Springbokke vs Wallabies @ Osfontein 30/9/2017

[Braveheart81]

Wallabies are taking 32 players to South Africa and Argentina.

Only Korczyk drops out of the current squad for the tour.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[USARugger]

If we can shut down their midfield runners this should be a very simple game for the Wallabies.

We absolutely will not have success shutting down their midfield runners unless the boys are actually possessed. Even in their drubbing to the Darkness that Bokke pack was still punching holes at will in the middle. Also assuming Marx is going to start at hooker again, I doubt he's going to have another shocker like that with his throwing. With the way our lineout has been going it could be another rough day at the office for us there.

 

[Joe Blow]

This is the game to test Tui at 6, most likely off the bench.
Hopefully Cheika tells him to carry up the middle as often as possible and to focus on strong clean outs and dominant tackles. We need a bit of steel to back up the tight 5.
This test is there for the Wallabies if they have the right game plan.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Three things the Wallabies need to get right. The selections, the game plan and the defense. All are down to the coaching staff primarily rather than the players.

 

[KOB1987]

Three things the Wallabies need to get right. The selections, the game plan and the defense. All are down to the coaching staff primarily rather than the players.

This is your team to conquer the world AFAIK but feel free to correct me: 1. Alexander 2. TPN 3. Alan 4. Coleman 5. Arnold 6. Phillip 7. McMahon 8. Timani 9. Powell 10. Lance 11. Folau 12. Hodge 13. Kuridrani 14. Speight 15. DHP It's by no means a shit team but I struggle to see where it would beat the current outfit, except MAYBE the lineout.

 

[Brumby Runner]

KOB you are actually close.

Sio at LHP, Kepu at THP, Folau at 15, Hodge at 11 and Beale at 12. I could easily be convinced to play Hooper at 7 with Philip and Timani, and McMahon to sit on the bench a la Ardie Savea. DHP would challenge one of Hodge, Speight or Folau when he is fit again. Meakes and Hunt should also be in the mix for bench spots.

I am confident that this backrow would operate more efficiently against top opposition than Cheika's present one. Lineout would definitely be stronger, and the halves would be more consistent than the present combination.

You may be dismayed that I have included only 5 Brumbies, but I've never taken the view that parochialism should guide team selections.
EDIT : I should not have forgotten Holloway at No 8 in place of Timani too when he establishes his fitness.

 

[USARugger]

Feel like DHP slots right back into one of the wing spots when he's healthy. Speight and Hodge have been sorta getting the job done but both have deficiencies to their play on the wing. DHP brings the boot of Hodge but with far more attacking flair and agility/pace, a great footballing brain too. I think we've really missed DHP since his injury.. he's got the skill set of a playmaking fullback but is athletic enough to be a legitimate test winger as well.

 

[wamberal]

Three things the Wallabies need to get right. The selections, the game plan and the defense. All are down to the coaching staff primarily rather than the players.

Mmm. Then after the coaches have done these three things right, it is all down to the players. As it always is. Oh, the match officials do play a role as well, of course. Your point being????

 

[KAOPointman]

Three things the Wallabies need to get right. The selections, the game plan and the defense. All are down to the coaching staff primarily rather than the players.

If only it was that simple!
The players need to have the right attitudes, make correct decisions, perform basic skills religiously, good repore with the referee and stick to the game plan amoung many other things!
For me, players have FAR more responsibility than any coaches or staff when it comes to winning and playing well. Otherwise we wouldn't have Egs of Scoland beating the Wallabies or Anyone beating the ABs. The ABs could field any combination of 1000 players and beat most teams around the world, and without any coaches! Rugby brains and 100% game focus are where it's at I feel.

Also I'm a big supporter of Tui in for the SA games!^^^

 

[KAOPointman]

This is the game to test Tui at 6, most likely off the bench.
Hopefully Cheika tells him to carry up the middle as often as possible and to focus on strong clean outs and dominant tackles. We need a bit of steel to back up the tight 5.
This test is there for the Wallabies if they have the right game plan.

Totally agree. TUI is Probably the biggest single impactful change we could make playing SA. Plus he's in amazing form atm!
Oh and switch out Foley so we don't have to keep relying on individual talent to score.....we need a 10 who has an attacking brain, Espescially considering what our backline has done without one....my mouth is watering at the thought of someone running our backline "better"! Just means Hodge has to start so we have a solid kicker, unless it's Quade who is allready kicking at 90%+ in the NRC.

Oh and move on Robinson.....still have zero idea why he's around and have yet been explained a solid reasoning what he offers that many other don't :/

 

[Brumby Runner]

Mmm. Then after the coaches have done these three things right, it is all down to the players. As it always is. Oh, the match officials do play a role as well, of course. Your point being????

Thought that would be obvious Wamb. First up, the coaches (or Cheika I believe) do not make the right selections many times. The backrow is the current prime example. Then the game plan seems to have some weaknesses still but is improving. Attacking play doesn't look to be so structured as in earlier tests with players a bit more inclined to chance their arms if they see opportunities. The game management from the 10 spot still seems to be lacking. The defensive sytem being used by the Wallabies is atrocious. Too many players defending out of position, Beale and Foley still sitting out on the wings in defense and wingers coming into No 13. Far too much shuffling which leads ultimately to holes to be exploited. So, the point is that the coaches (specifically Cheika and Grey) are sadly letting the players and us as fans down.

 

[TSR]

My biggest concern with our defence at the moment is how absolutely passive we are at the breakdown. I get that Cheika is trying to reduce the penalty count,
But we appear to have thrown out the baby with the bathwater. It was weird watching the game against the Argies were we had guys back peddling to stay away from defensive breakdowns. Consequently we really struggled at times to slow down the Argies momentum. Based in what I noticed, we were very susceptible to the pick & drive and I thought we were lucky a few times the Argies shifted it when they could have been more direct.

I know that the backrow cops it for that, and I agree in part - but clearly as a team we aren't creating pressure.

I guess I have also complained numerous times about our poor discipline - so it is a double edged sword, but I think we've pulled back to far.

 

[KAOPointman]

My biggest concern with our defence at the moment is how absolutely passive we are at the breakdown. I get that Cheika is trying to reduce the penalty count,
But we appear to have thrown out the baby with the bathwater. It was weird watching the game against the Argies were we had guys back peddling to stay away from defensive breakdowns. Consequently we really struggled at times to slow down the Argies momentum. Based in what I noticed, we were very susceptible to the pick & drive and I thought we were lucky a few times the Argies shifted it when they could have been more direct.

I know that the backrow cops it for that, and I agree in part - but clearly as a team we aren't creating pressure.

I guess I have also complained numerous times about our poor discipline - so it is a double edged sword, but I think we've pulled back to far.

Form memory the commentators in the Argies v Aus game, near half time.....said that we were getting way over the ad line75ish% unlike them with something like 30% I think! So maybe that hints our technique isn't lacking so bad in def....just positional defence and individual efforts in D. But...diff opposition, diff ball game! It's hard to compare a def effort vs the Argies, vs an ABs game!

 

[Brumby Runner]

If TSR is right about the backpedaling around the ruck area leading to gaps in close, then we must expect the Saffas will take full advantage with their pick and drive game, particularly PSdT if he plays. IIRC that was one of the aspects where they had dominance over the Wallabies last time they played.

 

[Joe Blow]

If TSR is right about the backpedaling around the ruck area leading to gaps in close, then we must expect the Saffas will take full advantage with their pick and drive game, particularly PSdT if he plays. IIRC that was one of the aspects where they had dominance over the Wallabies last time they played.

Yes, so nice to play Tui who can patrol that area.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Yes, so nice to play Tui who can patrol that area.

At 6? Don't want to see Coleman/Arnold broken up again in the second row.

 

[Derpus]

My biggest concern with our defence at the moment is how absolutely passive we are at the breakdown. I get that Cheika is trying to reduce the penalty count,
But we appear to have thrown out the baby with the bathwater. It was weird watching the game against the Argies were we had guys back peddling to stay away from defensive breakdowns. Consequently we really struggled at times to slow down the Argies momentum. Based in what I noticed, we were very susceptible to the pick & drive and I thought we were lucky a few times the Argies shifted it when they could have been more direct.

I know that the backrow cops it for that, and I agree in part - but clearly as a team we aren't creating pressure.

I guess I have also complained numerous times about our poor discipline - so it is a double edged sword, but I think we've pulled back to far.

I think the lack of commitment to the breakdown is key to the improvement in defense in wider areas. Against New Zealand we were guilty of continuously getting sucked in to the defensive breakdown vacuum and our defensive line was getting shortened. Then they just walked around us, over and over again.

I think the real problem is not being able to adjust appropriately. I would absolutely not commit against New Zealand but against a more one-dimensional team like South Africa, and their attack out wide certainly isn't very impressive at the moment, i would commit more players in tight.

As usual we just can't play what's in front of us. That's just in defense though, no excuse for the pathetic clean out attempts from just about everyone in attack.

 

[chasmac]

First half against the Argies they seemed to get alot of offloads in the tackle. This showed their attitude in support and their attitude to get their arms free if they were the ball carrier.
In the second half this dried up after a massive run of play that lasted more than 5 minutes without a break. The wallaby fitness is bloody good now, what a shame we had to waste 10 weeks of the international season getting it right.
Defense is where we will make headway.
BTW Marks had a bit of a shocker vs the AB's. At least 2 defensive errors that left him tackling no one. Worth putting him under pressure with KB (Kurtley Beale) and TK. Love it.

 

[fatprop]

 

[Derpus]

I was speaking to my physio the other night about altering habitual movement, like the way you lift something or your posture etc.

On average it takes 1500 hours of practice.

1500 fucking hours.

So yeah might take a while to stick.