[2017 Rugby Championship] Round 1: Australia v New Zealand (19/08/2017)

[ncurd]

Owens just not as good as everyone says he is he makes just as many dubious decisions as others on the list.

Steve Walsh was fine after THAT Wales game (and basically got told to get his act together) however during and before then I certainly felt he had a major issue with us and probably the only ref I've had a real problem. I;m a borken record on this one but watch that Wales game again and poor Tom Youngs being told to stop taking the **** by trying bloody hard to demonstarte he was on his mark for the scrum when Walsh was perpetually accursing him of not using it. That's not the sign of a good ref its the sign of someone whos lost all semblance of his actual job and thats making sure the game is played by the laws. Fair enough if you thinka player is always infringing but then hes actually trying to show you he's on the mark immediately after you make it and not move hes trying to play within your officiating to show he can't get pinged for it. He really was poor in that period of time and like I said the only ref I've had a problem with personally.

 

[ncurd]

Here's a question though for those who watched the match I didn't rate the Lions or NZ that much in their recent series good sides but not exceptional. Did NZ find that extra gear or two that was missing against the Lions or were Australia just woeful?

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Has Squire ever started a game for the ABs at 8? Or even come off the bench there or moved there late in a game?

Yea he has. He's equally comfortable at 8, has played a lot of rugby there.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Here's a question though for those who watched the match I didn't rate the Lions or NZ that much in their recent series good sides but not exceptional. Did NZ find that extra gear or two that was missing against the Lions or were Australia just woeful?

Australia were woeful, especially in that 1st half and have been since the RWC.

 

[McTallshort]

Here's a question though for those who watched the match I didn't rate the Lions or NZ that much in their recent series good sides but not exceptional. Did NZ find that extra gear or two that was missing against the Lions or were Australia just woeful?

They didn't find an extra gear they were just playing a side (for the first half at least) who didn't complete. Its easy to rip through a side who are missing tackles and dont have their defense organised. The Lions defense was exceptional (although their attacking game was limited) and it limited the AB's chances unlike on Saturday when the aussies were like a revolving door for 50 minutes. It was the same against Scotland in June, on the attack Australia are as good as anyone but their defense can be like a colander at times and you really cannot have that when playing the AB's.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Ireland, England, Wales, South Africa and Argentina do not open up like a can of beans when they are attacked by the All Blacks.
That first 40, Aussie were sleeping.
They were switched off and I can't think why.
Aussie are a good side they have plenty of talent.
I don't get it and I'm keen to hear the Aussies give the rest of us some insight into why they looked so lack lustre in the first half.

Are there issues in the dressing room?

 

[TRF_heineken]

Permanently banned?
Or a temporary reprimand?

Perma-ban. His foul mouthed, derogatory racist rants are a thing of the past.

 

[Ospervat]

Here's a question though for those who watched the match I didn't rate the Lions or NZ that much in their recent series good sides but not exceptional. Did NZ find that extra gear or two that was missing against the Lions or were Australia just woeful?

Woeful is a very diplomatic term for the tripe they dished up in the first 40.
There was some early spark in the first 10 then the defense and discipline just collapsed completely - quite surreal really. I'm still not entirely convinced AB's found top gear in the first half - it just seemed too easy. Also still can't figure out whether AB's just hit cruise control in the 2nd half or Oz took their chances to win it 28-14.

 

[Five Meters Out]

Man I wish someone hasn't predicted accurately where this thread will go. Instead of reading how the game went we've had pages over one decision that didn't matter in the grand scheme thing of things.

But this is the way the whole games gone now Curd. When you've got the Ref's, Touchies, TMO's, commentators, sideline commentators and crowds watching the big screen, spending long minutes pouring over footage during a game, then you're inviting the public to do exactly the same following the game.
It's ridiculous and it's gone too far. Even I could now accept Wayne Barnes missing that forward pass back in 2007, if it meant we could get back to "The Ref rules and that's final."
But it won't happen - it's gone - a bygone era. So in every Test we'll miss that immediate elation of celebrating as the Refs arm goes up and after you'll read as much about piffling decisions as you will about great plays.

 

[RoosTah]

Woeful is a very diplomatic term for the tripe they dished up in the first 40.
There was some early spark in the first 10 then the defense and discipline just collapsed completely - quite surreal really. I'm still not entirely convinced AB's found top gear in the first half - it just seemed too easy. Also still can't figure out whether AB's just hit cruise control in the 2nd half or Oz took their chances to win it 28-14.

Woeful, depressing, pathetic… they all fail to capture just how bad the Wallabies' defence was. Their structure and technique looked more like a subbies side.

What's worse is the coaching staff are now trying to tell us there was nothing wrong with their defensive strategy?!?! That right there is a frightening sign of delusion, and one that reflects the wider malaise that is slowly killing the game in Australia.

Frankly, and I really never thought I'd feel this way, I don't even care if the Wallabies lose anymore. I watch them with an almost morbid curiosity more to see how long it will take them to fall apart and then I generally just flick back to the NRL.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Woeful, depressing, pathetic… they all fail to capture just how bad the Wallabies' defence was. Their structure and technique looked more like a subbies side.

What's worse is the coaching staff are now trying to tell us there was nothing wrong with their defensive strategy?!?! That right there is a frightening sign of delusion, and one that reflects the wider malaise that is slowly killing the game in Australia.

Frankly, and I really never thought I'd feel this way, I don't even care if the Wallabies lose anymore. I watch them with an almost morbid curiosity more to see how long it will take them to fall apart and then I generally just flick back to the NRL.

You're right mate. it's nathan grey's defense pattern that's killing us. it didn't work for the waratahs and it's not working for the wallabies. it involved Rona, Speight and Kerevi defending in the centres, while Foley, Beale and Folau were having cups of tea.

I'm the same now when I watch the wallabies, have lost my passion. I'll still support them and watch the game, but I expect them to lose now days.

 

[smartcooky]

NMS, Havili, Moli, Hames and Akira Ioane have all joined the squad in Dunedin. Obviously that means that Kaino still isn't being considered. Unsure why Havili's been called in, didn't think he was coming in till Bender left.

I think its cover, because SBW could be out with concussion (this was missed on Saturday night).

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/08/22/sanzaar-look-possible-sbw-concussion

 

[smartcooky]

I believe Ardie is not an openside flanker. He carries the ball so well and with so much strength it would be a shame to keep him at 7 where there's more grinding and rotten job to do.

Say what?

Blindside flanker is the player who grinds the ball up with short powerful carries, and makes every attempt to shut down the short side with killer tackles (Jerome Kaino, Willem Alberts, Jean Deysel, Steven Luatua)

Ardie Savea is made for the attacking Openside Flanker's job

 

[smartcooky]

I think from that angle it's still tough to spot a CLEAR offside. Folau is a big guy, he'll look as if he was in front of any other dude if they were standing side by side. Personally I don't see a CLEAR offside even though I'd like to see one. Surely there are other questions Barnes could have asked the TMO that could have changed the way these tight situations were ruled?

Well its a pity we aren't using the same TMO protocols that were used in Super Rugby. They are superior to this mess by a long shot.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

I think its cover, because SBW could be out with concussion (this was missed on Saturday night).

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/08/22/sanzaar-look-possible-sbw-concussion

I did think that might be the case, but then again if he was coming in purely so cover SBW, surely it would've been Goodhue... probably just using it as a reason to get him into the setup a week early.

 

[smartcooky]

Here's a question though for those who watched the match I didn't rate the Lions or NZ that much in their recent series good sides but not exceptional. Did NZ find that extra gear or two that was missing against the Lions or were Australia just woeful?

A bit of both

For the Lions series, no Bender and no Crotty after 1st game, no SBW after 24 minutes of the second game and no Squire at all. Add to that, two absolutely 50/50 controversial decisions at the death in the 2nd and 3rd tests; both going the Lions way.

However the biggest difference was that the Wallabies were woeful in the first 47 minutes, and the only reason they came back is that the ABs took their foot off the gas. As for that Wallabies defensive arrangement, well, our Saffa friends here on the forum have an Afrikaaner slang word for that... kak!

 

[RoosTah]

You're right mate. it's nathan grey's defense pattern that's killing us. it didn't work for the waratahs and it's not working for the wallabies. it involved Rona, Speight and Kerevi defending in the centres, while Foley, Beale and Folau were having cups of tea.

I'm the same now when I watch the wallabies, have lost my passion. I'll still support them and watch the game, but I expect them to lose now days.

The trouble is that the Wallabies and Australian rugby in general seems to have really fallen behind in defence across the board... we've had a few sizeable weak links we've been compensating for for a while now in the Wallabies, and this idea of shifting players in and out of position was shown to be dubious even back in the Deans era, so it makes you wonder why they're persisting with it. Rather, they should have just done what most League teams do and harden up their weaker defenders. Heck, Berrick Barnes worked this out for himself and used to tell his team mates that he fixed his defence by getting Shane Webke to run at him over and over at Broncos training before he made the switch.

 

[ncurd]

A bit of both

For the Lions series, no Bender and no Crotty after 1st game, no SBW after 24 minutes of the second game and no Squire at all. Add to that, two absolutely 50/50 controversial decisions at the death in the 2nd and 3rd tests; both going the Lions way.

However the biggest difference was that the Wallabies were woeful in the first 47 minutes, and the only reason they came back is that the ABs took their foot off the gas. As for that Wallabies defensive arrangement, well, our Saffa friends here on the forum have an Afrikaaner slang word for that... kak!

Is Kak a Saffer thing? This could be one of those things I say because my grandmother was a Saffer and its gone down the family. Urban dictionary seams to agree with you.....interesting.

Well the two controversial decisions (which are the kind of decisions that I understand people getting pent up about as they may have effected the results of the game) going the ABs way wouldn't of changed my opinion on their quality throughout the series. But I understand the injuries/suspensions would reduce the quality of the team a little. Still they certainly lacked an extra gear that I would of expected from any top-class international side.

 

[WaterboySA]

Hopefully I don't get banned for this, just to explain.....kak is the afrikaans word for ****.

 

[WaterboySA]

Hahaha...for s.h.i.t