Bledisloe II
-
Apropos of nothing, last night after the game I was sitting talking and beering with my bro and every so often Mrs JC, who was doing something else, said something I couldn’t catch. It turned out that every time she heard “Hansen” she was saying “Mmm Bop” to herself. Didn’t even realise she was doing it. She’s a keeper. And I’ll be referring to the coach as Mmm Bop from now on.
That is all, carry on.
-
@gumboot was about half way through his career v Arg in 1996
Rugby Teams, Scores, Stats, News, Fixtures, Results, Tables
ESPN Scrum.com brings you all the latest rugby news and scores from the Rugby World Cup, all 2015 Internationals, Aviva Premiership, European Rugby Champions Cup, RFU Championship, Super Rugby, Six Nations and Top 14.
-
@taniwharugby Cheers
-
The Walrus’s assessment in The Times. Not much to argue with, although he thinks Folau is on suspension.
Two players at opposite ends of the scoring spectrum featured strongly in this savaging of the Wallabies by the All Blacks.
Owen Franks, the enduring prop, later received a presentation to mark his 100th cap for his country, a titanic career that has brought him not one single try. The supercharged Beauden Barrett, meanwhile, scored four in this single match, picking off Australia with his pace, skill and vision on the back of the communal ruthlessness of the team. No All Black had ever scored four in a match against Australia and perhaps it was the fourth try that summarised the whole day.
A few minutes before it came, Barrett had crossed in the far right corner for what appeared to be his try number four. However, a replay of play from way back in the same move showed a tiny knock-on by Ardie Savea, so the try was wiped off.
Almost immediately, the All Black machine burst into life again with their devastating ability to score from a counterattack, with forwards often handling like backs. Barrett came gliding up to score in exactly the same corner, almost as if by this time the All Blacks were able to do whatever they pleased. This win had elements of a complete performance and tilted world rugby on its axis. It rather devalued Ireland’s fine Test series win over Australia, it gave the lie to thoughts that the rest of the game was catching up with New Zealand.
It also offered the frightening thought that with Barrett and company so dazzling on the counter, to win possession against the All Blacks might be worse for the opposition than not winning it. The power of the home squad was illustrated vividly. Ryan Crotty withdrew and was replaced by Ngani Laumape in midfield. The young centre was immense, in style and power a dead ringer for the great Frank Bunce of old.
The whole environment does nothing for Australia. First, they refuse to recall any but a tiny handful of players who are employed overseas. They have to review that policy right away. Second, they have to play this superb New Zealand side three times in most seasons. The team is being shattered but Northern Hemisphere teams might well suffer the same fate if they had three All Black fixtures per season, sometimes two of them in New Zealand.
It was a shame because Australia have some fine new forwards emerging in Lukhan Tui in the back tow and Allan Alaalatoa at prop, who both played yesterday, and Taniela Tupou, who did not. Their powerful centres, Tevita Kuridrani and Samu Kerevi, were also injured and Israel Folau suspended.
What was left was a team who clearly did not expect to win, could not retain the ball under pressure and who were hit on the counter in barrage after barrage of attacks.
Beauden Barrett — one of three Barrett brothers to appear in the match — scored the first try, angling in on a run by Aaron Smith, and by half-time he had scored again, supporting a run by Jack Goodhue. The match was over as a contest after half-time with an electric try scored with a powerhouse finishing burst by Joe Moody. Brodie Retallick ushered Liam Squire over for another and two more from Barrett completed the rout. Australia scored a try in each half, from Will Genia and Reece Hodge. Three further New Zealand touchdowns were disallowed.
Questions concerning the reign of Michael Cheika, the Australia coach, will now be asked. His record is poor. But he does have an ability to galvanise teams going into the World Cup. His employers really must hold their nerve. Few teams can look accomplished with an opponent as devastating as New Zealand. England are in the firing line in the autumn at Twickenham, in what will be their most important home match in years
Star man: Beauden Barrett (New Zealand)
New Zealand: Tries: Barret 4, Moody, Squire Cons: Barrett 5
Australia: Tries: Genia, Hodge Con: Foley
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Attendance: 50,000 -
Shit I hope there's some way Pinetree can watch Brodie play. We've had so many outstanding locks over the years but jesus the shit Brodie does all over the paddock blows my mind
Wayne Barnes makes me think of Stuart Broad, usual pedantry at times but it works and his attention to ruck cleanouts was welcomed
Is Dane HP, BFA lite? That's a compliment
I thought the RM is better than BB banter was bored preselection fern trash talk.
Jesus, just leave Barrett there. He's our number 10 till 2020 at least. Play RM at 10 if injury strikes the incumbent and leave DM with 20 something on his back for all games. SimplesYay Bledisloe!
-
Not a fan of Naholo.He looked lost a couple of times last night on the left. There was one time in the second half someone was trying to run him into space and the angle Naholo ran was all wrong and the move died as a result.
I thought Goodhue went ok. Apart from looking really awkward at the back when he threw that dodgy pass I thought he did the basics well. That pass he threw forward at the start of the game showed how good this kid is/could be. It was a lovely pass despite it going forward. Worked hard and made good decisions on defense too. I hope he is seen as the number one centre.
-
@crazy-horse thing is, the pass travelled forward, but was passed backwards as is allowed under the laws (argh, as also pointed out by Marshall
) so the call was wrong, although it did look forward, so can see why a ref (other than Barnes) might see it that way. -
I think Goodhue is awesome. A few iffy things last night, but he just looks class. Considering his age and lack of experience I think we have alot to look forward to in the future.
-
Always good to lock the big cup up for another year.
BBBR and BB have to be the best players in the world by some margin.
On the BB debate, i know anything other than BB is awesome at 10 seems to be getting shouted down now but I would love to see a back three of
11. Ioane 14. Smith 15. BBWith another 10 in to run the backline. Whether that 10 is Mounga or they convince Cruden to come back it doesn't matter.
BB getting more space at the back and injecting himself at first receiver would be even more lethal.Our backs as a unit at the moment seem to be dangerous from broken play or on the counter but we suffer when there is a more structured defence with passes going behind and players being flat footed. We rely heavily on Ioane to use his gas for set piece moves and it is often guys like BBBR making a half break or offload that get us into that unstructured play that we score off.
BB scoring 4 tries doesn't really change that.Anyway just like Akira getting a game i don't see them moving BB to 15 so we can forget about it.
Back on the game, Harris is serious deadwood in this team his lineout throwing is a liability that threatens to take our lineout back to the bad old days when he is on.
Thought that non try off the Ardie knock on was bullshit. Not clear and obvious enough to take it all that way back IMO. Maybe the TMO was annoyed they have been told to stop the constant "check check " crap in open play that he decided he would stick his nose in wherever he could.
Edit: the formatting seems to have messed with my numbers. BB to 15 not 13.
-
@taniwharugby jesus, Marshall actually disagreed with a call that went against the ABs?
-
@rancid-schnitzel I really liked the way he remained composed when he got pulled down short of the line. He tried to see if he could reach out, decided he couldn't, then made sure the ball was there for quick recycling. Just another good basic decision and he made it look easy. I suspect other players would have tried harder to get to the line and end up killing the move.
-
@rancid-schnitzel said in Bledisloe II:
I think Goodhue is awesome. A few iffy things last night, but he just looks class. Considering his age and lack of experience I think we have alot to look forward to in the future.
I’ll never forget watching Goodhue and Jordie Barrett play 12-13 for a season of club rugby a couple of seasons back, maybe the 2 best players I’ve ever seen at that level.
-
@rancid-schnitzel I'd be happy if ALB and Goodhue turns out to be our long-term midfield.
-
@crazy-horse said in Bledisloe II:
@rancid-schnitzel I really liked the way he remained composed when he got pulled down short of the line. He tried to see if he could reach out, decided he couldn't, then made sure the ball was there for quick recycling. Just another good basic decision and he made it look easy. I suspect other players would have tried harder to get to the line and end up killing the move.
Yep, that might not seem like a big deal to some but it shows maturity and composure beyond his years. He's just a class act all round.
-
@siam said in Bledisloe II:
Shit I hope there's some way Pinetree can watch Brodie play. We've had so many outstanding locks over the years but jesus the shit Brodie does all over the paddock blows my mind
Wayne Barnes makes me think of Stuart Broad, usual pedantry at times but it works and his attention to ruck cleanouts was welcomed
Is Dane HP, BFA lite? That's a compliment
I thought the RM is better than BB banter was bored preselection fern trash talk.
Jesus, just leave Barrett there. He's our number 10 till 2020 at least. Play RM at 10 if injury strikes the incumbent and leave DM with 20 something on his back for all games. SimplesYay Bledisloe!
I think RM should get way more game time than just after a BB injury. He needs the game time to get used to test level rugby and get the confidence. Start him in the Argie game in Nelson, as well as in the away game in Buenos Aires. The games against Japan and Italy. If BB goes down in the RWC, I want RM to have played enough minutes in the 10 jersey.
So giving starts to RM is not about BB not deserving them, but about getting RM the experience he needs to take over when required.
-
@stargazer well shit of course he needs gametime and like all 2nd bests he'll get that against weaker opposition, both starting and subbing.
My reference was the hierarchy for RWC.
Or maybe I was advocating a cunning 1976 strategy where the incumbents play every game for 80 minutes till we lose one...
-
@rancid-schnitzel said in Bledisloe II:
You reckon Carter was tearing up defences in the first 30?He had usually plotted three penalties, two of which were pretty tough.
-
@rotated said in Bledisloe II:
@rancid-schnitzel said in Bledisloe II:
You reckon Carter was tearing up defences in the first 30?He had usually plotted three penalties, two of which were pretty tough.
How is that tearing up defences?
-
@pukunui I was thinking the same thing regarding BB at 15, it was a pity Cruden didn't hang around and see if he could regain form and fitness, those two in tandem and in form would cut teams to pieces, well TBF BB is cutting the Wallabies to pieces on his own, but it would have been nice.
