ABs v Scotland
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I haven’t read any of the thread since last night, so apologies for covering any topics that have already been discussed.
Firstly well done to Scotland in bringing it to the ABs, they played positive attacking rugby and it nearly paid off.
However their ball handling skills were lacking when it counted and that was their undoing.The ABs, well well well, it feels like Groundhog Day AGAIN.
Dropped balls, forward passes, poor decision making, poor discipline.
BB, why the flipping hell is receiving the ball standing so flat footed and deep? Understand it may be a tactic to avoid the rush defence teams are implementing against us, but come on mate you can’t sit back all the time it’s putting to much pressure on the centres.
We kicked the ball away at stupid times, like when we’ve got good front foot ball, not only that often the kick was really poor - straight to where Hogg was waiting to gobble it up.
We appear to be lacking leadership at times when we are under pressure, a little bit understandable when you consider who we are missing and hopefully a really big learning curve for these guys.
Another really frustrating performance and I for one can’t wait for the season to finish.
Roll on 2018 so we can get some of our top team back on the field. -
@gunner said in ABs v Scotland:
I haven’t read any of the thread since last night, so apologies for covering any topics that have already been discussed.
Firstly well done to Scotland in bringing it to the ABs, they played positive attacking rugby and it nearly paid off.
However their ball handling skills were lacking when it counted and that was their undoing.The ABs, well well well, it feels like Groundhog Day AGAIN.
Dropped balls, forward passes, poor decision making, poor discipline.
BB, why the flipping hell is receiving the ball standing so flat footed and deep? Understand it may be a tactic to avoid the rush defence teams are implementing against us, but come on mate you can’t sit back all the time it’s putting to much pressure on the centres.
We kicked the ball away at stupid times, like when we’ve got good front foot ball, not only that often the kick was really poor - straight to where Hogg was waiting to gobble it up.
We appear to be lacking leadership at times when we are under pressure, a little bit understandable when you consider who we are missing and hopefully a really big learning curve for these guys.
Another really frustrating performance and I for one can’t wait for the season to finish.
Roll on 2018 so we can get some of our top team back on the field.If you want to blame someone, blame the coaches. Neither BB nor Lima play like that normally. They're doing what they're told to do and it's wrecking their natural games. If those are going to be the tactics from now on (God forbid) then put BB somewhere else and chuck a battering ram at 10. It's so incredibly frustrating other teams using space and getting it wide, while the only AB back move seems to be a centre hitting it up.
Like I said, I hope to christ this is just building up to something better because there is no way they can continue like this.
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@mokey said in ABs v Scotland:
Apart from the first half against France, this has been a pretty rubbish NH tour by AB standards.
Well, very recent standards maybe.
We've not lost yet, and I've seen a few losses on NH tours in my time. Um, like last year.
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ignoring how we have played on the field, been a rubbish year by AB standards, 2 losses and a draw...
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@rocky-rockbottom so it's a blessing for rugby too?
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Yeah, ABs did kinda suck, and the home team was singing, but at the end o' the day, log another W.
That makes 31 contests against Scots in 112 years, updated record stands at 29 W 0 L 2 D -
@talisker said in ABs v Scotland:
I'm not sure I'd agree with that, having watched Scotland's backrow outplay Wales' and imo, get the better of Ireland's, I think Barclay and Watson, possibly Hardie too, were unlucky to not tour. Nel was injured of course or he would have probably been the starting tighthead. Gatland went with what he knew, and I can see the point in that, but there was some politics involved in it all - Townsend turned down a coaching role and there looked to be a bit of a pouted lip from Gats over that.
I think they were all 50/50 to be honest and unfortunately Wazza went for the guys he knew. There are some seriously butthurt Scots on another forum I jump on who spout all sorts of shit and say he's ruined the jersey etc but 1-1 in NZ is a great effort. Add the Grays as guys who might be considered slightly unlucky but again, the one genuine shoe in got picked but injured early on.
Seymour should have at least made the bench in the test series.
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@mokey I don't think he was using it as an excuse. He has a point, there was a growing chorus of people in NZ saying they were bored with AB dominance (some on here may have even said similar things). Now peole are starting to whinge about close AB wins.
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@chimoaus said in ABs v Scotland:
Can Ioane play fullback and wing at the same time? He is so safe under high ball.
Has Ione played FB? It is an idea, we have enough wingers..
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@crazy-horse yes but they aren't the same people, unless Hansen has some magic powers, how would he know?
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From a neutral POV, that was a cracking match. The Scots gave it everything and it was a thrilling finish. A "great effort" should be cold comfort for them though, they've had more than enough of those over the years.
For the ABs, we weathered the storm OK in the first 40. A combination of awesome defense and the Scots dropping the ball kept them from scoring.
Then in the 2nd 40 we finally worked our way into the game and scored some high quality tries. Rieko was absolutely awesome with ball in hand yet again, he is some player.
SBW with another grubber leading to a try! Absolutely outrageous stuff.
The try to Beauden was some next level shit. Great scrum, great SBW offload, great angle from DMac and then the pace of BB to finish. That was a thing of beauty, and I thought it would break the backs of the Scots but we then proceeded to give away about 5 or 6 dumb penalties in a row to keep them in it - that was the most frustrating part of the whole match for me. We just HAVE to improve our discipline, it's brainless stuff that just hands momentum to the opposition.
@kiwiinmelb mentioned it earlier in the thread but Beauden looks so good when he's in space and running full flight. 10 suits him in looser Super Rugby but he's heavily marked at test level and we are not really utilising his strengths. Think we need to keep him at 10 though, but perhaps SBW could move into first receiver more often with BB setting up a bit wider - might be a good way to give him some space.
Hames was awesome again. Improving in the loose and making mincemeat of his opposition on a regular basis. Loving his work.
Thought Naholo was very very lucky to stay on the field. I understand the reasoning for the decision but the duty of care is on Naholo there and he was clumsy at best.
Overall, very similar to all season - some very good stuff mixed in with some utterly brainless stuff. We're missing a bunch of frontline players but the bloke we're missing most is BBBR. His insane workrate makes it so much easier for everyone around him.
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@no-quarter That wasn't a yellow on Naholo, the French XV match established a new precedent. Plus, they go there in the end with the right decision I think, there were clear mitigating circumstances.
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yeah I dont think there was fuck all Naholo could have done differently there, especially with another Scot in between him and the player who went for the ball.
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@antipodean said in ABs v Scotland:
When does Crockett finally retire? I'm sick of that muppet. Cane's YC was because Crockett shoved him over the ruck.
His own yellow was stupid, but Crockett had nothing to do with Cane's YC. I just watched it again and if you want to blame anyone else but Cane for his YC, then it's Liam Squire.
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@taniwharugby @Nepia He could have not aimlessly run into the Scotsman in the air. I do agree with you guys though, but that's not how it's been ruled for some time. Hence I think he was very lucky to stay on.
