Australia v Ireland

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Havent lost to the Jocks yet. Not taking the piss are we Flat-Top?

[Darren]

many similarities (on this board since the Irish game) to the English fans who turned on their coach

To be fair, we have been questioning our coaches methods and plans since before the first tour match (and before the first loss). If we are to use a win / loss ration as the measure - we have for the most part been correct in our 'questions'

All that aside - the Irish would have given an in form Aussie team, a run for their money on Sunday - and the Wallabies *should* have been able to give your fellows a bit more run for their money too....

[Flat-top]

Havent lost to the Jocks yet. Not taking the piss are we Flat-Top?

Who me?

Though with the crowd numbers they seem to be attracting at the minute I don't think too many will notice if you send out the cheerleaders instead this weekend. Apparently just over 19,000 at Saturdays game, they could take a lesson from the Welsh marketing team who managed a full house of 78,000 to watch Canada!

I'm sure you have either already been to UAFC.co.uk or don't want to torture yourselves further but the video has kindly been added here:

http://www.uafc.co.uk/video.htm

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Popped over, winners are grinners

[Flat-top]

Not sure I'm comfortable with the favorites tag Ireland are getting, its always been an advantage to go into games without the expectation this will take some getting used to.

BTW have you seen that Hodgson and Sheridan are both out for the rest of the season, no depth in cover at 10 for the Poms must be a real worry. Apparently you guys have so many 10's that you have to play them out of position, perhaps you could lease one out to Andy Robinson.

TLH I loved your exchange with the Chinese guy from Sydney...what do you think made him assume you were a Bok?

[Sagerian]

No

Have to say that not one single commentator (I listened to) or a single journalist (that I have read) made any reference to this, that of course doesn't mean you are wrong but it does rather put you in a very tiny minority.

You know I'm only pulling your leg on the whinge front, I am just seeing so many similarities (on this board since the Irish game) to the English fans who turned on their coach, when the failure is actually down to the players not performing, and blaming decisions that go against them in a game for their lack of determination and hunger. I appreciate that as Aussie's you will all be upset with that performance but put it in perspective, at least you haven't lost to the Jocks yet

Yeah Flat-top I know you're pulling my leg. I usually take a loss on the chin and this one's no exception, the Irish outplayed us from start to finish. Dispite my whinging about the refs not having a closer look at those tries, the Irish would have beaten the snot out of us anyway. (although I did win $10 for betting on the Irish to win, jealous?)

True, no one has really mentioned the possibility of that try being out, I would have loved to have seen a few more angles of it but there was a distinct lack of replays. But what's done is done, it was a great kick that led to that try.

The only thing I'm blaming the coaching staff for is the player selections, I really think the backline gets chosen out of a hat from week to week. It is obviously up to the players to execute what was obviously a kick-for-territory gameplan against the paddys and we obviously didn't do it.

[Rodent]

Wallabies were attrocious...

Defence was better, scrum was better in patches (without Al Baxter as previously noted.)

Apart from that we were woeful.

Rogers has to go along with Baxter and how the hell Rathbone is even considered is beyond me. After a pathetic outing in the Super 14 and having done absolutely nothing in any of the tests to date how is he holding on to his position? Especially when Shep has been tearing it up every opportunity he gets?

I'll say it again even though I like many others here has said it before. Lote is not a centre. Stirlo is one of the best outside centres in the world why move him? If you must use Gits at 9 then put in a proven 12.
Does this not seem like common sense to anyone else? How about we use specialist players in their positions!
Barnes at 10, Stanners at 12 (proven there throughout the Super 14), Stirlo back to 13, Lote back to the wing, Shep on the other wing and Latho at fullback. Theres your backline.

They should have got Barnes over there to cover 10 instead of taking Fava over, they knew they weren't gonig to use him, so why fly him over there. You already have half a dozen blokes that can cover 8 and only 1 specialist 10! I really don't understand the whole selection process.

All that aside the ref was an absolute joke. All game. Something worth noting is that it was Marius Jonker, the same arse clown that cost us the game against Crusaders. How this guy is allowed to ref a test is beyond me, they must really be struggling to find people willing to ref.
I didn't think the tries were suspect, but he must have been on acid because he was seeing stuff that simply wasn't there. At the breakdown he was allowing isolated players eons to release the ball even when there was clearly defensive players trying to gain possesion. His bad calls are just too numerous to go into.

I am really worried about the Wallabies going into the World Cup next year. No cohesion and aparently no direction from the coach if this tour is anything to go by... The future doesn't look rosy.

On the flip side of that the Irish looked exceptional in the last 2 weeks and D'Arcy, O'Driscoll and O'Gara are looking like the best 10,12,13 combination in rugby at the moment.

[Burgs]

Umm, hate to join the "whinging Tah" but if you pause the first try replay at 21 seconds Hickey's foot is clearly on the line with the Touchie four meters away.
In real time watching the match I thought it was fine but "evidence" proves otherwise.

A beautiful cross by O'Gara and foot work by Hickey and in any case the TMO would have had no powers to over-rule as it was outside the in goal.
The O'Gara to Horgan pass in the second was always forward but when it is out wide it's a lottery these days if it is going to be called. The feature of that one for mine was the incredibly soft hands by all and especially from Wallace who could have easily had a knock on but held his head.
If we didn't lose the lineout it wouldn't have been an issue.
Ah, the power of a home ground.
Anyway, they deserved the win and probably deserved a greater margin too.
Horgans strength on the wing continues to impress me and I hadn't really paid Wallace enough attention before.

[Burgs]

Totally agree Rodent.
Just a note though, I believe that Barnes is out in rehab still following an off-season operation.

[Darren]

Class commentary as usual, Rodent

Wallabies defeat aside, isn't great to see Ireland on the up!

[travelling_gerry]

Some stat's I found on the Irish Rugby Web Site from last Sundays Game
http://www.irishrugby.ie/newspage/84295.html


IRELAND: AUSTRALIA:

Tries 2 0
Conversions: 1 from 2 0
Penalties: 3 from 4 2 from 3

Phases -

Scrums: Won 9: Lost 0 Won 10: Lost 0
Lineouts: Wone 13: Lost 2 Won 14: Lost 2
Penalties Conceded: 7 12
Free Kicks Conceded: 2 2
Mauls Won: 10 5
Ruck And Drive: 22 22
Ruck And Pass: 48 25

Ball Won*-

In Open Play: 80 52
In Opponents' 22: 44 9
At Set Pieces: 34 31
Turnovers Won: 7 5

Team Statistics -

Passes Completed: 119 64
Line Breaks: 5 2
Possession Kicked: 23 20
Errors From Kicks; 4 6
Kicks To Touch: 12 8
Tackles Made: 54 85
Tackles Missed: 9 13

Offloads In Tackle: 9 2
Offloads/Tackled: 10% 3%
Errors Made: 16 18
Errors/Ball Won: 14% 21%

Minutes In Possession: First Half: 19:40; Second Half: 17:41 "1st Half 19:40
2nd Half 17:41" "1st Half 09:26
2nd Half 18:11"
Minutes In Opponents' Half: First Half: 29:04; Second Half: 28:19 "1st Half 29:04
2nd Half 28:19" "1st half 12:13
2nd half 20:46"

TOP CARRIES -

Denis Leamy 5
Shane Horgan 4
David Wallace, Gordon D'Arcy, Denis Hickie 3

TOP TACKLERS -

Lote Tuqiri 11
David Wallace, Phil Waugh 10
Stirling Mortlock 8
Rocky Elsom 7

MOST MISSED TACKLES -

David Wallace, Neil Best, Clyde Rathbone, Phil Waugh 2
Al Baxter 1

MOST OFFLOADS -

Shane Horgan 3
Isaac Boss 2
Geordan Murphy, Brian O'Driscoll, Mat Rogers 1