What did we learn from last night??

[Te Kaha]

Surely you're not saying that Spencer shouldn't have been picked in 2003 ? The guy was unbelievably good that season for both the Blues and up to that semi where he will be remembered for that pass he threw but he was head and shoulders above everyone else that year.

And after that pass he fell to pieces... he always was a flake... and it showed... problem was there was noone on the bench to control the game in the way merhts or carter can.

 

[Thomas]

Spencer had played well all year but the Aussies worked out that he cracked under pressure. The Aussie loosies hassled him hard all day and he got no protection from the AB backrow who were pedestrian at best...which is unusual for them.

After that every team knew that if you rushed him hard he'd do something stupid.

 

[Te Kaha]

Spencer had played well all year but the Aussies worked out that he cracked under pressure. The Aussie loosies hassled him hard all day and he got no protection from the AB backrow who were pedestrian at best...which is unusual for them.

After that every team knew that if you rushed him hard he'd do something stupid.

Like I said... a flake.... bit like O'Conner in that regards... tho he may grow out if it....

 

[Iafeta]

I don't mind the cockiness of the kiwis. I mean it is 2 years out from the RWC...this will give them enough time to talk themselves up and then choke as they inevitably do.

I didn't know 2009 was a World Cup year?

The Aussie front row wasn't that bad on Saturday night and they certainly have had the measure of the South African front row in the last few tests. Benn Robinson is fast becoming a rather good prop...but I don't expect any NZ'ers to acknowledge that. He pretty much destroyed the SA scrum a few weeks ago.

There were more divots on the Cake-Tin than on any PGA golf course on game day. The divots were courtesy of Robinson's head dropping into the ground constantly. He was getting squeezed unmercilessly and thankfully for him the referee was aloof to the fact he was pulling down the scrum to get out of being embarrassed (which he was, anyway).

Where Australia lost was at the breakdown (sure McCaw et al did their usual 'flopping' technique which the ref said he was keeping any eye on but only penalised them once or twice)...the All Blacks were hungrier for the ball. Pure and simple the Wallabies lacked passion.

If flopping is driving through the middle over the ball or being the tackler and going for the ball before a ruck had formed while the Wallaby held onto the ball like it was the last Jumbuck... sure.

This Wallaby team will be a good team in a year or so. Anyone, other than a one-eyed kiwi, can see that.

Sure, if O'Connor can grow a set and learns how to catch... if Robinson learns to keep his head up... If Australia finds a third loosie to accompany Smith and Elsom rather than the anonymous' they throw out there... If the Australian backline learns to hold the ball... if the Australian second row learns how to clear out a ruck... Maybe, just maybe, but yet again, Australia finished third out of three. Well done on that.

 

[Iafeta]

Thomas... Wow, Thomas. You know you've copped a pumelling when your defence of the weakness of the Wallabies is to go back in time two years. I'm pretty sure the Tri Nations was played in 2009. What happened back in 1843 or whenever else you'd like to reference is really irrelevant, the thread was about what we learned in the final game of the Tri Nations, and it certainly had nothing to do with who won what when Norman Kirk was still Prime Minster... Step back into the time machine, dude.

 

[Thomas]

Precious kiwi...

 

[shiznit]

In '03 you guys walloped us all over the place...except in the one game which mattered.

Deny it all you want. When it comes to the penultimate tournament of world rugby, New Zealand have a history of falling flat.

I guess the only way you can win a world cup is to host it. Fair enough

:lol:

you talk about 2003 like you won the damn thing...

instead you blokes let england win it...

you talk about us winning it when we host it..

you useless bastards are the only country to twice suffer the embarrassment of getting knocked out at home.

 

[Iafeta]

Precious kiwi...

lol, its hard to be precious two weeks on from another typical All Blacks flogging of a much hyped and yet such fragile Wallabies team.

 

[Asedenburns]

Deans has to swallow his pride, O'Connor is not a fullback nor is he a superstar, he is fast thats it; Giteau should move back to centre he is not the greatest no 10 lately his biggest strength is his goalkicking and even this is letting him down. Tatufu may pull off some big hits but he is a hooker with a horrid arm, move him to blinside if you have to play him and let Fitzpatrick from the Waratahs play, we cant afford to keep losing half of our own lineouts, I flinch everytime he throws.
Do the Wallabies read the Telegraph? just cause the paper says with the ELV's gone we can only goalkick doesnt mean its true, yes we have a return to longarm penalties for ruck infringments but we still have 3 options 1)kick for touch 2)kick for goal 3)quick tap. TRYS ARE WORTH MORE POINTS THEN PENALTY GOALS ask Scott Prince if a penalty goal in the opening mutes is worth it.
call me paranoid but it seems that the Wallabies and the All Blacks are sulking cause the ELV's are gone so are turning the sport into the AFL.