Wallabies v All Blacks, Saturday 19th August, ANZ Stadium Sydney

[formerflanker]

He was picked there but didn't defend there.. Rona and Speight both spent a significant amount of time defending at 13, the 'plan' if you could call it that, seemed to have Kerevi at 12 and KB (Kurtley Beale) on wing or fullback with Rona and Speight defending at 13

Don't forget Foley at wing.

 

[formerflanker]

If Squire was such a success, as he was, playing a wide game, then there is a real lesson there that Higgers should be playing 6 for the Wallabies.

The ball has to be in our hands first, and then the inside players have to be capable of getting it out to Higgers.
A stretch too far I fear.

 

[RedsHappy]

"Wallabies will stick with same defensive strategy to beat All Blacks, says Stephen Larkham"

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...cks-says-stephen-larkham-20170820-gy06rs.html

Larkham's statements and assessments are............extraordinary.

What is there left for us to say?

 

[Killer]

"Wallabies will stick with same defensive strategy to beat All Blacks, says Stephen Larkham"

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...cks-says-stephen-larkham-20170820-gy06rs.html

Larkham's statements and assessments are....extraordinary.

What is there left for us to say?

Woe betide anyone who doesn't tow Chek the Terrible's line.
I hope these guys have the balls to stand up to Chek the Terrible behind closed doors, but I doubt it, imo he doesn't have the rugby smarts to get it anyway, so why say anything when he is also imo vindictive.
Just keep trying to make Cheks favourites work to some degree to fit with his line of BS.

 

[KOB1987]

"Wallabies will stick with same defensive strategy to beat All Blacks, says Stephen Larkham"

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...cks-says-stephen-larkham-20170820-gy06rs.html

Larkham's statements and assessments are....extraordinary.

What is there left for us to say?

If it's true then it's just a chapter of the comedy that is Australian rugby 2017.

In all likelihood though it's just spin while they are really thinking WTF?

 

[Gnostic]

Larkham - how many clichés can you fit in a couple of paragraphs. What a laugh. If there was ever a couple of coaches who didn't deserve their promotions it has been him and Grey.

Couldn't replicate the pressure of the Abs at training. WHAT A F%$#$ JOKE. Maybe if you played some games they might be somewhat pressured.

Australian Rugby really is Amateur Hour at all levels.

 

[Quick Hands]

"Wallabies will stick with same defensive strategy to beat All Blacks, says Stephen Larkham"

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...cks-says-stephen-larkham-20170820-gy06rs.html

Larkham's statements and assessments are....extraordinary.

What is there left for us to say?

The Sir Douglas Haig school for tactics.

 

[Quick Hands]

Larkham - how many clichés can you fit in a couple of paragraphs. What a laugh. If there was ever a couple of coaches who didn't deserve their promotions it has been him and Grey.

Couldn't replicate the pressure of the Abs at training. WHAT A F%$#$ JOKE. Maybe if you played some games they might be somewhat pressured.

Australian Rugby really is Amateur Hour at all levels.

They could all have been playing club rugby for some of the time.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

"Wallabies will stick with same defensive strategy to beat All Blacks, says Stephen Larkham"

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...cks-says-stephen-larkham-20170820-gy06rs.html

Larkham's statements and assessments are....extraordinary.

What is there left for us to say?

I reckon that's a very cunnig plan - as Baldrick would say - the ABs will have to spend a lot of sleepless nights and hours analysing video to work out what our plan was.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Don't forget Foley at wing.

How about we put kerevi, Beale and foley in the scrums and lineouts: they'll never find them there.

 

[KAOPointman]

I've historically been a big fan of Cooper's, but he appeared to be lacking both fitness and confidence IMO. And his defence has regressed to a point where he is regularly gives penalties and is a constant card risk. He doesn't seem intent to try and correct his technique. I just struggle to suggest he should be rewarded
with a test jersey.

For mine, Foley had been a lock in as the only option standing.

I must admit, I've come to the point where I'd be willing to give another option a go.

I'd be interested weather your referring to cooper in tests or super rugby? Because he's barely got off the bench if at all in all tests too prove anything, and in super rugby he was injured and or playing injured most of the year in a rather underdone reds squad. If you saw the episode where he was miced up, it showed how much attacking nouse he still has running the show and is very vocal and respected by Players around him like Hunt and Pareese! On Pareese.....he's shined exceptionally well running off cooper this year.....earning a wallaby call up even.
I'm just blown away how much flip flopping Cheika does due to performances.....but never even bloods or tries others at 10.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Larkham - how many clichés can you fit in a couple of paragraphs. What a laugh. If there was ever a couple of coaches who didn't deserve their promotions it has been him and Grey.

Couldn't replicate the pressure of the Abs at training. WHAT A F%$#$ JOKE. Maybe if you played some games they might be somewhat pressured.

Australian Rugby really is Amateur Hour at all levels.

Was it only the scale of the defeat that surprised Larkham?
This just about takes the cake: "I think everyone was surprised," Larkham said. "I don't think it was necessarily a poor performance. There was great intent from the players going out onto the field but far too many errors."
Not necessarily a poor performance?
Was it a good performance poorly understood by everyone who watched it?

 

[formerflanker]

There was great intent from the players going out onto the field but far too many errors."

I saw it the same way. Enthusiastic, brave, trying 100%. But a poor performance nevertheless. The errors may have been caused by putting new defensive structures into place for the first time, when playing the attack-dominant AB's.
Either the players were not capable of making new decisions quickly, or they weren't properly trained to do do so, or the structure they had just been taught was useless.
I hope Cheika knows the difference.

 

[KAOPointman]

KAOP I think everyone gets you don't rate foley. I don't either.
I guess a realistic discussion of the alternatives is most useful here.
A year ago I would have said Cooper but I agree with others that he is a card risk and just as big a defensive liability, despite what he offers in attack.
Unless Cooper has a big turnaround in form next year I think we need to look away from both foley and cooper moving forwards.

Yes my friend, but I watch and read a lot of what's said around here and Foley is blindly lauded far more often then he is ever critiqued. His last test was an absolute shocker.....and over in the Ratings thread we had most putting him in their top 3 for the game!
And Coopers no card threat.....what a joke. No more then any of our pilferers, our front row or our hard men being over zealous like Coleman. It's simply the latest fad tripe spun up by the Quade hate train because it's so easy to hate on someone who's an adopted kiwi Aussie in a country where probably half the rugby fans are kiwis. It used to be he was a massive Defense liability and despite locking his defence up pretty good....that myth hung around for years....till one year he put Rene Ranger flat on his arse one on one and all of a sudden his rep seemed to change.
But anyway....how can you even judge him? Quade has been given zero time at test level....even at the WC Cheika weirdly refused to at least rest Foley against the minnows. Maybe we judge him at Super lvl where he played most of the season injured, Foley didn't and if I'm not mistaken the Reds were better then the Tahs.
Yes it's a tricky one....but I don't even see options or back ups being developed let alone tried.

Tell me.....who plays 10 next week if Foley turns an Ankle? Foley on one leg??? . (Self appointed quote of the week)^^^^^ lol

 

[Up the Guts]

Was it only the scale of the defeat that surprised Larkham?
This just about takes the cake: "I think everyone was surprised," Larkham said. "I don't think it was necessarily a poor performance. There was great intent from the players going out onto the field but far too many errors."
Not necessarily a poor performance?
Was it a good performance poorly understood by everyone who watched it?

It sounded like a White House press briefing trying to undo the damage after Trump's put his foot in it. In all seriousness though for all the branding of Cheika as the honest salt of the earth guy the Wallabies under Cheika seem to have adopted a quasi-political approach to the media where they don't engage in self-criticism and always have some broad all encompassing reason why they failed without pointing out some specifics. Getting a bit sick of the political bullshit from Cheika and co. and would just like them to admit we were rubbish when we were.

 

[KAOPointman]

I agree K Hunt really missed as the guy is a leader, communicator and importantly solid defender.

Can't recall if he is out for the entire Rugby Championship? As would love to see Hunt at 12, Beale at 15, Kuridrani at 13, Folau and DHP on the wings.

And at the Reds even Hunt who I agree with you is great in all those areas, I listen too and follows and combines awesome with Quade. If you watch the reds....Quade calls the plays....runs mostly the mid field and Hunt runs it when it's out wide. It's like two playmakers but not side by side.....they always spread apart, distributing the play in almost two halves of the field. Works great when your young backs and fresh forwards are going forward.
I see you want Hunt at 12....which will probably actually work seeing as our 10 is just another 9.

 

[KAOPointman]

Integrity is non-negotiable. People with conflicts of interest are compromised and invariably end up compromising their integrity and wind up unable to do any job as they become rightly view to have no ethical standing. I have argued for years that Horan, former ARU employee, Eales, Robinson and now Kafer should have no position with Fox. They are unable to provide fair and balanced commentary. They will not offer genuine comment. Indeed the Fox team is held in contempt because they dribble the usual platitudes and positive froth and bubble regardless of the facts.

I agree...I love Kafer.....but his vocabulary changed like a light switch flip with his new role. Doesn't sit right at all. His objectiveness is exactly what made him so popular that he gradually had to be given a regular slot on the rugby shows!

 

[Kenny Powers]

One of the problems for Australian Rugby is that for too many positions we only have the Stephen Bradbury option.

 

[Joe Blow]

i like TK but he plays his best imo when he is being rotated because of good competition, I think we should interchange Rona and TK and keep them both hungry

i like TK but he plays his best imo when he is being rotated because of good competition, I think we should interchange Rona and TK and keep them both hungry

Nah. Rona was one of the worst in defense. Not sure if he did not understand the system but he missed more than his fair share.

 

[Joe Blow]

Kerevi needs to work on his defense and should be cut loose from the squad to do so. I hope he sorts it out because when on song in attack, we have no weapon like him.

Meakes and Kuindrani should be tried in the centres. Beale is the same as Kerevi in being a liability. Might be time to rethink excluding Cooper. Foley is just as much a liability as Cooper yet never seems accountable to them. I would like to see Hodge at 15. He has a good read on the game, a strong kicking game and good defense.

Back row is just dreadful. Individual players offer nothing and the dynamic is terrible. The dickhead who assembled this is simply not up to the required standard of coaching. Pigs will fly before numb nuts Cheika makes the changes that need to be made.

Front row needs work. Not bad but could be far better. Bring Kepu back. He scrums fine and has more punch in general play. Moore, nothing left to say really about why he shouldn't be there. Put him out to pasture for gods sake.

Seconds were fine though I love the morons knocking Simmons. He was collecting splinters in his arse on the pine when the damage was being done. Did you Pelicans not notice that?

Oh dear it really is a mess.

A big mess. I have only seen it live but I thought that Simmons was OK when he came on besides one straight out spilled pill.
Back row is very wrong.
Has to be, or should be, Higs, Hooper, Timani with McMahon on the bench. But McMahon should not be there at all for the same reasons Fardy was granted an early release.
There is an absolute lack of consistency in Cheikas selection criteria from Leagies to offshore players to those going OS. Not a good look for those aspiring to make the Wallaby squad.

A big mess indeed. Cheika, or whoever the next coach is needs to create a game plan around the players available to him. It is fruitless trying to ram square pegs into round holes repeatedly despite obvious crap results.