Italy v Australia, Sunday Nov 10 2013, Stadio Olimpico

[Inside Shoulder]

ABs v France was high intensity for 80 minutes. The end result came down to a couple of moments of brilliance by the ABs and a couple of lapses by the French. Quite a few tiers above the Wallabies v Italy match.

I watched the AB's first and the Italy game was a real let down as a result

 

[Gnostic]

I watched the AB's first and the Italy game was a real let down as a result

Indeed the USA V Maori game was of higher intensity, and the scrums were far better also.

 

[barbarian]

You say that like it was some kind of surprise.

You started with one of the great rivalries in rugby, two sides that have the uncanny ability to produce great spectacles every time they meet. Then you went to the 13th ranked side against a struggling Wallabies, who have a bad habit of not playing well against lesser sides.

So it strikes me as somewhat strange that you expected the latter to even be close to the same ballpark as the former.
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[Inside Shoulder]

You say that like it was some kind of surprise.

You started with one of the great rivalries in rugby, two sides that have the uncanny ability to produce great spectacles every time they meet. Then you went to the 13th ranked side against a struggling Wallabies, who have a bad habit of not playing well against lesser sides.

So it strikes me as somewhat strange that you expected the latter to even be close to the same ballpark as the former.
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I said it was a let down not a surprise.
The wallabies are fast on the way to becoming one of those lesser sides.

 

[Merrow]

It's a pretty sad day when you can't just watch a game and enjoy a win without everyone overanalysing it.

 

[Ruggo]

I think it is clear we are heading in a new direction and slowly building. I also understand the fans being suss until we see some consistency. Wallaby fans have a right to be feeling a bit gun shy at the moment.

 

[Ruggo]

What I think I am liking most about Quade Cooper at the moment is that Genia is not playing well but it is not effecting his ability to play well. It is really looking like he has matured on the field as well as off it.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

What I think I am liking most about Quade Cooper at the moment is that Genia is not playing well but it is not effecting his ability to play well. It is really looking like he has matured on the field as well as off it.

The change in cooper is an eye opener.
Any significance in the absence of the other 2 amigos in explaining his maturity?

 

[Ruggo]

I just think a young bloke has reached that point where he grows up and his perspective changes. I think it is something we probably have all faced in life one way or another and I hope the other two also find it soon.

 

[Brumby Runner]

In my mind all we've seen so far is the ability to smash a couple of bad teams and the inability to compete with good teams.

I still don't think we've seen any sort of evolution. We've been able to score points more easily in recent matches but we've also leaked points far more easily.

That's usually the way it goes of course. Even the ABs leak quite a few points in a lot of games where they score plenty.

 

[BPC]

To all the people having a crack at the players- what more could we have possibly done in that game? Score 60? 70? 100?

Not leaking 20 points.

Still, it was uplifting to get a win. Two in a row would be even better.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

After experiancing the Rome underground train network I may have uncovered the secret behind Italy's success in the scrum. In peak hour there is essentially a maul at every stop in order to cram everyone into the carriage. Failure is not an option for the locals, get in or get out of the way.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

After experiancing the Rome underground train network I may have uncovered the secret behind Italy's success in the scrum. In peak hour there is essentially a maul at every stop in order to cram everyone into the carriage. Failure is not an option for the locals, get in or get out of the way.

Sounds like the rest of Rome only worse...

 

[oztimmay]

After experiancing the Rome underground train network I may have uncovered the secret behind Italy's success in the scrum. In peak hour there is essentially a maul at every stop in order to cram everyone into the carriage. Failure is not an option for the locals, get in or get out of the way.

If you think that's bad don't try the Milano underground. It smells like old feet.

 

[Rebel rouser]

After experiancing the Rome underground train network I may have uncovered the secret behind Italy's success in the scrum. In peak hour there is essentially a maul at every stop in order to cram everyone into the carriage. Failure is not an option for the locals, get in or get out of the way.

By your logic, then Japan would be the best scrum nation in the world. They actually hire attendants at the stations to assist in shoving you onto the train. Actual video:

And from a from a few years back, here's a video of John Eales take on his time in Japan: