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Having finally seen the game from yesterday, here are a few quick thoughts on the Aussie A vs Japan match. It was a scrappy, stop start game with a lot of kicking from the home side especially. As such a good advert for the ELVs.
Australia A looked to play fast, almost exclusively through the 10/12 channel, with inside balls galore. This pretty much worked purely because the Cherry Blossoms seemed to have no defensive pattern in this part of the field. The lack of dominance of the Aussie pack around the rucks and instability of the turnstile scrum were a bit of a worry though, and something to keep an eye on against tougher oppo.
In the end though this is a showcase for Wallaby squad possibles and what did we see?
Lucas' "interesting" selection at 10 didn't really get enough time either way due to injury, but bar a couple of kicks towards the end, Norton-Knight had a blinder. He was involved in every classy move and even scored his own charge down from 40m out. He was a cut above.
The Tahu experiment at 12 on the other hand did bear fruit. With a good burst of pace (the first time I've seen him flat out) and showing that his slick hands in his cameos for the Tahs weren't mirages, he starts to create an interesting option. Looked a lot less like a clueless leaguie as well.
Peter Kimlin the young ACT lock had a dream debut in senior colours, scoring two tries, having one disallowed and doing all the hard work to set up his parter Van Humphries. Kimlin had a knack for scoring off the bench for the Brumbies this season, it looks like Mumm has a rival or partner for the future Wallaby spots.
Fainifo showed a good pair of heals a few times, Gerrard was predictably solid and Morgs, almost now indistinguishable at a distance from Pek Cowan, always makes the ball work for him. That was it otherwise. The back row was a disappointment. More control is needed to fend off the more experienced opponents to come.
Left the game downloading at home this morning. Hopefully will get to watch it tonight (again, God bless Torrent), really want to see Tahu at 12, Norts, Hodgson, Cowan, and the younger Smith in action.
Poor Japanese, when will they realise they would be so much better if they got some of those Sumo boys into thier scrums....
I don't think they've got too many probs in that department, BLR, although they could get bigger fellas in there if they offered more money. Heaps of money in sumo, apparently. Perhaps they could get the sumos who don't quite make it, and promise them that they'll never have to tuck their testicles into their bodies, however handy that might be.
Thanks for the review, GNG!
Success is not final, failure is not fatal:
it is the courage to continue that counts.
- Winston Churchill
"We wanted to control the game," Tonga skipper Nili Latu said. "We knew how good they would be and I said to the boys that if we kept our defence and discipline we would have a good chance of winning the game. But our discipline cost us the game."
In other news, I hear that Usain Bolt's the hot tip to win the 100/200m double at the Beijing Olympics.
And put your money on the Hawks ending their 17 year title drought.
But if you want to win some real dosh, put a bet on a draw for the 2010 final.
If you're lucky, someone might have some seats available.
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Happy Birthday Spartan! Is it today?
May the FORCE be with you!
Can you post the link please, I can't find it anywhere...
Ahh the ELV's a concept totally fucked by the Springboks uncanny ability to analyze the laws and work game plans around all the new Law variations. Helped by the fact they couldnt seem to get both Carter and McCaw on the field together through 2008, and then ofcourse 2009 when it all went gangbusters, Carter wasnt playing most of those games allowing Pdivvy to obtain one of the greatest achievements in Bok history. Smashing the All Blacks 3-0, and winning in NZL too. A record not many, if any, from the republic were able to achieve.