Victor; line-out juju
The 2009 Tri-Nations continues to spew out fascinating clashes. This week it’s the best team the world has ever seen (in their own back yard) traveling to play what is rapidly becoming the most desperate team the world has ever seen.
South Africa are confident, fresh, and continue to astound by stumbling across the obvious selection decisions that they couldn’t see, but the rest of the world could. This week it’s the demotion of the petulant Steffi Graff lookalike for Ruan Pienaar at fullback. While both were out of position, at least Pienaar has more to his playbook than long range drop goals and brat attacks.
For the Wobblies (yes, the title’s back), this is last chance saloon to salvage anything out of the 2009 Tri-Nations. Should they get a dicking, it could be a whole lot worse. The rumours are that this hasn’t been lost on the team, and mild panic is starting to set in. According to Grumbles Growden, a raft of new set plays have been introduced this week into a re-jigged backline. The thinking being that they can’t actually play what’s “in front of them”, so they need more structure. Is a dead fucking easy drop goal to win the game in that play book?
Other worrying noises come from the Wallaby forwards for whom Victor Matfield is is taking on a mythical status. Apparently he can read line-out calls by just smelling the air – a bush art he learned hunting biltong on the high velt. But not to worry, our ‘enforcer’(wtf??) Richard Brown, will try extra hard not to get sent off this week.
On the upside this re-jigged team has a ‘fresh’ look about it. There’s a potent running pair in the centres and hopefully Chis will bring the ability to run over a half back from 3 metres out. On the downside there are a lot of faces in this side who wear the “what the fuck do I do now”look very well, and the man who’s supposed to boss that around out back is in the middle of a form collapse to match the Aussie batting lineup.
To cap it all off, the match is in fucking Perthfontain. Why we do this for the Boks, I’ll never know. Not even the Western Force, who make up more than a quarter of the squad, can win there. Not exactly a happy hunting ground for anyone but the Saffas.
In short, we’re fucked. In his heart of hearts, Dingo will already be in damage limitation mode. The only thing that can save us is the Springboks psyching themselves out on the road, or Australia getting a motherload of reffing karma payback.
Gagger says: Boks by 10+
Tags: richard brown, tri-nations, victor matfield
Matt a.k.a Gagger or GAGR (short for GreenAndGoldRugby, not a fetish)
Matt started G&GR just before the 2007 Rugby World Cup and has been enslaved ever since. You can follow him on Twitter here http://www.twitter.com/Matt_Gagger 
Gagger, the boks aren’t that good to win by 10+ away from home. It’ll be much closer mate. The boks are a quality side though and have what it takes to win away from home.
With Rocky back to aid King George at the break downs should be a positive for the wallabies. The reshuffle in the backline just might be what Gits needed. His got quality finishers and hopefully he rises to the occasion and displays his skills and experience to lead from the front.
If the wallabies keep their discipline and remain calm under pressure they have a chance to win this against all odds.
It’ll be a close one but am not that confident to predict a wallabies win just yet. But this is Tri-Nations rugby and on the day any team can turn up and win it.
I can’t argue with any of that. SA has only 1 away game with the AB’s and home away from home in Perth. If they miss this chance ….. There must be some doubts for them with their away record.
Ok, here is my disjointed theory that led to my just putting $20 on the Wallabies to win the Tri Nations this year.
If the Wallabies can win tonight (2.78), they should also win in Brisbane by 4 tries. Then they can lose by less than 7 in Choice Bro and still take home the cup.
And at 20:1, I’ll have a piece of that! Wallabies by 6.
You are forgetting that they suck!
Otherwise, a very sound plan.
The Wallabies without Berrick can suck a lot, but so can South Africa on the road. Time will tell
Not having Berrick Barnes there may snap Gits back into action. He’s been taking a little holiday and leaving it up to Barnes to run the show from 12.
The Jaapies can’t help themselves and are feeling very confident after only a couple of days in WA. This could work against them.
Elsom, Chisolm and Alexander will give the Wallaby pack more starch than the one the Boks faced in SA.
I think it’s going to be close but if we can come out of the blocks fast it could be the turning point for the Wallabies.
Wallabies by 4.
lol hehehe…hopes and dreams guys, thats all it is, hopes and dreams…:-)
Sorry guys but I am no longer a Rugby follower as of tonight. The Wallabies have broken my heart one too many times. I have been a follower since I was 7 and played the game from 10 years of age till I was 30. This 8 year drought is just too long. The AFL can have my doe now.
That’s very sad Vern. But unfortunately understandable
Indeed Gagger. I was having lunch down at Watson’s Bay with about 6 mates today and they all pretty much agreed with me – Well except for the Kiwi!!! We are all buying season tickets to the Swan’s home matches. Never been to an AFL game in my life but it would have to beat 6 years of mediocrity. We have agreed to follow the Swans and one other team.
And here i am pissed off at the fact that i bet heavy on Boks by 13+ (plus a side bet of by EXACTLY 15 whoch would have returned 260 bucks alone)…..how could you do it?!
you knwo what happens when you bet on emotion….yeah…you lose your money!
to be honest though…i was conservative with Boks by 15, i was going to go boks by 20. damn end of game tries fking up my ROI (return on investment)
My recent bout of acute depression on the state of Australian rugby has momentarily lifted so that I’ve just realised a couple of things.
Well one thing anyway.
Despite some brain explosions in Seednee, the Wallabies were beaten by only one point despite the best efforts of Dan Carter.
If they eradicted their brain explosions completely they could still have won by playing only some very average rugby. That might not say too much about the ABs, but it might also suggest that the Walllabies are about to do something amazing.
Hope to god you’re all right. Just not seeing overwhelming logic or fact behind most of it!
Mmmm, no there’s not is there.
Last night though the Wallaby forwards went for the full eighty, but the turnovers cost them dearly. The change in personnel with Rocky there made a noticeable difference. But even the Rock was off his skills a couple of times.
Providing Deans does three things the Wallabies will win and win well in Brisbane and Wellington too.
Barnes into No. 10. Giteau at 12, Smith at 8 with Waugh at 7 and Genia at 9.
Last night was the classic portrayal of Giteau playing in his correct position. Even with an average 1st five like Cooper inside him Giteau scored a try from 12. The clearance from Genia was so much smarter, swifter and surer than Burgess. Genia has got to start.
How many more times does this man have to come on with twenty on the clock to go and totally outplay Luke Burgess, but still not make the starting XV??
If Deans is unable to see this, then the Aussie public has a right to call for his head and for it to happen sooner than later. Deans preoccupation with some players in some positions is almost pathological.
After watching all the Wallaby tests this year and last year I’m convinced that the chemistry is there, it’s just not being mixed in the right portions. I think last night proved that.
I also think Deans is a great coach, but his personnel selection leaves a lot to be desired. When he gets this right, the Wallabies will come right too.
WOULD SOMEONE IN AUSTRALIA PLEASE TELL HIM THIS.
I’ve hunted high and low on the internet, but I can’t find a way to contact Deans otherwise I would do it. Letters are no good. Oz and NZ Post willing it takes two weeks for a fast post letter to get across the ditch.
I now know how NRL fans who support the Warriors feel. Grrrrrrrr.
Will be watching the game in the Aussie Pub in Sukhumvit, Bangkok before flying back to Sydney at midnight. That means i will either be pissed and happy on the flight or, more likely, pissed and wondering WTF – again!
You forget that the last time Springboks played Wallabys at Subi the Boks LOST!
Well done boks! So much for the kicking game hey. Dare I say “total rugby”? Now to really smash you guys next week.
You’ve read that book haven’t you? “How to win friends and influence people”.
Well now it really is obvious, I think it has been said a dozen times a week on this website but three things MUST happen next week:
Dick Brown out!!
Genia in
Gits to 12
I have never really supported the last one but this season has convinced me. Bloody hell.
At least Deans figured the Baxter thing out himself and we owned the Jarpie scrum.
Were we all watching the same ‘kicking’ brand off rugby S.A has been accused of during this year’s Tri Nation tournament. The accusations might be true for a couple of ‘must win’ games early on in the competition, but after logging the all important home wins, different tactics were employed by the SA coaching staff. The game in Perth was esentially over after the first half. Can anyone argue 4 crafty tries? Brand is a marketing term that implies identity, and the only identity South Africa is currently producing is WINNING RUGBY. 9 of their last 10 tests have been WON. That’s the Brand of Rugby that will win you a Tri-Nations trophy and could boost your momentum for back-to-back World Cup victories.
dear me gagger we NEED the thumbs down!!
I think it was a sleeping giant thing. The fact the Boks didnt have to play taht sort of rugby at home…then all of a sudden, a bit of freedom, ok lets move to plan B….
I’d also like to see changes – Genia at 9, Barnes at 10, Giteau at 12, Waugh at 6 and Rocky at 8. Nothing to lose now. I thought Chizz went alright.
Major Semi Lance.
Sunday. balymore. 1330. Vs Uni. EWWWW!
see you there for a beer. i’ll get Cote there as well.
Unfortunately I’ll be at an U17 match. Our halfback was playing for the Doggies Prem Colts on Saturday against you….and you go and injure him! Couldn’t play for us the next day.
Hopefully he’ll be back this week. Good luck anyway.
17s you say…the future. you just let them know Chipsy Wood is where they need to be next year.
He kicked a lot…in fact they all kicked a lot. trying to pla territory. Not that the scoreboard or our perfromance would indicate its the case, but i though it was a bit of a stupid idea, considering we have one of the best back 3′s in the comp.
hope your scrumhalf is fine though.
i’ll let you knwo the result.
I agree with those changes, how do we convince Robbie to make them? Also mebbe someone will point out to the genius who fired him, that Lote actually knew how to run straight at the tryline and not straight across the field.
not to mention that he could catch! I agree very strongly with Lance Free’s ideas above, provided that Dick Brown is off the squad entirely.
sheesh, I’m so angry over Saturday night I misspelt my own name!
We’ve had a bit of saffa vocab here, so here is a word straight off the fluffiest of The Longest White Cloud.
Mamae – Maori for “suffer”, which is what everyone has had to do watching the Wallabies. But after watching their clueless performance last Saturday I wonder if, in fact, they are confused about what they are meant to be doing. Playing to a plan or playing what’s in front of them.
They looked confused. Maybe they are. None of them are actually clueless footballers as individuals so maybe Mr Deans biggest task – after he’s fired Brown and Burgess – is to un confuse them. I wonder if they are really clear about what they are supposed to be doing.
I also nearly sent Deans some sort of message saying that he should give the Wallabies the night off next Saturday and I would send the eigth grade team my son coaches over to stand in for them.
Meanwhile it’s not the worst Wallaby performance I’ve ever seen. Fot that we have to go back to 1962 or 63 (I think) when the Wallabies made a tour of NZ and didn’t win a match. Among the sides which beat them was the lowly ranked sub union team North Otago.
It’s all very well being a little squirrel for the future, but tests have to be won now and there is a balance between new blood and old blood and Mr Deans, in my humble opionion, has not wanted to grasp the nettle of that balance yet.
As a fellow kiwi I’m a bit pissed off with him, so he better show something soon.