Australian Rugby Team's Biggest Liability

[Aussie D]

Watching Australian teams over the last few weeks has got me to thinking where our greatest weakness lies. Most would simply say the scrum as we always seem to be backpeddling, some will say defence (especially when Quade Cooper is involved), others will say handling as we drop plenty of pill, whilst some will say the breakdown as we often get reamed there by aggressive opposition.

 

[Gagger]

In a world cup? Goalkicking

We need a semi-autistic kicking machine, stat.

 

[Aussie D]

I voted for breakdown as there are ways to overcome a weak scrum. A lot of the other problems with our rugby would be fixed with better application at the breakdown as it would draw more attackers and defenders in when we don't have the ball and allow quicker ball when we do have it if we got the application right. It comes down to a frame of mind.

 

[Aussie D]

In a world cup? Goalkicking

We need a semi-autistic kicking machine, stat.

Not just world cup but across all levels of pro rugby in Oz. The WC often highlights the issues.

 

[Gagger]

Any chance a vote in the poll on that one then? I feel my democratic voice has been taken away from me!


Two conversions in front of the posts and our winning % was in the 70's this year

 

[Tangawizi]

Backpeddling Scrum - farked us 2007 - Marseille 12:10.

Goalkicking has been sorted out by Gits not kicking anymore.

 

[Jnor]

Seems to me then that all we need is an average goal kicker, never mind an amazingly talented superboot.

For the record I would have ticked 'all of the above' but I guess that'd be a cop out so I took the breakdown.

 

[Gagger]

We scored same number of tries as the Poms at Twickers this year, yet got owned.

Flood and Wilkinson are kicking at freak rates, and then there's Morne and DC.

JO'C is my hope on this one

 

[Bruce Ross]

Any chance a vote in the poll on that one then? I feel my democratic voice has been taken away from me!

It's the spirit of the times, Gagger, old son. The unwashed are rising up against their tyrannical rulers:

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia

Hosni Mubarak in Egypt

Muammar Gaddafi in Libya

Gagger in G&GR

I'd advise you to go into exile but England in March must feel like you've already been banished.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Bruce, I'll pay that and pay it again some more. Well played Sir.

 

[Gagger]

If only I had the billions to go with it

[video=youtube;cvxGxZkReNM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvxGxZkReNM[/video]

Don't make me bomb your asses

 

[OzSash]

Backpeddling Scrum - farked us 2007 - Marseille 12:10.

Goalkicking has been sorted out by Gits not kicking anymore.

This. Couldn't have said it better myself regarding our scrum and kicking.

Would also add into the mix inconsistent refereeing which will likely be a factor for all teams. Hope the refs sort their shit out come RWC time.

 

[hench]

We scored same number of tries as the Poms at Twickers this year, yet got owned.

Flood and Wilkinson are kicking at freak rates, and then there's Morne and DC.

JO'C is my hope on this one

Both he and Quade seemed to have improved.

 

[Gagger]

Oz - I just spent too many minutes staring at your avatar.

Surely that's too good to be legal around here - especially with all the tyrants and such?


Also - I reckon the scrum in Marseilles was the cue for the mental disintegration.

It was the getting buttfucked at the ruck that lost the match

 

[OzSash]

Oz - I just spent too many minutes staring at your avatar.

Surely that's too good to be legal around here - especially with all the tyrants and such?

Sounds like you have to enjoy it while you can mate Pretty sure we won't be seeing too many complaints however ...

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Also - I reckon the scrum in Marseilles was the cue for the mental disintegration.

It was the getting buttfucked at the ruck that lost the match

One fed off the other. England were fierce at the breakdown and too strong in the scrum and we just couldn't cope. I wanted to slash my wrists after that performance.

 

[qwerty51]

Goal kicking.

 

[Slim 293]

A little bit of everything...

Weak scrum...

Soft at the breakdown...

Poor restarts...

Unreliable goal kicking...

Flimsy defence...

I don't think the Wallabies can go a game against a top tier nation and not suffer at least a couple of these problems...

Another big issue is when they don't seem to have a game plan so throw the ball around aimlessly waiting for one player to make a magical break... which is what the Brumbies' backs seem to be doing right now...

 

[Ruggo]

We should be fine regarding those options in the poll.

What the problem will be is if we deviate from what works for us. Just because RWC's are traditionally conservative doesn't mean we have to play like that and if we do, I can see us comming unstuck. A lot of the Wallabies strengths revolve around natural talent of these young players and we should just let it flow. If we tighten things up we will stifle them.

 

[WESTCOMBE RANGER]

I voted other and what I meant was that Pocock is seen as a strength, fine player, but the rest of the team rely on him and don't work hard enough, not only to support him, but also to realign in defence, thinking they have time, because they think he'll slow things down. As a consequence opponents and I've already noticed this in S15 games so far, are taking the ball into him and making sure he's taken out straight away, put on the floor and nullifying him. The result is that opponents get quick ball at the breakdown and find gaps in the defensive line due to the laziness described above. I might be totally wrong on this but this could be a ploy to get rid of the menace of that cheating Kiwi at WC time.