O'Connor to 12?

[Thomas]

The lasting image I have is Carter and McCaw lying on the turf, having both missed tackles, while watching a Wallaby score a try.

This is from the most recent test match. Not some statistic from history.

We'll see it all in a few weeks. But that image made those blokes look instantly old. Almost as old as the bloke they were watching.

That wasn't the run that Samo scored from, it was an earlier run where he made McCaw look like a little boy grasping at him. McCaw had an uncharacteristically crap game. He was schooled by Pocock at the breakdown (and in contact) and looked tired. Having injuries to his fellow loosies didn't help and he had to get through a mountain of work. In saying that, the entire All Black team got shamed in the first half. The Wallabies bombed several tries and the AB's were lucky the score wasn't 27-3 or 34-3 at halftime.

 

[Parra]

I figured the reason McCaw wasn't getting penalised is because by the time he turned up at the breakdown the play had moved on. It is a long season in a world cup year. This tiredness could tell.

 

[Te Kaha]

That wasn't the run that Samo scored from, it was an earlier run where he made McCaw look like a little boy grasping at him. McCaw had an uncharacteristically crap game. He was schooled by Pocock at the breakdown (and in contact) and looked tired. Having injuries to his fellow loosies didn't help and he had to get through a mountain of work. In saying that, the entire All Black team got shamed in the first half. The Wallabies bombed several tries and the AB's were lucky the score wasn't 27-3 or 34-3 at halftime.

And you accuse me of being "one eyed".. pocock was invisible.. he is turning into the Rueben Thorne of the wallabies.. apparently does a lot of work but you never see it... he got what one turnover? one? two carries?

The good thing is that the wannabies couldnt play any better and the All Blacks couldnt play any worse... the All Blacks have a lot to improve on but thats as good as the wannabies will be able to play... (that sound familier?) .. and the best part is the the wannabies couldnt maintain it... they fell apart in the second half and it was only one bit of good play from genia that saved them...

 

[Te Kaha]

I figured the reason McCaw wasn't getting penalised is because by the time he turned up at the breakdown the play had moved on. It is a long season in a world cup year. This tiredness could tell.

Thats poor bait.. even for you...

 

[Parra]

Handling was pretty sloppy all round in the first half.

The player I'd question in the Wallaby backline is Cooper. If he can't get those silly flick passes out of his game he is just not worth the risk at 10. Cooper just has to know when to take a tackle. If Barnes was fit he would not even be there. But can Barnes make it through?

 

[Silent But Deadly]

And you accuse me of being "one eyed".. pocock was invisible.. he is turning into the Rueben Thorne of the wallabies.. apparently does a lot of work but you never see it... he got what one turnover? one? two carries?

The good thing is that the wannabies couldnt play any better and the All Blacks couldnt play any worse... the All Blacks have a lot to improve on but thats as good as the wannabies will be able to play... (that sound familier?) .. and the best part is the the wannabies couldnt maintain it... they fell apart in the second half and it was only one bit of good play from genia that saved them...

The reason you didn't see Pocock is because he was at the bottom of every ruck. Wallabies couldn't play any better? Correct but for the first half only.
Stats from Saturday:
Pocock: 1 turnover, 6 runs, 19 tackles
McCaw: 1 turnover, 15 runs, 15 tackles

 

[Te Kaha]

The reason you didn't see Pocock is because he was at the bottom of every ruck. Wallabies couldn't play any better? Correct but for the first half only.
Stats from Saturday:
Pocock: 1 turnover, 6 runs, 19 tackles
McCaw: 1 turnover, 15 runs, 15 tackles

at the bottom of every ruck... doing what exactly? resting?? whats the point of having a player who is at the bottom of the ruck doing nothing??? when he cant get the ball he is worthless... that one trick isnt working any more...

He basicly had the same game as McCaw with only a third of the carries.. McCaw did the full range of "7" duties while Pocock only did half..

 

[Silent But Deadly]

at the bottom of every ruck... doing what exactly? resting?? whats the point of having a player who is at the bottom of the ruck doing nothing??? when he cant get the ball he is worthless... that one trick isnt working any more...

He basicly had the same game as McCaw with only a third of the carries.. McCaw did the full range of "7" duties while Pocock only did half..

Only half? Pocock made 30 percent more tackles than McCaw. Just because he didn't turn the ball over more doesn't mean he was 'doing nothing' at the bottom of the rucks. He slowed things at the breakdown, thus not giving the AB's fast, clean ball. That's one of the primary functions of a number 7. I'm not arguing McCaw's greatness, but rather sticking up for Pocock who in your opinion it seems doesn't even come close to McCaw. Simply not true. He's world class!

 

[Te Kaha]

Only half? Pocock made 30 percent more tackles than McCaw. Just because he didn't turn the ball over more doesn't mean he was 'doing nothing' at the bottom of the rucks. He slowed things at the breakdown, thus not giving the AB's fast, clean ball. That's one of the primary functions of a number 7. I'm not arguing McCaw's greatness, but rather sticking up for Pocock who in your opinion it seems doesn't even come close to McCaw. Simply not true. He's world class!

30%?? why not just say what it is... he made a total of FOUR more takles.. thats all... just FOUR.... while McCaw ran the ball 9 more times.. TRIPPLE that of Pocock... and if Pocock was illegally slowing the ball down then the ref must have had a really bad game to miss all that... In my opinion Pocock is a world class "fetcher" that is becoming more and more redundent... unless he can carry the ball more and be a better link player he isnt going to come close to what McCaw is now...

 

[Silent But Deadly]

30%?? why not just say what it is... he made a total of FOUR more takles.. thats all... just FOUR.... while McCaw ran the ball 9 more times.. TRIPPLE that of Pocock... and if Pocock was illegally slowing the ball down then the ref must have had a really bad game to miss all that... In my opinion Pocock is a world class "fetcher" that is becoming more and more redundent... unless he can carry the ball more and be a better link player he isnt going to come close to what McCaw is now...

We live in a statistics based world these days TK. I didn't realise percentages confuse you but will keep it in mind. Surely you know that is's possible to slow the ball down and not be penalised for it? McCaw has been doing it his whole career. McCaw ran the ball more because as you said earlier he had to due to AB's dropping like flies. A world calss 'fetcher' is what he is in your opinion so we'll just have to agree to disagree on that. Elsom more or less plays the link role in our loose forward setup. Pocock does it, just not as often as McCaw. Funnily enough, Elsom (until last week) was captain so maybe the captains assume that role? Would be funny seeing Howill trying to do it now...

 

[Te Kaha]

We live in a statistics based world these days TK. I didn't realise percentages confuse you but will keep it in mind. Surely you know that is's possible to slow the ball down and not be penalised for it? McCaw has been doing it his whole career. McCaw ran the ball more because as you said earlier he had to due to AB's dropping like flies. A world calss 'fetcher' is what he is in your opinion so we'll just have to agree to disagree on that. Elsom more or less plays the link role in our loose forward setup. Pocock does it, just not as often as McCaw. Funnily enough, Elsom (until last week) was captain so maybe the captains assume that role? Would be funny seeing Howill trying to do it now...

No.. you used percentages because 30% sounds better than four!!!...

And no.. the only way to slow down the ball from the bottom of a ruck is illegally.. McCaw does it on his feet... if, as you say that Pocock was and i quote "at the bootom of every ruck" the only way for him to slow the ball down is to break the rules... you cant have one without the other...

oh and McCaw didnt run the ball because of injuries.. he did it because thats what he should be doing... So should Pocock, so should Elsom and so should Samo.. with the amount of ball that the wannabies had he should have had more chances to run.. he didnt...

 

[Silent But Deadly]

No.. you used percentages because 30% sounds better than four!!!...

And no.. the only way to slow down the ball from the bottom of a ruck is illegally.. McCaw does it on his feet... if, as you say that Pocock was and i quote "at the bootom of every ruck" the only way for him to slow the ball down is to break the rules... you cant have one without the other...

oh and McCaw didnt run the ball because of injuries.. he did it because thats what he should be doing... So should Pocock, so should Elsom and so should Samo.. with the amount of ball that the wannabies had he should have had more chances to run.. he didnt...

You got me. 30% does sound better than four...but McCaw does it on his feet? Give me a break! He's as guilty as every other number 7 out there who is worth his salt. It is YOU who can't have it both ways. I will agree though that Pocock doesn't run the ball as much as McCaw. Meh. Maybe htere is a reason for this. Maybe the game plan states that he needs to focus on other things and leave the running to others? He's still a world class 'number 7'. McCaw is probably the best the world has ever seen. Pocock is currently one of the best in the world. What I do know is that after the WC, McCaw will have peaked and Pocock will still be improving. In 2 years time, Pocock will be better than McCaw (fitness permitting).

 

[Te Kaha]

You got me. 30% does sound better than four...but McCaw does it on his feet? Give me a break! He's as guilty as every other number 7 out there who is worth his salt. It is YOU who can't have it both ways. I will agree though that Pocock doesn't run the ball as much as McCaw. Meh. Maybe htere is a reason for this. Maybe the game plan states that he needs to focus on other things and leave the running to others? He's still a world class 'number 7'. McCaw is probably the best the world has ever seen. Pocock is currently one of the best in the world. What I do know is that after the WC, McCaw will have peaked and Pocock will still be improving. In 2 years time, Pocock will be better than McCaw (fitness permitting).

ONLY if he changes his game.. its changing.. the pure "fetcher" which is all he is, is on the weay out

 

[Silent But Deadly]

ONLY if he changes his game.. its changing.. the pure "fetcher" which is all he is, is on the weay out

He's more than that but i'm not inclined to go over it again. I beleive he will acquire the ball skills of George Smith and add them to his growing aresnal. He will then be the complete battleship.

 

[Te Kaha]

He's more than that but i'm not inclined to go over it again. I beleive he will acquire the ball skills of George Smith and add them to his growing aresnal. He will then be the complete battleship.

Time will tell... have yet to see evidence of that tho... but he will need to add more than the single bow string he has now..

 

[ParraE]

[Pocock doesnt have the patience and always take a second longer which can be very costly for the team he plays in.