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Joined September 2016
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Just because the Wallabies beat England and put on a fantastic display across the park, it doesn’t mean that we are suddenly a world-beater…
There is no doubt that when Michael Cheika took over he wanted to play an attractive brand of rugby driven by a running ball-in-hand…
There are plenty of ways to play the rugby and the style of play has changed often over the years. That's what makes it…
surely this one is smoke and mirrors … there is no way in a must win game that McReight isn’t starting, and there is no way we are starting 2 open side especially with Skelton. Skelton was immense last weekend so he must start and Williams must be there as we have resolved our kick-off receipts. Wilson should be on the bench with LSL. So the only way Tizzano makes it is if we go for a 6/2 bench … which is a big risk with a couple of newbies in the team (JAS and Potter)
Exclusive: You're a Wallaby, Harry: Most debutants since WWI as Schmidt turns to Potter, Tizzano set for recall
yes agree … he has been awesome however he is not the most humble guy …. so hopefully he got reprimanded for basking in his own glory and not running around a few times … and hopefully he doesn’t get white line fever and not pass!
Mark Ella slice of history looming for devastating Tom Wright after superb start to Grand Slam bid
From memory the welsh carved us up through the OC channel in the World Cup with Petaia at OC (I know it’s a different team) so maybe Joe wants an experienced centre combo especially with defensive misreads by JAS. However I would have liked to have seen JAS and Len starting centres for continuity and JAS needing game time to learn. Kerevi off the bench to have a peak at Kerevi/Jas if the game is going well. Can’t complain with the rest of the team as it all sounds to be injury forced. I like Uru so hope he goes well.
'Whirlwind', 'not ideal': Why Suaalii was benched and Schmidt is more nervous about Wales clash than England
why have Skelton in the squad if you are not going to pick him …. IMO it should have been Skelton starting with LSL at 6 and Valentini at 8
Exclusive: Suaalii to start for Wallabies as Schmidt rolls out 17th debutant for Grand Slam opener
Enjoyed the article. I am now officially on the Edmed bandwagon.
My heart is beginning to talk now however it does feel like this is not a bad squad and one which has the makings of being a competitive one, IF….
If Edmed can deliver solid performances at test level
If Skelton can make a difference in rolling maul defence, TG scrummaging, and the carry
If Tupou can reach his potential, be fit, and consistent
If Kerevi can lift to past levels
If Suaalli hits the ground running
If discipline and handling improves
Time is not our friend so it may take a while however a lot of the above is possible, although by the end it is starting to sound like if my aunty had b….
Full of good fire: Schmidt spot on with Edmed - a disciplined, physical No.10 perfect for Wallabies coach's style
If this article was written in 2002 I would probably totally agree with it. At the time we needed outside backs like a hole in the head! Spent all of the money on league players whilst some of our best ever didn’t make the run on side … Roff, Latham, Burke, Tune (knee?).
However it is written at a time when our back line is one of the worst in memory. I have no doubt Suaalii will make a significant contribution. Folau was also a lot more than “reasonably influential”. And you don’t win the John Eales medal twice (Marika) without having influenced some results along the way.
Anyway I do agree that we probably paid too much for Suaalii and we should be spending money on grass roots. Just a few of your supporting facts don’t stack up IMO.
Wallabies need Suaalii like a hole in the head - RA's recruitment folly should be exposed and never repeated
We are ranked 9th in the world ranking (maybe 10th soon if Argentina win). Previously I just thought that it was a formula blip and that it would correct itself with a few more weeks of rugby, however now I actually understand that we are ACTUALLY the 9th best team in the world. How did this happen?
'Bloody disappointed: Wallabies OUT of World Cup as nation to miss finals for first time, Eddie fights for survival
Why on earth would he consider Pietsch when we already have 5 wingers in Marika, Mark N, Suli, Kellaway and Petaia, and have major issues at 5/8 and O/C.
For me it has to be Ikitau, particularly for defence. However, if Cooper is available, it would solve the need to play Donaldson ahead of Kellaway.
Wallabies young gun's RWC over ahead of do-or-die Test, intrigue over replacement as Ikitau returns for BaaBaas
What a terrible game of rugby … I used to be the bloke who would get up in the middle of the night to watch rugby, now it just painful to watch and I am now happy to catch a replay on fast forward (if at all) …. no wonder nobody goes to watch … was meant to be our two best teams and the dropped ball, excessive kicking, and lack of ability to move the ball was just ordinary … watching foley get excited at managing to kick a ball off his left was embarrassing … how can it be that amateurs had better skills than todays lot … and I am sick and tired of the old “slippery conditions” comment as an excuse … NZ and northern hemisphere teams play in much worse … NZ teams manage to produce excellent top of the table games … this was just an embarrassment … I was hoping Quade would play well as if he is at the very top of his game it will be the only way of us advancing through the world cup games … he did some good things but not once did he use his long passing game to ignite his backline … just robotic hit it up stuff from the Rebels … and unfortunately the Foley hunger to beat Quade to the overthrow was a moment that will secure him his position … a guy who made some horrendous kicking errors in the first 40 which are enough to lose field position (and possible a game) in a tight world cup game … i just don’t get it, why are we so bad!!!!! … on the bright side hodge, jones, isi showed they are capable
"KB did a fantastic job out the back tonight"
Thanks for the article Nic …. I enjoyed it.
For the Read try, I found your comments about Perenara not retiring interesting.
In the Barrett try, Squires run around the back of the Wallaby scrum and right into the Wallaby back row to slow them down.
The AB’s do seem to get a lot of players in front of the ball or in “dodgy” positions to impede or slow the defence.
I suppose everyone does it, but the AB’s just do it better. And (as you say) we can react better … such as Hannigan being more aggressive in getting past Perenara.
Do the Wallabies have reason to be cheerful from Bledisloe 3?
Further evidence that Beale is not a test 10. Apart from the side ways running and inconsistent kicking, he can’t spiral pass. The clips show him shuffling on slow end over end floaters, and players having to stop and catch. For all his failings QC is the only one who can throw a long spiral out in front (larkham style). At this stage Toomua is probably the closest thing we have to a complete 10 so that is our best option going into next year. PS: would have been nice to see Genia kick ahead for Beale in the second last clip. PPS: Beale’s best position is the bench!
How the Wallabies can rebuild their attack
Thanks Fionn for the insight … hopefully these guys stay around to have long careers in Aus .. depth in the halves seems to be a big issue … Toomua was a big loss I think .. and yep, Nic Whites passing/kicking game was streets ahead of Phipps … he just needed to fine tune his use of the box kick … so maybe some poor selecting or player mgt lets guys like him disappear … good comments re the player mgt/Amigos
Where did all the 'complete' rugby players go?
Yes Ed a few basic kicking skills would go a long way
An example of doing it well is when we fell behind with about 6-7min left …Folau gave it to Beale at the back who put it high … a penalty was forced and Hodge took the PG kick for the line and put it 10m out … about 10 phases later Beale scores and we are back in front … this was awesome play!
In direct contrast to this (maybe 20min to go) when Folau didn’t put it high and we turned the ball over 40m out … we had to do a lot of unnecessary tackling under pressure … and Foleys lack of kicking depth made it hard to exit our 22.
So if Foley is not a good kicker, he shouldn’t be kicking … at least use Hodge or DHP or Beale for the time being until we find a 5/8 with all the skills
Where did all the 'complete' rugby players go?
Yep I agree that we have become very one dimensional and predictable …. last week it was good that they tried a bit of variation (altho a few kicks were inaccurate) … I would love to see more next up
Where did all the 'complete' rugby players go?
yes it was fantastic to score 5 tries …. however we lost … again … wouldn’t you prefer to work out how to win? … BTW I was born in 68 … does that make me an oldie? 🙂
Where did all the 'complete' rugby players go?
Yep MC needs to get going otherwise a few more loses could be the beginning of the end. However I am not sure that the ARU has an alternative. Bottom line is that we are not as good as the AB’s. We don’t have their depth of talent, their coaching expertise, their structure which breads excellence. So we need the stars to align to win. I just don’t understand why we make it hard for ourselves by picking an unbalanced team and offering up weaknesses for them to exploit.
Ever changing styles of rugby culminating in mismatched Wallabies sides
yep you are spot on … the decoy runners are alight on the game … time for change
Ever changing styles of rugby culminating in mismatched Wallabies sides
Thanks … yep totally agree about the 8. I miss Toti Kefu! … hopefully Tamani (or even Hollaway) develop into a competitive 8 … and what ever happened to the back row move (Farr Jones / Willy O) … has it disappeared because the defences are more organise? .. because we don’t have a dominate or solid enough scrum ?…. not sure.
Ever changing styles of rugby culminating in mismatched Wallabies sides
Thanks …. I think a lot of the drop in skill level is poor selection/unbalanced team … even the best can be made to look ordinary when we constantly don’t have front foot ball … MC knows way more than me, but I just think he has a game plan then tries to pick players to match it … instead of picking your best 15 (in their correct starting positions) and then building a game plan around your strengths
Ever changing styles of rugby culminating in mismatched Wallabies sides
Thanks Francis, yep we miss genuine finishers like Tomane and Speight (at his best)
Ever changing styles of rugby culminating in mismatched Wallabies sides
Scotland were always going to be tough for us … but injuries, suspension and team changes were disruptive … depth has always been an issue … massive difference between first and back-up front row … losing Williams before k/o and a center early (without a proper back-up) was also disruptive … however we just gave away too many penalties … and missed way too many tackles … even solid defenders like Kellaway/Ikitau … but Lolesio is a speed bump, and avoiding a one-on-one in their try (the cut was already thrown when he moved in) was terrible … he has got to go now … he is only OK with front foot ball … the back-line was directionless … not enough field position/not enough line kicking distance … and OMG the chip kicks! what a waste of procession … and we missed McReight …. even so we somehow were still a chance until McD poor decision with the cross kick … anyway the wallabies have shown improvement and let’s hope we put in a solid display next week
The Wrap: Gilt-edged chance thrown away as Wallabies well beaten, inaccurate All Blacks clock off a week early