Italy v Australia, Sunday Nov 10 2013, Stadio Olimpico

[Quick Hands]

I cannot believe the optimism stemming from that game.
The scoreline was very flattering to Wobblies with 2 late soft tries.
I know the italians invented the renaissance and all that so they're pretty smart but I didnt know they were so rugby smart: they completely bamboozled us (and Glenn Jackson) at the scrums: does anyone know how many hours were spent on scrums in that game? They saw to it that as little rugby as possible was played in the 80 minutes and we had no answer to their scrum tactics. I was thoroughly pissed off with Mowen's lack of intervention in this - as he showed later with the free kick for delaying the throw in - Old Jacko is very suggestible so a less than quiet pointed word in his ear about the Azzuri loose head's refusal to pack on our ball would not have gone astray. And if no one out there knew what the F**k was going on our head coach is a former international front rower so surely he had some clue that might have been passed on through the hydration technician.
I didn't see much that suggests the backline is anything near a functioning machine - the tries came from individual inspiration rather than a structured thought out plan. The Badger's second could so easily have broken down by virtue of the absence of a plan and it was just luck and some sublime unstructured skill that QC (Quade Cooper) got a hand free and he was away - a well taken but opportunistic effort.
Our breakdown work was better but still lacks authority. I actually thought Simmons played his best test at 6.
A pass mark only and next week's exam will be a lot more difficult.

Your thoughts on the game echo mine. Also consider that we kicked nearly all of our goals and Italy missed nearly all of theirs.

After watching Ireland against Samoa, we'll need to step it up to be competitive next week ditto after watching Wales and SA in the last match. Scotland will be about the same level as Italy based on their performance against Japan - a very entertaining match.

 

[A mutterer]

This has to be a gee-up, surely. Christ on a bike.

Considering our last three performances vs Italy in Italy I think chalking up 50 was a pretty good effort. Not going to get carried away, but fuck me if you can't enjoy a 50 point result you shouldn't be watching the game.
.

no not at all. and i think it's flawed to say 'well sheeit it's better than the last 3 performances so we should be happy with it'.

did i enjoy it? i'd have to say i enjoyed some tries and some key passages. did i enjoy the game? no, not really.

passing - again hit and miss. still not passing forward off the man to run onto at speed.

tackling - falling off first tackles.

key players were still way below par.

we were pretty sloppy in key phases, and i think the score line flattered us. they overall tone of the game i would summarise as 'flat'. we could have put on maybe another 20 if we were playing well.

call me crazy but i'm not trying to take positives out of every situation at the moment - i don't think this is a good look. the fact that we can look at that game and say 'well hey at least its better than the last 3' doesn't compliment where we actually are at the moment. quite the reverse actually.

 

[RoffsChoice]

I think it's important to note that for all we discuss and disagree, we're watching to enjoy. Wallabies put 50 past a tier one team and didn't look like losing. Best win on the EOYT since 2010 vs France.

But it's also important to acknowledge that we could have done better, there were problems and we probably would have not done well against a better team.

But we won and it was good to watch.

 

[Elfster]

Do like the fact that there were exchanges of jerseys

 

[ChargerWA]

I think there is scope to be unhappy based on how we won. We know that our back line on their day can put anyone bar probably NZ away. But the forward performance was only just adequate, which is where we have been losing badly recently. Watching the SA/Wales game only rammed home how badly we could be out muscled by teams to come.

But in the scheme of things you need to celebrate a good win no matter how it comes when times are lean.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

considering we have higgers, pocock, pyle, MMM and pyle to come back into the fold i am really not that worried about our forwards not improving

 

[lewisr]

But we won and it was good to watch.

Oath it was! Quade is quite simply the most entertaining playmaker in the world when he's firing. And then you have a guy like izzy running rings around people, and a guy like To'omua kicking like a machine, and a guy like Kuridrani chucking in cheeky grubbers and the badger and vetran AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the wings. *End Froth*

In all seriousness, 10-15 are playing some of the best footy from the wallabies we have seen in quite some time and if that translates to results against the top 3, it will only be a matter of time before the crowds are back on the bandwagon.

We really need the piggys to pick it up a notch and the wallabies will be back in the top 3. Not saying a quick fix here and there will do it but with the return of key players and the ever improving culture one can only hope they step it up by next year.

 

[Richo]

I think it's important to note that for all we discuss and disagree, we're watching to enjoy. Wallabies put 50 past a tier one team and didn't look like losing. Best win on the EOYT since 2010 vs France.

What tier does that that put NZ and South Africa on?

Italy's current IRB Ranking is 12. Tonga, Argentina, Scotland, Ireland and Samoa are all ahead of them.

It was a good win, but let's not kid ourselves about the opposition.

 

[Bairdy]

considering we have higgers, pocock, pyle, MMM and pyle to come back into the fold i am really not that worried about our forwards not improving

Pyle is a great loosehead prospect with a ton of potential, but there's no need to clone him and debut him for the Wallabies more than once.

 

[Bairdy]

I think there is scope to be unhappy based on how we won. We know that our back line on their day can put anyone bar probably NZ away. But the forward performance was only just adequate, which is where we have been losing badly recently. Watching the SA/Wales game only rammed home how badly we could be out muscled by teams to come.

But in the scheme of things you need to celebrate a good win no matter how it comes when times are lean.

Agreed, watched the first 40-45 minutes of the match before getting a nap in for the Wales-SA match, and frankly the former was a very flat spectacle.

Good result with the W, don't get me wrong, but I don't agree with other posters that it was a terrific game; still have to consider the fact that Italy have a forward pack on par with Scotland and maybe Argentina, and a backline that is lacking quality. Coupled with basic errors from both sides, the score flattered us.

Certainly, the "one-sided masterclass" put on by the Wallabies backs was not as entertaining as the two brutish, hard forward packs of Wales and SA running at pace on to the ball, into each other for 80 minutes.

Maybe I'm just being pessimistic, and should just revel in the rare Australian win when they come.

 

[Dave Beat]

Cummins MOM?
Is it just my thoughts, or was he really MOM material?
He did what wingers should and finished off a number of plays - but I cant recall any other aspects to his game on the night?

 

[Quick Hands]

What tier does that that put NZ and South Africa on?

Italy's current IRB Ranking is 12. Tonga, Argentina, Scotland, Ireland and Samoa are all ahead of them.

It was a good win, but let's not kid ourselves about the opposition.

Based on yesterday's matches we're behind NZ, SA, France and Wales by quite a distance. Ireland will be a test for us this week, they looked very good against Samoa.

 

[Scotty]

Cummins MOM?
Is it just my thoughts, or was he really MOM material?
He did what wingers should and finished off a number of plays - but I cant recall any other aspects to his game on the night?

No I don't think he should have been although he did all that was asked of him very well.

Folau and Cooper were more integral in breaking the Italian defense down.

 

[Dave Beat]

Based on yesterday's matches we're behind NZ, SA, France and Wales by quite a distance. Ireland will be a test for us this week, they looked very good against Samoa.

Yes !!
But there is starting to appear to be game planning, and purpose behind plays and phases. I liked the 10,12,13 play on the weekend for certain periods, and when those periods expand to longer periods / phases with greater numbers there will be some great rugby to watch.

Genia had did not have a good game at all.
Our forwards - not sure, Id have hoped to dominate Italy but it didn't happen. Moore had a good game, and Timani & Horwill did nothing for me at all.

 

[Dave Beat]

No I don't think he should have been although he did all that was asked of him very well.

Folau and Cooper were more integral in breaking the Italian defense down.

Yes finished plays, that's IT - as a winger that is to be expected.
I would have added To'omua to Folau & Cooper, and the more game time they get the more variations, and better rugby we'll see.

 

[Ruggo]

Just refuse to get excited about this win until we back it up next week. Simmons did well at 6.

 

[emuarse]

considering we have higgers, pocock, pyle, MMM and pyle to come back into the fold i am really not that worried about our forwards not improving

I take it that you are an avid pyle fan

 

[barbarian]

To all the people having a crack at the players- what more could we have possibly done in that game? Score 60? 70? 100?

Much like many others I am not getting carried away with the result, but the expectations of a few on here seem to be jaw-droppingly high.

Some of these same people were the ones complaining about our inability to score tries under Deans. Well now we score plenty, but apparently we are still terrible because a lot of them were 'lucky' and 'opportunistic'. Please.
.

 

[scaraby]

To all the people having a crack at the players- what more could we have possibly done in that game? Score 60? 70? 100?

Much like many others I am not getting carried away with the result, but the expectations of a few on here seem to be jaw-droppingly high.

Some of these same people were the ones complaining about our inability to score tries under Deans. Well now we score plenty, but apparently we are still terrible because a lot of them were 'lucky' and 'opportunistic'. Please.
.

Sorry guys I'm with Bah bah. I think we should look at our posts before and after and see if your pregame expectations were met.
I enjoyed the game,thought the backs were really good,front row was good against some very underhanded tactics from Italy.(Since when is a loose head allowed to back away in contact.?) Genia had one brain expolsion but his service was very good,fast and mostly off the ground. Cooper was given alot of space (why?) and benefitted greatly as did his outside backs. To'omua and Folau are VERY good players. Only grump...second rowers catching the ball stationary while punching up the middle...waste of time. Simmons +Fardy if fit for me..keep the rest well done boys i was happy at 30 very happy at 50.

 

[I like to watch]

My impression was that, they were not having crack at the players.
More like putting the win in perspective.
Yep we did score 50,but the score flattered us,and comparing that game with the other games played on the weekend,was like comparing Reggie's with 1st grade.
If we play with the same intensity and accuracy for the rest of the tour, it will be tears.