Wallabies v All Blacks Melbourne

[Lee Grant]

The suspension of Cooper is a hammer blow as the Genia/Cooper nexus is the Wallabies point of difference. Giteau may stay at 12 with Barnes to flyhalf but if Barnes plays 10 as he did for the Tahs, kiss goodbye to the point of difference.

It will be interesting to see how Deans handles the situation. He won't be able to turn Barnes into a Cooper type in the next 5 years, let alone the next 5 days. Perhaps he will swap Giteau to 10 and have Barnes at 12 and hope that they can duplicate what happened in the Bledisloe in Sydney 2 years ago when they were in those positions and played left foot, right foot and won the game.

Quite apart from the non-availability of Cooper is the Bok hangover factor. Last year they thrashed the Boks, but in the next game it was pants down at the Cake Tin. Taking the grunt from Brisbane to Melbourne may be more important than who has the 10 jersey.

If we can't do it we will be well on the way to proving Taine Randell was right when he wrote that the Brisbane victory will be our only 3N win this year.

.

 

[Moses]

If we want a point of difference then is Kurtley worth a punt at 10?

 

[cyclopath]

If we want a point of difference then is Kurtley worth a punt at 10?

As long as it is a grubber style punt with a 2 man overlap from 5 m out, then no. He is coming along at 15, don't stick him at 10 as a bitser player.

 

[fatprop]

I hope Barnes plays 10 on Saturday.

We need Gits to stay focused on his work at 12. Barnes will lump it out effectively if that is the game plan.

 

[Scotty]

Who would have thought a year ago that we would be concerned about our chance of victory because of one Quade Cooper being unavailable? (Well a few Reds supporters maybe, but even they would have been stretching the truth a bit.)

I would support having Barnes at 10 and try and get him to play the distributer game. Not emulate Cooper, but at least shuffle it on. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne to play a little closer in support of Barnes and Giteau. Also keeping Rocky a bit wider (I said to a mate before the game that Rocky looks better playing wider - well didn't that turn out to be successful). Afterall most of our breaks came from within one or two passes of the ruck - the ABs will be wary of the Genia and Elsom threat so this may give more space to Barnes.

 

[Scotty]

We also need to be wary of trying to run it out of our own 22 against the ABs. They will have more chance of turning it over at the breakdown than the Boks did.

 

[fatprop]

Who would have thought a year ago that we would be concerned about our chance of victory because of one Quade Cooper being unavailable? (Well a few Reds supporters maybe, but even they would have been stretching the truth a bit.)

I would support having Barnes at 10 and try and get him to play the distributer game. Not emulate Cooper, but at least shuffle it on. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne to play a little closer in support of Barnes and Giteau. Also keeping Rocky a bit wider (I said to a mate before the game that Rocky looks better playing wider - well didn't that turn out to be successful). Afterall most of our breaks came from within one or two passes of the ruck - the ABs will be wary of the Genia and Elsom threat so this may give more space to Barnes.

Horne may even get some ball as well if Barnes cut out pass is working, Horne did really well against Smith in the S14 match, not many get around Smith

 

[Lindommer]

Talking about the surface at Ethiad...

Check this out: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...arcelona-defence/story-e6frg7mf-1225896768996

If the surface can't hold together under the ballerina attack of AFL players what chance does it have for a rugby scrum? I fear the worst.

 

[RedsHappy]

Check this out: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...arcelona-defence/story-e6frg7mf-1225896768996 If the surface can't hold together under the ballerina attack of AFL players what chance does it have for a rugby scrum? I fear the worst.

And recall what happened at Wembley Arena in the UK...

 

[brokendown]

I predict that after approx 20 scrum collapses,The ref will be forced to make all further scrums uncontested

 

[ACT Crusader]

Surface has been a big issue for the Telstra Dome. Before last weeks AFL game they had former doggies player Rohan Smith on the sidelines with two different pairs of boots saying that one was working for players but chewing the ground up big time, whilst the other ones didn't create divets but players were slipping over big time.

I know Nonu usually has big issues keeping his feet on dodgy surfaces because of his choice of footwear. I think we are in for a bit of ice skating despite the roof being closed

 

[DPK]

Bring on the 22mm studs. Lose the blades, especially the backs (who are much more likely to have them).

 

[Reddy!]

I think why Horne and also AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) didn't have a huge involvement with ball in hand was due to Quade Cooper playing really wide (with Giteau at first receiver alot of the time) and doing cut out passes to Mitchell, O'Connor and Elsom on the wings.

So I'm just saying - If Giteau is going to be playing from first receiver alot anyway despite wearing the 12 jumper, I don't think it is really a concern if Barnes comes into the fray at flyhalf.

 

[Ruggo]

I hope Barnes plays 10 on Saturday.

We need Gits to stay focused on his work at 12. Barnes will lump it out effectively if that is the game plan.

Agree fatprop. When thinking of Barnes I like to think back to the 2007 RWC match vs Wales. That is the Barnes I want to see on Saturday. Considering the type of person Barnes is I suspect sitting on the bench has been eating him alive. He has his chance and my money is on him having a blinder.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Agree fatprop. When thinking of Barnes I like to think back to the 2007 RWC match vs Wales. That is the Barnes I want to see on Saturday. Considering the type of person Barnes is I suspect sitting on the bench has been eating him alive. He has his chance and my money is on him having a blinder.

I hope so Ruggo. Even better was that 10-15 minute period in a game in South Africa (was it last year?) where we had 14 and then 13 men and Barnes absolutely expertly guided us around the paddock. Massive amounts of maturity and nous shown that day I reckon.

 

[daz]

. That is the Barnes I want to see on Saturday. Considering the type of person Barnes is I suspect sitting on the bench has been eating him alive. He has his chance and my money is on him having a blinder.

I'm with you Ruggo. Everytime the camera panned to Barnes on the bench he seemed to be riding every run and tackle made on the field. He really is a quality bloke and I think, like Mitchell, he has had a boot up the arse and knows he has to earn his keep. Put him at 10 and watch him go ballistic.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I'm with you Ruggo. Everytime the camera panned to Barnes on the bench he seemed to be riding every run and tackle made on the field. He really is a quality bloke and I think, like Mitchell, he has had a boot up the arse and knows he has to earn his keep. Put him at 10 and watch him go ballistic.

I'm a big rap for Berrick and agree that he seems like a quality bloke.

 

[HodgoBerro]

I hope Barnes plays 10 on Saturday.

We need Gits to stay focused on his work at 12. Barnes will lump it out effectively if that is the game plan.

I'll become the idiot fencesitter. Look out for the Berrick fan in an All Blacks jersey

 

[Scarfman]

Apart from surface issues, I'm spewing that this is at Etihad. I really bought the bullshit about the new home of rugby being the Rectangular fucking Stadium.

 

[#1 Tah]

Apart from surface issues, I'm spewing that this is at Etihad. I really bought the bullshit about the new home of rugby being the Rectangular fucking Stadium.

Couldnt agree more. SFS here we come!