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Is there anywhere I can find out who and what time the replacements came off the bench?
Great game, Fucken battled right through to the 80!
55 Minute:
Off: Horton
On: Katuui
57 Minute:
Off: Wells, Coxon, White
On: Hancock, FaiFui, Fines
65 Minute:
Off: Williams, Medrano,
On: Taikulipaki, Anstee,
70 Minute:
Off: Potter
On: Poolman
76 Minute:
Off: Franklin
On: Callan
Poolman also replaced Spink for a blood bin
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
I agree leadership and depth appear the main issues (and defence)
I was happy when they named Williams captain and white and wells vice captains because I assume one or both of Wells and White would be coming off the bench so we would always have a leader on the field. This has not been the case as all three are starting.
I don’t see why Cron doesn’t rate Anstee, he only got 15 mins, he should start ahead of Wells, more dynamic around the field and a better lineout option, then wells can come on and captain the side if Williams and white are off?
OK, I think I've grieved enough to take something positive from this game now.
First point, the game plan looks awesome. for the first 50 minutes, when we were actually thinking about rugby we were not only ahead on the scoreboard, but we were on top of them in every aspect of the game except the scrum. I was prepared to concede the scrum considering how much money they threw at their front row to buy instant success (not only Tupou, but Talakai and Mafi all players I rate) they've also spent big on blokes like LSL who will add weight to their scrum so to cancel that out and come out ahead on points when Tupou left the field was impressive.
Donaldson looked assured and confident in 10, took the line well and kicked nicely out of hand and for post. All the commentators are frothing about how well Carter Gordon did but he basically wiped Donno's arse for 50 minutes then took the line on a few times and made breaks. I reckon Donno won the battle of the flyhalves. I also think this was one of the better games I've seen Nic White play, he didn't aimlessly box kick everything he got, challenged the line well and passed sharply.
Our breakdown work was clean and efficient (well until it wasn't) but it showed there is potential in the team and the game plan.
Most importantly the Rebels have bought experience in their off season throwing of the bank at big names, we've bought futures. I guess now that the wound is no longer raw I can say that the youngest team in Super Rugby will have matches like this. I'm not excusing that, they should be getting belted as a result of closing up shop 30 minutes early, but there's enough to be positive about which I wasn't genuinely expecting before the game.
Brumbies are still gonna belt us, because they've surely learned not to take us lightly, but you never know. They might turn up in the wrong mindset and we might have a chance but for the love of Ganesh and every fuckin cow in India they'd better not do half the job this week. Either get belted from the outset and prove that the Brumbies are the better team or put together a consistent 80 minutes of rugby and mount a genuine challenge. I don't know how many more matches I can take being beaten by a team that we've proven is not better than us and having our foot on the throat after halftime!
C'mon the
Agree about them being on top for most of it. The try from all the scrum resets before HT gave them a foothold though. It all started going wrong from 55. A combination of some Rebels luck and the Force definitely losing their way around the substitutions in that 10 minute period between 55-65 where the Rebels scored 3 tries. Some poor coaching decisions & lack of leadership lost us a game we should have won.
Garry Owen (above) hit the nail on the head about using the VC's a little more resourcefully through the 80.
Great game, Fucken battled right through to the 80!
If we can bottle that first 30-36 minutes we will go alright.
I was literally just starting to think "this is looking pretty promising" and then blaart...
I think that series of scrums leading into the half just plum wore the young fellas out.
While the 7 points was a turning point on the scoreboard, it went deeper than that I feel.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.