Wallabies vs Wales - Docklands Stadium June 16

I thought the ref's control of the defensive line was very, very poor.

How can it be that the two most open rugby playing international teams can finish a game with 163 rucks and and only four line breaks!

As I said earlier, I was down near the ground for the game and the Welsh backline were offside all night right in front of the assistants....

They weren't just a little offside either...

There was a period where Davies was consistently a metre or so in front of the rest of his already offside defensive line... The crowd were going absolutely batshit about it...

Japan V Tonga streaming live on IRB website for those interested. Half time: 17-10 to Tonga

that's not live..

Only footy code on last night and the crowd was shit house. Plenty of freebies given out.

I really wonder sometimes what this game has to do in order to get some recognition.

Was Warburton playing last night?

The game count in the battle of the 7's is now Pocock two, Warburton nil. Disappointing as I was expecting to see a more even contest after all the RWC and 6N hype.

I think a certain Gareth Edwards and a Mr Barry John would disagree with you there, Look I'm gutted I genuinely thought we would beat the aussies down here,
1,1/2 Min remaining on the clock and they kick the ball back to the Aussies and thats not dumb, As for saying they have a better defence than any NH side What a load of twaddle, Their defence was so good the scots who are one of the worst sids in the NH beat them.
I'm as disapointed as you Blue But , to blame the ref for our defeat smacks of desperation, We didn't play as well as we have in the past perhaps australia didn't let us play, but we have played much better, I agree that Roberts was a huge loss in the middle for us.
I believe we need to beat the SH sides at home first on a fairly consistent level, do that, break this phycological hold they have over us and we will overcome.
The gap between north and south is closing, whether the SH agree or not, it is only a matter of time before the wins come, as little as 10 years ago being 17-3 down in the first test we would have capitulated and lost by 50
As for the ref, I hear it every day rubbish ref dosen't ref the breakdown don't know whats happening in the scrum so on, the refs interpritation can be frustrating, well play the ref,
The SH sides do this consistently and with out the gripe.

Hmmmm!! You ever played rugby blue.

I think Cardiff Blue's new avitar shows who he really thinks is responsible for the loss, and indicates the level of his disappointment.

HJ we are all disapointed, the Welsh boards are full of Blame and disapointments, I saw the diapointment on the players faces at the end of the game,get better or the same thing will happen in the last test.

Hey Dai,

What's up with Warburton? We were expecting to see so much more from him. Almost as if he has been swallowed up by Sir Richie's Cloak of Invisibility.

yes

Like the full back page of the Hun today.

Apologies if already posted, but Vuna has been cited for a dangerous tackle and will front judiciary tomorrow, according to news reports (see end of this article):

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/w...e-assault-charge/story-e6frf55l-1226397820383

Sure, it'll bring to people's attention that there was a game last night.

The day after doesn't help drive the attendance though.

Oh and I wasn't just referring to the landscape here, it's a national outlook.

I know people have discussed previously on here that they don't mind a stadium being half full because it means shorter lines for beer, food, toilet etc. But for me at a Test match they should be doing everything they can to fill the stadium.

There's a lot of talk about growing the game in Australia but most of it centres around how to get people playing. Yesterday was a perfect opportunity to get people watching! At some point during the week the ARU must have known that it was going to be far from a sell out. So why didn't they have special offers discounts and especially for those with young kids.

If you can grow the game by getting more people going to test matches and target it at those with kids then the kids are more likely to want to play rugby. I'm a big advocate of first capturing the parents and future parents into our Rugby net and that having a big influence of the choices that future generations make about what sports to play/follow.

Hell if it was me at the ARU I would have been giving tickets away. I would have made it free ticket for any kid 14 or under as long as they are accompanied by an adult who would pay half price for their ticket.

I'm sure many of us have tried to convert non rugby fans to rugby by such means of trying to explain the beauty of our sport or the feeling it's stirs within us or even by getting them to watch it on TV. None of it is very successful because they just don't get it.

But I've then seen what happens when you bring a non rugby support to a full bloody quality test match and after 10-15 minutes they get that look in their eyes and I think to myself now they get it.

Very intereasting RH. Wasn't aware KB had been charged!

The only Wales tour I can recall Messrs John and Edwards going on was NZ in 69. We didn't have live coverage but from memory it wasn't a great success, though it did set up the 71 Lions tour

think if you watch again, He got through a helluva lot of work at the breakdown.

Personally, I would prefer we picked the most talented players in the country and selected a game plan that suited the cattle.