Rugby Championship 2021

The simplest of wins for a fired-up New Zealand. I enjoyed Nic Berry, the referee, forgetting the new rules and initially signalling a five-metre scrum for New Zealand, before he quickly remembered that in this brave new world getting held up over the line means a goal-line drop out.

4 minutes in and there's been more kicking than 80 minutes of the previous game!

(Slight exaggeration, but it's very apparent!)

Wallabies not learning from the Lions - with Etezbeth lurking you need to form the human centipede for box kicks

I think that's a yellow on Kolisi - he goes above horizontal

Great try from the wallabies, exposing the Springbok wide defence

Collapsed maul yellow cards are my pet hate in rugby. It seems any time a maul collapses it's an immediate penalty, regardless of whether anyone actually committed an offence. That's why teams use it as such a weapon!

Similar to scrum pens - unless it's obvious, who actually knows what goes on with 8 blokes pushing against 8 blokes in an unstable moving mass of bodies!

Tell you what that's been a great half from the wallabies! Gone toe to toe with the Boks and have been able to keep the tempo and pace up.

Boks in the very uncomfortable position now of having to chase the game. Aussies need to play smart and play territory - make the Boks force things.

Boks looking inaccurate and slow. They need to up their intensity

Not sure that was a correct call from the ref - if the ball's out and 9 has hands on the ball he's fair game. Hence the ball being classed as out!

A couple of yellow cards in the 2nd half - both completely fair.

Bok try and momentum right back with them with the wallaby pack a man down.

South Africa really have done very little this game but are probably now odds on to win!

Tell you what, Quade Cooper has been outstanding! Probably the most controlled game of his career

Boks finally take the lead from yet another driven maul. Wallabies been punished hard for ill discipline and letting the Boks into the 22 - every time they've then kicked to the corner and got a try.

1 point game!

What a test match!!!

Incredible drama.

Quade Cooper nails the winning kick - who would have written that story in advance?

Was an enthralling game, good on Quade

Very disappointing performance from South Africa, whilst they may have scored three tries to one their game management were very poor.

Pollard not only had an off day with the boot, but his general play was below standard.

In the end the Boks threw the game away when they lost focus at the scrum, and instead of getting out of their half, Wiese who is still to convince me is test match level made the stupid decision to truck the ball up running away from support. This is not the first time we lose a test match in the final moments vs Australia for tye exact same idiocy.

Really enjoyed that game and felt the right team won on the day.
Flawless kicking from QC and a superb shove at the final scrum.

I have always had a bit of a soft spot for Cooper and that’s a fairytale ending. Really happy for him. Has to be a citizen now. Set me up a treat seeing that last five at Wasps and then going into the ground for a live rugby match again.

Cooper should have been brought back sooner. It’s just Thorn didn’t like him. They (the Wallabies) stuck it out with Foley for a few seasons, good player but also couldn’t kick at goal.

Recorded the game and just watched it.
Great result for Australia.
Yeah Cooper was quality.

Think Banks is a decent 15. Like the look of Kellaway. Good winger who will only get better I’m sure.

Looking for ward to next weeks game.

His Quadeness has still got it.

Aussies will be a massive test for Scotland this autumn.

How’s this for crazy….

Written 14 July and before he was recalled

“Former Wallabies star Quade Cooper says his application for Australian citizenship has been repeatedly knocked back despite playing 70 Tests for the country”

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-14/quade-cooper-says-he-cant-get-australian-citizenship/100291426

Well done ABs, 39-0. The Pumas were outclassed. SA will surely have to do more than box kick, kick 3s and maul their way to a win against the ABs. First game I’ve watched SA play since the RWC and I was shocked at how scared of the ball they were.

It's probably the first time the Boks have had to really chase a game and they certainly didn't look comfortable.

Some really strange tactical decisions too - why sub Pollard off? I know he wasn't having the best of games but he's their best goalkicker. Why sub Faff off with 4 minutes to go too - his replacement made a mess of one box kick then got held with the ball for the final penalty.

There was no plan B with the forwards either - it was basically take one massive lump off and replace him with another.

There were so many fine margins in that game! Such an exciting test match.

I thought the Boks were quite calm in their chasing of the game. Everyone and his dog has been of the opinion the Boks will fold under pressure, they didn't.

What is quite ironic though is the criticism of the Boks only playing for three pointers, which is exactly (and correctly) what the Wallabies did. Difference, no criticism of them doing it.

Yes I have argued the Boks are predictable for nigh on a decade. Something that has fallen on deaf ears, even my countrymen have criticised my stance on it.

The reality is, there are some perceptions being belted out regarding the Boks that is becoming tiresome and too one eyed for my liking.

The Boks can't chase a game - They have done so numerous times in the last three years, case in point, England in 2018, twice, and this past weekend.

Boks just kick, they do, but they do a bit more than that. Case in point, this weekend they had 25 kicks from hand, the same number of kicks the All Blacks had the previous weekend.

It seems everyone is forgetting the Boks restricted OZ to one try, whilst scoring (yes they even want to negate the maulling tries now) three tries themselves.

The Ozzies managed over 500 running meters vs NZ, this weekend they didn't manage 300 running meters.

South Africa slows the game down, anyone watched the Wallabies this weekend?

The plaudits are out in full cry for the Wallaby win, and rightly so, they played test rugby this weekend, kicked their goals, kicked tactically very well, White cam on and his territorial game was the best example of game management I have seen from an Aussie team in quite some time. Had they played that way vs the ABs they would have done a lot better.

The Boks need to be criticised for their fear of expressing themselves with ball in hand.

However the criticism for this match goes beyond that, they had this mtch in the bag, even though they missed ten points to goal. But a Champion team really need to be smarter than to give the game away in the last minute.

Where was the focus with that last scrum? Where was the focus of getting out of your half in the last minute to avoid a potential kickable penalty?

That was poor game awareness and poor decision making which is not acceptable.

Good post-match interview with Quade Cooper. He comes across as a man at peace with where he is in life.

He's definitely a completely changed person and at peace with life, which is always good to see. I said earlier in the thread that it was the most composed game of his career.

I did think he was underplaying things a bit too much though - it doesn't sound great to be saying it doesn't matter if he wins or loses because it's 'only' rugby as that makes it sound like he doesn't care. I'm sure he very much does care!

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/sep/14/wallabies-star-quade-cooper-set-to-be-granted-australian-citizenship-after-government-changes-rules

Nice for him that Australia are now making exemptions for exceptional people. Depressing that governments still need to see some shiny sporting achievement though, a bit like clapping Radacanu but not wanting Romanians living next to you if they're only a hospital porter.

It's been reported in a strange way this - if you do some digging the actual reason he's been rejected apparently is he's spent less than 12 months in Australia in the last 4 years, which is apparently a condition of citizenship.

Obviously this is red tape and there's absolutely no reason why he shouldn't be classed an Australian citizen, but a civil servant has decreed that computer says no previously!

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/15176/12401904/jordie-barrett-cleared-to-play-in-rest-of-rugby-championship-after-red-card-against-australia-dismissed

Just realised Jordie Barretts red was rescinded. SANZAR really making a show of themselves. Obvious red card.

Ding dong start to Wallabies v SA 2.

Wallabies giving away 6 penalties or so in the first 10 minutes but SA don't score after a penalty against them on the try line. Aussies then get into the SA 22 and Faff gives away the most brain-dead penalty and yellow card you'll see, slapping the ball out of White's hands when there was nothing on and pen advantage anyway. As a 9 himself surely he'd know why you can't do that!

Wallabies try from the resulting maul.

Wallabies playing with a lot of pace so far and getting good go forwards with their ball carrying. SA continuing to not choose kicks at goal until 17 minutes in.

Another try Australia! SA looking all at sea here - worse than last week so far.

Wallabies will be wanting to build as big a lead as they can right now.

Red card to yellow there. Right decision prehaps.

Swinton yellow card - very lucky not to be a red but was saved by it being shoulder contact a fraction of a second before head on head contact.

Another one for debate!

Australia have given away a huge number of penalties this half which had kept the scoreline close. SA not playing great but putting their usual pressure on the aerial game.

15-12 probably a fair HT score.

Another exciting game with plenty dramam!

Much better 2nd half so far from the Boks - quick fire try then playing with more intent.

Wallabies very close to another yellow if the penalties keep coming.

Swinton subbed off - he's definitely not had a good game and was at risk of another yellow from his tackling.

Koch definitely gave Cooper a slap in the face there off the ball - surprised the TMO didn't at least suggest looking at it

Cooper definitely milked the afters though!

Wallabies running riot! 2 fantastic tries in the last 5. Huge lead now.

Is Jantjies really the 2nd best 9 in SA? He's been pretty terrible.

Wallabies pack won't thank McDermott for taking so long at the back of that scrum.

77 minutes, 14 points up - just get rid of it!

Yellow for Weise but should have been a red. Shoulder charge in a ruck direct to the head, no mitigation. They're probably the most dangerous instances in rugby.

Ref has been pretty good but that was a red.

30-17 win for Australia in a pretty dominant win in the end.

That could be a coming of age perform for a young Aussie team.

SA were very, very flat and have a tough road ahead with 2 ABs tests coming up.

RDW wrote:Yellow for Weise but should have been a red. Shoulder charge in a ruck direct to the head, no mitigation. They're probably the most dangerous instances in rugby.

Ref has been pretty good but that was a red.

I was surprised it wasn't red. Good win for the Wallabies, though.

That was a clear red card. Ref bottled it, lol, pathetic. That’s the actual kind of play that needs stamping out and the referee cOcked it up. To think he was going to give a red to the Aussie for the head clash but then he lets that one at the end slide. Let’s see some pitch forks out like there was for Jordie!! Who’s in?

Come on now he's clearly aimed for the arms and hit the guys head with the top of his back more than his shoulder. If he's gon straight for the shoulder then the Aus player isn't getting up. He's aimed across him at the arms. If players are going to go for the superman long arm lean on the ball there's not a lot of options for where you hit on the clean out, if you actually watch the incident you can see Weise wrap his arms round the players arms to take him off the ball.

Ref got it spot on for me. No intent, player was in a legal position but isn't any longer as he ceased supporting his own body weight by the time Weise gets there. Yellow card because he catches him.

The penalty should have been blown earlier because that's when the Australian was in a legal position and trying to lift or when the second Bok into the breakdown tried to neck roll him out.

Great win for Australia following on from last weeks win.
Great stuff.

RDW wrote:30-17 win for Australia in a pretty dominant win in the end.

That could be a coming of age perform for a young Aussie team.

SA were very, very flat and have a tough road ahead with 2 ABs tests coming up.

Coming of age apart from the old boy at 10 who seems to be the glue pulling it together. Great to see Quade return and show he's still a quality 10. Rugby needs a strong Australia team so it's good to see them performing.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Come on now he's clearly aimed for the arms and hit the guys head with the top of his back more than his shoulder. If he's gon straight for the shoulder then the Aus player isn't getting up. He's aimed across him at the arms. If players are going to go for the superman long arm lean on the ball there's not a lot of options for where you hit on the clean out, if you actually watch the incident you can see Weise wrap his arms round the players arms to take him off the ball.

Ref got it spot on for me. No intent, player was in a legal position but isn't any longer as he ceased supporting his own body weight by the time Weise gets there. Yellow card because he catches him.

The penalty should have been blown earlier because that's when the Australian was in a legal position and trying to lift or when the second Bok into the breakdown tried to neck roll him out.

I'd definitely dispute the word 'clearly'!

There was a really good angle shown at the end but they didn't show it again - for me it showed shoulder to head.

Either way he charged shoulder first into a ruck with no real control over what he connected to - for me that's one of the most danger actions on the rugby pitch and we've seen many reds for similar over the years

On South Africa, there's definitely going to be questions asked about where SA go from here. They got very little change tonight against an Aussie pack which isn't exactly known as being a dominant force in world rugby (currently). With the pack not firing there wasn't a huge amount else to make up for it.

Old Man made an excellent post last week that a lot of the comments made about SA's style isn't overly accurate or fair, however Australia's attacking threat tonight was far more than what SA could muster. It's frustrating seeing SA spread it wide from first phase and make good ground, then 2 phases later pass to Pollard who does an up and under.

SA looked jaded tonight, and perhaps are running out of steam. There's a lot of rugby to play still so they've got to pick themselves up quickly.