Official Rugby Thread

[Hurricane]

Haven't had a chance to scratch myself of late, let alone watch any replays from the TRC matches over the weekend.

from what I've seen breifly in highlights is that the "Pooper" combination will be tested more extensively, pending Poock recovering from a slight ankle niggle. Wallabies didn't really answer any selection questions, though Genia probably played himself out of a starting position (regardless of his injury). I still believe Genia is our best and most threatening 9, Phipps has a rocket pass but often that rocket misfires. Quade played below standard but may deserve another crack. Giteau was excellent from all reports, but Toomua was the man to straighten the attack and brought more shape when he cam on.

Bottom line, it doesn't matter what we change in the backs if the forwards don't show up.

Giteau played like a play maker - and was ten times better at doing that than Cooper was.

 

[hendrix]

Haven't had a chance to scratch myself of late, let alone watch any replays from the TRC matches over the weekend.

from what I've seen breifly in highlights is that the "Pooper" combination will be tested more extensively, pending Poock recovering from a slight ankle niggle. Wallabies didn't really answer any selection questions, though Genia probably played himself out of a starting position (regardless of his injury). I still believe Genia is our best and most threatening 9, Phipps has a rocket pass but often that rocket misfires. Quade played below standard but may deserve another crack. Giteau was excellent from all reports, but Toomua was the man to straighten the attack and brought more shape when he cam on.

Bottom line, it doesn't matter what we change in the backs if the forwards don't show up.

Agree on every point here.

Toomua was excellent. I hadn't seen a game like that from him. Not sure what Giteau brings to the table these days tbh.

My dad thinks Skelton is a bit of a liability in the Aussie forward pack. Not sure if I agree or not but he has a point. If the guy can't be lifted in the lineup then they really can't play Pocock and Hooper together at all.

 

[Hurricane]

Yeah good point about Skelton. This will be a lame comment but I would be more comfortable with him being in the side if he was the number 8. He is basically in the team to do barnstorming runs and bulldoze over people. But he isn't really contributing to the lineout and ever since he started playing 80 minutes he has been pacing himself anyway so doesn't do as many line breaks.
Now that I think about it maybe he should just be an impact player.

 

[Howe_zat]

Skelton winning a lineout vs Etzebeth.

He lifts too. You win by finding the system that best uses your best players, not by picking a system and selecting to match it.

 

[Hurricane]

Skelton winning a lineout vs Etzebeth.

He lifts too. You win by finding the system that best uses your best players, not by picking a system and selecting to match it.

Haha I guess.

But that is what people are discussing is getting Hooper/Pocock on the field together. Both players have a higher pedigree than him. Both are world class on a good day. World class and Skelton are phrases not used in the same sentence.

 

[hendrix]

Skelton winning a lineout vs Etzebeth.

He lifts too. You win by finding the system that best uses your best players, not by picking a system and selecting to match it.

You know I normally agree, but given neither Pocock nor Hooper jump it is limiting. but it's not just the lineout either. Concerns about his work rate as well.

 

[dogwalker]

de Allende and Kriel could turn out to be an awesome centre pairing but I think Nonu and Smith will own them today.

Glad Brusow is back.

 

[WalkingWicket]

Really looking forward to NZ vs SA today - it's good to be able to watch some rugby on TV that isn't Northern Hemisphere dross.

 

[BeeGee]

That shut the one eyed SA commentators up. Congrats ABs.

 

[hendrix]

de Allende and Kriel could turn out to be an awesome centre pairing but I think Nonu and Smith will own them today.

Glad Brusow is back.

De Allende was immense and Kriel had a great game too.

Dane Coles was great, as was Piutau. Bismarck superb as usual.

 

[dogwalker]

De Allende was immense and Kriel had a great game too.

Dane Coles was great, as was Piutau. Bismarck superb as usual.

Piutau was awesome. All Blacks are always so good, their conveyor belt never ends. It's annoying!

 

[_Ed_]

Terrific debut by Sopoaga.

 

[hendrix]

Piutau was awesome. All Blacks are always so good, their conveyor belt never ends. It's annoying!

Piutau has been quality for a long time, and really should have been converted to centre when it was clear that we didn't have good backups to Smith and Nonu. We have so many wings/fullbacks, yet he's the only one of them who really has the skillset to play centre.

The most ridiculous example of the conveyor belt recently has been Nehe Milner-Skudder. Popped up out of nowhere, just when I was getting upset that Andre Taylor had packed up and gone overseas. Naholo and Nadolo to a lesser degree also.

 

[ripper868]

NMS is class, something happens everytime he gets the ball and always looks dangerous. As said above, this conveyor belt the AB's keep turning out is annoying!

A win for the wobblies in Argentina is good news, I again didn't get the chance to watch (work party, was smashed and by the time I realised the match was on it was over. can't comment on the performance but I'm sure the score probably papered over some cracks etc.

Quade an idiot for letting a kiwi Journo get to him, Kiwi Journo a **** for not being able to report on something new since 2011. Cheika class in playing it as a non-event.

 

[dermo]

i was generally of the opinion that quade at his best is the the best we have to offer at 10 but after the last two outings I reckon he's a long way off that

 

[ripper868]

Have to say i Agree - at his best, he is the best we have to offer. Sadly, at his not best, He's probably 3rd string?

 

[ripper868]

So. The wallabies beat the all blacks despite a nick phipps horror show. Great game of rugby, thoroughly enjoyed in an english pub with pints at 11am. Always felt NZ would win. Nic white booked his ticket to england , Toomua showed he is our starting 10.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Just need to say how proud I am that this has happened. Finally

 

[Niall]

So South Africa got smashed at home against Argentina

 

[ripper868]

Further analysis. The Pooper was brilliant. Our line out was dross and handling in the first half atrocious. Phipps rocket pass misfired often. Foley did nothing. Toomua grabbed the 10 jersey. Wallabies scrum mostly dominated, and sent shivers through alot of the Englishman I was watching with. Great to win the TRC trophy,mouth all for nought if we don't turn up,in Auckland/ Twickenham/Cardiff/Birmingham.