out coached. Simple. The All Blacks aren't pulling of magic tricks. It's all hard work. Steve Hansen gets his pack working together and hard, then picks back line players in their correct position. The Wobs are just badly coached. We have the cattle, that's why we two teams the top four and a team that won the super comp.

I actually don't think we do have the cattle at the moment...

I mean we're on our 4th choice hooker, our locks aren't at international level and are really only there because better players are heading overseass. Meanwhile the incumbent halves of last year were both injured, we played two centres on the wing and our captain, whilst a great player, doesn't have the physicality of his injured predecessor Pocock.

The tactics were a problem, but our fitness looked poor, and the pack had no where near enough mongrel in them and just looked way too inexperienced.


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[JRoss]

Out coached. Simple. The All Blacks aren't pulling of magic tricks. It's all hard work. Steve Hansen gets his pack working together and hard, then picks back line players in their correct position. The Wobs are just badly coached. We have the cattle, that's why we two teams the top four and a team that won the super comp.

Super comp and Test level are two very different animals...

Izzy is the only player that "could" make the AB side but still well behind Ben Smith in over all ability.

Personally I don't see the "cattle" at test level.

 

[wamberal]

Out coached. Simple. The All Blacks aren't pulling of magic tricks. It's all hard work. Steve Hansen gets his pack working together and hard, then picks back line players in their correct position. The Wobs are just badly coached. We have the cattle, that's why we two teams the top four and a team that won the super comp.

If it was simple to beat the All Blacks, just by better coaching, why does it seem to be so difficult - they are on a pretty handy winning (or not losing) streak at the moment.

They have the cattle, we don't. Super Rugby form is one thing (and I doubt that the Tahs would have won without Potgeiter's inspirational play throughout the season), Test match rugby is at a different level.

Their 2nd XV would give us a shake most days of the week.

 

[BPC]

Nah, we just as bad as the every other supporters

Every loss starts with some congratulation to the opposition, some lament on your team's performance, followed by endless videos and screen shots trying to justify how it was all the ref's fault

The kiwis are worse losers than any other nations supporters. Presumably from lack of practice.

 

[Quick Hands]

Filth a very good point, Hansen said that the All Blacks mainly worked on passing and catching the ball after last week.

I hope a lot of junior and schoolboy coaches (including those coaching at rep level) read this. Most of them neglect it and we saw last night what the end result is.

 

[louie]

If it was simple to beat the All Blacks, just by better coaching, why does it seem to be so difficult - they are on a pretty handy winning (or not losing) streak at the moment.

This has been stated already. The ABs have simple respect for the simple things (catching, passing and fitness) and they work till they are of the high possible standard. They are motivated to the best and they set the standard. We have the cattle to at least be competitive. We've gotten worse in the last 12 months, not better.

Beale isn't a good fly half at super level (or even club level) picking him is a sign of a coach who has no clue what they are doing. Deans was murdered for doing the same with JOC (James O'Connor).

The tactics were a problem, but our fitness looked poor, and the pack had no where near enough mongrel in them and just looked way too inexperienced.

All of these can fixed by the training problem the coach sets.

 

[lewisr]

Has anyone considered that maybe the dropped ball and lack of mongrel is coming as a result of psychological pressure? These guys have played footy their entire lives. I understand catching, passing and the basics still have to be integral to training, but they are not and cannot be the sole thing you do when you're a top tier rugby team. It's not just a matter of getting them to do passing, tackling and fitness work for the next two weeks.

The biggest difference for me, and you see it in schoolboy/ club/ super rugby teams, is the level of confidence and psychological mentality top teams play with. The All Blacks oozed confidence and self belief and, as it has for the Waratahs and the Reds in the past, it meant that things went their way.

The Wallabies looked lost and down on confidence last night like they always seem to be at eden park, so passes don't stick, guys dont get up in defence and make the tackles and it appears that the basics go to shit. But it's not that they have forgotten what to do, it's that they don't want to be there and their hearts aren't in it. Don't mistake this for a lack of pride in the Jersey and the Country, they just can't seem to get into their heads that this is just another rugby team that they have to beat.

In reality, i'm less disappointing by the selections/ skills coaching that was on display and significantly more concerned that we, apparently, still have the blatant psychological issues associated with playing the All Blacks.

For all of Link's reputation as a great player manager, last night truly showed that he has not been able to get the team over that barrier of playing one of "the greatest teams of all time". And this is the most saddening thing about what happened last night.