Where did we go wrong? Wallaby Recovery thread.

[Richo]

These new scrum laws are creating uncertainty at the moment, because we just don't really know who is going to perform best under them. I think Link should experiment a little bit to figure out who actually does well in games. That includes putting Slipper at THP and giving Robbo a run. Even Ma'afood might be worth a shot.

 

[It is what it is]

As I said elsewhere, I think Sio should stay. He is the future, and had a very good game in the first test. I think it is time to bring Robbo back, and maybe to move Slipper back to TH where he played the majority of his games this year. Either Benny A or Kepu (my choice) to drop out. Also keen to see Salesi Manu get a go at TH sooner rather than later.

Hasn't McKenzie made it obvious that he considers Slipper to be a LHP at Wallaby level. Deans was of the same mindset.
If not, surely McKenzie would have selected him straight away as his Wallaby THP, particularly after Alexander's issues in the 3rd Lions Test.

 

[fatprop]

I think the LH's work may the issue, we are too low, and the LH's height isn't making it easy for the hooker to strike. Mowen was reaching in under Moore's feet to collect the ball. A decent, practiced hook will send the ball straight down the right channel

 

[Braveheart81]

As I said elsewhere, I think Sio should stay. He is the future, and had a very good game in the first test. I think it is time to bring Robbo back, and maybe to move Slipper back to TH where he played the majority of his games this year. Either Benny A or Kepu (my choice) to drop out. Also keen to see Salesi Manu get a go at TH sooner rather than later.

These new scrum laws are creating uncertainty at the moment, because we just don't really know who is going to perform best under them. I think Link should experiment a little bit to figure out who actually does well in games. That includes putting Slipper at THP and giving Robbo a run. Even Ma'afood might be worth a shot.

I'm all for mixing it up and cycling through our top choice props whilst we work on combinations and try to get a handle on who works best under the new scrum laws.

I don't consider sitting Sio out for one test (or any of the other props who played the first two tests) as discarding them.

It's really hard to say what our best combination is at this point. It could be the four props who played but it also could be Slipper/Robbo and Alexander/Kepu or Robbo/Sio and Slipper/Kepu or a different combination.

Slipper has played on both sides of the scrum and who is to say what works best for the Wallabies. He might prefer LHP but if he is a better option at THP than either Alexander or Kepu our scrum might be stronger with him at THP and Robinson back in the side.

Whilst I'd normally want to stick with combinations and let them improve, I think the props under the new scrum laws are still a big unknown and we'd be better off having more props as part of our rotation than try to keep it at the current four for as long as possible.

 

[Lindommer]

These new scrum laws are creating uncertainty.....Link should experiment.....Even Ma'afood might be worth a shot.

Salesi's gone, to Northampton.

 

[I like to watch]

I get that Link gets a honeymoon period,,but but how long?
If Deans whinged about the ref/AB tactics after a dismal showing,he would have been severely criticised by all and sundry.
When Deans spoke generally about some players not performing adequately there was outrage.
Yet Link blames the bench specifically.
It's not like he had a handy lead and the bench lost the game.more like they didn't pull out any miracles to win it.
Why does he keep talking about running/keeping the ball in hand,when its obvious they are not the tactics the teams are employing.
How often did the back 3 counter,how often did they kick it back straight to the AB's?
How often did they have a back line movement?how many times did the 13 even touch the ball?

 

[Sully]

Longer than 2 games!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4

 

[vidiot]

Come on Sully, he has had three weeks with the team! Shouldn't we have at least one and preferably two victories over the all blacks by now!

 

[fatprop]

Longer than 2 games!

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Agreed, but the performance comparisons are quite interesting

 

[Bowside]

I get that Link gets a honeymoon period,,but but how long?
If Deans whinged about the ref/AB tactics after a dismal showing,he would have been severely criticised by all and sundry.
When Deans spoke generally about some players not performing adequately there was outrage.
Yet Link blames the bench specifically.
It's not like he had a handy lead and the bench lost the game.more like they didn't pull out any miracles to win it.
Why does he keep talking about running/keeping the ball in hand,when its obvious they are not the tactics the teams are employing.
How often did the back 3 counter,how often did they kick it back straight to the AB's?
How often did they have a back line movement?how many times did the 13 even touch the ball?

I don't necessarily think the bolded part is true. There was a feeling, especially around 2009-11, that Deans and Elsom were far too reserved in the face of AB bending the rules and getting away with it.

For the record I don't think you can blame the All Blacks, they play to the ref, which I think is the right mindset to adopt in test rugby.

 

[Rob42]

To me, the Wobs are lacking urgency, attitude & the ability to execute the basic skills under pressure when compared to the ABs.

Sent from my phone

A big like for this comment. It frustrates me no end that the Wallabies have been poor at restarts, for example, for years, and yet the improvement has been minimal. Our best option seems to be to get a back like AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) or Izzy up to contest a short restart, but without the support required to back them up after the catch, or sack the opposing player if our guy doesn't get the ball. Surely this is coachable?

 

[Bowside]

I think basic skills execution, under pressure and fatigue, is the most important thing the wallabies need to work on. They just let themselves down far too often.

For the springboks tests - Folau needs to be at 15, and we need cummins size to get over the game line.

I'd like to see us try something new against the argies, maybe O'Connor at 12, Gill at 6.

We lack quality in the pack, especially when guys you expect to perform (Moore, Horwill, Mowen) have average games.

 

[Richo]

Salesi's gone, to Northampton.

Thanks, Lindo. That had passed me by, like a ship in the night.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I get that Link gets a honeymoon period,,but but how long?
If Deans whinged about the ref/AB tactics after a dismal showing,he would have been severely criticised by all and sundry.
When Deans spoke generally about some players not performing adequately there was outrage.

I was an ardent supporter of Link's appointment, but if after 4 years he's blaming the same players he's chosen to back his results and ultimately his career on, well fuck him.

But for now he's had about 3 weeks with the team. If we are talking about the same problems and performing at the same level in a years time then he isn't getting the job done.

 

[Richo]

Whilst I'd normally want to stick with combinations and let them improve, I think the props under the new scrum laws are still a big unknown and we'd be better off having more props as part of our rotation than try to keep it at the current four for as long as possible.

Yeah, this was my point. Especially with two reserve props, there is the capacity for a bit of experimentation with lower risk if it goes disastrously.

 

[Bardon]

For me it will be interesting to see if Link and the Wobs decide to focus on either finishing as high as possible in TRC or developing the squad.

For me, Link needs to figure out who the 25-30 guys are that are his panel. The same way the ABs know who they can call on when injuries strike.

IN the eyes of some fans, it's a couple of bad games and the guy should never pull on G&G again. There aren't enough test caliber players in Aus or in most nations to support that kind of attitude.

I'd like Link to spend time figuring out who are the players that can deliver his game plan for him. That means giving guys in the wider squad game time and others who normally start polishing the pine more often than they're used to.

That's what I'd like to see happen. But I think Link will keep going with a pick the best 15 available strategy to get some wins on the board and create some confidence around the squad.

 

[No4918]

But for now he's had about 3 weeks with the team. If we are talking about the same problems and performing at the same level in a years time then he isn't getting the job done.

In a years time if McKenzie has not gotten anything out of the players after Deans got little out of them I will not be laying sole blame on the coaches. At some time we will need to ask if the cattle are just not that good, not that they are bad by any stretch but not all that much better than guys from other nations in the top 2-6.

Cheika took several games before the Tahs showed anything promising. I recall some people actually said they maybe should have hung onto Foley

 

[I like to watch]

But with Cheika, it was easy to identify a totally new structure.
I keep hearing that the Wobs are playing more open,less kicking style, but I'm not seeing it.
Cheika was upfront about where they were deficient.
Link is saying one thing and doing another.
Blaming the ref, the AB's cynical play and the bench (when the bench did not give up a lead,or allow the scoe to blowout) is just spin.

 

[vidiot]

When Deans spoke generally about some players not performing adequately there was outrage.
Yet Link blames the bench specifically.
It's not like he had a handy lead and the bench lost the game.more like they didn't pull out any miracles to win it.

I don't think it was that controversial, or scathing.

We didn't get a great impact out of our bench, I expected the last 20 to be stronger and in fact we didn't get that impact.

You know I talk about finishes, guys who actually come on and improve the performance, it's no good if they're coming on and knocking on and missing tackles, and that's effectively what happened.

Twenty-five per cent of our missed tackles came from the bench, so that was disappointing, and they were only on for the last 15, 20 minutes.

I expect more. We'll talk about that.

I know we've got young players and new players and whatever, but I expect them to make a difference, otherwise I don't put him on the field.

Though I would say the player I expected more from is Cooper. I don't know what he ran out there to do, but I expected when we were 11 ppoints behind and nearing the end that he would have the backline running the ball when the opportunity arose rather than meaningless kicks to Dagg et al, especially when it really looked to be on.

If Cooper can't do that, he might as well be playing FIFA and taking selfies for his entourage as on the bench.

 

[tigerland12]

If Cooper can't do that, he might as well be playing FIFA and taking selfies for his entourage as a on the bench.

Mate, c'mon.