[2023 TRC] South Africa vs Australia

[die_mole]

IFOK takes out the guy in the air. Little things matter.

 

[saulan]

We haven't been threatened in ages, but our finishing has not been good enough in the last 20. Given how the Wallabies have been non-existent this half we should have gotten another try or two. But again, promising for the start of the season.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Game needs a red card to spice it up a bit

 

[West Country Wail]

If we ever needed reminding about the wheels on Grant Williams! Rapid.

 

[Groundhog]

Think the Aussies have been reffed fairly harshly today tbf. They've also been complete muck lol. Wanted them to win, but well for Eddie Jones

 

[TRF_Olyy]

EJ bounce confirmed myth

 

[saulan]

I mean, a very strong win. We were inaccurate and I think our biggest weakness was our lineout throwing (but to be fair Wallabies didn't have a great time there either). In accuracy in the last 22 is something we need to work on, but feeling good about our ability to get into those positions at least. Happy with Libbok and glad he got the opportunity to grow, his synergy with Le Roux was great. Esterhuysen was also great in performance and was definitely putting some pressure on DDA. In general couldn't fault the backline too much, apart from some inaccurate shooting up early on in defense and maybe Am not being up to his own standards in this one.

Mbonambi had a great hand in the try, but the lineout throw ins were consistently disappointing. I was worried about the Wallaby locks but I honestly think our set stood up and did a decent job across the board, as did our replacement lock (thanks Munster for nurturing them).

I think we deserved 50-5 instead of 43-12, but we can definitely take that into the next week. A promising start to the season.

 

[munstermuffin]

@saulan that starting lad did ok too. Kleyn. Skelton didn't look as dominant today

And don't beeak RG now after all my hard work

 

[saulan]

@saulan that starting lad did ok too. Kleyn. Skelton didn't look as dominant today

And don't beeak RG now after all my hard work

Both Wallaby locks didn't really stand out. Kleyn and Orie did a great job in the lineout defensively and bashing it up, and in general making the rest of the team look good.

We will do our best not to break RG, but in our defense I don't think we've ever done that… it's either been at the club or himself playing with petrol around a fireplace that's caused some injury risks. We appreciate all of your hard work in keeping him in good shape

 

[Derpus]

Rugby sucks and I hate it.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

A more accurate team would've put another 43 on that Wallaby side but TBF they were so out of it it almost came as a shock when they had ball again later on. Not helped by some pedantic refereeing. Good but pedantic and that type of refereeing plays into our strengths and allows us to set the tempo but still, I expected more from the Aussies. We were decent for a 1st game and a bit of a 2nd string side but were made to look better than we ought to I thought.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

EJ bounce confirmed myth

Are you suggesting he inhereted an incredibly well developed and strong group of players who slightly lacked guidance at a time where rugby really suited his direct and attritional style of play but over the past 4 years the game has passed him by massively? Because that... THAT... sounds accurate.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Are you suggesting he inhereted an incredibly well developed and strong group of players who slightly lacked guidance at a time where rugby really suited his direct and attritional style of play but over the past 4 years the game has passed him by massively? Because that... THAT... sounds accurate.

So what you're saying is Australia need 4 years of Lancaster before bringing in EJ?

EJ to Leinster to replace Cullen?

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

The EJ school of attacking: If you don't know what you're doing, your opponents definitely won't. The difference is, they won't care.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

EJ to Leinster to replace Cullen?

If he committed to waxing the done I'd take him tomorrow.

 

[Groundhog]

Jean Kleyn outplayed Skelton. A Leinster player could never.

 

[TobesHodges]

Chronically out of form team being played I love Quade Cooper but what's he doing there, the in form team for Australia is:

1. Slipper 2. Mcinernery 3. Talakai 4. Philip 5. Skelton 6. Mcrieght 7. Wilson 8. Valetini 9. McDermott 10. Lolesio 11. Nawaqanitawase 12. Kerevi 13. Ikitua 14. Muirhead 15. Wright

Very different to the current, SA would have won regardless, their pack are monsters

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Cooper going from long term injury --> Handful of low level club games --> Starting vs SA in SA does seem a bit odd in hindsight, but then if EJ wants him in the RWC he needs the game time

 

[unrated]

@saulan that starting lad did ok too. Kleyn. Skelton didn't look as dominant today

And don't beeak RG now after all my hard work

Its very important that he does not get injured now, if he does, I think it may be over for him internationally. It would be one too much IMO

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Rennie had a 38% win rate. So, yeah, don't think losing some more will make us regret much.

I like Rennie but there were a series of key **** ups that I thought warranted the sack before Eddie was even available.

Also not sure what improvements Australia has made under Rennie? Not results at Test or SR level, that's for certain. Some suggest he improved our depth but I don't really see how.

Hes a decent coach, a seemingly top bloke and a breath of fresh air after Cheika. But no one will miss him.

Australian rugby is Miles better in defence and at the breakdown. The reds that won 2021 super rugby AU were a massive joke of a team who couldn't tackle; so were all the other teams. Hell, people even thought Harry wilson was good, a guy who missed more tackles than he made.

The player stock to choose from for internationals was atrocious. They are much better now even if super rugby teams still aren't beating NZ teams much, they are at least more competitive.

38 per cent isn't bad given the quality of opposition they play, the players available before injuries, and then accounting for all the injuries.

Northern hemisphere teams are much better now and so is Argentina. Add to that the wallabies haven't been playing tier two nations.

The all blacks have had only a sixty percent success rate or something, and their player base s far better than Australia's. But the player base in Europe is good too, Frances definitely better.

There's no denying the wallabies can field a very strong team when at full strength, but rennie pretty much never had close to full strength. Yet he still almost beat Ireland with an under strength side. Eddie for this game has had a better set of players ti choose from than rennie ever did