Ambush in Oz

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With Kefu,Palau,and Drew Mitchell picked for Brisbane plus Ashley Cooper returning the Wallabies
will be very much stronger than thought previously.Australia in OZ are NEVER a formality so the
record is in real danger.Methinks this could be another Hong Kong certainly not the the pushover
some pundits were predicting.If we go on the 2011 final 3Ns game there could be a lot of injuries
to key NZ players.Also who is subbing for Rettalick as presumeably he is now not available thoughts?

Mate, you have richie McCaw, arguably one of the best players and captains in rugby history, I have seen this man's reaction before when he lost a game, he despises not winning, there isn't a non competitive fibre in his body, I can tell you now with as much assertiveness as I can muster, there was no such thought.

Suppose so. Even so, its not enough to explain the plethora of errors committed. Head to head the NZ side rated well above their opposite and of all the sides the Abs have played last few years, this was the weakest on paper and even they made their own number of mistakes, had a man off at a critical period etc etc. Just weird how the ability to close a march out desserted them

Taylorman, in my opinion it is simple, sometimes a team clicks and other times it doesn't.

The all Blacks broke the line enough times, they had a number of opportunities to score tries, but somehow they flummoxed the lot of of them.

It happens, they just didn't have a good game.

Runs end FACT,you have an off day and get the win or draw. FACT.
There`s been a lot of intensive Rugby this year for the SH sides.FACT.
All three have found players that will find them in good stead.FACT
2013 could be a new ball game FACT.NH may reign supreme .FACT

Sorry both. Doesnt answer it for me.
This side should have won. FACT.
They are in the business of winning. FACT.
They are the best at it. FACT.
They were in peak form. FACT.
They were up against the worst Oz side on paper in years. FACT.

In one breath I'm supposed to accept the logic that ` runs come to an end' and 'teams have an off day' as sound reasoning for not winning this match but to entertain the possible thought that even subconsciously some of this side simply couldn't motivate themselves enough due to it being a dead rubber is being way off the mark?

Please...

If anything it sounds more logical than either of your suggestions. Would you have agreed with those as sound reasons not to win before the match? Hardly. Even more lame than the dead rubber thought.

And odd how two of the four non wins the ABs have had over the last 40 tests- the other two being the loss in Brisbane and the sacrificed match in SA last year, were in fact, dead rubbers-hong kong and this, agaonst the second best side in the world. Matches where the opposition simply had more reason to be motivated, and to dig that much deeper.

Makes more sense to me so I'll prefer that thinking to the reasons provided thank you.

Not that it matters. And we shouldn't detract from the oz win. On and up to the AIs. Let's hope the ABs find their mojo... because that performance won't cut it overt there, regardless of why it happened.

NZ are still in the same position as before yesterday's match, on an unbeaten run, looking to better the 18 consecutive wins of Lithuania (yes, after a decade of dominance, the remaining records you hunt down start to look a bit random...), the only difference is now they need to string a few more wins together to get there.

NZ got the tactics wrong, trying to play wide and fast with a slippery ball in humid conditions.

Australia's simplistic Scotland-esque tactics of playing no more than one or two wide, keep possession and committing anyone not carrying a ball to the breakdown was the perfect foil to NZ's momentum based high tempo game in the condition.

The fact that even a man down they chose to continue to take all of the pace out of the game shows how single-mindedly they stuck to the plan.

NZ will have to come up with a response to this plan because frankly it's the style most of the NH play by default.

I have confidence in Hansen to sort it out. In reality NZ were on a roll as the game wore on and did all but snatch it late on. If Joubert had remained consistent with his breakdown rulings instead of allowing the free-for-all that was the last 20 minutes, then NZ would surely have won.

On the whole, NZ looked fatigued. The chases weren't there. Mistakes were made. Mealamu looked completely distracted by his 100th test and Nonu had one of his Auckland days and Aaron Smith lost his cool for the first time, kicking away possession at vital times on turn over ball. They'll learn, they're still improving.

Biltong wrote:Taylorman, in my opinion it is simple, sometimes a team clicks and other times it doesn't.

The all Blacks broke the line enough times, they had a number of opportunities to score tries, but somehow they flummoxed the lot of of them.

It happens, they just didn't have a good game.

You've put your finger on it Biltong. Watching the game again there were numerous breaks, more in fact than the SA game, but everyone had some bad decision making on the end of it. Pushed passes that weren't on, or poor option taking.

I also feel Hansen made some bad substitutions. Weepu messed up several key attacking positions late in the game with his laboured distribution, getting embarrassingly bagged by the reserve Aussie 9. Weepu is a great option to bring on late to close down a game, but chasing it, he is not the man you want.

Someone needs to be accountable for this performance if its not due to complacency so as to not repeat it. Long season? Any longer than the hellish season oz have had? or is simply replacing the dead and buried with raw untested seconds the way to go to be successful.

Weepus gotta go. I don't think he's offered anything in the last year. If he couldn't kick or lead the haka ellis would have been there this year.

Now Ali Williams is clearing away the mothballs for the tour...don't agree with that one. Shown no form last two years and why with the experience the three locks have gained this year they still need a 'mentor' is beyond me. Complete waste of time. He won't be there for 2015 and can only be a mates rates selection.

Hope Piatau from Auckland gets a wilcard. He's had some stunning runs itm.

Its fair to assume that Hansens mind wasn't in the Job this week. I'd go easy on the accountability.

The players let themselves down to some extent. Carter actually had a shocker, not just missing three vital kicks, but he was not his usual self: ABs looked better when cruden came on.

Observations,firstly this Australian side was`nt as bad as people made out they
came with a plan to shut the All Blacks down.They did just that maybe just maybe this All Black side isn`t that far ahead as people think.All year they have started slowly there defence has kept them in the game.They have conceded very few tries but they have conceded a lot of Penalties.Heynke Meyer said that to beat this All Black side you needed to be on top of your for 8O minutes and have an 80% conversion of your Goal kicks.For the first time this year that occurred the other side kicked all but one of there goals.For whatever reason The All Blacks have often had a great performance followed by a relative anti climax.IF you want to be hyper critical they could or maybe should have lost 4 games this season.poor Goal kicking kept them in the game.
Now you are looking for scapegoats for an indifferent performance,start at the top.The Selection was wrong Owen Franks should have started along with Romano.Ben Franks and Sam Cane should have been on the bench,the lineout was disruopted because Mealamu got his throwing in wrong.Sentiment aside Hore has been the starting Hooker.Aron Smith had a probably his worst match that effected the backline.No Blame to him he is young and not yet hardened to test rugby dump him?of course not.Weepu must go Ellis should have been there
?why you don`t like him.But Ellis was the best scrum half in NZ 2011 why now.
Who else do you want to dump? Conrad Smith he apparently had a head knock is was precautionary.Carter he is still the best,Nonu he was the best back on the park till subbed.McCaw he has had a new lease of life since his return from injury and was immense again Saturday.Messam has nailed down the 6 position much to surprise.With Palu back they should have anticipatred the flooding the breakdown tactic from2011.If it was obvious to me it surely was to the AB Coaching staff.The core of this squad will be there at least another 2 or 3 years including McCaw,Nonu,Carter,C.Smith and the hookers.Certainly new blood needs starting Kerr-Barlow,Coles or Elliot,another Lock plus maybe another back.The rest of the squad will tour and get game time. As to this game on the day Aus wanted it more write it off and start again.

AWOP please Carter did`nt have a bad game he missed two kicks one at the limit of his range.The Drop was from a poor pass, Cruden came on when the AB forwards were getting some ascendency.He only had a quiet game by HIS standards and was no worse than the rest of the backs.Don`t expect a perfect game from a team every game especially when the 9 is rattled and throwing hail mary passes.

emack2 wrote:AWOP please Carter did`nt have a bad game he missed two kicks one at the limit of his range.The Drop was from a poor pass, Cruden came on when the AB forwards were getting some ascendency.He only had a quiet game by HIS standards and was no worse than the rest of the backs.Don`t expect a perfect game from a team every game especially when the 9 is rattled and throwing hail mary passes.

Well as far as I'm concerned they all played rubbish. For a team thats been striving and nearly attaining perfection all year the mistakes, error rate, dropped balls, wrong options were cumulatively inexcusable. They werent due to the Oz pressure, they were just terrible. Surprised we even drew and would have lost if Oz hadnt been almost as bad themselves.

All up, a very forgettable match other than its good to see Oz competitive with so many players out. Certainly one that got away for them as I don't think its possible to play worse than this side did.

At least from a Wallabies perspective one of the positives from their riduculously cruel injury toll is that it seems OZ rugby might have a little depth there than previously thought - based on the Argentine and AB results most recently. There have been good finds in Hooper, Timani, Douglas, Tapuai, Harris, Phipps, Hansen - these blokes could barely make the squad of 30 last year.

Perhaps they don't need their gang of stars (Pocock, Genia, O'Connor, Cooper, Ioane, Beale) as much as they did last year. Will give Deans more confidence to select players out of the wider squad based on form rather than reputation - at least let's hope so.

Rob B wrote:At least from a Wallabies perspective one of the positives from their riduculously cruel injury toll is that it seems OZ rugby might have a little depth there than previously thought - based on the Argentine and AB results most recently. There have been good finds in Hooper, Timani, Douglas, Tapuai, Harris, Phipps, Hansen - these blokes could barely make the squad of 30 last year.

Perhaps they don't need their gang of stars (Pocock, Genia, O'Connor, Cooper, Ioane, Beale) as much as they did last year. Will give Deans more confidence to select players out of the wider squad based on form rather than reputation - at least let's hope so.

Hi ya rob yes agree there. The merits of the new guys can't go un-noticed and for those names to be even competitive could be a turning point. Somethings happening with oz rugby and it needs a good shot in the arm so withe the argie match and this its a small start. Hopefully a good AIs is around the corner...but oh those handling errors from both sides...

Basically we just didn't play well enough. Aus took it to us and we didn't respond. Disappointing!

Especially given Wellington gave it away to Auckland a few hours before hand. Just ruined by Saturday.

What Saturday proves is that whatever the sides are matched on paper it is still
xv versus xv.I`m as fed up as any AB supporter of the ineptitude of both sides.BUT I am reminded of the way Argentina or Scotland played until recently
a simple game plan built on defence a penalties/drops to win games.Or at least to keep the score down,not so long ago.Scotland played a very Strong England and France side,Media said no chance they won both games.
Needless to say the NH media loved it chinks in the armour etc.the game is over move on.Will this be a watershed the ABs have peaked and are doomed
to lose badly in Europe as theBoks did 2009.Or will it be a kick in the pants and they will knuckle down and do the business.

Taylorman wrote:Yep. That will help as well. They couldnt have more motivation for this.

Simply put put this side is better than any side at the moment and should win. They need to find a way of doing this test after test until a genuine challenger comes along.

Regardless of the 16 straight, the world cup and RC wins its still a 2 horse head to head match. And player for player each AB is ahead of nearly every Oz equivalent. If they lose they'll only have themselves, not the coaches, the ref, the luck etc to blame. This side should rise above all those reasons commonly used as an 'excuse' and simply play better rugby.

They've set a high standard, and need to play to it.

Dug out this one from an oldy.... seems the motivation when theres next to nothing on IS INDEED a factor in being able to win games for the AB's.

Hansen declared today in the NZ Herald:

"Players could not avoid talk, pictures or headlines suggesting inevitable victories, but they had to ask themselves if they had prepared properly and planned for the unexpected.

Brisbane was a classic case of a lack of deep graft.

"We got something we did not expect coming at us and it became a bit of a problem for a while," Hansen mentioned. "That was through lack of mental preparation."

If players said they did not fear a side then it was important they use pride in their personal performance as motivation.

"Someone is always going to watch you play and it might be the last time you play," Hansen warned. "There is a responsibility to play well for the All Blacks and know that your time in the jersey is seen to be productive and actually improve it."

So thats interesting in that it parallels Hong kong to the extent that it is nigh 'unavoidable' to be complacent at the top no matter how one tries to convince themselves they are motivated even though theyre not, like Hong Kong, where theres little on the match bar a winning streak.

All this...'Theyre All Blacks ...they shouldnt need any more motivation" talk just goes to show thats baloney. Of course they do. And sometimes it just near impossible to achieve, whether we like to admit it or not.