Italy v Australia, Sunday Nov 10 2013, Stadio Olimpico

[BPC]

Hooper is a better running player at this stage, but Gill slows the opposition attack far more than Hooper does, which takes the pressure off the rest of the team and allows then to realign in defence.

The problem is that Hooper is about the only current forward, other than Fardy, who gets the right body height and leg drive in contact. If some of the bigger players, and Sitaleki is the worst offender, played up to their weight then the choice of Hooper or Gill may be harder. At the moment, we have to start Hooper even if Gill is more effective at the breakdown to give us some penetration in the forward.

 

[Scotty]

Lucky you. There's been screeds of stuff having a go at Hooper around here.

Robinson did not have an impact off the bench in this game. But he has had a strong one in almost every other game he's played since being recalled. Slipper, by contrast, just had his first non-embarrassment in about a half a dozen games. Last night was the outlier for both players, IMO. For what it's worth, I don't care which player is there as long as they are playing well and doing their core job in the scrum. If that's Slipper, then great, but it hasn't been for most of the Link era.

Robinson himself has noted he has failed to make an impact from the bench - he said that before this game.

I think he deserves a start, as does Kepu, but I don't think there has been a significant difference to the scrum with them on the field. The scrum has been inconsistent the whole time.

 

[BDA]

I feel we were lucky that the Italians had a LH who had just graduated from the Al Baxter/Ben Alexander school for collapsed scrummaging....

When the scrum actually stayed up they definitely appeared to be more dominant....

Yeh i actually got the feeling that the Italians were purposely collapsing the scrum early on the assumption that the ref would just penalise us, but the ref was on to it. they then seemed to get on with the job of actually scrummaging.

This is a problem we are going to face against these teams. seems like these NH refs often just operate on perception and the smart teams know how to take advantage of that

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I cannot believe the optimism stemming from that game.
The scoreline was very flattering to Wobblies with 2 late soft tries.
I know the italians invented the renaissance and all that so they're pretty smart but I didnt know they were so rugby smart: they completely bamboozled us (and Glenn Jackson) at the scrums: does anyone know how many hours were spent on scrums in that game? They saw to it that as little rugby as possible was played in the 80 minutes and we had no answer to their scrum tactics. I was thoroughly pissed off with Mowen's lack of intervention in this - as he showed later with the free kick for delaying the throw in - Old Jacko is very suggestible so a less than quiet pointed word in his ear about the Azzuri loose head's refusal to pack on our ball would not have gone astray. And if no one out there knew what the F**k was going on our head coach is a former international front rower so surely he had some clue that might have been passed on through the hydration technician.
I didn't see much that suggests the backline is anything near a functioning machine - the tries came from individual inspiration rather than a structured thought out plan. The Badger's second could so easily have broken down by virtue of the absence of a plan and it was just luck and some sublime unstructured skill that QC (Quade Cooper) got a hand free and he was away - a well taken but opportunistic effort.
Our breakdown work was better but still lacks authority. I actually thought Simmons played his best test at 6.
A pass mark only and next week's exam will be a lot more difficult.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Yeh i actually got the feeling that the Italians were purposely collapsing the scrum early on the assumption that the ref would just penalise us, but the ref was on to it. they then seemed to get on with the job of actually scrummaging.

This is a problem we are going to face against these teams. seems like these NH refs often just operate on perception and the smart teams know how to take advantage of that

The ref was a Kiwi

 

[tranquility]

As it is mostly IS, your last comment is very on point.

 

[BDA]

The ref was a Kiwi

well that explains why he didnt take the bait

 

[Red Heavy]

Just watched Cummins let in the first try by jamming 60 meters out (and missing by a fair way) instead of jockeying and making it a 3 v 3 situation. These basic mistakes we make week in and week out is why we are a long way off the big boys of world rugby.

 

[I like to watch]

Pretty sure if he was not such a character,there would be much less love for him on this forum.

 

[Gnostic]

Well that was a strange game really. The Italians as has been noted extensively didn't play to their strength in the scrum with the LHP just not interested. I really don't understand why he wasn't penalised for not binding, hinging etc. Very strange.

As I thought though the Italians didn't seek to play the kicking game and tended to stay away from the lineout, no doubt in response to the perceived threat of the Wallabies threats in 3/4 genuine jumpers. I remain disappointed though in the Wallabies lineout, in that they do not seem to pressure the opposition and compete effectively. I will need to see some stats but that is my perception from this game and others, they just aren't winning opposition ball or disrupting to the point the opposition opts for the No2 ball instead of going long.

If the Wallabies want to see a forward pack with real commitment and drive they should watch the USA game V the Maori. Outclassed in some positions they hit the rucks with passion and moved past the ball. They tackled ferociously, they ran with purpose and didn't take the ball static and flat footed.

The Wallabies forwards committed more to the rucks and hence there was better ball for the backs. However they still never rucked PAST the ball preferring to bind and wrestle the opponent to the ground leaving a big gap for the next defender to come in and pressure the half back. They really need to ruck past the ball. Whilst the Wallabies came out on top in this battle they still have a couple of passengers in Alexander and Timani, especially the latter.

Genia is really starting to look like Gregan did at the end of his career. Laboured inaccurate pass, slow to some breakdowns, kicking something from the drunken thirsty thirds.

This was a very good win, but I am way past taking such victories as the herald of a new age or even the pre-dawn glow.

 

[Shiggins]

The badger is back at it

 

[Badger]

The Ch10 commentator (Nigel Starmer-Smith) was atrocious. It sounded like he just rocked up on the day and had a look at the team sheet just before kick off. Not that it did him any good. Apparently, there's a Michael Cooper and Stephen Cooper in the team. He also had difficulty telling the players apart like Quade Cooper from Matt To'omua or Folau from Kurindrani. Add in the gaffes others have already mentioned and Ch10 would have been better off having Gordon Bray call it from the studio or just leaving the effects mike on.

 

[Slim 293]

The Ch10 commentator (Nigel Starmer-Smith) was atrocious. It sounded like he just rocked up on the day and had a look at the team sheet just before kick off. Not that it did him any good. Apparently, there's a Michael Cooper and Stephen Cooper in the team. He also had difficulty telling the players apart like Quade Cooper from Matt To'omua or Folau from Kurindrani. Add in the gaffes others have already mentioned and Ch10 would have been better off having Gordon Bray call it from the studio or just leaving the effects mike on.

He sounds exactly like Gordon Bray (he couldn't tell the difference between George Smith and Conrad Smith), without the silly trivia.........

And let's just remember that he's not actually employed by Channel 10........

 

[daz]

I feel we were lucky that the Italians had a LH who had just graduated from the Al Baxter/Ben Alexander school for collapsed scrummaging....

When the scrum actually stayed up they definitely appeared to be more dominant....

The Italians were crafty little buggers; the front 3 took turns at not taking the hit and forcing the Wallabies scrum to collapse, thereby gifting a penalty to the mob in blue.

It appears they just hoped the perception of a "weak" Aussie scrum would just be swallowed whole - It worked well and sucked Mr Jackson in at least three times.

 

[biggsy]

Hope the man of the Match Cummins thanked Cooper for handing out meats pies most of the night.

Don't think Cummins was MOM though....

 

[lewisr]

Watching To'omua really come into that 12 role makes me wonder what we could have had if Giteau stayed at inside centre instead of being shifted for several years. Originally I was quite hesitant about his lack of size in that role, but geez he looks composed in that role. Glad to see he and Quade are working with one another there!

Or Barnesy? At the world cup? It has always been plain to see that Cooper operates better with a more conservative playmaker outside him. Still can't believe we played the entire Lions tour without him.

I'd still like to see Robinson into the starting pack for Alexander despite his odd fumble. And slipper move to 3.

Would really like to see Gill given a shot to start... he just adds that point of difference at the breakdown.

Rest Genia. He is a brilliant player and will continue to be a brilliant player if we handle his form slump as best we can. I would like to see White get another go with Phipps on the bench. And for someone to tell white to get the ball to Cooper and To'omua as much as possible rather than kicking it away. Those two have shown they can come up with the goods.

 

[A mutterer]

that was a very ambivalent performance.

there seemed to be a rather lacklustre attitude from australia, particularly after the first 2 tries, almost as if they expected tries to start raining, similar to men that are referenced in that fabulous disco track.

overall i thought we were poor, the breakdown and tackling as soft as the giant marshmallow man from ghostbusters. not much that can be read into that game except that we need way more than what was dished up.

i was particularly annoyed by genia's 'fade away' box kicks. this isnt basketball and fade away shouldnt be mentioned, not even when we are referring to our bloody pack.

i find it hard to even summon up a pass mark for that performance.

 

[ChargerWA]

Pretty sure if he was not such a character,there would be much less love for him on this forum.

Disagree. It's an Australian tendency to back the underdog. Cummins hasn't got the silky skills, all he has is gut busting tenacity and a love for the Australian jersey.

I actually think there are many put off by his ockersim's. If he was Larkhamesque in his personality there may be a few more people who loved him.

 

[Quick Hands]

The Ch10 commentator (Nigel Starmer-Smith) was atrocious. It sounded like he just rocked up on the day and had a look at the team sheet just before kick off. Not that it did him any good. Apparently, there's a Michael Cooper and Stephen Cooper in the team. He also had difficulty telling the players apart like Quade Cooper from Matt To'omua or Folau from Kurindrani. Add in the gaffes others have already mentioned and Ch10 would have been better off having Gordon Bray call it from the studio or just leaving the effects mike on.

Well as someone who spent a rainly Sunday watching about 8 hours of rugby tests on Fox, I can tell you how bad our commentators are in comparison to those from NZ, Scotland, Ireland, England and the US. Kearns is cringeworthy - fortunately they must have left Marto behind.

 

[barbarian]

i find it hard to even summon up a pass mark for that performance.

This has to be a gee-up, surely. Christ on a bike.

Considering our last three performances vs Italy in Italy I think chalking up 50 was a pretty good effort. Not going to get carried away, but fuck me if you can't enjoy a 50 point result you shouldn't be watching the game.
.