Wallabies run Eagles ragged
23 Sep 2011
The Wallabies mixed great expansive play with poor goal kicking in their 67-5 win over the USA in Wellington.
The Wallabies scored 11 tries in this one-sided contest, with winger Adam Ashley-Cooper starring with a hat-trick and outside centre Anthony Faingaa grabbing a brace. But the extent of this dominance wasn’t evident on the scoreboard early in the second half as four conversions were missed after the first six tries. This was because of the inaccurate goal kicking by flyhalf Quade Cooper and fullback Kurtley Beale, who missed the four attempts. Replacement flyhalf Berrick Barnes restored some respectability with the boot, slotting the extras from four of the final five tries.
This would be head coach Robbie Deans’ biggest concern as goal kicks will play a vital part in the knock-out stages. While it didn’t mean much in this fixture, missed points will cost the Wallabies against a stronger opponents – as it did against Ireland in the first half.
With Cooper and Beale inconsistent with the boot, Deans will have to include the more accurate James O’Connor (missed this match with a hamstring injury) or Barnes in his starting line-up. The latter wouldn’t be a poor choice at pivot as he had a superb all-round performance coming off the bench in the second stanza against the Eagles.
There was more bad news for the Wallabies as replacement centre Pat McCabe left the field shortly before full-time with a dislocated shoulder, which is set to end his tournament. Faingaa was also knocked out cold at the death after getting kneed in the head during an attempted tackle.
But either than that, the Wallabies would be delighted with their attacking performance. The forwards had the upper hand against their counterparts, giving the backline the platform to run riot. And with USA struggling with a weak scrum and committing frequent handling and defensive errors, the Wallabies backs excelled.
Apart from a scrappy opening eight minutes and a five-minute period of impressive play from the Americans, Australia dominated the first stanza. Inside centre Rob Horne, flanker Rocky Elsom and Beale all finished off long range attacking moves before Faingaa crashed over from close range to seal the four-try bonus point. UCT-based eighthman JJ Gagiano scored the USA’s only points of the match from a 5m scrum. The half-time score read 22-5.
The Wallabies produced a strong second half display to finish off their comprehensive win. They crossed the chalk on six occasions before the Eagles were reduced to 14 men after fullback Blain Sculley was yellow-carded for a professional foul in the 74th minute. The Australians scored one more try with their one-man advantage through replacement No 8 Radike Samo.
By Gareth Duncan
130 Comments
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23 Sep 2011, 12:49 pm
@>^..^< kakman(kakman)-96:
Be aware that I have noted your having learnt a new word and also your dire need for me to know that you have.
I have always claimed that you learn whenever you read my posts (and that is always).
Your hero-worshipping tendency (and you are not alone) is running short of time, so strike while the iron is hot.
But you still STINK.
23 Sep 2011, 12:49 pm
Fok me Quade Cooper is a joke. What a loose player, almost as loose as Nigel Owens’ a-rse.
The Wallabies do NOT have a goal kicker, absolutely disgusting. What I’ve been saying for a long time and Ireland proved is that the only source of points for the Wallabies is the try. Good luck scoring more than one in the knock out stages.
I hope America get thrashed by Italy for putting out a B team. The top side could have pushed the men in piss. They did however succeed on a technical stand point… injured 4 convicts, laughing out loud, I thought only “OLD” Springboks got injured? Ag, shame.
23 Sep 2011, 12:50 pm
Better to be a “joke” than a Ku Klax Klannie.
23 Sep 2011, 12:50 pm
@willievz(willievz)-100: And both have a Saffa connection.
23 Sep 2011, 12:50 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-104: Exactly
23 Sep 2011, 12:55 pm
Phaw, the wobblies couldnt put away a 2nd string USA outfit. Bring on the QF and then the chokers….
23 Sep 2011, 12:59 pm
Yess!! Sticking with Anthony paid off in the end, was my worst scorer in last 2 rounds but finally he has picked up 2x tried! Have Drew Mitch as well!
This may help me retain my no1 division place!! for another week
23 Sep 2011, 13:00 pm
Tries*
23 Sep 2011, 13:01 pm
For the Wallabies sake I do hope that Barnes stays healthy for he will solve more than two problems for them.
With a further 3 centres injured, some possibly badly, it will be a good opportunity to seriously consider bringing back Matty G, if someone is needed.
23 Sep 2011, 13:03 pm
@ET.(ET.)-109:
No one cares for your opinion.
23 Sep 2011, 13:21 pm
Haaaaaaaa… Injured by USA B
Faingaga Knocked out because he doesn’t know how to tackle
McCabe dislocated shoulder
Palu hamstring tear
Beale ripped balls
Horne broken cheekbone
Ha… weak.
23 Sep 2011, 13:25 pm
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-110:
KK Klannie, you certainly DO, enough to respond.
So if your ‘brain’ can wrap around that, there is the LIE to your claim.
23 Sep 2011, 13:28 pm
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-111: lol ha ha ha
23 Sep 2011, 13:29 pm
I love it…..from pre-tourne favorites of the tabloids, the Aussies now face the real liklihood of an early exit to the Boks in the quarters. The Boks are definitely timing their peak well. Going to interesting to see which coach turns out to be the village idiot in just over two weeks – PdV or Deans….or Henry (again) !!
23 Sep 2011, 13:29 pm
Unlucky year for Paulu..
Beal injured as well?
23 Sep 2011, 13:33 pm
@ET.(ET.)-112: Have you noticed that the responses you do elicit are not polite, interested chit-chat? No, they simply tell you to shut the fck up. Without fail. That’s all you get here. Just suggestions, requests and instructions to get lost. Why do you think this is?
23 Sep 2011, 13:33 pm
dammit yanks…i bet on them to win with a +58.5 point handicap advantage…so close but the money’s lost…
23 Sep 2011, 14:15 pm
Wallabies running up the injuries so they can call home for some proper players…
23 Sep 2011, 14:51 pm
@yank(yank)-114:
Hard to tell if the boks are peaking given the quality of the opposition in the last two games. People seem to have forgotten that NZ put 60 odd past Fiji a few weeks before world cup and the last time we played Namibia in a world cup we scored 100+ and still got eliminated in the quarters.
This second string US side would probably klap the Namibians.
We will know in a weeks time if there has been significant improvement since the Welsh debacle. Samoa do have some legitimate recent form and were as good as Wales in their recent clash.
All that said though the Aussies seem a little unsettled lately and I actually go along with PdV that we did everything but win on the scoreboard in Durban so I make us slight favourites for the QF and if we can convincingly beat Samoa (20-30 points?) I may even be tempted tohand some money over to the bookies on the QF. Still scared stiff of the All Blacks though….
23 Sep 2011, 14:52 pm
@conan wishes he was a springbok #4 locks girlfriend…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-117:
I got 61.5….. pffft
23 Sep 2011, 15:10 pm
@GreenFan(GreenFan)-119:
Wrong.
NZ put 60 past a B Fijian side in a warm up who-cares match. Players try harder in the world cup. Besides, it wasn’t the scoreboard that was impressive.
Boks also have never played Namibia in a world cup. The only time they played them was in a warm up game to the 07 world cup… and we most certainly did not get eliminated in the 1/4s.
You must be new here, if you want you can glide under the Kobus wing.
23 Sep 2011, 15:43 pm
@>^..^< kakman-116:
Sorry old Chappie, did not mean to demean you so by letting you wait so long for a response that you so need for your daily and continueing education from the E and the T, but you do know I live a busy life.
But explain now please why you then are stepping out of line by acting so rationally to the point of being so persuasive.
Do you accept that you have just again compromised your supposed stance by not realising that it is my expressed purpose to get up the nostrils of the “Arrogants” , and further, that all the angry responses are cogent indications that I am succeeding, just wonderfully?
I am aware that life is more profound than you can handle.
23 Sep 2011, 15:50 pm
@GreenFan(GreenFan)-119: I agree with you even though you got some of the stats wrong. The boks did put 70 points past Uruguay and also scored big against Samoa in 2003 so the point you are making is very valid. Our one true test so far was Wales and we were lucky to win that. Fiji are average at best and Namibia are Vodacom cup quality so it is far to early to tell where we stand. Lets not forget how unbeatable the All Blacks have looked early in the competition in the past against weak opposition.
23 Sep 2011, 16:02 pm
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-121: Yeah ok misunderstood a namibia quote from somewhere else on this site earlier but point remains the same, As per Malcolms comment above they couldnt win a Vodacom cup game. And you can rave all you like about Fiji – they were and are, kak.
I really hope the recent bok performances are no illusion. Im as big a fan as anyone else. But I seriously think the last two games have told us absolutely nothing. I hope we put 20 or 30 past Samoa because I think a result like that will turn a lot of us sceptical yet passionate fans into true believers that it might all be possible.
23 Sep 2011, 16:31 pm
@GreenFan(GreenFan)-124: which is why the Rugby World Cup as a contest is a farce.
23 Sep 2011, 16:43 pm
125</a
Your 'induna' wants to urgently see you to hear your concerns about the " drs from cuba".
If needed he wants you to see your paramount chief on this, your pressing problem.
23 Sep 2011, 20:56 pm
Let’s not laugh too loudly at the Wobblies just yet. Our squad is still currently carrying injuries and you never know what is to happen with Samoa. I will be very surprised if we have a clean bill of health after that game.
24 Sep 2011, 00:47 am
@GreenFan(GreenFan)-124:
Ja… this is the first year since 2009 that the Boks have the majority of their players back. Do I have to remind you what the Boks did to the Anzac scum in 09?
24 Sep 2011, 00:53 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-128:
In fact I’d say this team is a lot stronger than the 09 Boks. The 2009 Bok bench was pathetic and often made comfortable wins a lot closer/more respectable results for the opposition. Where we used to have useless foks like Olivier, Kirchner, Jacobs, Januarie etc.. we now can have JdV on the bench, Aplon, JdJ, Lambie, Butch, Hougaard, Bismarck, Alberts, Guthro…
Although I believe some players mentioned should be starters, our bench is now world class. Obviously Juan Smith is missing but this team now has a legitimate coach in Rassie in the ranks.
24 Sep 2011, 01:28 am
Australia sure are making this campaign hard for themselves , no depth at all, if Quade or Genia fall down its good night RWC for them.
Resting players may be turning out to be a good move for the boks and AB’s , while injury prone they are not as serious
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