Wallabies v Lions Game 2 MCG 26 July

[Yoda]

Slipper scored a try and do you really think Donaldson does better in that first half?

If anything, subbing Lynagh off with 20mins to go was the call once he started to miss a kick for touch on penalty and fall off a tackle.

Yes and Yes.

 

[Micheal]

McReight had a very quiet game too -- I can't help but feel he's simply undersized for international rugby.

He's perhaps better suited to teams like the All Blacks or Argentina when things open up a bit more, but he just gives up so much size against the Tom Currys of this world.

 

[Shiggins]

Jesus Christ it's hard listening to lions fans try and say the ref and tmo said it was ok so it's ok and he didn't break the law. It's black and white. I still don't mind it tho. Can't say the lions didn't deserve to win

 

[KiwiM]

Hard luck fellas.

Went to the game and glad I did. Excellent atmosphere and what a game.

Best performance of the Schmidt era.

Wallabies lineout work was top notch and much better kicking game this week

Tate made a heck of a fist of playing on the wing.

Really feels like missing a trick not having LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) in the 23. He's in career best form.

Thought the ref made the right call at the end and had a good game.

 

[dru]

Dru, the right 23 would have helped. Maybe now it will be recognisded that Bell is not a strong scrummager, Robertson is out of his depth, and both McReight and Wilson are very pedestrian. Not like Fraser - I think he must be carrying an injury, but Harry has never been any better than he showed tonight. It was an error of large proportions by Schmidt to take both Slipper and Ala'alatoa off at half time because that was the plan.

Largely, not 100% but largely I don't agree with this.

In the backs, it should now be clear to all that JAS is not yet, and maybe never will be, a test standard player. His defence is atrocious.

No. I dont think so. He played more strongly than Ikitau - noting that Ikitau should have been playing 13 and I suspect would have done better. If there had been a half way decent 12.

The 6-2 bench was a mistake, not just in retrospect. Most posters here before the game were very nervous about an early injury to one of the backs, and so it came to be. Tate did an excellent job in the circumstances but would have been a whole lot more impactful at halfback where he should have been.

My knee jerk response is "rubbish". But I was worried about possible problems that didnt happen, not the ones that did. So I guess I will run with you here.

Unlike others, I am not putting the responsibility for the loss on the early replacement of Valetini and Skelton. Those moves certainly had some effect, but Big Will had run his race and Gleeson did an all right job subbing for Rob. The error was in taking Rob off instead of the ineffectual Wilson.

Ah! I'd have preferred to see Valetini stay. If he had it in him. I'm not sure I'd go with your swap but yes I'd have liked to have Valetinin on filed for longer.

My answer next week is Gleeson to start with Skelton, and Valetini to hit the deck when we loose Skelton. And move others to suit.

 

[Shiggins]

What really shits me is when we lose games because we do that exact thing and it gets called against us. It really feels like the wallabies get pinged for stuff that others just don't.

 

[Goosestep]

McReight had a very quiet game too -- I can't help but feel he's simply undersized for international rugby.

He's perhaps better suited to teams like the All Blacks or Argentina when things open up a bit more, but he just gives up so much size against the Tom Currys of this world.

So quiet for a 7… wish we had Charlie gamble he’s been carving up against the lions

 

[Tomthumb]

Hard luck fellas.

Went to the game and glad I did. Excellent atmosphere and what a game.

Best performance of the Schmidt era.

Wallabies lineout work was top notch and much better kicking game this week

Tate made a heck of a fist of playing on the wing.

Really feels like missing a trick not having LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) in the 23. He's in career best form.

Thought the ref made the right call at the end and had a good game.

That’s the saddest thing. The best performance was still another fucking loss

Makes you genuinely wonder if we will ever win anything meaningful again

 

[Running_rugby_1954]

He definitely hammed it up. And I don't think that helped. But it doesn't mean it wasn't a genuine issue.

If he had been concussed, it would have definitely been a penalty.

 

[stillmissit]

2 key issues from my POV:
1. BOK should have called Genge for pulling scrum down. twice, if he had we would almost certainly won the game I was convinced the final clean out was illegal and it would be cancelled. Is player safety secondary when the game is in the balance?
2. In the 1st half our D cut down their space and time, in the 2nd half we let them run and paid a price.

I am waiting to see if Bobby V and Skelton were unable to play on as they looked OK to me.

 

[Marbig]

Jesus Christ it's hard listening to lions fans try and say the ref and tmo said it was ok so it's ok and he didn't break the law. It's black and white. I still don't mind it tho. Can't say the lions didn't deserve to win

The annoying English are just self-conscious cause they’ve needed some Irish friends and a few Scots just so they can beat us in the Schmidt era

 

[Micheal]

Taken from Reddit. Says everything that needs to be said.

 

[Upthemaroon!]

That’s the saddest thing. The best performance was still another fucking loss

Makes you genuinely wonder if we will ever win anything meaningful again

Scotland lost against the United States in 2018 and look at where they are now. We will be fine mate

 

[Linerunner2023]

Tbh If the wallabies play like that against NZ or SA they could jag a win
Add LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and maybe tupou on the bench plus play Valetini and Skelton longer with ikatau and Sua'ali'i switched and you never know
But yes we will need to play well like we did tonight to stand a chance

 

[Goosestep]

2 key issues from my POV:
1. BOK should have called Genge for pulling scrum down. twice, if he had we would almost certainly won the game I was convinced the final clean out was illegal and it would be cancelled. Is player safety secondary when the game is in the balance?
2. In the 1st half our D cut down their space and time, in the 2nd half we let them run and paid a price.

I am waiting to see if Bobby V and Skelton were unable to play on as they looked OK to me.

Most Refs have no clue what’s going on in the scrum let alone the front row … one of the biggest issues in the game . I mean good luck to him (genie) for getting away with it (it’s his job) … but as a ex prop it was blatantly obvious what he was up to lol

 

[John S]

Could be worse

50/50 we give up and get flogged

I can see that happening - boys just stop playing, give the the pill for 80 minutes and just stand there in protest.

Actually no, I can't - I can see me being that petty

 

[stillmissit]

But yes we will need to play well like we did tonight to stand a chance

Correction, in the first half.

 

[Tomthumb]

Scotland lost against the United States in 2018 and look at where they are now. We will be fine mate

Where are they? What have they won?

 

[rugbyAU]

That’s the saddest thing. The best performance was still another fucking loss

Makes you genuinely wonder if we will ever win anything meaningful again

Yeah harsh reality is that it’s going to end up as another failed coach who came into the role with a strong CV

 

[John S]

What really shits me is when we lose games because we do that exact thing and it gets called against us. It really feels like the wallabies get pinged for stuff that others just don't.

Plenty of people on the socials saying "only AB's get pinged for that" lol