That's no excuse!Originally Posted by jargan83
Hodgo out! WT! WTWT
He was going OK in the NRC (actually very well)
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Yes he actually got some rave reviews a few times & have a feeling he may have had MOM at one game maybe?
I do hope the Wallabies surprise us all and win otherwise I am in for a hard time from the Irish other half for the next year at least.. Still hearing about the last world cup match win... :-/
I'm struggling to share RM's optimism.
This week I've become a glass half-full kind of bloke as I struggle to understand what Cheika is doing.....
Looking at the starting packs for Wallabies and Ireland I expect us to be under the pump for all of the game.
Out-weighed and out-experienced. I expect Skelton to add stats but little contribution as usual.
Front Row: W 345kg - I 356kg (-11kg)
2nd Row: W 225kg - I 238kg (-13kg)
Back Row: W 315kg - I 327kg (-12kg)
TOTAL: W 885kg - I 921kg (-36kg)
Test Caps: W Av 35 - I Av 42
Bench Front Row: W 329kg - I 346kg (-17kg)
+ Ireland Backs also more experienced (Av 40 Tests) versus Wallabies (Av 29 Tests)
+Wallabies Bench more experienced (Av 30 Tests) versus Ireland (Av 16 Tests)
+ Wallabies Team av 33 Tests versus Ireland Team av 41 Tests.
+ I have serious concerns for our performance at the set piece and at the breakdown. If Simmons doesn't see out the game then our lineout will be even more diabolical.
+ I hope that our Backs play well above themselves (if they get their hands on the ball).
+ I expect that we'll struggle under what will be a barrage of high balls.
+ Big Dog is reportedly being held together with gaffa tape and pain-killing injections so I expect Schatz to replace him fairly early. The breakdown will get even worse.
+I'm hoping that I get proved wrong!!!
+I'll get my ruck stats up as quickly as possible but am busy on Sunday.
Last edited by andrewg; 21-11-14 at 17:46.
Dear Ireland,
Would you please injure Kurtley Beale, preferably so as to end his rugby career. We know that we should do it, but it turns out that we are to weak to do it ourselves. Could you please grant us this one small act of mercy as you beat us on the weekend.
Kind Regards
Australia
Anyone seen Rex Today .. Just Wondering how he is Feeling ??
Should be upbeat. That was an improved performance against a very good team. Defense was good. The scrum and all round performance of the tight five improved showing. Got over the gain line and gave the backs some space. Scrum went backwards after the replacements again though. Ended up stopping our momentum in the last 5 minutes. Still a couple of balls go to hand an we pinch the game at the death after Ireland had some luck when going 17 points up at the start. Another fantastic game from Benny Mac.
Plenty of first pick players to come back in next year.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Well the Golden Shower are winning me money! So I don't suppose I should complain.
Agree Shasta, Benny Mc played a blinder again and our ball handling was poor, yet again.
We can only hope that all those first choice players come back with all their skills!
May the FORCE be with you!
One Thing I have noticed is the returning players from injuries are are slow to get back to top level... Is this because there is no real lead in games ?? ... Returning from injury thru the Gym is not a real way to access a players real level of fitness We need players to be player games week in week out.. its a hard thing to achieve but what we really lack is combinations and reality rugby not training runs. The Irish did their homework and in the first 20 mins found our weaknesses and good on the wallabies for changing some tactics. Better 2nd halve. But we still missing a real pilferer, Sia Fainga tried hard and won a few, hooper got some easy ones, Benny mac just brilliant as always
True, but the difference, I think anyway, is that the errors came whilst attempting a positive attacking plan at almost all stages against a similar rush defense to last week. Then the errors came from being repeatedly smashed short of the gain line. Another feature, as simple as it seems, was some judicious kicking behind the line to put doubt into their mindset.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
One thing that showed clearly out of that game is that Foley is not flash under the high ball. Faingaa again was a real pest in the contest. Hooper finally was throwing himself in the mix like a seven should. The boys did a good job to stir up the breakdown. I still think beales got shoulders like a rattlesnake.
The irish kicked everything and seemed to find space every time. We kicked and put it down their throat every time.
There was some things to like about the performance. The physicality in defence was a step up. It was actually one of the best matches I've seen outside of a Bledisloe test. The winner was rugby.
The Irish were good.
Australia was good in patches. The 2nd half was very disappointing after the inspiring comeback.
Our scrum as always is our Achilles heel. It needs to get fixed. Our lineout destroyed them. That was a very impressive feature.
The loss of Kuridrani is a worrying sign. Ankle or achilles?
Always disappointed with a loss Tonkar. Why are you happy? Rex's optimism seems to be a negative apparently. You guys are farking EMO poster boys.
Some good signs, but a test we let slip away with a poor second half performance. Is this our worst season in a decade after such optimism after a Tah super 15 title? Pretty disappointing
Our pack has to get better. The backline can be a world force
Controversy corner
Our back line had absolutely nothing in the second half - what ever happened to running on to the ball from depth, at pace, perhaps cutting out a runner and linking up with the Winger or Fullback who cuts inside? We called it a backline move and thats how we used to confuse and confound the opposition so we could get in behind the defensive line and possibly score a try.
And Jones - from the Rebels - wow, he should apologize to all of the Wallabies that came and went before him and hand his cap back.
The only surprising thing out of that Test Match was the Irish should have beat us by more.
Last edited by .X.; 23-11-14 at 18:58.
Exile
Sydney
"Pain heels. Chicks dig scars and Glory lasts forever." Shane Falco
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