Italy v Australia, Sunday Nov 10 2013, Stadio Olimpico

[nugget]

Four second rowers in the pack, a pushover try beckons.

And if the front row fail with this much grunt, lord help us.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Jason Allen is the CEO.

Freudian slip, Bh. I'm embarrassed as I try to proof read my posts before and after submitting, and I took the trouble to Google him to find when he was appointed. It is particularly galling given that I try to never miss TV and print coverage of his weekly press conferences.
.

 

[ChargerWA]

The problem for Alexander isn't the grunt, it's his lack of ability to take the pressure and scrummage for an extended period. I've noticed in games previous when Timani has come on late and packed behind Alexander he all of a sudden becomes a jack in the box at scrums as he can't transfer the pressure Timani is generating into him and he allows the LH to get under him and drive him up.

I'd like to be proven wrong, but I don't think more pressure is the answer with Alexander. If he starts to stand up in the scrums before half time I expect Link will drag him early.

 

[Zander]

Four second rowers in the pack, a pushover try beckons.

And if the front row fail with this much grunt, lord help us.

Ben Mowen hasn't played lock.

 

[Bruce Ross]

I know that I continue to have a very illuminating dialogue with myself, but I believe that the problems with the scrum and at the breakdown could be resolved if we went back to focussing on serious, as in heavy, strength training. In the years when we were consistently competitive we had a very different emphasis in our S & C.
.

 

[nugget]

Ben Mowen hasn't played lock.

ah yes, he's still got plenty of grunt though. (when he's not meerkating)

Gonna be a very grunty scrum. Maybe the front row will snap in half...

 

[nugget]

I know that I continue to have a very illuminating dialogue with myself, but I believe that the problems with the scrum and at the breakdown could be resolved if we went back to focussing on serious, as in heavy, strength training. In the years when we were consistently competitive we had a very different emphasis in our S & C.
.

Yes, the iron doesn't lie.

 

[ChargerWA]

I know that I continue to have a very illuminating dialogue with myself, but I believe that the problems with the scrum and at the breakdown could be resolved if we went back to focussing on serious, as in heavy, strength training. In the years when we were consistently competitive we had a very different emphasis in our S & C.
.

What, something like the All Blacks do? Why bother, it's not like it has gotten them anywhere.

 

[Groucho]

@jay-c

The Tahs fan forum was a success. Not in the direct sense, but in the fact that it brought home to the Tahs management that the coaching team and they had lost the fans base utterly. The ridiculous statement by Hickey that the statistics showed the Tahs were actually one of the most successful sides in Super Rugby under he and Foley was actually a wake up call. They realised from that forum that those that stuck around did so through base loyalty for a history and ideal they had much invested in. The Wallabies are fast approaching the same nadir.

It isn't about justifying anything, it is about explaining some reasoning, especially the some of the more mystifying decisions, and this could help to keep the faith and goodwill of those who are bordering on giving up on the side and in some cases the game. Have a look at the forum, there is a pervading level of despondency about the Wallabies that I haven't seen since the final days of Foley at the Tahs.

I agree completely. The Waratah fan forum was the catalyst that turned the Waratahs round IMO: a very good piece of management. It got disaffected fans engaged in far greater numbers than attended it, even if they only engaged initially to make criticisms, and it planted a seed for how fans could influence the way team played, which (amazingly) then happened. It was hard (very hard) but it led to vital change.

 

[Groucho]

Jason Allen is the CEO. I agree with all your points though.




I don't know that the Fan Forum really changed anything. Things were already in a state of disarray and the sentiment from fans and the media towards the team had been terrible for a while.

It certainly wasn't a positive thing but I don't think it really made anything worse. Fans were already deserting in numbers and the Tahs were fairly relentlessly smashed in the press (and not without justification).

And now things are different. Making a move like that and expecting instant change is pure public relations voodoo. Maybe one of the reasons it was so widely criticised in the media is that's exactly how a lot of people think: the magic wand school of bandaid analysis.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

The structure of the tour was well set up from the beginning. The two toughest games book-ended the tour with the middle game also being tough, depending how quickly Schmidt can get the Irish to change gameplans. In between those games there are two tests against Italy andScotland, who are still tier three quality.

snip.

Last victory we had against the Scots was in 2006. The last two games against them they beat us. I guess that makes us tier 4

The Wallabies & Italy are both very unpredictable. Scrolling down the list of Italian results shows they are capable of creating some upsets. We have 15/15 wins against the Italians but they got pretty bloody close last time. Very hard to guess how this one is going to go. Definitely could be a blow out but a famous Italian victory would not surprise me.

 

[I like to watch]

I agree completely. The Waratah fan forum was the catalyst that turned the Waratahs round IMO: a very good piece of management. It got disaffected fans engaged in far greater numbers than attended it, even if they only engaged initially to make criticisms, and it planted a seed for how fans could influence the way team played, which (amazingly) then happened. It was hard (very hard) but it led to vital change.

Nothing changed as a result of that forum.
Foley continued with exactly the same style for the entirety of the following season.And despite a very poor record,the board re appointed him.
The change only occurred because Foley preferred the security of a 3 year deal with the Force.
It was good for venting spleens though.

 

[Blackers13]

Any reason why Polota-Nau isn't on the bench in front of fatty Faianga at least? I know TPN hasn't played for a few months but Saia looks like he's been on the deep fried Mars Bars. Played like it too.

 

[Groucho]

Nothing changed as a result of that forum.
Foley continued with exactly the same style for the entirety of the following season.And despite a very poor record,the board re appointed him.
The change only occurred because Foley preferred the security of a 3 year deal with the Force.
It was good for venting spleens though.

We'll have to agree to disagree. I spoke to Phil Waugh (of all people) afterwards and he said that what came out of it was strong desire by the playing group to play good attacking rugby that was enjoyed by the fans. I believed him and still do. But change takes time.

 

[Fowi]

Any reason why Polota-Nau isn't on the bench in front of fatty Faianga at least? I know TPN hasn't played for a few months but Saia looks like he's been on the deep fried Mars Bars. Played like it too.

He hasn't played in a long time, so he isn't fit enough to play, I presume we will see him at some stage on the tour but we won't see him start unless Moore gets injured.

 

[Ash]

Last victory we had against the Scots was in 2006. The last two games against them they beat us. I guess that makes us tier 4

The Wallabies & Italy are both very unpredictable. Scrolling down the list of Italian results shows they are capable of creating some upsets. We have 15/15 wins against the Italians but they got pretty bloody close last time. Very hard to guess how this one is going to go. Definitely could be a blow out but a famous Italian victory would not surprise me.

Last year the Eyeties should have tied. They missed two very kickable penalties in the last 5 or so minutes, if I remember correctly.

Last year's Italy game was a shocking game of rugby. We score an early try then didn't play football for the rest of the game. Our forwards struggled at the breakdown, but the real crime was that our halves / fullback decided we didn't want the ball and simply kicked it away after 0 - 3 phases.

 

[jay-c]

i think after that loss last week link realises he cant take risks this week and needs a W thats why hes not risking unmatchfit tpn
re simmons @ 6
here is a few 6s to compare with

rob simmons
Height: 2.00 m
Weight: 115 kg

jerome kaino

Height 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)​

Weight 113 kg (249 lb)​

rocky elsom
Height: 1.97 m
Weight: 106 kg
ben mowen
Height: 1.95 m
Weight: 114 kg
scott fardy
Height: 1.98 m
Weight: 113 kg
scott higgenbotham
Height: 1.95 m
Weight: 110 kg

hes a bit taller than average which is to be expected, interesting how the best runners of the ball elsom and higgenbotham are 5-10kgs lighter than most, hes actually a lot closer to kaino than i thought> will be interesting if hes got the ticker for it tonight thou?

 

[KOB1987]

will be interesting if hes got the ticker for it tonight thou?

would expect the bench to cover this. Not sure if the plan would be to sub him off completely, or move him to 4 and take Timani off though. Whichever, Dennis on.

 

[RoffsChoice]

The build doesn't make the player good at the job, the work of the player does that. If hardworking Simmons shows up, he'll be good. If sookface Simmons shows up, doesn't matter what size he is.

 

[gel]

I would have thought that Simmons will be 6 in the scrums and 4 in general play, with Timani as 4 in scrums and 6 in general play.