[2014 Mid-Year Test] Australia vs. France 07/06/14

[Big Ewis]

France would have to be disappointed with that display, really poor effort by them, maybe it shows that picking the form players like Aus did can work in the right approach.

:lol:

So if the next two tests go like this, or even worse, does anybody think PSA and his lot could face the sack, or are they committed to 2015 now? New coach would have November tests, Six Nations, and a few summer tests. I think the biggest issue would be who. Galthié has been building a steady side with MHR, but I don't know what his contract is like. Maybe FFR can wheel out a huge cheque and guy him for the next 18 months...

the issue isn't who, Draggs. The issue is the issue. *high pitched fart* And the issue is that Saint-André is a smooth talker. I'm sure he gets laid like crazy, because he's the kinda guy a girl looks at and thinks "nahhh" and he starts talking insidiously and the next thing she knows she's in some hotel flat smoking a cigarette on a bed with 7 used condoms on the floor and that guy's face telling her the cab is outside.

Early on in my great endeavor and career as a France fan I thought he was serious and completely honest with his interviews. Let me tell you the kinda stuff he said about this very defeat right here:
Saint-André: "we took a good lesson. Nothing to say about the content of the game or the result. We were subjected on our first line of defense a lot. We have to accept we were well behind in the ruck department. We missed too many tackles and didn't win our individual match-ups. First 20min were okay, and the last 10 were quality. We've got a week to work and show more material on the pitch....(...)."

You listen to him talk, he takes real elements from the game; he never lies or exaggerates; but he uses them as if they were just facts that don't entail anything or don't have a clear origin. He talks about it like history, and says we "need to work" more, and again, mentions specific fields to improve. So you listen to this guy, you feel like he really commands his topic and his troops and will get it done.
He was placed there at the head of the French national team, I'm not sure how, I imagine through some sort of high circle nepotism, shaking the right hands, I dunno, politics. And everything wrong and shameful that happens can merely be recounted, recycled into a nice optimistic yet realistic little bundle with a nice knot on top.
He'll use his political rhetoric against the media, and nobody can touch him if he was picked by the very FFR itself.

Only this time Draggs, for the RWC, we won't have the likes of Rougerie, Nallet, Dusautoir, Clerc, Servat, Julien Pierre, Poux etc...with loads of character who can coach themselves and know how to play regardless of the context. In 2010, Australia shat all over us in Paris 16-59 but the following year we were putting all of NZ on its knees praying for the timer to hit 80min in the final. That won't happen next year. We'll just cruise by in very mediocre fashion, do what we can...and collect a few wins on the way.

 

[RoosTah]

View attachment 2981

Not sure about picture quality, but you can see:

a) number 11 has one or two hand on the ball
b) ball is on white line (in goal area)
c) 5m scrum to Australia (TMO ignored that and gave try)

Could anyone explain what is wrong with my understanding?

The still image betrays the reality of the movement. If he'd just touched it, it would have been a grounding. But he's attempting to pick it up to avoid a 5m scrum, and then misses, meaning he more knocks the ball back into the in-goal. For it to be a grounding, you need some downward pressure, and in this instance the motion of the hands is of a scooping attempt rather than a grounding one.

 

[Tahman15]

So after this test these are my Wallabies player ratings. They played brilliantly last night. It looks like Link has done a great job with his combinations, anyway here they are.

1. Slipper:8.5 (Was awesome round the park and scrummaged well)
2. Moore: N/A (Poor fella, it seems the Wallabies captaincy is cursed)
3. Kepu: 7 (Scrummaged well and did his job)
4. Simmons: 7.5 (Line out was perfect and he got through a lot of work)
5. Carter: 6.5 (A good debut, got through some work and made some good runs though he did get thrown around a bit)
6. Fardy: 7.5 (Was tough as nails and made some great tackles)
7. Hooper: 8 (Was everywhere)
8. Palu: 6 (Had a quiet night but wasn't that bad and made some big hits)
9. White: 7.5 (Was decisive and passed perfectly)
10. Foley: 7 (Had a good game and seemed to guide the backline around well, missed a couple of tackles though)
11. Cummins: 7.5 (Was very solid and wasn't afraid to put his body on the line)
12. Toomua: 8 (Tackled well and made lots of metres up the middle, if he keeps playing like this the Wallabies 12 jersey is his for a long time)
13. Kurindrani: 7.5 (Tackled hard (Just ask Fofana), and made some good runs, made the 13 his)
14. AAC: 7.5 (Was solid and made some good runs)
15. Folau: 9 (4 linebreaks, 165m in runs, 2 try assists and a try, the best fullback in the world and really showed it)

16. TPN: 7.5 (Played almost 80mins and threw straight and worked hard, good work)
17. Cowan: 3 (Struggled at scrum time and didn't make much of an impact)
18. Ryan: 2 (Was awful at scrum time and didn't anything around the park)
19. Horwill: 3.5 (Another who struggled, failed to stop a try and just didn't make much of an impact)
20. McCalman:4 (Did some work but again failed make and impact)
21. Phipps: 3.5 (Didn't pass well and there was a noticable difference in the distribution speed when he came on)
22. Beale: 5 (Scored a try and didn't look too bad in the middle)
23. McCabe: 4.5 (Didn't too anything wrong and scored a nice try)

 

[Wally]

The only changes I'd make to the team next would be to drop McCalman and Phipps for Higginbotham and Phipps.

 

[Draggs]

The only changes I'd make to the team next would be to drop McCalman and Phipps for Higginbotham and Phipps.

Uhhh...

McCalman has always been irritating. When he first came on the scene in 2010 I thought he had a few really nice performances. From there, he just hasn't settled at test level. The constant come and go of Palu hasn't helped things, either.

I like Foley, but he has to make those kicks count, shaving paint off the uprights will matter in a few weeks. Lock Toomua in at 12, bloke is very good, very composed. Keep Kuridrani at 13, too. Offers bulk going forward, and AAC can still be involved from the back three. I think the Wallabies get more having Kuridrani play than not.

 

[Darwin]

So after this test these are my Wallabies player ratings. They played brilliantly last night. It looks like Link has done a great job with his combinations, anyway here they are.

1. Slipper:8.5 (Was awesome round the park and scrummaged well)
2. Moore: N/A (Poor fella, it seems the Wallabies captaincy is cursed)
3. Kepu: 7 (Scrummaged well and did his job)
4. Simmons: 7.5 (Line out was perfect and he got through a lot of work)
5. Carter: 6.5 (A good debut, got through some work and made some good runs though he did get thrown around a bit)
6. Fardy: 7.5 (Was tough as nails and made some great tackles)
7. Hooper: 8 (Was everywhere)
8. Palu: 6 (Had a quiet night but wasn't that bad and made some big hits)
9. White: 7.5 (Was decisive and passed perfectly)
10. Foley: 7 (Had a good game and seemed to guide the backline around well, missed a couple of tackles though)
11. Cummins: 7.5 (Was very solid and wasn't afraid to put his body on the line)
12. Toomua: 8 (Tackled well and made lots of metres up the middle, if he keeps playing like this the Wallabies 12 jersey is his for a long time)
13. Kurindrani: 7.5 (Tackled hard (Just ask Fofana), and made some good runs, made the 13 his)
14. AAC: 7.5 (Was solid and made some good runs)
15. Folau: 9 (4 linebreaks, 165m in runs, 2 try assists and a try, the best fullback in the world and really showed it)

16. TPN: 7.5 (Played almost 80mins and threw straight and worked hard, good work)
17. Cowan: 3 (Struggled at scrum time and didn't make much of an impact)
18. Ryan: 2 (Was awful at scrum time and didn't anything around the park)
19. Horwill: 3.5 (Another who struggled, failed to stop a try and just didn't make much of an impact)
20. McCalman:4 (Did some work but again failed make and impact)
21. Phipps: 3.5 (Didn't pass well and there was a noticable difference in the distribution speed when he came on)
22. Beale: 5 (Scored a try and didn't look too bad in the middle)
23. McCabe: 4.5 (Didn't too anything wrong and scored a nice try)

Agree with most of those ratings. This was the best I have seen Slipper play - he was everywhere! I would have given Carter a slightly higher rating as he got through a power of work on defense ( I still prefer Luke Jones though). Simmons made a few errors, and I still think he is a little soft, but he is clearly the premier lock in Australia at the moment IMO.I don't know what has happened to Horwill, but he shouldn't be in the 23.

White impressed me - Genia will have a hard time getting back in if White keeps playing like this. Foley was a bit quiet (and did miss too many tackles), but when your side scores 50 points (mainly through the backline) your 10 obviously is doing a reasonable job distributing the ball. It was noticeable how much more space the Aussie backline had with Foley at 10 rather than Cooper. Foley wasn't doing anything special - just catching and passing - but that is just what the Wallabies backline needed. Cooper tends to catch the ball, do 3 side steps, throw 2 dummies, do a pirouette, then pass the ball. Obvious this is early on in Foley's career, but I think it was a positive start (despite the missed tackles).

I was shocked how much Kuridrani passed the ball! For a player who has made only 20 odd passes this entire Super Rugby season making 6 in a single game is phenomenal! Australia were playing with a lot more width than the Brumbies, and the French defense was putting no pressure on the Wallabies what-so-ever so Kuridrani had plenty of time to decide whether to run or pass, and more often than not made the correct choice. I thought AAC was excellent, he the 2nd best Aussie back for me. He was at his best though when running in the centre position with options outside him. The way he runs at gaps leaves defenders in two minds: should they tackle him or cover the outside player? He is less effective wider out, as he can't use this deception to his advantage. Clearly he is the best option the Wallabies have on the wing at the moment, but I do feel the Wallabies backline looked even more dangerous when he was running at centre with Kuridrani outside him.

Folau is the best attacking fullback in the world. The best fullback in the world played in the 14 jersey for the AB's last night


I think you are perhaps being slightly harsh on some of the subs - I think Australia can be forgiven for switching off a bit in that last 20 mins once they had a 30-40 point lead!

The only changes I'd make to the team next would be to drop McCalman and Phipps for Higginbotham and Phipps.

I can understand dropping Phipps, but replacing him with Phipps would be taking it a bit far
I thought McCalman was fine. Higginbotham IMO is a complete liability - I'm happy if you want to play him against the AB's however

 

[Big Ewis]

PSA is putting some crazy amount of stress on some guys. Just imagine being Félix Le Bourhis. You have a very good year in Bordeaux, a mid-table Top 14 club, at center. PSA and family like you, and they pick you out of nowhere to go to Australia...to play on the wing. You're a self-admitted shy guy, and you explain to the press how it takes time to get used to a group, the inside humor of the group, finding your references...you get about a week with the guys, come onto the field after some preparation...and you realize your gameplan was kind of absolute shhit and your team is counting on you to make plays on your own, off your own initiative...
obviously he had a bad game, including that disaster the Wallabies scored over him when he retreated into his goal area. I know it sounds cheesy, but seriously, just imagine how fragile he must feel right now. It must've taken all of his confidence away, and he'll likely not be picked for next week, and be thrown away back into his club and that's all he'll have to show for as once being "part of the French national team", what prestige...a scar.

 

[LittleGuy]

:lol:



the issue isn't who, Draggs. The issue is the issue. *high pitched fart* And the issue is that Saint-André is a smooth talker. I'm sure he gets laid like crazy, because he's the kinda guy a girl looks at and thinks "nahhh" and he starts talking insidiously and the next thing she knows she's in some hotel flat smoking a cigarette on a bed with 7 used condoms on the floor and that guy's face telling her the cab is outside.

Early on in my great endeavor and career as a France fan I thought he was serious and completely honest with his interviews. Let me tell you the kinda stuff he said about this very defeat right here:
Saint-André: "we took a good lesson. Nothing to say about the content of the game or the result. We were subjected on our first line of defense a lot. We have to accept we were well behind in the ruck department. We missed too many tackles and didn't win our individual match-ups. First 20min were okay, and the last 10 were quality. We've got a week to work and show more material on the pitch....(...)."

You listen to him talk, he takes real elements from the game; he never lies or exaggerates; but he uses them as if they were just facts that don't entail anything or don't have a clear origin. He talks about it like history, and says we "need to work" more, and again, mentions specific fields to improve. So you listen to this guy, you feel like he really commands his topic and his troops and will get it done.
He was placed there at the head of the French national team, I'm not sure how, I imagine through some sort of high circle nepotism, shaking the right hands, I dunno, politics. And everything wrong and shameful that happens can merely be recounted, recycled into a nice optimistic yet realistic little bundle with a nice knot on top.
He'll use his political rhetoric against the media, and nobody can touch him if he was picked by the very FFR itself.

Only this time Draggs, for the RWC, we won't have the likes of Rougerie, Nallet, Dusautoir, Clerc, Servat, Julien Pierre, Poux etc...with loads of character who can coach themselves and know how to play regardless of the context. In 2010, Australia shat all over us in Paris 16-59 but the following year we were putting all of NZ on its knees praying for the timer to hit 80min in the final. That won't happen next year. We'll just cruise by in very mediocre fashion, do what we can...and collect a few wins on the way.

This is in my top 5 TRF posts.....easy.

 

[Darwin]

Massive blow for Australia, with scans showing captain Stephen Moore has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and medial ligament. He will therefore need a full knee reconstruction, and is out for the rest of the season.

Sam Carter will also miss the rest of the French series with an ankle strain.

 

[David Smith]

The only changes I'd make to the team next would be to drop McCalman and Phipps for Higginbotham and Phipps.

Higginbtham stand out in the backs and does no forward work whatsoever. Hopefully link knows this

 

[RoosTah]

Looked at the game again this morning and have properly digested it now. Good first up hit-out for the boys, even if France left their hearts at home.


Thoughts on the performances:


TPN was at his combative best and it we're lucky we have such a good replacement for Moore, but the stocks thin out pretty quickly beyond that.


Foley and White both proved why they deserved to be there. Both linked up brilliantly and didn't at all look like players just forming a combination for the first time.


The rest of the backline were brilliant and Folau in particular just looks better all the time. Scored one, and had a big hand in another 3. Very impressive. Toomua was strong as well, and his deft passing and vision led helped a couple tries along too (the inside ball to AAC which led to the Cummins try was beautiful). Kurindrani played probably his best test: immense in defence, powerful running onto the ball, and actually managed to pass it for once to finish of Beale's move haha.


Hooper was solid, but overall I was a little surprised at the low number of turn-overs he affected. Still very very good game by him over all.


On the bench - Beale has copped a bit of flack, but to be fair the try he scored was all him; great pass to Kurindrani and great follow up. He's a handy impact player. That said, I'd have liked to see how a hard and dynamic runner like Horne would have done. He's been carving defences at the 'Tahs all season.


Phipps was indifferent I thought. Did some good stuff: spotting Hooper for a gap early was great, but otherwise he looked a little frantic. Genia has to come back next week.


Didn't see much of McCabe, but he was strong while he was on, and Folau gifted him a lovely try.


On the forwards, when Cowan, Mcalman and Ryan came on, the scrum became noticably weaker. that needs to be looked at.


On the venue: massive disappointment for Suncorp that only 33k turned out when they packed it for Origin only a couple weeks earlier in spite of the Wallabies tickets being MUCH cheaper and there only being two wallaby matches there this year. Pretty poor really. Hopefully we can do better in Sydney. I'll be going for sure.

 

[Tahman15]

Foley has been coping a bit of criticism from some people though I thought he was good apart from a couple of missed tackles. I was pleasantly surprised how solid the scrum was in the first half and how well TPN threw. I wouldn't change the starting XV apart TPN and Jones coming into the starting side to cover injuries. Genia should be on the bench.

 

[Tahman15]

The best fullback in the world played in the 14 jersey for the AB's last night

Are you daring to doubt Australian rugby's chosen one's abilities In all seriousness I do think he's the best now. He's so dangerous on attack and he's now nailed the positioning. He hardly ever gets caught out on defense or from kicks anymore plus his boot is a lot better. Ben Smith is pure class but I think Izzy is just ahead.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Really good game by AUS, enjoyed it.

 

[austingtir]

Are you daring to doubt Australian rugby's chosen one's abilities In all seriousness I do think he's the best now. He's so dangerous on attack and he's now nailed the positioning. He hardly ever gets caught out on defense or from kicks anymore plus his boot is a lot better. Ben Smith is pure class but I think Izzy is just ahead.

I think its still to early for that. Ben Smith has been outstanding for 3 or more years. Folau has an outstanding game against sub par opposition (not saying he hasnt been very good this year) and its like the second coming of jesus or something. When the Waratahs win or go really well in the final stages of super rugby against some decent opposition and the wallabies actually win more than two games against SA and NZ due to his contribution I will agree with you.

 

[Tahman15]

I think its still to early for that. Ben Smith has been outstanding for 3 or more years. Folau has an outstanding game against sub par opposition (not saying he hasnt been very good this year) and its like the second coming of jesus or something. When the Waratahs win or go really well in the final stages of super rugby against some decent opposition and the wallabies actually win more than two games against SA and NZ due to his contribution I will agree with you.

I get completely with what your saying and it will be very interesting to see how he goes against the Boks and All Blacks and if prove he's the best in the world. On another note why is Dagg still picked at fullback? Wouldn't a back 3 of Savea and Jane on the wings and Smith at FB be better?

 

[Darwin]

I get completely with what your saying and it will be very interesting to see how he goes against the Boks and All Blacks and if prove he's the best in the world. On another note why is Dagg still picked at fullback? Wouldn't a back 3 of Savea and Jane on the wings and Smith at FB be better?

Dagg is still picked at fullback as the coaches love him like a child. They seem happy to overlook his inability to tackle, his high error-rate, and the fact he offers next to nothing with ball in hand because he has a massive punt and is (normally) excellent under the high ball. A Savea, Jane, Smith back three would be much better (once Savea is fit), and a Savea, Piutau, Smith back three would be even better again (once Piutau is fit - Piutau is currently much better than Jane).

 

[Big Ewis]

This is in my top 5 TRF posts.....easy.

that is a sad, sad thought Little Guy....absolutely depressing

Are you daring to doubt Australian rugby's chosen one's abilities In all seriousness I do think he's the best now. He's so dangerous on attack and he's now nailed the positioning. He hardly ever gets caught out on defense or from kicks anymore plus his boot is a lot better. Ben Smith is pure class but I think Izzy is just ahead.

Me too. Izzy's got that 15 jersey covered for any side whatsoever.

By the way, no taunting ?!! Aussies just put 50points in our a$ses !! What more do you want ?! Do you not care that much ?! Was it that easy that you figured: eh, we'll spare the froggies any more hurt...
tsk...fkng pussies....

 

[RoosTah]

that is a sad, sad thought Little Guy....absolutely depressing



Me too. Izzy's got that 15 jersey covered for any side whatsoever.

By the way, no taunting ?!! Aussies just put 50points in our a$ses !! What more do you want ?! Do you not care that much ?! Was it that easy that you figured: eh, we'll spare the froggies any more hurt...
tsk...fkng pussies....

If we'd beat South Africa, NZ or England, then yeah we'd rub your face in it a bit. But for some reason Australians just don't have that sort of antipathy toward the French... maybe it's been the lop-sided nature of a lot of the games. You guys hammered us last time, and we hammered you the time before that, and it's hard to respond with much after those types of games haha.

 

[Big Ewis]

well then I take it as an insult that you inconsiderate monsters haven't insulted me, or seem to even have the intention to !!

I've said it before many times, but I love Australia, I like Aussie ppl a lot, always fkn around, I love Fox Aus and their insane Top 5's, and I've always loved the Wallabies, more than the AB's. I'm behind you always for the TRC. Taking a pounding from the Wallabies is the least painful for me, although in this case it does hurt. Not the score, that doesn't hurt. It's the implications and long term realities that are implied from such a scoreline for France....but that's not your problem, it's ours...
But I'm still very insulted than you won't insult me. You r...rrrr.....you rascal, you !!