Scotland v Australia - Sunday 26 November 1:30am AEDT

[KOB1987]

It's funny though, all this criticism of Cheika and co and the only real anomaly in the results this year (based on world rankings) against us was the loss at home to Scotland. There were some frustrating near misses in the Dunedin test and the two draws against South Africa. On the flip side we are the only national side (Lions excluded obviously) to beat the All Blacks this year. Yet we are apparently coached by a pack of dimwits who know far less than those watching 80 minutes of footy a fortnight on TV. This isn't to say that I agree with all the selections, but what appears to be obvious to us and should be obvious to the coaches isn't, and that's no doubt because they have a better insight to the rationale behind the selections, as well as the reasons why the 'obvious' candidates are being overlooked.

 

[dru]

KOB, as they should have better insight to the rationale behind selections, don't you think they should also be capable of reporting it to a well informed fan base?

The coaching insight and presumed superior information base, they are after all actually at the training sessions, does. to make them immune to criticism.

 

[KOB1987]

I’m not suggesting they should be immune to anything. Like everyone else I’m bemused by some selections this year,most notably the persistence with Ned. But he has hardly been a disaster, he gets through the work and has good discipline. Presumably aspects like those, plus others not so obvious to us armchair bandits, outweigh his negatives, and/or those of the alternatives, in the eyes of the coaches. He is no doubt assigned a set of tasks within the wider game plan and they believe he is performing those satisfactorily. Just an example.


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[pissedoffihavetoregister]

So Faulkner will go LH and TT will be tighthead then?

 

[Joe Blow]

TT is a gifted player but does not have anywhere near the set piece(scrum)talent of AA. If Kepu gets injured early it could go bottom up very easily.

 

[RugbyReg]

TT is a gifted player but does not have anywhere near the set piece(scrum)talent of AA. If Kepu gets injured early it could go bottom up very easily.

they could always put Faulkner on if Kepu goes off early

 

[TOCC]

It's funny though, all this criticism of Cheika and co and the only real anomaly in the results this year (based on world rankings) against us was the loss at home to Scotland. There were some frustrating near misses in the Dunedin test and the two draws against South Africa. On the flip side we are the only national side (Lions excluded obviously) to beat the All Blacks this year. Yet we are apparently coached by a pack of dimwits who know far less than those watching 80 minutes of footy a fortnight on TV. This isn't to say that I agree with all the selections, but what appears to be obvious to us and should be obvious to the coaches isn't, and that's no doubt because they have a better insight to the rationale behind the selections, as well as the reasons why the 'obvious' candidates are being overlooked.

If this is a conversation you wish to have then i'm happy to engage, its certainly going to deviate from the thread though..

 

[TOCC]

This is how the announcement of the team changes has been reported by the ARU.

Some questions spring to mind. Tupou arrived in Scotland only three days before the test but has impressed Cheika in his training performances. What a joke. Three partial days of training being suggested as sufficient basis for selection in the Wallabies test side.

Faulkner on the bench supposedly in place of Ala'alatoa. Don't they know the difference between LHP and THP?

Thats incorrect, Tupou flew over straight after the NRC GF, has been there since they played Wales.. He has also been involved in the Wallabies squad since June, I don't think this was a decision just made in the past 3 days.

 

[KOB1987]

Yes, we should stick to thread, it's a conversation that comes up before and after each match though so let's wait till the 'Wallabies 2018' or whatever thread is started and debate it over the cricket during the off season.

 

[Froggy]

I must be the only person here not happy to see TT there. Ffs, the guy was getting dominated in the scrum in the NRC! For all his ball running power, the guy has way too far to go in the scrum to be considered at this level yet. I also don't get Phillips demotion, I think he has been good.

Having said that, while I disagree with these decisions, it doesn't mean I think the guy who has coached two SS premierships, a European cup premiership, a S14 title and a WC final an idiot, I just disagree with these selections!

 

[wamberal]

I too am a bit nonplussed by the quick rise of this player. I did not watch a lot of the NRC, but from what I did see his ball running was not all that effective, and there was nothing special about his scrummaging.


I am not enough of a trainspotter to comment on the rest of his game, but from what I have seen, he is not a Test match front rower at the moment.

 

[TOCC]

love a comment which basically starts with "I didn't really watch any of his games, but I don't think he is up to standard”..... but fair enough, scepticism warranted he hasn't played much Super Rugby, I certainly don't agree with the comment that his running was fairly ineffective in the NRC

 

[RugbyReg]

I must be the only person here not happy to see TT there. Ffs, the guy was getting dominated in the scrum in the NRC! For all his ball running power, the guy has way too far to go in the scrum to be considered at this level yet. I also don't get Phillips demotion, I think he has been good.

Having said that, while I disagree with these decisions, it doesn't mean I think the guy who has coached two SS premierships, a European cup premiership, a S14 title and a WC final an idiot, I just disagree with these selections!

TT wasn't getting dominated in the NRC. He, like most props, had moments when his opponent got on top of him, including in the final. But he got on top of his opponent a fair bit too, including in the final.

 

[wamberal]

love a comment which basically starts with "I didn't really watch any of his games, but I don't think he is up to standard

Is that a reference to my post? If it was, it is not what I said. Then again, I am not surprised, you seem to spend most of your time in a state of incomprehension.

 

[TOCC]

Is that a reference to my post? If it was, it is not what I said. Then again, I am not surprised, you seem to spend most of your time in a state of incomprehension.

keep at it mate

 

[notapatrioticboneinme]

I'm taking the $1.58 Aust; first time i have backed Aus in a long time.
Had backed England last week but was pleasantly surprised by our forwards.
Love our bench (apart from the angry little bloke)

 

[Hawko]

http://www.rugby.com.au/News/2017/11/23/Wallabies-Scotland-Murrayfield-team-announcement

This is how the announcement of the team changes has been reported by the ARU.


Does this mean what it says? Winning isn't important, but the way you review the performance and prepare is the main thing. No wonder we have trouble putting in consistent winning performances.

There are some who say "I don't care how we play, as long as we win". But coaching theory now looks at it very differently. Rugby is a game where chance plays a huge part in outcomes. Last week's test, where every 50-50 decision went against us, where the ball can bounce at right angles and the weather can be for or against you is a classic case. On average chance doesn't usually swing an outcome but there are always statistical outliers.

So good coaches don't look at results in isolation - they focus far more on the "process" of playing than the result. It is drummed into players to "get the process right and the results will follow." Eddie is a good coach. Although he will have been relieved to get a win out of that game, he knows that for 70 minutes his team was second best. Not badly second best, just a few percent behind. He will have a very long list out of that game of things they need to improve on and behind closed doors in the team room he will have made that perfectly clear. Mick Byrne's a good coach too. He knows that in a game where chance did not go his way there were a lot of things that needed to be done better. Which is what they addressed Monday. Process is everything, results are just an outcome of the process.

 

[dru]

@Hawko

There was were cruel bounces and 50/50 calls were said by some to be against us (plenty of intelligent commentary that this view is a stretch, too).

But it didn’t cost the game. Might have changed the score but that was fair win to England.

There are sports fans who will accept a “brave loss”. Long may it remain so.

 

[Scrubber2050]

The TT selection was always going to happen, Should it - NO

The guy is a talent but ATM his set piece is not very good (although plenty of posters on here will justify his set piece) and thoroughly does not deserve his Wallaby jersey (yet).

This is a prime example of cheapening the jersey.

He should have been given another year in super rugby to gain some more insight into the dark arts. It will be interesting to see how he goes against the replacement Scottish prop.

 

[tragic]

The TT selection was always going to happen, Should it - NO

The guy is a talent but ATM his set piece is not very good (although plenty of posters on here will justify his set piece) and thoroughly does not deserve his Wallaby jersey (yet).

This is a prime example of cheapening the jersey.

He should have been given another year in super rugby to gain some more insight into the dark arts. It will be interesting to see how he goes against the replacement Scottish prop.

Nah - he’s a future talent and will be a regular starter in years to come.
Lock him in and give him a taste of what’s to come before he is lured to the dark side.