Cheifs v Force in NZ...

[jono]

What can be done to ensure a fairer spread of Wallabies across the Australian conference?

Force them to play where they don't want to! That's sure to keep them all playing in Australia

[SNOB]

Having just watched the Reds and Tahs I think Australian rugby so at an all time low. The Rebels tried and came up short also. Only team going anywhere at the moment is the Poneys.
Cheika must be pulling his hair out looking most of his Wallabies who seem to have forgotten how to play rugby now their back with their clubs.

[Sheikh]

What can be done to ensure a fairer spread of Wallabies across the Australian conference?

Change the Wallaby top-up system / include a portion of the top-up in the salary cap (eg, 50%).
That would stop some teams having a Wallaby earning >$500k on their side counting $150k against the cap while we have to pay substantially more for an inferior player, because they don't get the top-up.

But it's not in the ARU's interest to have even teams. If we had even talent levels then we'd never win SuperRugby again, as every team would be less than the best NZ/SA team that year. The difference is that NZ & SA have systems in place such that every team can grow into a powerhouse (maybe even the Kings!) and cycle back down; whilst the ARU are more interested in keeping certain teams permanently powerful.

[vulcan]

dollars is the big issue and we aint got none

[chibi]

But it's not in the ARU's interest to have even teams. If we had even talent levels then we'd never win SuperRugby again, as every team would be less than the best NZ/SA team that year. The difference is that NZ & SA have systems in place such that every team can grow into a powerhouse (maybe even the Kings!) and cycle back down; whilst the ARU are more interested in keeping certain teams permanently powerful.

It's interesting that when the Brumbies were introduced, it was because there were too many players who would miss out on Super Rugby because there were only two teams. Then, we (the Force) were introduced because too many Aussies were going overseas for professional contracts as there weren't enough professional spots in only three teams. Now we don't have enough players for five healthy teams, while we still have players heading overseas.

[andrewg]

Have just posted the SR Aussie Ruck Analysis - Round 5 at G&GR.

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/sr-...lysis-round-5/

[andrewg]

Aussie Open Side Flankers after Round 5



I don't reckon that Hodgo can keep this up for ever.

Really concerned that he needs to reduce his workload and that's going to be tough with injuries to Alcock and Stander.
Time for Kane and Richie to step up again.

This photo just represents a good summary of the Chiefs game.
And to rub salt into the wound Hodgo gets credited with Missed Tackles as he tries to cover for those around him.
You have to feel for Hodgo.

[Beliefs]

If the Force had 20 players of Hodgo's quality they'd be world beaters.

[whodunnit]

Aussie Open Side Flankers after Round 5



I don't reckon that Hodgo can keep this up for ever.

Really concerned that he needs to reduce his workload and that's going to be tough with injuries to Alcock and Stander.
Time for Kane and Richie to step up again.

This photo just represents a good summary of the Chiefs game.
And to rub salt into the wound Hodgo gets credited with Missed Tackles as he tries to cover for those around him.
You have to feel for Hodgo.

A couple of overweight team mates of hodgos a little late!

[palitu]

Palitu here - the eternal optimist

remember - top of the australiasian conference, versus second last...

Review to 60mins:
they played running rugby! they passed the ball, they made some line breaks, they put people into space, they recycled. Did they go forward? not always. Set piece was great, couple of scrums penalties, no lost lineouts, and disrupted a couple of opposition. Poor defense off the 5m scrum, but it was Nikoro who made a boo-boo in defensive positioning, and hodgo too late to the tackle.

Too many mixed minds for returning on a kick - to kick back or run, and they got caught a number of times, but i don't think they lost the ball as a result. Some offloads, but not yet ingrained properly. definitely need support runners off the shoulders.

Review, 60 minutes plus.
3 tries, 3 minutes. didnt get to tfinish watching the rest thank god.



We have to remember that the chiefs have played this type of rugby for years, the force are trying to break all their habits of the past decade to fit a new game plan, and it is just not gelling. I was content until the 60 minute mark.

I still believe that they are moving the right direction, and that as they pay more middle-lower table teams, the passes will stick and the line breaks will be more obvious.

[GIGS20]

I think the New Zealand tour has shown how green we are at playing running rugby.

Against the Canes, we held it together for a while only to be destroyed by a lazy attitude in spinning the ball from side to side without going forward first.

The Chiefs, well, we fixed the going forward bit, for the most part, and at least committed some of them to the ruck for a while, but then run out of gas and depth only to have them destroy us again on the back end.

Highlanders.....at Forsyth-Barr, with the lid closed.......

It'll be prefect conditions for running footy again, and we're still learning that. I predict we'll be there or thereabouts for 40-50 minutes and then get run down again by fielding reserves who aren't up to that level, or we'll have created too much work for ourselves in the first 40 by not committing defenders to the breakdown before throwing it wide.

And for God's sake, somebody teach the backs how to run a switch play! It's basic under tens stuff, but they don't even have the dummy line being used. once oppositions see that (and in NZ that takes about 5 minutes) they stack progressively more aggressive slide defenses knowing that we appear not to be able to change direction without a ruck!

Get the ARU involved in contracting ASAP, get them to sign us some depth and quality, and then get them to buy us a backs coach who knows what the F@&k he's doing (Where's Todd Louden these days?)

[whodunnit]

Palitu here - the eternal optimist

remember - top of the australiasian conference, versus second last...

Review to 60mins:
they played running rugby! they passed the ball, they made some line breaks, they put people into space, they recycled. Did they go forward? not always. Set piece was great, couple of scrums penalties, no lost lineouts, and disrupted a couple of opposition. Poor defense off the 5m scrum, but it was Nikoro who made a boo-boo in defensive positioning, and hodgo too late to the tackle.

Too many mixed minds for returning on a kick - to kick back or run, and they got caught a number of times, but i don't think they lost the ball as a result. Some offloads, but not yet ingrained properly. definitely need support runners off the shoulders.

Review, 60 minutes plus.
3 tries, 3 minutes. didnt get to tfinish watching the rest thank god.



We have to remember that the chiefs have played this type of rugby for years, the force are trying to break all their habits of the past decade to fit a new game plan, and it is just not gelling. I was content until the 60 minute mark.

I still believe that they are moving the right direction, and that as they pay more middle-lower table teams, the passes will stick and the line breaks will be more obvious.

Bullshit, the force have only become structured and conservative since graham(too much structure) and foley(too conservative)!

[GIGS20]

Bullshit, the force have only become structured and conservative since graham(too much structure) and foley(too conservative)!

You obviously didn't follow the Force in the Mitchell era, the structure started there.

IIRC the structure for a bit of it was "all you boys pass the ball to JOC."

[palitu]

Bullshit, the force have only become structured and conservative since graham(too much structure) and foley(too conservative)!

bullshit? ok, so decade was a bit strong - but graham started coaching over 5 years ago (2011) - that is enough time that the majority (and no i didnt check) of players have only ever played that style here. 5 years is a long time to get a style embedded in your game.

that's on the assumption that, as you assert, that graham started it.

[Sheikh]

You obviously didn't follow the Force in the Mitchell era, the structure started there.

IIRC the structure for a bit of it was "all you boys pass the ball to JOC."

Before that it was "all you boys pass the ball to Giteau"; although as he was the 10 it was more that he never passed it outside!