haha

[douglasallen91]

Wallabies front row can be better than All Blacks - Baxter
26 March 2006
By DAVID LONG

Graham Henry's All Blacks will be smashed up front this year - by the woeful Wallabies front row.


That's the boast of prop Al Baxter, who dominated Tony Woodcock as the Waratahs crushed the Blues in Sydney on Friday night.

Baxter claimed Australian rugby had overcome its embarrassing 2005 pack problems and was ready to crush the All Blacks to regain the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-nations.

"We don't fear the All Blacks front row any more," Baxter told Sunday News.

"If anything, we're in a position now to move ahead of them."

Baxter said that under new Wallabies coach John Connolly there would be more emphasis on the front row and the country's four Super 14 teams were already putting in the hard yards to prepare for the threat posed by the likes of Woodcock, Keven Mealamu and Carl Hayman.

"With the change of coaching staff there will certainly be a different focus than in previous years," Baxter said.

AdvertisementAdvertisement"We've had to focus on the scrum because of the poor European tour and it's showing we're more than capable of holding our own in that area now.

"Against the Blues we proved when you get a good platform up front it all works in the backline.

"The backs get the ball on the run and it's easier for those guys.

"When we came back (from Europe) there was a bit of soul-searching from all the Australian forwards and all four teams have focused a lot more on that.

"We certainly have at the Waratahs, and we've developed from last year."

Baxter predicted more woes for New Zealand, and warned the Waratahs would not be pushovers if they got to the Super 14 final.

The Ewen McKenzie-coached side had stage fright in last year's final in Christchurch but Baxter promised there would be no repeat of that this year.

"We've moved on from there and we learnt a lot from that game.

"The Crusaders, being the regular finalists, knew how to play and won convincingly.

"We went in there not knowing what to do and not knowing how to play in a final.

"This year we've built on that and if we get the chance to play in the final again we know what to do. We're a lot more confident," he said.

"We're less worried if we're behind by a few points or things haven't gone right. We know we've got the players and depth here to come home in the end.

"In previous years we'd drop our bundle if things went badly.

"This year we've held our composure and we're happy we can grind things out."

haha. what has baxter been smoking

 

[lockyno1]

As long as Dunning is not there they are a chance!

 

[Iafeta]

Goodness gracious. The All Blacks are that strong the Frenchies, renowned scrummagers, all wimped off for mercy and begged for golden oldies scrums.

Hayman, Woodcock, two best in their position, you could play billiards on their backs at scrum time, add in Somerville, Johnstone, Afoa, Tialata even the likes of Clarke Dermody and there's a lot of good prop forwards going around at the moment in New Zealand.

Bit rough coming from Baxter too, who is really a bit of a powder puff who's been smashed from pillar to post in his test career.

 

[kia ora storm]

Aussies talking themselves up again...:sleeper: :roll:

 

[Twizzle]

even as an Aussie, I see this as being abit ambitious

 

[Iafeta]

Look, I can see some parity in the outside back, although even then Sivivatu, Howlett, Rockocoko, Miliaina, Nonu, Mauger et al are all bl00dy fine attacking players, I think Australia is heavily shaded at five eighth clearly Carter is the best in that position in the world and possibly the best in the world in any position, I think Australia has a decent set of locks, the back row probably goes to New Zealand with McCaw, Soaialo, Collins, Masoe, Gibbes, Lauaki around, and I still reckon on past international form that Hayman and Woodcock give any team a bath up front, except maybe the Yarpies. Woodcock never really performs in Super 12 IMO, but by goodness gracious, he's an awesome test prop. When it comes down to more of an out and out scrummaging match, Woodcock and Hayman are brutal and show no mercy.

 

[aussies1st]

The NSW front row has improved hopefully Dunning never plays for the wallabies again.

 

[aqua_duck]

Baxter is a funny bloke, maybe he's looking for a comedy career after Carl Hayman and co and through with him.

 

[douglasallen91]

We don't fear the All Blacks front row any more," Baxter told Sunday News.

haha just re-read it, can't believe i missed that bit.

what the wallabies feared the all blacks, talk about conceding defeat.

 

[kia ora storm]

Baxter is a funny bloke, maybe he's looking for a comedy career after Carl Hayman and co and through with him.

Baxter...managed by Sailor and Mundine...:lol: :lol:

 

[douglasallen91]

this needed to be brought up again after the hurricanes (not the best nz scrum) thrashed the tahs scrum.

 

[aussies1st]

Baxter is crap. Robinson needs a better number 3. Enter Rodney Blake.

 

[Iafeta]

How funny was it when they belted their scrum that set up Fa'atau, and Robinson's head comes out "Aww ref - something something something" - shut up biatch, you and Baxter just got owned by the Canes scrum.

 

[douglasallen91]

i still can't stop laughing.

 

[Iafeta]

That comment still wreaks of gagging for a belting.

This thread should be a sticky for player stupidity.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

The Australian coat of arms features and Emu and a Kangaroo as those two animals cannot walk backward. It is notable that the Australian coat of arms does NOT feature a wallaby front rower.