When are the wallabies going to protect ruckball for Burgess

[retiredrucker]

Was the ref out of line saturday or don't the wallabies protect the ball well enough at ruks? Burgess got monstered in the 2nd half and he isn't slow!

[gustafsl]

Bit sloppy...but they weren't that bad. Should get better as the season goes on.

That, and too many Tahs in the forwards.

It's a national disgrace that Baxter is now Australia's most capped prop.

[BLR]

Was the ref out of line saturday or don't the wallabies protect the ball well enough at ruks? Burgess got monstered in the 2nd half and he isn't slow!

Both the All Blacks and Wallabies were pretty much monstered at the rucks, pushed off thier own ball to concede turnovers, perhaps it's a side affect from the ELV's in case of the AB's and just general weakness and beginning jitters from us. As the problem was exposed I would expect next week for the rucks from both teams to be much better, much like how it took a couple of weeks in the ARC for players to clear out thier rucks a bit better...lucky it was exposed sooner then later however....

[greenandgoldrugby]

Absolutely zero protection, just like a certain QF I care to forget.

With the 'through the gate law' you just need one guy stood over the ball thereby closing the gate for the second it takes Burgess to clear it. The 'saders were good at this, I'd expect Aussie Robbie will pick up on it ASAP!

[Flamethrower]

Why do you think Gregan started doing his three step?????

[Moses]

The 'through the gate' ELV seems to be one that was trialled in the 2008 Super 14 ELV's, but is absent from the ELV's that'll be in effect after the 3N.

From the 08 Super 14: "Players entering the breakdown area must do so through the gate. RIGIDLY
APPLIED [re-emphasises existing Law]"

If this is merely re-emphasising an existing law, I guess it's still the law, right? I'll be buggered if I've got any clue what's happening with this law in the ELV subset we've got for the 3N. Think we need Denny Crane to test it.

[BLR]

Why do you think Gregan started doing his three step?????

To attempt to start a new dance craze?

[Moses]

Both the All Blacks and Wallabies were pretty much monstered at the rucks, pushed off thier own ball to concede turnovers, perhaps it's a side affect from the ELV's in case of the AB's and just general weakness and beginning jitters from us.

If it's an ELV side effect for the AB's then it'd be the same for us.

Two points of contention though - if the All Blacks were weak at the ruck why were all and sundry singing Richie's praises last week, and why didn't the Saffa's get exposed here against the Welsh?

[BLR]

If it's an ELV side effect for the AB's then it'd be the same for us.

Two points of contention though - if the All Blacks were weak at the ruck why were all and sundry singing Richie's praises last week, and why didn't the Saffa's get exposed here against the Welsh?

Well that's a given that we would be affected byt the ELV's but we haven't been much of a forward orientated side to begin with, the ELV reason is one of the only reasons I can think why the English got so many turnovers by pushing the All Blacks off thier own ball, they are always usually fairly solid, not as much on the weekend.

Getting pushed straight off the ball like the AB's were a few times is a team problem, not Richies in particular....

The Saffas didn't thrive under the ELV's, still retaining much of thier forward orientated play that they have before the changes so it would be expected when going back to the old laws it would be fishes back into watch, plus Wales aren't exactly the most intimidating of forward packs....

[Moses]

BLR making sense? Crikey I am shocked.

I'm sure Aussie Robbie will put a priority around ruck defence this week, we went a long way backwards and lost critical turnovers so it's gotta improve.

[NTT]

Aussie Robbie should throw Browny and Pek on for a bit of aggression ..... couldn't hurt

ruck clear outs were sloppy, but fixable

[chook]

Yeah, but those two are crap though.

[force addict]

Brownie is good, mr chook

[BLR]

Yeah, but those two are crap though.

Palu goes missing against pretty much every decent team, Dunning and Baxter scrum like old women...the other Tah bloke, Robinson or whatever, he can only stay if they sterilise him from the dastardly duo enough so that he doesn't pick up thier 'lemon sandwichness'. Now.....apoligise.

[chook]

You raise some valid points. But then ruin it by not naming names.