Wallabies v Lions, 19 July Suncorp

[Wilson]

I was at the game last night and despite the loss it's one of my favourite games I've been to, was an excellent experience. Lions fans were out in full force and largely great, there was good run of wallabies fans around us too, and they really found there voice as the game went on. Absolutely love being in a packed out suncorp.

As far as the game goes, I thought we started slow and the Lions got the jump on us, but really started to find our groove in the second half. Our biggest issue was a lack of front foot ball form strong carriers, but Valetini (and possibly Skelton/Bell to start) should make a big difference there next week. Gordon is coping flak for the speed of service here, but for much of the game that was an issue with our pack getting him clean quick ball. Where he did go wrong was his box kicks - at the ground it looked like he just wasn't getting enough height on them for our chases to get up and contest. If we're going to rely on the box kicks early White might need to come in for Gordon.

It was also pretty clear at the ground that Sua'ali'i is at sea defensively, he just doesn't seem particularly sure of where he's supposed to be and is reacting late to the play as a result. His athleticism is somewhat covering for this, but it leaves him very passive. I also though the back 3 were struggling to work together as a unit. Our backline would look a lot more comfortable with 12 Paisami 13 Ikitau and 11 Sua'ali'i. If Schmidt is set on the centre pairing as it stands (and I can understand going for continuity) I think Kellaway in for Potter would help the back three a fair bit, and probably help cover some of Sua'ali'i's defensive issues with a Kellaway's voice out there. Other than that I'd look at swapping Faessler and Pollard - Fez looked to be a bit under done out there.

 

[Running_rugby_1954]

Mate, I'm seeing misreads on modern rugby here. The 9 driving the pods has little to do with assuming primary playmaking. The FH waits for opportunity, in part based on preset organisation and in part on what he sees. But he does not drive the pods.

Watch the last 15 mins of the game and watch the fly half drive the pods.

 

[TSR]

TSR, I don't think he misfired on this one, it is his standard approach to defensive work, and I've never seen him adopt any form of rush D.
If you can't adapt at this level, you have to move on. I agree he has been great for the Brumbies and the Wallabies, but the world has moved on and we haven't. The end result is that most of our plays are nullified.

Agree. That was actually what I meant - that he failed to adapt. When he came into the role he was quoted as telling Schmidt he wasn’t interested in adopting rush defence. It seems to be biting us in the arse.

 

[Uh huh]

I tend to agree. Our only other option is JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor) and I'm not convinced that he necessarily brings enough from what I saw in Super Rugby this year.

Yeah O'Connor is a false dawn. Even at his peak, did he ever put in a flyhalf performance that was much of a step up from Lynagh's last night? Foley at least had that one against England in the World Cup to hang his hat on. O'Connor has never delivered at 10, and getting older and slower won't have increased his chances.

 

[HogansHeros]

Apart from Valetini, I think Joe will name an unchanged lineup and back his troops to improve. No panic stations. Aside of Lynagh being targeted and not firing the backline he is backed by his coach and won't switch him after one Test. Less kicking and making post contact metres in the collision's is what we need to do.

I hope Schmidt doesnt change things up too much. Id like to see us build on this performance, not start from scratch. Bobby V in for CdC, to help get us over the gain line, although CdC had a great game.
I didnt mind Bell coming in off the bench. Maybe at the 45min mark. I like the bomb squad idea, and if we are going to introduce skelton then I think it should be off the bench. Id also like to see Gleeson come on off the bench, but not sure who he would come on for, guess it should be Bobby V if Wilson is captain.

Maybe we go for an 8 - 0 bench, if Lyngah gets injured, Wilson to 10, if a winger gets injured McReight to the wing.

 

[Uh huh]

I hope Schmidt doesnt change things up too much. Id like to see us build on this performance, not start from scratch. Bobby V in for CdC, to help get us over the gain line, although CdC had a great game.
I didnt mind Bell coming in off the bench. Maybe at the 45min mark. I like the bomb squad idea, and if we are going to introduce skelton then I think it should be off the bench. Id also like to see Gleeson come on off the bench, but not sure who he would come on for, guess it should be Bobby V if Wilson is captain.

Maybe we go for an 8 - 0 bench, if Lyngah gets injured, Wilson to 10, if a winger gets injured McReight to the wing.

A fit Charlie Cale would fit into that plan pretty well.

 

[Beattie]

The difference in the way the two teams played the first half, it looked like the score would blow right out. For a while in the second half the Wallabies found enough in defence to stop the Lions' scoring tsunami that had threatened, and then late in the game they actually started to play rugby and scored a couple of late tries. Tactically, we were simply outplayed by the Lions game plan and their execution. Schmidt et al will need to rethink the way they want the team to play in the next two tests.

Trying to keep the game tight and the scores close for 60 minutes or so, and then have the better ball runners come on to try to win at the death is not a wise or likely successful strategy. Especially against a team like the Lions which is comprised on the best 23 players from four test playing nations. We need to fight fire with fire from the outset. In execution, we relied much too much on box kicks on first or second phase and we simply did not win the contest for the ball in the air. I reckon we only retained or regained possession from our kicks in general play from errors by one or two of the Lions' receivers.

Those who didn't measure up against their opposites tonight included Williams, McReight, Wilson, Gordon, Lynagh, and Potter. Williams was uncharacteristically quiet and made some poor mistakes on occasion. McReight had a shocker by his standards and IO think really felt the size and strength difference in the breakdown work. Wilson had his characteristically busy game without ever threatening the line or physically getting on top of his opponent. Gordon is very ordinary while Lynagh was simply out of his depth at this level. his kicking game was poor, short and misplaced while he was totally dominated under the high ball. Potter made too many errors of judgement.

The good aspects included the scrum, but that was just about all. I wouldn't be altering the front row after this performance, but Bell should replace Slipper earlier. Faessler had a couple of poor lineout throws but should be better for the run but I wouldn't argue against Pollard starting if Joe goes that way. I am still unconvinced that Skelton is the second rower we need but it is worth a shot having him there in place of Williams next week. The backrow really needs to be beefed up and must have the best ball runners available starting. My backrow would be 6 Valetini, 7 Hooper, 8 Gleeson. It won't be Joes. nor perhaps any other poster's, but Valetini and Gleeson are the two who might be able to break the Lions' defence while Hooper is just as much a nuisance and potential pilferer as any of our No 7s and would counteract the weakness of Skelton in the lineout.

Either McDermott or Lonergan must start at 9. It is a fallacy imo that Tate is a finisher and not a starter. He is a full 80 minute player and still has the ability to break open a game at the end after starting. So, either Tate if they want to attack the Lions from the start or Lonergan for better game management if they want to start a bit more conservatively. The only time the ball actually made it along the back line was after Donaldson came into the game. He looked head and shoulders a better player that Lynagh. Not much can be done in the centres, but Ikitau was severely underplayed at 12 being used as the bash it up get over the gain line ball runner. It is not a role that suits him and reduces his impact on a game. Maybe try Sua'ali'i at 12 and return Len to his rightful spot at 13. Pietsch has to replace Potter.

Throw caution to the wind and go hard, Joe.

Accurate and balanced overview of the game.

 

[KOB1987]

The uk media reaction to this game is quite bizarre frankly. From claiming things like a ‘dominating’ performance against a ‘woeful’ wallabies side, to then whingeing about everything from Harry Wilson ending the game by kicking it out to our players being friendly with theirs after the game.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Watch the last 15 mins of the game and watch the fly half drive the pods.

McDermott is the scrum half not the fly half.

 

[TSR]

The uk media reaction to this game is quite bizarre frankly. From claiming things like a ‘dominating’ performance against a ‘woeful’ wallabies side, to then whingeing about everything from Harry Wilson ending the game by kicking it out to our players being friendly with theirs after the game.

I agree sone of their comments were off the chart. Pretty typical UK press though.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Pretty instructive phase at16:11 on the match clock. Wallabies go 12 phases, getting nowhere, and then turn it over.

Lynagh is so deep and so narrow for the whole period, except for maybe one phase, and the pods aren't operating well at all, they are also way too deep - a pretty poor period for the Wallabies - but then most of the first half looked like this. I could have shown pretty much any of the 12 rucks - they all look similar.


View attachment 22766View attachment 22767View attachment 22768

Those are damning photos. The forward runners are literally standing still as the ball is passed in all three. Perplexing as to how that could happen at this level over and over again.

 

[KOB1987]

I agree sone of their comments were off the chart. Pretty typical UK press though.

Imagine the reverse concept, where we have the ‘Super Rugby Great White Sharks’, comprising a squad of the 38 best players in SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) touring one of the home nations every 4 years, and the Aus/NZ media laying into the English side for being pissweak and only getting within 8 points. I know it would never happen though, the Poms would be terrified of playing such a side.

 

[Derpus]

The uk media reaction to this game is quite bizarre frankly. From claiming things like a ‘dominating’ performance against a ‘woeful’ wallabies side, to then whingeing about everything from Harry Wilson ending the game by kicking it out to our players being friendly with theirs after the game.

Honestly the latter goes to the very core of what made us all love rugby.

Stupid Brits.

 

[Pfitzy]

to our players being friendly with theirs after the game.

Chris Ashton made those comments, I think.

He was always one for carrying on like an absolute plonker; one of the English players who never really understood the core values of Rugby.

 

[TSR]

Haha - that does kinda make sense though - I got the impression most of his team mates didn’t want to be friends with Chris Ashton after the game. No wonder he finds it so hard to understand.

 

[Mr Pilfer]

I was expecting us to lose this game easily so was pleasantly surprised and made the trip from Perth to Brisbane well worth it.

I left thinking we have a decent chance of winning in Melbourne now, they would have taken a lot of confidence from that second half. Plus most of the extra 35,000 in the crowd should hopefully be aussies given the lions tourists were already at game 1.

Add to the above I think we have more upside with Valetini/gleeson/skelton in and more time together.