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

[Up the Guts]

Aside from Retallick and Barrett, who have been clear standouts these two tests, the accountant turns in performance after the performance doesn't he. He's just so slippery.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

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.

I'd actually forgotten that the game was on and went for a nice ride on my bike. It was a cracking day out there.

I came home to the news that my club's Colts team had won their GF and that made it all the better. Saw about 30 seconds of the Wallaby game, observed the score and turned over to the footy on Ch 7. That said, I'd watched the Marlins and Uni earlier that afternoon and will also watch Norths and Warringah today. Still love the game, but Oz v the AB's? No point any more.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Could not agree more. The ABs will tire you out otherwise and then their speedsters will kill you.

Wallabies seem a bit screwed though as the fast-tempo game they play is what gives them success against every other country in the world. It's why they made the RWC final last time around. Other teams can't cope with it. Hard to adjust tactics so completely to play one specific side.

Not to bag on Foley/Beale, because I don't think there are much better options, but if you thought up a 10/12 combo that was going to fail against the ABs it would be these two. Foley can't kick, Beale is high-risk and turnover prone and can't tackle for a lick in the open field. It's a recipe for disaster.

I think that's pretty on the money. The style of game Cheika coaches can be and often is successful, but the problem is the Kiwi's do it better than we do. A lot better.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Thought Shiggins went well. Just went out and played his usual game. That being, noticing every single infraction by the other team but never when his team does it.....​

Yeah it's taken a while for him to find his feet but I reckon he's now the master baitor of kiwis on this site, plus he's now doing so multiple threads (e.g. this one AND the Black Ferns v Wallaroos one) so I think he's got a pretty high ceiling as a mass debater.​

 

[Quick Hands]

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.

The whole raison d'etre of these threads is for people to express their opinion - yours have been proven so wrong so often, but you still have the forum to express them.

It's your beloved ARU who have sent the joint up the creek - and you've defended them and their decisions at every turn no matter what the evidence to the contrary.

If your views had been proven to be correct, then I'd at least have the graciousness to admit I was wrong and acknowledge that you were after all correct. Not only can't you seem to bring yourself to that, but you don't seem to even have the grace to say nothing.

 

[Quick Hands]

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.

We're currently ranked 5th, with a significant gap between us and 4th. SAF are 6th and their loss to Argentina has helped us stay 5th.

On current form hard to see us beating Ireland or England.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

We're currently ranked 5th, with a significant gap between us and 4th. SAF are 6th and their loss to Argentina has helped us stay 5th.

On current form hard to see us beating Ireland or England.

On current form beating Argentina would be a stretch


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[Up the Guts]

On current form beating Argentina would be a stretch


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Yeah, Argentina are pretty good at offloading and keeping the ball alive, exactly what we can't defend against.

The Wallabies had one week to prepare before playing the first Irish test, tactically it was maybe the best we've ever played under Cheika. We had what four or five weeks before the first Bledislode and we collapsed completely in both tests and looked basically like an uncoached rabble.

Even if we do beat Argentina and South Africa and, we do what seems impossible right now, and win the third Bledislode in Japan, the capitulations in these first two tests will still have seemingly destroyed any hint that Australian Rugby was improving.

 

[Derpus]

So what now. We sit around diddling our pickles while we wait for Argentina or South Africa in a few weeks? yeesh. I mean, talk about kicking the stuffing out of any fan interest. Lets start every year with a timely reminder of how shit we've become.

 

[fatprop]

For those internet archaeologists have a look at the thread from the start of the game and watch over optimism turn rabid

 

[Tomikin]

So what now. We sit around diddling our pickles while we wait for Argentina or South Africa in a few weeks? yeesh. I mean, talk about kicking the stuffing out of any fan interest. Lets start every year with a timely reminder of how shit we've become.

There changing this up next year.

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[Tomikin]

For those internet archaeologists have a look at the thread from the start of the game and watch over optimism turn rabid

I still say fuck the all blacks wallabies by 10 in japan

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[RugbyReg]

We're currently ranked 5th, with a significant gap between us and 4th. SAF are 6th and their loss to Argentina has helped us stay 5th.

On current form hard to see us beating Ireland or England.

I believe if we lose the next test v the Boks we drop to 7th.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

I still say fuck the all blacks wallabies by 10 in japan

seems to be a wee pattern emerging, Aus go ok in June tests, get some belief, reckin they're a go vs NZ, but wft, lose opening 2 tests, NZ switch off a wee bit with Bled retained and lose dead rubber Bled 3. Fast forward following August, Aus with some belief, ("hey we won the last test!") rinse, repeat​

 

[Derpus]

seems to be a wee pattern emerging, Aus go ok in June tests, get some belief, reckin they're a go vs NZ, but wft, lose opening 2 tests, NZ switch off a wee bit with Bled retained and lose dead rubber Bled 3. Fast forward following August, Aus with some belief, ("hey we won the last test!") rinse, repeat​

Becomes a little more tenuous each time round though. Was pretty half hearted this year. Minimal media/TV coverage etc.

 

[Namerican]

I do think the Wallabies could tighten up some of their offensive recklessness. For example they constantly go to the open side to use up the entire width of the field. This is clearly part of the game plan because Genia doesn't hesitate to toss the ball out. But it will often be a pass to the open side with only 2 or 3 players and plenty of space. You'll see Beale and then a winger, for example, completely isolated. It's asking for a turnover. I get that they want to stretch the defense, but it is more important not to turnover the ball to the ABs than it is to stretch the field a bit more and giving yourself, if your lucky to to get a decent cleanout, quick ball with more width to work with.

They've got to kick more too. You can't run into a brick wall 20 times and fight it out with Retallick/Read/Cane etc. and then knock the ball on into the hands of Barrett, Smith, McKenzie, Ioane etc. They will just run the length of the field against tired defenders. If you aren't making ground after a coupe phases then toss up a box kick, launch a high ball or, if you can, kick for the sideline. Slow the game down and manage your own fatigue. It is easier to have defensive structure when you kick the ball as it is on your own terms. A turnover is just instant chaos.

The Wallabies at full speed can fight at parity with the ABs for awhile, but they are giving their 110% while the ABs are giving a consistent 90%. But their 90% is equal to the Aussie 110%. You have to manage your own fatigue as you know the ABs are going to stay at that level. You can't afford to drop below 90% yourself as you are overmatched at a level footing.

 

[Up the Guts]

I do reckon we miss Kurindrani, a calm head in defence amongst a bunch of headless chickens.

 

[ACR]

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!

Isn't the TSS first five a self declared kiwi though?.. They are wrecking the school comp right now so they must have plenty of talent.

 

[Up the Guts]

Isn't the TSS first five a self declared kiwi though?.. They are wrecking the school comp right now so they must have plenty of talent.

Yeah, he opted out of Aus Schools because he wants to head to NZ.

 

[fatprop]

I do think the Wallabies could tighten up
some of their offensive recklessness. For example they constantly go to the open side to use up the entire width of the field. This is clearly part of the game plan because Genia doesn't hesitate to toss the ball out. But it will often be a pass to the open side with only 2 or 3 players and plenty of space. You'll see Beale and then a winger, for example, completely isolated. It's asking for a turnover. I get that they want to stretch the defense, but it is more important not to turnover the ball to the ABs than it is to stretch the field a bit more and giving yourself, if your lucky to to get a decent cleanout, quick ball with more width to work with.

They've got to kick more too. You can't run into a brick wall 20 times and fight it out with Retallick/Read/Cane etc. and then knock the ball on into the hands of Barrett, Smith, McKenzie, Ioane etc. They will just run the length of the field against tired defenders. If you aren't making ground after a coupe phases then toss up a box kick, launch a high ball or, if you can, kick for the sideline. Slow the game down and manage your own fatigue. It is easier to have defensive structure when you kick the ball as it is on your own terms. A turnover is just instant chaos.

The Wallabies at full speed can fight at parity with the ABs for awhile, but they are giving their 110% while the ABs are giving a consistent 90%. But their 90% is equal to the Aussie 110%. You have to manage your own fatigue as you know the ABs are going to stay at that level. You can't afford to drop below 90% yourself as you are overmatched at a level footing.

Playing no mistake rugby is what got Deans sacked