Australia vs South Africa - Brisbane 7th Sept 2013

[tekay]

I'm basing 'smarts' on judgement and I reckon his is poor.

Moments like against the AB's in game 1 (I think) when there was still enough time to run it, keep it in hand and he just booted it mindlessly down field. That's not how a thinking player reacts.

 

[Muttonbird]

I just think Ewen has got to settle on establishing a solid core backline - particularly with the inside backs and we're wasting serious time on Cooper who has continuously failed to deliver.

Need some stability/consistency in selections for strong playing partnerships to emerge.

I agree. You cannot base a test side around Quade Cooper. He's flashy but lightweight and refuses to take responsibility.

 

[Quick Hands]

Ewen's trying to play Reds' Super rugby at Test level. Jake White plays Test rugby at the Brumbies. Go figure.

Perhaps that's right. The thing I don't get is, he's coached super rugby for what 5, 6, 7 years and he's coveted the Wallaby job for at least the last 3 and he's still not sure who to put in the team? He would have watched these guys on video ad nauseum.

 

[Zander]

And before anyone says anything about Ewen only being 3 games into his tenure. He hasn't been close, it's not just the losses but how the Wallabies have lost. They're been shocking.

 

[No4918]

I just think Ewen has got to settle on establishing a solid core backline - particularly with the inside backs and we're wasting serious time on Cooper who has continuously failed to deliver.

Need some stability/consistency in selections for strong playing partnerships to emerge.

Cooper was the least of the problems. People regularly say how halves look bad behind beaten packs yet when yet when it is Cooper he cops a hiding.

How about Cummins f-ups that lost ball when we were starting to build momentum? JOC (James O'Connor) looked lost and let a couple of bombs bounce, 2 poor tests in the lead up? Genia and Lilo threw intercepts and Cooper didn't? Folau gave up the ball twice in contact and Cooper did not have 1 turnover i remember?

 

[redveincheese]

Wallabies in the hurtlocker and will stay, unless they find the will to climb out.
Unfortunately, I don't think a change to 9,10,12 will help, apart from satisfying a few posters on this forum. Their issues are both structural and psychological, and I do believe are a result of many years of bad management. A new coaching structure is needed as has been suggested, with some good specialist coaches brought in to concentrate on the smaller details that when combined add up to a winning combination. I don't see how Link has the time to address these small details and needs some good technical coaches around him to handle those areas. Let him concentrate on the game plan and coach the players to execute efficiently.
We need to completely retool. A complete strip down and then rebuild from the ground up. We have that opportunity right now.
One item on the shopping list should be "mongrel". We just don't possess this commodity at the moment. Watching the game and hearing the punters around me in exasperation at the effort last night was simply painful. Hopefully the players feel this pain too, and come to an agreement with themselves that this will not happen again.

 

[louie]

spot on.

Ewen's trying to play Reds' Super rugby at Test level. Jake White plays Test rugby at the Brumbies. Go figure.

Saying we want to play attacking Rugby means nothing if the basics are missing. Tight hard working pack is what's required.

 

[louie]

Also making changes to the line up won't change anything. It's what their being told and coached that's the problem.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

The Saffers last night simply proved the old adage that the forwards win rugby games, with the backs determining how much the game will be won by.

 

[louie]

Very true Hugh.

 

[Richo]

The knock-on effect of this being that every scrum in world rugby thinks they can out scrum us so starts off with a degfree of confidence in at least one aspect of the game and every test referee thinks we can't scrum and the penalties flow accordingly.

And quite often these guys who are "good around the field" end up getting in the way of the backs when quick hands at pace are needed.

It's bemusing what catches people's attention. Slipper got votes from a number of people in the MOM thread. How the hell that happens after our pack got obliterated and our scrum destroyed I cannot quite understand. Ending up in the middle of a few back line plays doesn't mean much, IMO.

 

[tekay]

At the risk of sounding parochial myself being a Brumbies supporter, one of the reasons they've been so successful is their forward pack operating 'as one'. Keeping it really tight almost methodical.

I'm not saying it should therefore be something like the Brumbies pack as a selection but at least attempt to reflect their hunger, their real hunt and support 'as a pack' mentality.

I know this can take a bit of time because players in the Wobs are not as familiar with each other as say the Brumbies - but this work as a 'tight unit' has to be the focus for Ewen right now or it'll continue to unravel even more.

In my cheesel eating, beer swilling, professional arm-chair opinion.

 

[Ruggo]

Man. You're so fucking parochial it hurts. You even have Ewen in your avatar. Pathetic. Take off your red tinted classes and start paying attention.

For anyone having watched Quade Cooper closely they would have noticed the following on a consistent basis:

1. Can't defend

2. Gets rattled easily

3. Does stupid kicks again and again

4. Has no vision

5. Is predictable in attack

6. Pushes passes attempting tricky shit that comes off 1 in 10 (reminiscent of another way over hyped player in Sonny Bill Williams)

7. Isn't smart enough (see 4)

The hype around this guy has been so misplaced it's laughable, he is ordinary, he should stop appearing in Wobs and go to league.

Btw - I'm not talking about a specific game here, I'm talking about consistent performance overall and the Wobs getting the right personnel so the rots stops and in the backs it starts with HIM.

Put Tomua in, give him continuous game time and he will flourish.

Man your so fucking blind it's pointless reasoning with you. But I will try as it is a slow day. Point 4 you have claimed is more stupid than a 5th generation inbred. He has plenty of vision, he has it in spades. He has his faults and have I no intention of building him up as the messiah. What generally increases his error rate is the bloke never gives up. Explains why the bloke played the full eighty last night. His coaches also see it in him. To'omua is a good player in his own right and he can develop from the bench. There would have been nothing he could of added over Cooper last night when your pack is being comprehensively beaten like that. What Cooper did offer last night that we haven't yet seen from To'omua is the use of the inside ball. I guess he does have vision.

The rot stops in the forwards mate. It's a no brainer but I can see why you really haven't grasped that. Sorry for the personal attack but if you wan't to dish it out to other posters, getting some back is just.

Another tip. Get yourself an avatar before you are assigned one by the mods. They have a keen eye for selecting good ones I can assure you.

Cheers
Have a nice day.

 

[tekay]

Cooper was the least of the problems. People regularly say how halves look bad behind beaten packs yet when yet when it is Cooper he cops a hiding.

How about Cummins f-ups that lost ball when we were starting to build momentum? JOC (James O'Connor) looked lost and let a couple of bombs bounce, 2 poor tests in the lead up? Genia and Lilo threw intercepts and Cooper didn't? Folau gave up the ball twice in contact and Cooper did not have 1 turnover i remember?

Cooper is just not delivering overall and he's had so much opportunity.

Folua, JOC (James O'Connor), AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Genia (when he's on and injecting himself) are overall consistently dangerous, impact players where Cooper isn't. And the likes of To'omua has the natural composure and solid defence he lacks.

 

[Quick Hands]

Cooper is just not delivering overall and he's had so much opportunity.

Folua, JOC (James O'Connor), AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Genia (when he's on and injecting himself) are overall consistently dangerous, impact players where Cooper isn't. And the likes of To'omua has the natural composure and solid defence he lacks.

You'll never convince the QC (Quade Cooper) fan club that he's anything but the saviour of the Wallabies.

 

[tekay]

Man your so fucking blind it's pointless reasoning with you. But I will try as it is a slow day. Point 4 you have claimed is more stupid than a 5th generation inbred. He has plenty of vision, he has it in spades. He has his faults and have I no intention of building him up as the messiah. What generally increases his error rate is the bloke never gives up. Explains why the bloke played the full eighty last night. His coaches also see it in him. To'omua is a good player in his own right and he can develop from the bench. There would have been nothing he could of added over Cooper last night when your pack is being comprehensively beaten like that. What Cooper did offer last night that we haven't yet seen from To'omua is the use of the inside ball. I guess he does have vision.

The rot stops in the forwards mate. It's a no brainer but I can see why you really haven't grasped that. Sorry for the personal attack but if you wan't to dish it out to other posters, getting some back is just.

Another tip. Get yourself an avatar before you are assigned one by the mods. They have a keen eye for selecting good ones I can assure you.

Cheers
Have a nice day.

Hey I only ever respond in a liked-minded tone you Reds loving Gorilla. And I'm sooo sorry for picking on your overrated QLD buddy. Why are Queenslanders so often parochial flag waving types?...sigh.

 

[Ignoto]

I'm not saying it should therefore be something like the Brumbies pack as a selection but at least attempt to reflect their hunger, their real hunt and support 'as a pack' mentality.

I know this can take a bit of time because players in the Wobs are not as familiar with each other as say the Brumbies - but this work as a 'tight unit' has to be the focus for Ewen right now or it'll continue to unravel even more.

Last night we had the following players on the field at roughly the same time; Moore, Alexander, Sio, Fardy, Mowen and Hooper. 6 out of 8 possible forwards were Brumbies or have recently been in their "new system". This "hunger" and working as a "tight unit" was missing even when we had 3/4 of the forward pack as Brumbies.

Do we only see the true benefit of this "tight unit" when all 8 members are there an accounted for? Or is it something else?

Honestly, the blind tribal support coming out of some provincial camps is terrible. Comparing Super Rugby to an international game, especially against the top two nations in the world is miles apart. Plenty of players don't realise how much more is required at this level than what they've previously got.

There's not much cattle left for Link to choose from to be frank. There might be one or two minor improvements he could make, but nothing to make up the huge deficits that exists in the 1 - 8 position.

 

[tekay]

You'll never convince the QC (Quade Cooper) fan club that he's anything but the saviour of the Wallabies.

Yeah, no surprises from the flag-waving mob there.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

It's bemusing what catches people's attention. Slipper got votes from a number of people in the MOM thread. How the hell that happens after our pack got obliterated and our scrum destroyed I cannot quite understand. Ending up in the middle of a few back line plays doesn't mean much, IMO.

Richo, it's like the old meat and gravy thing. Unfortunately many kids in the forwards get all the development opportunities (rep selection) on the basis of trial performance where they stand out by doing selfish but spectacular solo runs while seagulling out with the princesses (gravy).

It is all too easy to see the gravy stuff (especially for the fatties wearing <6) and think that they had an awesome game. The meat for the tight 5 is so often overlooked for the flashy stuff.

 

[fatprop]

I'd really like to see Laurie Fisher in the Wallaby set up.

same players mate, same players