The Signature Performance

[Rex Messup]

Despite our scrum getting raped and being overwhelmed at the breakdown towards the end of the second 40, the wallabies stepped into new territory by putting a rugby power to the sword today.

It was pretty to watch.

In typical French style however, the white flag went up early and the rot set in.

The intensity of the Wales/allblacks game was never reached. The walabies were advancing the ball at will in the last 20 minutes as the French lost interest in competing at the breakdown and tackling.

A significant moment for mine was Slipper shifting to tighthead and Robinson coming on. We have in those two, two props who can scrum. Ben Alexander has a terrible technique and got hooked by Dingo Deans after his performance threatened to have Australia penalised out of the game.

The tries began to flow in the second 40 and it was pleasing to see the wallabies put the foot on the French throat after slitting the jugular. The French are an enigma. They were terrible in the second half.

Our attack was one domensional at times in the first half. The scrum was raped but improved a lot in the second half when Alexander was hooked after being binned for not being able to scrum. He is the thrid Australian prop to win the Al Baxter medal for scrummaging faux pas.

The pleasing aspect was as the momentum swung, the wallabies piled on the tries, and kicked intelligently for field position. It seems they have learned how to win. They had to dig themselves out of a sticky situation at halftime.

There have been some landmarks on this tour with a win against the allblacks and a thrashing of France.

The England debacle is a reminder of our inconsistency and how bad we can be when we don't turn up.

The allblacks were simply magnificent against Wales. The Welsh threw everything at them and absolutely belted them in defence and at the breakdown. The allblacks are fitter and more physical than the wallabies. We are still behind.

A very pleasing end to the tour. We need to fix our scrum but there is hope for the big RWC year ahead. The world is on notice after we put nearly 60 points on France in Paris. Go you good things go

[Sheikh]

OK, who slipped the sleeping tablets into France's half-time drinks?

[pieter blackie]

A significant moment for mine was Slipper shifting to tighthead and Robinson coming on. We have in those two, two props who can scrum.

Singing a different story now are we Rex??? I told you to be positive and patient

[Rex Messup]

Actually Piete, I said we'd win by plenty. I said our scrum would be raped........and it was

[pieter blackie]

Just finished watching the game and it was definitely the best overall performance of the season
Cooper still had a couple of brain farts causing him to make a couple hospital passes and then that kick into the defense but it was ok.
Gits just showed again why he is on the bench and why he needs to be dropped completely,- Running sideways cramping up all the players on his outside and going nowhere slowly.
Forwards were much better in the set pieces and hunting for the ball all the time causing turnovers. Even Elsom impressed.

Well done JOC the kicking was good and the decision making even better. He had the opportunity to kick at goal just outside of his reach and opted to go for touch rather.

Drew is getting good being at the right place at the right time but still not a brilliant wing in my eyes.

Australia definitely have a chance in the world cup if they can build on this form and attitude

[TOCC]

AAC was MOM for me, his hard running and angles had the French backs falling over themselves.. The distribution and playmaking from Barnes and Cooper opened up the holes outwide.. The tactical kicking from Cooper and Barnes, right down to the last 10min put France to the sward, there much vaunted 'giant' backs were to slow to turnaround
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[James]

AAC was definitely the best back. He made some serious metres inside the French 22. He came pretty close to scoring another two (Robinson's try and Genia's try). Plus he set-up one of Mitchell's.

I think Pocock was man of the match though. By his standards it was only a 'good' game, but he did everything right. That insta-pass he sent out wide for one of Drew Mitchell's tries was a good long pass for a forward. Plus he constantly made metres on his drives.

[Hoolly Doolly]

As for the scrum I dont think we used a genuine tight head the entire series did we and as far as 2010 goes Mafu was the only specialist tighthead. I think we need to concentrate what times left on choosing a specialist tighthead and running with him. Interested to see if rodzilla has improved from his stint in europe. Fairbrother is worth a look. Maybe even Dunning who originally was another looshead prop converted to tighthead but is actually a more effective scrummager wearing 3......i dont care how well baxter goes at super level. keep him there at all costs!

[welshrugbyfan]

The allblacks were simply magnificent against Wales. The Welsh threw everything at them and absolutely belted them in defence and at the breakdown.

The welsh lads have some work to do but in the tests against the boks and especially last night I was pretty impressed. Gatland's rush defence is paying off, I think we'll go alright next year. Just gotta remember not to drop half the team against the Pacific Island nations.

Definately the toughest game the AB's had on their tour. Wish we could have put that team out against the wallabies. A few key players back makes alot of difference.

[Hoolly Doolly]

Seems Bill Young shares my opinion in the overuse of converting looseheads and not going with specialist tightheads.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...127-18blp.html

[Burgs]

Wild Bill is one of my favourite players but he was also the master of the tactical collapse, not sure that makes him over-qualified or under-qualified to comment...
Robinson has only played four less Tests than him too.

[BDAVEY]

Wallabies have along way to go... they are playing high risk rugby which will come unstuck aganist good teams such as the mighty AB's..... they are improving but France made them look good.....PB... yep Gits shoulnt even be on the bench cramp side ways aye..... AAC great match as dID Baines

[zimeric]

i disagree with the high risk rugby comment...

not at all, particularly against France... they showed perfect poise and spread the ball and offloaded only when necessary. What they showed was Skill, Opportunitism and FINALLY the ability to Finish off an opponent which they have been lacking up untill this Tour

[shasta]

i disagree with the high risk rugby comment...

Yep. Agree totally. QC still looks capable of the odd brain fart. So too, but to a much lesser degree these days, Kurtley Beale. But to counter that his pin-point long passing is going from strength to strength. Dare I say it but they are starting to develop the kind of counter-attacking nouse that was the hallmark of the Deans coached Crusaders. It's great to see what a difference hard straight running off the back of his passing can deliver, how much space can be created.

Like's been said plenty of times, a ways to go yet. The AB's are still well out in front. But there's about four live chances breating down their necks. Roll on next year.

[BDAVEY]

Time well tell.....it is almost touch rugby.... wait until it rains... and we see how their high risk rugby develops