Australia v Argentina, Sept 14th in Perth

[Hawko]

Horwill & Timani as 4 & 5 for the tour will make a big difference, and the mail is that fatcat will tour too.

Is this just hope, or is there some substance in the rumour?

That's a good question. Our problem atm is that the props we are now using are consistently being beaten up. The EOYT should be used to bring in the next generation and give them some opportunities to develop at test level. I'm thinking of Salesi Manu, Albert Anae and Ruan Smith. Are there any others?

Salesi Manu and Albert Anae look to have potential. Smith, when he has come on as a replacement, has been pushed around a fair bit. He only got a run because injury opened up the space and there was no one else. I don't think he's close to ready yet and may never be. Its interesting that Sio was our great white hope after the Super comp but he has found the transition to test rugby just as difficult as our more experienced props.

 

[Zander]

http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/198501.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

Would be a huge in for Australian rugby at the moment. EOYT I assume.

 

[cyclopath]

As much as I would love to see Higginbotham back, I see no sense in rushing him into the EOYT after no game time, and would prefer to see him get a really good pre-season before firing up next year.
Same for Pocock, especially as we have other opensides around.
But good news on both fronts.

 

[Santiago]

Shouldn't be backwards?
i didn't watch the entire game

but pumas a doing a good 2nd half and not letting australia score while they score and australia winning by 1 point

Sorry to say it folks, but australia only was a barrier in the 1st half

i dont know how australia did in 2nd but to let argie score and not scoring one, you guys really need something to learn for it, because winning by 1... for me, it's practicaly not winning (even though im sure the pumas were really shocked that they didn't win the match and lost by 1 and would prefer to lose by 10 or something)

i don't have alot of hopes like i did, but i hope pumas learned something and also australia underestimated pumas

(also, we suck at away games)

 

[Santiago]

also, the rain played to australia favor

i dunno how argentina did it that bad with rain, the last match there was rain and they played good

well.. not that much rain
and in the half time i was watching how australia was really relaxed while argentina was screaming at their players too bad

 

[swingpass]

one significant LHP possibility is Toby Smith,ex-chief, currently with Waikato, next year at the rebels and i think australian qualified.

 

[Santiago]

and it was huighm, it was just a away jersey because always the same one it's really boring

 

[something]

i didnt get to catch the game but been watching the first 20mins, nic white my god he can kick well. he was the right player for wet weather, smart kicks all day long

 

[Santiago]

and i'm sure everyone will disagree with me, even though i know pumas lost

i wouldn't call that australia win, not even a tie or a loss, i'd call that a really bad match only win was the 1st half because for a team that won't score in 40 minutes and winning because of a single point, hmm..

 

[JJJ]

Maybe the intent in packing Douglas at LH is to try to wheel the scrum that way and hope it disguises our weakness at 3? ie better to be beaten on one side of the scrum and beat them on the other than get beaten on both sides and driven back.

I'm a bit bewildered at the negativity being directed at Moore. He's one of the few players we have who can be found wherever the battle is thickest (pun awaited). I did notice him standing back and watching a puma rolling maul at one point, but my impression over the last few games is that he has probably been our best player in the tightloose.

 

[wamberal]

and i'm sure everyone will disagree with me, even though i know pumas lost

i wouldn't call that australia win, not even a tie or a loss, i'd call that a really bad match only win was the 1st half because for a team that won't score in 40 minutes and winning because of a single point, hmm..

The wind favoured your team in the second half. That is the main reason Australia struggled to gain territory.


The last time I checked the rules, it was still okay to win by a point. Have there been some changes?




I would much, much, rather win by a point than lose by a point. The difference is huge.

 

[Zander]

Moore is clearly suffering from playing too many minutes. You look at NZ, they rotate Hore, Mealamu and Coles. SA have Strauss and Bismarck to chose from. Ewen should sacrifice Fainga'a to start in SA in a fortnight because Moore will keep getting worse.

 

[wamberal]

Moore is clearly suffering from playing too many minutes. You look at NZ, they rotate Hore, Mealamu and Coles. SA have Strauss and Bismarck to chose from. Ewen should sacrifice Fainga'a to start in SA in a fortnight because Moore will keep getting worse.

If he does, we will lose by 100+

 

[Slim 293]

I felt that was Moore's best game so far in the RC.........

And Fainga'a did well off the bench.........

 

[swingpass]

If he does, we will lose by 100+

so what ?
i will preface by saying i thought the wobs last night showed better composure and discipline, but both teams are an order of magnitude behind NZ and SA.
surely the time has come to seriously look at who will likely be the best 15 at the 2015 RWC, not necessarily who is best now. start picking the young tyros and see what happens. can't be any worse. start Sio, start Hansen or Anae or whoever the management think will be our next best hooker, start Pyle or Carter or move Fardy to the second row, give Gill and Hooper equal game time so they are ready to help Pocock, give White plenty of minutes, decide on To'omua or Cooper or Lilo at 10 and play them every game, play Godwin when he is fit, pick Mogg if he is the longterm fullback. whatever, but pick a gameplan for the talents available and then allow those players to mature into test footballers. and work on the lamentable skill set.
clearly at the moment we are missing the hardness and the smarts up front (horwill, pocock, higginbotham, polota nau) and our current bunch of props are struggling, partly them and partly the ineffectual second row, but many of these players have had enough chances to show that they are not test standard let alone starters (simmons, alexander, kepu, perhaps douglas also). bite the bullet, pick the next generation, except the initial losses and start some progress.

 

[Hawko]

one significant LHP possibility is Toby Smith,ex-chief, currently with Waikato, next year at the rebels and i think australian qualified.

We don't need a 1 we need a 3!

 

[Slim 293]

I'd like to see a locking pair of Douglas and Timani and see if there's any improvement in our scrummaging........

 

[No4918]

The best 3 is leaving the country because his skills were not appreciated at Super Rugby level. With the new laws that is likely to change.

 

[Slim 293]

The best 3 is leaving the country because his skills were not appreciated at Super Rugby level. With the new laws that is likely to change.

Who wasn't appreciated at Super Rugby level?

 

[KOB1987]

Is this just hope, or is there some substance in the rumour?

I read it in the media last week, can't remember where though. I don't think it was a suggestion that he would be in the 23, only that he would be in the touring party. If they take him he has to play as far as I am concerned though.

A friend close to Eastwood also told me yesterday that Link wanted him to play in the GF yesterday, so that smelt of imminence to me too.