Australia vs British and Irish Lions - 1st Test (Brisbane)

[FilthRugby]

I reckon we should have Quade at 10, Beale at 15

So basically, 9. Phipps (just kidding, Genia at 9.) 10. Quade, 11. Digby 12. Lilo, 13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), 14. Izzie, 15 Beale/O'Connor.

Forwards should stay the same except for Wyclif, I think he has had his day. Poor fella, he started off playing well for the Wallabies, but sometimes players get old, it happens.

 

[lewisr]

Clearly the discussion is circulating around JOC (James O'Connor) at 10.

We had three backs stretchered off the field including one in the first minute and we lose by 2 points after leaving an extra 11 points on the field from missed goalkicks. I can't see any coach thinking that the solution is to change players who remained healthy.

If we'd had a better run of injuries and/or kicked better we would have won that game. I can't see any great changes being made besides ones forced by injury.

With just an average goalkicking performance we would have won that game and I can't imagine the discussion would be anything like what it is now.

Totally agree with the first comment, the QC (Quade Cooper) mentions will inevitably come up as we have had a horror amount of injuries but it is clearly not dominating conversation so can we get on with it?

Two of those three backs are injury prone, have not player much super rugby and were liabilities from the start. It was a risk Deans took that did not pay off so I think he needs to take some responsibility there.

Our backs looked fairly average and the line did not flow at all. I think that was a combination of a lack of distributor in the first and second receiver role an dobviously the injuries. Changes MUST be made because we really need to ball to be moving to get through and around the Lions.

Again with the goal kicking, it has never been our strength so if no one is in form at the moment then maybe we need to take a more direct approach. Just blaming it on the missed goals isn't good enough. There were other issues that we need to overcome if we are to beat them next week. They will improve just as we will.

 

[Alex]

It is too easy to focus on injuries, goal kicking and refereeing decisions as reasons for the loss. I Think it was poor kicking out of hand (both the quality of the kicks and the quality of the decisions to kick) that lost the wallabies the game. We kept gifting possession to the lions - in one case resulting in a try - and in a game where the ref was giving the defending team nothing at the breakdown.

I thought that the replacements did well and can't really fault their performance - although McCabe's miss on North was bad......

 

[lewisr]

Also, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has dislocated his shoulder according to some news articles. Time for a new 13.

 

[The Rant]

He was. Gifted it to George North.

yep. I'm a fan of BB for the most and not a hater - but the second that kick went up I thought 'what the fuck'... didn't help that folau showed zero urgency in chasing the kick and in the end gave north a free take and plenty of room. I was happy he was in the team after lasts years kicking duels vs halfpenny. so if he's not their to kick goals he is only there cos deans is scared and needs a security blanket.

 

[wobbly]

Christ on a bike, its obvious McCabe' neck is crocked. Poor bastard broke his neck, its a pretty severe injury. I fear for his future, especially how he plays / runs. Lovely bloke, tough as nails, but a very flawed selection.

Barnes is a casualty on legs. Again a real shame, could have been a great Wallaby 12, but FFS sake if he doesn't get knocked out he cramps up at the 65 min mark.

 

[USARugger]

The Rant

Let's not forget that about 20 seconds before that aimless bomb he kicked it away after the Lions kicked it to us AND WE HAD FIVE, YES, FIVE PLAYERS BACK TO RETURN THE BALL.

 

[ChargerWA]

On the refereeing, I thought overall it was very good.

 

[Braveheart81]

Two of those three backs are injury prone, have not player much super rugby and were liabilities from the start. It was a risk Deans took that did not pay off so I think he needs to take some responsibility there.

I don't get this comment.

I think Lealiifano was the crucial injury because it happened so early and made such a huge difference to our ball playing ability in the backline and our overall structure.

Lilo has been bashing down the door for two seasons and would have played plenty of tests last year if he hadn't broken his leg. Selecting him this year was one of Deans' better selection calls in my opinion.

How is a guy who has had lower limb injuries in the past knocking himself out in the first minute of the game, the coach's fault?

If anything, Lilo's injury maybe showed that the backup 12 has to be a better ball player than McCabe. We've had the player everyone argues as the best ball player (Cooper) struggle at 10 with McCabe outside him and now JOC (James O'Connor) has also struggled to have an impact on the game in the same situation.

 

[gel]

What a great game by Izzy. To get a pair against an outfit like the lions on debut is a real indication of the guys talent. I honestly didn't think he would be so comfortable on the wing, but he handled it really well. He would have had a third as well if Beale had just passed instead of running it himself (a good run he made as well - but definitely a try lost there).

Next game - just get the ball to the big kid.

What a buzz in the crowd during the first half. Really electric.

To anyone that has never been to a lions match, it is DEFINITELY worth every cent, no matter how much they charge.

Even though we lost, I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight - too pumped still

 

[badabing59]

And FFS why can't Deans see the danger in selecting a LH Prop at TH! That's bit him on the arse so many times. Kiwi fool!

And on behalf of NZ, you're welcome

Very pleased he's on your side of the ditch

 

[lewisr]

I don't get this comment.

I think Lealiifano was the crucial injury because it happened so early and made such a huge difference to our ball playing ability in the backline and our overall structure.

Lilo has been bashing down the door for two seasons and would have played plenty of tests last year if he hadn't broken his leg. Selecting him this year was one of Deans' better selection calls in my opinion.

How is a guy who has had lower limb injuries in the past knocking himself out in the first minute of the game, the coach's fault?

If anything, Lilo's injury maybe showed that the backup 12 has to be a better ball player than McCabe. We've had the player everyone argues as the best ball player (Cooper) struggle at 10 with McCabe outside him and now JOC (James O'Connor) has also struggled to have an impact on the game in the same situation.

Just to be clear, I meant McCabe and Barnes as the injury prone players. It meant we had Hooper playing at 12 and Phipps on the wing. A ridiculous situation that should never occur in a test match if the right selections are made...

I agree with everything else you said wholeheartedly so no argument there.

It is ultimately Deans' fault that he went with McCabe on the bench over an in form Horne. It was also his decision toe put McCabe on instead of Beale and thus disrupt the entire attacking game plan he was supposedly going to implement with lilo.

 

[Slim 293]

Also, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has dislocated his shoulder according to some news articles. Time for a new 13.

Too soon?

 

[Braveheart81]

Just to be clear, I meant McCabe and Barnes as the injury prone players. It meant we had Hooper playing at 12 and Phipps on the wing. A ridiculous situation that should never occur in a test match if the right selections are made.

I agree with everything else you said wholeheartedly so no argument there.

It is ultimately Deans' fault that he went with McCabe on the bench over an in form Horne. It was also his decision toe put McCabe on instead of Beale and thus disrupt the entire attacking game plan he was supposedly going to implement with lilo.

McCabe has really only missed rugby with the one neck injury though right? His shoulder problems were at the end of the RWC and he missed a couple of games in the Northern Hemishphere and not much else. I wouldn't say he is injury prone.

When you think what was going on training and you had JOC (James O'Connor) running at 10 the whole time with Beale as his backup and Lealiifano at 12 with McCabe as his backup.

I agree with you that Horne would have been better to bring on at 12 but I can't see any coach not bringing on McCabe after that injury instead of Beale. Making a call to reshuffle your backline after 1 minute would have been an incredibly risky decision when one of your bench players has been your backup 12 in training.

The elephant in the room is that we left an extra 11 points on the field in a close match. If your kicking is that poor you are going to lose the overwhelming majority of test matches against evenly matched opponents.

 

[biggsy]

Too soon?

Not at all

 

[USARugger]

Braveheart81

JOC (James O'Connor) failed to make an impact at 10 because he doesn't play like a 10. It had little to do with who was or wasn't around him.

Seriously, please watch the Reds/Rebels game again because he was doing the same exact things in that match as he did tonight. It has nothing to do with who is around him and everything to do with his own decision making, positioning and organizational skills.

 

[USARugger]

Too soon?

Nope. He's the #1 option in my book the way things are right now. Horne has been tested at 13 and did not go well. There is nothing wrong with debuting on a Lions tour.

 

[ACT Crusader]

What a great game by Izzy. To get a pair against an outfit like the lions on debut is a real indication of the guys talent. I honestly didn't think he would be so comfortable on the wing, but he handled it really well. He would have had a third as well if Beale had just passed instead of running it himself (a good run he made as well - but definitely a try lost there).

Next game - just get the ball to the big kid.

What a buzz in the crowd during the first half. Really electric.

To anyone that has never been to a lions match, it is DEFINITELY worth every cent, no matter how much they charge.

Even though we lost, I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight - too pumped still

Good post gel.

Crowd sounded awesome through the TV.

Yeah after Beale made that great break, I was even yelling to the telly, "GET IT TO FOLAU"

Just wasn't to be tonight. The opportunities were there for the Wallabies on the back of some very good play.

Douglas and Mowen really added steel as many thought. Moore returned to form in my opinion, and as a combination the backrow worked well.

I think Gill will be better for the experience after getting some excellent game time.

changes need to happen, but they always do after a loss

 

[lewisr]

Or Folau to 13?

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Cummins
12. Lilo
13. Folau
14. O'Connor
15. Beale

Now that'd be interesting. Can't see it happening in a million years though.

I reckon Kuridrani will get the nod though unless Deans reverts to experience mode and calls up Fainga'a or Tapuai. TK was brilliant against the BILs

 

[Slim 293]

Yeah, it's about as unlikely as Quade Cooper playing flyhalf.........