ndtoronto Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Watching this from the other side of the world in just over 3 hours and not to sound like a homer for this board but how in the heck could the Oz lose to the All Blacks From what I have seen of both of them on tour this game should not even be close Thoughts from Ken and those much closer to the action (Prez: The rules you tought me last week go out the window this week) Setanta has live coverage of the gme for us in North America starting at 0330 Eastern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongboy Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Watching this from the other side of the world in just over 3 hours and not to sound like a homer for this board but how in the heck could the Oz lose to the All Blacks From what I have seen of both of them on tour this game should not even be close Thoughts from Ken and those much closer to the action (Prez: The rules you tought me last week go out the window this week) Setanta has live coverage of the gme for us in North America starting at 0330 Eastern Here's some points to consider before you conclude that the Wobblies are going to romp home in this game; The AllBlacks have their captain, arguably the world's best player, Richie McCaw starting this game. Also returning are Andrew Hore, Rodney So'oialo, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Conrad Smith. All first choice players who because of injury had little or no game time against France or Italy. The AllBlacks have not been beaten at Eden Park (tonight's venue) since 1994. Australia have not won there since 1986 ! NZ know that their performances have been below par. Historically they don't string 4 bad games together, they're due to click. The game is just over 3 hours away. Can't wait !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Gargett Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 don't know the odds but be surprised if all blacks not favourite. now, my tips of late would suggest i couldn't pick a nose but, and as much as i hate saying it, i'll be very surprised if the all blacks don't win this one. notoriously difficult to beat at home, apparently it has been bucketing in auckland (big surprise) and the kiwis are right at home in mud and rain - we are not. fortunately, our coach is. mccaw is definitely a huge boost for them. mind you, george smith is right on his heels, but mccaw just makes his team lift. others also a bonus. kiwis also lift for bledisloe more than they will for a touring team like italy. the form of the wallabies has been okay (we have moved from a team looking for players to fill spots to a team with several possibilities for each spot - something we desparately needed) but remember that this has been against sides like the barbarians (thrown together from all over), italy and we hardly smashd them to bits, and france. granted we did better against france than the kiwis but they always struggle against the french for some reason (who will ever forget that glorious semi in the 99 world cup?) and when they got to us, it was the very last game of the season for them and they clearly just wanted to get on the plane and bugger off. this could go wrong for the kiwis if donald is hurt early or has a bad day as general kicking very important in the wet and he is their key. we have numerous alternatives but they don't. for a change from the last few years, our scrum should hold its own. we might also put pressure on them in the lineouts. while i think mccaw and smith both brilliant and mccaw their key, don't be surprised to see pocock and possibly even waugh sent in from the bench to help make it tough for mccaw. that said, if we have three to try and counteract one of theirs, opens big holes elsewhere. i would take no notice of what has gone before. love to see the wallabis win but i'll be very surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Up 13-3, line wide open and the Aussies manage to bomb a 7 points a 20-3 lead which the Kiwi's would not have come back from. Reality is the Aussies lost control. From a dominant opening 20 minutes the intensity progressively dropped and the All Blacks were well on top come the last 25 minutes of the match. Awful conditions. Average game. Same old story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Gargett Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Up 13-3, line wide open and the Aussies manage to bomb a 7 points a 20-3 lead which the Kiwi's would not have come back from. Reality is the Aussies lost control. From a dominant opening 20 minutes the intensity progressively dropped and the All Blacks were well on top come the last 25 minutes of the match. Awful conditions. Average game. Same old story. think you'll find it was 10-3 at the time but agree it would have been hard for them to come back from 14 points down. and the rest of what you said is almost exactly what i texted to a mate down south. same old story. just seen that imbecile rudi the blind ump give hughes out to a ball that didn't carry (and good on the english capt for sporting pointing out it didn't carry, you'd hope but no). what a crap sporting weekend. broncs thrashed. lions scrape home against bottom team. british open not televised. great quote this morning from haigh in england on rudi - before the disaster this evening. he has officiated in 100 tests and stuffed up about 65 of those with shocking decisions. he is hopeless. i'm almost tempted to turn over the mission impossible 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARRV Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 think you'll find it was 10-3 at the time but agree it would have been hard for them to come back from 14 points down. and the rest of what you said is almost exactly what i texted to a mate down south. same old story.just seen that imbecile rudi the blind ump give hughes out to a ball that didn't carry (and good on the english capt for sporting pointing out it didn't carry, you'd hope but no). what a crap sporting weekend. broncs thrashed. lions scrape home against bottom team. british open not televised. great quote this morning from haigh in england on rudi - before the disaster this evening. he has officiated in 100 tests and stuffed up about 65 of those with shocking decisions. he is hopeless. i'm almost tempted to turn over the mission impossible 3. There needs to be a rethink on Burgess - when he's hot he's good but when he loses confidence it's all over. McGaw took 20 mins to find his feet and then smashed us. Just depressing to watch it knowing that when the heat came on the wallabies couldn't lift. Refereeing didn't help either. But the intensity wasn't there after the first 20 and there is no one to blame but the players for that. The truly annoying fact is that they show so much potential in bursts that if they could be consistent for a whole game they could beat anyone - it's just that they cannot do it for a whole game. Maybe it's got something to do with the aussie mentality /personality not to be so ruthless - who knows. Guess we'll have to wait for the Sydney test - hopefully the weather is good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Hate to say it but we are mentally Soft. Without Barnes at insider centre calling the plays for Giteau we are also dumb. Barnes must have some serious questions as to how tough he is. I have never known a test player to retire hurt so often. We are playing the fricken All Blacks! Take a needle! Palu is so dumb that he would be peeling oranges if there was a chance he wouldn't cut himself. Sharpe is at his toughest singing the National Anthem before the game. Stephen Moore needs to be reminded what a ruck is as it has been some time since he visited one. Baxter is as much a prop as Manili Vanilli were singers. James O'connor should spend as much time on his game as he does on his hair. Mortlock inspires as much fear these days as the Easter Bunny. Burgess has as much chance of winning lotto as hitting a 5/8th on the chest with a pass. Besides that we are going well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Gargett Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Hate to say it but we are mentally Soft. Without Barnes at insider centre calling the plays for Giteau we are also dumb. Barnes must have some serious questions as to how tough he is. I have never known a test player to retire hurt so often. We are playing the fricken All Blacks! Take a needle! Palu is so dumb that he would be peeling oranges if there was a chance he wouldn't cut himself. Sharpe is at his toughest singing the National Anthem before the game. Stephen Moore needs to be reminded what a ruck is as it has been some time since he visited one. Baxter is as much a prop as Manili Vanilli were singers. James O'connor should spend as much time on his game as he does on his hair. Mortlock inspires as much fear these days as the Easter Bunny. Burgess has as much chance of winning lotto as hitting a 5/8th on the chest with a pass. Besides that we are going well about the only thing i'd disagree with there is o'connor. to be fair to the kid, he is 18 and going brilliantly in the circumstances. unbelievably tough to be thrown in half way through a test v all blacks. he did okay given that. deans has him on the bench, not his fault. he is the size of a deformed smurf with no experience so deserves some credit. and it looks as though he spends no time at all on his hair. you don't mean mitchell? he should just spend more useful time on his hair but i think managing to coordinate a comb would be an achievement for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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