Ireland v Australia

[boyo]

Too many "part-time" Wallabies supporters here for me.
You get up just before the match starts, whether it's 1-00 am, 4-00 am, or 8-00 am!
So many of you "experts" question the commitment of our players, yet you are too bloody lazy to get up and support them!

Maybe the reason Rugby is so "ordinary" in Australia at the moment , is not because of the "quality" of the players, but because of the "quality" of the supporters, many of whom appear to reside within this forum?!

I've been mulling over this post for a few days deciding if it deserved a response or not.

I watch more rugby than most on GAGR. For anyone to question my commitment to rugby is beyond the pale.

Sure, I don't wake in the early hours to watch the Wallabies live, but I record such matches to watch later.

It is a tragedy that certain people question the quality of the commitment of GAGR members.

 

[USARugger]

Tomane fast if you seen him in space. Beale's lighting. Really the slow ones are not the true wingers. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne. Then Izzy isnt fast but he is our best fullback by a mile. I mean there's no Rod Davis/Mogg pace.. But we are fast with the right guys

Tomane hasn't gotten a lot of space in his Wallabies games but yeah, can concur from watching him play for the Brumbies over the years that he has genuine toe - probably faster than JOC (James O'Connor) or Speight in a dead sprint.

I'd love to see 2012-13 Tomane make some appearances and bump a few blokes off when he isn't getting space - he's a big fucker and used to do it pretty regularly. Not sure if he's been injured much since then to be honest but I've thought for a while that as an out-and-out winger he has one of the highest potential ceilings of any player in Australia.

He's still breaking tackles but he's proven in the past he can throw that big body around pretty violently. He's bigger than lots of centers are - and a shitload faster. Wingers are just on the end of some many variables that sometimes it's really difficult if it's down to them or a litany of other potential reasons that they aren't imposing themselves on a game.

 

[Viking]

I think you hit the nail on the head. Our wingers simply aren't imposing themselves on the game. When we think of Digby, even his average games he was still hitting it up with inside balls and getting over the gain line a heap of times. He would find a way to get involved. JOC (James O'Connor) at the last RWC would rove around and get himself involved too.

I don't see that kind of involvement in our current wingers.

Not that our wingers are the reason we are losing, but improvement is always necessary.

 

[Lorenzo]

Foley's kicking isn't enough to pick him over Cooper at this point. Two relatively straightforward misses at goal (in the first 40 at least) and his kicks from hand are significantly shorter than required at this level.

Unsure as to why To'omua isn't taking more of the punts when he is in the side.

 

[TheBigDog]

I'd love to see 2012-13 Tomane make some appearances and bump a few blokes off when he isn't getting space - he's a big fucker and used to do it pretty regularly. Not sure if he's been injured much since then to be honest but I've thought for a while that as an out-and-out winger he has one of the highest potential ceilings of any player in Australia.

Tomane is definitely a talent but I'm not quite sure whether his ceiling is as high as some people want to believe. He may only be 24 but don't forget he's been playing professional rugby (of some sort) for quite a while now and has been largely inconsistent. This may be why he couldn't keep gigs at the Storm and Titans.

In saying that, I do hope he regains some form as he's one of the better out and out wingers that Australian rugby has at the moment.

 

[unsub god]

I actually thought Phipps passing was sloppy this game. Might be time to give Genia a start

 

[It is what it is]

I actually thought Phipps passing was sloppy this game. Might be time to give Genia a start

Genia is too slow to play at the speed required.
He also needs to get rid of the 2 steps and stay down and pass off the ground.

 

[FilthRugby]

I think the biggest error was taking Fiangaa and Kepu off in the 70th minute!

Both players were involved thoroughly in the game, specifically contributing at the scrum. So, this consequently resulted in the Wallabies losing a very important scrum 4 minutes later, and Ireland went on to capitalise on that possession and field positioning.

I was a bit shocked, because Phil Kearns actually noted some important occurrences throughout the game, whilst commentating. Kearns was a great player, but is a bit blunt when commentating. However, three good points he made;

1. Wallabies body height was too high. Twice, Jones was held up by O' Mahoney, POC and Rory Best. Which subsequently followed by this occurring again to other Wallabies players.

2. The Wallabies lack a long range kicker. An example was when Foley only made a short distance of about 10-15 on a free-kick(s). Whilst Jonny Sexton made a lot more distance. He mentioned how Roger Gould should make a come-back. However, this is a very good point.

3. Ireland are a very good side.

Let's remember, that New Zealand just beat them last year, whilst trailing the whole game. There were positives in my opinion. I thought McCalman and Fiangaa were outstanding. And, even though Hooper has been bagged of late, he made some crucial defensive efforts, which resulted in Wallabies possession.

 

[Groucho]

How exactly does one operate on a rocket?

With irony.

 

[Groucho]

Jesus you really all are a bunch of miserable pricks.

I thought we didn't play too bad at all - aside from stupid handling errors in the Irish 22 - we did pretty well and the signs are promising.

[snip]

Let's hope the boys get fired up for next week, as it should be another cracker of a game. Carn Australia.

Careful, or the mods will be directing you to the Wallaby positivity thread.

I likewise thought the Wallabies played reasonably well against a fired-up and improving Ireland team, who will give the RWC a shake. It was an extremely entertaining (and in stretches also very good) game of rugby.

 

[FilthRugby]

On a side note: I thought Rob Simmons really put in a notable effort.

He didn't give away any dim-witted penalties and was great at the line-out.

I do take my hat off to him, it looks like he is trying to improve his game.

 

[Lorenzo]

1. Wallabies body height was too high. Twice, Jones was held up by O' Mahoney, POC and Rory Best. Which subsequently followed by this occurring again to other Wallabies players.

2. The Wallabies lack a long range kicker. An example was when Foley only made a short distance of about 10-15 on a free-kick(s). Whilst Jonny Sexton made a lot more distance. He mentioned how Roger Gould should make a come-back. However, this is a very good point.

3. Ireland are a very good side.

I think you are being very kind to Kearns.


1. I would hope that a supposed expert would spot that we give away the ball too often through the maul law. It's pretty bloody obvious. It's not analysis, it's at best observation.

2. It is not a "very good point" in late November. The majority of this forum has been banging on about the team's weak kicking from hand all year. The fullback kicks like someone forced at gunpoint (or in his case, for millions of dollars) to learn how to kick in his 20s - which is exactly what he is - and Foley has either no hang time (important if you are keeping the ball in the field of play) and/or no distance.

The fact that this state affairs has only just been deemed worthy of mention merely serves to enforce Kearns' inability to tell us anything we don't already know.

3. Would this have been unclear should he not have mentioned it?

I thought the archetypal Kearns moment was when he described our scrum as too high half a second prior to us being awarded a scrum penalty.

 

[FilthRugby]

Lorenzo, every facet of rugby has been mention on GaGR. Everything you read is simply a re-gurgitation of an already mentioned topic, but it is un-intentional. A lot of rugby minds think the same.

I was 'over enthusiastically' describing some of Kearns' points. I will admit that.

However, my biggest issue was the subbing of Kepu and Fiangaa. Every other point was a regurgitation of what many have already said, and I apologise for boring this forum. (no rugby pun intended).

 

[Inside Shoulder]

On a side note: I thought Rob Simmons really put in a notable effort.

He didn't give away any dim-witted penalties and was great at the line-out.

I do take my hat off to him, it looks like he is trying to improve his game.

The 2nd time he was held up was due to a pass form Carter that should never have been thrown - it failed #1 test of a pass: do not pass to man in a worse position that you are.

 

[Quick Hands]

The tone of jackson's multiple inquiries suggests that he thought it was forward and felt had missed the "no" from the TMO.
Maybe thew Irish TV director helped us out by not finding a conclusive angle.
Agree with Cyclo that there was nothing to slash wrists over but I think we need to have a long hard look at trying to hide blokes in the back 3 (which must have been 4 at times) who are knee high to a grass hopper and will not win the aerial contest.

Although ANY angle was reasonably conclusive about the pass. Somewhere between 2 and 3 metres forward/

 

[Quick Hands]

Careful, or the mods will be directing you to the Wallaby positivity thread.

I likewise thought the Wallabies played reasonably well against a fired-up and improving Ireland team, who will give the RWC a shake. It was an extremely entertaining (and in stretches also very good) game of rugby.

Yes Groucho, any positivity on these match threads after a loss and the naysayers swing into action.

 

[leakytap]

Why have we lost the ability to pick and drive? Is this part on the new game plan?

 

[Groucho]

Why have we lost the ability to pick and drive? Is this part on the new game plan?

That seems unlikely. If the Wobs are playing Chiekball (as played at the Waratahs) then driving forward play before going wide is the cornerstone of the (very simple) system. Perhaps Chieka has been listening to the pundits who say that idea can't possibly work at test level. Or he's just goldarned just ruined everything, already.

 

[Roundawhile]

I suspect that many use TGC because it is easier to remember how to spell than Cheika.

Their are plenty on here who can't remember that they're is a difference between there, they're, and their. HTF do you expect them to remember how to spell Cheika correctly?

Isn't this what "Spell Cheikas"are for?

 

[RugbyReg]

There were a few times in the game when Wallabies were caught running with the ball too high, notably Jones in a few occasions, that three or four forwards came from nowhere and smashed the ruck to try and get the ball clear and maul moving forward.

Pity we don't see that more as a weapon and not just as a last result. Even on defence.