Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November
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Great to see the Wallabies continue their long standing tradition of winning the games that don't really matter.
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At the end of the day, you have to say hats off to the Oz team for a good enough performance, but equally question why we decided to make so many changes to our team.
We essentially set up Akira, Grace, and Jordan to have poor starts in the AB jersey. We learned nothing about any of them (maybe that Akira can go ok at this level),
I’m not sure I understand the logic of swapping out so many players and having such a young and inexperienced bench, that then the coaches wouldn’t use it.
Wouldn’t it be better to just put them out there in the starting side and have some seniority on the bench if things go wrong?
Many of our problems are about selectorial strategy and our use of the bench - not all - but enough to ask the three supposedly wise men to pull in the fucking heads and come up with a better strategy for developing players.
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@Gunner said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
Edit - but we know the coaches will put JB at 14.
Not too sure after Reiko's game today. One of his best all-round games in Black.
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@Canes4life said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@Tim he was into everything all night. Wtf were you watching? He made about three big carries in the first half and two clean turnovers. Don’t you remember Marshall harping on about his leg drive in that first half?
Wake up.
If only the selectors had woken up when picking the team and realised that TJ is shit. Would have won with a different halfback.
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@kev said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
Reiko still gets lost on D at centre and his passing game needs work.
Based on today, his time at 13 has paid dividends with his defensive work. Outstanding today.
He could become a really good 13 but needs developing there. Start him at 11 and move him in when the bench comes on. Stick to the JG/ALB combination as 1st choice.
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@akan004 said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@Canes4life said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@Tim he was into everything all night. Wtf were you watching? He made about three big carries in the first half and two clean turnovers. Don’t you remember Marshall harping on about his leg drive in that first half?
Wake up.
If only the selectors had woken up when picking the team and realised that TJ is shit. Would have won with a different halfback.
This is the concerning part for me. He has a mortgage on the backup halfback spot year after year.
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I thought Savea wasn't the problem (although my pref is Sotutu at 8).
Midfield_I forgot about PUJ. I guess I am saying ALB is best option at 12 (and a good 13) but unless the game plan is very tight JG has some limitations (although he was really solid at 13 last year).
The biggest worry though is the ABs are supposed to have enough experience not to go to shit so badly. I was just getting into blah mode with Foster and now I am slipping back into ergh -
@KiwiMurph said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@akan004 said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@Canes4life said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@Tim he was into everything all night. Wtf were you watching? He made about three big carries in the first half and two clean turnovers. Don’t you remember Marshall harping on about his leg drive in that first half?
Wake up.
If only the selectors had woken up when picking the team and realised that TJ is shit. Would have won with a different halfback.
This is the concerning part for me. He has a mortgage on the backup halfback spot year after year.
Yeah, I just don't understand the loyalty shown towards him. If he can't get his core role right, he shouldn't be picked.
Even more baffling when you consider the age profile of the halfbacks selected. Need to start developing some young halfbacks for the next RWC.
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A few random thoughts:
- it's pretty clear we don't have the depth to rest any of our top players, particularly A Smith and Coles. Fair enough that we did but shit some of the next tier down got exposed.
- TJP's form has gone the same way Cowan's did, right off a fucking cliff and he's become a liability. He's always been inconsistent, showing glimpses of being world class, but has never able to put back to back performances together. It just seems to be consistently bad now. Weber is a fucking liability as well though so we definitely have a gap to fill there.
- we also really need Clarke to fill a gap on the wing, and Sotutu to fill a gap at 8. Both rookies but both specialists and have oodles of class.
- Ardie was really good, but it's so blindingly obvious he isn't an 8 and he's best used from the bench wrecking havoc at the end of the match.
- midfield didn't work and I didn't really think it would. JG, ALB and Rieko are our first choice covering 12 and 13 IMO. Rieko probably still off the bench until he really finds his feet at centre at test level.
- Akira was fucking awesome, we actually lost a lot of shape when he went off. His work rate was high and he was super effective in contact. Wobs must have been extremely pleased to see the back of him after the red.
- both reds were pretty silly. Sure you can tell players to just go low, but then you basically take the dominant tackle out of the game. At the end of the day rugby is a contact sport and you're going to get some accidental contact to the head every now and then. Red carding players for that is completely over the top and ruins the spectacle.
- fucking SB and that dumb as fuck YC. I was calling for a red as it was that fucking idiotic. That's the kind of play that makes you think he can't be trusted in a big test.
- BB was not good, but I'm really not sure how RM would have gone given the pile of shit that was served up. Jury still out but RM/BB 10/15 combo has had the most success so far.
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@No-Quarter some good thoughts on this post. Have to agree with Teej, he’s fallen off a cliff in these last two tests which is a shame, but then again we have very slim pickings coming through to challenge for that second 9 spot.
I’d really like to see PUJ get a run at 13. He’s got the ability to make a Caleb Clarke like statement, just needs that opportunity.
Hopefully Smith and Coles return next weekend. I guess we will be forced to roll out our best XV.
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A few random thoughts :
This is the third shit game from the ABs in 13 months (vs England, 1st and 4th Bled).
No depth at all at tighthead prop since Lomax and Laulala seemed to struggle (4th Bled for Lomax, 2nd Bled for Laulala).
Akira was on fire till he was pulled out. I'd like to see a starting combo of Ioane - Cane - Sotutu with Savea on the bench. This could be devastating.
SB was good till his brainfart. His YC card certainly cost NZ the game.
Vaa'i was good when he came in. Far better than his SRA outings were suggesting.
Weber added pace to the backline when he came in. He should be given more gametime against the Argies. -
First, congratulations to the Wobs, well done. Some Wob love first. Slipper is a friggen warrior and the Wobs are a lesser team without him. Hopefully, he is OK. Tupou will get better and better, Swinton looks like a flashback of the usual Wob hardarse flanker, a keeper.
Next, a winge, Wouldn't be an AB loss without a winge. The TV and ground coverage team, well done, you should be given the MOTM award. Hopefully, this sparks a debate about the influence of "hometown coverage reffing".
Next All Blacks, how friggen awful were they. TJP and Reece were seriously bad. We found out that BB is not our best 1st five and JB is not our best fullback (you can work that out). I know the board would go after SB but apart from one brain fart was one of our better forwards. Savea is a great player but NOT a great No. 8. Love the story but Karl. T is not an international prop. I fear Hodgeman's scrumming against the northern teams.
The good: Akira looked the goods when on. Sam Cane, ALB, and SW are workhorses to the extreme. Once Weber came on, the ABs looked so much better! -
@hydro11 said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
Well taken try, nothing we could have done about that one.
@nzzp said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
@hydro11 said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
Well taken try, nothing we could have done about that one.
except exit our 22.
and make tackles.
And not given away the penalty with the resultant field position and possession on attack.
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@No-Quarter said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:
Great to see the Wallabies continue their long standing tradition of winning the games that don't really matter.
“Aussie rugby is back”
😎
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