Wanted: #10 for Australia
First up - sorry about the delay in response. It's been a nutty week. I meant to update last Sunday but Sunday turned into Monday turned into two bear sightings (one of them possibly being a grizzly) that turned into Tuesday which was heavy...starting with me going to get antibiotics for Strep throat and ended with me doing a Jericho Walk (ref: a little less like Joshua 6 and more like A Watchman on the Wall...I was just being a watchman walking the wall) for an hour and half in one of the biggest thunderstorms of the summer...and then that day became Wednesday where somebody ditching a vehicle at camp and we called the police and they brought a k9 unit and we were all locked down for about 4 hours. Very exciting.
No needless to say - busy.
But there are still somethings that need to be said about the NZ vs. AUS last weekend. Setanta is being dumb lately about showing the games...maybe it could be that TSN has got the sole broadcasting rights during the WRC. Pretty sure that's all things lamo.
Back to business though. I think that Australia needs to get a wanted add out for their first five-eighth position. I think that the coaches of the Aussie team will need to look into digging into their reserves for Quade Cooper because for all his fancy stepping and dance moves on the pitch when he's able to dictate the play to his
specific needs. Now, why would you - when you have the likes of AAC and Digby Ioane, Pat McCabe, etc...WHY WOULD YOU EVER NEED TO KEEP THE BALL? Quade Cooper is not a play maker. Yes, he creates space when zigs and zags but he's beginning to be predictable and therefore shut down by team defences. Between poor decision making with kicking, lousy defense, and basically not creating anything for his backs to play off of....well - I can't even say that there was a battle of the 10s out there this last weekend. Dan Carter was the only one that really showed up to play. And boy - did he EVER. Did I mention that he's the perfect rugby player? He fought the field at the rucks, covering the back three, near perfect conversions, a drop goal, his cover defense was jaw-dropping. Daniel Carter is at his prime and New Zealand will be hard-pressed to ever find another Carter. Thankfully, they will not need to look for the moment.
As far as thoughts from the game last weekend...From the Australian side. Digby Ioane needs to be given the ball more often, Kurtley Beale needs to learn how to run into contact properly. He gets hammered all the time. AAC in the Centres? No no no, AAC at full back - McCabe...I'm not giving up on him...But for pete's sake people...GET GITEAU BACK IN THE LINE UP! Higginbotham needs to find a permanent place in the back row and please please please...where's Drew Mitchell? Anthony Faingaa? And Stupid (Saia Faingaa) got in...that's devastating - well, not as devastating as Steve Moore's nose but close.
The All Blacks are getting close though. Their counterattack ball is splendid. But things did seem a little less organized when some substitutions were made in the second half. Here are the great points on the game:
- Dan Carter - perfect.
- Nonu-Smith connections. It's unbelievable how good those two play together.
- Piri Weepu has a pretty nice first half. I still feel like if he lost a bit of his chub he'd secure a starting spot. But his vision of the field is almost unmatched.
- Kaino. He's back and I like him. But I also like MacIntosh...I'm at an impass.
- Mils is super at 15...but he's going to need a back up but atleast there's lots and lots of options for back three. Fewer now that Sitiveni Sivivatu had to leave the game with a broken eye socket. Hosea Gear was...okay. Nothing serious - but nothing spectacular.
- I would have like to have seen Cory Jane back on the field.
- I was a little confused about why Colin Slade was put out on wing.
- Realizing that SBW didn't get a ton of time...he still wasn't spectacular. He's going to need to get spectacular in about a month. I don't doubt that he'll be carried on the squad for the WC but there's a lot of work to do there in my opinion.
But ultimately the result was a good one. But certainly still some work to do on defense in places and how to create a bench that has the depth and experience to continue momentum in a game even when you're taking the "core 15" off the field. I guess we'll see how everything goes this weekend.
Again...sorry about the delay.
[ bear ]
No needless to say - busy.
But there are still somethings that need to be said about the NZ vs. AUS last weekend. Setanta is being dumb lately about showing the games...maybe it could be that TSN has got the sole broadcasting rights during the WRC. Pretty sure that's all things lamo.
Back to business though. I think that Australia needs to get a wanted add out for their first five-eighth position. I think that the coaches of the Aussie team will need to look into digging into their reserves for Quade Cooper because for all his fancy stepping and dance moves on the pitch when he's able to dictate the play to his
specific needs. Now, why would you - when you have the likes of AAC and Digby Ioane, Pat McCabe, etc...WHY WOULD YOU EVER NEED TO KEEP THE BALL? Quade Cooper is not a play maker. Yes, he creates space when zigs and zags but he's beginning to be predictable and therefore shut down by team defences. Between poor decision making with kicking, lousy defense, and basically not creating anything for his backs to play off of....well - I can't even say that there was a battle of the 10s out there this last weekend. Dan Carter was the only one that really showed up to play. And boy - did he EVER. Did I mention that he's the perfect rugby player? He fought the field at the rucks, covering the back three, near perfect conversions, a drop goal, his cover defense was jaw-dropping. Daniel Carter is at his prime and New Zealand will be hard-pressed to ever find another Carter. Thankfully, they will not need to look for the moment.
As far as thoughts from the game last weekend...From the Australian side. Digby Ioane needs to be given the ball more often, Kurtley Beale needs to learn how to run into contact properly. He gets hammered all the time. AAC in the Centres? No no no, AAC at full back - McCabe...I'm not giving up on him...But for pete's sake people...GET GITEAU BACK IN THE LINE UP! Higginbotham needs to find a permanent place in the back row and please please please...where's Drew Mitchell? Anthony Faingaa? And Stupid (Saia Faingaa) got in...that's devastating - well, not as devastating as Steve Moore's nose but close.
The All Blacks are getting close though. Their counterattack ball is splendid. But things did seem a little less organized when some substitutions were made in the second half. Here are the great points on the game:
- Dan Carter - perfect.
- Nonu-Smith connections. It's unbelievable how good those two play together.
- Piri Weepu has a pretty nice first half. I still feel like if he lost a bit of his chub he'd secure a starting spot. But his vision of the field is almost unmatched.
- Kaino. He's back and I like him. But I also like MacIntosh...I'm at an impass.
- Mils is super at 15...but he's going to need a back up but atleast there's lots and lots of options for back three. Fewer now that Sitiveni Sivivatu had to leave the game with a broken eye socket. Hosea Gear was...okay. Nothing serious - but nothing spectacular.
- I would have like to have seen Cory Jane back on the field.
- I was a little confused about why Colin Slade was put out on wing.
- Realizing that SBW didn't get a ton of time...he still wasn't spectacular. He's going to need to get spectacular in about a month. I don't doubt that he'll be carried on the squad for the WC but there's a lot of work to do there in my opinion.
But ultimately the result was a good one. But certainly still some work to do on defense in places and how to create a bench that has the depth and experience to continue momentum in a game even when you're taking the "core 15" off the field. I guess we'll see how everything goes this weekend.
Again...sorry about the delay.
[ bear ]
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