[EOYT] Wales v Australia, 30/11/13

[psychic duck]

The number of injuries against the Boks is what I was referring to, Wales have to harden up.
Aussie have a good pack but not inthe same class as the Boks.
If Wales harden up in the pack they can dominate the set pieces but Aussie will be a serious handful for them at the breakdown.
Aussie are not the easybeats in the pack everyone makes them out to be.
England, the Pumas, the Boks are clearly better at the set piece scrum but in the loose and at the ruck Aussie are pretty much as good as anyone. Aussie do ok at the set piece and they make up for it by how they play in other forward aspects. I think they are really missing David Pocock. When he gets back they will be a serious threat to everyone again. He's a powerhouse in the loose.

Wales need to take a lead from the Irish attitude against the AB's.

So because players got injured it means they haven't "hardened up"?

Also Wales certainly do not need to follow Ireland's example against New Zealand, we've already seen enough choking in the last minute against Australia from them.

 

[Ospreylian]

The number of injuries against the Boks is what I was referring to, Wales have to harden up.
Aussie have a good pack but not inthe same class as the Boks.
If Wales harden up in the pack they can dominate the set pieces but Aussie will be a serious handful for them at the breakdown.
Aussie are not the easybeats in the pack everyone makes them out to be.

I'm pretty sure Wales are hard enough in their pack to compete to be fair. Have you not seen Hibbard this season?

The Welsh scrum has remained sturdy this Autumn, even with Adam Jones missing. So I don't think the Aussies will be underestimating the Welsh scrum/mauls/line-out.

But agreed that I'm not looking forward to the prospect of Hooper hovering like a vulture over every Welsh ruck. But then again, Warburton is on fine form this season, and then we have Tips on the bench (who is arguably on even better form).

 

[TRF_Cymro]

"Wales need to harden up" and "Wales bigging themselves up"

Poor attempt at sniping going on here. Wondered if the Ashes Australian media had made an appearance on the forum with the drivel.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

to Welsh guys, this is what i'm referring to. Hibbard seems pretty confident that the Lions err Wales can beat us
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...ays-hibbard-20131126-2y6sv.html#ixzz2lok0m3NC

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I'm guessing the Wallabies will line up like this:

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Horwill
6. Fardy
7. Hooper
8. Mowen - captain

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Cummins
12. Lealiifano
13. Ashley- Cooper
14. Tomane
15. Folau

 

[The Jones Boy]

Settle down Cymra, I only said Wales need to harden up, and I meant it, because they have such a God awful bunch of results against the big 3 SH teams and yet such a massive basket full of talent.
What is going on with Wales against Southern Hemisphere teams?
If their pack muscles up to Aussie and denies them a chunk of possess it will be hard for Aussie but... Aussie are still crash hot at the breakdown and the ruck will require Wales to be at their vigilant best because Aussie have a potent loose forward trio and dynamite backs, they can win big games from living off scraps.
No Aussie are not in good form compared to the awesome days of Eales and co. , but they still have a team that can put any country on their backside, on any given day and they must not be taken lightly.
Wales need to 'front up' in the pack and dominate the set pieces. Warburton and Tipuric and Lydiate and Foletau must do the hard work at the ruck, blowing out the Aussie sniffers. Alun Wyn Jones is still a mighty tree trunk in the Welsh engine room, if he can lift for one last big performance for the year it will set the marker down for the other lads to follow.
Two Giant wingers and a canny old halfback, halfpenny at the back, Wales can do this if they front up and do not doubt themselves, keep the belief for 80 minutes.
It has the potential to be an awesome game.
Both teams are capable of breath taking running rugby, their backlines are dripping with talent.
I can't wait to watch this match and I'm a neutral.

Regarding 'bigging themselves up', I don't buy that, the Welsh boys are smarter than to do that nonsense. Thats just media garbage.

 

[Ospreylian]

to Welsh guys, this is what i'm referring to. Hibbard seems pretty confident that the Lions err Wales can beat us
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...ays-hibbard-20131126-2y6sv.html#ixzz2lok0m3NC

Ok, what you have here is a classic case of journalistic distortion of words. What Hibbard actually says, as opposed to what the headline suggests, is "we were physical, we battered them for 60 minutes and that was the end of it, they couldn't survive after that. We have to bring that ferocity again."

So he never actually says anywhere that Wales will "batter the Wallabies". He is recounting the course of events in that final Lions test, and I have to say he's pretty spot on tbh. The Lions did batter Australia's defense for a good portion of that match, which is one of the reasons they were able to win by such a high margin (you are more than welcome to watch the highlights and try and argue against me on that one).

Also, later in the same interview Hibbard goes on to compliment the Wallabies. He says "they played well in the Championship and seem a different team over here, their confidence is high. It will be a tough one, probably the toughest of the last four years." He also compliments how their scrum has improved and how their pack is definitely not weak.

So in all, how on earth can that be classed as "bigging Wales up"??? To me, it's mainly just the Australian media stirring the pot and distorting what players have said.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

WALES TEAM TO PLAY AUSTRALIA
Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Owen Williams (Cardiff Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets), George North (Northampton Saints), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Unattached), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, CAPT), Toby Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

Wales miss Jamie Roberts big time. Gatlandball just does not seem to work without him, as he saw in the 1st two Lions tests; there's just no punch in the midfield to get the team over the gain line. Added to loss of the rock Adam Jones in the scrum, I see Australia winning this one.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Ok, what you have here is a classic case of journalistic distortion of words. What Hibbard actually says, as opposed to what the headline suggests, is "we were physical, we battered them for 60 minutes and that was the end of it, they couldn't survive after that. We have to bring that ferocity again."

So he never actually says anywhere that Wales will "batter the Wallabies". He is recounting the course of events in that final Lions test, and I have to say he's pretty spot on tbh. The Lions did batter Australia's defense for a good portion of that match, which is one of the reasons they were able to win by such a high margin (you are more than welcome to watch the highlights and try and argue against me on that one).

Also, later in the same interview Hibbard goes on to compliment the Wallabies. He says "they played well in the Championship and seem a different team over here, their confidence is high. It will be a tough one, probably the toughest of the last four years." He also compliments how their scrum has improved and how their pack is definitely not weak.

So in all, how on earth can that be classed as "bigging Wales up"??? To me, it's mainly just the Australian media stirring the pot and distorting what players have said.

fair enough, lets just says its the media being the media.

 

[welshglory]

Heys guys been away for a while.
I thought i'd just weigh in my thoughts for this one.
Now to start off with i'm sorry to be pessimistic but we don't really have the upper hand in any areas of the game, i'm not confident at all.
Just hoping a victory but not expecting it.

I think the Scrums will pretty much be even, doubt we will dominate
Lineouts will more than likely be dominated by Australia
Both teams are rubbish at mauling, and will probably avoid it
At the Breakdown we are very inconstant imo. We are pretty physical when we want to be but apart from that we're not that great. We don't have the technical nous of England or Ireland, nor the physicality of France or South Africa. Our ball retention and security can be down right atrocious at times. I think Australia will edge us here and this will decide the game (as it always does).
Physically we have the edge all around the pitch
Backline attacking play in all aspects they have a massive advantage
Defensively i think Australia possibly edges us, especially with Roberts and Davies missing.
Pace we probably just edge them
Our kicking game only works against Northern Hemisphere opposition with rubbish counter attacking play
Australians kick for space while we kick for territory
This is the most in form Australian team we have faced since 2010
The Lions and Wales are completely different, nobody should be using that as a barometer to how we will fare against Australia, and again this is a much better, well drilled and in form Australian team.
Fitness will have a big factor in this match, and i mean being able to execute skills under pressure, under fatigue more than anything. That's what usually wins SH teams the game in the dying minutes like we've seen over the years.

 

[David Smith]

Australian Team announced:


. James Slipper (Queensland Reds - 48 caps)
2. Stephen Moore (ACT Brumbies - 90 caps)
3. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs - 37 caps)
4. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds - 36 caps)
5. James Horwill (Queensland Reds - 47 caps)
6. Scott Fardy (ACT Brumbies - 9 caps)
7. Michael Hooper (NSW Waratahs - 27 caps)
8. Ben Mowen (c - ACT Brumbies - 14 caps)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds - 54 caps)
10. Quade Cooper (vc - Queensland Reds - 49 caps)
11. Nick Cummins (Western Force - 11 caps)
12. Christian Leali'ifano (ACT Brumbies - 12 caps)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs - 90 caps)
14. Joe Tomane (ACT Brumbies - 8 caps)
15. Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs - 14 caps)

16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs - 45 caps)
17. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs - 65 caps)
18. Ben Alexander (ACT Brumbies - 61 caps)
19. Kane Douglas (NSW Waratahs - 13 caps)
20. Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs - 17 caps)
21. Nic White (ACT Brumbies - 10 caps)
22. Mike Harris (Queensland Reds - 9 caps)
23. Bernard Foley (NSW Waratahs - 3 caps)

Pretty Obvious team with Suspended players coming back.

 

[Big Ewis]

Pretty Obvious team with Suspended players coming back.

that's right. Pretty sharp looking.
Nick Cummins back is excellent news for the Wallabies. Gotta love a tall, athletic figure on the wing, and he's been on good form.
Happy to see what Folau can do in Cardiff, and maybe he can silence some of the HP fans and outperform him on that night.

Hey, will Pocock EVER return ? He's kind of like our Vincent Clerc, the guy we even forgot we were waiting for.

 

[David Smith]

Hey, will Pocock EVER return ? He's kind of like our Vincent Clerc, the guy we even forgot we were waiting for.

Currently in Pre-season training with Brumbies. You Frenchies should play him the June internationals if he has a good super rugby season.How do think you'll go Big Ewis in those three tests against the Wallabies??

2014: The Year of the Wallaby
,

 

[Big Ewis]

Currently in Pre-season training with Brumbies. You Frenchies should play him the June internationals if he has a good super rugby season.How do think you'll go Big Ewis in those three tests against the Wallabies??

2014: The Year of the Wallaby
,

very interesting question, hadn't thought about it because it's too distant right now. It ain't the place for a long speculation type post, so I'll just say France and Australia have had their worst year in a long, long time (with Argentina). But we've both come back to form in part, or at least are finding and establishing ourselves in the absence of old timers/injuries, and our newer faces are coping well. We can definitely say we're "young nations" at this point as we look very different from the last RWC squads.
As of right now, right now. I'd say at least one French victory for sure given our current strengths, and maybe a couple and the series, why not. But things will change a lot from now til then. Sit and watch us during the 6N. I'd say somewhere between our Tour of NZ and the Lions Tour of Australia in 2013.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Ha Hah, 2014 ; The Year of the Barbecued Wallaby if the Boks have got anything to do with it.
God knows the Wallabies were ruthlessly stomped into the dirt home and away by the Boks in RC, I havent seen a Wallaby team so badly mauled as the 2 games against the Boks this year.

I don't think Wales have the players or the inclination to play that style of game against Aussie.
Wales can do it but there are a bunch of 'if's' in the way.
Aussie have to start as favourites for this one even with the leek lickers having home advantage.

 

[David Smith]

This year was always going to be horrible with the transition of Coaches. However we have seen improvement and depth coming through. Next year we will have a team like this:

1. Slipper
2.Moore
3.Kepu
4.Simmons
5.Horwill
6. Higgerbothom
7.Pocock
8 Palu
9.Genia
10.Cooper
11. James O'conner
12. Toomua
13. Kurandrani
14 Acc
15. Izzy

With Beale and others on the bench

 

[Draggs]

Worried about Folau. Top fullback in the world right now.
Think he could do some serious damage.

I hope Cheika doesn't shift him from fullback to fit Beale in.

 

[Big Ewis]

Ha Hah, 2014 ; The Year of the Barbecued Wallaby if the Boks have got anything to do with it.
God knows the Wallabies were ruthlessly stomped into the dirt home and away by the Boks in RC, I havent seen a Wallaby team so badly mauled as the 2 games against the Boks this year.

Besides obvious key injuries, the Wallabies have gone through complete chaos this year. Brand new coach, and constantly changing rosters, I as a French fan sure know what that's like and the destructive results it would have on a team. South Africa's girth alone has been a problem for every single team this year, let alone if they actually play well.
The Wallabies will replenish that third row as it should be for them: athletic, quick on their feet and full of snatchers. And the backline still is full of talent, and they've shown the kind of attack they've got in store. Eventually, their flaws from this year will be sorted out (better work at the breakdown, better defense), they'll solidify as a consistent roster and coach, and they'll start dropping 5-6 tries on sides again.
It's just a very bad year for them, and I'll repeat this again, for what they had this year on paper, they were absolutely laudable against the Lions. That third test was a crack, they couldn't hold up forever. But they ACTUALLY could have won that series, how crazy is that if you look at both sides on paper, and fk the old "Lions aren't a real team", they had way more time than France ever does and played a ton of tests together before the Wallabies.
Wallabies winning the last scrum of the match (despite missing the game-winning kick) against the LIONS was absolutely out of this world given their weakness.

So yes they shipped some good points this year but only to the two teams that have really emerged this year as the very best. They sure made up for it since then.
I think 2014 is the year for France, and I hope the Wallabies get back on track as well. Also Italy and Argentina while I'm at it !...

 

[Ospreylian]

Worried about Folau. Top fullback in the world right now.
Think he could do some serious damage.
.

I was looking at their entire set of backs earlier today, and I think I did a little wee in my pants

 

[Bluemoon]

The one man I really didn't want to see in the centre was Ashley-Cooper. Scott Williams has only just really stepped up to this level and Owen Williams is full of raw potential and can beat the first man but they are up against a very classy centre partnership. As mentioned in a previous post, the Welsh centres don't really suite the physical game that Gatland likes to play.

The control from Biggar will be key. If Wales can play a good territorial game, pin down their forwards and slow any fast phases down then I think Wales will win the arm wrestle. Mainly due to how well the pack played against SA.