Bledisloe #2 - AUS v NZL, Eden Park, Auckland, August 15th
- Thread starter Hugh Jarse
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Groucho
Greg Davis (50)
Better than Horne is a stretch - particularly after the game when you were singing his praises!
But there are players who are playing well enough not to risk a return from injury. In this case, it should be like club rugby: back from injury, have a run off the bench or in reserve grade.
Horne must still be in the mix. He was the best winger this year, and his lack of a boot isn't important, because he defends in the line.
That fact that he's our go-to man for defending in the line, and is good at it, having played most of his footy at center, is a further reason to have him there.
All dues to Giteau, but a To'omua, Horne, Kuridrani defensive midfield is world class.
waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
My mistake, transposed the potential A1 v B2 & A2 v B1 QF's. So another reason for every right-thinking kiwi to back your lot v Ringinland
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
My mistake, transposed the potential A1 v B2 & A2 v B1 QF's. So another reason for every right-thinking kiwi to back your lot v Ringinland
When I saw your post I started to doubt the analysis I did earlier in the year that suggested anything other than top of our group was suicide.
emuarse
Desmond Connor (43)
Because the RWC is the next challenge, barring a circus game in USA. Not all the combinations have been sorted out yet.
And by inserting some of the players mentioned above, the team could be (not saying would be necessarily) improved, and that is imperative to know before the RWC
Groucho
Greg Davis (50)
My mistake, transposed the potential A1 v B2 & A2 v B1 QF's. So another reason for every right-thinking kiwi to back your lot v Ringinland
I'd seriously consider making my way over there for an AB vs. Oz final, if I could get tickets.
waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
I kinda suspected it after the Sethficka test but after watching a replay of Sydney I'm now convinced that whereas McCaw is still putting in decent shifts, we need the pace & strength over the ball that Cane provides. Shag isn't gonna drop his captain, nor Read, so I'm afraid Kaino draws the short straw & drops to the bench.
I'm not a scrum expert but it's fairly obvious there's something terribly wrong with ours right now. Not sure if it's Woodcock or Franks causing the problem but whoever it is needs to either be benched for Auckland or given another crack but hooked if things don't improve.
Carter looked out of sorts, not as bad as v Scotland on EOYT but nowhere near the standard of Sopoaga at Ellis Park. Now that he's got to the 1,500 Test point milestone he needs to be rested, perhaps altogether, for Auckland.
SBW got injured early & really should've been dragged earlier. If Nonu can't start, Fekitoa must.
Savea also looked like a passenger. Call me a one-eyed Cantab but I'd restore Dagg to 15 for the get-us-the-fuck-outa-here clearance option he provides, move "paper cut" back to 14 & bring Piutau in at 11.
I'm not a scrum expert but it's fairly obvious there's something terribly wrong with ours right now. Not sure if it's Woodcock or Franks causing the problem but whoever it is needs to either be benched for Auckland or given another crack but hooked if things don't improve.
Carter looked out of sorts, not as bad as v Scotland on EOYT but nowhere near the standard of Sopoaga at Ellis Park. Now that he's got to the 1,500 Test point milestone he needs to be rested, perhaps altogether, for Auckland.
SBW got injured early & really should've been dragged earlier. If Nonu can't start, Fekitoa must.
Savea also looked like a passenger. Call me a one-eyed Cantab but I'd restore Dagg to 15 for the get-us-the-fuck-outa-here clearance option he provides, move "paper cut" back to 14 & bring Piutau in at 11.
refugee
Sydney Middleton (9)
you must be seriously rich. Game day Tickets will be more than a first class return airfare
kiap
Steve Williams (59)
Brumbieman
Dick Tooth (41)
Woodcock.
Spent almost every single scrum angling in massively, trying to con Barnes into pinging Kepu, but for once (and I suspect this is Ledesma's experience coming to the fore) our tighthead planted his feet and used the shoulder that Horwill had firmly planted on his arse, to rotate his upper body outwards and drive straight through the AB scrum, rather than getting shoved sideways and then pulled to the ground by Woodcock, which usually always ended up being a penalty against us.
Instead, he managed to depower his entire side of the scrum, because all the force was not being driven straight, but instead driving Woodcock's hips outwards, splitting him from Coles and so the pack was not tight. When the second shove from us came on, he was then poorly positioned and couldn't channel his 4/6s power in the right direction.
Barnes, is not Joubert though, and Owens is on the ball at scrum time as well.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Defending in the line should be the last priority. Especially if Foley is dropped. Gits and To'omua can hold there own. On set-piece Hooper will be in the 10-12 channel anyway - this is way more effective then continuing to shift a winger.
Groucho
Greg Davis (50)
It's not shifting a winger to shore up a weak defence: it's a deliberate system, intended to increase counter-attacking options. Cheika does it so we'll have to get used to it.
Groucho
Greg Davis (50)
Oh. Grr.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
It only works with Horne and Cooper or Foley.
Dropping Gits or To'omua back isn't really going to increase counter-attack that much - and if you got Speight on one wing one of the best counter-attackers then that strategy does nothing.
Doubt Cheika will do the same thing if To'omua and Gits start the next match which is very likely.
I know its tough to say goodbye to Horne, a quality test player, but his skills aren't needed. There are better options.
To'omua coming from the bench is either managing his head, or pure tactics, he could not do what he now does for 80, minutes and thats why Cheika persisted with him on the bench, at the moment he is invaluable asset coming in to run havoc amongst tiring opposition.
Nic White surely did great and Cheika might just lean on to starting him and then bringing Phipps/To'omua on for a good 30 min and shoot the tempo out of the roof.
Nic White surely did great and Cheika might just lean on to starting him and then bringing Phipps/To'omua on for a good 30 min and shoot the tempo out of the roof.
qwerty51
Stirling Mortlock (74)
If I could bet on it I'd chuck a massive amount on McCaw and Cane starting. I think it will be for Read personally.
gold heart
Ted Fahey (11)
anyone know who the ref is for Saturday? I would guess either the pied piper or Joubert is given the gig? I would normally shudder if it is Poite but given the way the pigs have been going lately might be a good thing?
waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Owens. Barnes & Anselmi are the AR's & Veldsman is TMO.
gold heart
Ted Fahey (11)
thanks for that - good communicator and fair ref
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