K, just watched it, a few things if you may:
- it went as I expected overall. Australia were happy with merely conceding penalties, and managed to keep Ireland from scoring tries. I thought their game would look like this, and it's what they did. "Ireland, come in and get 3 points each time. We'll take 7 when we go down your side of the field". Some of those plays Ireland just couldn't get the try, Aussies were glad to concede just 3.
- Aussie backs looked good, they're having a very good November thus far. Just more athletic in general than the Green backs, downright faster. Cummins can sprint like a mofo, and has good upper body strength. Bowe had a lot of trouble putting him down when he almost scored that try.
- Irish backs looked OK overall, and very sharp in stretches. They looked both promising for the future and a little perplexity-inspiring. Australia defended well this game, but usually are full of holes on defense, and Ireland must hope this was just bad form inherently to the game's rhythm just that match and will flourish again later. But overall, the Irish backs looked very European. Some good movement and combinations though, but just no finish. The whole way. The entire 80minutes against AUS. They had some golden opportunities, at least like 4-5 BIG momentum-laden, open field races, that concluded to a maximum of 3 points. That's something to think about.
- Scrum looks poor for Ireland. Downright poor. Even the Aussies managed an upperhand in this one when they've been battered all year long. They even managed a turnover on an Irish put-in. That's bad, Ireland will suffer tremendously this coming 6N if this is anything of a constant for them, because besides Scotland the tournament is full of elite scrummaging sides, needless to say...
- Aussies were, not that this would astonish anyone, awesome at the breakdown. Ireland were good too. But Australia had that play at 60' where Best in the Aussie 22 throws in the lineout ball, and Ireland try to make a maul out of the lineout immediately and Australia makes it into a ruck and outruck the Irish into a TO. Valiant stuff.
- Folau is the best 15 right now, isn't he ? Dagg ??....mehhh...nah, Folau. And please don't anyone say Halfpenny !! A guy who can boot, as well as he does, it's only goal kicking. Halfpenny is harmless with ball in hand. People even got amazed at the 1 or 2 plays he had last summer as a Lion, testament to how non-existant he is ball in hand.
- You guys saw that Quade Cooper kickpass from the outside of the foot there ??...NICE. Too bad it didn't amount to a try.
- The stats for this game are truly a caricature of European VS Aus/NZ sides games: the former gets 65% possession and 63% territory and scores no try, while the latter gets 36% and 37% and 4 tries.
- Just to finish this off with a little humor (HA HA HA...) the ref was a NZer I reckon given the accent, and when he called the play for the scrums, I swear one would literally hear: "Crouch..........bind..........*SIT* !!"
Would be hilarious if you saw the tight 8 crouch....then bind......then sit down by mistake, lol. Tex Avery kinda stuff.
