June International Test: New Zealand vs. Wales [1st Test] (11/06/2016)

[Ka_Mate]

I fear for rugby if a 'great referee' doesn't know the forward pass rule. Here's hoping after today, HE DOES.

I'd love to not get on this blokes case, but he just keeps colossally stuffing up on such a frequent basis in our matches.

Need I mention the game was not out off Wales reach with that disallowed try and if Faleteus try counted Wales were right back in it. A better side than Wales could've used that momentum to go on and win.

He has the ability to shift entire momentum in games to the other side with poor decisions.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Look Barnes clearly doesn't know the forward pass rule: he's missed or misinterpreted at least three big ones he's been ref or linesman.

1. RWC 07 - Traille's? pass to Michelak which led Jauzion's try.

[video=youtube_share;QUS8FfW8hOg]http://youtu.be/QUS8FfW8hOg[/video]

2. RWC 2015 - as an assistant referee/linesman - missed NMS' blatant forward pass to Kaino. Owens missed it as well, but did ask Barnes whether it was forward, but either Barnes didn't answer or said no it was fine.

[video=youtube_share;Gi4KvQIwJ8E]http://youtu.be/Gi4KvQIwJ8E[/video]

3. Today's match where he overruled Perenara's try when all he focused on was the forward motion of the ball and not the direction of Cruden's hands when the ball was released.

Apart from that he's a great referee. Honest.

So what you are saying then is Owens is just as bad?

 

[Bada-Bing!]

So what you are saying then is Owens is just as bad?

Yep, he can be for all his great one liners. Just no one country has it in for him big time like Kiwis have for Barnes, Saffers have for Poite, England had for Walsh when he reffed.

 

[McTallshort]

Walsh is a **** though

 

[Ka_Mate]

Walsh is a **** though

You seem incapable of articulating yourself any further than spewing out censored swear words. I'm sure you do well with the ladies.

 

[McTallshort]

And your missus will surely confirm that

 

[Groundhog]

You seem incapable of articulating yourself any further than spewing out censored swear words. I'm sure you do well with the ladies.

*tips fedora*

 

[Ka_Mate]

And your missus will surely confirm that

Oh, so you to share my fetish for transgenders? Hope you wore protection matey potatey

 

[McTallshort]

Oh, so you to share my fetish for transgenders? Hope you wore protection matey potatey

Any port in a storm and I have a stash of penicillin for such events

 

[AzaMatt]

Giles is a ballsy call

Ballsy indeed, in the back of my mind I was thinking Giles would be amazing but surely he's not ready. He hasn't even played above the Welsh premiership but he sure does have heaps of talent, being in the Welsh camp will certainly prep him for the future even if he doesn't get used this time will be interesting to see if he gets a cap in the autumn. It would be nice to have someone not all about power, yes north is quick but Giles is on another level

 

[Bada-Bing!]

[video=youtube_share;jNOlQZV2TPU]http://youtu.be/jNOlQZV2TPU[/video]

 

[austingtir]

Its not just the forward passes its the blatantly terrible control of the breakdown and its not just in AB games. The Wales vs Ireland game last year is a prime example. It was a lolly scramble. Yet barnes would call that a fair contest. The man simply isnt fit to referee at the highest level.

The Wallabies vs AB's game in sydney is the other clanger in the last year. 0 breakdown contol. Just let Pocock do what ever he felt like.

 

[nzlizard]

I didn't think Wayne Barnes was that bad last night, apart form that one call on the forward pass the rest of his game was good.

Naholo looked awesome and is a star on the making, he made a couple of major errors last night, eg coming off his wing to make a tackle when he should have had more faith on the man on the inside and it gave Wales try, also not offloading in the tackle and that cost us a try. But those are minor things fixed with experience, his work rate and hunger was awesome.

He should switch to left wing when NMS is back.

I like Crotty cause he is so reliable, but would rather have SBW at 2nd five any day, he just creates more opportunities.

Cane was pretty quiet and need to increase his work rate, Ardie looked good when he came on, but remember a 20 minute impact spell from a player of that quality is always going to look good anyways, Cane needs to watch himself though, I can see Ardie overtaking him in the near future.

B Smith was awesome as usual and hard to see Dagg edging him out.

Tamanivalu looked good when he cam on and looked at home at that level.

Everyone else did what was asked of them.

Wales played well, its just a shame they can't play for 80 mins.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Wow, I'm amazed by all the NZers calling for Savea to be dropped. I know he's not in his best form, but would you really drop him for Naholo or NMS?? Especially if that means playing one of them on the wrong wing.

 

[Larksea]

good game to watch.

Lot of people saying the scoreline flattered the AB's but that's not true. The All Blacks are always strong in the last 20 and the points they score then are worth just as much as the points scored anytime in the rest of the match. That final period where they racked up a lot of points was due to the all the hard work running and smashing the welsh around after half time. And really it should have been a higher score, TJP's try being incorrectly disallowed.

general feedback on the AB's
starting front row was a bit quiet. Coles and Moody worked hard but didn't have much impact, coles made a couple of bad decisions and conceded penalties. Owen franks was quiet but the scrum was solid.

Romano was actually pretty good, Retalick was a bit quiet. Romano is a fairly solid test performer, he doesn't have the workrate of Retalick or Whitelock but there aren't ant other locks in the world that can keep up with those two. One would have to say that Tuipolotu had a very good impact off the bench, he upset the welsh lineout and was good around the park. When Whitelock is back Tuipolotu should keep his bench spot.

Cane was solid, hes a different soprt of player to Savea who showed him up a bit with some aggressive carrying. But Cane is a different sort of player, you dont notice him as much, works more as a link player and setting field position with his runs but hes very valuable and does a lot of of the **** work McCaw would do. In my opinion Cane justified his selection.

Kaino & Read were very good, Read was brilliant actually, Kaino started quiet but seemed to get stronger as the game went on. These two are really important for the AB's physical game, so important.

Aaron Smith was under a lot of pressure and some of his passing was a bit off, was an ok game from him. Good quick decision to go to Naholo for that tap pen.

Cruden was very good, he seemed to operate very wide and not as much as a first receiver. Much like how he plays for the chiefs, not like how Carter would play so he was definitely allowed to play his game. Every time he had a chance to run against a fractured welsh line he made big inroads.

Midfield was solid but nothing special, I dont see Crotty & Fekitoa being a long term thing. Crotty did pretty well, Fekitoa seemed to be really busy without really having much influence on the game. Neither really provided anything creative to take some pressure off Cruden, when Barrett arrived that was a positive shift in the front line. I think long term Ngatai has to be the focus, hes the complete package, a playmaker with a kicking game in that 12 position will make a big difference. I'd also really like to see Moala get a run.

Naholo was a mixed bag, some really good straight running and speed. With some bad decisions and other suspect play mixed in, needs to improve under the high ball and going backwards.

Ben Smith was his same old self, very good in general. He was the best AB in the first half but his game went quiet when he was moved to the wing.

SaveaJ, poor game really. Missed 3 tackles? One resulting in a try. Hes just lost that yard of pace that made him so good at this level. Was happy to see Barrett come on for him early in the 2nd. Id like to see Dagg or Moala or even McKenzie get a run at 11.

Barrett, made a really good impact. I think its a really good move to bring him on early in the 2nd half. Its criminal that we cant find room for him to start. And I thought it was really unnecessary to move Smith to 14 and Naholo to 11 to accommodate him. Why not just slot him in at 11 surely he would be fine there...

The bench was really good, such a massive part of the AB's game. Barrett was his usual self, Charlie was good and he seemed to put really pressure on the breakdown and won a really good turnover. Tuipolotu was very good, caught the welsh off guard at the lineout. Even Crockett & Haris made an impact as well. TJP struggled with pressure on him a bit but should have had a nice try. Seta only got 5 min but managed one powerful run to setup quick ball for that final try and it was probably more than Fekitoa managed for his time on the park.

The Ref...
Barnes generally had an ok game but he just had to get that one howler and call a good pass forward to deny TJPs try even though the TMO called it good. I always say I dont like the way Barnes is always intent on forcing his personality on the game and this is another example of that. He is a much better ref than he was in 2007 but this was a really **** call, a call he didn't even need to make.

Overall this was kinda a typical first test of the year performance from the AB's, takes them a while to get warmed into test footy and that showed. The 2nd half was good without being their clinical best. Generally I think this was Wales best chance, the AB's will improve a lot from here in with more time together. I doubt they will make 15 handling errors next weekend.

 

[Peat]

good game to watch.

Lot of people saying the scoreline flattered the AB's but that's not true.

What it usually means when people say that is one side was more clinical about converting their chances than the other. Looked upon in that light, quite a compliment really

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

What was the deal with forward passes last night? I don't understand the ref. There were several very, very obvious forward passes in the first half (mainly by the Welsh it must be said) that were ignored. But then the ref went as far as to dismiss the video ref for the NZ try when the pass was very very obviously not forward? Precisely what was this ref playing at?

 

[austingtir]

Wow, I'm amazed by all the NZers calling for Savea to be dropped. I know he's not in his best form, but would you really drop him for Naholo or NMS?? Especially if that means playing one of them on the wrong wing.

Id go as far as to drop him for Osbourne (I think he's committed to Fiji though) if I had to. But Naholo or NMS would be fine aswell. I was saying before the WC and all of last year he just isnt playing to his ability and I stand by that. He's capable of far more than he's been putting out. I honestly believe he needs to be dropped to get the most out of him at this stage. Look at Dagg he was great this year thats the kind of kick up the ass Savea needs especially going into next year.

I also wouldnt like having both Savea brothers in the team at the same time unless they both fully deserve it. Ardie deserves to be there more so than Julian.

 

[Regan]

Id go as far as to drop him for Osbourne (I think he's committed to Fiji though) if I had to. But Naholo or NMS would be fine aswell. I was saying before the WC and all of last year he just isnt playing to his ability and I stand by that. He's capable of far more than he's been putting out. I honestly believe he needs to be dropped to get the most out of him at this stage. Look at Dagg he was great this year thats the kind of kick up the ass Savea needs especially going into next year.

I also wouldnt like having both Savea brothers in the team at the same time unless they both fully deserve it. Ardie deserves to be there more so than Julian.

I guess our main problem is we don't really have any other specialist left wingers. Naholo could move out there but he's definitely better on the right.

 

[austingtir]

I guess our main problem is we don't really have any other specialist left wingers. Naholo could move out there but he's definitely better on the right.

If we'd selected Osbourne like I was saying last year we wouldnt have a problem would we? And I see no reason Naholo couldnt play on the left he's brutal in the contact when he wants to be. But anyway perhaps the likes of Seta or someone like that could be played there as a stop gap.