Rugby Championship: New Zealand - Australia (25/08/2012)

[Darwin]

Eden Park, Auckland (25-08-2012, 07:35 GMT)

Referee: Nigel Owens

Assistants: Alain Rolland

& Lourens van der Merwe

Television match official: B Skeen

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 450, align: center"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]New Zealand[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Australia
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Israel Dagg
[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]Adam Ashley-Cooper
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Cory Jane[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Drew Mitchell
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ma'a Nonu[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Rob Horne
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sonny Bill Williams[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Berrick Barnes
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hosea Gear[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]Digby Ioane
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Daniel Carter[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Quade Cooper
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Aaron Smith[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Will Genia
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kieran Read[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Scott Higginbotham
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Richie McCaw[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Michael Hooper
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Liam Messam[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Dave Dennis
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sam Whitelock[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Nathan Sharpe
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Luke Romano[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Sitaleki Timani
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Owen Franks[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Ben Alexander
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Keven Mealamu[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Stephen Moore
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Wyatt Crockett[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Benn Robinson
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Andrew Hore[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Saia Faingaa
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ben Franks[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]James Slipper
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Brodie Retallick[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Radike Samo
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Victor Vito[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Liam Gill
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Piri Weepu[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Nick Phipps
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Aaron Cruden[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Anthony Faingaa
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ben Smith[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Kurtley Beale
[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

​

 

[admartian]

Australia to actually try to win this weekend...apparently:
http://tvnz.co.nz/all-blacks/wallabies-stop-being-nice-5038703

So they only lost because they were being "nice"? Alright, then the ABs automatically get this excuse if they lose this weekend because they felt so bad for the Wallabies in Sydney... :lol:

 

[ret]

Australia to actually try to win this weekend...apparently:
http://tvnz.co.nz/all-blacks/wallabies-stop-being-nice-5038703

So they only lost because they were being "nice"? Alright, then the ABs automatically get this excuse if they lose this weekend because they felt so bad for the Wallabies in Sydney... :lol:

Not sure if this is exactly what he meant. They certainly lacked the "mongrel" of some previous Wallaby sides though. The only genuine display of "niceness" came from SBW in his supportive message to a sadly out of sorts Kurtley Beale, post match.

 

[kovana]

Im afraid that NZ will win this match.. by heaps in fact..

 

[Darwin]

I don't expect many changes for the AB's, apart from Crockett replacing the injured Woodcock. I would love to see Ellison or Ben Smith outside Nonu in the midfield, but I'm sure the coaches will stick with the SBW/Nonu combo.

As for Australia...... With Pocock and now Kepu out there will be a couple of injury enforced changes, but I would expect there will be other changes too. Slipper or Alexander will replace Kepu at TH (which will weaken their already weak scrum..), and Hooper will replace Pocock (with Gill coming onto the bench), but I wouldn't expect any more changes in the forward pack. Australia have plenty of options in the backline, and it will be interesting to see which way they go. Quade Cooper may come straight into 10 (with Barnes moving to 12), or they may opt to use him off the bench. The midfield needs to be rearranged - either with Barnes at 12 or Ashley-Cooper at 13 (or both). I think Mitchell will start on the right wing, and I have heard a few murmurings that Beale may well be dropped to the bench (with Ashley-Cooper moving to fullback).

I will wait until I've seen the teams named before I make my final prediction, but Australia may even struggle to get close given the quality of the two sides....

 

[InsaneAsylum]

if we have any chance of beating the all blacks we need to change our attitude, it's as simple as that (for starters anyway). part of the problem is that there is no belief that the all blacks can be defeats, and that's before the kickoff.

Ben Robinson looked extremely unfit last saturday but he may earn a reprieve with kepu being injured. I honestly can't think of a replacement on that side (i don't really follow props in a LH-TH sense, it all looks the same to me). Moore MUST start, Cooper MUST play 10, Gill MUST play 7, there MUST be a 4-3 bench split. I can't work out wether Simmons or Timani is the lesser of 2 evils. We need to pick the best players in each position, not try to fit the best players into positions. I wish shipperley would get a run too.

my hopeful team: robinson? moore alexander/slipper? simmons sharpe dennis/higginb gill higginb/samo genia cooper ioane barnes aac mitchell/shipperley beale

likely deans team: robinson tpn alexander/slipper timani sharpe dennis higginb/hooper samo genia barnes/cooper ioane whoknows/barnes/faingaa faingaa/horne aac beale

i have a strong opinion that aac is far better at centre than horne or faingaa, faingaa is a decent tackler, horne is just rubbish.
it would also be interesting to see gill and hooper play 6 and 7 but I doubt that would happen. deans would be too scared that mccaw and co would have a field day but I'd argue that we have nothing to lose against the ABs.. we are lucky to beat them once a year.

 

[BZHopenside]

I'm not feeling too confident about the Wallabies' chances. Look at the last time Pocock was injured. Whoever replaces him will have his work cut out dealing with McCaw and crew.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Goos news for the Wallabies: I bet all my vcash on an AB win.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

I'm just hoping Messam gets another shot at 6...

 

[Big Ewis]

Goos news for the Wallabies: I bet all my vcash on an AB win.

ba(s)tard !!

It sucks Pocock's down, he brings just that much more excitement to Aus...
So you people on here think we're about to watch some 40-10 kinda match or what ?!

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Where is George smith??

 

[TNT88]

I'm not feeling too confident about the Wallabies' chances. Look at the last time Pocock was injured. Whoever replaces him will have his work cut out dealing with McCaw and crew.

If there is 1 position we've got depth in it's #7. Hooper will step up to the challenge.

 

[Larksea]

All Blacks: Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Ma'a Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams, Hosea Gear, Dan Carter, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Liam Messam, Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett.

Reserves: Andrew Hore, Ben Franks, Brodie Retallick, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Aaron Cruden, Ben Smith.

 

[Larksea]

as I said before I don't think the loss of Pocock will hinder Australia much.

Genia will be a good choice as captain,They have two quality backups and the all blacks have developed tactics to counter Pocock

 

[Darwin]

Wallabies starting XV named:
15. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Drew Mitchell
13. Rob Horne
12. Berrick Barnes
11. Digby Ioane
10. Quade Cooper
9. Will Genia (captain)
8. Scott Higginbotham
7. Michael Hooper
6. Dave Dennis
5. Nathan Sharpe
4. Sitaleki Timani
3. Ben Alexander
2. Tatafu Polota Nau
1. Benn Robinson

Reserves to be confirmed later. A big backline reshuffle, with Cooper back at 10, Barnes out to 12, Mitchell coming in on the right wing, and Ashley-Cooper moving back to fullback (with Beale dropping out of the starting lineup). Up front Alexander and Hooper replace the injured Kepu and Pocock (as expected).

Great to see NZ have stuck with an (almost) unchanged lineup for a change. If Woodcock had not been injured we may have even seen the same All Black lineup for two weeks in a row! Hopefully we will get to see a bit more of the bench players (Vito, Cruden, and Smith in particular) this week.

 

[Larksea]

Some good changes to the Wallabies team, I like/hate Drew Mitchell - I think he's the type of character the Wallabies need.

I think the AB's will switch from a gameplan that focuses on Pocock to one that Focuses on Cooper. Cooper is going to get a noisy reception as soon as he walks onto the field, AB's to put pressure on him from the opening whistle and not let off at all for the 80.

Interesting to see Beale dropped, sure he did have a forgettable game. But starting him again would have given him some real motivation to make up for it. And him out of the lineup does remove one of their serious threats. AAC is solid but not a creative attacking threat like Beale.

still question marks over the forwards and if they can hang with the All Blacks.

absolute minimum changes for the AB's which is good the only realy Area that I think was up for change was lock after problems at lineout time and an impressive showing off the bench for retalick. Whitelock was very much below par for his standards, 8/8 lineouts but they were a bad platform and Sam did miss two critical tackles in the leadup to sharpes try - and some of his stats were down from what you would normally see from him. Heck ruck arrival stats show whitelock was even behind Retalick even though he only had about 30 min to Whitelocks 80! Got to ask what Sam was doing all game outside the lineouts? And he only made a couple more tackles in 80min than Retalick in just 30min.

But what hansen has done is given his players the chance to go out again and show they learned from the mistakes they made last week and build as a team. Really another golden chance for players like Romano, Messam and Gear to consolidate their positions. As those three positions are really the only ones that are not currently bolted down.

Also a chance for Crockett to maybe show he is ready for more time at this level.

I really see this as a chance for the All Blacks to get a bonus point win, deny Aussie a bonus point which will basically put them out of the Bledisloe cup and Rugby Championship for the year.

All Blacks by 14+

 

[Darwin]

Australia's backline will certainly be more creative on attack with Cooper at 10 - I'd expect a number of crossfield kicks, so Jane and Gear will have to be on their toes. I would imagine the AB's will definitely be targeting Cooper defensively though. Apparently he will be defending at 10 this weekend, so I'd imagine SBW, Nonu, and Gear will spend a lot of time running at the 10/12 channel (or possibly straight at Cooper..). The Aussie loosies will be off fast to help out, so Aaron Smith may well do a bit of snipping around the base of the scrum/lineout this week.

 

[admartian]

I think Australia will be well aware that the ABs will target their NZ first five; so I think expect Quade to make some probing runs in the beginning, and then to change tune (based on how the ABs treat him initially) to spreading it quickly (after trying to suck in some defenders).

This is gonna be interesting.

 

[smartcooky]

Australia's backline will certainly be more creative on attack with Cooper at 10 - I'd expect a number of crossfield kicks, so Jane and Gear will have to be on their toes. I would imagine the AB's will definitely be targeting Cooper defensively though. Apparently he will be defending at 10 this weekend, so I'd imagine SBW, Nonu, and Gear will spend a lot of time running at the 10/12 channel (or possibly straight at Cooper..). The Aussie loosies will be off fast to help out, so Aaron Smith may well do a bit of snipping around the base of the scrum/lineout this week.

So they will not be hiding him out the back when on defence? SBW and Ma"a will be licking their lips in anticipation!

As regards Cooper, I expect the Eden Park crowd will pick up where they left off after the RWC semi-final


[stroll down memory lane]

This reminds me very much of the 1977 Lions Tour. The All Blacks had lost to the Lions in 1971, then in that famous match at the Arms Park in 1973, they lost to the Barbarians; a team which was a Lions team in everything but name. Wales & Lions fly-half Phil Bennet was one of the stars of that Baa Baas side, and the All Blacks felt that they had some unfinished business with those players.

So the day of the first test arrives. Its at Athletic Park, Wellington. A more uncomfortable, and uninviting venue for rugby test you cannot imagine. Its a cold, drizzly, overcast day. The crowd in the exposed Millard Stand are getting a battering from the elements. The teams run onto the field. The All Blacks openside flanker that day was a guy called Kevin Everleigh, nicknamed "Hayburner" for his resemblance to a racehorse. A faster running and more ferocious tackling No. 7 would have been difficult to find in those days.

The game kicks off, and within minutes, the Lions are feeding the first scrum of the match. As Everleigh packs down, he waves to Phil Bennett to get his attention, then he makes a cross-hairs signal at him with his two index fingers. He follows that by bringing both hands to his face making a "binoculars shape" as he looks directly at him. The Lions win the scrum, Brynmor Williams passes the ball to Bennett and Eveleigh is flying. He hits Bennett at full speed, waist-high. Bennett staggers to his feet, holding his ribcage. A few minutes later, another scrum. Bennet stood a bit deeper... it didn't make any difference; the cross hairs, the binoculars, the pass, the flying tackle.....BANG! The staggering Phil Bennett holding his ribcage.

For the rest of that match, Phil Bennet looked like he wanted to be somewhere else. He stood very deep, and got rid of the ball like it was about to explode.

[/stroll down memory lane]

 

[donmcdazzle]

Cooper worries me as a NZ fan. With Barnes I know what he can do and it doesn't worry me. Cooper can do something amazing or something hopeless, but it is the unpredictability that worries me. If he strings enough good things together he can turn the game pretty quickly.

Hopefully he has another shocker. Wonder if the crowd will be on him again.