It was a tough brutal game in horrible conditions - exactly what is expected between the 2 teams.
Both teams were (as usual) getting away with whatever foul play they could, hamming it up to the ref, who in turn had had a so-so game.

Mark - the big hits were huge, and well worth watching the game just to see them.

Great game today between Australia and the ABs. Australia really are becoming a force again in world rugby and looking very impressive.

New Zealand without McCaw look a bit rudderless and weren't their usual dynamic selves, I thought. Carter had a good game as did Muliaina but the rest were not at the races today.

Mark

Mark

The most exciting game of Rugby I've seen for a long while. The All Blacks were off their game for sure (fun to watch McCaw grimacing on the sideline!), but still managed to fight back and hit the lead in the middle stages.

The Aussies played with confidence for a change. I thought Giteau was outstanding and Tuquiri played with some of his old flair, just to mention a couple.

Must be our new Kiwi coach!

It's good to see the Aussies playing well Bazz. It's been getting a bit boring constantly beating you over the last few years!

You're right, Giteau did have a good game, but the Aussies really competed at the breakdown for once and didn't just rely on their backs as usual.

I'm looking forward to the return next week as that was a breathless game. I wonder how much of that is attributable to the new rules. They looked knackered at the end!

Mark

Hi all

Good game Bazz, if a little frustrating from my end

Watched it with my Uncle who's lived in Sydney for about 30 years and he's a staunch AB support so it wasn't exactly a happy house circa midday!

Some excellent play by AUS and it's no doubt that they deserved the win. Frustrated about a couple of things...

turnovers!
new rules, which just seem to encourage blatant cheating
poor decision making and a general lack of direction

So, just a few things to work on.

I wasn't that impressed with the ref (who usually is!) but he missed a tackle off the ball that denied the chance of a AB try and what was he doing with the scrums!

No a jot of this takes away a very good, composed win by AUS.

Jay

quote:

Originally posted by Jay:
I wasn't that impressed with the ref (who usually is!) but he missed a tackle off the ball that denied the chance of a AB try

Yes that was pretty unbelievable that he and the assistant missed that. When the lino called him over I thought he was going to bring it up but it was just about the dodgy half-back substitution.

Any predictions for next week?

Yes a good game by the Wallabies. A moot point, but we Cantabrians could see the Crusaders game plan in action over the last quarter - keep kicking the ball into the opposition's 22!

Won't even start on the &*#$^ ref, but I really cant see a different result this week unless the AB's really pull finger. Maybe we need to send Grizz Wylie in to give them a real pep talk!

I'm not a real student of the game like Mark and a few others here, only watch the World Cup and Bledisloe, but the All Blacks would obviously need to find a few lengths by Saturday.

They'll be stung, and and McCaw will be back. We've lost Elsom but gained Mortlock.

Don't know about the home advantage, expectations are enormous. I still remember that sign in in the middle of Auckland last year counting down the days until the World Cup returned to its rightful place.

My bold prediction is Oz by 5.

quote:

Any predictions for next week?

Yeah. Painful!

I reckon with McCaw back NZ will be a different proposition. They will be more organised and more dynamic at the breakdown and I think the ABs will win by a clear score or maybe two.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Chillkram:
I reckon with McCaw back NZ will be a different proposition. They will be more organised and more dynamic at the breakdown and I think the ABs will win by a clear score or maybe two.

Mark

Hello?!!

Oh dear, a fearful thrashing. Completely steamrolled.

quote:

Originally posted by Chillkram:
I reckon with McCaw back NZ will be a different proposition. They will be more organised and more dynamic at the breakdown and I think the ABs will win by a clear score or maybe two.

Mark

Mark, you're a prophet!

I've been called worse, Jay!

It just goes to show that, for all the talk of England in 2003 being totally reliant on Wilkinson and how important Carter is to the ABs etc, the game is actually won and lost up front.

A fly-half (first 5/8) going backwards is ineffective no matter how talented.

quote:

Originally posted by Chillkram:
It just goes to show that, for all the talk of England in 2003 being totally reliant on Wilkinson and how important Carter is to the ABs etc, the game is actually won and lost up front.

A fly-half (first 5/8) going backwards is ineffective no matter how talented.

McCaw's return made a massive difference to that back 3. Much quicker at the breakdown, less errors, the lineouts worked and the scrum worked.

Carters kicked improved 300% fold with the extra time and space.

Jay

PS. For balance. A brilliantly executed AUS try from a lineout though! A couple of lucky AB calls too from the ref. The lineout that should never have been given and I thought Nonu's last second try could've gone either way.

Now off to South Africa, where we usually play even worse than in NZ.

Back to Brisbane in a couple of weeks for the next AB match though, should go ok in that one.

Critical of hopeless placekickers?

Have a go at THIS and see if you can do better than Andy Goode...



James