AB's v Wales
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Sam Cane. Jesus.
Rieko Ioane. Wow.
Huge efforts all around, but the tactic of constantly returning possession must have been a strategy, which is fine it the kicks are contestable, but it was poorly executed and Wales did well by not really kicking to us at all. When they did, I though Dmac had his best game running back through traffic to link with our forwards, where there were also opportunities (none came off) for breaks as well. Much better and finally some positive signs.
I really like that new Wales 7, he looks the goods. Biggar also went really well I think, and they did well running men through the midfield then taking advantage of our men - although I think they also had about three examples of shepherding/our defenders being taken out, where the attacking player then ran exactly through that space. Fair enough to keep doing it though, because it wasn't being picked up on by the officials. Great try at the end of the first half too - looked a smidge forward, but probably flat enough to not be called back (I wouldn't want that called back for us). Bad read by Barrett I think helped them, but it was a beauty.
Of course, not as good as the 7 man scrum to Ioane move. That was really pretty.
Most of it has been said, but every time I think Patty T will have the game to show he has it in him, he doesn't show up. Made about three great tackles in the first 3 minutes then spent the rest of his time trying to keep up. He's really only a final 20 minutes player, where he can be used well.
(L) Whitelock played relatively well, but he doesn't have Read's speed to cover his game as well. He did OK with his time, but doesn't look like the answer to me. And, I think I'm starting to agree that Squire isn't the answer at 6. He makes tackles, but his lack of defensive impact is highlighted by every tackle made by Cane, who doesn't just make them, but makes them count. To be fair to him, much of his game is based around us having the ball, but I didn't see him putting his hand up to make those runs, and what carries he didi have were pretty ineffective. SBW did a better job coming in from 2nd 5 in taking on that role.
Overall, glad to have that game over, but we are very focused on looking for magic from Ioane. Without him today, how many of those tries would have been created or finished? That's my key problem - even ALB's try was only due to Ioane - because Barrett sure as fuck wasn't help, taking the ball literally flat footed with a straight up pass. He was as non-influential as I can remember today, so little contribution from 10, except for a few cracking cover tackles which only reinforce the view that he is a better international 15 than 10, right now. A number of work ons for him.
Aaron Smith had one of his poorer games and I think needs a break, and a fucking haircut.
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Reckon that ball from Ioane to ALB was deliberate, not fortuitous, was it Cully did a bounce pass to Goldie in a BLedisloe....
Funny Barnes has had to tell the Welsh to pipe down a few times basically any ruck they are demanding a penalty for turnover, even when they havent even got hands on.
Thought the pen on Hames and ?? for obstruction was rough, they booth turned and ran back, they had to run a line, and the one straight to the ball was the same as the Welsh chaser, they had no other line to run unless they wanted to look like mouppets and run away from the ball.
Sam Cane, beast, Ioane, so much skill...
@mariner4life hope you feel filthy, lucky it was only a tenner...
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Deliberate, but still only dependent on him being a bit special. He wasn’t helped in any way by his insides.
The obstruction penalty was a bit tough I thought, but I also think that Hames did adjust his line slightly (out) as Patty chased relatively straight back. That allowed the opportunity for it to be milked a bit, and that should be the lesson. Barrett had it covered and we had a great opportunity if they hadn’t been a bit too cute.
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@gt12 the Welshie milked it massively, did the opposite of what you teach kids to do; play to the whistle, not stop and whinge.
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Worked though, didn't it? I don't necessarily agree with it, but I think they gave him the opportunity - especially (I just watched the replay again) as Hames raises his shoulder as he turns into the Wales player while Patty T shuts down the space chasing from the outside.
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@taniwharugby said in AB's v Wales:
Reckon that ball from Ioane to ALB was deliberate, not fortuitous, was it Cully did a bounce pass to Goldie in a BLedisloe....
Funny Barnes has had to tell the Welsh to pipe down a few times basically any ruck they are demanding a penalty for turnover, even when they havent even got hands on.
Thought the pen on Hames and ?? for obstruction was rough, they booth turned and ran back, they had to run a line, and the one straight to the ball was the same as the Welsh chaser, they had no other line to run unless they wanted to look like mouppets and run away from the ball.
Sam Cane, beast, Ioane, so much skill...
@mariner4life hope you feel filthy, lucky it was only a tenner...
I thought if that was a penalty against hames , it should've been a penalty to naholo last week , looked to be a similar degree of intent , only mild but a hint of it there
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@gt12 not the point though, if it didnt work he has given up metres through not playing to the whistle, just sets a poor example, just dont like the way so many players do this these days.
There was one ruck where the Welsh 9 put his hands on the ball, rolled it a little, took them off, on and turned the ball to a better position, off, then went and passed it.
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Just had my weekly chuckle at my read through of the thread.
Some posters clearly watch a different game than I watch.
BB was average even when he got quick ball. He has his Knights that will defend him no matter what it seems. He was more static than Grant Fox used to be. Smith didn't have a great game either but can't blame him for all BB's woes.
SBW has the reverse effect, has a decent game and a 3rd of the thread is posters whinging about him. Lots of play actually revolves around him. D Mac seems to have turned a corner though with less complaints about him.
At least it appears everyone seemed to rank Sam Cane properly this week ;). What a machine. L Whitelock didn't stand out and Squire didn't really make any waves until the 2nd half. Todd added some decent impetus when coming on in the 2nd half.
@taniwharugby Hames' 3 penalties seem like he was having a tough one but for the first one we never saw a replay, the 2nd one he was penalised for a clear out that was happening every ruck, and his 3rd was the obstruction that even the Welsh commentators didn't have an issue with.
ALB was good after replacing a yet again injured Crotty. Is Crotty trying to take Ngatai's crown as most injury prone midfielder? That battle will be one to saviour next year.
Both Patty T and Barrett were average at lock. I'm surprised that I missed Romano so much. Although, maybe we're being a bit harsh on the locks, as the lineout functioned pretty well and that's one of their core roles. Whitelock had his usual good game, but, he didn't need to go for that ball that close to the line as an infringement was always going to be a yellow, that was a senior player dumb moment that Crockett was rightly strung up for and beaten with a sock full of soap last week. Maybe he thought it was his captains duty to stop a try, but he should have trusted his player's defence.
Ioane and Naholo were both great in attack. When he went through that gap it looked like the cover either side would have a shot but he just gassed away. Naholo's tries shouldn't be underrated as he had to work hard, even if he makes Sivi look like the most intense player we've ever seen in comparison.
Barnes was Barnes, some good some bad. At least our winning % with him now might be close to hitting 70%.
For Wales, AWJ just stood on the ABs side of the ruck for most of the first half. It was weird. Navidi had a good game with ball in hand. Amos was threatening with the ball. I wonder if D Mac will end his career looking jacked like Halfpenny?
Good to end the year on a win. I now need to find time to watch the Oz v Scottish People game.
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@nepia said in AB's v Wales:
Just had my weekly chuckle at my read through of the thread.
Some posters clearly watch a different game than I watch.
BB was average even when he got quick ball. He has his Knights that will defend him no matter what it seems. He was more static than Grant Fox used to be. Smith didn't have a great game either but can't blame him for all BB's woes.
SBW has the reverse effect, has a decent game and a 3rd of the thread is posters whinging about him. Lots of play actually revolves around him. D Mac seems to have turned a corner though with less complaints about him.
At least it appears everyone seemed to rank Sam Cane properly this week ;). What a machine. L Whitelock didn't stand out and Squire didn't really make any waves until the 2nd half. Todd added some decent impetus when coming on in the 2nd half.
@taniwharugby Hames' 3 penalties seem like he was having a tough one but for the first one we never saw a replay, the 2nd one he was penalised for a clear out that was happening every ruck, and his 3rd was the obstruction that even the Welsh commentators didn't have an issue with.
ALB was good after replacing a yet again injured Crotty. Is Crotty trying to take Ngatai's crown as most injury prone midfielder? That battle will be one to saviour next year.
Both Patty T and Barrett were average at lock. I'm surprised that I missed Romano so much. Although, maybe we're being a bit harsh on the locks, as the lineout functioned pretty well and that's one of their core roles. Whitelock had his usual good game, but, he didn't need to go for that ball that close to the line as an infringement was always going to be a yellow, that was a senior player dumb moment that Crockett was rightly strung up for and beaten with a sock full of soap last week. Maybe he thought it was his captains duty to stop a try, but he should have trusted his player's defence.
Ioane and Naholo were both great in attack. When he went through that gap it looked like the cover either side would have a shot but he just gassed away. Naholo's tries shouldn't be underrated as he had to work hard, even if he makes Sivi look like the most intense player we've ever seen in comparison.
Barnes was Barnes, some good some bad. At least our winning % with him now might be close to hitting 70%.
For Wales, AWJ just stood on the ABs side of the ruck for most of the first half. It was weird. Navidi had a good game with ball in hand. Amos was threatening with the ball. I wonder if D Mac will end his career looking jacked like Halfpenny?
Good to end the year on a win. I now need to find time to watch the Oz v Scottish People game.
As someone who's has had SBWs slong firmly tucked in his mouth for over a decade, it's more than a tad hypocritical to moan about "knights". Perhaps you're just a hater.?
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@Rancid-Schnitzel Not sure where you're coming from, while I've been a fan of SBW he's never been close to one of my favourite players but I'm happy to defend him when he plays well so fair cop if that's Knighting. As you seem to be unable to accept any criticism about BB (and the Barrett clan as whole) I've come to the assumption you must be a relative.
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@rocky-rockbottom said in AB's v Wales:
Could do with a poll to work out what to call his new hairdo though.
"Nana's All Black Fluffed Pubes Doilie".
When the boys turn up to school looking like that, I tell them that at least they are now useful, because I can turn them upside down and use them as a mop.
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@nepia said in AB's v Wales:
@Rancid-Schnitzel Not sure where you're coming from, while I've been a fan of SBW he's never been close to one of my favourite players but I'm happy to defend him when he plays well so fair cop if that's Knighting. As you seem to be unable to accept any criticism about BB (and the Barrett clan as whole) I've come to the assumption you must be a relative.
Was it just me, or did Scott Barrett drop the ball a lot in that game?
It's funny hearing about how Jordie will be the next big thing -- a guaranteed success -- when Scott was being pumped as a superstar not that long ago.
My issue with Beauden isn't that he's flat-footed, because the coaches should be able to sort that out. It's that his kicking in general play is atrocious. We had a good chase on a chip kick out of our 22 at one point utterly spoiled because Beauden kicked it far too far. His bombs aren't much chop. His deep kicks seem to unerringly find a man. The cross field kick that was his best weapon last year has disappeared.
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@nepia said in AB's v Wales:
@Rancid-Schnitzel Not sure where you're coming from, while I've been a fan of SBW he's never been close to one of my favourite players but I'm happy to defend him when he plays well so fair cop if that's Knighting. As you seem to be unable to accept any criticism about BB (and the Barrett clan as whole) I've come to the assumption you must be a relative.
On the contrary, I'm simply using precisely the same arguments youve used for years and find it rather hilarious that you should be bitching about knights.
Im not going to say BB had a good game or a particularly good year. I do however believe much of that was to do with the systems and tactics of the backline next year. It's not like Lima has thrived either. That could well be bullshit but I guess we'll see next year. What I'm not going to do is start labelling people haters.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel I've used it for years - you're talking about arguments everyone on the Fern uses, we're all hypocritical in that respect. Also, where did I label anyone a hater? I said there were posters whinging about him.
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@chester-draws said in AB's v Wales:
Was it just me, or did Scott Barrett drop the ball a lot in that game?
He did that stupid pass to no one deep inside the ABs 22. Luckily big brother mopped up the mistake.
My issue with Beauden isn't that he's flat-footed, because the coaches should be able to sort that out. It's that his kicking in general play is atrocious. We had a good chase on a chip kick out of our 22 at one point utterly spoiled because Beauden kicked it far too far. His bombs aren't much chop. His deep kicks seem to unerringly find a man. The cross field kick that was his best weapon last year has disappeared.
I've always had an issue with BB being flat-footed and shuffling the ball along while not committing any defenders. Beauden's point of difference is his acceleration off the mark so I wish he'd take on the line more.
Regarding kicking, I did find it strange that DMac wasn't used more when both are options. We saw one long kick to touch from DMac and another contested bomb which led to a Welsh knock-on. But that was about it.
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@chester-draws said in AB's v Wales:
My issue with Beauden is that his kicking in general play is atrocious. His bombs aren't much chop. His deep kicks seem to unerringly find a man.
I wonder if our lack of territory and possession comes down to this. We have been blessed with Carter and a lesser extent Cruden over the years. Ben Smith and Dagg also often help out. Dmac did take a few more kicks today but weren't that much better from memory.
He did place kick well today so should give him credit there.
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@bovidae yep, without Dagg there, we seem to think BB is our only kicking option...
Cane was absolutely out on his feet, although looked like he may have injured himself in that final 10 as well, but even then he still kept getting up and knocking them down.
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In the absence of BFA I would have thought the best option for bombs in the middle of the field was for DMac to put them up and have BB chasing - he's very good under the high ball. A simple tactic to maximise the strengths of the players out there.
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