Wallabies can be world best: Cooper

[hertryk]

Why is it as soon as the Wallabies start going good that some one in the squad has to set themselves some lofty objective? They're a long way off of becoming the best in the world.

It was the same after they got well beaten in the Rugby Championship, had one good one against the Argies & suddenly all the talk was of grand slams. Only to be beaten by the poms first up.

I know things have improved & every one needs to set the bar a little higher. Why don't they focus on a high level of consistency & intensity & if not winning, challenging in every game they play, who ever the opposition.

I do believe they've just about turned the corner with Link. But let's take it little by little & get our shit right for the RWC

AND IMveryHO address the foul "problem"...

[James]

If a Welsh player didn't get a card for the same offence I bet the debate here would have been that he should have.

I very highly doubt that. I don't think we would be complaining if the shoe was on the other foot and Wales had been yellow carded, but I also don't think anyone on here would have complained that the "Welsh-Quade" timed the tackle badly. Both teams were guilty of worse at times.

[RugbyRef]

I certainly agree. Quades taking out of Halfpenny was strangely very similar to his taking out of Maitland the week before. And Phillips' stamp on Quade was also out of order, these dirty tricks should not be part and parcel of the game. But alas, they are.

But, WB did not make a wrong call on any of the Cards, or the tries. The game was won by Australian guile and guts, the pick up on that last try was sensational, but they almost lost by their inability to play to the law at the tackle. Wales didn't help themselves by kicking the ball away with 2 minutes to go, you can't score if the ball isn't in your hand! (Normally a Scottish problem).

Hooper was superb (again), Genia is improving, Quade was excellent, Horwill was average, giving away at least half the penalties it seemed. Hooper seemed caught twice but he was trying to judge timing of beating the ruck. That's his job he's a 7, and it not always easy to hear the ref, especially with 70000 fans around you. However Horwill's inability to release the tackled player, or in the few times he did, then not roll away nearly cost Australia the win, and Link should be seriously considering dropping him.

Had Australia been playing France, England, SA or NZ, they would have lost because these teams would have made each of these penalties count.