Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November
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Cue Fox Sports saying new dawn for Aus rugby and the ABs are poo. Ugh. Can't wait till we sign with 9.
Didn't watch this live and surprised we won - that AB team looked really strong on paper. It's good to know that if the ABs lost their two best halves they'd be in as much strife as Aus are (how fugn bad were TJP and BB?).
How on earth does JBar keep getting picked? I mentioned on here ages ago that i'd never seen him have a good game and got ripped into. He's basically a poor man's Reece Hodge. Long may his tenured selection continue.
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@Tim said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
Laumape is so far below test level. He's a great test Super player, but shit at this level.
Oh yeah. Meant to mention he didn't deliver.
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@akan004 said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@Chris said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
That is more what I expect from a Foster coached team
Headless chook stuff.
Long couple of years coming up.Tbh, we weren't much different under Shag over his last 2-3 years.
I agree thats why I didn't want more of the same ,Foster and McLeod someone fresh with new ideas etc at the helm would have been my choice.
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Rugby pass seem to have actually watched the match, unlike most press. TJ 3/10, Reese 3.5
Tri Nations: New Zealand player ratings vs Australia
After a draw and two solid wins, everyone expected the All Blacks to record another crushing victory over the Wallabies in Brisbane on Friday night. That wasn't to be. How did the individual players perform on the night?
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@junior said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
Here is a post of mine from last year's RWC after the Canada match - it remains as true today as ever
@junior said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool
:@canefan said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool
:@junior said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool
:@Chris said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool
:@MajorRage said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool
:@Chris said in RWC: All Blacks v Canada (Pool
:Has anyone forced their way into the top 23 if SA Selection for game one is the top 23 ?
Weber perhaps?
Game changed when he came on great pass and runs great support lines would not have thought that was a chance to take TJs spot before the WC but Webber was very good.
I agree. I can't see how anyone thought he was anything other than excellent when he came on (at least compared to TJP). He kept it simple, did his job, got the ball out quickly, backed-up well and, importantly, didn't try to do too much himself. Based on that performance, I'd feel much more confident having him to come on and guide us home in the last 10 mins of a RWC knockout match.
Really?!?! You would have Webber supplant TJP, who at times has challenged A Smith hard for the starting job this year, based on 35 minutes against Canada? You set your bar much lower than me
I actually set it quite high for halfbacks, but my metrics might be different to others. TJP is a great rugby player with a good "rugby brain", hence why he scores so many tries by running really good support lines. My problem is that's not what he should be doing - he's a halfback not an openside flanker. His pass is shit, his kicking is shit, he's selfish and greedy, his option-taking is often poor, he plays for himself more than the team and - crucially - he's not calm or smart enough to be entrusted with such a key role (at which he's not particularly proficient technically), particularly in such a crucial match. I'd much rather have Weber there in such moments, because at least you know he'll pass fast and accurately to the guys who should be taking control (e.g. Mo'unga and Barrett) rather than trying to be a hero and do it all himself.
That last line, in particular, was very prescient.
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@NTA said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@mofitzy_ said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@Bovidae
It's strange, obviously they feel 6 is the least important player on the field but this is the second time they've subbed off a 6 after a red and lost.Taking off your blindside seems to be the done thing when you lose a prop. Dunno why - but when your skipper is 7 and your 8 is one of the more effective ball runners you have (Savea was making yards in contact all night after Swinton went off).
Our 6 was also one of our most effective ball runners. Plus when he tackled people they stopped.
None of the loosies deserved to be subbed. -
@Machpants they also thought Laumape was better than Rieko
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@antipodean said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@Machpants they also thought Laumape was better than Rieko
Yeah not perfect. But every other one I've seen had those two, out worst performers by far, at 5 or 6.
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I think the coaching team have to have 2 Barretts on the field at all times. Don't ask me why.
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@Machpants I find this hard to understand, Rieko did a lot of good tackles and cleaned up for others.
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Seeing a bit of talk (Rugbypass ratings and on here) about BB and the silly kicking.
The same style of short kicking worked last week, and nobody thought it was anything but clever when they were tearing the Wobs a new one.
The comment above about things not really changing since Hansen is accurate IMHO.
Similarly, AB fans have been so conditioned to BB pulling off miracle bullshit like lucky bounces and regathers on the sideline that it looks worse when it doesn't come off.
Don't get me wrong: fantastic player. His counterattack is mindblowing at times (when you're not the opposition
) but sometimes his broad skillset simply doesn't come off - like the AB game plan of defending until you get to counterattack.To the Wallaby game plan for a minute: attacking wide from the get go looked like the strategy but it was risky as shit. Like BB's play book not coming off, this is what happened last week as we continually dropped the ball or exposed ourselves to a short defence against a willing counter.
There seemed to be a notable shift as the second half wore on of attacking in close to draw defenders - not that it mattered because we got the job done through the guts and (again: miraculously) didn't drop the ball.
It looked a bit like Perth in that suddenly we looked like a Test rugby side instead of 23 blokes who met in the carpark for a game of touch.
And we still only won by 2.
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@nostrildamus said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
I think the coaching team have to have 2 Barretts on the field at all times. Don't ask me why.
Quotas. Like the Boks.
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Watched today after getting home from weekend away, wish I had stayed up the mountains. First off congrats to Oz, they had to score more points than us and they did that. OZ forwards really stepped up, scrum and lineout good and they have some real bulk in their pack. Only concern is they will get much better under Rennie and with more experience.
Reece and TJ were unfortunately dire, and their involvements lost us points. SB you egg, why would you do that stupid shit.
I'm starting to think kicking is one of the most important aspects at test level. Last week OZ kicking was awful, and A Smith and RM were on point. This week our box kicks and general play kicks really were shit and just kept us under pressure. If you cannot exit to halfway from your own 22 then there is an issue. This week the Wallabies chase was very good and RI and JB both coughed up pill. We also just gifted possession back with aimless kicks, OZ did that last week and got punished, this week it was out turn.
I was very impressed with AI, some quality D, clearing out and some nice touches, really unfortunate he was subbed early, I hope to see him Vs Argentina.
ALB shows again that super form means jack shit, that man needs to be at 12 getting as many touches as possible. We need to see him and PUJ at some stage together.
Again, I hate fucken red cards and their impact. Leave actual send offs for intentional foul play like ear biting, poking eyes etc. Both players just misjudged their hits, yes dangerous, yes yellow but not red.
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@chimoaus said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
This week our box kicks and general play kicks really were shit and just kept us under pressure. If you cannot exit to halfway from your own 22 then there is an issue.
As I said above: I think the short kicking was absolutely deliberate in order to try and regain possession in the air. If it was just once then that's a mistake. Twice is a plan.
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@NTA said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@chimoaus said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
This week our box kicks and general play kicks really were shit and just kept us under pressure. If you cannot exit to halfway from your own 22 then there is an issue.
As I said above: I think the short kicking was absolutely deliberate in order to try and regain possession in the air. If it was just once then that's a mistake. Twice is a plan.
Yeah, I agree the difference between AS/RM and TJ/BB was obvious and clear. From memory the Wallabies got more return from theirs with RI and JB both dropping the pill.
Exits from your own 22 happen so many times per game it annoys the fuck out of me when your exit only makes it to your own 22. Your 9 and 10 should be able to run the game to get you between the 40-50 each time. -
Haven't had a chance to put my general thoughts together about the game yet.
Is it weird that the loss didn't hurt me as much as it really should? Maybe it was just the crazy nature of the game with multiple cards etc. Maybe it was due to the fact we already have the Bled in the cupboard?
The Good
Akira and his bro, still nuts that they have detractors even when they put in good shifts. Hopefully Akira has more starts in his future and gets the chance to play a whole game. Made some good metres with the ball in hand, his offensive defence was good and he thumped into some rucks. He seemed to be stationed wide (like the Blues did with the Ginga Jesus last year) early on but moved in I assume to get near the ball as the game went on. As I've already mentioned in the match thread/MoTM thread Reiko had to clean up a lot shit.
Whitelock put in another good performance. The young fella looked like he was up to the task again when he came on. With those two, a returning BBBR and Patty T we're looking ok lockwise.
Cane and Ardie, so much debate about these two earlier in the year, they both had decent matches, Ardie started slow whereas Cane seemed to run himself to a stand still.
After weathering the early Oz storm and before Ofa got carded the ABs were actually playing some good constructive rugby. Hopefully they can get back to that.
Wright looked good for the Wallabies. He'll give hope to all non Fijian wings in Australia (TBF he might actually be the only non Fijian wing currently in Oz).
My Aussie mate was happy, he's also a Tahs fan so he does it tough, so I don't begrudge him the odd win. He was sober so wasn't an obnoxious winner which is likely the reason this is in the Good and not the Bad column.
The Bad
The dude who did the Welcome to Country forgetting he was at a rugby match and not a bogan rugby match.
The Red Cards. I think it would have been fine if they were both yellows. I get the whole deterrent thing that @NTA mentioned in the thread but I think at the speed of the game the margins are just too small. I also think the ref balls'd it up when he said Wright wasn't dropping, he clearly was, no matter how slight. The Aussie bloke (can't remember his name, Missing Link Mk II) was having a cracker of a match so that was a big loss for Oz.
Not taking the 3 points at the end of the first half after multiple penalties. Better to go into halftime with scoreboard pressure even if it's 3 and not 7. Black mark against Cane for his captaincy there.
Too many Barretts. BB had an average game which is annoying because RM hasn't really shone yet as a test 10. JB was his usual rocks and diamonds self. SB is confirming he's an actual idiot the more he plays.
TJP. I don't hate him like some do, and have always liked his contrasting style to Smith. But, he's out of form, plain and simple. Weber was out of form in Super rugby, TJP is now. Hopefully it's not a drop off the cliff though.
Reece. He's just shit. Hanson fucked up with his wing choices last year and Foster is continuing with it. Even at his erratic worst Naholo was easily better than this chump. Hell, I think even the crap version of NMS was better.
The Rugby
Mostly dud.
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@Nepia said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
He seemed to be stationed wide early on but moved in I assume to get near the ball as the game went on
GIven he went off aorund 25 mins or so, as the game went on he was watching from the sidelines!!
