Kiwi(paid) ref secures Australia's first win of the Tri Nations

[Burgs]

Was too far away from the screen had footy commentary to contend with for the Fox telecast and then fell asleep during the 12:30am GWN telecast...
But, what I did see:
1: Genia = Brilliant. Burgess has a lot of work to do to get off the bench again and IMHO shouldn't.
2: Appropriately about Hookers. TPN in pretty good form until injured, Moore solid and Bismark popping up more often than a fourteen year old willy.
3: Barnes has developed an excellent "cool under pressure" head on his shoulders. Agreed as per last week that #10 and #12 still need to swap.
4: It's amazing what some bruised pride can do, there was a balance between several players who had to step up and several new players given their chance to shine. Combine that with the hairy backs believing their own press and an upset was always on the cards.
Wish I could watch a replay but was very impressed in the change of attitude and the general improvement in skills in the course of a week.
Well done boys

[TommyM]

I'm not sure if you're initial post was serious Pieter, but if it is, please feel free to provide any specific examples of how Barnes favoured the Wallabies. The only big mistake I noticed was the failure to award a penalty try to Genia when he was tackled by two players who had not retired 10m on his quick tap. But to be fair that was the TMO's fault. Absolutle baffling ruling. How on earth was the result a Wallbies scrum 5?? What was the ruling?!

[palitu]

But to be fair that was the TMO's fault. Absolutle baffling ruling. How on earth was the result a Wallbies scrum 5?? What was the ruling?!

TMO can't rule on offsides, only groundings and going into touch, that sort of thing. But yeah, should have been a yellow card or something like that.

I only saw up to AAC try, but i thought Pocock was a machine! He was in everything and caused a few turnovers as well. I really liked the loosies that started. unfortunately for brown, i think it should be left how it is.

Genia has a great game! I really enjoyed watching the missiles flying fast and flat, without having a couple of steps, great service (not always directly on target, but always quick. He also has great hands, he almost knocked it on a couple of times, but managed to recover it.

TPN, his first throw wasnt straight, but he got away with it... Awesome game, with some courageous tackles to boot! he gets really low! can't wait to see him start again.

GREAT GAME!! Lots of vigour!

---------- Post added at 10:53 ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 ----------

Oh, i forgot to mention. I was not impressed gits went for a field goal. I wanted it to go through, but there was no joy or celebrations. It happened not long after i was bagging the saffers for taking a droppy.

WAY TO MANY DROP ATTEMPTS!

[Working Class]

Barnes should be our 10. Gits doesn't have the vision. He kick the possession away on three occasion I noticed last night when the option was to run it. It it wasn't for some fanastic desperate defence by Habana and Co. It could have been alot uglier.

[Thequeerone]

If you look at the replay lock pushes in to fast effectively lifting the prop, Jon smit is left dangling in the air so his head pops up, making Bismark stand up - some serious work to be done on that for next week.

[welshrugbyfan]

Popping of a front row player should end up with the other front row being penalised. I couldn't work out what was happening there.

When Genia took off from the free kick he was tackled by players standing on their goal line (pretty much). Regardless of the 10M law they only have to retire to that line in this instance.

I'd have to watch it again to see if they were standing on their goal line when they made the tackle. If they weren't it was an oversight by Barnesy.

Good game for you wallaby fans, with such a young team only good things can come.

I can see a bit of aussie domination coming when this thing really gets rolling.

[Burgs]

Do we win an appropriate cartoon WRF?

[robyn <3]

When Genia took off from the free kick he was tackled by players standing on their goal line (pretty much). Regardless of the 10M law they only have to retire to that line in this instance.

With the Genia try, could that not have been called as penalty try as those boys that tackled him were not back 10? If they'd not been in his way there is little doubt he would have not been able to get over. They were not back their 10m, that's for sure!

[welshrugbyfan]

With the Genia try, could that not have been called as penalty try as those boys that tackled him were not back 10? If they'd not been in his way there is little doubt he would have not been able to get over. They were not back their 10m, that's for sure!

I'd have to see a replay of it. If the other team get penalised and your say 8 metres from scoring a try and you take the quick tap the opposing players only have to retreat to the goal line which would be 8 metres not the whole 10.

It's on again this afternoon I'll have a look.

---------- Post added at 14:21 ---------- Previous post was at 14:18 ----------

To we win an appropriate cartoon WRF?

Do we win?

I'll see what I can knock up.

I can't believe I'm praising the wallabies.

[KenyaQuin]

Good game for the Wallabies.

Better pressure from the forwards led to decent ball for the backs so I think this game definitely belongs to the forwards. Infact, other than Genia and ACC, I'm don't see any other back that deserves a more than a small clap.

I thought Barnes had an average game (I'm tempted to say bad), there was plenty of ball in his possession that was wasted with drop balls or crazy passes (though his pass to ACC for the try was sublime).

Problem with the Wallabies is there are no players of the Mortlock calibre who run hard onto the ball, simply no hard, line breaking runners at the moment. Plenty of ball taken into the tackle with little or no momentum (the ACC try being the rare times the ball was attacked at the gain line). While the Saffers were not particularly impressive either, their centre pairing are a good example of how to run at angle onto the ball.

Gits had a relatively okay game. We know he's a good defender but he's been a little exposed the last few tests. Might need to direct his defenders a little more. Looking forward to his match-up against Carter.

JO'C had a guarded game. I think after his blooper game a few weeks ago, he's intent on playing the controlled safe game. Not necessarily a bad thing, Australia needs a safe pair of hands at 15, lets hope though it doesn't kills his sense of adventure.

As I said, a good win for the Wallabies, God knows they needed it.

As for the Boks, probably a little flat this week. A few calls went against them but that is the nature of our game. However, I think their centre pairing is comparable to none at the moment.

As for the ref. Some questionable calls but overall okay and the game flowed reasonably well. There was period of start stop rugby for the first 10-15minutes of the second half but not really as a result of his ref'g but just crappy play from both sides.

[Burgs]

We'll lure you to the gold side eventually mate

[Thequeerone]

WRF - watch the replay pls pls - want to know if you came to the same conclusion as us vis a vis the mom performance.

[robyn <3]

As I said, a good win for the Wallabies, God knows they needed it.

(the All Blacks too )

[joblot]

I went over for the game. Great spectacle, great crowd, great work from all the players and watching rugby in a great stadium made it a wonderful trip.

[welshrugbyfan]

Do we win an appropriate cartoon WRF?

Will this do?