Wallabies add to Matfield’s woe

Wallabies add to Matfield’s woe

26 Nov 2011

JON CARDINELLI watched the Wallabies thrash the Barbarians 60-11 to ensure Victor Matfield’s international career ended on a depressing note.

Australia edged South Africa 11-9 in last month’s World Cup quarter-final, a result that stretched their record against the Springboks in 2011 to three from three. This Saturday’s fixture at Twickenham represented a final attempt at revenge for Matfield, but as much as he tried as an individual, he couldn’t lift the collective to the point where they could mount any real challenge.

The result sees the Baa Baas missing out on a hat-trick of wins against the Sanzar nations, having beaten New Zealand in 2009 and South Africa in 2010. It also sees Wallabies coach Robbie Deans getting one over the All Blacks’ Graham Henry and Steve Hansen, who took charge of the Barbarians for this particular encounter.

The Baa Baas looked a disinterested and disjointed bunch for much of the contest. They butchered two early try-scoring opportunites, and failed to make the Wallabies pay when Adam Ashley-Cooper and James Slipper were yellow-carded at separate intervals in the first half.

The visitors struggled to fire early on, but certainly looked the more structured and ambitious of the two teams. It finally came together in the 26th minute when flyhalf James O’Connor found Digby Ioane, who proceeded to expose some poor Barbarians defence.

This aspect of the Baa Baas’ game grew worse as the game progressed. They managed to keep the Wallabies in check in the first half thanks to the two yellow cards, but in the second stanza, there was no stopping the relentless green and gold wave.

The Wallabies’ bench provided the desired impetus, but the defensive effort of the Barbarians was nothing short of shocking. In a definitive period between the 40th and 70th minute, those wearing the black and white hoops ushered the Wallabies to the tryline no less than five times.

It will go down as the worst performance by a Barbarians side in recent times. Although they managed to score one consolatory try in injury time through young league star Sam Tomkins, it was the gutless defensive effort that will anger officials and members of an extremely proud and elite club.


446 Comments

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  • 1.cab: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 15:46 pm

    be interesting to see how freuen and tomkins combine.

  • 2.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 16:35 pm

    Rugby……sighhhhhh at last.

  • 3.Yetirat: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 16:41 pm

    Anyone got a working stream for this one?

  • 4.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 16:44 pm

    Tomkins messes up 1st touch of ball.

  • 5.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 16:51 pm

    G’day mates

  • 6.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 16:52 pm

    Apart from his 1st booboo, Tomkins not making his name totti, wonder if he is going switch over.

  • 7.simbachips: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 16:54 pm

    @Yetirat(Yetirat)-3: http://www.vipbox.tv/sports/rugby.html

  • 8.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 16:59 pm

    G’day Sheila :mrgreen:

  • 9.Yetirat: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:02 pm

    @simbachips(brendon)-7: Thanks dude!

  • 10.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:03 pm

    Quiet as a graveyard here.

  • 11.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:04 pm

    One wouldn’t say there’s a game on!

  • 12.IAAS: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:05 pm

    Marvelous try that.

  • 13.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:09 pm

    Ref is whistle-happy

  • 14.Guns: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:10 pm

    Barnes u softy get up!

  • 15.Guns: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:11 pm

    **** kick Cipriani, ever kick my ***.. **** kick.

  • 16.ashampoopaloo: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:12 pm

    O’Connor is streaks ahead of showpony Cooper as Aussie pivot, Aussie team 100 times more efficiency with O’Connor at No.10.

    Ab backs ******** up royally Fruen and Toeava messing up couple opportunities already. Disjointed Baa Baa backline this with Cipriani Mortlock Fruen Tomkins Habana Toeava

  • 17.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:15 pm

    Maybe I should start talking about alien probes.

  • 18.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:16 pm

    What is it with forward passes that aren’t forward!

  • 19.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:18 pm

    @ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-16:

    Between the 2 of them, O’Conner and Cooper posess more attacking flair and skills than the whole bok backline combined.

  • 20.ashampoopaloo: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:22 pm

    Did Henry actually select this Baa Baa side because its a poor selection

  • 21.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:26 pm

    Lol Stringer!!!!!!

  • 22.cab: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:27 pm

    That Iaone is deadly, pace and power. He;s the only one they really got to watch for.
    Stirling Mortlock still the best 12 in oz.

  • 23.ashampoopaloo: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:27 pm

    Cooper is an absolute showpony O’Connor is absolute class if I were Aussie coach I start O’Connor ahead of Cooper at 10 every time..

    This Baa Baa backline is absolute kakkas

    Skinner Cipriani Mortlock Freuen Toeava Tomkins all hopeless, Habana the only decent back in that entire setup

  • 24.IAAS: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:27 pm

    hahaha how cheeky is Stringer? And there’s a lesson for O’Connor to speed up the time he takes to kick.

  • 25.cab: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:30 pm

    Habana has become ultra-kak, must be the biggest co-ord since duffer mckay was pulled out the pub. only a forward couldve swallowed that dummy. good god where is the player that was the best winger in the world 4 years ago? everytime he gets some space he puts it on his foot.

  • 26.ashampoopaloo: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:37 pm

    Barnes and Cooper can retire

    Aussie backline should go

    Genia, O’Connor, Ioane, McCabe, Ashley-Cooper, Mitchell, Beale

  • 27.cab: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:38 pm

    i dunno when the south african rugby players started developing the maradonna dive, but some of them would make fine candidates for continental poefball diver of the year. first it was philip burger, then fourie dup and now everytime habana gets touched there;s a godalmighty gasp and a wry smile – chase the fkn thing, dont give up.

  • 28.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:39 pm

    @IAAS(I am a stormer)-24:

    Lol, it was quite funny, at least O’Conner took it well – staring for a while at the empty spot where the ball used to be and then started to laugh.

    His place kicking mentor, Braam van Staden, also used to take quite a while before he kicked so maybe he has passed the habit to James.

  • 29.ashampoopaloo: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:44 pm

    Henry talking absolute kak overrated mediocre coach that dunno how to select a winning side. Compare Mallets Baa Baa side that drilled the AB’s to this disjointed one that getting a rugby lesson by Aussie. Habana also become a showpony, thank goodness all those JW overrated f’ng prima donnas like Smit, FdP, Habana, Matfield, etc are history, now must just get shot of Spies and Burger and we are good to go.

  • 30.ashampoopaloo: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:49 pm

    Baa Baas gonna look bit better with Fiji scrummy and Strauss at 2

    They can start making some play now that Stringer and Mealamu are off.

    Tomkins like a f’ng dear in the headlights all game long so far

  • 31.David: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:49 pm

    @cab(cab)-22:
    13, cab, 13. :lol:

  • 32.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:50 pm

    @cab(cab)-27:

    And do not forget that Heinrich Brussow’s failed audition for Hollywood during the SA/Somoa game when Williams gently pushed him against the left cheek.

  • 33.cab: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:50 pm

    @David(David)-31:
    lol, sorry centre, but then again there is o;connor who is bladdy good. should be mortlock and oconnor, deans was to quick to knock mortlock out, pocock thought he;d run into a brickwall early on.

  • 34.cab: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:52 pm

    @Robzim(Robzim)-32:
    ja dunno whats got into them, half of them are boertjies too, thought the only thing more heinous in their culture than feigning injury was being a moffie predikant…

  • 35.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:53 pm

    Game should open up now

  • 36.ashampoopaloo: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:55 pm

    Kak Baa Baa side this shows Henry up for the overrated doos coach he is same as White and Jones got done in by a far weaker Aussie side than this one when they coached Baa Baas in 2008 playing Frans Steyn at 10 and a star studded Baa Baa outfit.

  • 37.David: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:55 pm

    @cab(cab)-33:
    Yeah, that was some tackle. :lol:
    We can see Deans influence. The Oz offloads in the tackle are pure Kiwi, but better.

  • 38.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:55 pm

    Good grief.

    Australia making a statement here.

  • 39.cab: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:57 pm

    @David(David)-37:
    ozzie ball skills with kiwi rugby brains, could make for devastating combination.
    but they dont really have great forwards, tho pocock is worldclass and higginbotham looks ok – missing moore who much better than poloto-nau.

  • 40.David: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:59 pm

    @ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-36:
    I doubt Henry had much say or even knew who Tomkins is, for example. Generally it’s the BaaBaa club who does the selection from whoever’s available.

  • 41.Yetirat: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 17:59 pm

    Habs up to his old tricks again…

  • 42.David: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 18:01 pm

    @cab(cab)-39:
    Didn’t Moore set up Horwills try?

  • 43.cab: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 18:03 pm

    @David(David)-42:
    oh right, they must;ve come on, stopped watching at halftime doing some work.
    looks like mallinder is next england coach (wonder if JW put in a surrepticious application) and hansen seems primed to take over from the headmaster.

  • 44.ashampoopaloo: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 18:03 pm

    Cipriani is one showpony poser should join the Quade Cooper school of Maverick showponies, O’Connor showing what a true pivotal No.10 he is

    These commentators blowing smoke up Matfield Smit and FdP’s arses these prima donna dead beats couldn’t have pissed off soon enough.

    This the worst Baa Baa selection and team I seen ever, absolute hopelessly coached Baa Baa outfit this.

  • 45.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 18:06 pm

    Shame tired baabaas

  • 46.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 18:09 pm

    So good to watch!

  • 47.David: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 18:09 pm

    @ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-44:
    Be fair, the NH season is in full swing, which eliminates their players and that only leaves Kiwi, Saffas and non current Wobblies to choose from, which would effectively mean an AB/Bok side.

  • 48.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 18:10 pm

    Lekker aussie rugby!

  • 49.groen: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 18:10 pm

    reminds me of the Bok B team Pdivvy fielded in the trinations this year, but at least those guys tried

  • 50.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    26 Nov 2011, 18:12 pm

    The game doesn’t mean much to anybody, if you noticed the upper stands are nearly empty, so much for the interest it generates
    The Babas today look a ragtag collection of players who gathered to an unscheduled pay day ;)

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