Test Rugby 2014 Wallabies Spring Tour

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Currently 10 minutes left in the first game of the Spring Tour. Wallabies playing well. Cheika has done a great job organising his team despite resting a few members of the best XV.

Great to see Skelton back in the side too.
 
chibimatty said:
And the Baa-Baas looked pretty impressive too! Fantastic opener to the tour!
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What an incredible game. So just passion from the Baa-baas despite only meeting together for the first time less than a week ago. Still can't believe the Wallabies didn't kick to touch after the 80 min mark, but it made for a great end. My heart was pounding.

Really exciting for next weeks game now!
 

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Great game. I don't give much of a s**t about how the Wallabies played in a game that means not a lot. Just playing together with Cheika at the helm with as few injuries as possible is good enough. Sounds like Higginbotham is doubtful for next week with a hamstring injury but I'm not too worried about that, never been a big supporter of his at Test level. A blindside who doesn't hit rucks at all isn't particularly useful in Test matches. Very entertaining game to watch though. Baa-Baas did a great job. Sean McMahon's game was great to see, added a lot of vigour and enthusiasm. Kuridrani played another good game too.

Expecting the following side for next week against Wales:

1. Slipper
2. Hanson
3. Kepu
4. Horwill
5. Simmons
6. Carter
7. Hooper
8. McCalman
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. AAC
12. Toomua
13. Kuridrani
14. Speight
15. Folau

16. Faingaa
17. Alexander
18. Robinson
19. Skelton
20. McMahon
21. Genia
22. Cooper
23. Horne
 
It was nice to see some more off-loading from the Wallabies. They need to increase their awareness of their support before taking it into contact. I'm glad that the first match was a Barbars game, it gave them the chance to enjoy playing spontaneous football. :)
 
chibimatty said:
It was nice to see some more off-loading from the Wallabies. They need to increase their awareness of their support before taking it into contact. I'm glad that the first match was a Barbars game, it gave them the chance to enjoy playing spontaneous football. :)
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All true but it was probably the nature of the Barbarians games (generally loose and without much focus on defence, rather a lot of effort to keep the ball alive) that made it easier for the Wallabies to pull that off. I highly doubt we'll see them do it again over the next month of rough, tough Test matches.

Wales vs Australia is often a relatively free-flowing game though, so perhaps we could see it under the roof at Millenium.
 
Yeh I was a White fan until about 12 months ago. Not been impressed with him in 2014. I hope Genia gets back to his best in the lead up to the RWC but Phipps I think is showing that he is capable of being a better than solid halfback at Test level (and I was not expecting to think that 12 months ago).
 
S120 said:
Yeh I was a White fan until about 12 months ago. Not been impressed with him in 2014. I hope Genia gets back to his best in the lead up to the RWC but Phipps I think is showing that he is capable of being a better than solid halfback at Test level (and I was not expecting to think that 12 months ago).
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White played well against the Barbarians when he came on. I think he has the best pass out of the 3 halfbacks in the squad. If he can have his 'box kick first' mentality coached out of him then he might be worth keeping around. Really stuffed up in that 3rd Bledisloe though.
 
S120 said:
Expecting the following side for next week against Wales:

1. Slipper
2. Hanson
3. Kepu
4. Horwill
5. Simmons
6. Carter
7. Hooper
8. McCalman
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. AAC
12. Toomua
13. Kuridrani
14. Speight
15. Folau

16. Faingaa
17. Alexander
18. Robinson
19. Skelton
20. McMahon
21. Genia
22. Cooper
23. Horne
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Not sure about Carter at 6 or Horwill to start. I'd definitely have either McMahon or Jones at 6.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Lilo start at 12 either. Played well in the 3rd Bledisloe. It's just too bad he's forgotten how to kick goals.
 
Maester said:
White played well against the Barbarians when he came on. I think he has the best pass out of the 3 halfbacks in the squad. If he can have his 'box kick first' mentality coached out of him then he might be worth keeping around. Really stuffed up in that 3rd Bledisloe though.
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White has cost us TWO test matches, just no. He is to never play again. I don't care how good he passes. For the record, Genia at his best is the best passer out of the 3.
 
bombersno1 said:
White has cost us TWO test matches, just no. He is to never play again. I don't care how good he passes. For the record, Genia at his best is the best passer out of the 3.
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Geez he's still a pretty young player at 24. Plenty of time to improve. He didn't actually lose the Bledisloe on his own did he. The late box kick was a bad mistake but he was in a poor position because the forwards were getting driven back. And the All Blacks still had to score the try from 30 odd metres out.

Genia is our best 9 when in good form (not necessarily the best passer, but a good one - certainly has a better pass than Phipps). But he hasn't been at his best for at least 2 years.
 
Maester said:
Not sure about Carter at 6 or Horwill to start. I'd definitely have either McMahon or Jones at 6.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Lilo start at 12 either. Played well in the 3rd Bledisloe. It's just too bad he's forgotten how to kick goals.
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I'm not against starting McMahon at 6 although apparently Wales are going to pick a very big, powerful forward pack. That's what makes me think Cheika will pick a Carter or Jones at 6. A Carter, Simmons, Jones 4-5-6 combo is something I'd really like to see. I really want to see what Jones has at Test level.

But I don't think he'll get picked. I think Cheika will go for experience at this stage with Horwill at lock/Carter at 6.
 

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Maester said:
Geez he's still a pretty young player at 24. Plenty of time to improve. He didn't actually lose the Bledisloe on his own did he. The late box kick was a bad mistake but he was in a poor position because the forwards were getting driven back. And the All Blacks still had to score the try from 30 odd metres out.

Genia is our best 9 when in good form (not necessarily the best passer, but a good one - certainly has a better pass than Phipps). But he hasn't been at his best for at least 2 years.
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White deserved to be taken out the back and shot. That kick was beyond shocking! He made about 5 metres and that's generous. Sure we missed tackles but fact remains any other halfback wouldn't have kicked the ball! Less than a minute left, hold the ball. Simple!
 
A win over Wales is always good, but with 30 seconds on the clock STOP ******* KICKING IT AWAY TO THE OPPOSITION. It's that exact ******* reason that we lost against the All Blacks in Bledisloe 3 - what the *.
 
I have little doubt that 12 months from now when these two teams meet in the RWC, we will be the better side. Some of the defensive errors made today I am happy to put down to Cheika implementing new ideas and growing pains. The Tahs took a while to become the defensive beasts they became to win the title. It will take some time for the Wallabies too.

Folau and Kuridrani were good again. Kuridrani kept a good leash on George North and made great ground with ball in hand as ever. Folau did well with the ball but his two tries were crucial. Both of them tries that not many others backs in world rugby could score consistently. He is that good though.

Foley's kicking was great but the side I thought became pretty rudderless after 5 or 6 phases. Again, I'm prepared to chalk that up to the new coach taking a little time to get on board with everyone but there were times when some very strange decisions were made. Going blind when we were outnumbered, hitting props at first receiver way behind the advantage line and seemingly directionless play amongst Foley at times. I'm confident that can improve over the next month though.

I liked Ben McCalman's game a lot. It wasn't a spectacular no.8 game but it was so solid. Good ground made with ball in hand, great defence and great play at the breakdown. Really liked his performance. Hooper was good again too. Saia Fainga'a played well too I thought. Decent ball running, good defence and was a presence around the breakdown.

Sam Carter's game annoyed me. Some really awful errors in handling and gameplay. I'd rather start Horwill next week. Skelton was fine in general play but good lord, his scrummaging was hard to watch. His arse lifted up so many times, Kepu barely had a chance on our own line.
 
1. James Slipper (Queensland Reds- 60 Tests)
2. Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds – 33 Tests)
3. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs – 49 Tests)
4. James Horwill (Queensland Reds – 57 Tests)
5. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds – 47 Tests)
6. Sean McMahon (Melbourne Rebels – 1 Test)
7. Michael Hooper (c - NSW Waratahs – 39 Tests)
8. Ben McCalman (Western Force – 35 Tests)
9. Nick Phipps (NSW Waratahs – 25 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (NSW Waratahs – 15 Tests)
11. Joe Tomane (ACT Brumbies – 13 Tests)
12. Christian Leali’ifano (ACT Brumbies – 15 Tests)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (ACT Brumbies – 18 Tests)
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs – 101 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs – 26 Tests)

Carter out, Horwill in. Huzzah. Reserves still to be named.
 
bombersno1 said:
Horwill again, really? Hope he isn't guaranteed a spot like he was in the past. Good luck to the team.
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My happiness is based more on Carter being out. Horwill is the best option to partner Simmons from what is a very shallow pool of locks for us atm. I wish Kane Douglas was still around, he'd be PERFECT for what this side needs. Or Hugh Pyle.
 
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S120 said:
My happiness is based more on Carter being out. Horwill is the best of what is a very shallow pool of locks for us atm. I wish Kane Douglas was still around, he'd be PERFECT for what this side needs. Or Hugh Pyle.
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Don't mind Carter but he is 12 months away.Glad McMahon was kept think there is potential there. We need to develop some locks badly.
 
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