Aucklander
The Ultimate Warrior
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- #51
Fix their restarts as well. Very poor.
I reckon the ABs will win in a canter next week.
I reckon the ABs will win in a canter next week.
Tri Nations/Bledisloe Cup - Aus v NZ (Etihad Stadium)
- Thread starter clarkoscluster
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Wahooti Fandango
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Probably, but still will not win the World Cup.
Bomber Bears
Cancelled
Wallolbies
Aucklander
The Ultimate Warrior
- Moderator
- #54
The odds certainly don't favour them, but then they're a different kettle of fish at home and at Eden Park.
Time will tell.
See, this is where our perspectives differ. The way I see it, he already had his chance when he was binned. It's not punishment for interfering with the ball. It's punishment for choosing to continue to infringe.
You can say it's a tough punishment given the offence, but is it a tough punishment for a player who chose to continue to cheat after being given a warning? It's not like what Mitchell did was accidental, and he knew the consequences.
I don't know. I know that rugby has strict rules, but if you're disciplined then they're not that hard to follow. It's not like soccer - very rarely have I seen a player sent off where I can say he doesn't have himself to blame.
Wahooti Fandango
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McCaw repeatedly infringes every match and is never sin binned let alone sent off.
Well, that's a separate matter.
In this situation it was pretty cut and dried. For better or worse, the referee made it clear to both captains that the cards were coming out of the pocket. Once that happened he had no choice, and the players had no excuse. When the whistle went, you could see in Mitchell's face he knew exactly what was coming.
In this situation it was pretty cut and dried. For better or worse, the referee made it clear to both captains that the cards were coming out of the pocket. Once that happened he had no choice, and the players had no excuse. When the whistle went, you could see in Mitchell's face he knew exactly what was coming.
Aucklander
The Ultimate Warrior
- Moderator
- #58
Caesar said:
His initial binning, like Franks was debateable and it's probably why NRL refs err on the cautious side.
A check with the guy upstairs might be worthwhile. When they penalised the All Black replacement for a dangerous tackle they clearly got it horribly wrong and were actually going to sin bin him if they had his number.
Caesar said:
Yep, although I'd hardly call him a cheat. A sin bin would have been more than enough IMO for such a low level offence.
Caesar said:
It's all about interpretation I guess. Our differing views probably highlight that. I'd imagine refs would be much the same.
Aucklander
The Ultimate Warrior
- Moderator
- #59
You obviously must have it wrong then.
Yeah. At the end of the day our interpretations might even come down to the styles we're used to being refereed in. It's that subtle.
One thing's for sure, rugby referees have a huge amount of discretion compared to a lot of sports.
Wahooti Fandango
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I prefer my brother's explanation; McCaw is the captain and so refs are reluctant to send him off.
Same same everywhere every game
Referees think they're bigger than the game
If you turn up or tune in to watch what is supposed to be a major sporting event and the referee is allowed to make the weaker team play more than half the game a man down for what could be described" indescretions" is laughable.
Deans said it best..."nonsensical"
I accept 32-14 at half-time , but that's nothing in the modern game.
Referees think they're bigger than the game
If you turn up or tune in to watch what is supposed to be a major sporting event and the referee is allowed to make the weaker team play more than half the game a man down for what could be described" indescretions" is laughable.
Deans said it best..."nonsensical"
I accept 32-14 at half-time , but that's nothing in the modern game.
Mint Condition
Club Legend
I've heard that Mitchell's first yellow was for taking McCaw out off the ball and that it was deserved. Too bad it seemingly wasn't picked up by the cameras...
I'm not too devastated. All Blacks deserved to win and the Wallabies played really stupidly at times. But with 15 men on the field and a bit more ability at bloody kick off's and we'd have been right in it.
How good are both Pocock and McCaw by the way?! Was a pleasure to watch those two go at it.
Pocock was head and shoulders above any other Australian player, his ability to win turnovers even with the new ruck interpretations is amazing. You just see him get in there, and then get absolutely smashed, but somehow retain his feet and his hold on the ball. And he's very accurate when he goes for it and when he doesn't - or at least, like McCaw reads the referee very well and figures out what he can get away with - which thankfully is a lot less under the new interpretation.
The Etihad pitch is a disgrace - they need to figure something out because it's not good enough. It was like a sandpit out there. A few of the English Premier League sides with massive sun blocking stadiums now use some half synthetic/half grass turf that apparently works pretty well. Maybe Etihad should look into it.
I'm not too devastated. All Blacks deserved to win and the Wallabies played really stupidly at times. But with 15 men on the field and a bit more ability at bloody kick off's and we'd have been right in it.
How good are both Pocock and McCaw by the way?! Was a pleasure to watch those two go at it.
Pocock was head and shoulders above any other Australian player, his ability to win turnovers even with the new ruck interpretations is amazing. You just see him get in there, and then get absolutely smashed, but somehow retain his feet and his hold on the ball. And he's very accurate when he goes for it and when he doesn't - or at least, like McCaw reads the referee very well and figures out what he can get away with - which thankfully is a lot less under the new interpretation.
The Etihad pitch is a disgrace - they need to figure something out because it's not good enough. It was like a sandpit out there. A few of the English Premier League sides with massive sun blocking stadiums now use some half synthetic/half grass turf that apparently works pretty well. Maybe Etihad should look into it.
Mint Condition
Club Legend
Two yellows is a red card, everyone knows that. Mitchell shouldn't have done what he did considering he was already on a yellow. It was cynical and stupid and both teams had been specifically warned about that very thing. No one to blame but himself. Funny thing was Australia probably played better in the 2nd half with just 14 men. We actually managed to keep the ball and put extended phases together - resulting in a couple of tries.
The fact the All Blacks were going to have been given a yellow card in the 2nd half for that lifting tackle would have been the biggest joke. Luckily for them Kaplan is blind.
The fact the All Blacks were going to have been given a yellow card in the 2nd half for that lifting tackle would have been the biggest joke. Luckily for them Kaplan is blind.
LukeParkerno1
Post-Human
Nice to see the ref compltely wreck the game. He was awful (both sides though), Mitchell was dumb. I like my mate's explanation.."whenever a saffa is in charge, we might as well go home". The less said about Giteau the better.
What options do we have at 10? Would anyone consider Kurtley Beale at 10?
What options do we have at 10? Would anyone consider Kurtley Beale at 10?
Mint Condition
Club Legend
Giteau was by far better than Barnes last night. The amount of times Barnes rushed out of defence only to miss the tackle was not good. The change I'd definitely make is dropping Brown from number 8. Don't care who comes in for him but he played poorly. I also don't think O'Connor is our best option on the wing. Hynes or Shepherd would be better I think.
Next week is going to be brutal.
Aucklander
The Ultimate Warrior
- Moderator
- #70
Mint Condition said:
Not me.
When did it come in?Mint Condition said:
Still think it was pedantic, but done now.
Mint Condition said:
Yep times 2
LukeParkerno1
Post-Human
Giteau continually hogged the ball all damn night, he was crap. Plus while Carter banged his conversions over left, right and centre..Giteau misses two sitters!
Brown I agree..problem is the options are hardly there, as for O'Connor..what is he supposed to do when Giteau gives him NO BALL! Hynes is injured, and Cam Shephard is a fullback.
like I said previously...referees, umpires, call them what you will...they're great on making ball cracking decisions on the minutiae..but miss the two off-side tries and how that ball magically appeared at McCaw's feet so he could score a try.
Meh..it's rugby, but it's just bewildering that at Test level you can end up 14 vs 15 for over half a match for such crap.
Your Kidding. Giteau was our second best back (behind AAC, who actually got over the advantage line). He chose the right options and ran when he saw gaps. It's not Giteau's fault that the All Blacks had our backline well and truly covered. Would you rather he pass it to Barnes who will most likely grubber kick it 10 m resulting in a turnover and one of the AB backs in open play. The times he did pass it to Barnes, Barnes would proceed to chose the wrong option.
We desperately need A Faainga to play at 12. He straightens up the play and provides Giteau with a running option, not mention that he's arguably our best defensive back.
On another note,it might be just me but i would hate to play under a captain like Elsom. He simply doesn't communicate well with the group and he seems to be that lone wolf type of player. I don't think i have ever seen him encourage any of his teammates, one example sticks out, Pocock pilfered the ball resulting in a Aus penalty and enthusiastically jumped up clapping and cheering only to turn to Elsom who simply turned away and ignored him.
I would seriously be looking at giving the captaincy to Pocock or Genia who look to be the 'real leaders' of the group (a bit like Luke Hodge).
Elsom leads by example, he plays hard, uncompromising, committed rugby - but I agree with you, he seems more of a VC than a C.
Crap ref ruined the game, attention whore.
Crap ref ruined the game, attention whore.
LukeParkerno1
Post-Human
Yet Giteau passsed the ball what once to Horne..twice to Mitchell in the whole game. He is a hog, I am sorry, but the main weapons for Australia before the game were Horne, Mitchell, JOK, and AAK..and yet they would have barely got the ball 10 times between then. It was poor from the no10 and 12, especially the no10 who is meant to be the organiser. Simply put Giteau is a runner not an organiser. Faainga is not ready yet, he would be monstered by Nonu. Yes Barnes kick was poor but the pass from Genia did him no favours..slow, loopy. Heck Burgess was better than Genia!
The captain, I'd agree, give it to Pocock or Polatau-Nau.
