Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11
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Now that the emotion has died down.
I really enjoyed that test and further more had we lost , Would not have bothered me the least .
Thought the Wallabies were tremendous and I have always said, regardless of what we think of the standard of their rugby , it’s only takes a squad of 23 on the day to do the job.
First order of business from an All Blacks piece , and this is what really worries me under Foster you have got to earn the right to go wide, if it means means doing a bit more work up front then so be it.
To be honest when I first saw the All Black team that was named for the test , I was quite underwhelmed ..
I thought it was the perfect opportunity as the Wallabies did to promote a couple of youngsters into the starting XV , Wil Jordon and Caleb Clark come to mind and I would have just left D.Mac on the bench and not played Bridge at all.
Fosters conservative approach concerns me.Thinking back on super rugby watching many of the NZ contests which were fast paced and highly skilled compared to the Australian comp which at times could be a grind especially when watching the Brumbies with lineout drives and mauls and holding on to the ball for long periods ,but if you really think about it .
Which style is closer to test Rugby ..?.
The Wallabies I thought we’re a lot better than I thought they would be , but on saying that as proven when Rennie took over the Chiefs ironically from Foster he selected a group of players from all over the country and bought them together win a title in his very first year , sure you had Wayne Smith in the background but at the end of the day this was Rennies team .Really liked the way their forwards went about their work ,Harry Wilson running in the wide channels was superb ,Only 20 years old , Lukhan Salakaia Loto was an absolute beast and his his locking partner Matt Philip has got some work rate and Taniela Tupou being used as a first receiver dragged in at least 3 tacklers was a master stroke in terms of coaching
Add in Nick White who was superb behind the Wallabies pack , Dalgunu on the wing looks a handful and Tom Banks at the back is safe as houses at the back superb under the highball and has a massive punt .
Plenty of pluses for the visitors .it seems as though Rennie has got buy in from this squad which for an outside coach is your first victory. -
@NTA said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
I've calmed down a bit now, having had to go pay $430 to get my daughter's macbook fixed after she spilled water on it last week.
That whole process - forking out money to Apple
- was more enjoyable than watching Williams referee.And before you get going: I completed my field test with NSW Rugby and am an accredited ref so I come from a position of knowledge on this. So... yeah... suck my balls all of you armchair fucking refs
As an introductory note: how AFG missed that foot on the line will forever be a mystery. You make a living out of this Angus. The lines are nice and straight. Stick your fucking flag up. Does it make some kind of cosmic justice thing when Ioane refuses to mess up his hair while dropping the ball later? No. It does not.
Some refs - a lot of the French ones - just let players sort it out, mostly. Sometimes that can looks weird, but then they make a decision and you figure they're just keeping the threshold for intervention high i.e. they don't want to be the star attraction. Sometimes the decision made is a head scratcher but you sort of accept French people are weird and move on.
Williams tends to avoid decisions whenever he can - even when it is blindingly obvious that a decision needs to be made. In the first half Mounga gets rid of the ball and a full second later Wilson absolutely clatters him - right in front. Williams sort of puts his arm out and then does nothing. Just gets on with things. Multiple tackles from both teams go high - not dangerously so, but potential for escalation which should be ruled on early to set a marker - and he does nothing.
He rightly pings Tupou for being a shitwit at ruck time (twice
) because it is well past the back of the ruck when he finishes trying to piss off Aaron Smith (a noble pursuit). But I counted at least three times for each team where a cleanout happened from the side of the ruck and did zero.Penalises Koroibete for going off his feet when no AB was contesting the ball, then lets it go for another Wallaby player in the same situation and says nobody was contesting the ball
Of course, there are the big ones - the biggest of which is probably the two scrums later in the second half where Alalaatoa hands out a complete reaming to Karl T (who packed at an angle, pushed at an angle, and got folded into an angle on the ground), and tells the Wobs "you're not getting it", then does Sio for exactly the same thing at the next scrum. What were the fucking ARs doing while Alalaatoa was introducing Big Karl's forehead to the turf?
I'd love to be a fly on the wall at the referee review. It isn't easy - I know that from personal experience even at my gumby level of refereeing. But there are head scratchers and then there is out and out inconsistency that leads to incompetence.
EDIT: oh and the 2 short arms against Australia for going early at scrum time? Every fucking ref knows that the second one is a penalty you tit.
Didn't you think the Wallabies showed some steel? Sure, lineouts in particular and ruck work need some attention, but I'd have thought you'd feel in with a chance next week?
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I attended at the stadium, had a seat almost behind the posts.
Interesting that from that angle and distance cannot observe any of the critisims of e.g. Mo'ouga and Savea etc that seem common. TBH, caketin is pretty crap.
My observations from end on. Early on in game - I thought Ioane bombed a certain 80 m try by going himself and not setting up Jordie (although doubts about Jordie's top end speed to go that distance). I was out of my seat, I was that certain the try was on.
I'd also think up-and-unders would be good options in swirling wind, and we tried a couple early both from 10 and box kick. But my end-on observation - my god the modern defence is so expert at blocking and shepherding chasers that it is no longer a good percentage option. Which is a shame as it adds variety to the sport. When that first up-an-under went up I got very excited but deflated when seeing how little pressure the chasers can put on.
I thought the NZ back 3 kick catching of the deep kicks in the swirling wind was excellent (apart from that god damn dropout).
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@Rapido said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
I attended at the stadium, had a seat almost behind the posts.
Interesting that from that angle and distance cannot observe any of the critisims of e.g. Mo'ouga and Savea etc that seem common. TBH, caketin is pretty crap.
My observations from end on. Early on in game - I thought Ioane bombed a certain 80 m try by going himself and not setting up Jordie (although doubts about Jordie's top end speed to go that distance). I was out of my seat, I was that certain the try was on.
I'd also think up and unders would be goo options in swirling wind, and we tried a couple early both from 10 and box kick. But my end-on observation - my god the modern defence is so expert at blocking and shepherding chasers that it is no longer a a good percentage option. Which is a shame as it adds variety to the sport. When that first up an under went up I got very excited but deflated when seeing how little pressure the chasers can put on.
I though the NZ back 3 kick catching of the deep kicks in the swirling wind was excellent (apart from that god damn dropout).
Interesting observation on Jordie. Does he take a bit longer than others to hit top speed.....or is he actually just not that quick ?
I think a backline always has potential issues when the quickest guy is wearing number 13....
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Hard to know what to make of that game, Wallabies should have won about three times, and should have lost about five times, and so on the balance of things I'll take the draw.
I was nervous about our team. For all the focus on AB selections here (and there were some definite head-scratchers) we picked a lot of new combos as well as three debutants and a few one-gamers. Normally the Wallabies take 2-3 games to get rid of the early rust, so to come out and face the ABs in Wellington first up... it had disaster written all over it.
But we played good, smart, committed rugby. I was really impressed with our kicking game, thanks to Banks, Toomua and White we genuinely used it as a weapon for the first time in what feels like decades (finally abandoning this 'Australian way' garbage). Also super impressed with Wilson and Daugunu in their first games, and JOC's control and patience at 10.
And then it came down to one kick from Hodge, which was a bees proverbial away from being one of the greatest place kicks of all time.
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@rotated said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
@Nepia said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
@rotated said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
The leader in the clubhouse for worst first year is Laurie Mains' and Fozzie ain't off to a good start.
Bit hard on Laurie, he had to mould together a new team against the current RWC holders after a disastrous ABs RWC campaign rife with division - and he lost 2-1 in one of the greatest and closest Bledisloe Cup series ever (I think the exact same number of points were scored by both teams and the biggest margin was 3 or 4).
It wasn't just the Bledisloe; they lost the midweek game to NSW, lost to World XV then lost to SA on reentry. They should have lost to Ireland in Dunedin that year too?
Your memory is faulty, they didn't lose to the Boks and it was actually Sydney they lost to in the midweek game, not NSW.
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@KiwiMurph said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
I remember when Wallabies used to select the likes of DHP on the wing and the ABs would select strike wingers.
Now it's the reverse - what a complete mess.
We're still not perfect. The XV on the weekend had the Rebels 10 at 12, last year's Wallaby 13 at 10, the Reds number 8 at blindside, and last year's blindside in the second row.
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@MN5 said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
@Rapido said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
I attended at the stadium, had a seat almost behind the posts.
Interesting that from that angle and distance cannot observe any of the critisims of e.g. Mo'ouga and Savea etc that seem common. TBH, caketin is pretty crap.
My observations from end on. Early on in game - I thought Ioane bombed a certain 80 m try by going himself and not setting up Jordie (although doubts about Jordie's top end speed to go that distance). I was out of my seat, I was that certain the try was on.
I'd also think up and unders would be goo options in swirling wind, and we tried a couple early both from 10 and box kick. But my end-on observation - my god the modern defence is so expert at blocking and shepherding chasers that it is no longer a a good percentage option. Which is a shame as it adds variety to the sport. When that first up an under went up I got very excited but deflated when seeing how little pressure the chasers can put on.
I though the NZ back 3 kick catching of the deep kicks in the swirling wind was excellent (apart from that god damn dropout).
Interesting observation on Jordie. Does he take a bit longer than others to hit top speed.....or is he actually just not that quick ?
I think a backline always has potential issues when the quickest guy is wearing number 13....
seeing Mitch Hunt smoke him in the last round of super rugby id say he at least isn't a fast accelerator, he closed the gap but then he was also running the cutoff line so had a shorter distance...so im going to go with im sure he's faster than most...but not up there with real quick outside backs, 5 mins in
i'd like to see a straight spring between him and BB who we know is lightning
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@pakman said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
Didn't you think the Wallabies showed some steel? Sure, lineouts in particular and ruck work need some attention, but I'd have thought you'd feel in with a chance next week?
In short, yes.
As a couple of articles have pointed out: 8-3 at the half turning into 13-3 could have seen previous teams crumble in those conditions, but we stuck it out and showed a lot of character to get to within inches of a win.
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@pakman said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
@NTA said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
Bullshit fucking penalty. We folded Karl T like a cheap deck chair at the previous scrum and ZERO
Looked to me like Oz TH bored in and hooker also shoved diagonally left. Karl T in effect was peeled off. Some refs would penalise Wallabies for that, but because of the optics was surprised ABs weren't.
Karl packed crooked to start with - as a LHP you can't be at that angle on the engage because any forward momentum from that point makes you look bad.
Unless the ref is a screaming pile of incompetence.
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@Nepia said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
@NTA said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
Nice.
I'm glad the animosity between the actual teams seems to have gone now ... maybe due to coaching change?
Hansen is gone so there is no point dwelling on his shortcomings as a person.
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@NTA Is there a confirmation bias awareness component to that qualification?
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@NTA said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
@pakman said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
@NTA said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
Bullshit fucking penalty. We folded Karl T like a cheap deck chair at the previous scrum and ZERO
Looked to me like Oz TH bored in and hooker also shoved diagonally left. Karl T in effect was peeled off. Some refs would penalise Wallabies for that, but because of the optics was surprised ABs weren't.
Karl packed crooked to start with - as a LHP you can't be at that angle on the engage because any forward momentum from that point makes you look bad.
Can't comment on the scrums - but, if you watch Big Karl in general play, he basically just takes up space.
Unless they're concerned about Hodgman's scrummaging, I'd put Alex on the bench next week.
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@barbarian said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
@KiwiMurph said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
I remember when Wallabies used to select the likes of DHP on the wing and the ABs would select strike wingers.
Now it's the reverse - what a complete mess.
We're still not perfect. The XV on the weekend had the Rebels 10 at 12, last year's Wallaby 13 at 10, the Reds number 8 at blindside, and last year's blindside in the second row.
That's a bit misleading though.
Toomua has played a heap of rugby at 12. He's 10 for Rebels because he's the best option - if they had JOC he'd be playing 12.
In the case of JOC and LSL they have both been playing 10 and lock this season respectively and both played well - this year LSL has clearly showed he is a lock not a 6 - can shift there during the game perhaps but very much in the Scott Barrett mould.
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@ARHS said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
I thought the crowd reaction at the fulltime whistle was absolutely disgraceful. Ashamed to be a kiwi from that. Both teams gave it all they had to go for a win - for 9 minutes beyond in a tight game. Fantastic effort players and officials.
Might be an unpopular thing to say here, but that kind of crowd behaviour is not unexpected from NZ these days. Anecdotally have heard it from many nationalities as I get around the club scene here in Sydney.
Don't know if it is a generational thing, but the level of boorishness in rugby crowds is generally increasing. Throw in the ABs success and it seems like some fans feel they've been given licence to think their nation owns the game.
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@NTA said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
@ARHS said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
I thought the crowd reaction at the fulltime whistle was absolutely disgraceful. Ashamed to be a kiwi from that. Both teams gave it all they had to go for a win - for 9 minutes beyond in a tight game. Fantastic effort players and officials.
Might be an unpopular thing to say here, but that kind of crowd behaviour is not unexpected from NZ these days. Anecdotally have heard it from many nationalities as I get around the club scene here in Sydney.
Don't know if it is a generational thing, but the level of boorishness in rugby crowds is generally increasing. Throw in the ABs success and it seems like some fans feel they've been given licence to think their nation owns the game.
I don't disagree with any of that but must say that a fair deal of the booing right at the end would have been reactionary. The excitement and entertainment they paid for was cut off by a decision to take a draw. I would have been disappointed and let out a groan as well.
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@Crucial said in Bledisloe One: Wellington, October 11:
I don't disagree with any of that but must say that a fair deal of the booing right at the end would have been reactionary. The excitement and entertainment they paid for was cut off by a decision to take a draw. I would have been disappointed and let out a groan as well.
I took it as 50% booing the officials for not giving a penalty and 50% booing the Wallabies for not rolling over and dying like good little West Islanders
