Another glorious England defeat

Nov 22

Posted by Lance Free
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Dylan Hartley 'the mouth from the south'

All Blacks 19 England 6

Just like the ‘win’ at Dunkirk in 1940, the Poms went down fighting in a ‘glorious defeat’ against an All Black team that has finally recovered its confidence.

However, unlike Dunkirk it didn’t involve a ’strategic’ withdrawal as they continued to attack the Kiwis right up until the end but were unable to climb their Everest and snatch the Hillary Shield.

Although the portents suggested a loss early in the 2nd half when Jimmy (note: christian names to be used only, due to their well-knownness) scored the only try of the match, England were still in the game.

Oct 18

All Black for some including ‘demoted’ Hansen

Posted by Lance Free
9 Comments

Otago's Ben the bolter?

The All Black team for their Northern Tour was announced today and it contained a solid core of the usual suspects; a few players who you could say are lucky to be retained, and of course a couple of bolters.

The squad features 18 forwards and 15 backs and will again be captained by Richie McCaw. Interestingly, there has been a change in the coaching responsibilities.

Steve Hansen has lost the job of forwards coach to Graham ‘Smug’ Henry in the reshuffle. Hansen will concentrate on attack duties and Wayne Smith moves to become the defensive coach.

Nov 1

Score & Review: Australia vs New Zealand Hong Kong

Posted by Gagger
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All Blacks 19 – Wallabies 14

Someone needs to remind the Wallabies that there are two halves in a match of rugby. Yet again they came out playing the better attacking rugby, scoring two tries to nil in the first 40, to then look and play like walking zombies for the rest of the game.

The recipe for success in the first half was to play the game in the ABs half through kick chase defensive pressure, and then to spread it wide with quick ball. When doing this the Wallabies looked almost irresistible and there could have been another two tries. The passing, looping runs and clearance at the ruck were all first rate. Dare I say it, there was even counter-rucking.

Had the penalty count not been 7-1 to New Zealand after 30 minutes – continuously releasing pressure at just the wrong times – the ABs could have been out for the count (more on this later).

But it felt like we’d been here before though only a few weeks ago in Brisbane. Within two minutes of the restart another defensive cock up, this time by AAC marking the same inside man that Cross had, and Sivivatu was in. The wobbles had started. Suddenly the shape was gone – no kick chasers and no men running from deep.

This was the time when big runners like Elsom, Horwill and Palu should have been punching holes, but there was no-one to take their place. It was also the time when a positional kicking game was required. Instead AAC and Giteau began kicking balls long and out on the full. To summarise – the Wallabies scored zero points in the second half.

A lot has already been written about the Referee Alan Lewis’ impact on the match. At the breakdown he was consistent, in that he obviously thinks the defense has no right to contest the ball. Somehow an All Black lying on the ground holding the ball is a ruck and all we heard throughout the game was “let go gold, ruck formed” at precisely the point the Wallabies would have earned a turn over in any test of the season so far. With 3 fetchers in the squad it’s no surprise what a disadvantage this was to Australia.

What wasn’t consistent though was his view at scrum time. It’s no doubt that our scrum has rightly been a source of national embarrassment, but while that’s fair game for the Al Baxter hate club (otherwise known as those one-eyed fuckwits in the NZ Sky Sports box) it’s not OK for refs.

From the first collapse on the dodgy Honkers surface it was clear who Lewis was gonna nail this to, along with “Nisbo” and that lazy deadbeat John Drake. But the more you watched it, the more you realised that all bar a couple of instances, on their own feed the Wallaby scrum not only held its own, but was even dominant. So who was it who couldn’t handle the pressure on the NZ feed?

A perfect example came at a crucial point in the match on the 44th minute. Earning a rare penalty in the ABs 22, the Wallabies caused snorts of derision and disbelief in the Sky commentary box by opting for the scrum, which they went on to clearly dominate (momentary silence from strangled Skysports vowels).

The ensuing screwed backline move gave the ABs a scrum feed at which Tialata so obviously dropped the scrum that even ‘Drakey’ admutted it. Too late, Lewis had already decided who he was going to ping before the scrum was even set and Robinson takes the wrap. Poor, lazy refereeing.

The unfortunate reality is that this attitude will follow this Wallaby front row around Europe this year (Lewis is reffing the Welsh match for example) and ultimately it was Baxter and Dunning who earned it in the first place.

And the Wallabies definitely weren’t blameless today either. There were some dumb offsides, holding ons and early engagements that probably made up half of the penalty count. And I still can’t figure out why the notoriously fragile AB line-out went almost totally uncontested.

In the end, this Honkers dead rubber demonstrated another few important steps forward for Australia under Deans, but coming a valiant second to the All Blacks is wearing very thin.

NEW ZEALAND 19 (Richard McCaw, Sitiveni Sivivatu tries Daniel Carter 3 pens) bt AUSTRALIA 14 (Drew Mitchell 2 tries Matt Giteau 2 cons) at Hong Kong Stadium. Referee: Alan Lewis (IRE).

Oct 28

Teams – Australia vs New Zealand Hong Kong Bledisloe

Posted by Gagger
5 Comments

We haven’t got the full Wallabies team yet – it’s announced on Thursday – but the leaks are starting to trickle out and the All Blacks have laid down their misere, with an interesting twist.

First off we can all breathe a sigh of relief that Luke Burgess is set to regain his spot at 9 from Vanilla Gregan – papa Deans told him before Tuesday’s training as Luke had been asking every 15 minutes since wheels up at Kingsford Smith.

Assuming Burgess is match fit (are any of them following the weeks they’ve had off?) this gives me some reason for hope of quick ball and defense around the ruck.

The other starting name we’ve been given is Mark Chisholm at lock. While it’s a bit of a case of last man standing, Antipodeans seems to believe the toe up Chis’ arse might have done the trick:

“So this is his chance, he’s obviously pretty excited about it and he’s got an awareness of how important it is because he’s got that sense of having these chances previously and not taking advantage of them.

“So if he brings that urgency, I’m picking you’ll see a pretty good performance out of him.”

Worringly, Ryan Cross has been training as Mortlock’s centre pairing. Both are great outside centres, niether is an inside centre. I can only assume Berrick Barnes needs more time to rest his shoulder.

Tuqiri’s out for two games at least and I quite like a few of the quotes from Dingo on this one:

“He won’t be playing this week and he won’t be playing next week to be honest, to be fair,” Deans revealed.

He might think otherwise … but he needs to get some work under his belt.

If he, through the work he does, has a setback, and it gets to the point where there’s no advantage with him being with us, then we’ll send him home.”

No special favours, which is good to see.

Tim Tam has delivered another surprise to Australian rugby. As well as needing a brand new hammy a few weeks after arriving at the Tahs, it now turns out that he can’t fly outside of Australia without buggering his back.

Tahu was experiencing back tightness – a discomfort stemming as much from a nine-hour flight from Sydney as his chronic hamstring injury – and was unable to take part in the Wallabies’ first team run in Hong Kong

9 hours? He’ll need a fucken wheelchair out of Heathrow by the sound of things.

Despite training in Honkers, McMenimen is still out till Italy as is Kimlin. Palu is unlikely to play the pasta eaters.

As for the Kiwis, it’s a pretty good looking team I’ve gotta say and the switch of Carter to 12 outside of Donald could re-create the headaches it did towards the end in Brisbane.

All Blacks
Mils Muliaina, Hosea Gear, Conrad Smith, Dan Carter, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Stephen Donald, Jimmy Cowan, Rodney So’oialo, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.
Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Greg Somerville, Anthony Boric, Adam Thompson, Piri Weepu, Ma’a Nonu, Isaia Toeava.

Sep 17

Explanation required

Posted by Gagger
9 Comments

Right, Australia didn’t lose this match and the Tri-Nations because of this – the final ruck. We lost it because we went to sleep for 15 minutes and let in three soft tries.

And this ruck isn’t even remarkable because of the the number of infringements the All Blacks managed to cram into it. But let’s count them:

Stephen Donald (21), the tackler, never releases or rolls away from George Smith the ball carrier. Watch him bring his legs up on the wrong side, off his feet to seal off the ball
Richie McCaw (7) comes into the ruck from the side – an offside position
Keven Mealamu (16) goes off his feet
Ali Williams (5) goes off his feet
Mils Miliaina (15) goes off his feet on the wrong side of the ruck
Sitiveni Sivivatu (11) goes off his feet on the wrong side of the ruck
Mils Muliaina (15) takes out Sam Cordingly the half back, who doesn’t even have his hands on the ball
Stephen Donald (21), still on the ground, on the wrong side of the ruck and having never rolled away from the tackle, uses his hands to throw the ball out of the ruck to Piri Weepu

No, what’s amazing about this ruck is where the referee, Jonathan Kaplan, stands while all of this happens: right in fµcken front of it. And yet sees nothing wrong with it.

Someone give me an explanation for that.

gif supplied by Moses

Sep 13

Australia v New Zealand Brisbane Tri-Nations Review

Posted by Gagger
7 Comments

In the hope that this wouldn’t just turn into a full rant, I’ve slept on it. Unfortunately though, the next morning it’s not looking that much better. Rage has just given way to deep disappointment.

The ultimate disappointment comes from the fact that the Wallabies had that game. Retaining 65% possession and 61% of territory, they were ahead at half time and 17-7 up after 45 minutes. With ball in hand out wide they carved upfield, driving right into the All Black 22 on four or more occasions, each time to splutter out with indecision (or wrong decision) from an achingly slow Cordingly, or a mystical decision from Kaplan.

Still, even though they could have, and should have been at least 2 tries further ahead after 50 minutes, the game was very much theirs until the disturbing Wallaby trend of 2008 – letting in soft defensive tries – got a full airing; 3 within 15 minutes. And this ignores the Muliaina try abomination in the first half, when half of the team lined up on the wrong side of the ruck to mark 2 men. Where was that amazing scrambling D off the line, infuriating the opposition into turn-overs?

So while we should have been overjoyed with the last minute comeback to score one try and threaten another, instead I was thinking – “What a fµcking show. Don’t give me last minute futile comebacks, give me some mental cahones when it matters.”

Along with mental and defensive frailty, another disturbing advent of 2008 appears to be a lack of fitness. I’m still finding it hard to believe this myself but it was painfully exposed in JoBurg (compounded by altitude) and yesterday we had forwards (and Cordingly) walking between rucks. Witness the final turnover (and many throughout the match) when the ABs simply had more men where they needed it when they needed it, who didn’t look like they’d just climbed K2.

The glass half full version? The scrum and the line-out were strong, in fact slightly stronger than the ABs, as demonstrated by the couple of line-out steals and tight heads. Stealing a scrum turnover to set up a try in the dying minutes is pretty impressive. That’s a long way since our fears of capitulation just last season.

The other upside, I guess, is that this close loss came missing two of the three first choice Wallaby inside backs. I’ll save my ire for Cordingly’s player rating, but his 80 minute clusterfµck and the gaping hole screaming for a second play maker were the difference in this game.

So sure, there’s the blueprint of success here, but some big, obvious problems that need attention in the coming months. As solace for the pain, that’s where it get’s interesting again.

Sep 13

Wallabies vs All Blacks Tri-Nations final in Brisbane Score & Commentary

Posted by Gagger
9 Comments

Wallabies 24 – All Blacks 28.

Fahhk. I’m going to need some time to write anything semi-objective about this game, as today Australia managed to excite and infuriate in almost equal measure in a loss that handed the Tri Nations to New Zealand for the umpteenth friggen time.

So I’ll try and stick to relating on how it happened (or how I saw it):

1 min – Solid high take by AAC

2 min – A nervy penalty miss from Giteau fails to take the early lead.

15 min – Following some aimless kicking and shocking defence from the Wallabies (not for the last time in the match unfortunately) Muliaina was among another 6 unmarked black jerseys on the open side to score a try in the 15th minute. 0-7

6 min – Giteau giving away possession with aimles mid-field bombs. Moore gives away his first brainless penalty of the night

16 min – Giteau puts a penalty touch finder dead in goal

20 min – Palu knocks on with 2 unmarked men outside him

23 min – McCaw commits an offside at the ruck so blatant even Kaplan can’t miss it and Gits slots the goal. 3-7

27 min – Cross a standout for the Wallabies with straight strong running. Sustained pressure on the All Black line that the Wallabies can’t convert to points. Cordingly is so slow and indecisive at the ruck I’m shouting at the screen.

32 min – Palu limps off and Richard Brown on to create the 828th Wallaby. A good move.

41 min – Giteau kick-passes to Hynes who holds the ball up beautifully before offloading to AAC, who beats 2 defenders to grab a try. Gits converts. 10-7

HALF TIME – Wallabies have had 65% possession and 61% territory, but have released pressure at crucial times

45 min – Giteau slides a beautiful inside ball to Brown who recycles. Ball goes wide from ruck through Giteau to Horwill, who steamrollers Carter on his way to score. Gits slots another impressive conversion. The Wallabies in the ascendant – can we do this? 17-7

48th min – great hit on Carter by Hynes

50 min – The brainfarts begin. Sharpe decides defending is passe, and watches as Conrad Smith runs past him in the line. Woodcock strolls 30m to score in the corner. Classy kick from Carter 17-14

53 min – more pressure not converted into points. 13 phases camped on the AB line, Cordingly decides he can take on two front rowers and gets smashed. McCaw simply throws himself off his feet over onto the Wallaby side sealing off the ball and it’s a turnover to the ABs. Go figure.

55 min – Horwill puts in a great steal and then smashes Thorne. He’s once again embarrassing Sharpe

62 min – Soaiolo breaks through flimsy D. AAC on feet over the ball for 30 seconds but somehow Kaplan gives advantage to the Blecks. Sivivatu dummies Cross on the edge of the ruck and then pops to Weepu for a very soft try. Carter is a machine 17-21

64 min – ABs kicking is taking yards from Australia like candy from a baby

65 min – Wallabies have now completely switched off and must be thinking about what’s on telly tonight. Afoa works a short lineout and strolls down 30m almost to a try. For some reason Kaplan calls it back

67 min – Wallabies are man on man with the ABs 15m out. Mortlock comes hopelessly out of the line, first of all chasing the inside man, and then Carter who goes past Mortlock’s outside shoulder. Cross is left flat footed, misses Carter who strolls over and then converts. 17-28

All Blacks are now “counter-rucking” (diving over the ball) at every breakdown and Cordingly is either strangely absent or ponderously slow, allowing them to do so.

75 min – Australia remembers they’re in this thing called a Tri-Nations decider and start to actually play some rugby through Cross, Giteau and the forwards. On front foot towards try line when Cordingly bullets a pass a metre above McMenimens head. He obliges with a knock-on. Is this game over?

77th min – With the ensuing 3 re-sets the Wallabies actually screw the ABs scrum earning a turn over. From the scrum, Giteau uses Mortlock as the decoy and drops the inside ball to Cross who goes through 5 All Blacks to score. Gits slots it in front. It’s still on, kind of. 24-28

79th minute – NZ running the clock down with pick and drives 30m out from the Aussie line. Christ knows how, but following this strange thing called counter-rucking from Brown, Smith rips the ball out of the maul and we’re away, Giteau searing upfield and bulleting a pass that somehow Tuqiri holds onto and is tackled. Brown comes to the rescue with Mortlock, Cordingly catches a cab there.

81st min – 5 phases later and 30 meters on through the hands, the ABs are penalised for offside. Gits taps and passes. Smith gets stranded in midfield, Cordingly watches as the ABs pile over, the ball miraculously pops out to Weepu who boots it into touch.

Bye bye Trinations. Bye bye Blesdisloe. Bye bye The Plan. Hello mediocrity. Again.

Sep 10

Wallabies vs All Blacks, preview of the Tri-Nations decider

Posted by Gagger
16 Comments

The start of the new Australian rugby dream, and any meaningful success comes down to this one test in Brisbane on Saturday. A loss, and the only difference from 2007 is the South African Hoodoo broken, but at the cost of a record thrashing. A win, and regardless what happens in Honkers or Europe, this is the most successful year since 2001, with further glory to be had.

So what to expect?

I’ve read all the “thrashing is just what we needed” and “Robbie will come back even harder” stuff, largely pumped out by the Kiwis to try and somehow grab an underdog card. Well, let’s face it, as much as we’d like it to be true, it’s bullshit.

Let’s face the facts.

When we won it in 2000, our losses were by 5 and 1 points. In 2001, one loss in RSA by only 5 points. There were no 45, or 24 point beltings, not by a long way. Thrashings are not good signs. Ever.

The wins? By 7 at home in Perth, over a McCaw-less ABs also at home, and then a pathetic Springboks in Durban.

Don’t get me wrong, I see the progress in this team. The beginnings of where Aussie Robbie wants to take it along with the promising mix of talent that’s coming through in the likes of Burgess, Barnes, Horwill, Robinson, Palu and Elsom.

But with three key injuries – to Burgess, Vickerman and Barnes – all of a sudden it’s gone from an x-factor to make-do. Mortlock’s playing at 12 for about the first time ever, and is the designated cover for our one remaining play maker and 10 – renowned concussionist Matt Giteau. This is with an ongoing experiment at full-back, broken line-out, fragile kicking game, worsening defence and against a full strength All Black team in a do or die match.

Our lifeline? Well, nothing short of a spectacularly ballsy performance with the right rub of the green and Giteau’s radar spot on. And if someone could find Susy the waitress and get her to Brissy, that wouldn’t hurt either.

Sep 8

Wallabies vs All Blacks Final Tri-Nations teams for Brisbane

Posted by Gagger
4 Comments

With the Australian and New Zealand teams being announced, the Aussie Robbie Deans selection policy seems pretty straight forward so far: stuff up and you go, no risks come big game time. So as per this ethos he’s made 5 changes for the Brisbane Tri-Nations decider this Saturday.

Everyone’s favourite scapegoat and mungo without a defensive clue, Timana Tahu, along with the incredible hooker who can’t throw, Polota-Nau, have both found themselves back in Sydney this weekend. Instead, Cross gets a starting run (presumably going to 13, Mortlock to 12), Moore runs on at rake and the older hand Frier rides the pine.

Dunning bends the bench and this week Nathan Sharpe promised he’d learned his lesson in the press and adds his experience back into the second row alongside Horwill. Waugh swaps with Smith and interestingly, Mumm loses out to McMenimen for the bench and Richard Brown lines up for his potential first cap.

Vickerman, Barnes and Burgess were “not considered for selection”. It sounds like Barnes’ shoulder just wasn’t going to make it and one less unknown made things easier.

These selections, along with the 5-2 bench gives an indication of where AntipoDeans thinks this game is going to be won or lost: the breakdown. With Sheehan and Mitchell being the only back cover, we need to pray Giteau doesn’t tackle with his head on Saturday.

For the All Blacks it’s an unchanged team since their last 2 tournament matches and unfortunately for the Wallabies Carter, McCaw, and Sivivatu are all fit and healthy. The ABs have gone for a 4-3 split on thier bench.

Wallabies
Adam Ashley-Cooper; Peter Hynes, Ryan Cross, Stirling Mortlock (c), Lote Tuqiri; Matt Giteau, Sam Cordingley; Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Rocky Elsom; Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill; Al Baxter, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson. Reserves: Adam Freier, Matt Dunning, Hugh McMeniman, Phil Waugh, Richard Brown, Brett Sheehan, Drew Mitchell.

All Blecks
Mils Muliaina; Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu; Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan; Rodney So’oialo, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino; Ali Williams, Brad Thorn; Greg Somerville, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Keven Mealamu, John Afoa/Neemia Tialata, Anthony Boric, Adam Thomson, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava.

Sep 3

How to make 101 look difficult: New Zealand vs Samoa in New Plymouth

Posted by Gagger
7 Comments

While channel surfing in a hospital room this afternoon post knee op (thanks for all the messages of support…), I came across the replay of the All Blacks slaughtering Samoa 101-14 from earlier today. Knowing what the score was already, I wasn’t too thrilled at the prospect, but what I saw was a better gift than the flowers and fruit I didn’t get.

I don’t want to overplay it, at the end of the day 15 tries is a decent effort. But this scratch Samoan team was a B team at best, with only 5 of them playing any rugby outside of Samoa. The A team being away with their clubs in Europe.

And it showed. Their scrum folded faster than – well, even ours at its worst – they had no backline defensive pattern and they gave away approximately a penalty a minute. Twenty-six of the points were run in when the Samoan 9 finally got binned just before half time.

Nevertheless, the All Blacks conspired to make hard work of this unopposed training drill. The line-out limped along, balls got passed into touch, the back of the scrum was a mess and balls got spilled all over the place. The culprits were the usuals – Nonu, Cowan, Lauaki (surprise!) and So’aiolo to name a few. The same types that went missing in Sydney.

Again Carter and Smith looked sharp, and of course half of the team – Richie McCaw – was being rested. But the key point I took away was this – those same flaws that the Wallabies blew up and exploited at ANZ stadium are still there, lurking just below the surface, ready to pop out even when the pressure is low. The question is, can we up it enough in Brisvegas?

Aug 16

South Africa versus New Zealand Tri-Nations Score & Review

Posted by Gagger
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Springboks 0 All Blacks 19

The Wallabies looked on from the stands in Capetown as these two sides belted lumps out of each other today. Unfortunately for the Saffas, this seemed to be their only gameplan.

The ABs got on the board early through a McCaw chip behind the tryline for Smith to ground just enough for the try. Due to wonky Carter radar the score stayed at 0-5 until about the 60th minute when Carter’s radar managed to find his way through the Springbok midfield and score with a backwards dunk under the poles.

This was with the Saffas holding on to about 65% of the pill through the first half. The sad truth was that they just didn’t know what to do with it, whether by hand or boot. In the meantime the other half of the ABs, McCaw, had managed to snuff them out at the breakdown, causing Matfield to completely lose his cool with the efeminate Goddard.

In headless chook chase mode the Boks threw a try to Mealamu as they tried to run from too deep and messy.

Good news for the Wallabies is that there were no bonus points, so the table looks like;
ABs 14
Aus 9
SA 5

So while the saffas are out of it, we’re in with a big sniff, but at a minimum we need to take a bonus point away from RSA. And it all comes down to Brizzy….

Aug 3

Wallabies vs All Blacks second Bledisloe player ratings

Posted by Gagger
6 Comments

Always torture doing ratings on a thumping, but here goes.

15 Adam Ashley-Cooper Looked solid at the back until went off with busted hand, even made a tackle after his injury. 5

14 Peter Hynes - Provided two of the rare running highlights 7

13 Stirling Mortlock (C), Trademark bust through Smith to make the only Wallaby try. Some good cover tackling as well 5

12 Berrick Barnes, Neither his defence nor his kicking lived up to recent performances 4

11 Lote Tuqiri, little ball and little opportunity to get involved 5

10 Matt Giteau, Considering what was going on around him, still had plenty of spark and skill. Some decent kicking as well. 7

9 Luke Burgess, needs to try to do less. 4

8 Wycliff Palu, found it a lot harder to make any yards this week. A couple of decent runs and tackles though. 5

7 George Smith, despite the usual a grad defence got frustrated with Lawrences ruling of the breakdown leading to a few too many penalties. 5

6 Phil Waugh, don’t think he ever recovered from the head knock early on 4

5 Nathan Sharpe, gotta take some responsibility for the line-out calling 3

4 James Horwill, also went quiet apart from the nice shot on So’aiolo 4

3 Al Baxter, I think it was lucky we didn’t have more scrums on our own ball 4

2 Stephen Moore, his throwing wasn’t so bad and made a couple of good runs. 5

1 Benn Robinson, also below par 4

Replacements:
16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, – a very forgettable night for TPN. A couple of tackles and runs stopped him from getting less 2
17 Matt Dunning,
18 Dan Vickerman, – needs to play from the start, not as a replacement
19 Hugh McMeniman – made some impact when he came on. 6
20 Sam Cordingley,
21 Ryan Cross,
22 Drew Mitchell – shmoo coming on highlighted the strength that AAC brings at the back 5

Rating system:
10 – A legendary performance to go down in the history books
9 – Man of the match worthy performance
8 – Outstanding
7 – Good game, great in parts
6 – Solid performance
5 – Average – ho hum
4 – Below par
3 – Had a bad game
2 – Tell your story walking pal
1 – A complete joke.

Aug 3

New Zealand vs Australia 2nd Bledisloe 2008 Score & Review

Posted by Gagger
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All Blacks 39 – Wallabies 10
Australia’s Tri-Nation hopes and confidence that had been building under Aussie Robbie took a sizeable dent on Saturday night in Auckland, with the Wallabies being on the receiving end of almost exactly what they dished out to the All Blacks just seven days earlier in Sydney.

The week before the Wallabies had profited by lobbing bombs 5cm outside of the ABs 22, defending in a line and forcing a turnover. This week the likes of Carter, Cowan and even Sivivatu pinned Australia into the far corners of their own 22.
KICKS: Aus 27 for 710m, NZ 39 for 1297m

In the first half Australia would often then oblige the Kiwis with a poor decision like a throw to Burgess at the front (in you’re own 22 – WTF??). In the second half the Wallaby line-out simply imploded. 9 of the 16 line-outs the kiwis won were against the throw, of Australia’s 15 wins, none were stolen.

But that’s only where the wash-up headache begins for AntipoDeans. There were other key basics of the game at which the Wallabies were simply sloppy.

It’s not something that I’ve had to write about for the Green and Gold for a while, but the defence was verging on poor. In Woodcock’s first try he simply stepped off the try-line ruck to isolate Giteau and create a 4 on 3. For his second, there was a hole wide open in the middle of our line-out, and Nonu’s first try was far too easy as well.
TACKLES: Aus 115 (72% success rate), NZ 134 (81%)

You don’t win away from home with gifts like these. Someone get on the blower to Muggo or Kissy.

As for turnovers, we gave away two and a half times more than the Kiwis (12 vs 31). You simply can’t win with a disparity like this.

The break down though was the wild west – Mark Lawrence letting the Kiwis get away with murder among a few random pings. I know I sound like a sore loser, but here’s a quote from a Kiwi poster on Sportsfreak:

One factor in last night’s game was the inconsistency of referees. Well, rather, between referees.

Last week breakdowns were being blown up very quickly for “holding on” free kicks. This week, it happened very rarely.

The point remains though, referees are still interpreting the laws in very different ways. Personally, I find it is a better game when turnovers are a little harder to come by. (of course I would, given that suits the All Blacks better, but would hurt any Deans coached side)

These interpretations together with our own inaccuracies created the slaughter scoreline as Carter hauled in 18 points in penalty kicks from the 39 overall.

As for the positives, well it’s the usual. The attacking play had bite and Ashley-Cooper’s try was actually the pick of the night from a purists perspective. You’ve got to wonder though how many times Giteau needed to try the kick pass off first phase ball before he realised it wasn’t happening.
RUNS: Aus 88 for 406m, NZ 81 for 451m

The winning run had to end some time, but this loss will give the Wallabies more than enough to think about before the tests in South Africa later this month. Unless Australia seriously HTFU in these key areas – the basics – then third place beckons.

For New Zealand:
Tries: Woodcock 2, Nonu 2
Cons: Carter 2
Pens: Carter 5

For Australia:
Try: Ashley-Copper
Con: Giteau
Pen: Giteau

New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Richard Kahui, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Rodney So’oialo, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 John Afoa, 18 Anthony Boric, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Anthony Tuitavake.

Australia: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Stirling Mortlock (c), 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith, 6 Phil Waugh, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Dan Vickerman, 19 Hugh McMeniman, 20 Sam Cordingley, 21 Ryan Cross, 22 Drew Mitchell.

Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Touch judges: Craig Joubert (South Africa), James Bolabiu (Fiji)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Jul 31

Wallabies vs All Blacks second Tri-Nations test preview

Posted by Gagger
19 Comments

Here it is – a speed preview.

I reckon Australia can do it. The laws of averages and stats say that’s foolish, but fµck it.

I can’t remember the last time the Aussie team had so much confidence and so much going for it. Yep, it’s early days and this is a big ask, but I reckon its more than possible, although maybe not quite probable.

Whereas last week I went in thinking the ABs couldn’t stuff up again, this week I’m wondering how they can improve. Sure, McCheat is back , but with both Smith and Waugh on the park – pfft.

The 9-10-12 channel showed last week they can hack it defensively and there was no scrum disintegration. We outdid them at the breakdown, and I’m not sure they’ll take that back. Carter had a belter, but I can’t actually see him playing much better this week. The ABs are dicking around with selections.

If we can secure and hold on to more pill, who knows what could happen? I note on the BBC that the weather forecast is sh1t however – not what we’re looking for.

If Gits kicks everything that comes his way, by 3 points to us.

Thoughts?

Jul 29

Good to see the Bros rattled

Posted by Gagger
7 Comments

Doh!

by Sportsfreak (a.k.a ‘Leg Break’ on this esteemed organ)

2 fringe test match players looking to cement a starting spot are arrested for Alcohol related incidents on a weekend between important test matches.

All Blacks sides are named with numerous players bracketed due to injury.

An All Black lock has a haircut that looks like a finalist entry at a Vidal Sasson hairdressing convention.

We substitute an openside flyer with a 125kg behemoth with 30 minutes to go in a tight test match.

Players are smiling when they walk off the field following a test match loss.

The injured skipper is spotted in the grandstand of a test match texting and chatting with his celebrity girlfriend when he should have been running messages/water bottles to the players or in the changing shed encouraging his team mates.

A 3 man All Black coaching ‘team’ are completely out-thought tactically by one bloke.

The team has a full-time kicking coach yet only 2/3 guys in the entire team can kick ?

Our best player (by a mile) owns a chain of men’s fashion stores.

You’ve never heard of a potential All Black (Hikiwera Elliot, Taniella Moa anyone) ?

A player isn’t considered for selection in a vital Bledisloe Cup game because he is ‘battered and bruised’ what is he – a piece of fish ?

Guys purposefully stand in the rear of the haka because they don’t know how to do it properly (that’s the real reason Kapa O Pango hasnt been brought out this year).

We have to fake players bleeding to stay in a game – they should be bleeding before they come off in the first place.

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