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The long sobs of autumn's violins wound my heart with a monotonous languor
13,583 according to http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/06...ies-fiji-match
Must have been heaps in the inside hospitality areas
As a comparison - 22,370 for USA va Ireland. Irish population of New York & New Jersey must be out in force
Adam "The Punisher" Coleman had another big game yesterday, I love seeing him tackle so much, he is turning into a real leader of that Wallabies pack. Desperately hoping the Force will announce he has re-signed with us soon - he would be a key target for the other clubs trying to poach our players. Also felt DHP had a good game given few opportunities. Also great to see Ritchie Hardwick pilfer a ruck almost as soon as he came on, one of very few pilfered yesterday. TPN also played well.
Carmichael Hunt was also good and, as much as I hate his usual seaggulling, Higginbotham also had a strong game - maybe he's finally got the message about not bludging on the wing.
The stats support Cheika's comment - that he was happy to leave pilfering to those who were good at it - as the bulk of Ruck Involvements were by the Back Row.
There were few ruck penalties as nobody put the Fiji rucks under any pressure.
The Fijiians won 98% of their rucks (94 of 95). 1 TOW to Richie Hardwick.
The Back Rowers had 56% of the Defensive Ruck Involvements (Hooper 9; Higgers 6; Hanigan 5; Hardwick 2) but with almost no support.
The Wallabies stood off 56% of the Fijiian rucks with another 36% with only a single involvement.
Only 8 rucks had more than 1 Wallaby involved.
The Front Row showed the same absence as in the past with only 22% of Total Rucks.
Of the bench players only Kepu, Arnold and Hardwick had any impact on rucks.
Smith had a single ruck involvement in 25 minutes.
Cheika was also talking about work rate.
The work rate of the starting tight 5 at rucks should be a major concern.
(TPN: 11T - 8A/3d; Robertson: 10T - 9A/1D; Carter: 10T - 9A/1D; Alalaatoa: 7T - 7A/0D)
Best Ruck Involvements as follows:
Hannigan: 26Total - 21Attack/5Defence
Hooper: 23T - 14A/9D (SR av 18A/6D)
Higgers: 18T - 12A/6D
Hunt: 14T - 10A/4D
Coleman: 14T - 14A/0D (SR av 23A/3D)
Hardwick: 8T - (6A/2D) (14 mins only)
These tactics worked against an opposition who struggled despite having 57% Possession and 63% Territory.
I suggest that the Wallabies need to up the ante against Scotland.
Rucks by Forwards:
I was not surprised by Cheika's tactics against Fiji as it was similar as that used against Fiji in the RWC 2015.
One key factor missing was Pocock who in that game had 47T - 27A/20D.
Others were: Fardy 27T - 16A/11D, Hooper 20T - 12A/8D and Douglas 19T - 14A/5D and Kuridrani 16T - 13A/3D.
Have no issues with being more selective but have concerns about the low impact and getting our best players injured due to lack of support.
Pocock was so often fighting the battle of the breakdown on his own.
I'm interested to see what unfolds through the June Tests and TRC.
Last edited by andrewg; 12-06-17 at 09:55.
MICHAEL Cheika has labelled the small crowd at AAMI Park on Saturday as “disappointing” and suggested fans angry about the ARU’s never-ending Super Rugby saga led to the half-empty stadium.
The Wallabies’ first game of the year drew just 13,583, which is the lowest crowd for a Test match in the professional era.
A number of Rebels fans admitted on social media they were boycotting the Test match against Fiji in protest against the ARU, who put their club on the chopping block after announcing they were cutting a team in 2018.
Fiji have never drawn a big crowd in Australia and there was other sport on in Melbourne — along with it being a long weekend — but there is little doubt many Rebels fans saw attending the game as giving money to the ARU at the same time they’re considering axing the Melbourne franchise.
Read more:
http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/w...8473c852d7b32c
Excuses to cover up the fact that the majority of Melbourne doesn't give a toss about rugby.
I bet if Perth gets a bad crowd it will be an example of why the Force need to go, no word of boycotts.
I think we should be out in force for the match here and make our protest by wearing Force gear as discussed previously on the forum.
Best thing we can do is get a full house to show the we are a serious rugby state.
Melbourne are sporting whores. They will go to any sporting event.....but the rugby seems to be losing interest there.
Written by Iain Payten, one of Rob Clarkes lap dogs alongside Jamie Pandaram. I find it incredibly hard to believe that 16 000 people did not show up in protest of the Rebels super rugby situation. Hell, the Rebels only get 6500 to a match, this means there are another 9500 Rebels supporters who didn't go? Rebels membership numbers are a little over 5500. Who counted the social media posts? Was there a survey of all 4 million Victorians to ascertain this data?
Someones trying to manufacture a situation which just isn't there using their media privileges to create fake content. 2 games of AFL on the same weekend attracted 127 000 paying fans vs 13 583 to watch our national team the Wallabies for averages of 63 500 to the AFL and 13 583 to the rugby. 50 000 more went to the AFL. Add in the $33 million the ARUs wasted trying to gain this embarrassingly small foothold into Victoria and it just goes to prove what any sane person already knows, adding the Rebels has been a monumental fuckup.
There is no way there were 13500....goebbels is in charge....the Big Lie - tell a lie loud enough and often enough, it becomes the truth
The long sobs of autumn's violins wound my heart with a monotonous languor
John Mc Kee reflects on the test
http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/...?section=sport