Wallabies v Italy - 9 November

[Strewthcobber]

Just watched the first half. Some of the reffing was pretty interesting.
- 4min mark there was a huge Italy knock that didn’t get picked up.
- pen on Tupou was pretty soft
- breakdown turnover just before halftime, Italy player is in from the side (actaullynin from our side really).

Wait until you see the Wallaby try

 

[KOB1987]

Well that was fucking awful.

 

[Super Hooper]

And some people thought that spending big money on a winger like Nawaqanitawase was a good idea. You can pick the best winger in the world but if your ball carriers aren't advancing, means nothing. Spend that money to keep Ikitau and Skelton in Australia to play all the international tests and invest in the next Meafou, not in a winger who already played in the worst World Cup campaing in Wallabies history. And I like Marky, but a winger isn't the answer. Ikitau or Skelton are more important than him for this team.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Haven’t watched yet but the biggest issue is that we do not presently have the depth to play 15 tests in a year.
These guys are cooked. Thats 15 tests in 4.5 months.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Haven’t watched yet but the biggest issue is that we do not presently have the depth to play 15 tests in a year.
These guys are cooked. Thats 15 tests in 4.5 months

 

[KOB1987]

Just watched the first half. Some of the reffing was pretty interesting.
- 4min mark there was a huge Italy knock that didn’t get picked up.
- pen on Tupou was pretty soft
- breakdown turnover just before halftime, Italy player is in from the side (actually in from our side really). We were hot on attack.

Funnily I just literally went back to find that because it was bugging me the whole game. C Gordon’s try decision reversed it but how the fuck do a whole panel of officials who are getting paid and are presumably among the best in the world not fucking see that? Best case they needed to at least have a look at it.

 

[Yoda]

And some people thought that spending big money on a winger like Nawaqanitawase it's a good idea. You can pick the best winger in the world and if your ball carriers aren't advancing, means nothing. Spend that money to keep Ikitau and Skelton in Australia to play all the international tests and spend in the next Meafou, not in a winger who already played in the worst World Cup campaing in Wallabies history. And I like Marky, but a winger isn't the answer. Ikitau or Skelton are more important than him for this team.

Backline only has a chance when forwards dominating and going forward. Quick ball needed. We are too slow in this department.

 

[Major Tom]

Funnily I just literally went back to find that because it was bugging me the whole game. C Gordon’s try decision reversed it but how the fuck do a whole panel of officials who are getting paid and are presumably among the best in the world not fucking see that? Best case they needed to at least have a look at it.

It was like they were waiting if there was a try. It’s ridiculous.

 

[PhilClinton]

RA made their bed with this one.

This whole tour we’ve looked directionless. The gameplan and commitment reeks of guys who know their coach doesn’t need to be there and they’re going through the motions. Schmidt and RA have just kept burning any positive moves made in the last few years. I actually feel bad for Joe as he’s a good coach and this likely winless tour is going to be a lasting part of his legacy.

The only alternative is that Kiss has been directing this from behind the scenes and said to Schmidt he’s using the tour to put red lines through blokes who aren’t good enough (Edmed, Kellaway are first on the list imho).

 

[stillmissit]

What a mess. Anyone who thinks our defensive systems are fit for purpose are delusional. Giving a team that is faster than we are room to run is madness.
The forwards lost this game for us by being slow to the breakdown, even being out mauled and pushed off the ball by Italy. Frost and Williams are poor locks and Wilson seems to have lost his ability to get over the Ad line.

Carter Gordon excellent in a very poor game by us.

 

[Major Tom]

Wait until you see the Wallaby try

Well I suppose that Gordon try was the same ruling as the 4min missed knock on

 

[stillmissit]

This whole tour we’ve looked directionless. The gameplan and commitment reeks of guys who know their coach doesn’t need to be there and they’re going through the motions.

Good thinking Phil. This is the problem with the poor attitude and lack of desperation.

 

[Super Hooper]

Backline only has a chance when forwards dominating and going forward. Quick ball needed. We are too slow in this department.

That's right. For that reason a second row like Skelton is more important than Ikitau, and a centre like Ikitau is more important than a winger like Marky

It's like Skelton > Ikitau > Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase)

If you have a million dollar you should spend something like:
500k for Skelton
300k for Ikitau and
200k for Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase)

But the geniuses who run Rugby Australia want to spend millions on Marky while Skelton plays in France and Ikitau in England...

 

[Tomthumb]

Can only put the gameplan in place. The issue is the players executing it offer little.

There isn’t a clear gameplan, that’s the issue

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Market dictates price and Mark was going to get 600k+ and Skelton would be on more than that now. Any money spent for JAS was not available for other uses.

There isn’t a clear gameplan, that’s the issue

I reckon there would be but the crappy side can’t execute when they have a genuine opposition. Bet they look great at training

 

[Where's the beef]

I warned there would be blood if Italy stayed close and there was.

Carter looks impressive but much of the attack was side to side not forward. Looked better than it was.

Tane may as well have run himself and did at times. No real go forward at all.

The fact is that apart from Fraser, and Tom Hooper, who I would say drew with his counterpart, no other man matched his equivalent from Italy.

They deserved their win. They took their points and their chances.

I know we have alot of people out, but, we needed alot more from the many not the few.

I would make quite a few changes for next week. Its not about the win now, its about next year. (for me it always was)

9 Lonegan
10 Carter or Tane Does not matter to me.
11 Peitch
12 Itikau
13 Dungunu
14 JAS
15 Jorgenson

Kelleway does not make the 23 nor does toole or potter.

JOC (James O'Connor) and Flook are my backs reserves and I would be tempted to blood the other 9. JOC (James O'Connor) covers 12.

The forwards have to front.

 

[Strewthcobber]

You guys dishing out the cash are seeing what a massive impact our not being able to deal with box kicks in both attack and defence is having on results at the moment, right?

 

[rugbyAU]

FUCK SAKE we are an awful team

Sleepy Joe has got to go - he has been a dreadful coach, we have barely improved under him, at least Eddie was hard working

in the last 8 games we have gotten worse every game, way to keep interest in rugby really low with these shit performances showing no pride in Aus

 

[PhilClinton]

This tour was on skates ever since we decided to give a captaincy cap to a bloke who won’t be in our main 23 for the foreseeable future.

Poor decisions off the field have flowed through into our gameplan and mindset.

Looking forward to the standard apologists on here coming in and telling everyone to calm down, it’s all part of the process etc. I wonder if they’ll keep the same attitude when we are booted outta the pool stage in the RWC, again.

 

[Tomthumb]

Jake Gordon has some of the worst decision making I’ve ever seen out of a Test 9. Constantly passes to a blindside where we are out outnumbered, and picks and goes after a big break with a 4 man overlap, constantly runs his attack out of space

In terms of Rugby smarts we honesty have the dumbest players around. Not a single player with any situational understanding