Bledisloe 2 - Saturday 25th August 2018 - Eden Park, Auckland

[Brumby Jack]

I've always wondered this. Why does Folau not play on the wing again?

Because Mrs Folau won't allow it..

 

[Brumby Jack]

After sleeping on it, here are some comments. Firstly well done to New Zealand and showing why they continue to be number 1 in the world.

The scrum looked much better than last week in the opening half, although it wasn't hard after last week.
David Pocock is immense, but that is nothing new, but he needs to get some more help as he can't keep doing everything by himself and his neck can't take th

Watching Hooper getting lifted at jumper 2 in the defensive lineout wasn't going to work out too well.
Our transition to defence after a turnover is still awful and another 40+ defenders beaten says a lot.
Our defensive alignment probably contributed to the above comment and the sight of All Blacks players using some of our defenders as witches hats in a training drill was awful. There didn't seem to be anyone to hold the line and the 'rush' defence approach leaving holes is getting exposed time and time again.
Do we need a sports psychologist in to work out what's going on around the 35 minute mark because again, we were in the game before getting crushed.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

For me this game finally gave me the reality check for me of how all the problems at grass root level and super rugby have come home to roost.

The problem of a top down focus for Rugby Australia has to me been shown where I now realise that first half of the last game was a smokescreen and we are just light years away from competing against the all blacks because of structural issues in oz rugby.

Personally to fix the wallabies we need to look at replacing and/or making changes in Rugby Australia as a priority rather then the coaches as the former has a lot to blame for the poor state of the wallabies.

I can’t be angry with last nights wallaby performances as we just don’t have enough quality players to match the all blacks. And unless we find some way to fix grassroots and a professional rugby competition that appeals to fans I can only see this situation getting worse.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Thought Barnes had good game but was disappointed that he did not address the repeated neck rolls against Pocock. Should have seen an all black spend some time in the bin for that.


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[KOB1987]

As a Canadian who is also a Wallabies fan I feel for you guys. We used to be able to win the occasional game against the likes of France or Wales, but it has been a slow decline to the point that we are losing to Uruguay and Brazil. Along the way people blamed selection, the coaches, sevens rugby etc. All of these things on the national side were manipulated every which way, but the reality is that the foundation of the sport here is exceptionally weak and the grassroots is diminished. It sounds like the same thing has happened in Australia and now it is showing up at the top.

It isn't the fault of any individual player on the side or the coach, the country as a whole just isn't good enough. How many Wallabies would start on the All Blacks? Probably Pocock, maybe Folau. Genia, Hooper and Coleman are possibly subs. Props I don't know. That's it. How can you beat a team when they have better players, by far, at at least 13 of 15 positions?

Foley isn't great, but neither is any prospective replacement for him (Quade is a joke), Phipps, Tui, Korobiete, Robertson or any of the other players that are maligned on this forum.

Robertson - clearly too small
Hodge - jack of all trades, master of none
Foley - a 10 that can't kick
Beale - high risk, can't tackle
Korobiete - Fast. That's about it.
Folau - Can't kick
Hooper and Pocock - two best players play the same position
Second lock - not nearly good enough
8 Man and 6: They don't have any!
Tui - Good runs, not good enough at anything else at this point, would be eons away from a jersey in black.
Phipps - Would be the ABs 10th 9
TPN - No stamina whatsoever
Rob Simmons - Again, ABs #15 lock option, South Africa the same
DHP - Solid fullback, no X factor

The ABs are fielding absolute studs at every position. The Wallabies are putting out inherently flawed players, with only a few exceptions. It isn't the fault of the players that they are the best you have. Cheika isn't perfect, nor is Larkham, but I don't think you'd see Steve Hansen leading the Wallabies to a Bledisloe if you swapped coaches.

It all starts at the bottom and the Wallabies aren't good enough because rugby in Australia is moribund. The Super Rugby teams reflect the state of the sport and for the most part they are mediocre. You can't blame Foley or Cheika for the state of the sport, these types of people are the SOLUTION to the problem, not the CAUSE. The players, for the most part, play hard rugby. When you get blown out and are badly overmatched it is hard to keep the same level of intensity up. Yes they ought to, Pocock did, but I've never seen it where a team gets beat by 40 points and there aren't some players that are discouraged or letting up. If the ABs got annihilated a few games in a row even they'd be acting the same. Losing breeds losing.

Anyways just a rant to say that you can shuffle the deck however you like but you aren't going to win a hand if your deck is stacked with twos and your opponent's is all aces.

Can I just say this? THIS ^^^^

 

[KOB1987]

Anyone of us can come with a hypothethical side naming any player or any coach we like and it won't beat New Zealand. They are a class above and whilst they'll have off days and get beaten 1/10 games no nation is going to unseat them from the number 1 spot in the world.

The reality is we are playing for the #2 spot in the world and the best we can hope for is that one of those off days is when we play them in the RWC final next year.

 

[jl75]

Just my opinion! I don’t understand why we bring players back from overseas. These guys choose to leave to chase the dollar and that’s fair enough but bringing them back and then not giving them much game time, what a waste. Pete Samu, crusaders now wallaby, play the damn guy. He’d do a lot better than Tui, who at this time is better of coming of the bench and being an impact. Looking for a quick fix is not the solution, blooding the crop coming through imo is far better than than bringing players back. After next year 50-60% of these players are probably gone and then we are back to square one. Defensive coach? What defensive coach. It’s more so coaching mates looking after mates. And lastly, In NZ to be fair every kid growing up wants to be an All Black, playing league is an after thought. In Melbourne, Perth, Tassie, Adelaide, Nt majority wants to play AFL. Nsw and Qld rugby league than union and any decent union kid is snapped up by a $1500 cheque from league and than promised the world. I don’t think it’s grassroots rugby that’s the problem I think it starts from the top. Just my opinion that’s all.

 

[zer0]

It’s inconsequential but did anyone notice Barrett actually dropped the ball on the second try? It’s one of those things, eg. Maybe first try looked at without the drop kick and second try disallowed etc. and we are in the game more. But at the end of the day you earn the right to decisions through perception and hard work.

I think the Wallabies wouldn't have minded that the officials didn't take a closer look at that try. If they had, there's a good chance they'd have noticed Pocock's high tackle from an offside position in the red zone. Assuming they had noticed that, and it had been ruled a knock-on, then it likely would have been a yellow card to Pocock and penalty try to the AB's.

 

[Dan54]

There's a kid in the local team I coach. Consistently one of the fastest kids on the field. Every time there's a break he chases hard and then shadows the kid all the way to the try line. It's like he's waiting for them to stop and say ok, I give up - you caught me.
I think he's going to be a future wallaby.

Actually tragic ,I know you were being a bit tongue in cheek, but if we wonder if Aussie kids can play good rugby , I taken to watching College rugby, and TSS 1st 15 here in Qld are a superbly coached team, and after watching them yesterday and ABs , you would think they were cut from same cloth, especially in their treatment of turnover ball, they immediately throw it wide and set off on attack, watching both teams a couple of hours apart the similarities were quite noticable, great skills, so the kids are here with ability!

 

[Derpus]

How good is not watching this fucking bullshit? had a great time. Did things with my life (is getting drunk something?). May as well have watched it anyway because we all fuckin new what was going to happen.

The greatest tragedy is that the ABs are allowed into the RWC.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

I think the Wallabies wouldn't have minded that the officials didn't take a closer look at that try. If they had, there's a good chance they'd have noticed Pocock's high tackle from an offside position in the red zone. Assuming they had noticed that, and it had been ruled a knock-on, then it likely would have been a yellow card to Pocock and penalty try to the AB's.

​

 

[Dan54]

Another thing on the test did I miss it, or did we have a test where 52 points were scored there was not one attempted penalty kick for goal?

 

[Quick Hands]

For me this game finally gave me the reality check for me of how all the problems at grass root level and super rugby have come home to roost.

The problem of a top down focus for Rugby Australia has to me been shown where I now realise that first half of the last game was a smokescreen and we are just light years away from competing against the all blacks because of structural issues in oz rugby.

Personally to fix the wallabies we need to look at replacing and/or making changes in Rugby Australia as a priority rather then the coaches as the former has a lot to blame for the poor state of the wallabies.

I can’t be angry with last nights wallaby performances as we just don’t have enough quality players to match the all blacks. And unless we find some way to fix grassroots and a professional rugby competition that appeals to fans I can only see this situation getting worse.

Absolutely RN. A point I've been making for some time. Sadly all forseen and forseeable, but too many had too much faith in ARU/RA.

In the supreme irony, the architect of the top-down philosphy on JON appeared in print yesterday, saying that the whole structure needed changing.

 

[Quick Hands]

How good is not watching this fucking bullshit? had a great time. Did things with my life (is getting drunk something?). May as well have watched it anyway because we all fuckin new what was going to happen.

The greatest tragedy is that the ABs are allowed into the RWC.

Now you know how I feel after avoiding the super rugby this season.

 

[wamberal]

Absolutely RN. A point I've been making for some time. Sadly all forseen and forseeable, but too many had too much faith in ARU/RA.

In the supreme irony, the architect of the top-down philosphy on JON appeared in print yesterday, saying that the whole structure needed changing.

Top down or bottoms up?


Decisions taken back in JON's day were not voted on by the whole supporter base, as far as I know. Were you consulted? I certainly wasn't.


So why does your opinion, or my opinion, or Uncle Tom Cobbley's opinion about what should have happened matter?


We are up the proverbial creek as a sport in this country, and there are no paddles in sight, except the chimera of a Twiggy rescue.

 

[tragic]

Actually tragic ,I know you were being a bit tongue in cheek, but if we wonder if Aussie kids can play good rugby , I taken to watching College rugby, and TSS 1st 15 here in Qld are a superbly coached team, and after watching them yesterday and ABs , you would think they were cut from same cloth, especially in their treatment of turnover ball, they immediately throw it wide and set off on attack, watching both teams a couple of hours apart the similarities were quite noticable, great skills, so the kids are here with ability!

I agree - I often watch the 1sts with my boys after their junior games. The atmosphere is great and the rugby is light years beyond what it was when I played.
I've not posted in the super threads for a while as I don't watch the games anymore. The occasional club games and schoolboy rugby holds more enjoyment.

 

[Up the Guts]

One of the frustrating thing is we actually looked pretty decently coached in that first Irish test. We changed our tactics, combated their strengths, and ground out a win. Now we look like we're holding on for life for the first 35 minutes then collapsing into a disorganised rubble.

 

[Joe Blow]

How good is not watching this fucking bullshit? had a great time. Did things with my life (is getting drunk something?). May as well have watched it anyway because we all fuckin new what was going to happen.

The greatest tragedy is that the ABs are allowed into the RWC.

Yeah, well I stupidly got up at 330am for that punishment knowing full well what was coming.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Thought Barnes had good game but was disappointed that he did not address the repeated neck rolls against Pocock. Should have seen an all black spend some time in the bin for that.


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Or the neck rolls on Read or Goodhue or Barrett

 

[Dctarget]

Soooo our line outs were better.


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