2012 Australia vs New Zealand - 20 Oct

[Inside Shoulder]

He lost a couple of restarts to opposition tall forwards?

*gasp*

Where were our forwards?

This is a coaching issue, I think.
Our tight 5 lack general athleticism and we don't want to dilute them by spreading them out: that's my reading of the situation anyway.
I'm not saying, based on variable performances that Higgers is an answer, but since he's going to drift to where McCabe is anyway why not assign him to guard the 12 spot from restarts?


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[Scotty]

He lost a couple of restarts to opposition tall forwards?

*gasp*

Where were our forwards?

The first one was tough, the second he had on the chest with not much pressure and should have taken it.

I am pretty sure the man himself would be disappointed by not catching both of them.

 

[barbarian]

The restarts are a tough one.

My old man and I were getting quite frustrated at our inability to grab one (or work out what the ABs tactic was), but you have to give credit where credit is due- every kick from DC was an absolute peach. Almost impossible to defend, especially with 4-6 chasers coming in at full pelt to spoil.
.

 

[Scotty]

There was a wallaby taken out of player in trying to charge carters drop goal down. Lucky for Joubert that carter missed the drop goal as I don't think he saw what looked pretty obvious from my position behind the posts.

Did it show up on the tv telecast?

 

[barbarian]

Yeah I saw it on the reverse angle replay. Would have been a huge call though, only saw it once and it didn't seem obviously illegal to me.

 

[barbarian]

Just saw it again, definite obstruction. Clear cut penalty. Ben Smith takes three or four steps to his left to take out the charging Higgers who was on a collision course with Carter.

Lucky he missed I suppose!
.

 

[scaraby]

This is a coaching issue, I think.
Our tight 5 lack general athleticism and we don't want to dilute them by spreading them out: that's my reading of the situation anyway.
I'm not saying, based on variable performances that Higgers is an answer, but since he's going to drift to where McCabe is anyway why not assign him to guard the 12 spot from restarts?


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Dont want to be negative because i'm rather buoyed by the guts the 2nds showed. Two issues though. 1 . please teach the ball runners that modern defence targets a direct hit on the ball carrying arm so we have to learn a stronger carry or protect the ball arm. 2. Did anyone else notice that we played a nice carrying game up until half time them reverted to midfield bombs and Bad box kicks straight after until Sharpey put a stop to it........ So who in the dressing room decided to change tactics!!!!!! is this a coaching issue??? Also The tactic at the end to try and Milk a penalty I think was right. Better percentage against a tired forward pack who defended for 27 phases,they would have got the penalty agst any other side in the world. If you get the penalty advantage you also get two goes at the win. ... drop goal then the penalty shot.
Congrats to the Qlders ,you answered the call to give our Wallabies a huge home ground advantage.....my fellow Sydneysiders its our turn to fill the ground in gold next year.

 

[USARugger]

That's over the top.

He's a hard running and hard hitting centre - see Nathan Grey and Dan Herbert. They use a certain skillset that others dont and vice versa. He brings something this backline sorely misses without Morty

Except Mortlock had a rugby brain and could recognize an overlap, beat defenders, etc. I love McCabe for his heart but he seriously isn't even up to playing for Uni with the absolute lack of rugby smarts and skills he brings into the midfield. And at the international level you can only hit so "hard" at 92kgs. Does he have the heart and does he take enough pride in his nation to deserve to be wearing the GR&G? Absolutely. Is he a skilled enough player with enough rugby smarts to unlock a defense from the second five-eighth position in an international test match? Absolutely not.

The last time Grey or Herbert stepped onto the pitch for an international test match was nearly a decade ago - the game has evolved at an exponential rate since then. Being a center who runs hard and hits hard isn't enough anymore, not even close. Everyone in an international test match should be running hard and hitting hard.

In my humble opinion a second five-eighth should be one of the most rounded players on the field in todays game, either that or an absolute monster of a ball carrier with some skills to boot (Jamie Roberts, Sonny Bill). McCabe isn't well rounded at all and doesn't have the explosiveness or the size to be an impact carrier. Yes he carries hard but it's not like any of the other 12s, like Ma'a (who outweighs him by 14 kilos) have much trouble stopping him one on one or when someone else doesn't create a giant hole for him to run through.

 

[Scotty]

Just saw it again, definite obstruction. Clear cut penalty. Ben Smith takes three or four steps to his left to take out the charging Higgers who was on a collision course with Carter.

Lucky he missed I suppose!
.

Yes, would have been a controversial miss by Joubert and the touchies!

 

[Scotty]

Dont want to be negative because i'm rather buoyed by the guts the 2nds showed. Two issues though. 1 . please teach the ball runners that modern defence targets a direct hit on the ball carrying arm so we have to learn a stronger carry or protect the ball arm. 2. Did anyone else notice that we played a nice carrying game up until half time them reverted to midfield bombs and Bad box kicks straight after until Sharpey put a stop to it.... So who in the dressing room decided to change tactics!!!!!! is this a coaching issue??? Also The tactic at the end to try and Milk a penalty I think was right. Better percentage against a tired forward pack who defended for 27 phases,they would have got the penalty agst any other side in the world. If you get the penalty advantage you also get two goes at the win. . drop goal then the penalty shot.
Congrats to the Qlders ,you answered the call to give our Wallabies a huge home ground advantage...my fellow Sydneysiders its our turn to fill the ground in gold next year.

Right call to go for a penalty but wrong execution. They should have been looking to recycle faster and get the abs on the back foot to force them to concede a penalty. Instead they ambled around at every ruck and made it too easy to defend against.

 

[Slim 293]

Except Mortlock had a rugby brain and could recognize an overlap, beat defenders, etc. I love McCabe for his heart but he seriously isn't even up to playing for Uni with the absolute lack of rugby smarts and skills he brings into the midfield. And at the international level you can only hit so "hard" at 92kgs. Does he have the heart and does he take enough pride in his nation to deserve to be wearing the GR&G? Absolutely. Is he a skilled enough player with enough rugby smarts to unlock a defense from the second five-eighth position in an international test match?.

Jake White, Stephen Larkham and Robbie Deans disagree.

But feel free to search the forum for the multiple threads that have already covered this debate.

 

[nathan]

Except Mortlock had a rugby brain and could recognize an overlap, beat defenders, etc. I love McCabe for his heart but he seriously isn't even up to playing for Uni with the absolute lack of rugby smarts and skills he brings into the midfield. And at the international level you can only hit so "hard" at 92kgs. Does he have the heart and does he take enough pride in his nation to deserve to be wearing the GR&G? Absolutely. Is he a skilled enough player with enough rugby smarts to unlock a defense from the second five-eighth position in an international test match? Absolutely not.

The last time Grey or Herbert stepped onto the pitch for an international test match was nearly a decade ago - the game has evolved at an exponential rate since then. Being a center who runs hard and hits hard isn't enough anymore, not even close. Everyone in an international test match should be running hard and hitting hard.

In my humble opinion a second five-eighth should be one of the most rounded players on the field in todays game, either that or an absolute monster of a ball carrier with some skills to boot (Jamie Roberts, Sonny Bill). McCabe isn't well rounded at all and doesn't have the explosiveness or the size to be an impact carrier. Yes he carries hard but it's not like any of the other 12s, like Ma'a (who outweighs him by 14 kilos) have much trouble stopping him one on one or when someone else doesn't create a giant hole for him to run through.

I doubt Morty had it from day 1 though. McCabe's only been in the job for 12 months or so and that includes playing 12 for the Brumbies. Before that he was Wing/Centre.

He's shown glimpses that he's growing into the position in playing for the Brumbies and Wallabies this year, running good lines and great form in defense. I think he'll only get better with time and there's plenty to like about the bloke.

I do tend to agree with others in that I'd like to see him swapped with Tapuai though. Taps has the left foot and plays a little more all round game that you want from a 12. I see McCabe as a bit like Conrad Smith - does the basics right and is a solid foundation in the backline. Experience and combinations will see him continue to progress, it definitely did at the Beumbies this year.

 

[scaraby]

Right call to go for a penalty but wrong execution. They should have been looking to recycle faster and get the abs on the back foot to force them to concede a penalty. Instead they ambled around at every ruck and made it too easy to defend against.

Agree but I think they were terrified of stuffing it up..hence the caution. Thats the problem when you get to the holy grail and have to pick it up. You don't want to drop it!!!!

 

[nathan]

On another note, how good was Honey Badger just after the Haka. Fired up or what. Just ready to go one two on the ball bags.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Dont want to be negative because i'm rather buoyed by the guts the 2nds showed. Two issues though. 1 . please teach the ball runners that modern defence targets a direct hit on the ball carrying arm so we have to learn a stronger carry or protect the ball arm. 2. Did anyone else notice that we played a nice carrying game up until half time them reverted to midfield bombs and Bad box kicks straight after until Sharpey put a stop to it.... So who in the dressing room decided to change tactics!!!!!! is this a coaching issue??? Also The tactic at the end to try and Milk a penalty I think was right. Better percentage against a tired forward pack who defended for 27 phases,they would have got the penalty agst any other side in the world. If you get the penalty advantage you also get two goes at the win. . drop goal then the penalty shot.
Congrats to the Qlders ,you answered the call to give our Wallabies a huge home ground advantage...my fellow Sydneysiders its our turn to fill the ground in gold next year.

ttp://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/community/threads/2012-australia-vs-new-zealand-20-oct.11783/page-29#post-423705

 

[Inside Shoulder]

a bit like Conrad Smith - does the basics right

This seriously underestimates Smith's quality. The reality may be that he does everything so well that you think he's only doing the basics.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

On another note, how good was Honey Badger just after the Haka. Fired up or what. Just ready to go one two on the ball bags.

 

[Scarfman]

Comment from my father at the ground:

Wallas had the ball 30 metres back from the line with both Beale and Harris positioned beautifully for a drop-goal but no! Sharpie wanted the forwards to pick-and-go over and over.

Any corroboration with this version of events? Or too many XXXX Golds?

 

[cyclopath]

Geez, I like Cummins. I hope he kicks on in Europe. I'd love to see him get himself involved a bit more.

 

[Antony]

Haha, cummins. Man I'm glad he got a chance. Good luck to him.