All Blacks v Wallabies at Eden Park.
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Good to get the win and the Tier 1 record.
You could definitely see the lower intensity that comes with these dead rubber games even with the record on the line though.Wallabies were a lot better with ball in hand this time. Folau looked decent for the first time in a long time (still doesn't match the hype though).
Wallabies were able to hold onto the ball longer and made metres going direct. However i don't remember them ever building sustained attacking pressure deep in our 22 and other than their non try they didn't look that likely to add to their one try.Just on their disallowed try: i think the right call was made. As shitty as some people think it is and how the "vibe" is wrong, the fact is that dhp clearly changed his line and reached out to impeed Savea. Stupid move because there was a 90% chance he was in for the try anyway.
If we want to get into 'what ifs' then there was a missed penalty right before their first try where a wallabie comes straight in the side of the ruck. Seconds later they score.
Not to mention the forward pass from cruden that is let go 99% of the time or Foley getting grabby with Coles for that non try.
Having said that. It was a 27 point win. The game didn't change on one call. It changed because the ABs got some possession and used it.Todd was a lot better in this game than the SA game i thought. Some good tackling, despite tge miss, and a couple of good turnovers.
Speaking of turnovers. Pocock showed exactly what he cops criticism on here for. First touch is a turnover penalty. Minutes later he carries the ball up in the AB 22 and is shunted back 5m. Thought their back tow balance was a lot better that poopah. I think fardy at 6 instead of mumm would be even better.
Savea has copped shit again. A few errors but he turned it on and ended the game as a contest. That try where he bumped the last two guys was a pleasure to watch.
Ps. Fuck Cheika. Classless whinging prick.
The day an AB coach acts like that is the day that coach needs to be sacked. Long may his misery last. -
Away from the sideshows and hopefully to generate discussion other than Cheika, I did think that the Wobs gave a taste of what we can expect from a firing opposition and showed up all of my pre-match concerns.
Imagine you are Eddie Jones and there was an England/AB test on this EOYT. You'd be following the same game plan with a better coached team and better personnel. You'd be running big munters up the guts to get over the gain line. Be looking at targeting our midfield for easy bending. Would be pulling out every scrum trick in the book (as we still sometime come across as bewildered with some of the rulings that go against us). With Farrell kicking they would be keeping pressure on a lot more than Oz did.
I'll give BB benefit of the doubt due to illness but my fear of him not taking control in this type of game came to fruition. I understand the argument that he didm't get much ball to use but that could also mean that he didn't impose himself and demand it (as DC would have done in the past).
I also find it funny how before the match everyone was bitching about Julian's selection and afterward voting for him in MOTM votes. He did exactly the thing I wanted to see him there to do. A Lomu-esque run to break the game open. I haven't seen Naholo do that. -
Forgot to add.
Did anyone else think the way Coles went for the try in the race with Foley was strange? He knew foley was there because he looked when the were chasing. But he sort of went knees first leaning backwards rather than lunging forward. Meant he gave up the metre or so head start he had and foley got there first.Also thought the Read penalty after the try was harsh. Sure they had a warning but there was plenty of push and dhove through the rest of the game that was let go.
Loved the scrum work too.
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@pukunui said in All Blacks v Wallabies at Eden Park.:
Forgot to add.
Did anyone else think the way Coles went for the try in the race with Foley was strange? He knew foley was there because he looked when the were chasing. But he sort of went knees first leaning backwards rather than lunging forward. Meant he gave up the metre or so head start he had and foley got there first.I think he judged it best to try and get his body between Foley and the ball. I need to see it again but I think the ball moved away from him.
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@Bones said in All Blacks v Wallabies at Eden Park.:
For those thinking the penalty on Read was harsh, what the bloody hell do they think is the point of a warning?
Agree, he was stupid to do anything after Owens had declared obvious intent that he was going to clamp down on off the ball stuff. The fact that Oz were the biggest culprits and escaped punishment is moot.
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Yeah sorry i meant more that the fact other off the ball shit went unpunished was harsh/inconsistent. The ref even had a go at whitelock a few times when it seemed to be yellow shirts doing the shoving. No real excuse for Read after that warning.
I did note they got pinged for clearing out well past the ruck and i yelled out the obligatory "they've been doing it all night/season ref".
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"I'll give BB benefit of the doubt due to illness but my fear of him not taking control in this type of game came to fruition. I understand the argument that he didm't get much ball to use but that could also mean that he didn't impose himself and demand it (as DC would have done in the past."
Comical post. I reckon he should have charged into the rucks and mauls (maybe lineouts and scrums too) to get his hands on the ball. Just watching that first half I'm at a loss as to what he was supposed to have done to take control. Oh yeah, he should have demanded more ball and run to the line. Or something...
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Agreed. We had fuck all ball and when we did have it we scored 3 tries. Not sure what BB was meant to do differently (except place kick better).
Some of Crudens kicking/option taking was shit. Poor cross kicks, Defensive bombs, not what i would call controlling the game.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel said in All Blacks v Wallabies at Eden Park.:
"I'll give BB benefit of the doubt due to illness but my fear of him not taking control in this type of game came to fruition. I understand the argument that he didm't get much ball to use but that could also mean that he didn't impose himself and demand it (as DC would have done in the past."
Comical post. I reckon he should have charged into the rucks and mauls (maybe lineouts and scrums too) to get his hands on the ball. Just watching that first half I'm at a loss as to what he was supposed to have done to take control. Oh yeah, he should have demanded more ball and run to the line. Or something...
RS, I'm sure you understand the game better than that.
As a 10 it is part of your job description to take control because you are in a prime position to influence. I haven't watched the game again and maybe you are correct regarding the lack of opportunities to take control that he had. It may even be the way the ABs now play that they aren't putting that traditional 'generalship' on the 10. I just know that usually if you are in an arm wrestle game the 10 should be looking to demand the ball whenever available and start directing the way things are going. Cruden's execution may have been poor at times but he immediately started looking to put the ball into spaces and change things up.
I just expect to see more game direction from a 10.
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@Crucial said in All Blacks v Wallabies at Eden Park.:
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in All Blacks v Wallabies at Eden Park.:
"I'll give BB benefit of the doubt due to illness but my fear of him not taking control in this type of game came to fruition. I understand the argument that he didm't get much ball to use but that could also mean that he didn't impose himself and demand it (as DC would have done in the past."
Comical post. I reckon he should have charged into the rucks and mauls (maybe lineouts and scrums too) to get his hands on the ball. Just watching that first half I'm at a loss as to what he was supposed to have done to take control. Oh yeah, he should have demanded more ball and run to the line. Or something...
RS, I'm sure you understand the game better than that.
As a 10 it is part of your job description to take control because you are in a prime position to influence. I haven't watched the game again and maybe you are correct regarding the lack of opportunities to take control that he had. It may even be the way the ABs now play that they aren't putting that traditional 'generalship' on the 10. I just know that usually if you are in an arm wrestle game the 10 should be looking to demand the ball whenever available and start directing the way things are going. Cruden's execution may have been poor at times but he immediately started looking to put the ball into spaces and change things up.
I just expect to see more game direction from a 10.
Again, could you please explain when and how he was supposed to have done this. They had fark all ball when he was on the park and the game opened up a shit load more after he was gone. I can't see what Carter would have done differently (other than kick goals of course) unless his very presence would have magically given the abs more possession.
This criticism is absolutely ridiculous. The abs were attacking pretty well when they had the pill. The issues were in defence and in tight. How Barrett was supposed to be the man to take control and fix that is beyond me.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel said in All Blacks v Wallabies at Eden Park.:
@Crucial said in All Blacks v Wallabies at Eden Park.:
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in All Blacks v Wallabies at Eden Park.:
"I'll give BB benefit of the doubt due to illness but my fear of him not taking control in this type of game came to fruition. I understand the argument that he didm't get much ball to use but that could also mean that he didn't impose himself and demand it (as DC would have done in the past."
Comical post. I reckon he should have charged into the rucks and mauls (maybe lineouts and scrums too) to get his hands on the ball. Just watching that first half I'm at a loss as to what he was supposed to have done to take control. Oh yeah, he should have demanded more ball and run to the line. Or something...
RS, I'm sure you understand the game better than that.
As a 10 it is part of your job description to take control because you are in a prime position to influence. I haven't watched the game again and maybe you are correct regarding the lack of opportunities to take control that he had. It may even be the way the ABs now play that they aren't putting that traditional 'generalship' on the 10. I just know that usually if you are in an arm wrestle game the 10 should be looking to demand the ball whenever available and start directing the way things are going. Cruden's execution may have been poor at times but he immediately started looking to put the ball into spaces and change things up.
I just expect to see more game direction from a 10.
Again, could you please explain when and how he was supposed to have done this. They had fark all ball when he was on the park and the game opened up a shit load more after he was gone. I can't see what Carter would have done differently (other than kick goals of course) unless his very presence would have magically given the abs more possession.
This criticism is absolutely ridiculous. The abs were attacking pretty well when they had the pill. The issues were in defence and in tight. How Barrett was supposed to be the man to take control and fix that is beyond me.
Which part of this did you not understand?
"I haven't watched the game again and maybe you are correct regarding the lack of opportunities to take control that he had."
When I get the chance I'll have another watch and get back to you.
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OK. I'm just going to leave it at 'he was not on his game', guessing it was due to the ear infection.
I just watched through the first 20 minutes and no wonder his touch count was down. He barely ever put himself at first receiver, was either positioned on the short side or someone else was coming into the line. On turnover ball he wasn't getting his hands on it as he seemed to have been dropping back to fullback when the Convicts had the ball. Most of the time he wasn't anywhere near the vicinity of the ruck.
On ALBs try he was skip passed and I don't know if it was a called move but he certainly called Dagg across to first receiver and held back out of the line. TJP either faked dumbness or didn't know the call as he looked first to Dagg's wing to see it empty.
None of this backs up my call that he didn't 'take control' but he also didn't get involved as much as he could have when we did have the ball so maybe it was a tactical ploy, maybe he just wasn't feeling up to it. It wasn't because he lack any chance to get involved. -
Just want to add my tuppence worth on the DHP thing. I'm not sure why a few people are saying there was no way Savea was going to catch Speight.
It may have been unlikely, but far from impossible IMO. Savea is hardly slow, and as Coles showed it wouldn't have been the only time in the game someone well in front was run down on the way to the try line, would it?
And if Speight was on such a sure thing there was absolutely no reason for DHP to get involved at all. If he'd just stopped and cheered Speight on the try would have stood
Anyway it's academic now. The ref called it as he saw it and it was stupid to give him a reason to look.
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Just to add if BB had an ear infection he shouldn't have been kicking.
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I love it when the Aussies lose, they just look to deflect away from how shit they really are. Its the ref, its the AB's that have changed the laws, its the NZR run world rugby, its the media, its the aliens that are invading, the grass was too green, the ball had too many dimples on it than normal. Cheika is a F******* clown the paper got it right. And by the way how can you respect a team or a coach when they react like this.
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But on Sunday, Hansen softened his stance and extended an olive branch to Cheika for the good of rugby in Australasia.
"For a long time the relationship with Australia has probably been a little frosty and maybe we need to sit down and have a beer together and sort it out," Hansen told Australian reporters, describing the Wallabies as a "formidable opponent" and important ally.
"But I think some of it comes down to the fact that the Bledisloe Cup means so much to both teams and when one team's having a dominant period like we're at the moment, the other team really gets frustrated.
Steve Hanson says Cheika needs to be 'bigger' than what the media is betraying him as.
"It's how you deal with those frustrations and how you handle yourself when you're winning, I guess, is important.
"This week we've tried to play a pretty straight bat and not tried to aggravate anyone. Our media didn't help with the clown thing but that's the media. It's not us.
"But at the same time you've got to look at your own history and your own backyard and there's been plenty of people who've had a crack at (former All Blacks captain Richie) McCaw and so forth."
Hansen said he had empathy for Cheika.
"I lost 10 tests in a row with Wales and it was tough. Of course you get hurt by it," he said.
"It's how you deal with the adversity that's important." -
Interesting to see the same cabbal of NZ journos are out in force today on Twitter pumping Cheika's tires big time.
It is the same group that were saying NZ fans were myopic after saying Hansen or Jones should have got coach of the year over Cheika.
Not sure what he has over them, I can only imagine their reaction if Andrew McFadden had been carrying on like this with the Warriors - they would have brutalised him.
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@Donsteppa Funny , I never heard Kaefer complaining about Scotland game at the World Cup!
