Wales v Australia

[ACT Crusader]

Dunno, SBW and Robbie Fruean ran around for the Crusaders a few years back.

If "official" website stats are to be believed, Roberts and North are bigger.

 

[Marcelo]

I'm a little concerned about the Cheika's training sessions, people say they are very intense and very physical. At this time of year the players are tired, are the last matches of the calendar. It would be a mistake to try to impose that kind of training in the last games of the year when the body doesn't respond the same way. Players should get plenty of rest at this stage, hard training is useless, they won't improve their pace in 15 days

 

[ChargerWA]

Fruean's nuggety but short. Roberts/North would have to be bigger.

 

[Marcelo]

Dunno, SBW and Robbie Fruean ran around for the Crusaders a few years back.

International level it's difference than Super Rugby level. Fruean never wore the black jersey due his poor defense, as a pair of heavy centers can be beneficial for Wobbs, it's not recommended

 

[Joe Blow]

Our centers and wingers don't shirk the tough stuff and their defense is pretty good.
Kuridrani and Folau could give North some problems.

 

[Ulrich]

I'm a little concerned about the Cheika's training sessions, people say they are very intense and very physical. At this time of year the players are tired, are the last matches of the calendar. It would be a mistake to try to impose that kind of training in the last games of the year when the body doesn't respond the same way. Players should get plenty of rest at this stage, hard training is useless, they won't improve their pace in 15 days

Unfortunately poor Cheika has been dealt a difficult hand and I'm sure he's just doing the best he can. Given how physical his Waratahs side was his methods may just be the right tonic because at the end of the day it's also a fitness issue and if you are physically prepared (fit) for what you're going to get and hope to dish out then all the better for you.

I'm sure there is some excitement in the camp about the change and also for getting out of Australia for a bit considering what's been going on.

There's not much time for Cheika so only time will tell whether what's transpiring is good or not.

 

[Ulrich]

I think North is a great player but I really like Kuridrani and that says a lot. It's one thing admitting opposition class, it's another to like it if it's Australian.

North may just have a tough day at the office.

 

[TahDan]

I'm a little concerned about the Cheika's training sessions, people say they are very intense and very physical. At this time of year the players are tired, are the last matches of the calendar. It would be a mistake to try to impose that kind of training in the last games of the year when the body doesn't respond the same way. Players should get plenty of rest at this stage, hard training is useless, they won't improve their pace in 15 days

I think Cheika's injection into the camp should provide quite a bit of spark, and there's something to be said for making your training sessions quite a bit tougher than anything the opposition can throw at you. It's the end of the year, but he's just letting them all know what's at stake and making sure they go in as hardened as possible.

 

[fatprop]

I'm a little concerned about the Cheika's training sessions, people say they are very intense and very physical. At this time of year the players are tired, are the last matches of the calendar. It would be a mistake to try to impose that kind of training in the last games of the year when the body doesn't respond the same way. Players should get plenty of rest at this stage, hard training is useless, they won't improve their pace in 15 days

Absolutely disagree, you train the way you play, we want intensity, we want aggression, we want the attitude that they must get off their arses and get back into play, get realigned and be available to do it again, and again, and again

So you train that way

 

[formerflanker]

I'm a little concerned about the Cheika's training sessions, people say they are very intense and very physical. At this time of year the players are tired, are the last matches of the calendar. It would be a mistake to try to impose that kind of training in the last games of the year when the body doesn't respond the same way. Players should get plenty of rest at this stage, hard training is useless, they won't improve their pace in 15 days

Without being over there I don't have first hand information, but we must respect Cheika's agenda and his plans for the team.
When you say hard training is useless, you are right if you refer to long conditioning sessions. However short, sharp, high intensity sessions are just the thing at the end of a season.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Unfortunately poor Cheika has been dealt a difficult hand and I'm sure he's just doing the best he can. Given how physical his Waratahs side was his methods may just be the right tonic because at the end of the day it's also a fitness issue and if you are physically prepared (fit) for what you're going to get and hope to dish out then all the better for you.

I'm sure there is some excitement in the camp about the change and also for getting out of Australia for a bit considering what's been going on.

There's not much time for Cheika so only time will tell whether what's transpiring is good or not.

This is bullshit.

Chek has inherited a very good football team. A team right on the cusp. Fuck we drew with the AB's (and should have won it except for a stupid captaincy decision), Got flogged in Auckland and should have won the last game.

The team is full of champion footballers. Games are won or lost on a dropped ball, missed tackle, stupid decision forward pass blah blah.

The team is off being the best in the world by a few degrees. Cheks job is hard, nio doubt.

Its all about some "fine tuning" not a fucking engine rebuild.

 

[Ulrich]

Its all about some "fine tuning" not a fucking engine rebuild.

Maybe the fine-tuning is adding more physicality.

Certainly, if you look at Newlands up to about 70 minutes the Wallabies were on top physically but exerted a lot of effort to get that far and then faded in the last minutes.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Absolutely disagree, you train the way you play, we want intensity, we want aggression, we want the attitude that they must get off their arses and get back into play, get realigned and be available to do it again, and again, and again

So you train that way

Be good if The Darkness played they way they trained. The Men in Gold may have a better show in the Bledisloe if they did.

".. .. .. odd scenes at All Blacks training yesterday on the pristine grounds of Latymer Upper School where grown men mounted each other from a variety of increasingly awkward angles.
A crawling Liam Messam carried a kneeling Jerome Kaino on his back, Sam Whitelock reclined on Brodie Rettallick as though he were a poolside lounger, and Luke Romano bear-hugged Patrick Tuipulotu's back and rocked from side to side."
Extract from http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/10705768/Bear-hugging-All-Blacks-avoid-training-tedium
Never thought I'd read about "grown men mounting each other from a variety of increasingly awkward angles" in an article on Rugby Training.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Skelton is not bound on anyone - his hand is resting on the LHP arse

 

[Braveheart81]

Has anyone thought that maybe this picture shouldn't be analysed so closely? The only people seemingly scrummaging properly are the front rows so maybe the locks and number 8 were only told to put a little bit of pressure on to keep things stable.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

something about perfect practice makes perfect - and aiming at the ground at 45 degrees without having a bind on aint likely to enhance stability

 

[I like to watch]

This is bullshit.

Chek has inherited a very good football team. A team right on the cusp. Fuck we drew with the AB's (and should have won it except for a stupid captaincy decision), Got flogged in Auckland and should have won the last game.

The team is full of champion footballers. Games are won or lost on a dropped ball, missed tackle, stupid decision forward pass blah blah.

The team is off being the best in the world by a few degrees. Cheks job is hard, nio doubt.

Its all about some "fine tuning" not a fucking engine rebuild.

No this is bullshit.
The Wobblies under Link,were no different than the Wobblies under Deans,in terms of results.
A good game here & there,a draw,some close losses then an arse spanking.
They were on the cusp of repeating their same form yet again for another year.
Nothing more.

 

[Tomikin]

I think North is a great player but I really like Kuridrani and that says a lot. It's one thing admitting opposition class, it's another to like it if it's Australian.

North may just have a tough day at the office.

Did you love how he just plays skittles with other teams defence.

 

[BDA]

No this is bullshit.
The Wobblies under Link, were no different than the Wobblies under Deans, in terms of results.
A good game here & there, a draw, some close losses then an arse spanking.
They were on the cusp of repeating their same form yet again for another year.
Nothing more.

Agree with this to a point but also agree with Scrubbers comment.

Seems to me it is pretty clear from the rugby we have seen in 2014 (mostly at Super level) that we have enough talent to challenge the best teams next year.

IMO the biggest hurdles to turning the wallabies into a RWC contender are tactics/style of play but even more so attitude. Deans' team seemed to struggle to score tries whereas Link seemed to be tactically naïve at times. However both struggled with getting the attitude right on and off the field. That's reflected by the inconsistency in performances.

Attitude is what Cheika needs to improve, and that seems to be something he is historically quite good at.

EDIT: By attitude I mean everything from Attitude on the training paddock to physicality to mental endurance for the 80 minutes to confidence to team bond off the field.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Australia's biggest problem is mental - a good part of that is attitude but it is also not being smart when it counts.
Used to be our strength.