Geekzone Rugby (Union) Discussion Thread

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838 posts

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#2777590 13-Sep-2021 15:07

networkn:

Overall, I think we can say we are building nicely where we have the players. Lineout (throwing), and scrum still are a concern. Our forwards are doing a good job of cleaning out and getting to rucks.

I think we are helped somewhat by a lack of a dominant team in world rugby and the fact that others play a boring style which means even if they do get a lead they are never that far away from being caught.

South Africa really are designed for a world cup style of game where winning is the only concern (You see similar in Football world cup too)

I would put England similar to South Africa, even though I think the English players could play a more expansive game. France are a bit of an unknown as the can be creative but can also revert to a boring style.

I think we win easy again next game against Argentina, have one close one with SA and thrash them in the other.

As for the players I think we are light in the backups especially in the front row and number 7.

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#2777956 14-Sep-2021 08:04

I disagree with Quade Cooper being made an Australian citizen as has been reported will now happen as quickly as next Tuesday after last weekends 'heroics' against SA.

It's not that I disagree with him being given citizenship, I just don't feel it should have been off the back of that performance. He represented Australia 70 times previously in their National team. THAT should have qualified him quite a number of years ago. He has paid tax there for 15+ years presumably in some measure.

I am really happy he will finally get to have his dream come true, and his story is an interesting one. Congrats to him, but boo to AU Govt for only doing it now.

Batman

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#2778020 14-Sep-2021 09:03

i don't want to be political about this but Australia doesn't have a good track record with taking our best and dumping their worst on our shores

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#2779434 16-Sep-2021 16:43

Man, that is a *lot* of changes being made for a single test. I'll be impressed if they still put together a decent effort. I do understand they build depth by providing various players opportunities but that seems a lot.

I remain largely unconvinced at Tuipolotu as a test level lock. At his best, he is absolutely excellent, but he is *so* inconsistent for both the Blues and AB's in recent times.

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#2780932 20-Sep-2021 11:23

Pretty pleased with how the weekend turned out.

Particularly, if I am honest, watching AU follow up their win last week with a more dominant win this weekend.

Argentina took a while to make their way into the game, but for some periods in the second half put the AB's under pressure. It's a little disappointing to let that try in to be honest, the backline defense should really have been able to stop that. Despite so many changes, there was plenty of encouraging signs. We probably blew 4 tries due to a lack of patience and a bit of over-excitement. Joe Moody's return is welcome.

It's a bit of a shame our first choice in a few positions won't be available next weekend, but hopefully, ALB will be back in Centre and Reiko can get back on the wing. I'm guessing BB will return to 10, it will be interesting to see who gets the nod at full-back. I'm guessing perhaps Jordie due to his bigger kick, and potentially a bit better under the high ball. I do wonder if SA will persist with their up and under kicking or just play Crash ball...

Jas777

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#2780938 20-Sep-2021 11:45

South Africa's 2 performances just go to reinforce how poor a coach Warren Gatland is now. Any decent coach and Lions could have won the series 3 - 0. If the Lions played with any sense of a bit of flair and move the ball into space they could easily won.

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#2780942 20-Sep-2021 11:58

can't see ABs not smashing the boks twice.

i hope the boks put up a fight as i no longer enjoy watching the ABs play you know what's going to happen.

i 100% enjoyed the boks wallabies, those 2 matches made my month.

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#2782106 22-Sep-2021 12:22

For this weekend I wonder who the coaches will be selecting.

I think in terms of Loose Trio I'd be looking at Akira 6, Savea 7 and Blackadder or Jacobsen at 8. I haven't seen the stats but apparently, Blackadder missed 4 tackles from 11 last week (Compared to Will Jordan missed 1 from 10!). Having said that he seemed to be everywhere and has been pretty physically dominant and in combination of him and Akira, we should be able to match SA physically upfront. I'd suggest Moody will start, and Taylor. I am unsure who does in at 3 (Probably Laulala but only for scrummaging. BB at 10, and JB at 15, ALB at 13 and Havilli at 12...

One thing I noticed last week, and it was quite noticeable compared to the week prior was how much faster TJP got to the rucks and cleared the ball and how much better his pass was. If he played like that this week, he would be my first choice half-back with Brad Weber on the bench.

I'd probably go with Reiko on the wing and Reece on the other wing. Brodie and Barrett at lock.

@handle9 what does your preferred front-row look like from available players?

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#2782146 22-Sep-2021 13:57

South Africa loose forward Jasper Wiese has been found not guilty of foul play after being cited following the 30-17 Rugby Championship defeat to Australia at the weekend, but will not feature against New Zealand on Saturday.

This is a joke!

Jas777

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#2782177 22-Sep-2021 15:23

networkn:

For this weekend I wonder who the coaches will be selecting.

I think in terms of Loose Trio I'd be looking at Akira 6, Savea 7 and Blackadder or Jacobsen at 8. I haven't seen the stats but apparently, Blackadder missed 4 tackles from 11 last week (Compared to Will Jordan missed 1 from 10!). Having said that he seemed to be everywhere and has been pretty physically dominant and in combination of him and Akira, we should be able to match SA physically upfront. I'd suggest Moody will start, and Taylor. I am unsure who does in at 3 (Probably Laulala but only for scrummaging. BB at 10, and JB at 15, ALB at 13 and Havilli at 12...

One thing I noticed last week, and it was quite noticeable compared to the week prior was how much faster TJP got to the rucks and cleared the ball and how much better his pass was. If he played like that this week, he would be my first choice half-back with Brad Weber on the bench.

I'd probably go with Reiko on the wing and Reece on the other wing. Brodie and Barrett at lock.

@handle9 what does your preferred front-row look like from available players?

Blackadder is a not a number 8, but you could probably get away with it against South Africa.

I would say you put in your most combative front row to start and try to take away their game plan. But at the same time try to run them around the field. So the number 8 needs to be the quicker ball player.

The other thing they might try is to put FAF De Klerk off his game as so much of what their backs do revolves around him

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#2782638 23-Sep-2021 12:39

My gut is that we can expect a fairly different side in terms of accuracy and intent in South Africa than turned up for Australia. I would be surprised if we thump them, and if the score does blow out, it will be at the end if we can run them ragged. It's rare for the Boks not to turn up against SA and they are capable of suffocating defence, something we have not faired well against in the past. If they can slow us down, and prevent us from territory it will be a tough night for us. I expect them to target our 9 and 10 as this is where we consistently launch attack from. Our breakdown cleanout will need to be accurate and legally intense.

If TJP services the ruck the way he did last week, then we should be OK in that regard, but if he services the way he did the week before we are going to spend a lot of time going backward.

I believe long term, Blackadder will be played at 8, I think he is more than capable in that role.

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#2782938 23-Sep-2021 16:08

networkn:

For this weekend I wonder who the coaches will be selecting.

I think in terms of Loose Trio I'd be looking at Akira 6, Savea 7 and Blackadder or Jacobsen at 8. I haven't seen the stats but apparently, Blackadder missed 4 tackles from 11 last week (Compared to Will Jordan missed 1 from 10!). Having said that he seemed to be everywhere and has been pretty physically dominant and in combination of him and Akira, we should be able to match SA physically upfront. I'd suggest Moody will start, and Taylor. I am unsure who does in at 3 (Probably Laulala but only for scrummaging. BB at 10, and JB at 15, ALB at 13 and Havilli at 12...

One thing I noticed last week, and it was quite noticeable compared to the week prior was how much faster TJP got to the rucks and cleared the ball and how much better his pass was. If he played like that this week, he would be my first choice half-back with Brad Weber on the bench.

I'd probably go with Reiko on the wing and Reece on the other wing. Brodie and Barrett at lock.

@handle9 what does your preferred front-row look like from available players?

At the moment the one they picked.

I really liked Laulalas intensity the last game he played but he made me very very nervous. If he's not accurate there's a red card coming if he plays like that. Taukei’aho looks a really good prospect, he's the most interesting front row player we've picked in a while.

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#2784737 27-Sep-2021 09:10

Well, that wasn't a fantastic game by the AB's. Nonetheless, they pulled off the win. Sport is a funny thing. The Boks played the plan they have for every match pretty much, and the AB's knew what it would be, but at the end of the day they still had to execute under pressure. I expect quite a few players will have learned a huge amount and be better for that match. I'll be interested to see what happens next week. Hard to imagine the AB's making that many mistakes multiple weeks in a row. I wonder if the Bok's will change anything.

I felt some sympathy for George Bridge. That wasn't an easy take let alone with the sun in your eyes. It was a good tactical play by the Bok's there.

The up and under that the Bok's kept playing along with the tactic of having a winger charge at the player taking the ball was reasonably effective, I am not sure how to negate it.

All in all, I think what will come out of this, is a team who understands a bit more about this type of play and will probably be better next week.

There were a fair number of handling errors in the AU vs ARG game too, not as many as in the earlier match, but I guess the humidity would have played a part.

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#2784739 27-Sep-2021 09:11

Mario Ledesma made a bit out of being excluded from the captain's video and photo session. I think he has a fair point. Argentina arrived later in the day, they should have rescheduled it to accommodate them.

I think Matera is a better Captain than Montoya.

There were quite a few moments of tension in the AU v ARG game. It seems to be a tactic that Argentina use. I'm not a fan.

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#2785011 27-Sep-2021 15:22

I see we are doing the typical thing we do as sports fans, and slam players, coaches and teams if we don't win by 100 points or make mistakes.

It feels like we never learn.

George Bridge is getting a huge amount of grief online for his part in the errors that to a man pretty much everyone made to varying degrees. The ball he dropped that led to the try wasn't exactly an easy kick to get. It was pretty obvious his vision was impaired by the sun.

Half our team had never played South Africa before, we have a pretty inexperienced team playing the world champs in a massive game. We did enough to win, which shows something.

We've won every test this year, won the Bledisloe (again) with record wins against AU, won the rugby championship, and won the 100 test against one of our greatest sporting foes. We are playing with intent, trying to build some depth, whilst maintaining or building combinations, which is not an easy balance to get right, AND we have a number of (first choice) players away, or coming back from long injury or playing breaks.

I think the coaches and players deserve some credit.

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