Wales vs Australia, EOYT 2010, Millenium Stadium

[Brumbies Guy]

What happened to the ruthless, aggressive Wallabies QC (Quade Cooper) was talking about?
I haven't seen the game yet,from the posts I have read it doesn't sound they played as he advertised.
I assume after he talked it up this week he was stellar in defence?[/QUOTE]

He started off with a couple of bootlace tackles but went back into old high grapple tatics as the game went on. He got 2-3 steals from it but was driven back trying to make the tackle more often the not. Most of the directed traffic was down his channel.

 

[boonboon]

I agree with all the talk that the scrum was shite as it always seems to end up, I think we need more size to begin with but also much better technique from those behind the front row so I dont think its all the fault of the front rowers. Although I am looking forward to seeing how the Rebels front rowers go next year especially Big Rod after 2 yrs in France

On the rest of the side mayby O'Connor into 12 and then Ioane when he comes back can fight with Turner for the 2nd wing spot

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Scrum apart, it wasn't actually too bad. We were good in the lineout, mostly good at the breakdown, apart from letting Sharpie down in support a couple of times, excellent in defence and a constant threat with the run and carry. Backs were very good I thought and really were a class above the opposition. We also got better as the game went on and never really looked like losing it in the second half.

However, that scrum needs fixing and fast. We are about to play against three very, very good scrummaging teams in the next three weeks and getting found out there will expose us badly. Saia, as much as I hate to say it, is not international class at present. He's too light and possibly not strong enough to scrum at the top level. Benny A is clearly not right yet either. He was having hells own trouble and any amount of good work he does around the paddock is being undone by the scrummage. That is his primary job, after all. Having Moore back next week will help, as he adds weight, technique and general hardness to the pack. I expect an improvement.

 

[Lee Grant]

Was it just me or was Barnes extra slow on the timing of the scrums? I swear I could have gone for a piss at 'touch' then be back in time to hear him say 'engage'.

Geez - I wish I could take a piss that quick. How about you Bruce?


PS - welcome aboard S120 and boonboon. Good contributions.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Geez - I wish I could take a piss that quick. How about you Bruce?

Not to speak of the time taken to get to the piss house and back again, Lee. Of course Paris Tah may have picked up the French custom of flopping it out while riding in the peloton or in the middle of the scrum.

 

[slasher]

really think we need to work on changing the referee's perception about our scrummaging ability...yes we got smashed but wales were not doing it always 100% legally. I would hope rocky and the front row are doing their best pre-match when the refs come around for the old chat about the scrum...Unfortunately its no use shaking your head and lipping the ref everytime we get penalised.
I have a fear that no matter the strides we make in 12 months in our scrummaging, we cop a wet field come rwc semi or 1/4 and scrums start going down, we fucked.

 

[Lee Grant]

Not to speak of the time taken to get to the piss house and back again, Lee. Of course Paris Tah may have picked up the French custom of flopping it out while riding in the peloton or in the middle of the scrum.

That's gold. :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

 

[Lee Grant]

Welcome aboard slasher

I have a fear that no matter the strides we make in 12 months in our scrummaging, we cop a wet field come rwc semi or 1/4 and scrums start going down, we fucked.

Yeah we are like babes in the woods having been brought up on rugby on sandy soil and we don't have heaps of bad weather. It's our own fault: we should have cloned Noddy Lynagh 25 years ago.

It affects our scrummaging too. Our fellows are used to their studs taking hold on a hard surface but on a surface like at Cardiff last night the studs must have been swimming around and we were strangers in a strange land. At least the HQ surface was decent last night.

The disappointment for me was: notwithstanding that our two best props had been out for a long time, and that the surface was lose, there was an unacceptable drop in performance of our scrum compared to 12 months ago against the same opponent.

 

[Lindommer]

Your interjecting debut while two old geriatrics were discussing their urinating problems was priceless, slasher. Great name, quite appropriate in the circumstances.

Welcome, BTW.

 

[Jethro Tah]

Not to speak of the time taken to get to the piss house and back again, Lee. Of course Paris Tah may have picked up the French custom of flopping it out while riding in the peloton or in the middle of the scrum.

Mate, I wish I could have done a Jerry Collins but I was in an aussie pub and that kind of thing just aint acceptable.

 

[Proud Pig]

The problem is the scrum is an eight man action. We play with the tight five only actually pushing in the scrum.
The front row is OK but either Moore or preferably TPN is a better option than SF but he could still do the job.
However, you need the flankers pushing in to straighten the scrum and the eight needs to bind properly to hold it all together.
Look at the way the back three in the scrum behave for Australia you hardly see them head down. It is always head up having a look around.
Unfortunately, a good forward eight will always cream a good forward five with three hangers on.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

The problem is the scrum is an eight man action. We play with the tight five only actually pushing in the scrum.
The front row is OK but either Moore or preferably TPN is a better option than SF but he could still do the job.
However, you need the flankers pushing in to straighten the scrum and the eight needs to bind properly to hold it all together.
Look at the way the back three in the scrum behave for Australia you hardly see them head down. It is always head up having a look around.
Unfortunately, a good forward eight will always cream a good forward five with three hangers on.

Yes, the early break/meerkating which our backrow look for as a defensive midfield cover works so long as the tight 5 are able to concede the scrum yet plant down so it is not going backwards. Once the scrum starts going backwards however, this tactic should be put aside and contest with an 8 man push.. something which didn't happen and was strangely persisted with against Wales.

 

[Proud Pig]

Yes, the early break/meerkating which our backrow look for as a defensive midfield cover works so long as the tight 5 are able to concede the scrum yet plant down so it is not going backwards. Once the scrum starts going backwards however, this tactic should be put aside and contest with an 8 man push.. something which didn't happen and was strangely persisted with against Wales.

This is very true but unfortunately the Northern Hemisphere sides all play with an eight man push. Unless we do the same we will be absolutely hammered by the England pack in particular.

 

[Ruggo]

Our taller men need to work on their body height when carring the ball up. Sharpe, Chis, Rocky and McCalman have their body height to high in contact and it is effecting power base and they are not getting full value for their efforts. Lower that center of gravity fellas and you will have more impact for less effort.

The fact that we can win with shit ball has to be a positive. This game might of been the wake up call after the highs of Hong Kong. I hope the forwards in the midweek game can really shine and put some pressure on the test players.