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Australia Vs Argentina, September 13, Gold Coast

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Slim 293

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Ruggo said:
Nah, they bitch about not getting test rugby but when they have gotten it, they don't go and watch it. TBH, they don't even bother in decent numbers turning up to watch the Brumbies.

I wouldn't mind them trying Adelaide or take another test to Newcastle. Maybe Hobart given how well recieved the Tahs vs Rebels trial was received.
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Perth have 1.5 million more people than Canberra but could only attract 5,000 more supporters for a Springboks test than when the Wobs played Italy in Canberra a few years ago............

I don't see the logic in combatting small crowds by taking major test matches to even smaller crowds............ :rolleyes:

Anyways, let's not open up that whole debate.......... again.
 
ChargerWA

ChargerWA

Mark Loane (55)
Slim 293 said:
Perth have 1.5 million more people than Canberra but could only attract 5,000 more supporters for a Springboks test than when the Wobs played Italy in Canberra a few years ago....

I don't see the logic in combatting small crowds by taking major test matches to even smaller crowds.... :rolleyes:
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You have to realise that when you mention you follow Rugby in WA, 95% of people don't know the difference between Rugby and League. That's no exaggeration. They either start talking about League players or the Hopoate incident.

When you mention the Wallabies you just confuse the fuck out of them.
 
Slim 293

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
ChargerWA said:
You have to realise that when you mention you follow Rugby in WA, 95% of people don't know the difference between Rugby and League. That's no exaggeration. They either start talking about League players or the Hopoate incident.

When you mention the Wallabies you just confuse the fuck out of them.
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Personally, I don't care about the reasons why........... other major rugby cities have attracted equally poor crowds......... but there's this really dumb argument floating around that a poor crowd against a lowly ranked team in one test in a certain city means that not only should said city not get any more test matches, but we should take those tests to cities where there'll be even less interest.

Anyways.............

A 40+ year old man I know in Melbourne asked me who the Wallabies were the other day, and if they were a rugby league team..............
 
Groucho

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
chasmac said:
Fair call Gnostic. None of our locks are consistently dominating in virtually any aspect of play.
Skelton looks like he might be able to have some dominant ball carries but he was nullified last start when he attracted the defense before getting the ball.
Who do you suggest Gnostic?
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Attracting the defense before getting the ball is one of the outcomes we want from playing Skelton. The distributors need to capitalize on that.
 
KOB1987

KOB1987

Rod McCall (65)
I'm thinking that with the way this tournament is structured (2 weeks on, 1 off) Link is picking his teams with a 2 match viewpoint..could explain his stubbornness to make changes after both Bled 1 and last weekend despite some obvious underperformances..so to that end I would concur that the locks are the focal point this weekend and if they don't lift Link will concede and we will see some further changes for the tour..
 
Scrubber2050

Scrubber2050

Mark Ella (57)
Slim 293 said:
Personally, I don't care about the reasons why..... other major rugby cities have attracted equally poor crowds... but there's this really dumb argument floating around that a poor crowd against a lowly ranked team in one test in a certain city means that not only should said city not get any more test matches, but we should take those tests to cities where there'll be even less interest.

Anyways.....

A 40+ year old man I know in Melbourne asked me who the Wallabies were the other day, and if they were a rugby league team......
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No wonder the dumb bastard lives down there (no offence intended to Rebels supporters)
 
Scrubber2050

Scrubber2050

Mark Ella (57)
No offence intended to ANY rugby supporters. It just gobsmacks me that in the so called sporting capital of Australia that some don't know or haven't heard of the Wallabies and what they stand for.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
Rugby can get lost in amongst the NRL, AFL, A-League, Cricket, Netball, Basketball and every other bloody sport they have down here mate.
 
Scrubber2050

Scrubber2050

Mark Ella (57)
Mate - oh the memories. A particularly good example of the ultimate, consumate, humble, retiring, professional, being one Warwick Capper
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
He's apparently started a cafe on the Gold Coast. It's called "Capper-cinos". I'll have to look out for next time I'm back.
 
Ash

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
Slim 293 said:
Perth have 1.5 million more people than Canberra but could only attract 5,000 more supporters for a Springboks test than when the Wobs played Italy in Canberra a few years ago....

I don't see the logic in combatting small crowds by taking major test matches to even smaller crowds.... :rolleyes:

Anyways, let's not open up that whole debate.... again.
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Let's not, but just remember a major reason is the quality (or lack thereof) of Bruce stadium.

I heard many stories of the debacle about the Lions game there as the facilities (particularly for corporates and press) were sub-standard. If the new stadium in Canberra gets built, then I think that Wallaby games will return there.
 
Ash

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
ChargerWA said:
I've got a solution to the lack of Skeltons "standard lock skill set".

Play him at 8.

Too soon?
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A couple of points regarding Skelton:
1. He has a huge point of difference - his carrying and soft hands, and ability to attract defenders. Yes, this is what we currently need.
2. However, I think that Skelton is a worse scrummaging lock than Carter, Simmons and Horwill - too often I have seen his shoulders up too high on the props' backside, that is, he can't consisently get low enough to get enough power through the prop. I am not sure sure on why this is. However, I think that people claiming that Skelton will improve our scrum are incorrect - I think it would be the inverse, in fact.
3. There are questions about his ability to last games - he can fade in and out (as expected of a guy his size and limited professional years of conditioning).
4. He is an alternative option at the lineout, not a main one (of which most teams these days have at least 3, some 4).
5. The All Blacks (and Crusaders in the Super Rugby final) targeted him to good effect, lessening his impact to next to nothing, although these may be isolated cases.
6. Finally, and here is the clincher, Link has not been using Skelton as a reserve lock in the Rugby Championship. In both games vs the All Blacks Skelton came on for Palu or Fardy, and Simmons and Carter played 80.

Now, generally:
- If you think that Skelton should be included, then generally you believe than point 1 is more important than 2 - 5 (and/or you believe that 5 points to isolated cases, and you haven't picked up on point 2).
- If you think that Skelton should not be included, then you think that points 2 - 5 overwhelm point 1.

Personally, I'm somewhere on the fence on Skelton's inclusion. Point 2, though, is why I would not have Skelton starting vs the Pumas.

However, given point 6, and given the lack of impact of our starting locks, it should not be a surprise that Skelton is not included by Link, as Link is not playing Skelton as a lock, or he does not consider Skelton as a traditional lock option right now.

Add me to the list of people surprised that Horwill wasn't included for one of Simmons (oh my god, how many more dumb penalties?) and Carter (continuing lack of impact).
 
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