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

[Brumby Runner]

I'd love to know how are you holding "them" accountable BR?

That's a very pertinent question ACTC. The best I can do, personally, is continue to voice my opinion on sites like this, I suppose. What I will not do, however, is try to apologise for the obvious failings of the coaching staff.

 

[Moono75]

As of 2016 they had 65,000 registered males under 13 vs our 27,000
More of their kids still play rugby compared to here.
The same goes for adult males.
Explains why we are struggling.

Well its going to get even worse once we stop playing the game here in WA and our juniors go play League, AFL and Soccer instead.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Biggest factor for the All Blacks was subbing off Crotty at 45mins, he is the defensive lynchpin and the most underrated player in that backline. That's when the ABs defence lost their structure

Crotty and Moody were tackling like demons and were subbed off together.

Sonny Bill's errors went up thereafter as did a few others trying to push the play.

 

[barbarian]

This is the sort of apologist papering over of a complete failure that really irks me. After such a dire performance, and it was dire regardless of the "late comeback" that had more to do with the ABs' errors and drop in intensity than any lift by the Wallabies, every fan should be looking to hold the coaching staff, and some players, accountable for what was a truly embarrassing performance.

Where did I say they shouldn't be held accountable? Christ almighty, I even called it a 'fucking shambles'.

You know what irks me? People who watch this game and just want to amplify every single negative element in a desperate attempt to be miserable all the time.

Of course we were fucking awful. But for fuck's sake it's only a game. And I love watching it, and I love the Wallabies, so fucking sue me if I dare look for any semblance of a positive out of what was a start-to-finish godawful nightmare.
.

 

[TSR]

Your asking if he's back to full fitness?...yet happy to judge him either way? OKAAY!
His injuries were not game breaking, some included his ankle which effected his kicking and stepping and then his shoulder which wasn't a massive impact as he plays a very hit and stay on your feet defence anyway. And people really SHOULD educate themselves on a player before they fully assess and judge them. He was fully fit for the last quarter of Super rugby and Was selected for Wallaby duties in June series because of that!
But shock horror..never given more then 10mins sometimes 0mins.and feel free to go back through my post history and find the Foley game assessments in the June series which leave the lack of using the bench 10 an ABSOLUTE MYSTERY!

And as for the yellow card theory..id rather see some facts posted along with these rather vague tarrings. From memory even Barret got like 4 cards this season...does that mean he gets the shiv for Sopoanga? Maybe I'll look that up and post some card stats...

Mate, you're not worth arguing with. You either misinterprete or misconstrue my posts and seem to think since my opinion doesn't align with yours I must be just taking stabs in the dark.

 

[ACT Crusader]

That's a very pertinent question ACTC. The best I can do, personally, is continue to voice my opinion on sites like this, I suppose. What I will not do, however, is try to apologise for the obvious failings of the coaching staff.

Fair enough BR. I was being a tad cheeky in my question. I realise it's a tough spot that OZ rugby is in and criticism is being flung to all corners as a result. Some fans are very upset, some are angry, some have given up, some try to move on and see some positives in a game, some feel let down, some want the coach gone, some get stuck into players (depending on which Super Rugby team they play with of course ), some just keep watching without very little emotion at all, some come on here to talk about the game as a way of dealing with other stuff going on in life.

But they're all fans and they're all having their own experience and life goes on.

 

[mark_s]

I have been inflicted by a highlights "suggested post" in my Facebook feed. That first try to squires is a shocker. Not least because Genia made (at best) a pathetic attempt to stop him improving the position.

A couple of our tries were well worked though. Also I thought Barnes was a little kind to us.

 

[Ulrich]

The more I read about successful teams, the more one thing seems to rear its head - culture.

The Crusaders spoke about it, the Lions spoke about it and the Springboks are starting to talk about it, but they are also showing it.

The word on the ground is that the abundantly apparent new team culture owed its roots to a planning camp held in Plettenberg Bay just a couple of weeks prior to the start of the international season.

The week-long camp had a strong off-field focus, and saw plenty of time set aside to include activities that were geared towards creating a strong team environment. Away from the public spotlight, the players and management held open and honest discussions about restoring pride in the Bok brand, while settling on standards and a style of play that they committed to taking forward into the new season.

Siya Kolisi

"This is the best vibe I’ve ever experienced in the Bok camp. The players have been given a lot of ownership and we started our own culture,’ he commented. ‘The main thing is to play for each other and learn to understand each other. We’re all from different unions … and so we’ve made time to get to know each other."

Raymond Rhule

"‘Even when we went our separate ways to other unions [after the June series], we all stayed in touch on a [WhatsApp] group, and when the Lions went on to make the Super Rugby final, there were so many messages wishing those players all the best."

So what did the Wallabies do at camp?

 

[ForceFan]

BLEDISLOE 1 – WALLABIES V ALL BLACKS – BREAKDOWN & OTHER MATTERS

We all know that Bled 1 2017 was a game of 2 halves.

The Wallabies Possession increased from 48% in the 1st half to 68% in the 2nd.
Similarly, Wallabies Territory increased from 46% to 64%.

The Breakdown continues to be hard fought but with very few Turn Overs Won.

Both teams won, what most coaches would consider, an acceptable % of own rucks:
All Blacks 97% (74 of 76) – the Wallabies 95% (108 of 113).

Both sides conceded 9 Penalties.

The Wallabies conceded 21 Turn Overs; The All Blacks only 12.

There’s been much comment about the tackles missed by both teams: Wallabies 30 & All Blacks 23.
(I don’t know how FoxSports gathers its data. These numbers are from ESPN.)
However, few have mention tackle success rate: All Blacks a credible 86% (139 of 162); Wallabies a poor 69% (68 of 98)

INDIVIDUAL RUCK INVOLVEMENTS

Ruck Involvements (RIs) tabulated for the Forwards who make about 80% of each team’s Total Ruck Involvements (TRIs). IMO RIs are a good measure of work rate – particularly for a Forward.

Remember:

1. Early means 1st or 2nd AFTER the ball carrier has been tackled and brought to ground.
2. Impact means active engagement: strong physical contact, changed shape of ruck, clean-out, protecting ball etc. (more than hand on someone’s bum or arriving after the hard work has been done). Yes it’s subjective - but as I collect all data at least it’s consistent.
3. Impact DOES NOT equate to Effectiveness. I’ve concluded that coming up with an effectiveness measure is just too hard in the time that I have available – but open to suggestions.

RUCK INVOLVEMENTS OVER TIME

TRIs are obviously driven by the team’s Possession.
The All Blacks certainly dropped their intensity in the 2nd half.
Some of the Wallabies lifted their work rate in the 2nd half.
In addition, the Wallabies gained good impact off the bench.

 

[ForceFan]

RUCK INVOLVEMENTS BY MAIN PLAYER GROUPS

As in the past, the All Blacks Front Row/Tight 5 were more active than the Wallabies.
They also tend to roam wider than the Wallabies.
Consistently, the Wallabies Back Row are the most involved.
The Wallabies Backs are very involved in the wide channels.

Fairly even distribution of work load in supporting ball carriers for both teams.
Except, the All Blacks Front Row continue to provide their bulk more than the Wallabies Front Row.
Main contributors were Codie Taylor and Joe Moody.

The All Blacks have a fairly even distribution of Defence Ruck Involvements (DRIs) across the main player groups.
Significant DRI contributions by Cane & Retallick - 30% of team’s DRIs.
The Wallabies Back Row continue to have a major portion of the Wallabies’ DRIs.
IMO we need more RIs from our Tight 5.
Hooper and McMahon had 35% of the Wallabies DRIs.
Adam Coleman continues to be the most involved Wallabies Lock.


NUMBERS AT THE BREAKDOWN

Similar numbers in support of ball carriers.
Wallabies av 2.3 players/ attack ruck. All Blacks 2.1.

Some significant differences in numbers at Defence Rucks – placing pressure on the opposition ball carriers.
The Wallabies stood off significantly more D rucks.
All Blacks most often committed only a single player.
Wallabies averaged 0.4 players per D ruck; All Blacks 0.6.
IMO breakdown passivity will NOT be part of a winning strategy against the All Blacks.

Ruck Involvements by Backs
Wallabies:
Foley – 18 Total – 17 Attack/1 Defence
Rona – 10T – 8A/2D
Beale – 9T – 9A/0D
All Blacks:
SB Williams – 10T – 8A/2D
B Smith – 7T – 4A/3D
R Ioane – 7T – 6A/1D

TOP TACKLERS
Wallabies:
Hanigan – 8 made/0 missed; Coleman – 7/1; Coleman & Sio – 7/1; Hooper – 9/3
All Blacks
Cane – 25 made/2 missed; Read – 15/0; Moody – 12/0; Squire – 10/1; ; Retallick – 10/2; SB Williams – 11/3; Crotty – 8/0

(Tackle numbers corrected)

 

[fatprop]

Surprised by Hanigan's efforts, maybe we don't know everything

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

The stats for the 2nd half mean nothing , the game was lost in the 1st half ...the beauty parade of 50 plus players in the initial camp is ludicrous and demeans the Wallaby Jersey . We need to go back to a selection panel that picks the best players on form and capability . The coach then works with what he is given to mould into a winning combination . We are paying the price for dragging in guys who's time had passed then recalled for the world cup and beyond only to come up short . The names mean little at this juncture ie. players/coaching staff , a mindset/mantra reset on what process the Wallaby program actually is well overdue. I'm just tired of watching fans walking out of ANZ stadium looking like they just witnessed a car crash .

 

[Ulrich]

The stats for the 2nd half mean nothing , the game was lost in the 1st half .the beauty parade of 50 plus players in the initial camp is ludicrous and demeans the Wallaby Jersey . We need to go back to a selection panel that picks the best players on form and capability . The coach then works with what he is given to mould into a winning combination . We are paying the price for dragging in guys who's time had passed then recalled for the world cup and beyond only to come up short . The names mean little at this juncture ie. players/coaching staff , a mindset/mantra reset on what process the Wallaby program actually is well overdue. I'm just tired of watching fans walking out of ANZ stadium looking like they just witnessed a car crash .

A camp is just a camp and doesn't demean the jersey in my opinion. You gotta know what you have to work with before you can make a squad selection and also give the rest a heads-up on where they belong in the system and what's required of them to make the step up.

What is more disconcerting is that despite the final selections being a little bit off perhaps, there are not too many to write home about. Cheika however seems to believe in picking what he perceives to be the best and making a game plan work around them which is far too complicated, at least when looking in from the outside, rather than picking the best in each position and aligning a plan for those players and up skill them over time by communicating to the unions below him over what the requirements are for those players.

Get the pack and your defense right and the battle is more than half won. If you have limited players then you employ a limited game. It can still be extremely effective. Most of SA victories over the great foe is due to simple, understandable, but highly effective game plans deployed demonically by the players on the field who are all too aware they lack the skill to keep up otherwise so they make up for it with precision and passion.

Those days now too are also seemingly gone, but it can still throw a spanner in the works from time-to-time.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Just to add to FF (Folau Fainga'a)'s excellent ruck stats, one of the big reasons for the large discrepancies between the front rower ruck stats is that the Wallabies carried a lot more than their NZ counterparts.

The props had 26 carries v 11 for NZ
Front row combined, 33 v 15

So there's a bit more to it than just the ruck stats - but they do shed light on what strategies were employed by each coach

I'll leave it to the reader to decide which is the more effective tactic

 

[Beer Baron]

Just to add to FF (Folau Fainga'a)'s excellent ruck stats, one of the big reasons for the large discrepancies between the front rower ruck stats is that the Wallabies carried a lot more than their NZ counterparts.

The props had 26 carries v 11 for NZ
Front row combined, 33 v 15

So there's a bit more to it than just the ruck stats - but they do shed light on what strategies were employed by each coach

I'll leave it to the reader to decide which is the more effective tactic

Definitely fat slow guys doing the running...

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[chasmac]

Mate look at cattle brumbies lost year. I seriously expected brumbies to be near bottom of oz conference and to top the oz conference was credit to Bernie, and again I think he has done ok at wallaby level as attack coach..ok maybe not the finished product but think people should give a bit more credit to bernies coaching ability.

As we don't have a lot of good coaches in oz and Bernie imo deserves a bit more credit than given on this site as one of the better ones imo who will only get better. As we lost link to public persecution he was given over beale affair and don't think we can afford to lose another decent coach who can only get better.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think Bernie has improved since Mick Byrne joined the Aussie ranks.

 

[RugbyReg]

Are the Wallabies training in Christchurch prior to this game?

I only ask because I have seen both Izzy Perese and Adam Korczyk state they are off to or in Christchurch. It seems odd that we are taking another massive squad to NZ to prepare for the game.

 

[RedsHappy]

Are the Wallabies training in Christchurch prior to this game?

I only ask because I have seen both Izzy Perese and Adam Korczyk state they are off to or in Christchurch. It seems odd that we are taking another massive squad to NZ to prepare for the game.

RR, I believe I read: Wallabies in Christchurch Sunday night through Thursday, then off to Dunedin for Friday and Saturday.

 

[chasmac]

Great stats FF (Folau Fainga'a).
The biggest disparity in the stats seems to be that the top tackler for the AB's was Cane with 23 made.
The wallaby highest tackler was Hanigan with 8.
I don't know what to make of this.
Anyone got a comment?
Were Canes tackles dominant / behind the gain line / result in a turnover?
Any thoughts?

 

[Ulrich]

Stats are only an indicator, not the be all and end all.

The Wallabies were woeful and no amount of stat will mask that.