Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[Havak]

Hell Graham Henry has done the same with the young NZ fly half Slade who stumbling around the field against Japan?

Entering the final fifteen a real statement of intent from NZ at long last. Comprehensive and ruthless. Delighted to see Japan get a try however.

Finbar I read that Pocock has a back strain? Not the news Australia needs right now.

[kittenOFchaos]

Question: Is Slade really better than Donald?

[kittenOFchaos]

I think this weekend of rugby will re-establish how big a gulf there is between the top tier rugby nations and the minnows. There has been alot of nonsense written/said about the chasm closing - it really hasn't and the NZ - Japan and Argentina - Romania results are just the start.

Fiji were very spirited for the first 20 minutes and have kept at it, but SA have been imperious. A superb performance, they are destroying Fiji.

[LDiCesare]

SA had a very good defense, and won the match with superb counter attacks.
Fiji were abysmal in defensive placement. They were also mostly unable to play together and create collective threats. It's a pity, they have such great individualities, awesome physical qualities and skills, but if only they would play together, if only they would have a playmaker who can read the game. The boks played their usual solid physical game, and, when the Fijians were disorganised on the pitch (which happened often), they would score superb tries. Rossouw, Pietersen, Steenkamp, among many, had an awesome game.

[kittenOFchaos]

The Fijians certainly need to work on their tackling...far too many missed/slipped tackles. Taking South Africans high just means they'll leave you in the dust.

[kittenOFchaos]

So, Ireland to win?

Hehe...

[LDiCesare]

Ireland's first half was very good. Their scrum is great, this can lift their spirit and cause lots of troubles for the Aussies. Cheering up for the Paddies here.

[LDiCesare]

SUPERB.
Ok, I'm a hooker. But this win was really great, and thanks to a huge scrum. I don't care there was zero try, it's been the best match I've seen in the World Cup so far. Well played Ireland.

[kittenOFchaos]

Had Sexton at 50-1 (£5 stake) for full-house...if only Bowe could have made use of him

Massive Irish performance which I knew was in there. I don't know what difference Pocock would have made, but his injury did encourage me to go green with my bets.

[Havak]

Thus far Slade has not matched Donald. He has potential but Fly half remains NZ's big concern. They need to wrap Carter in cotton wool.

Fantastically enjoyable game wasn't it? That is how you beat Australia - smother them. Their big ball carriers were enveloped time and time again and their backs were never really getting front foot ball.

Mr Lawrence does continue to worry me - far too laisez faire. I'd pick on the clear (mainly Irish) knock ons he let go and the way he ingored Coopers little habit of standing offside (at the breakdowns!) as the strangest aspects of his reffing today?

As an aside it was clear the Kiwi crowd were less than neutral. More green shirts in the crowd than there can be Irish people in NZ!? "Quade Cooper - Public Enemy number one" was a printed sign I saw in several spots around the ground. Born a Kiwi and playing for Australia is clearly a cardinal sin?

A shame we were denied the contrast of O'Brien and Pocock?

Now we have discussed a great deal how the Aussie scrum has improved. Today was the exception to that. Maybe the late change of hooker did it but I felt the Aussie props - both of them - were constantly getting their body position wrong for the engage. I think they were trying to drive under but the Irish props were so strong it just led to them going to ground time and time again. Is that what you saw LDiCesare? A hookers perspective is always useful.

And several times Finbar you have told me Genia's strength is back foot rugby behind a retreating pack. Today must have been the exception there too - not only was he no better than Youngs in that situation he also has a nasty dose of the Matt Dawsons - talks to the ref far too much after the whistle has gone against Oz - needs to be careful as some refs will simply not tolerate that (not an NH/SH thing as Kaplan hates it for example).

I very much look forward to our respected antipodean Italians take on this one.

[LDiCesare]

Yes, I think the Aussie props tried to get under. It looked like the replacement Irish prop showed to the referee after the first scrum he did. Healy seemed to push straight and prevent his vis-a-vis from getting a comfortable position. The Aussies' waists seemed too high, so they were kind of bent, while the Irish looked to be more in-line. I'm not sure I can find the good words in English. (Actually, I'm not sure I would find them in French either...)
But then, a hooker's perspective is mostly made of grass, mud, and a lot of studs, so I'm not sure it's very useful.

[finbar]

Now kOc might have some idea of what I meant by false dawns. The same Wallaby forwards that monstered the ABs in Brisbane less than a month ago taught a lesson by the rabid Irish. Rabid being the key word. When that Irish back row are on song, they're feral. Very very hard to play against. But that's no excuse. Rocky must have had all the motivation in the world but was AWOL. Losing Pocock was a very serious blow. He would have competed. I have no idea why Deans went with McCalman either. A journeyman at best who has never played 7. Higginbotham, a powerhouse with skills, never plays 7 either but he brings much more to the proverbial table than McCalman. Losing Steven Moore just before the game was just about as crucial. Polota-Nau has played one game of rugby in about 5 months, for the Oz Barbarians -v- Canada in the warm-ups. He's better than he showed today - well, his throwing is always rubbish - but Moore has been one of the most effective forwards in the tight and loose.

No, it wasn't Genia's finest hour, but there's a difference between a scrum going backwards and a scrum going backwards at the same time as being hunted down by a feral back row. The Irish poured massive pressure on the halves. The Italians did last week, too, in the first half, only they couldn't sustain it. Genia was also guilty of a lot of frustration - often with his teammates. He gave O'Connor a giant spray at one stage for not being on his shoulder when he should have been. As I said, not his finest hour. The bottom line, really, was that the Wallabies had no answer to the ferocious approach of the Irish. They were never allowed balance or rhythm.

The Wallaby front row - the existing one - is serviceable at best. Kepu is the weakness, and it was unfortunate that Benn Robinson,an excellent scrummager, didn't recover in time for the WC. I know little of the science of front rows - who does? - so I'll take your word about body position. What I do know is that ref Lawrence was typically bamboozling in his penalty distribution. In the second half he penalised Kepu when Kepu was binding on the shirt, Ross on Kepu's arm, bringing Kepu down. For that matter, binding on the arm seems to be the craze in this WC. Mostly unpenalised. Oh, except for the ABs -v- Japan. Woodcock spent most of the match either binding on the arm or with a hand or elbow on the ground. But on the ref's blind side. Nigel Owens popped around to Woodcock's side, the Japanese prop bound on Woodcock's arm, and was penalised.

The Boks looked impressive against Fiji, but the Fijians made life very easy for them. The Fijians only know one way to play - which includes giving away a mass of penalties - and they played straight into the Boks' hands. Though I cheer every time Fourie gets the ball. He's a great centre. And imagine how good he would be in a team that knew how to use a backline.

[finbar]

Phew. Tigers fell over the line against Newcastle. I tipped them. Heck, I thought they'd have to be able to beat Newcastle. They're keeping me alive in the Guardian tipping comp. But imagine if they hadn't fallen over the line ...

[Havak]

Let's not please.

Terribly scrappy game - but an absolute must win amd we were trailing until very late on. Salvi scored for us btw.

That feral back row savaged England back in march, and if memory serves that was Youngs worst game in an England shirt too.

The other thing that suprised me with OZ was that old Fijian recalled to play number 8 this season. I understand he had a great S15 and 3N but my word he looked ordinary today. But again many back rowers would have against a fired up Irish back row. Fundamentally however, O'Brien aside, it was the side England brushed aside just a few weeks ago. That Irish ability to riase their game is pure devilment to many a side.

And over in the NZ camp Carter has back problems and McCaw a hamstring issue? A nation holds it breath....

Oh and LDiCesare grass, mud and lots of studs means it is an utterly honest view as it comes from where all the real work takes place mon ami.

[finbar]

For that matter, Heaslip was the - well, least well performed member of the trio this morning. Funnily enough, it wasn't really a match for 8s. I don't know how Ireland do it. They're truly schizophrenic. There's absolutely no guarantee they will do that again in this tournament.

Grass, mud and studs. Welcome to an underworld peopled by troglodytes.