Wallabies edge sterile sideshow
21 Oct 2011
RYAN VREDE watched Australia stutter to an uninspiring 21-18 victory over Wales in the World Cup bronze medal match at Eden Park.
Naturally this contest lacked the intensity and compelling appeal of a match where the result was meaningful. Consequently it descended into a structureless, error-strewn and utterly unpalatable sideshow to Sunday’s final.
It would have been more bearable if either side had earned the right to play expansively by showing some appreciation for building a platform. Instead the strike runners in either pack were rarely deployed often enough to achieve this, with the showmen in the back division asked to enthral and entertain the 60 000 poor souls who paid to be punished.
Handling errors abound and Australia’s lethargy in sending cleaners into rucks often resulted in turnovers in the Welsh 22m. Their troubles were compounded and cause undermined when key play makers Kurtley Beale and Quade Cooper were injured before 25 minutes had elapsed. The latter, did, however, craft a try for Berrick Barnes with a deft offload, before his exit.
Australia looked a better side than the impotent Welsh, whose struggles were rooted in their inability to impose themselves at the gainline. They also missed suspended captain Sam Warburton’s ability to stifle the opposition’s attacking flow through his breakdown work. Indeed Warren Gatland’s side played with the verve, accuracy and innovation that suggested they’d had spent their week working their way through Auckland’s pubs and nightclubs.
Wales missed three goalkicks but still trailed by just four points (7-3) with with 30 minutes to play, before scoring courtesy of a clear forward pass. On the evidence of that incorrect decision, it appeared referee Wayne Barnes and his assistant had been lulled into a slumber themselves.
James O’Connor kicked two penalties to regain the lead for the Wallabies before Barnes took the Wallabies eight points ahead with a drop goal. Stephen Jones set up a tense final 10 minutes with a three pointer.
Adam Ashley-Cooper should have sealed the result with six minutes to play, but he grassed the ball in a tackle a metre for the goal line. Ben McCalman, however, made no mistake shortly thereafter. Wales would score after the siren had sounded, but were undeserving of victory.
The Wallabies thus finish in third place, which is much like almost bagging the hottest girl at the party, then having to settle for her ugly friend.
649 Comments
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21 Oct 2011, 15:05 pm
q. What does a kiwi say to his wife when she comes home with two black eyes?
a. Nothing he has spoken twice already!!
Vive le France
21 Oct 2011, 15:06 pm
@Bismarck Burger(Bismarck Burger)-398: he has already signed to coach the Chiefs in next years Super rugby. he’ll be their backline coach.
21 Oct 2011, 15:07 pm
I’m late on this, but I’m not even kidding when I say Berrick Barnes has to be included in the first 15. I remember Wayne Smith just flat out saying once how much the All Blacks coaches rate Barnes. He’s got tremendous skills and a great turn of pace, and doesnt make nearly the mistakes of a QC.
21 Oct 2011, 15:07 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-384: Eddie Jones & Jake White are perfect for each other.
Robbie Deans should be sacked
by: Eddie Jones From: The Daily Telegraph October 22, 2011 12:00AM
A MAJOR shake-up to improve the coaching set-up at the Wallabies is essential because the shortcomings of the Robbie Deans formula has been exposed by his team not firing a shot when it mattered at the World Cup.
What a contrasting day last Sunday was. Rugby league’s Kangaroos disposed of the Kiwis in a clinical affair where speed, skill and resilience were shown.
In comparison, the Wallabies made a silent exit from the World Cup, gunpowder unused.
A world-class team includes expert coaches.
Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens is surrounded by the best in the NRL. All Blacks coach Graham Henry has Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith as assistants and both have been head coaches at Test level.
The Wallabies utilise scrum coach Patricio Noriega and Jim Williams to guide the forwards and both are in their first professional coaching roles at the international level.
High-performance manager David Nucifora is also an assistant coach which makes for an interesting review process.
Nucifora will demand greater results post-World Cup than the current win rate that idles under 60 per cent. Deans will promise and restructure, which means bye-bye to Jim and Pato. ARU boss John O’Neill will unveil a new and exciting team.
The catch phrases of Generation Next and Deans’s youth policy will be peddled out. New Zealand is famous for its wool. Deans and his ARU spin team must have brought plenty over from NZ, covering everyone’s eyes in the process.
Better assistant coaches, including one with tactical expertise, are essential for 2012. If the ARU is unwilling to make the decision on the dysfunctional Wallaby coaching group, Reds boss Ewen McKenzie should come in as head coach.
Deans has a way of stating the obvious in a convoluted way. He says plenty with very little substance as to the details of the game.
Back to last Sunday. The Roos had two left-foot kickers (Cameron Smith and Darren Lockyer) and two right-foot kickers (Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston).
The Wallabies left their only left-footer, Matt Giteau, at home. The advantage of left and right kickers is it splits the field, meaning the fullback must stay in the centre. That opens up touchline opportunities.
Deans picked an inside centre in Pat McCabe who cannot pass. As a result, a 5-on-3 chance saw McCabe running into a prop, being tackled, penalised and conceding three points.
Add to this a No.6 in Rocky Elsom who was invisible, and a No.8 in Radike Samo whose workrate is measured on metres run instead of tackles and breakdowns challenged. (Pierre Spies)
Older players such as Lote Tuqiri, Phil Waugh, Al Baxter and Giteau were all deemed past it or troublemakers.
The four-season philosophy of “play what’s in front of you” from Deans was thrown out to go to a field position game in cut-throat World Cup games. (skop n jag)
Is there a structure that players can fall back on when things are going pear-shaped in games with limited scoring opportunities? Test teams must be shrewd and have a plan A and B. Reds coach Ewen McKenzie has shown he is tactically shrewd.
21 Oct 2011, 15:07 pm
300:
Since you clearly have problems with reading to understand and subsequently responding to points and questions raised, as in 284, let me make it far simpler for you.
” i mentioned that your SACOS gatgabba rajan was standing for election. ”
” i mentioned rajan, your gatgabba because it was breaking news HERE in the EC ..”
I read S.A. news first thing every morning here as it is my home page.
If it was merely all about ” breaking news” why distract from that “news” by introducing “gatgabba” and “SACOS”. Therein lies the intent of your agenda, the very same one refrred to in 284 as being founded on distortions, twisted logic, LIES.
How do you define the emotional gabbage term, “gatgabba”?
What twisted perception do you have of the non-racial SACOS that Kwaru belonged to and millions of blacks supported even as one of the few true political means of expression and protests, as witnessed by them being on the podium of many emotional funerals, in very dark days?
Or were you too busy living it up with the Dlaminis of Swaziland to know and understand that?
You are a FRAUD again I have to say to you.
21 Oct 2011, 15:09 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-402: Gee, this man’s been priviledged to coach some fine athletes…
21 Oct 2011, 15:11 pm
@DAS(DAS)-403: I agree. The man is very polished and offers the best of both – technical and X-factor. Think the Aus to obsessed with the unpredictability of QC. Problem is that he is also unpredictable to the players inside and outside of him
21 Oct 2011, 15:12 pm
@bluealligator(bluealligator)-401:
what does a SA do when he sees his wife stumbling around the back yard?
reloads…
21 Oct 2011, 15:15 pm
What does a Saffa say when they see a Cannibal?
“Poppa?”
21 Oct 2011, 15:16 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-408: I don’t get it
21 Oct 2011, 15:18 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-408: Society is different here, we don’t keep our wives in the backyard
21 Oct 2011, 15:19 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-409: what do the french say when they see a headless chicken.
“ah Hg le coq”..
21 Oct 2011, 15:23 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-412: Here let me help you… French for “Poppa” is Pousse-crotte… or maybe even Parachuter un Senegalais…
A difficult translation, to be sure.
21 Oct 2011, 15:24 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-408: Now if we actually shot our wives that might even be funny, guess that was a bit close to the knuckle for you what’s wrong wife starting to smack you back poepal!!
q. how do you know a kiwi has been to a shoe shop?
a. love bites on the ugg boots!!
21 Oct 2011, 15:26 pm
@ET.(ET.)-405: how am i related to the ANC ExtraBall? i ask because you have associated me with every negative headline for the past 2 years…during the election, what was it about Mwelo Nonkonyana and having dreamt about the election? how was that related to me?
should i go on?
who is Transie Manyi?
2 can play that game boeta
you are just obsessed with ethnicity and you couch it by claiming you are non-racial yet everything that you see you first analyse wrt race.
if WPTill I Die says something to you, your retort is guaranteed to first label him on his race! every single day you delude yourself that you’re on some crusade to “exorcise” racist meanwhile the biggest one is you, combing everyone’s posts looking for hate.
21 Oct 2011, 15:28 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-412:
soak it up Pops they’re hurting these boys the old wives tale that Bokke rugby is strong has been well and truly crushed with a 1/4 exit, let them shout their mouths off deep down they know the score
21 Oct 2011, 15:29 pm
@Transfornication386:
You have, like the coward I have suspected you are(remember threatening violence), thrown in the towel because there is nothing you can counter effectively(see also 405, made simple).
Always much initial noise and then you whimper off like a denied hyena. Attempt to counter the questions with reference to my wife since it is well known to me and it TRULY manisfested such heart-wrenching concern by you. If that does not SCREAM ETHNICITY what does then? Why was it important to you? You could not handle nor answer it then as you now again cannot.
Your total lack of being original and your total honesty about your every word being worthless and irrelevant too is so soul-destroying. I hope you make it through the night.
The LIAR has never been, and will never be, in any position to answer the TRUTH.
And you were seeking a church when you visited C.T.? I feel sorry for you god as he/she must have disturbing problems in dealing with you.
21 Oct 2011, 15:29 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-416: What a profound insight….
21 Oct 2011, 15:31 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-416: And what score is that? How do you wifebeaters put it you can’t say you won the world cup because you never beat us to win it??? Well what is good for the goose china. Also how many cups have the ball sacks won outside of NZ and how many finals have they made without serious assistance from refs???
21 Oct 2011, 15:31 pm
@Bismarck Burger(Bismarck Burger)-418:
call it what you will mate, truth hurts though all this bravado can’t hide the facts though can it
21 Oct 2011, 15:32 pm
@bluealligator(bluealligator)-414: have fun watching Nz and France contest the final this weekend champ…what you going to do? does the wife want you to wash the car or take her to the mall?
ag shampies…. you might bump into some of the bokke players, havent they been on holiday for a couple of weeks now?
21 Oct 2011, 15:33 pm
@bluealligator(bluealligator)-419:
enjoy the final loser
21 Oct 2011, 15:34 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-420: Buddy, I am actually just having a chat, but if it makes you feel better than that’s also ok.
21 Oct 2011, 15:34 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-421: Actually going to watch some serious rugby played properly The Currie Cup Semi Finals, hope you are back from taking your wife to casualty in time to watch the ball sacks play the French werfie!!!
21 Oct 2011, 15:34 pm
Daar in Brakpan Hoërskool sukkel die ouens maar met Engels. Die hele skool skryf hul 2de taal eindvraestel in die saal. Toe hulle klaar geskryf het, vra Jannie vir Koos: “Yes Koos, hoe lyk jou leeu?”
Koos antwoord: “Watse leeu?”
Jannie sê: “Onder aan die vraestel het gestaan ‘draw a line’!”
21 Oct 2011, 15:35 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-416: how do you expect them to react when you come here to rub it in their faces? just curious…
21 Oct 2011, 15:35 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-422: I think you’ll find the only rugby worth watching this weekend is at the semi final stage this weekend wifebeater
21 Oct 2011, 15:36 pm
This whole WC and IRB smack of money grabbers!
How can they just carry on with this stale affair of WC and letting the teams line up so mismatched.
Take a leaf out of the Sevens tournies. Bring in a Plate or bowl final. Let the smaller teams that just miss the cup play games to enter a bowl final! Imagine an angry Somaon side playing Tonga or even Ireland in a bowl final.
This format has helped some smaller teams in WR to get better and would help these “fringe” teams cope beteer in the next WC.
I promise you a game between Somao and Tonga would be better than this Aussie thing that was just boring!
Why do we have to follow the Soccer format and stay behind. Geive the thing some spice and better Rugby as a whole! It works for sevens, why not get it to work for the WC.
Start thinking IRB….you might even make some cash during this!
21 Oct 2011, 15:36 pm
@ET.(ExtraThuvi.)-417: Stop being an “ethno”-racist… Hayyi man!
21 Oct 2011, 15:38 pm
@bluealligator(bluealligator)-424: the curry cup? isnt that the competition in the country that came 8th at this years world cup? wonderful, give my regards to schalk and victor and bakkies and Gurthrio and Heinrich and all the other Bokke players that are there…
shame, you guys should have really rested them for the entire 3Ns tournament, they looked so TIRED in that 1/5 final that they forgot to go to SA’s one strength…
truly was a performance of clown proportions..
well done brycie, you goe the jarpies
21 Oct 2011, 15:39 pm
@bluealligator(bluealligator)-427:
sure buddy whatever you say, you wont be watching as you have something else on, curried cup anyone?
21 Oct 2011, 15:39 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-404: Okay, I will say it. Jim Williams is rubbish. That pack has just been rubbish for four years. He is doing nothing there.
21 Oct 2011, 15:39 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-421: They will deny being interested in the game, but they will watch it wishing the greatest of ill on the AB’s. Holding thumbs that the french will win.
If the French do , so be it , the AB’s finished 2nd , still better than 8th… With all the extra time they have on their hands , why dont they dont another in depth look at the sa vs oz game, instead of looking at bryce , makes notes of what the boks did wrong …
21 Oct 2011, 15:41 pm
@fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-426:
i’m happy with the reaction no problems there
21 Oct 2011, 15:42 pm
@DocNZ(DocNZ)-433: the bokke dont do no wrong, you are obviously quite new to keomedy.co…
when SA lose its the refs fault, the conspiracy is in full swing and theres corruption in the sport, travel disadvantage, Australasian reffing alliance etc etc etc..
give it time, youll get used to it
21 Oct 2011, 15:42 pm
@DocNZ(DocNZ)-433: why dont they dont dude are you serious, anyway as for me Mother Earth said all it needed to say about you wifebeating cannibals this year already
21 Oct 2011, 15:42 pm
@ET.(ET.)-417: somebody mentioned your wife was coloured, i just asked to confirm. i could care less of what race your wife dude, jump up and down all you want, you’re making a mountain out of a mole hill again.
i asked another blogger if “ET is married to a coloured lady” woooooooh i must be obsessed with ethnicity
21 Oct 2011, 15:43 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-430: Quite sad really, especially since 60 % of NZ opinion pole stated SA should be there as they were wronged. Anyway.
21 Oct 2011, 15:43 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-413: I’m so glad you are cheering the Frenchies on. It is a good omen. All the teams you cheer for end up losing. You have taken the curse from Keo.
21 Oct 2011, 15:44 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-435:
ha ha
21 Oct 2011, 15:44 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-435: and you have the cheek to mention conspiracies after the farce you idiots like to call Suzie, it must be hell living in such a pathetic mind as yours, I actually feel sorry for you.
21 Oct 2011, 15:44 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-432: why only jim? how come robbie didn’t see that like GH did and got mike cron in?
21 Oct 2011, 15:44 pm
@bluealligator(bluealligator)-436: chin up old chap, that way your tears will slowly roll down your face rather than the deluge we are now witnessing…
and here I was thinking SA wasnt for sissies, youve certainly changed that view..
thanks mamparra… but hey, at least the Bokke didnt play as badly as the bulls
21 Oct 2011, 15:44 pm
If E.T. talks like he writes (long winded, nonsensical, self righteous drivel) he must be one excrutiatingly boring chappie to be around.
21 Oct 2011, 15:44 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-439:
the kiss of HG? no!
21 Oct 2011, 15:45 pm
@DocNZ(DocNZ)-433: I’m actually rooting for the ABs but I do not suffer from the need to growl at anyone who opposes my view.
21 Oct 2011, 15:46 pm
@bluealligator(bluealligator)-441: Ive never been one to cling to the Susie theory, ask transformation forensic services…
but nice try, you are actually improving, progress has been made
21 Oct 2011, 15:47 pm
@bluealligator(bluealligator)-436: I am happy to dissapoint you , born in SA , stay and work in SA. Sucks to be you.
21 Oct 2011, 15:47 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-443: and why would the way the bulls play concern me werfetter? How did I change your view by not bowing down to the dirty ballsack rugby team gaan vlieg wifebeater
21 Oct 2011, 15:47 pm
@Bismarck Burger(Bismarck Burger)-446: thank you… many kiwis cheered for SA in 07, but the treatment by many after the 07 tournament left a sour taste for many kiwi’s… now its come full circle so excuse us for dishing it out for a change…
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