England to whitewash Australia
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tordah" data-cid="589741" data-time="1466320260">
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<p>madness! 7-13 and they spurn easy kicks for points multiple times</p>
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<p>Yep, that just seemed really dumb at the time, and was.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hurricane" data-cid="589644" data-time="1466299843"><p>A lot of people were saying they were interested in how McMahon would fare.<br><br>
2 knock ons, 1 penalty, line out win, some good carries. He was not an key asset.<br><br>
McCalman didn't fare much better but didn't make any mistakes.<br><br>
Don't know who Australia go with for the third test in the 8 jersey.</p></blockquote>
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"Some good carries" - I must have missed those. He had a total of 13 metres carried for the test. Not a great output for your no8 when you consider the weight of possession. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="589667" data-time="1466305551"><p>Lol. People are calling for Quade to come back because Foley isn't up to it.</p></blockquote>
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Unfortunately for Quade the facilities to you know, facilitate, haven't improved.... -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="589758" data-time="1466325185"><p>"Some good carries" - I must have missed those. He had a total of 13 metres carried for the test. Not a great output for your no8 when you consider the weight of possession.</p></blockquote><br>Nah the stats show I think he beat 2-3 defenders in making those (Admittedly low) 13 metres, usually he made the gain line.<br><br>The point I was trying to make is that he didn't show well because he knocked it on twice and gave away a penalty to boot.<br><br>That said if you want to press the point and even take away his running game from last night's performance and say he was crap at everything I won't defend him because from what<br>I can tell I am one of his biggest detractors. I am record as saying that I didn't rate him before the game started. But to be fair to him I tried to watch him carefully<br>last night so I could do a balanced assessment of him.<br><br>My major gripe with him is that he adds little during rucks, he rarely executes a turnover. I am also personally biased against him as I think he is a pretty boy and gets<br>rated due to his GQ good looks.
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<p>He looked to me to be one of those "picked on a flash rep" type of players. There's still time for him to make the grade though He's got the physical attributes to be a very good 7 (not so sure about 8).</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Catogrande" data-cid="589744" data-time="1466321743">
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<p>When I first saw the footage of that I was spewing but then saw the side on footage and he didn't throw it in Haskell's face or at Haskell at all. He just picked up a handful of the stuff and threw it away. Sort of WTF is this stuff. Nothing in it at all.</p>
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<p>I really have to improve my bait..</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="nostrildamus" data-cid="589766" data-time="1466326051">
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<p>I really have to improve my bait..</p>
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<p>Not really. If I hadn't seen the second footage I would now be in your landing net with a bloody great hook in my mouth. I was seething when I saw the overhead shot. Not just the action but I just don't like the smirking prick at all and I don't think I would ever get tired of punching that face. It also seems to me that it is just the sort of thing he would do (based on no evidence whatsoever).</p> -
Phipps and Foley had poor games. My reservations about selecting another openside to play at eight was well founded.<br><br>It takes some special coaching to have an Australian backline with that much possession look that torpid and blunt. At some point one of the playing group must have worked out that a rapier may prove effective where a sledgehammer wasn't?
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Right, now that I've sobered up. Well done %Eddie and well done Dylan. I was not convinced by the coach captain combo when announced but by buggery have they proved me and a lot of other people wrong. I thought our game management was very good again yesterday, people seem to have a very clear of what their roles are, and are generally executing well.<br><br>
Eddie played a simple game plan yesterday- reminded me of the Saffas of a few years ago - kick, let oppo play all the rugby and feed of the mistakes with strong set piece and breakaways/intercepts.<br><br>
Sure it wasn't always pretty, but series win is a series win. I think the attack play will definitely improve as confidence grows and I'm hoping to see more of that side of our game next week. Also if we try to defend a 6 point lead again, I'll have a coronary, so this part has to improve.<br><br>
We've still got a long way to go before we are a complete side, but the signs for me are looking good and I think %Eddie has to take credit for that. -
Foley and especially Phipps dont have it in them to guide a test team into a victory. Neither does the Aussie pack have it in them to beat good sides. Thats why the series was already lost when inside centres started dropping like flies, dont know if Toomua would have made a great difference, but Beale/Giteau surely would have.<br><br>
Leali'ifano has had one good international season and is nowhere near test level at this moment. Kerevi can pass, but doesnt have the brain of either Gits/Beale or even Toomua.<br><br>
And most of all the Wallabies missed Genia, someone to lead the pack, snipe around and give an accurate pass when on front foot. <br>
Frisby has been pedestrian in soup at times so I dont know if he would make any difference, but surely Phipps played himself out of the starting team. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="589683" data-time="1466307736">
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<p>That Haylett-Petty looked pretty handy I thought.</p>
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<p><strong>I would be looking at the pack, the halfback, and the leadership group before</strong> I started on the backline.</p>
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<p>Is there a dumber set of captains than Moore and most especially Hoopah?</p>
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<p>Well that has about 14 of the squad of 23 covered.</p>
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<p>I have an image of the team meeting with more blokes sitting at the top-table-for-leaders than there are seated in the followers chairs facing them.</p> -
<p>Not sure it was wrong going for it at 7-13 down. One conv try would have given them the lead, and probably the win as England looked out on their feet. They had to back themselves and more chance of that one score happening I think than getting down there another 2 times and kicking three penalties in total to get the win. So the tactic was ok it was their execution that let them down. White line fever and lack of patience.</p>
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<p>Well done England and congratulations on securing the series.</p>
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<p>First to admit two wins I certainly didn't see coming.</p>
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<p>Australia had two opportunities to tie the score at 10-10 with approx. 10 minuutes to play. Spurned both shots at goal and paid the price for overconfidence / arrogance in their ability to score tries on a night when they rarely looked like doing so.</p>
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<p>Dumb on field decisions / coaching? Who knows, either way dumb.</p>
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<p>Unless Cheika comes up with something very different then the whitewash is a done deal.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="GM1" data-cid="589802" data-time="1466347386">
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<p>Not sure it was wrong going for it at 7-13 down. One conv try would have given them the lead, and probably the win as England looked out on their feet. They had to back themselves and more chance of that one score happening I think than getting down there another 2 times and kicking three penalties in total to get the win. So the tactic was ok it was their execution that let them down. White line fever and lack of patience.</p>
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<p>Yeah its always great in hindsight. Haven't seen the game so can't speak of it, but if you're going to turn down sure points, in Test rugby, in wettish conditions, then you are your own worst enemy.</p> -
<p>A very interesting game, although not one I overly enjoyed. It reminded me of the sort of dream where you are trying to run away from something, but just can't run for some reason.</p>
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<p>Australia came out far far too fired up and were just looking to to do stupid off the ball stuff and hurt the Poms, that was NEVER going to work and makes me, for the first time, question Cheika's credentials - Helen Keller knew that was the wrong game plan.</p>
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<p>Did Phipps at any point have a run himself? The English defensive effort was immense, but some credit must also go to Australia for having the most one-dimensional Australian attack in the history of the game. I'm not sure why Foley is taking grief, he actually had a go and broke the line a couple of times - that's not his job, but neither of his centres remotely looked like doing it. At least he was trying to make something happen, along with Folau who was dangerous, as ever, but he couldn't do it all himself.</p>
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<p>Hooper got thrown around like a rag doll, he's a great player, but he just didn't appear to have the required bulk in a game like this one. Changes for third test - I'd bring in some bulk, McCalman at 8 for a start, and then replace Phipps for somebody else, but that somebody needs to be somebody that likes a run. I'm not convinced by the Kerevi / Kuridrani partnership either, players are too similar. I like Leailifano, and maybe worth starting him with one of the K's to add another playmaker to the backline and take a bit of pressure off Foley.</p> -
<p>It was a fairly simple case of picking Cheikaball apart - rush the second and third channels, and force the errors. Some closer running and a bit of subtlety would have helped, particularly in damp conditions.</p>
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<p>EDIT: I can say that having not even seen the game. Just based on the commentary I'm reading, particularly the Aussie fans who are ready to make 352 changes to the starting lineup, and keep guys like Kerevi but play him on the wing.</p>
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<p>What a bunch of peanuts. A couple of subtle changes - mostly to the top two inches - and we can win by 20 on a dry track.</p>
