RWC: AUS v WAL (Twickenham): POOL A; 2:45am (AEDT) Sunday 11 October

[Tahtrajic]

WHAT A DEFENSIVE EFFORT!

Very impressed with all 13 players on defence. Was absolutely superb. Can't single out one player they were all very good.

Douglas is becoming my new favourite lock and doing exactly what he was brought in for. Sio and Kepu continue to scrum well and play well, both world class props. Poey always makes a crucial turnover.

All the backs defended their asses off, was impressed with Foley who has lifted his game in defence - I think he made 2 try saving tackles.

Attack was far from a clinical display, passing in front of the man was horrible, I think Foley made 2 passes behind the man plus the forward through the legs not what I want to see from a flyhalf but overall he played well enough.

Clean up the accuracy on attack and I think we will be fine, throughout the tourney.

All great points Seb.
I alo think the attack needs work but you have to give Wales credit for their defensive reads.

 

[Blue]

The Welsh just don't seem to know how to beat the SH teams. They just can't shut it out. Why?

 

[ChargerWA]

So without a dominant scrum do we draw that?

It's a concern how susceptible we still are to the Ireland 2011 game plan.

 

[pjm]

I agree, in hindsight I think he would have been a better choice then McMahon. I see McMahon getting a lot of wraps here, but I thought he was fairly average. He put 2 great hits on, was great at kick restarts, but his body height on attack was a concern for me.

He runs in very high, it works against minnows because he runs in with so much intensity, but when he plays a tier one nation and runs into 2 forwards like he did last night they very well nearly held him up. Happened a couple of times, whilst he did manage to eventually get to ground it absolutely slowed down play and slowed down momentum.

Although body height into contact seemed to be an issue for a few players in the first half.

Hooper was sorely missed.

His Rebels team mate Luke Jokes runs the same way. He got held up twice last year in a test match which pretty much ruined his chances and put him on the nose of Cheika. Some wayward coaching down in Melbourne I think.

 

[TahDan]

The Welsh just don't seem to know how to beat the SH teams. They just can't shut it out. Why?

It's at least partly psychological you'd have to think at this stage... They just lose composure at critical times that they probably wouldn't if they were playing the English


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[ChargerWA]

The Welsh just don't seem to know how to beat the SH teams. They just can't shut it out. Why?

Because of the NH teams, they are most like us but for the most part practice it in less favourable conditions. The Orcs and others have a point of difference when they meet us.

That's all I can think of. Of course it's 90% mental also.

 

[Tomikin]

So ive heard the score now .. I woke up at 5am qld time.. game was over.. I was actually up at 1:45 when it started... then slept through the 7 am replay.. now ..was going to skip it but now decided to watch it ...

 

[Mr Doug]

Cheika says Pocock had a bang to calf. Came off as precaution among late sub flurry. Folau similar to last week re: ankle. #RWC2015

The members here with medical degrees would appreciate Cheika's grasp of in-depth medical terminology. He was asked how Folau's ankle was, and replied that "it got a bit weary"! Is there no limit to this guy's talent?!!

 

[Blue]

Mumm's card was total balls.

 

[Mr Doug]

So ive heard the score now .. I woke up at 5am qld time.. game was over.. I was actually up at 1:45 when it started. then slept through the 7 am replay.. now ..was going to skip it but now decided to watch it .

You've got a few time-management problems, Tomikin!

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Wales will be ruing not winning this one as had there opportunities when Wallabies reduced to 13 men. Great defensive effort by Wallabies to keep them out with 13 men but gees Wales should have been able to score with only 13 players on the park.

Good to see Wallabies grind out the close ones and come on right side of the ledger and credit to Wales and Gatland as they played a good game to potentially be in the position to win it.

Good chance for Wales to progress and would be favourites to topple SA I reckon...but need to maybe work on attacking options near the goaline perhaps a little better.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Mumm's card was total balls.

Yeh I thought it was a penalty but not a yellow card

 

[Tomikin]

You've got a few time-management problems, Tomikin!

moving house... and I drink .. I should have catched on when a perth fan said it was only 6 hours...

 

[Braveheart81]

So without a dominant scrum do we draw that?

It's a concern how susceptible we still are to the Ireland 2011 game plan.

We would have lost that game without our scrum being so good.

How we withstood so many five metre scrums with 7 men will forever remain one of life's great mysteries.

 

[Blue]

Kane Douglas.

I don't think there is a lock in the world that works harder than this guy.

There was whinging and whining way back when he was first selected and people didn't understand what he does. It's all 100%

 

[Braveheart81]

Yeh I thought it was a penalty but not a yellow card

It was only a yellow card because of repeated infringements. It wasn't a yellow card in its own right.

 

[KOB1987]

Yeh I thought it was a penalty but not a yellow card

It's even 50/50 for that, he looked like he was competing for the ball to me.

 

[Highlander35]

If he'd just knocked the ball on Mumm would have been fine.

The arms went around and contact was made. Not much choice for the ref in the matter, then the card was a logical consequence given the previous warnings.

 

[Quick Hands]

Great game. I've now watched it twice and that was the type of game which sets you up to win finals. That 12-15 minute spell where we were in our 22 at times with 13 or 14 men and kept our line intact was as good a defensive display as I've seen anywhere anytime by anybody.

If nothing else, this match confirmed that Wales are a much better team than England.

Well done Wallabies.

The Scots scraped home against Samoa, so having beaten England and Wales, I can't see the Scots presenting too many problems for us.

 

[Quick Hands]

This RWC reinforces what many on these threads have been saying for years about the scrum. Having former Australian props who were dominated at test level, coaching the next generation was our big problem. Ledesma has had these guys for just under 12 months and look at our scrum now.