Wallabies vs Boks Bloemfontein

[Blue]

Thought I'd get the ball rolling.

For the Boks I'd like to see some personnel changes, although I expect the same team...unfortunately.

Habana needs to get a wake-up call. Aplon should start in his place.

Kirchner needs to come back. Steyn was awful.

Give Steenkamp rest (at a fat farm preferably - the same one John Smit should join as soon as the game ends) and start the Beast.

Give Kankowski a start in his preferred position - 8.

The Boks need to sort out the defense out wide (50% of it will be fixed without Habana storming out of the line), improve the kick accuracy and work on ball retention at the tackle.

While Smit and Matfield should be give some time off, the coaches won't have the nerve to do it.

The win should have given the Boks some confidence. The biggest plus for the Boks out of last week's game is the Hougaard/ M Steyn combo starting to work. Morne looks to be getting more confident.

The coaches and John Smit will want to win to keep the knives off their necks so there are loads at stake.

I would like to see John Smit rested and give Chiliboy a start with Bismarck on the wood but I have a better chance of winning the lottery.

 

[Gnostic]

The Wallabies 15 side will be unchanged and may get a change on the bench if Higginbum is lame.

Regardless of the effort the Wallabies put on the field they do not have a team game to play with the best.

As I have posted before there are enough class players in the Wallabies side with enough good players to get the results. What they do not have is a TEAM game or any comprehensible game plan. The play what is in front of you mantra just puts all the pressure on two or three creative players to make the break. The Team does not build any pressure through set moves or plays. They do not methodically break down a defence by drawing the defenders to a point on the field and then quick fire change of direction or angle.

Look the vast majority of the tries scored by the Wallabies this year and last relied totally on the brilliance of one or two players such as Beale in this last test. To make use of the example of the Deans coached Crusaders it didn't matter who left the team or got injured or what journeyman came in (such as Blackadder at Lock) the Teamwork got the team over the line more often than not. For some reason this teamwork is totally absent from this "group".

So my prediction for this week, based on the team from last week, and depending who the Clown picks for the Boks is Boks by 10+.

 

[DPK]

Habana's gotta go for the Boks. Its a tough call dropping him, obviously, but he isnt playing to well at the moment. Mind you, neither he nor Pieterson were particular active last weekend.

The Beale vs AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) conundrum is doing my head in.

 

[Blue]

I canlt see the issue DPK. Like I said elsewhere. Beale seems to show constant improvement.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a good option at fullback but has some deficiencies which he can't seem to overcome. His kicking game is under par and he often looks in two minds. when he takes a kick at the back. He won't let the side down but to me is just not the long term solution and will always seem to be a stopgap.

 

[PaarlBok]

I dont expect any changes to the Bok side. They look like coming together as a team for the first time all year. Jean and Mossie played well, even Bitch wasnt bad for his bit. No way he'll leave Smit or Spies or Habana out for this one. Let them finish the Wallabies first and I expect the Bokke to play better then saturday before they can take a bit of a break from rugby.

 

[fatprop]

Habana's gotta go for the Boks. Its a tough call dropping him, obviously, but he isnt playing to well at the moment. Mind you, neither he nor Pieterson were particular active last weekend.

The Beale vs AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) conundrum is doing my head in.

Whoever plays 13 appears to there to tackle, the stats showed AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doing a load of ruck/maul work

 

[PaarlBok]

Are the Wallabies back in Cape Town? Thought that played a massive role in your loss on the weekend.

 

[Gnostic]

I don't think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s play at 13 has been bad. His defence has been good and he dropped a ball for probably the first time in a test in what was after all a great tackle. Kudos to Hougard for a try saver.

The problem for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne before him is the total lack of options he is being given by the lack of any TEAM play. Each individual in the backline appears to be doing their absolute best to break the line as individuals. Look at the only real interpolay between two players on the weekend was Beale's counter attack from behind the line, JOC (James O'Connor) supported and Beale looped. Perfect support play, why didn't it continue?

In defending AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on this point he is also to blame for thr lack of interplay and the lack of any Channel running which we are so used to see from a succession of Wallaby 13's, Anthony Herbert, Jason Little, Daniel Herbert and finally Morty. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has the pace and power of Herbert and Mortlock but his channel running is absent, but then the set plays that put the aforementioned into those channels is also missing.

 

[Spewn]

Does anyone know if Ian "higgin" Botham is going to be able to play this weekend?

 

[Gnostic]

Does anyone know if Ian "higgin" Botham is going to be able to play this weekend?

No. He is reported to be out until the following week against the ABs, if he will be considered then.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27632506-5016959,00.html

 

[#1 Tah]

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Ma'afu
4. Mumm
5. Sharpe
6. McCalman
7. Pockock
8. Elsom
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Mitchell
12. Gits
13. Turner/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Turner/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Beale

16. Fainga'a
17. Slipper
18. Chisolm
19. Simmonds
20. Burgess
21. Barnes
22. JOC (James O'Connor)

 

[DPK]

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Ma'afu
4. Mumm
5. Sharpe
6. McCalman
7. Pockock
8. Elsom
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Mitchell
12. Gits
13. Turner/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Turner/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Beale

16. Fainga'a
17. Slipper
18. Chisolm
19. Simmonds
20. Burgess
21. Barnes
22. JOC (James O'Connor)

The teams pretty good, but Turner wont get 13 at the test level before getting it at the Super 15 level.

Actually, knowing Deans, that may just be the way he'll pick Turner. Throw him in the deep end!

 

[Spewn]

I don't mind the suggestion of turner at 13. Put AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the bench and get rid of burgess and barnes. If they are not going to come on get them off the bench. The traditional notion of replacement halves is a thing of the past. Please no Chisholm.

 

[Thomond78]

Are the Wallabies back in Cape Town? Thought that played a massive role in your loss on the weekend.

Oom, were they in Slaapstad or Die Dorpie? The picture on the front page here had the Simonsberg and Piketberg in the immediate background, and it looked very, very like the general Danie Craven Stadioen area. :nta:

 

[PaarlBok]

Oom, were they in Slaapstad or Die Dorpie? The picture on the front page here had the Simonsberg and Piketberg in the immediate background, and it looked very, very like the general Danie Craven Stadioen area. :nta:

Dunno ? I know the All Blacks like to go to the Lord Charles at Somerset West and practise at Somerset College.

Still stupid idea to not go to Osfontein where you have totally different weather conditions compare to us this time of the year.

 

[Richo]

5:2 split for the Wobs would be nice this week... as many were hoping for last weekend.

 

[Thomond78]

Dunno ? I know the All Blacks like to go to the Lord Charles at Somerset West and practise at Somerset College.

Still stupid idea to not go to Osfontein where you have totally different weather conditions compare to us this time of the year.

Definitely not Somerset College; an ex of mine went there, and it's just down the road from their farm, so I'd recognise it.

Agreed on it being daft being in the sensible-weather-where-it-rains-in-the-winter-like-God-intended Cape instead of up on the other side of the Boerewors Curtain.

Onse Wiaatnjie had a cracking game on Friday, too; given that it looks like it'll be a very good mealie harvest here this year, I think he likes it here.

Edit; it's not the Piketberg, it's the Jonkershoek, I think. Oom, is dit reg?

 

[Joe Blow]

More of the same pain again this weekend?
If we put the same team out the coaches will lose more respect and the team more supporters.....including me I think.

They have to try something different. Deans current approach is clearly not working.

 

[Blue]

PdV has called up Dewald Potgieter, Wynand Olivier and Gio Aplon.

Butch James is injured.

Jeez Kirchner is getting a raw deal.

 

[Moses]

5:2 split for the Wobs would be nice this week... as many were hoping for last weekend.

I reckon we go with a 2:1 split on the bench. Robbie wont use any more than that so might as well send em back to 7s training