Wallabies miss the western force players

[robyn <3]

I don't understand why everyone is so upset. I'm kinda glad we got our arses handed to us. It was going to happen this world cup, unquestionably. They're cocky, overconfident kids and really needed a wake up call, at least its come before finals. However, now the possibility of coming up against the Boks in quarters, who were looking a LOT more polished yesterday, is not so thrilling.

Cooper needs to piss of back to club rugby and learn to tackle. I'd rather Giteau starts in his place. Cooper either plays his brand of rugby behind a dominate forward pack, or shovels the problem onto someone else. HTFU. We've no alternatives to his pussy one man hail mary pass show, and I hope it's got Robbie Deans frightened.

More Sharpie. More Hodgson. A totally new front row. Preferably involving some Kieran Longbottom. Less Elsom. Less Fainga'a, both varieties. Send Alexander home, he was a disgrace. Jelly spine. Ashely Cooper into the centres for Fainga'a, Drew Mitchell onto the wing.

And how could I forget. McCabe is a catastrophe. He can get lost too.

Ireland were fabulous though. Kudos!

[tic]

Wow you people have short memories Cooper should be sacked. Cooper back to club rugby....

Cooper is a game breaker. Any team that wants to win the world cup must have an x factor like Cooper.

He was quiet tonight, largely because our forwards were utter crap - particularly McCalman, Elsom and TPN. All were absolute rubbish.

[GIGS20]

Ahhh fuck.....now I have to agree with Tic.

Everybody on the planet knows Coopers shite without momentum, that's why the Irish decided to keep the battle tight, slow the ball and fake injuries the instant there was a hint of go forward by the Wallabies. If we want the try scoring brilliance of a Quade Cooper we have to realize it comes at a cost and build a pack which will dominate more than 30% of the time.

[tic]

That's OK Gigs - you're allowed to agree with me.

You also made a good point about the ridiculous amount of fake Irish injuries to slow the game. Something must be done about this as it takes the game back to the 1970's.

I still cannot believe the way Deans allows his bench to get splinters up their arse. Could he seriously not see what the rest of us were seeing at the 60 minute mark?

[GIGS20]

40 minute mark.

I was hoping Dingo was going to chew on several massive platefuls of arse in the halftime speech.......apparently didn't happen

[Burgs]

1. Congratulations Ireland for a fantastic result (though dour match, a win is a win...) Totally called the shots and dominated flow of the match and the Ref's mind.

2. I'll bite Ecky. Bryce Lawrence had a shocker. At least one yellow card justified in the first half (was it #6?) for the slapped ball after multiple infringements. He allowed Ireland to set a precident early which he then couldn't break. Even the Irish dude I was watching with agreed that there were some howlers. Did it influence the end result? Possibly. Did the better team win? Definately.

3. You idiots, to quote the great J.P.R. Williams back at ourselves "No leadership, no ideas. Not even enough imagination to thump someone in the line-up when the ref wasn't looking."

Make the changes:

1. Kepu
2. Moore (if fit, otherwise Polota Nau)
3. Alexander
4. Sharpe
5. Horwill (C)
6. Higginbotham
7. Pocock (if fit, otherwise McCalman)
8. Samo

9. Genia
10. Barnes
11. Mitchell
12. O'Connor
13. Ashley-Cooper
14. McCabe
15. Beale

16. Polota Nau (if Moore fit, otherwise Faingaa)
17. Slipper
18. Vickerman
19. McCalman (if Pocock fit, otherwise Palu)
20. Burgess
21. Cooper
22. Faingaa

I'm assuming Ioane is still out, have been away from news. Use O'Connor to make the breaks wider while it is tight, then bring Cooper on when the match starts opening up and his "unique flair" is less damaging when it backfires.
Put McCabe on the Wing as he still has plenty to offer, just is struggling with body height. Certainly doesn't lack speed or heart. Simmons does nothing and Vickerman is a liability when trying to win the Ref in the early stages. Elsom needs a rest, not bagging him, just looked tired.

[palitu]

Yeah, i think higgs will be a good 'energetic' replacement for the type of rugby that vicks put on. Have sharpe replaced at the 60 or so with vickerman, to get the extra pace that he provides.

I think cooper has lost a lot of confidence in his counter attack, in the last few games he has dances (stepped??) into the defender, as opposed to away from. Not sure if he has the right tactic there.

Definately need moore back in the starting team, though for the minnows would probably keep TPN in, as we KNOW moore can play and TPN requires to match fitness/practice. Perhaps even have finger instead of TPN, as he may be a bit weaker in the scrum, but provides high work rate and better throws.

So, for the minnows
2. Fa'ainga
16. TPN (he would have this possition for the big games, practice coming off the bench)

Palu is a worry, he didn't get enough time to play against a hard opposition, and he has always disappeared in the hard games, so there is probably no point starting him against the minnows.

[Burgs]

The only "trick" that Cooper has left at his disposal that hasn't been analysed by the boffins is to pin his ears back and run flat out back the way McCabe does when playing Fullback. Everyone now expects him to run half pace, do a little Benji and look to offload before he gets hurt.

[Stone Cold]

C'mon everyone - just calm down. Cooper and co had a bad game but it is still effectively the same team that beat the all black a few weeks back. Is everyone's memory that bad?

I think Sharpie needs to come back and provide some leadership - the young fellas crumbled. We really missed Pocock out there - its amazing when he plays that we actually contest the breakdown and get the ball back.

Incidentally the crowd there was definitely pro-Irish (all kiwis were going for ireland). The radio stations over here are having a field day with the result - it's all anyone is talking about.

[shasta]

The radio stations over here are having a field day with the result - it's all anyone is talking about.

What goes around comes around - usually every 4 years.

Had to give Murray Mexted a couple of credibility points (for a change) for pulling Tony Johnson into line yesterday during the Canada match. Johnson reckoned the Canuck fullback (from Sydney) was the only happy Aussie in NZ.

"What? Your'e still rubbing it in Tony? Every team has those days."