laceys lane said...
to be honest, the wallabies just haven't played very well for the rwc. they are a maddening team to support.

i'll be blunt, imo cooper's had a fair run, but it obvious he can't handle the big time pressure and all the other teams know it and play it accordingly. the cooper party has come to an end

+1 and bar!

dinsdale said...

japie said...

The problem with Cooper is he has too much of the Campese factor in him. His brilliance is countered by his uselessness when he has an off game.

You mean he has on games?? I must have been sick that day, coz I sure haven't seen one. I've seen 5 to 10 seconds of accidental brilliance from time to time, but not enough to justify a place in even a colts team, let alone the Wabblies. Get rid of him!!

Dins, Dins, Dins, you have a short memory. Queensland wooden spooners for so long and now the super 15 champs. I have a huge amount of faith in Ewen Mckenzies judgement. And Deans'. Winning the Tri Nations was no accident. Cooper was part of that.

This is going to be the junction for him. He has copped so much flack if he has no back bone he will go to with Mundines advice and swap codes.

Australia had just come off a very hard game the week before
Not many teams would have stood up to that onslaught it remains to be seen whether
NZ can do it again on sunday
Cooper was much better being gracious in defeat than his smirking in victory maybe he has learned something-- be more like the rest of the team--sportsmen
All the flak he copped he asked for

Hate to say it - League ball movement tactics could help - Having grown up on Union - discovered AFL thru' the kids and now in Qld re-visiting (just on the box) league (state of origin - brilliant).
I found the game really frustrating. You knew that there was a snowball in hell's chance of the ball going down the line and scoring - they really need to get some of the league tactics involved. A better structure for selling dummies, changing direction, mixing it up - causing confusion and openings - dynamic (like top level league) - the predictable pass out till someone gets stopped - was average school boy level.
I bought into the hype but compared to the reality - not next time.
A penalty kick needs to be cheaper - say 2 points and a try 6 + conversion 3.
Aerial croquet is not that interesting - take the best kicker of any AFL team and 50 meters is in range without sweating - specially with a flowerpot to kick-off[}:)].

Cheers
Ap

japie said...

I am so pissed off that the Frogs are in the final when it should have been Wales.

Hi Japie - I agree with you but my viewpoint on this one was based on the rules not on the actual event that took place. I picked this up from the IRB statement

A directive was issued to all Unions and Match Officials in 2009 emphasizing the IRB's zero-tolerance stance towards dangerous tackles and reiterating the following instructions for referees:

"The player is lifted and then forced or 'speared' into the ground (red card offence).

"The lifted player is dropped to the ground from a height with no regard to the player's safety (red card offence).

"For all other types of dangerous lifting tackles a yellow card or penalty may be considered sufficient."

So given that he dropped him mid air there seems to be nothing else they could do if you follow the letter of the law. I think if he had tried to bring him down it would have been a yellow. It is a shame that it happened as no doubt Wales were the better side. They missed 5 kicks on the night - if anyone of those had gone over (and 2 were very close) it would have been a different outcome. The Welsh rose to the challenge and almost pulled it off. I am fearful that those Frogs may now decide to play for a change - WRC history is full of examples of the French getting under our skin in big matches. I hope that this is not the case this w/e!!!!!

As for Pinetree - yes he is an absolute living legend. His playing days were over by the time I was born so I never got to see him play in person. His legend was ever present though and some of that old footage shows why. The bloke I aways remember from my early rugby loving days was Naas Botha - boy oh boy could he play the game! The drop goal specialist to beat them all. It was a shame that his talents were never displayed on the world stage as much as they could have been under different circumstances.

Ted the Kiwi has said it all and I totally agree

This is the core of the issue (& about the only objective observation from Ted & all NZ )

Here is another objective observation for you Of all the top Rugby playing nations
Australias record for clean play would be second to none IMHO

Wineman said...

Ted the Kiwi said...
...
Although he had a shocker early on against us he played ok after that and even made a few crucial saves. The Aussies lost the match up front. Its very hard as you would know to play behind a forward pack that is getting monstered. Samoa showed this problem early on in the season. Italy monstered them for 70 mins, Ireland did, SA did and the AB's did. I think people who are wanting to play the blame game should start looking at those with lower numbers on their back!
....

This is the core of the issue (& about the only objective observation from Ted & all NZ )
Rugby is a go forward game - & we wus goin' back!

BTW - no mention of Brad Thorn's big stiff arm TKO on O'Connor, a beauty

(of course, he's not a precious AB - protected species) [}:)]

Yes - Ted, spot on analysis.

Hiko - NZ is not exactly known for resorting to questionable tactics either - unless you want to cite unfair advantage as being too damned good every time...Must be an ANZAC thing ey?

chrispychru said...

^^^^^^ yeh unlike wales who wanted to loophole the rules with illegal tactics to win the game then they go and whinge about about a player being sent off for a nasty tackle which all countries were warned about. it was nasty no matter what angle you watched it at. maybe the welsh would be happier if they left there demeaning mining jobs in the happy homeland and moved over here for a proper mining job. nah we got enough whingers here already. even if france lose they will always have sexier women

You have obviously never met a true Welsh woman!

And cuffed the losing captain over the head after the final whistle [McCaw Hong Kong]
Heroic stuff

SandS said...


do you remember the " Rainbow Warrior "

come on All Blacks , kick those frogs arse !!!!!

that was the government not a rugby side dont hear us talking about kiwis and cannabaliism. both were things people didnt want to remember. get back onto footy will ya

At the end of the day its really just a game.........and we had better win or there will be trouble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The nation will mourn and heads will be chopped off. I am not sure if they will be eaten though. This match will define many things - from Henry's legacy to Richie to Cruden and even SBW - he may decide to stay in NZ and play rugby for anoter few years. There is nothing but downside if the lads come unstuck. I am hoping that big bad Brad has a stormer. He has been an amazing talent for a very long period of time. One of our best.

AB's by 14 I reckon. 1 yellow card and the first points will be an AB penalty from Piri to settle the nerves.

Tonights game I am not so sure. On form the Welsh should have it in the bag but the Aussies are long overdue a decent performance, although they have made a host of changes. Lets hope its a great battle. I have a dozen cold ones in the fridge and can not wait to start cracking them, sitting on the lounger with the volume turned up loud and gobbling down some pizza at half time. I will be guttered when this RWC is over - what will I do with all my spare time in the evenings?


What are you Aussie boys thinking tonight? I would love to hear your thoughts / predictions?

You could be right Lacey. They are not looking like they could organise a **** in a whorehouse! I think they will win - they have controlled territory well so far.

Ted the Kiwi said...

ok so you won - well done. But once more the Welsh were brought down by their kicking!!!!!!!!!

Hope the Cooper injury is not serious. Looked bad.

Ted....about as condescending as the Kiwi commentators.
I thought Ray 'Rabbits' Warren was the worst call of a rugby match ever (he called it like a rugby league radio match), but those guys tonight should be ashamed that is was not going out as a parochial school boy call.

Cup Summary:
Excellent play at the various/all levels.
Commitment - huge. Never seen so many facial lacerations. Also that last Welsh try..huuuuge. That's what I'm talkin' about

Oh, forgot ...there is still a final.
Will it be as good as the Welsh/ Aussie match.
If the French turn up, then maybe.

Best rugby of ANY World Cup ever.
Special congratulations to all the minnow (so-called) nations - they done good.

Yep.
Berrick Barnes has that Steve Larkham (or Dan Carter - the Kiwi God Who Can Do No Wrong [}:)]) style & class.