Spring Tour: Australia v Wales - 3rd Test. (23/06/2012 05:00 GMT)

[dullonien]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrgggggg. Still feel like that.

 

[Peat]

With the newer rules about grounding the ball, that was a legitimate try. Don't even need control of the ball any more, or downwards pressure, just need contact. So perfectly good try, although he was lucky he didn't lose control of the ball.

You'd kill him if you were the winger when he went alone there and he hadn't got it.

Anyway, on the bright side...

Find a 9 and a 10 with a brain and you'll be deadly.

 

[dullonien]

You'd kill him if you were the winger when he went alone there and he hadn't got it.

Anyway, on the bright side...

Find a 9 and a 10 with a brain and you'll be deadly.

At 9, one of Webb, Williams or even Knoyle should be capable. Give Webb gametime I say. He might be raw and makes mistakes on occasion, but he's got the spark we're after, and has the best all round game of the three. He will improve with gametime.

10 is more difficult. There are three 'almost there' players in Priestland, Hook and Biggar. One needs to step-up, I don't care which.

I'm very disappointed that this tour has finished without having a chance to see much from Ashley Beck. He wasn't given any real opportunities to shine in the two tests with Wales not getting much attacking opportunities in Austrailia's half, let alone 22. We did miss Roberts physicality a little, but Beck stood up quite well in that regard and still feel he could offer something a little different. Still be nice to have Roberts back, but want to see Beck to continue to get gametime to push his claim.

 

[TRF_woosaah]

what is with this guy with the tampon up his nose? i missed who it was as i just turned it over and grabbed the image, by fluke and switched back again!

 

[Peat]

Was Webb the guy who just shovelled out the ball to Priestland in the 78th minute in the 2nd test? Whoever that scrum-half was, that sort of play is exactly what Wales need to cut out...

 

[TRF_Cymro]

So do you guys reckon Paul James should be first choice loosehead. Jenkins hasn't really been at his best since the world cup. He seems to strengthen the scrum so much, if Hibbard had been on the bench maybe we could have squeezed out a penalty try

Jenkins doesn't have a good series by his standards and then bang you want him out. Unbelievable. James was good when he came on but Jenkins is a player Wales needs, he's a good player who will be back after a good rest.

 

[dullonien]

Was Webb the guy who just shovelled out the ball to Priestland in the 78th minute in the 2nd test? Whoever that scrum-half was, that sort of play is exactly what Wales need to cut out...

Yes it was, but it's one mistake in only his second cap. He's been great for the Ospreys this year, and will hopefully continue to improve. As I said he needs experience.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

what is with this guy with the tampon up his nose? i missed who it was as i just turned it over and grabbed the image, by fluke and switched back again!

:lol:
Broken and/or bloody nose, trying to stem the flow

 

[welshglory]

Jenkins doesn't have a good series by his standards and then bang you want him out. Unbelievable. James was good when he came on but Jenkins is a player Wales needs, he's a good player who will be back after a good rest.

Alright mate chill out just making a suggestion. Jee Wizz

Don't know why he really needs a rest when he's been injured most of the year and last year

 

[big ginger 8]

Is this where I bring up Healy?

 

[welshglory]

Healy was dominant.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Alright mate chill out just making a suggestion. Jee Wizz

Don't know why he really needs a rest when he's been injured most of the year

No point really having a debate over this with you. If you say something that someone disagrees with really there is no need for 'chill out', because I'm perfectly chilled. Jenkins played as many test matches as he did last year and one less Pro 12 fixture. Consider he also played in the World Cup. Gethin played quite a bit.

 

[welshglory]

No point really having a debate over this with you. If you say something that someone disagrees with really there is no need for 'chill out', because I'm perfectly chilled. Jenkins played as many test matches as he did last year and one less Pro 12 fixture. Consider he also played in the World Cup. Gethin played quite a bit.

Yawn

 

[ret]

Congratulations to Australia.

Slightly embarassing/worrying for us up north that our best couldn't take a result against arguably the SH's worst.

Australia are nowhere near their best yet-but winning their last 4 successive games against S.A. and 2 from their last 4 against NZ makes them arguably the SH's worst? Um how?

 

[Keithmurdoch]

I think he means third best. When it really counted last year the Bokke was robbed blind by the yellows, who then had NZ do a proper job on them. You could argue about what that implies about the relative current strengths of the three teams, which is why he said 'arguably'. Also all three have been depleated since then and Oz's lack of depth seems to have been exposed in contrast to the other two.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Australia are nowhere near their best yet-but winning their last 4 successive games against S.A. and 2 from their last 4 against NZ makes them arguably the SH's worst? Um how?

Nah Peat doesn't really think that I don't think. Northern hemisphere just fans think differenty about the Southern hemisphere teams. We find it easier to beat Australia not because you are less good than South Africa but because the wallabies can be taken on up front/in the scrum in a way that South Africa can't be. Whereas Australia have the attacking game to get the better of South Africa, which is not something any of the Northern hem teams seem to have at the moment.

it's the rock paper scissors model I guess. And New Zealand only participate in it insofar as they can beat anyone and everyone!

 

[Jbobo]

I think people may be underestimating the significantly different threat that each NH team poses to the SH teams. I feel that if Wales had played SA, for example, they would have challenged SA more consistently throughout the three tests (physically, if nothing else) than England have (so far). If England had played Aus, i feel that they would have been defeated more comfortably than Wales have as i feel their defence and strength in depth does not quite match up. Furthermore, i think that if Wales were playing NZ that they would have been able to hold their own more consistently than Ireland, who also lack depth and the fitness to compete for 3 games.

Basically my opinion is that although Australia had a weakened team against Wales, i feel that Wales are stronger (overall) than the other NH teams and therefore have made Australia look a little less than Magnificent throughout. The is due to the fact that we have been able to compete right up to the final whistle in each game.
Australia still won, and in the end, deservedly so. But do not take away from the fact that Wales play for 80 minutes which is unique amongst the NH sides, and therefore would make either of the SH teams look less dominant regardless of who they are. This will be proved in the future i hope.

So yeah, Australia aren't weaker than SA imo. In the end, SA have been playing a team which has not been able to step up physically whereas i think they would have had problems against the Welsh.
Just a Welshman writing his thoughts!

First Post

 

[racingmetrofan]

I think people may be underestimating the significantly different threat that each NH team poses to the SH teams. I feel that if Wales had played SA, for example, they would have challenged SA more consistently throughout the three tests (physically, if nothing else) than England have (so far). If England had played Aus, i feel that they would have been defeated more comfortably than Wales have as i feel their defence and strength in depth does not quite match up. Furthermore, i think that if Wales were playing NZ that they would have been able to hold their own more consistently than Ireland, who also lack depth and the fitness to compete for 3 games.

Basically my opinion is that although Australia had a weakened team against Wales, i feel that Wales are stronger (overall) than the other NH teams and therefore have made Australia look a little less than Magnificent throughout. The is due to the fact that we have been able to compete right up to the final whistle in each game.
Australia still won, and in the end, deservedly so. But do not take away from the fact that Wales play for 80 minutes which is unique amongst the NH sides, and therefore would make either of the SH teams look less dominant regardless of who they are. This will be proved in the future i hope.

So yeah, Australia aren't weaker than SA imo. In the end, SA have been playing a team which has not been able to step up physically whereas i think they would have had problems against the Welsh.
Just a Welshman writing his thoughts!

First Post

I disagree. I think we (Eng) would have beaten Oz. tbh Wales have shown an inability to close out games against any SH teams over the last year or two. We've beaten Australia 2 out of the last 3 times we've played them, and once very comfortably. Wales have had so many opportunities to beat an SH hemisphere side and continue on the up, and they have just been completely incapable of taking them.

Plus on the SA vs Aus argument, we cant forget that SA has had an absolute idiot as a coach for the last couple of years, while AUS has had one of the very best.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I think people may be underestimating the significantly different threat that each NH team poses to the SH teams. I feel that if Wales had played SA, for example, they would have challenged SA more consistently throughout the three tests (physically, if nothing else) than England have (so far). If England had played Aus, i feel that they would have been defeated more comfortably than Wales have as i feel their defence and strength in depth does not quite match up. Furthermore, i think that if Wales were playing NZ that they would have been able to hold their own more consistently than Ireland, who also lack depth and the fitness to compete for 3 games.

Basically my opinion is that although Australia had a weakened team against Wales, i feel that Wales are stronger (overall) than the other NH teams and therefore have made Australia look a little less than Magnificent throughout. The is due to the fact that we have been able to compete right up to the final whistle in each game.
Australia still won, and in the end, deservedly so. But do not take away from the fact that Wales play for 80 minutes which is unique amongst the NH sides, and therefore would make either of the SH teams look less dominant regardless of who they are. This will be proved in the future i hope.

So yeah, Australia aren't weaker than SA imo. In the end, SA have been playing a team which has not been able to step up physically whereas i think they would have had problems against the Welsh.
Just a Welshman writing his thoughts!

First Post

Huh? must be missing something.

 

[Jbobo]

I agree that we have shown a distinct inability to close off games, but i disagree that England would have beaten Aus. The games between Eng/SA were very different to Wales/Aus and i believe Wales would be able to challenge SA physically whereas England found that to be their achillies' heel. Although Wales don't have the mental strength to overcome the best teams in the world currently, i think above England/Ireland we have the ability to compete for the full 80 which i think has been our most significant improvement over the last year or so.

Time will tell and there's not much in it, but that's the difference i've observed between the teams.
I'm not saying Wales would have beaten SA, as i honestly believe we are not there yet but i dismiss the idea, which some people have argued, that Aus were 'there for the picking'. Clearly, they were well ready to take on the Welsh and have proved that with a 3-0 series win. We were always the underdogs but have shown, unlike England, that we can compete at the highest level for more than one game at a time. Not taking away from England's fantastic improvement since the world cup however and they could be at the same level very soon, i am not convinced that this English team is would be able to get into a position in comparison against Aus to have a chance at finishing the game as they have problems nullifying the attacks of the best teams - Wales included.

And to Stormer, my point is as above. I never really felt at any point that SA we're being matched at their level of intensity. Whereas I think Wales stepped up to the mark a little better, albeit not enough considered the amount of penalties we gave away which lost us the match. In the end i think they would have been challenged a little more by the Welsh backs/scrum.