Wallabies vs England, Sydney, 3rd Test, 25 June @ 8:00pm

[Quick Hands]

The best captains make it sound like they are conversing with the referee rather than questioning the referee.

 

[tragic]

It's part of the reason our game struggles to appeal to the masses.
So many of the laws are so bloody subjective that getting the referee onside is such an important part of the game.
It shouldn't make such a big difference but all to often it does.
Particularly when there is so little between the teams
Only the ABs can "take the referee out of the equation" because they are so bloody good that a few 50/50 calls rarely influence the outcome.
The rest of us have to frig around playing mind games to get the rub of the green.
It annoys the shit out of me sometimes and I love the game.
Friends who are not so pro rugby just move on to another sport.

 

[JJJ]

I sometimes wonder if Moore uses up his store of goodwill with the refs trying to ensure every scrum setup is aligned to his satisfaction. He almost always has something to say about it and if the scrum then goes backwards he can't help but looking a fool.

 

[JJJ]

Speaking of ref management, I had to laugh at this piece from George Smith in a Wasps match as captain:

 

[Moono75]

Australian political correctness has infiltrated rugby. The hardness is gone. England know's this. The underbelly is soft. Gutted like a pig. Show some balls Wallabies!

 

[Joe Blow]

I'm really looking forward to seeing how Adam Coleman goes. I assume he will replace Skelton at half time or early in the second stanza bar injury.
He is athletic, has a good running/passing game and also puts on some big hits. He and Simmons could form a very good combo.
None of the other locks have really put their hands up in this series and in my mind he has the most potential of all of the young Australian second rowers.

 

[Forcefield]

Which seems funny to me. He certainly doesn't come across to me as being rude or disrespectful.

Yeah but he does a lot of dumb shit niggle that would piss off most referees. I'd have dropped him after last week.

 

[tragic]

Yeah but he does a lot of dumb shit niggle that would piss off most referees. I'd have dropped him after last week.

If you're going to do that you need a better alternative.
There's a fair drop between Moore/TPN and the rest.
And the throwing needs to be spot on this week with one less jumper in the lineout.
Which means the sensible decision is to stay with Moore.

 

[KOB1987]

Can someone point out where England's dominance in the lineout is going to come from?

Rob Simmons: 200cm (6'7"); 115kg
Scott Fardy: 198cm (6'6"); 114kg
Will Skelton: 203cm (6'8"); 140kg
Sean McMahon: 186cm (6'1"); 100kg

George Kruis: 198cm (6'6"); 117kg
Maro Itoje: 195cm (6'5"); 116kg
Billy Vuniploa: 188cm (6'2"); 126kg
Teimana Harrison: 188cm (6'2"); 106kg

 

[KOB1987]

Especially considering we are going to have Palu & Coleman coming on for (presumably) McMahon & Skelton. Even if the goal is just to hold our own for the first half I can see us outperforming that objective.

 

[cyclopath]

It's all about reach, calling and throwing accuracy, not raw height per se. Those differences above mean little.

 

[Lindommer]

A trip to Australia's fifth sixth best city, behind Brisbane, Gold Coast, Townsville and Weipa to watch the Wallabies towel up the Soap Dodgers.

You omitted the sporting capital of the western world, Wagga Wagga.

 

[Sully]

Probably not entirely his fault - there are a few yapping dogs in the Wallaby team who don't shut up. His occasional propensity for a bit of niggle may not help. Maybe we don't catch the nuance of how he talks to the ref well. Just spitballing here.

Phipps? Particularly bad.

 

[Pfitzy]

It's all about reach, calling and throwing accuracy, not raw height per se. Those differences above mean little.

Centimetres don't beat teamwork and certainly don't beat hard work.

 

[Pedrolicus]

Is anyone else amused by English fans referring to the Wallabies/Australia as the "green and gold"?

 

[wamberal]

Is anyone else amused by English fans referring to the Wallabies/Australia as the "green and gold"?

No.

 

[Forcefield]

If you're going to do that you need a better alternative.
There's a fair drop between Moore/TPN and the rest.
And the throwing needs to be spot on this week with one less jumper in the lineout.
Which means the sensible decision is to stay with Moore.

I meant dropped to the bench. Give it a season or two and there will be three or four other good (better?) options.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Phipps? Particularly bad.

Fardy also keeps putting his bib in. But to my eyes, he has the better rapport with refs anyway and would make an honourable captain.

 

[KOB1987]

It's all about reach, calling and throwing accuracy, not raw height per se. Those differences above mean little.

Yeah I realize all of that. Those things come in to play regardless of who our jumpers are. I wasn't asking why our line out isn't going to be as good as last week's, I was asking why the inclusion of Skelton suddenly means we've lost our line out advantage.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The comments about ref management are spot on. Squeak doesn't do it particularly well and he's not helped by fourteen other blokes continually mouthing off either. I'm looking at you in particular, Scott and Nick. They are forever yapping and it would shit me to tears as a ref. I'd be marching those blokes constantly during a game. I've played with blokes like that and am normally a quiet bloke, but fair dinkum I've had to yell at these guys right up in their faces to just. shut. up. about. the. fucking. ref!

I feel better now.