Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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#1570340 12-Jun-2016 09:48

Went to the game. Awesome atmosphere. We were seated with a bunch of Welsh supporters and what struck me was that everyone was there to watch a great game of rugby. The Welshman sitting beside me commented on what a difference Gatland had made to the Welsh playing style, and that was evident right from the first whistle. The Welsh supporters made up maybe 10% of the crowd, but sounded like 50% at times.
The game itself was a typical 'first of season run' for the ABs, a bit rusty and not that fluid. I am just about to sit down and watch a replay so can't comment too much about the mechanics of the game. But I think Julian Savea will be lucky to retain his spot.

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#1570341 12-Jun-2016 09:50

tdgeek:

joker97:

Give Wales some credit. They are IMO one of the top 4 in the world since 2011. But yes there are some errors the ABs committed but usually inconsequential.

And don't forget the forward pass. So 4-3.

I gave Wales a lot of credit. Forward pass was a forward pass according to the ref. But it was the bitsa game the AB's played. Wales are ranked 6th. They tired, so thats their problem, but at 1 on 1 it was an even game for most of it. It wasn't like watching an AB game, particularly with a non top 5 team, so whether thai lack of excellence was being a new team, or they are many steps down from the old team, hard to know.

They are better than their ranking suggests. Top 4 is probably underestimating.

I know a bad AB performance when I see it. They did what Hansen told them to do. Back to basics, do the basics well in defense and attack. Bar a few dropped balls by one person lol.

I agree no line busting heart stopping moments by the usual suspects ie Nonu and C Smith but Nonu and Smith are not around! Nor were there gang tackles and ball steals by 6-7-8. But I don't think that was the plan.

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#1570349 12-Jun-2016 10:03

I enjoyed the game, I expect there to be bigger score differences in the next two tests I think, when the AB's have more game time. They looked a little rusty, but not as bad as the first game in most previous seasons I can recall.

WB had a fairly average night. Not terrible, but that wasn't a forward pass for my money. Fekitoa isn't really suited at 13 I don't think. He SEEMS to be moving a lot but doesn't really seem to go very far. I think his main advantage is he draws attackers. Ardie looked compelling.

Would have to agree that the Bus may struggle to keep his position.

We look exposed under the high ball, even Ben Smith didn't do so well last night!.

I wasn't too impressed with our defense last night.

I still worry we seem to rely on luck too much to win us games. Our bench did provide the expected impact and looked the goods, but by then Wales were pretty much walking :)

I'll be keen to see missed tackle count and other stats on a player basis if anyone has access (Link rather than paste them).

Re the England game, I predicted England would beat Australia. IF had a great game under the high ball, and England didn't shut him down fast enough and paid the price. England clearly wanted to set right the last game they played. Eddie Jones has a way of extracting the "mongrel" in teams and they played like it.

Australia really needed to be binned 3 penalties earlier, was just crazy how many they gave away.

Owen Farrell is the new Johnny Wilkinson man that guy can kick!

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#1570376 12-Jun-2016 10:34

Thoughts on the red card in the South Africa v Ireland game? I thought it was barely a penalty

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#1570381 12-Jun-2016 10:51

JarrodM: Thoughts on the red card in the South Africa v Ireland game? I thought it was barely a penalty

Watched the highlights just now, I am in two minds, unsure what the rule book states, but he does knock Pat Lambie out cold regardless of intent. I agree he was committed. Not sure what the right thing to do in that situation is.

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#1570386 12-Jun-2016 11:00

I thought the game was actually a standard above most "1st tests" for the year. There wasn't that much dropped ball in non pressure situations and first phase went well, without creating any scrum pressure on Wales. Generally the pack went well - they took over the game in the second half and broke the Welsh physically.

The midfield is a concern, neither Fekitoa or Crotty made any real mistakes but as a combination the didn't bring any impact. Crotty did nothing wrong but I really do only see him as a placeholder. He can't seem to produce go forward either with footwork or power. 47 metres on 13 carries just isn't good enough from a 2nd 5/8. This kills the space for Fekitoa, who really should have scored when he had a clean one on one.

We've been very spoiled by Nonu and SBW who can generate punch in midfield and get the team on a roll. It'd be interesting to see Ngatai in 12 and see if we can get some go forward.

Savea and Tuipolotu produced real impact. I thought this was probably Tuipolotus best game as an All Black, he was physical in the tight and won Wales lineout ball. This isn't luck, it's a key reason the All Blacks consistently win. They have more aerobic players to run and run and run in the first 60 and they've developed players like Faumuaina, Barrett and now Tuipolotu and Savea who provide an explosive impact. They probably can't go for 80 but that's not their role.

Stats here:

Stats

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#1570519 12-Jun-2016 16:04

networkn:

I enjoyed the game, I expect there to be bigger score differences in the next two tests I think, when the AB's have more game time. They looked a little rusty, but not as bad as the first game in most previous seasons I can recall.

WB had a fairly average night. Not terrible, but that wasn't a forward pass for my money. Fekitoa isn't really suited at 13 I don't think. He SEEMS to be moving a lot but doesn't really seem to go very far. I think his main advantage is he draws attackers. Ardie looked compelling.

Would have to agree that the Bus may struggle to keep his position.

We look exposed under the high ball, even Ben Smith didn't do so well last night!.

I wasn't too impressed with our defense last night.

I still worry we seem to rely on luck too much to win us games. Our bench did provide the expected impact and looked the goods, but by then Wales were pretty much walking :)

I'll be keen to see missed tackle count and other stats on a player basis if anyone has access (Link rather than paste them).

Re the England game, I predicted England would beat Australia. IF had a great game under the high ball, and England didn't shut him down fast enough and paid the price. England clearly wanted to set right the last game they played. Eddie Jones has a way of extracting the "mongrel" in teams and they played like it.

Australia really needed to be binned 3 penalties earlier, was just crazy how many they gave away.

Owen Farrell is the new Johnny Wilkinson man that guy can kick!

Farrell kicks like Morne Steyn. If he can drop kick like a South African England has the potential to be top 2 in the world, which means some contest in Japan. English guys are huge.

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#1570567 12-Jun-2016 17:01

I saw this when I watched it live. Grey should be sanctioned and fined.

Tensions between England and the Wallabies threatened to boil over at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday night when England fullback Mike Brown pushed Australia assistant coach Nathan Grey while claiming the ball in touch.

Grey, who was running the drinks for Australia in their 39-28 defeat to Eddie Jones' England, was standing in his specified area next to the field of play when Wallabies halfback Nick Phipps put a box kick up into the air with the home side trailing 19-13 in the 45th minute.

Brown attempted to catch the ball and at the same time Grey, while standing in his marked box, tried to disrupt the catch in order to make sure England would not be able to take a quick throw-in.

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#1570569 12-Jun-2016 17:02

joker97:

Farrell kicks like Morne Steyn. If he can drop kick like a South African England has the potential to be top 2 in the world, which means some contest in Japan. English guys are huge.

That English #1 was MASSIVE. Maybe the biggest I've ever seen. Their midfield makes ours look puny.

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#1570570 12-Jun-2016 17:03

networkn:

joker97:

Farrell kicks like Morne Steyn. If he can drop kick like a South African England has the potential to be top 2 in the world, which means some contest in Japan. English guys are huge.

That English #1 was MASSIVE. Maybe the biggest I've ever seen. Their midfield makes ours look puny.

It has something to do with colour - white skin tights will make things look bigger than black tights.

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#1570648 12-Jun-2016 19:52

Tell you one thing, the booing at the kickers (and in general our conduct as live supporters) leaves me embarrassed. I really can't understand people behaving that way. Booing Cooper, for years after the "incidents" was pretty poor form as well. 1 game perhaps, but seriously, we need to show some class and show

we deserve to be supporters for the greatest team in the world.

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#1571943 14-Jun-2016 20:38

GO THE CHIEFS! Chiefs 40 Wales 7
What an awesome game (from a Chiefs supporter's perspective). Admittedly it was the Wales midweek team, but the Chiefs were missing Retallick, Cane, Cruden, Tameavalu, McKenzie, Kerr-Barlow and Ngatai.
Beaver played out of his skin, denied a try by the TMO, but played like a man 10 years younger.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

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#1571949 14-Jun-2016 20:43

Dingbatt: GO THE CHIEFS! Chiefs 40 Wales 7
What an awesome game (from a Chiefs supporter's perspective). Admittedly it was the Wales midweek team, but the Chiefs were missing Retallick, Cane, Cruden, Tameavalu, McKenzie, Kerr-Barlow and Ngatai.
Beaver played out of his skin, denied a try by the TMO, but played like a man 10 years younger.

? Maybe they are playing with no effort to keep fresh for the Cake Tin?

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#1571953 14-Jun-2016 20:47

joker97:
Dingbatt: GO THE CHIEFS! Chiefs 40 Wales 7
What an awesome game (from a Chiefs supporter's perspective). Admittedly it was the Wales midweek team, but the Chiefs were missing Retallick, Cane, Cruden, Tameavalu, McKenzie, Kerr-Barlow and Ngatai.
Beaver played out of his skin, denied a try by the TMO, but played like a man 10 years younger.

? Maybe they are playing with no effort to keep fresh for the Cake Tin?

Burst many bubbles?
Can you imagine the All Blacks or any national side not trying?

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

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#1571956 14-Jun-2016 20:49

I'm more interested in how the ABs would fare against England ... maybe the guys can like delay super 15(whatever it is nowadays) for one week for England to fly over here! Oh well ...

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