Baabaas squad 26/11/11

[jeffb]

Oh definitely, throughout the majority of the first half it was almost as if they were doing it on purpose as it was always the final pass to put the man in for the try, every. single. time.

With a half decent pass, Sam would have scored at least two tries in the match if not a hattrick.

 

[nickdnz]

Well, I was up at 3:30am watching that, drunk. What a waste of beer.

We won't talk about the Australians, because they all played pretty well, but had a lot of time to prepare.

I'll say one thing, I'm sick of Stuart Barnes. He's so full of sh*t. Every oppertunity to criticise a New Zealand player he took, and yet he didn't mention just how poor Cipriani (probably the worst player on the field, poor passes and no effort in defense), Shaw and Tomkins (who looked well and truly out of his depth despite finishing in the 80th).

There were only a hand full of players that looked good this game.

Victor Matfield had a good last game, good work rate and really seemed to want to go out on a high note. Bryan Habana got little oppertunities but I can't help but feel he's become very underused by South Africa. He actually looked back to his old form for a while. Did really well. Richard Kahui was good when he came on as was before being taken off (a mistake in my opinion). That's about it.

 

[Muzzy]

Kenatale's passing was pretty crap lol i think it had a big part in the baabaa's thumping, either he has to really improve his passing or Fiji need to allow Matawalu to leave the military so he can play for Fiji like they did with Nakarawa. After Barbarians started getting thrashed i just fast forwarded through the game on mysky lol

my favourite part of the game was Mortlocks big hit

btw i thought BaaBaa's was the name for the NZ Barbarians

 

[peanuts40]

Well it pretty poor effort from the Baa Baa's, was not worth getting up at 3:30am. I thought Victor Matfield was the Baa Baa's best player by a country mile, and really showed why he is one of the greatest players of all time. Tomkins did look out of depth, but it was his first game so it was expected. Habana and Kahui both tried hard imo, and were the only backs trying to do anything. People complain about Habana coming off his line all the time...know why?...because he NEVER gets the ball. He saw the ball once in the first half, and he broke the line....and only started coming off his line for the intercept later on when he realised he wouldn't see the ball any other way. The score was a surprise, but the result was not. A real pitty they could not select the best possible team. Would of loved to have seen Jacques Burger play, as well as a couple of other minnow nation players.

 

[Sam Owen]

I'll say one thing, I'm sick of Stuart Barnes. He's so full of sh*t.

Yeah I remember he was in the pre match commentary panel with Jake White and Jake White seemed to oppose a lot of Stuart Barneses logic. When the game they were talking about was finished, nothing that Barnes said really mattered and Jake White pretty much pointed out most of the things that mattered in that game before the game. It was funny cos you could see that Barnes looked dumbfounded after the game.

Anyway the Baabars got pole-axed.

 

[cheneree]

Just watched a replay and would like the last 80 minutes of my life back.

 

[gingergenius]

The Barbarians were crap because they didn't compete in the forwards.. and their midfield defence was shite. Thought Fruean was poor, not just because of his crap offload but the Ioane try was completely his fault in defence, not coming up in the line with DC & Mortlock, leaving a massive dogleg. If this match helped me understand why Fruean never made the All Blacks, I have to ask how Toeava, once again, has looked so unimpressive. I wouldn't pick him in a 30 man England squad, let alone the All Blacks...

If those two were poor in the first half, it was compounded by Kenetale and Rabeni, who were both shite. Rabeni tried to smash everyone and consequently missed about five tackles as a result.

The BaaBaas forwards were second best in every department, and given that I don't think Cipriani was that bad at all. Kahui is an outstanding player and showed it again, and Tomkins was OK for someone who didn't know what he was doing. If he ever plays Union in future he should play fullback, he's wasted on the wing. All in all, his selection was an interesting way to bring punters through the gate, and in fairness besides the Challenge Cup that's the biggest crowd he'll have played in front of all season.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

given that I don't think Cipriani was that bad at all.

I agree with that

I'm starting to question whether I have selective memory, though, because I thought he had a decent game, but literally everyone else has said he was gash

 

[Teh Mite]

I agree with that

I'm starting to question whether I have selective memory, though, because I thought he had a decent game, but literally everyone else has said he was gash

No, you're fine. It's because Cipriani is Cipriani, therefore incapable of having a good game because it's not the done thing to say so. Much like Henson, Ashton, Hartley, Patterson, Michelak and every other player out there who it's "cool" to dislike.

 

[nickdnz]

The Barbarians were crap because they didn't compete in the forwards.. and their midfield defence was shite. Thought Fruean was poor, not just because of his crap offload but the Ioane try was completely his fault in defence, not coming up in the line with DC & Mortlock, leaving a massive dogleg. If this match helped me understand why Fruean never made the All Blacks, I have to ask how Toeava, once again, has looked so unimpressive. I wouldn't pick him in a 30 man England squad, let alone the All Blacks...

If those two were poor in the first half, it was compounded by Kenetale and Rabeni, who were both shite. Rabeni tried to smash everyone and consequently missed about five tackles as a result.

The BaaBaas forwards were second best in every department, and given that I don't think Cipriani was that bad at all. Kahui is an outstanding player and showed it again, and Tomkins was OK for someone who didn't know what he was doing. If he ever plays Union in future he should play fullback, he's wasted on the wing. All in all, his selection was an interesting way to bring punters through the gate, and in fairness besides the Challenge Cup that's the biggest crowd he'll have played in front of all season.

I think Fruean is actually a very good talent, but he just wasn't up for it today. Defensively he's always been a bit of a liability, but he usually either finishes off oppertunities or sets them up pretty well. Just had a shocker. Toeava had one knock on and a pretty average mid field kick, but he would easily walk into the England squad, probably in the starting XV (although not at fullback). Defensively he was arguably the best back outside Kahui and to a lesser extent Mortlock.

How can anyone watching the game think that Cipriani did alright? Admittedly both Stringer and Kenetale were average, but Cipriani's passes were often inaccurate and sometime just holy mary style, throwing the ball up in the air and hoping someone would catch it. His kicks from hand were often ill timed, and if there was a player who fell off tackles more on the field, I don't know who it would be. He literally made Quade Cooper's defense look like Jerry Collins.

 

[lynam1104]

I only saw the 2nd half but on Cipriani he threw so many passes behind the player it was ridiculous. I don't think this was entirely his fault thought Kenetale was pretty shocking with his passes to Cipriani in the first place.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The only really bad thing I remeber Cirpriani doing was throwing the intercept-offload a few metres from his own tryline

 

[Groundhog]

No, you're fine. It's because Cipriani is Cipriani, therefore incapable of having a good game because it's not the done thing to say so. Much like Henson, Ashton, Hartley, Patterson, Michelak and every other player out there who it's "cool" to dislike.

i dont know if its cool to hate hate hartley anymore these days he's too level-headed

 

[jeffb]

The only really bad thing I remeber Cirpriani doing was throwing the intercept-offload a few metres from his own tryline

For me that was his only brain fart of the game, he did try and swing the ball out, so fair play to him.

 

[Teh Mite]

Be keen to see what that baabaas team would be like if they played properly instead of baabaas rugby.

 

[Teh Mite]

i dont know if its cool to hate hate hartley anymore these days he's too level-headed

we must be talking about different Hartleys!

 

[Teh Mite]

... and Wilkinson

no, that's incorrect. Wilkinson is incapable of good games because he's an over-hyped, narsassistic, negative prick who offers less attacking threat then Owen Farrell last night.

 

[JW.]

no, that's incorrect. Wilkinson is incapable of good games because he's an over-hyped, narsassistic, negative prick who offers less attacking threat then Owen Farrell last night.

I would have to say that would be a good assesment of yourself not a JonnyWilkinson.

 

[dullonien]

How can anyone watching the game think that Cipriani did alright? Admittedly both Stringer and Kenetale were average, but Cipriani's passes were often inaccurate and sometime just holy mary style, throwing the ball up in the air and hoping someone would catch it. His kicks from hand were often ill timed, and if there was a player who fell off tackles more on the field, I don't know who it would be. He literally made Quade Cooper's defense look like Jerry Collins.

That's how I saw it aswell. Not a good game atall from Cips. His passing was terrible all game. Kenetale probably fell of more tackles in the short period he was on the field than enyone else, his defense was shocking. I think his attempt at tackling Horwill for Horwill's first try was one of the worst I've ever seen, completely disinterested.

 

[Teh Mite]

I would have to say that would be a good assesment of yourself not a JonnyWilkinson.

what a compelling 10 year olds arguement you give.
should I respond with "I know you are but what am I"?