Rugby Championship: New Zealand - Argentina (08/09/2012)

[Captain Fantastic]

Nope... no one.

I was lucky enough to be at the game last night and I dont think people can really appreciate how difficult the conditions were at the stadium the wind and rain were just tough and it made play at times a lottery. Nonetheless, I just want to say that the Argentinian people are fantastic and extremely passionate and I am so glad they are part of this competition and I have no doubt that they will quickly move up the ladder of world rugby challenging the AB's Boks and Wallabies for the mantle of worlds best. They are so resolute and tough as nails and but for the lack of attacking prowess which I am sure they will improve! - Watch out world the Argies have arrived and they are awsome!!!!!!

 

[smartcooky]

... but do you agree with the reff that was intentional?

Yes I do. Poite was in a better position to see it at full speed than the camera view we had. The slo-mo confirmed for me that Poite go it right

T....that's three games into The Rugby Championship, three poor performances but we are easily top of the table.

Which really does raise the question, are these perceived "poor performances" really a lack of basic skills, or simply a result of defensive pressure from their opponents?

 

[austingtir]

I really enjoyed watching the pumas give us a bit of a rough up in the first half there. I hope hansen and co were taking notes on all that as this is the second game in a row where argentina has imo well and truly had our number in the forwards atleast for the first 50 minutes anyway.

Pumas need to find a time machine and get a 30 year old roncero that can go atleast 65 minutes. And a couple of slightly better second stringers.

The Aussie game could be very intresting i expect those aussies to be a bit smarter than we were in this game though.

Messam is without a doubt our first choice 6 from now on he was leagues ahead of vito when he came on.

Its actually a bit of a scary thought if the pumas can piece together a decent back line over the next three years man they are going to be super tough at the next WC.

 

[RWC2011Fan]

The half time blackout:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNoNbEAF0SM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsooBgzZ1q4

 

[Larksea]

ok game, pumas were competitive and it was close for quite a while but I never really felt the AB's were under real threat. They did defend superbly. I guess it's from watching so many games like this where the All Blacks hold onto a close advantage and then stretch away in the last 20

Scrum was good but a few technical issues kinda kept the AB's from dominating the area - some early unbinds and interesting calls.

Romano was pretty impressive in the lineout but for the most part the Argi's had a target on him as a ball runner.

Retalick I thought had a good game, he was one of the lights of the All Blacks first half.

The much talked about battle for the #6 jersey was interesting again. Vito did an OK job. Not bad by any means though he missed a trick when he got white line fever. Messam really was on another level though. He comes on makes a couple early strong tackles and ball carry's and it really set the tone for the AB's fightback. Was also interesting how McCaw got more into the game with Messam on, at least two times McCaw made a strong run after Messam took a ball over the advantage line and produced quick ball. He is playing fairly loose, you could even say McCaw is playing more the role of the tight flanker and Messam the loose but the work Messam does at the rucks getting clean fast ball should not be underestimated.

If anything the debate over who is NZ's best #6 is over for the time being. Was interesting to hear Dowd say after the game that he thinks Luatua will make the #6 jersey his own within 18 months. I tend to disagree, if anything the last 8 years or so the All Blacks #6 jersey has been about young guys getting a go and failing then coming back more experienced and better prepared and making a good fist of it. Experience seems to be key in this area - Kaino, Messam and Vito all came into #6 young failed, came back a couple years much stronger for it.

Good Showing from Weepu, was not smiths best game though even though he was not at his best he still produced a great pass when the ball was available - on 2nd thought he also made some impressive kicks. I don't expect Aaron Smith to be demoted but Weepu has been a big player for the All Blacks in past springbok tests. And Hansen seems to like rewarding good performances.

Savea had an ok game, I thought he could have been subbed off earlier. I was really keen to see Ben Smith get a run. Savea had a number of ball carries and did not really look like too much of a threat. I thought that Ben Smiths style may have had more impact unlocking the impressive Argentine defense.

Guess I should be happy as an AB supporter after three fairly comfortable wins while AUS, SA and ARG have all been stealing points off each other leaving NZ clear up top of the table. But Still looking for that benchmark performance not unlike the third Irish test. The side has some big scores in them. Could tell from quite early in the game that the conditions and the impressive Argentine D meant we were not going to see it just yet.

 

[austingtir]

^^ I was VERY VERY suprised they didnt put Ben smith on earlier aswell. Savea.... he's o.k Gear just has the experience on him ATM

 

[RyotoTheDragon]

So many handling errors from the all blacks, was very frustrating to watch but credit to Argentina, they forced those mistakes.

Happy that we came away with the win over a tough Argentina team, something that I think we need. Score line didnt reflect most of the game but that's what happens when you play the all blacks. A lapse of concentration and they will punish you.

Players played ok(although some of the handling were not up to standard) but I think it was just that the Argentinians were up to it until the later parts of the second half.

Anyways, looking forward to playing the Boks next week and hopefully improve on this performance and stay unbeaten throughout the competition. Only changes for me would be that we start Messam( Vito didnt play too bad, was just that Messam looked more impressive when he came on probably due to the fact that Argentina maybe were getting fatigued) and bring Cane on the bench.

 

[Superalexmarket]

Definitibly Pumas will win the two matches at home, against Australia and New Zealand. You'll see...

 

[admartian]

Definitibly Pumas will win the two matches at home, against Australia and New Zealand. You'll see...

Would not be surprised tbh.

I think they will definitely beat AUS, and come close with the ABs.


I thought it was laughable that the Puma odds over the weekend was around $15. Just goes to show that the average AB fan/sports fan are clueless. Good to know that there's a a good community here on TRF.

**gets on TRF high horse**

 

[Larksea]

Would not be surprised tbh.

I think they will definitely beat AUS, and come close with the ABs.


I thought it was laughable that the Puma odds over the weekend was around $15. Just goes to show that the average AB fan/sports fan are clueless. Good to know that there's a a good community here on TRF.

**gets on TRF high horse**

errr the all blacks won didn't they? Fairly comfortably in the end.

Argi's are not quite there yet, their discipline needs work they gave away a lot of penalties and the weather prevented them from being converted into points and overall they did not offer too much of a threat on attack.

I think they do however pose a threat to Australia with their forwards so that will be interesting.

 

[admartian]

errr the all blacks won didn't they? Fairly comfortably in the end.

Argi's are not quite there yet, their discipline needs work they gave away a lot of penalties and the weather prevented them from being converted into points and overall they did not offer too much of a threat on attack.

I think they do however pose a threat to Australia with their forwards so that will be interesting.

YEs, but $15 is a lot and compeltely undermines what the Argies are as a team. They look good and are only a backline player or two from really challenging.

The average bandwagoner/unknowledgaeble/blind fanboy fan is in for a shock.

 

[Helmut83]

Intentional knock-forward. He deliberately batted a pass down.

He is very lucky that Poite didn't award a Penalty Try..he could have!

[video=dailymotion;xtep6p]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xtep6p_cabello-intentional-knock-forward_sport[/video]

Juan Farias Caballo bats the ball down with his right hand as Cory Jane passes it

Ignore the commentators, they are wrong (as usual) .. Poite doesn't say "early tackle". Fernandez Lobbe tries to argue that Caballo's action was part of the tackle, but Poite says .."no, he didn't tackle"

There was a two - one overlap outside with the line a few metres away, so it could have been a penalty try.

Also, an Argentinian player (Santiago Fernandez?) comes in from an offside position and picks up the ball after Caballo knocked it.

"Caballo" means "horse" in Spanish. His surname is "Farías Cabello" and he is usually called only "Farías". And he is not "Juan" but "Julio", so the complete name is Julio Farías Cabello.

 

[Larksea]

good old Keith Quin kept calling Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe... fernando

my Spanish is a bit rusty but to me it didn't sound right.

 

[Draggs]

Juan Martín Hernández is called Fernández occasionally.

 

[LittleGuy]

Juan Martín Hernández is called Fernández occasionally.

I've been caught doing that once or twice LOL.

 

[Draggs]

Dammit, LG!
I expected better...

:lol:

 

[Colombia]

YEs, but $15 is a lot and compeltely undermines what the Argies are as a team. They look good and are only a backline player or two from really challenging.

The average bandwagoner/unknowledgaeble/blind fanboy fan is in for a shock.

Felipe Contepomi.

He would have solved their goal-kicking issues and impotent centre attack in one swoop. With him I'm certain they would have beat SA and run NZ even closer, a special player even now. Whilst I do not blame him at the end of his career it's a shame he chose the money.

 

[nickdnz]

Felipe Contepomi.

He would have solved their goal-kicking issues and impotent centre attack in one swoop. With him I'm certain they would have beat SA and run NZ even closer, a special player even now. Whilst I do not blame him at the end of his career it's a shame he chose the money.

Huge fan of his, but he's 35. I don't believe he would have been THAT effective. 2-3 seasons ago maybe. Like you though I was disappointed he bowed out of test rugby before this championship. Totally understand the move though.

 

[welshglory]

Felipe Contepomi.

He would have solved their goal-kicking issues and impotent centre attack in one swoop. With him I'm certain they would have beat SA and run NZ even closer, a special player even now. Whilst I do not blame him at the end of his career it's a shame he chose the money.

Nah they've got enough playmakers/kickers as it is.

They need a real running threat, someone who will suck in defenders.

 

[smartcooky]

"Caballo" means "horse" in Spanish. His surname is "Farías Cabello" and he is usually called only "Farías". And he is not "Juan" but "Julio", so the complete name is Julio Farías Cabello.

Sorry pal, but in this country, we are quite new to having to wrap our tongues around Spanish names... wait till you have to start tackling some of those Tongan, Samoan and Fijian names!

In the case, of this guy, since there is no "hyphen" between "Farias" and "Cabello", I naturally assumed that "Farias" was his middle name just as "Ray" is the middle name of "Stevie Ray Vaughan"

As for calling him "Juan" well his name is listed that way on some websites, including Green and Gold Rugby (look at the squad listing at the bottom of the page...

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/trc-preview-los-pumas/

[TEXTAREA]LOCKS:
Patricio ALBACETE (Stade Toulousain – France)
Manuel CARIZZA (Biarritz Olympique – France)
Juan FARIAS CABELLO (Tucuman Rugby Club – Argentina)
Tomas VALLEJOS CINALLI (Llanelli Scarlets – Wales)
[/TEXTAREA]