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Official Rugby Thread
- Thread starter KennyD
- Start date
Somerset
Cricketer Of The Year
They typically start their international season pretty slowly, and picking a side not really close to full strength doesn't really help. I actually said before the match on Tuesday that Scotland would be a good chance, but I wrote them off at halftime playing into the wind for the second half with only a 3 point halftime lead. Either way, great result for the Scots after their round robin exit in the World Cup and terrible Six Nations. Just to make matters worse for the Wallabies, I hear Cooper and Beale are in a tricky situation after an incident at a hotel.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Lynagh's in our Sky studio doing the summaries for Wales/Wallabies. Great to see. He's looking really well on it too; hope he's made a full recovery.
Really fancy the Welsh here. Roberts is a big miss, but they're definitely not short (literally or metaphorically) in the backline.
Really fancy the Welsh here. Roberts is a big miss, but they're definitely not short (literally or metaphorically) in the backline.
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
posted this on cricsim but the action seems to be here
Right good performance from the ABs.
Not sold on Smith the halfback. Lots of sniping runs by him when he might have passed the ball. Thought Weepu took better options.
Carter is a phenom.
Kieran Read is a legend.
Elliot did nothing wrong.
Savea - three tries - looks like he was born to wear the black jersey.
SBW a mixed game. Some knock ons etc. But also took some good options to settle play down on a number of occassions and he wouldn't have done that a year ago. May not have done enough to keep Nonu out of the starting line up.
Right good performance from the ABs.
Not sold on Smith the halfback. Lots of sniping runs by him when he might have passed the ball. Thought Weepu took better options.
Carter is a phenom.
Kieran Read is a legend.
Elliot did nothing wrong.
Savea - three tries - looks like he was born to wear the black jersey.
SBW a mixed game. Some knock ons etc. But also took some good options to settle play down on a number of occassions and he wouldn't have done that a year ago. May not have done enough to keep Nonu out of the starting line up.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Hard to know what to take forward, really. Pretty average old Ireland line-up. Think a 3 test series for a team who're on the downward slope and have never beaten NZ ever is a strange call. Been nice to see one of the PI teams get a test versus the big brother.
Although apparently Christchurch is already sold out for next week?
Although apparently Christchurch is already sold out for next week?
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
I honestly felt sorry for Ireland - they were in the game for the first 15 minutes but were down 9-3 for minor infringements. I do think the home team always gets the rub of the green from the ref.
Somerset
Cricketer Of The Year
Cooper's only just returned to Super Rugby from a long injury layoff, IIRC hes only played 80 minutes once this year. I don't think it was ever the intention that Cooper would play at least the earlier part of the series. I think Australia must persist with Quade though - Genia, Cooper, Mitchell, O'Connor, Ashley-Cooper, Ioane, Beale is a frightening backline and I don't think Barnes brings anything that that combination doesn't.
Somerset
Cricketer Of The Year
Ireland always seem to start strongly against us, taking aside the match in New Plymouth two years ago. No contest after the first 15-20 minutes as they really tired badly.
Not sure what you mean the home team receiving favourable refereeing decisions. The penalty count was even and Ireland might count themselves lucky not to have had a yellow card when Conrad Smith was cynically held back with about 10 minutes remaining. Also felt Owens made a strange decision to penalise the AB scrum late in the second half.
Somerset
Cricketer Of The Year
I thought Aaron Smith was excellent for his first test. Speed clearing the ball was good, appeared confident bossing around the forwards and although he didn't attempt too many snipes as Genia did against the Welsh, that wasn't really required with Carter able to direct the game from first-five.
I still have a few concerns about Savea, and most of those will either be proven or dismissed when we face South Africa and they use the high ball endlessly. His performance tonight was outstanding though.
Agree with most of your other comments. Seemed to be a deliberate tactic to use SBW in a rugby league first receiver style to hit the ball up, which was only semi successful. I guess if the idea was to target O'Driscoll, who seemed to make a concious effort to mark SBW, then it worked by forcing him to make more tackles than he was anticipating.
Somerset
Cricketer Of The Year
Sold out about a month ago actually. Its obviously got a much smaller capacity than the AMI Stadium (formally Jade Stadium/Lancaster Park) damaged in the earthquake and the crowds for Crusaders matches have packed the place out so its little surprise an AB match is sold out there.
Barnes brings a brain, good defence and sound temperament
Cooper posesses none of those attributes
Cooper was unbelievably bad during the WC and that should not be forgotten easily
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
Agreed - only the most patient coach would persist with quade.
@ Somers:
Smith tried just as many snipes as Genia did if not more. You just noticed Genia's more because they actually resulted in serious metres.
Smith is not the 2nd coming as a halfback. Unless he improves he will be dropped before he plays 20 games as an AB.
- too many sniping runs
- taking 3-4 steps towards the backline before releasing the pass.
- a wobbly pass with his left hand
Pluses
- Intelligent player and followed the set plays well and the game plan well.
- Knew when to spin it wide vs pass to the forwards.
ripper868
International Coach
Yeah Barnes has been superb leading the waratahs to 6 straight losses. Give me Quade any day of the week. When a wimpy 5/8 can get so far up Sir richie and the rest of the countries nose that a full blown hate campaign is directed at him he may be doing something right. "oh noes the 5/8 stood up to our worlds greatest flanker, how dare he fight back against richie who is an angel an example for god himsel to live upto"
Cooper>Barnes - Reds v Waratahs will show this.
Cooper>Barnes - Reds v Waratahs will show this.
TT Boy
Hall of Fame Member
Having crash ball merchants against albeit a very slow and limited but physically big Bok side isn’t the best idea. Barritt had a good homecoming, looked like he learnt the lines to God Save the Queen overnight and replaced with a nice shiner after doing sweet FA.
Boks looked pretty ordinary. Aus and NZ still light years ahead in regards to back play.
Boks looked pretty ordinary. Aus and NZ still light years ahead in regards to back play.