WE Need another Captain SACK Elsom

[Burgs]

At least he ran a line Haji, not this half arsed show pony touch rugby shit that has pervaded our sport.

[Stone Cold]

How many missed tackles did rocky have?

That was probably the worst game I have seen oconnor play.

Positives - higginbotham is awesome. Sharpie is back in the side.
Posted via Mobile Device

[James]

There is no "I" in team, but there is "LOSER" in Rocky Elsom

Hahahahahahhaha.

Just a few reminders-
2010: NZ 49 beat AUS 28
2009: NZ 33 beat AUS 6
2008: NZ 39 beat AUS 10

There is a bad one in every year. At least ours is over and done with. It would be depressing if guys like Elsom, O'Connor, Cooper, etc played well and we still got smoked.

What I really like is that other teams have started to predict Cooper's long passes and someone (I think it was mostly Smith last night) flies up out of the line to shut it down, but the ball receivers were getting very good at the quick redistribution to someone further out who can exploit the gap made. Pretty sure it happened at least twice.

[jono]

We can't have a bad game though james. I want the bledisloe back!

[shasta]

Agree with most of the criticisms here. Cooper's brain farts yesterday were, AGAIN, very frustrating to watch. I don't think I've ever seen a top line fly-half try some of that shit when well down the defensive end. Especially putting up midfield bombs near his own 22 that land just about where they were kicked.

Having said that, he MUST stay at 10. He has it in him to play a more controlled game and he's brilliant at it. Link has the knack of bringing it out I hope Deans figures out the key quick smart. It was on display for the Reds in ZA not so long ago. The hard truth is that the forwards need to get on the front foot first. The jigs up Deans. I said I'd still say your selections there were a complete f@ck up even if they managed an unlikely win at Eden park. On reflection it wasn't unlikely; it was fantasy land. Hard to figure why a Kiwi would disrespect a must win Bledisloe Test by continuing to experiment. RWC year or no. For me personally, a Bledisloe series win is the top priority EVERY year.

[Sheikh]

tonight, Elsom looked slow but Pocock was ineffective

I've been thinking about this. For the Force Bam Bam has Hodgson, Brownie and McCalman around him. They make a lot of tackles with the others on hand to go in and pilfer the ball. What the Force lose by having a small 6 they make up for in turn-over ball.

Elsom did get into some rucks early in the game (between 10 and 20 minutes) and the Wallabies looked good; then he went back to the wing. However, I noticed the ABs running at Bam. Presumably they figured if he's the tackler he can't be second man in the ruck pilfering. Elsom going missing made Bam less effective. The Wallabies need Higginbotham at 6 and McCalman at 8 to allow Bam to be at his devastating best.

[Hoolly Doolly]

Mcalman 6 and Higgers 8 mainly for higgers ball carrying and running ability. Better utilized at the back of the scrum.

[Hoolly Doolly]

At least he ran a line Haji, not this half arsed show pony touch rugby shit that has pervaded our sport.

Agreed. Thus why i suggest Faingaa was a more logical selection. A look at the reds outside of cooper faingaa, ioane, morahan, tapuai, chambers,lance, hynes, shipperley etc etc all of em pick a line and run straight, hard and fast without much of the twinkle toes stuff, and generally cooper finds them at one stage or another.

[Ecky]

Did anyone else notice Bam Bam launching a tirade at the team behind the posts waiting for yet another conversion kick?

Isn't that Rocky's job?

[jono]

yes, and you would think so.

also after the game it seemed that in the huddle, it was genia and horwill doing all the talking to the boys.

why the fuck are we still persisting with elsom as captain?

[jargan83]

Rocky Elsom is a suitcase
Posted via Mobile Device

[Flamethrower]

[Rex Messup]

McCabe was rubbish

he's a plodder who tucks it under his arm and jogs up

It's as predictable as US economic decline and debt default

The allblacks benefited from a "direct" game from the predictable plodding of Mccabe. He was belted behind the ad line and they flooded our breakdown. back foot ball made Cooper ineffective

Mccabe had multiple defensive errors in D and positioning

The allblacks gained mileage through our midfield. It's hard to remember an offensive tackle

Elsom is luggage

Elsom is past it

he was never really up to the physical requirements of belting allblacks

The reason you see him standing on the wing in every attacking raid is because that is where you find forwards when the pace of the game is beyond them

Elsom can't keep up with play so drifts onto the wing

Australia need to up the hurt and fear factor

Having your captain and number six standing on the wing brings nothing to the pack

The bloke is ineffective and well past his best

Time to pick a 6 that will have impact on a game

We will only beat the allblacks when we belt them backwards more than they belt us backwards

Time for some c--- in the team

Too many weak forwards with no mongrel

The front 3 did surprisingly well. Sekope Kepu was outstanding against a very good pack. Our scrum gained "parity" and was a very solid platform for attacking ball. It's a shame we can't get Robinson, TPN and Kepu up front. That is our world cup winning front 3. I's like Sharpe and Horwill at lock.

[pruc]

At least he ran a line Haji, not this half arsed show pony touch rugby shit that has pervaded our sport.

ease off the assault on touch.

your confusing touch with kiwi park rugby. touch is about running lines and sustained pressure, not miracle balls!

[Sheikh]

Mcalman 6 and Higgers 8 mainly for higgers ball carrying and running ability. Better utilized at the back of the scrum.

Higgers at 8 on an attacking scrum and 6 on a defensive scrum?