Tah(d)s v Rebels
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="569626" data-time="1459673668"><p>The whole team was terrible. Yes, he dropped some balls, but often as a result of team mates throwing hospital passes. Folau was the weakest of the outside backs and his sinbinning didn't help either. The indecisiveness, especially of the forwards, was killing the game. Midfield wasn't working either.<br></p></blockquote>
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The difference is this was a rarity for Folau - Guildford constistently displays poor skills, when you combine that with his lack of footwork, and guile - there's not much left. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="569632" data-time="1459674473">
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<p>I would sound the trumpet to announce his entrance, but along with being a right un (a Magpies fan) he also <strong>appears to be</strong> a wrong un (a <strong>Crusaders fan</strong>), I just can't abide that.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>I guess that appearance comes from the fact that I don't buy the "Chiefs being the favourites" hype, and wrote that in a Crusaders thread? The fact is that I don't support any NZ team in particular, and sometimes voice another opinion in this (apparently) Blues and Chiefs supporters dominated forum. Not that I think there's anything wrong with being a Crusaders supporter, or Canes supporter, or (etc).</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="569625" data-time="1459673523"><p>
Good to see the succession plan after Dingo Dean's is paying off.</p></blockquote>
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You do have to wonder about the state of Australian rugby. <br><br>
What has Cheika's solutions been so far? Let overseas players play for the Wallabies? Surely that will only hurt Australian rugby in the long term.<br><br>
Giteau's selection achieved little but to accelerate Matt Toomua's departure. And Kepu may still be eligible for test selection but that doesn't help the Waratahs much. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="569634" data-time="1459674672">
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<p>The difference is this was a rarity for Folau - Guildford constistently displays poor skills, when you combine that with his lack of footwork, and guile - there's not much left.</p>
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<p>Even Zac thought he was worse than usual!</p>
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<p class="" style="font-size:26px;">Sorry to waratahs fans that was the worse performance of my career I can only keep trying but that was tough and hurts</p>
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<div><span style="font-size:13px;color:rgb(136,153,166);">12:59 AM - 3 Apr 2016</span></div>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="569639" data-time="1459678435">
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<p>You do have to wonder about the state of Australian rugby.<br><br>
What has Cheika's solutions been so far? Let overseas players play for the Wallabies? Surely that will only hurt Australian rugby in the long term.<br><br>
Giteau's selection achieved little but to accelerate Matt Toomua's departure. And Kepu may still be eligible for test selection but that doesn't help the Waratahs much.</p>
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<p>Well Giteau's (and Mitchell's) selection helped us to make a World Cup Final. So I think it achieved quite a bit actually. And the new rules opened up selection for guys like Douglas and Mumm as well, who also played a big role in our RWC campaign.</p>
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<p>The 60 test rule just means we can still get some contribution from experienced guys that are likely heading overseas anyway.</p>
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<p>This year is a lean year in Super so far, but I still think the Wallabies can be very competitive when the time comes. History has told us the relationship between Super and Test form is fairly small.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="569699" data-time="1459726484">
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<p>So the Tahds are now the Blues of Australia. Well, you have my sympathy.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Hey! We were the Blues of Australian rugby long before the Blues were the Blues of <em>New Zealand</em> rugby.</p>
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<p>Before it was hip!</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Frank" data-cid="569701" data-time="1459726679">
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<p>As much as Ferners are enjoying putting the the boot into the Tahs and Aussie rugby ( and I do too), it shows Cheika is a much better coach than Gibson.</p>
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<p>Well, I think there are a few factors in play.</p>
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<p>This is Gibson's first shot at the big time, and therefore he's less likely to be as confrontational as Cheika was. As with the Reds post-2011, the feeling in Tah land is that now we've done it once, let's not upset the apple cart in order to do it again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What is shows is that personnel is not enough, and that AAC and Kepu - though maybe moreso Douglas - were important. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Blades' appointment was met with a few raised eyebrows, as was the acquisition of Ta'avao. Though in fairness the scrum was a lot better than it has been in past weeks. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>One problem is that we started the season picking a THP at LHP and that has now marked us for the rest of the season. The penalty from the last scrum of the game shows that more than anything. That was, at worst, a reset, because from where I was sitting, the Rebels THP played Paddy and the AR like a fiddle. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The main issue is that we're playing the same plan we had two years ago when we won, and it isn't working, and hasn't worked, for over 12 months. The Rebels set up their first try with a nice load of Pick n Go before going wide, and getting a back on forward.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Tahs are still trying to hit 2nd Channel with a forward, and then running laterally in the backs, without understanding that people are wise to this, and know to cut down the space of guys like Skelton and Lousi and Palu, and just drift on Folau and Foley and Beale.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rebels did the basics well, and still could have lost that game despite all the Tahs' ineptitude. The didn't score on the second half, didn't have much territory, and didn't kick that well. But they tackle their arses off and waited for (inevitable) mistakes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Doesn't matter how you win, really, but neither side is going to ring up huge gates with those kinds of performances.</p> -
<p>I agree with the comments regarding the game plan - even during the Cheika hey day, there wasn't a terribly large amount of variation to the Tahs game plan, and now that teams have cottoned on, it is even more apparent, especially when they've barely had all three of Foley/Beale/Folau combo on the field.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I thought the Rebels kicking game was good too - that Rebels 10 has a large boot and their other backs kicked pretty well too - I thought Tamati Ellison was very good on defence - very physical and accurate.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="569709" data-time="1459727779">
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<p>... set up their first try with a nice load of Pick n Go before going wide, and getting a back on forward.</p>
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<p>Reading this, you'd think that rugby wasn't a complex game, and that using forwards up front could create space out wide.</p>
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I'm not being sarcastic, but I don't know why the hell this isn't done more often. This is rugby 101, and gets forgotten by so many coaches
It's a goddamn cliche for a reason</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="569705" data-time="1459727411">
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<p>Hey! We were the Blues of Australian rugby long before the Blues were the Blues of <em>New Zealand</em> rugby.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before it was hip!</p>
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<p>fucking Sydney hipster fluffybunnies. Worse than the ones from melbourne...</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nzzp" data-cid="569723" data-time="1459730496">
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<p>Reading this, you'd think that rugby wasn't a complex game, and that using forwards up front could create space out wide.</p>
<p>I'm not being sarcastic, but I don't know why the hell this isn't done more often. This is rugby 101, and gets forgotten by so many coaches It's a goddamn cliche for a reason</p>
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<p>I haven't seen the Tahs pick n go for quite some time, unless the ball pops out the back of a ruck i.e. emergency measure.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="569620" data-time="1459672632">
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<p>That was the worst $40 I've ever spent. Not going back this season unless we're in the finals</p>
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<p>Then you are not going back. No way they will be in the finals.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="569620" data-time="1459672632">
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<p>That was the worst $40 I've ever spent. Not going back this season unless we're in the finals</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>This from a man who consistently bemoans the fickle/silent nature of Sydney crowds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thought it was a pretty fun arvo, out in the sunshine, pretty willing match if unskilled. </p> -
<p>maybe if they had a place to plug in his phone charger it wouldn't matter ;)</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="barbarian" data-cid="569767" data-time="1459738494">
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<p>This from a man who consistently bemoans the fickle/silent nature of Sydney crowds.</p>
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<p>Look at it this way, Barbara: I travel about 50km to get to the game from my place. I did it consistently in 2014, and as a Member in 2015, and so far once in 2016. </p>
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<p>I could have spent the money from yesterday on 1 month of Foxtel, and parked my arse in front of the PC at home to watch that shit. I suppose that's where some of the "rugby people" were, who live far more locally than I, and weren't playing rugby that day, at a guess.</p>
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<p>This is a team that broke an attendance record at the 2014 final FFS, but where are they now? Fucking nowhere.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Besides the actual game I had a pretty good time catching up with some people at the pub, and Holloway had another solid game, so it wasn't a dead loss.</p>
