Wallabies V Samoa - Test 2011

[waves]

stunned. Alexander got hammered in the scrum. Back row was impotent. Phipps was ok till that fucking kick. Crab Giteau ignited nothing. And Davies might as well head home now. FFS I hope they select a big angry pack who love inflicting pain.

1. Pek Cowan
2. Saia Fainga'a
3. Sekope Kepu
4. James Horwill
5. Nathan Sharpe
6. Rocky Elsom
7. David Pocock
8. Ben McCalman

???

Edit:

If Elsom was not captain he shouldn't be in the side to take on the Bokks next week Radike Samo ?

 

[DPK]

Congrats to Samoa. One of the commentators mentioned the points difference in their EOYT last year, they lost a lot of games but not by much; they played like that sort of team today. Simply wanted it more than the Wallabies.

McCabe looked to be doing what someone had told him to do, and did it well; whether it was the right thing to do or not is another matter.

 

[BDA]

Congrats to Samoa. Sucks to lose but it’s a good lesson to learn at the start of the season and that is don't underestimate your opponent by playing a B side. Not the end of the world given that basically every year the wallabies chalk up a performance like this one. At least we can get it out of the way early with our B side.

The forwards really didn't work hard enough. A lot of that can be put down to rust as basically the whole pack hasn’t played any rugby for a month but still not good enough.

Kepu – looked rusty. should be better next week.
Moore – pretty good in the set piece, not to bad around the field.
Alexander – surprisingly poor. Was constantly catching the ball flat footed, and constantly popping up in the scrum.
Sharpe – good early on but nothing special.
Timani – made a few telling tackles but he was basically put in there to be an enforcer and did nothing really. I think you have to say Deans can’t choose him again this season based on that performance.
Elsom – to be fair to Elsom I thought he was pretty good for having not played any rugby this year. He made a few good runs and will no doubt be a lot better next week having gotten rid of some rust.
Hodgson – Not good enough really.
McCalman – my man of the match. Was the only forward that really played with intensity. Looking forward to seeing more from him this year.
Phipps – what can you say other than very very poor. Gave us no real direction, constantly threw the ball to static players. Poor decision making. I think Deans should consider playing Giteau as our third halfback at the world cup as he arrived at the ruck before Phipps a few times today and looked better in that role.
Giteau – good with ball in hand but gave us absolutely no direction. The backline never looked good. He is just not a great flyhalf. I don’t mind him as a support run (maybe 12) but that’s about it.
McCabe & AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) – To be fair to these guys they weren’t getting much to work with but they also weren’t able to do anything but run it up and get pushed back across the gain line.
Davies – poor. Couldn’t stay on his feet.
Ioane – looked good with nothing to work with.
Gerrard – too slow. His strength is his kicking and he didn’t kick once.

Vickerman – I though he looked good when he came on, despite obvious rust. Looks like a great bench option for the world cup.
Genia – Made an immediate difference when he came on. He highlighted the massive gap between himself and Phipps.
Robinson – not too bad but probably a bit too eager when he came on.
Higgers – Looked good when he came on. I think he has put his hand up for a bench spot next week.
Beale – Made a big difference when he came on.

So in summary I would say this game proved some things we already knew.
- giteau is not a flyhalf
- Phipps is too green
- Vicks and Higgers are up to the challenge.

My team for next week

1. Kepu
2. Moore
3. Slipper
4. Sharpe
5. Horwill
6. Elsom
7. Pocock
8. McCallman
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. Fainga'a
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. O’Connor
15. Beale

16. Alexander
17. Hanson
18. Vicks / Simmons
19. Higgers
20. Robinson
21. Giteau (covering halfback)
22. McCabe

 

[Rebel rouser]

Samoa beat Australian south pacific barbarians today (sincere congratulations to Samoa, well done boys). Someone tell the ARU you earn a test jumper and each test is an honour not a trial game. That is what A games are for, no bonus points either Rocky!

I think you're a bit harsh on the team. I think many of the players in our B side still have the _ability_ to step up and be great. However, we chose our team like we were playing a Tier two side, thinking we could put any team on the park and they would come together and look like superstars. Today Samoa played like a Tier one side you would _never_ put in an entirely fresh team against the Boks or the English. You would rotate in a man or two to allow them to come up to speed with the rest of the team. So the result was we didn't play like a team, and we completely lost our shape.

 

[Gnostic]

Any injuries from the match?

Pride.
Confidence.
Bookmakers.
Hair follicles.
and a few TVs around Oz I would say.

 

[ShtinaTina]

A few first-half notes:

-Kepu: Coming back from injury so didn't expect much, a few good involvements but nothing amazing. --- That's what I said!
-Alexander: Worst on field. Hasn't done anything in open play and is getting rolled in the scrum. Get Baxter in there. --- Damn straight!
-Elsom: Playing really well for someone with one match under his belt since November. Looking for support in attack and making some good runs. --- yep
-Phipps and Giteau: No chemistry whatsoever, looks to be a complete communication block between them. No direction or awareness.
-Davies: Out of position in defense costing a try, blew an opportunity to score, a really off-day. --- He's capable of so much more...also needs longer sprigs

 

[fatprop]

What did they do at training all week?

 

[cyclopath]

What did they do at training all week?

Get injured or sign jerseys

 

[Gagger]

I don't think you can blame the Wallabies too much, someone obviously leaked the gameplan that we can't win against:

"Compete at the breakdown"

 

[Swarley]

Credit where credit's due. The pressure applied by Samoa's brilliant forwards nullified any impact of Hodgson et al., and the wheels fell off from there. Williams, Tuilagi and Stowers all had exceptional games.

 

[gecko]

The ruck once again was the biggest issue. The soft underbelly of the wallabies was once again exposed. It's not just the players though, I think tactics and coaching plays a massive part.

Some of the sub par performances need to know this will cost them places.

My team for next week:
1. Kepu
2. TPN (if fit otherwise Moore)
3. Slipper
4. Horwill
5. Simmons
6. Elsom
7. Pocock
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. Fainga'a
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (he was fairly average but as the most consistent Wallaby over the last few years i'm not throwing him under the bus)
14. JOC (James O'Connor)
15. Beale

16. Moore (or Fainga'a depending on fitness of TPN)
17. Alexander
18. Sharpe
19. Higgenbothom (coming on for Rocky after 50 minutes)
20. Palu if fit (McCalman if not)
21 Phipps (no other option till Burges is fit)
22. McCabe or Giteau (nether to see many minutes, most of the backs cover multiple positions)

I'd go with a 5/2 forward back bench split because we lost this game up front. The Wallaby backs are mostly decided bar the centre combination. We need the extra surge in the pack late and there's player who need an opportunity to show they can perform.

 

[Swarley]

The most unstructured farcical display I've seen from the Wallabies. What were they doing at training all week? SFA by the looks of it.

 

[Zinzan]

See link below why those boys will party hard tonight and why they won........proud of their culture and proud of the jersey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TselRkhDVS4

 

[waratahjesus]

I was pissed when they named the wallabies, more pissed now.
Reason is pure and simple, the wallaby b team is called Australia A.
The team that took the field today represented the country as it's best rugby team available, to call it a B team take away from the Samoans belting the hit out of us for 80 minutes.

Good on em, hope they keep the roll going there team was composed, full of enthusiasm and played to there abilities.

The Australian team looked like it was thrown together an hour before kick off, I've played in more settled subbies forth grade teams than that. Just terrible and the entire squad and coaching staff need to take the blame for it. Not for the loss, that should be credit to Samoa, but the lack of respect and ability they showed in our national colours

 

[Gnostic]

The most unstructured farcical display I've seen from the Wallabies. What were they doing at training all week? SFA by the looks of it.

Yes and double yes Swarley. Much is said about the limp display of the players but what was the game plan. Run everything from the 22. Not kick the points and treat the opposition with contempt? What about the defensive structure that saw Giteau, Elsom and Higgenbum when he came on defending on the wing? The total lack of any discernable game plan is what irks me most, and that is nothing new its been that way sine Deans came on board.

 

[Blue]

This same Samoa team pushed the likes of England to the wall last year. They are a well drilled team and for the first time I can remember there are no apparent weaknesses about them. Solid scrum, okay lineout, excellent play at the breakdown with fantastic counter rucking. A great 9, 10, 12 combo, solid as a rock guy at 15 and throw a human tank in on the wing.

They will beat most A teams the frontline rugby countries can field.

Wow, imagine the IRB invested more money in getting them test matches.

As for the Wobs well the silver lining is that at least you have figured out who is not up to it.

Many players look great in Super rugby and just don't deliver in test matches and a few of those got shown up today like Davies and Timani.

I hop for Timani he gets another chance because imagine how he will feel if he was dropped from the WC squad and watches Tonga from the stands.

Phipps made some terrible errors but the good part of his game is that he is the only Aus halfback to clear as fast as Genia. Still a very good prospect.

Hodgo did his chances no favors. Looked lost.

 

[tigerland12]

Is anyone else annoyed Hanson and Cowan weren't brought on?

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

Give credit where credit is due, the Samoans bashed the Wallabies into submission. The Aust A side were gun shy and did not want to run or straighten the attack up in fear of getting hammered. Everyone except Pat McCabe who probably is the only one who could hold their head up along with Ioane. The Wallaby Scrum did not do much and it shows they will struggle without Robinson (What other front row is there). I think Deans should have started Samo and TPN because they are the sort of players who would have relished in this type of Rugby. Advice to Deans though, dont pick any Brumbies players in the starting XV if you want to win this year, maybe have Gits and Elsom on the bench but go with the players who have peformed well all year. Samoa will only get better too.. .so if they do finish runner up in their pool, it will be another meeting with the Wallabies.

 

[Bruce Ross]

What did they do at training all week?

My mail is that they are training seven days a week with no rest days, and that they are covering twice as many kilometres as the Super teams normally do.

Clearly this regimen leaves little scope for serious strength training which necessitates recovery days. Still, not to worry, we'll razzle dazzle our way through. Unfortunately there was more frazzle than either razzle or dazzle this afternoon.

 

[Ash]

Congrats to Samoa, they deserved the win. They were more physical to a man, with some aggressive and physical defence, and they disrupted the ball all day. They lived off scraps in the first half, and still looked the more likely team to score. To make it worse, the Wallabies helped by slowing down their own ball, and keeping front foot ball in the forwards and only throwing slow ball to the backs, who then stood too deep and just shovelled it on.

Bit worried about the combinations in the Wallabies. Forwards just didn't have the continuity at the rucks, they would over commit on one, then under commit the next, with a gaggle of forwards waiting for a hit up looking at a disrupted, screwed up ruck. Get in there, guys. Too much ball watching, too much over committing, too much under committing, too much slow ball, too much everyone wanting to run the ball and not do the work. On Samoan ball we just didn't push them hard enough. I hope it's just teething problems, as these guys have been together for barely a week and it's there first game.

Phipps, Gits, McCabe, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) also didn't work to create space or gaps. The defence of the Samoans was willing and strong and up in their faces often, but the attack from the Wallabies lacked creativity, vision, and structure. Shovelling slow ball to the centres through a 10 and 12 standing way too deep will never work. I also prescribe to the belief that at least one centre has to be a ball player, and neither of ours is. The Reds, for example, have Tapuai and Fainga'a, who may not be the best at setting up their outside man but they do find the right pass more often than not. Tom Carter at the Tahs has improved so much in that regard this year and managed to get the ball across the backline. The Brumbies backline struggled in setting up the outside man and getting good ball across the backline, and we saw the same thing happen with the same Brumbies players. With the same midfield in the 3N and WC we will not score tries.

I hate to say it, but the Reds or Waratahs would've done better than the Wallabies in this game, because they play like a team. I don't know whether it was the game plan or individual efforts at fault, but my guess would be a bit of the former, and loads of the latter.