June International Tests: Australia vs. Italy (24/06/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Suncorp Stadium​

Time: 07:00 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Australia were toothless without Hodge and Kerevi at centre. But to score against Italy you only need to run the ball through 10+ phases and their defence will part like the Red Sea. The Wallabies are still able to retain ball well so I think this will be upwards of a 25 point margin sadly.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Italy: 15 Edoardo Padovani, 14 Angelo Esposito, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Tommaso Boni, 11 Giovambattista Venditti, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 ***o Tebaldi, 8 Andries van Schalkwyk, 7 Maxime Mbanda, 6 Francesco Minto (c), 5 Dean Budd, 4 Marco Fuser, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Luca Bigi, 1 Andrea Lovotti

Replacements: 16 Ornel Gega, 17 Federico Zani, 18 Pietro Ceccarelli, 19 Marco Lazzaroni, 20 Abraham Steyn, 21 Edoardo Gori, 22 Carlo Cane, 23 Tommaso Benvenuti

Italy swap their fourth choice scrum half for their third, but otherwise all is reasonable. Would have liked to see Venditti and Sarto on the park at the same time.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Karmichael Hunt, 11 Sefa Naivalu, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 Lopeti Timani, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Stephen Moore (c), 1 Scott Sio

Quite a few Aussies I don't know.

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

Am I the only one backing Italy for this?

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

Such a bad call. Italian Try for sure.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Only caught it since the 50th minute but Italy doing well and Australia in meltdown, just given away two tries in the last five minutes. 10 mins to go, Italy down 28-27. That must be close to being more points than Italy scored in the whole of the 6N!

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

Well, that was absolutely pathetic from the Wallabies. All in all, they couldn't beat a single top 10 team right now. Bledisloe is going to be a disaster.

ps; the first Italian Try was a Try.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Italy then up a man with 10 minutes to play and balls it up. Hope is a killer.

In fairness, Australia actually woke up. If Hodge and Kerevi aren't available in the Rugby Championship then Australia might find themselves battling for the wooden spoon with Argentina.

 

[BPM]

Italy then up a man with 10 minutes to play and balls it up. Hope is a killer.

In fairness, Australia actually woke up. If Hodge and Kerevi aren't available in the Rugby Championship then Australia might find themselves battling for the wooden spoon with Argentina.

True, but 40 points massively flattered the Aussies there.

A bit better game management from Italy and they could have nicked that.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I'll watch it in full later, but looked like the scrum did well and second game in a row when the man, the legend, Tommaso Allan has had his kicking boots on. It'll be huge for Italy if he can maintain that and become a credible option at 10 rather than simply being selected because Canna's form has deserted him.

 

[galumay]

Disastorous performance by Australia, not taking anything away from Italy who played well and were on the wrong side of the refereeing decisions.
It was a game Italy should really have won, they were the better side for much of the game. The final scoreline is no reflection of the reality of the game and how badly Australia played again. Unfortunately it will probably lead to self delusion and a sense that they "put the Italians away".

It will be a cricket score against the ABs if the Wobblies play like that, the Pumas would beat them easily and the Boks would also put them away. Its looking like a long season!

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Quite a few Aussies I don't know.

Like who?

then Australia might find themselves battling for the wooden spoon with Argentina.

This will be the case regardless.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I'd imagine 13, 11, 6, 5, 4 & 3 aren't exactly household names for many on the NH. Although maybe they have heeps of caps for all I know. Kerevi, Hodge and Pockock seen huge losses to my mind.

And my point about Argentina is that

a) Argentina are in a slump of their own
b) Australia will have never previously finished bottom in the four nations.

I still think they'll have too much for Argentina's defensive frailties with the likes of Kerevi and Cheika, both of whom I consider world class.

The Boks are going to beat the Aussies home and away though.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

I'd imagine 13, 11, 6, 5, 4 & 3 aren't exactly household names for many on the NH. Although maybe they have heeps of caps for all I know.

Horne is a bit of an Aus stalwart, has been there or there abouts with the Wallabies for a while but never a locked down starter. Overrated in a lot of peoples' opinions (mine included). Naivalu is a new boy, so that's understandable. Has had a good pretty SR season, can be dangerous with the ball but not the best all round game. Hanigan also a new boy who has put his hand up in SR this year. Arnold and especially Coleman are pretty household names in Aus rugby, they'll be the starting Aus locks for some time I'd say. And Alaalatoa is a very good player, who has really stood up this year and been of the best props in SR. His brother at the Crusaders isn't bad either.

And my point about Argentina is that

a) Argentina are in a slump of their own
b) Australia will have never previously finished bottom in the four nations.

I still think they'll have too much for Argentina's defensive frailties with the likes of Kerevi and Cheika, both of whom I consider world class.

The Boks are going to beat the Aussies home and away though.

I assume you mean Hodge haha, though I'd like to see Chieka run out

I agree that Aus should have too much on attack for Argentina. I also believe that Kerevi is world-class, actually arguably the best center in world rugby.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Hodge is good, but for me Cheika is world class keeping Oz in the top 4 and contesting for RWCs. I don't think his successor will.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Would you replace Hunt with Hodge? I don't watch much Oz rugby but from what I've seen of Hunt his passing game in that second playmaker role is incredible, quite possibly the best in the world ATM. Hodge is a hell of a player but with his versatility I think I'd be leaving him on the bench for now. Unless it's worth putting him on the wing?

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Highlights



Some nice tries from both sides and likely the best try I've seen Italy score in my puff. Also the best Italian performance under O'Shea even if the same defensive frailties showed. Notably they botched a try at the line and had a good try chalked off controversially so this scoreline was not a fluke.

I think O'Shea is rightly terrified of his 6N rivals (and the calls for Italy to be excluded) and so is playing "anti-rugby" against them to try and keep scores respectable. But against Fiji and Australia we saw much more ambiition - possibly as if he ended up with egg on his face he'd be on the other side of the world and in the middle of the morning on Italy when no-one was looking. Positives include:

- Boni / Campagnaro centre partnership showing promise. Far better than the dross of the past year.
- Mbanda and Padovani consistency, really cementing themselves as solid long term options.
- reasonable leadership without the experience heads of Parisse & Maclean (despite late slump in last two matches)
- improved performances and kicking from Tomasso Allan
- great wingers in Sarto and Venditti (would be good to play them together though as they are miles ahead of the alternatives)
- developing depth at scrum half with reasonable performances by 3rd and 4th choices.
- set piece and pack okay
-average age of squad lower than in the past.

Challenging for 6N wins will be a step beyond them in 2018, but they will not shame themselves. I expect them to be 10th in the world by this time next year if they can improve defensively.

Excited to see what Michael Bradley achieves at Zebre (although Crowley at Treviso remains a concern) and hopefully my misplaced optimism for last season comes true this year in the Pro12.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Would you replace Hunt with Hodge? I don't watch much Oz rugby but from what I've seen of Hunt his passing game in that second playmaker role is incredible, quite possibly the best in the world ATM. Hodge is a hell of a player but with his versatility I think I'd be leaving him on the bench for now. Unless it's worth putting him on the wing?

Hunt was really ordinary against Scotland but better against Italy. Personally I'd favour Hodge at 13 and Kerevi nailed on at 12. Commentators were suggesting Hunt has been trying too hard. I've not seen him at SR level I don't think, so can't really comment.

 

[BPM]

Hang about, I've just read two posts that really made me go 'eh?'

I also like what I've seen from Hunt at 12 but it's a very bold claim to suggest 'his passing game is quite possibly the best in the world ATM' based upon a couple of games. Very hyperbolic from you Toby? You're normally a lot more measured.

Also, can I challenge the idea that Kerevi is 'arguably the best centre in world rugby'? He's a good players, but I think that is somewhat premature. His top level experience is way too limited to make that kind of statement. Let's talk about it in a few years when we can make an informed judgment.