8 thoughts on “Rate the match: Australia vs New Zealand August 2015”

  2. The slowest backrow against the fastest when we play Oz.How much loose ball will we win?Add in the pace and mental agility of their backs and they will represent a real threat.I’ve always felt we need to play a tight slow game with lots of rolling mauls

  3. Only just watched the match and must say not impressed. Oz better than NZ, , Hooper v. good, but generally nothing to frighten NH sides

    2. Hooper & Oz have just won the SH Champ’ship & you say ‘… generally nothing to frighten NH sides’. And this after yr lot RECENTLY lost 6 in a row v the SH!

      Are you on drugs!?

  4. Great entertainment. Different kettle of fish at Eden Park next week. Oz have been renound for playing flat over the years, yet Foley struggled to impose a flat game on The ABs. Toomua was better. I don’t think we’ve learnt any thing new here. To beat the ABs you have to put them under pressure at the breakdown and on the gain line, for 80 mins.

  5. An entertaining game, if not a classic in terms of skill. During the first half I felt Aus were making far too many errors to win the game, But they tightened up a bit (Toomua seemed to help) and that plus a couple of bits of individual skill seemed to be enough.

    Aus look in a better place with their forwards. Dean Mumm in particular seems to have given them some steel in the second row and playing Pocock and Hooper is a good idea. Difficult to judge the scrum as I thought the ABs were poorer than usual in this area/

    Possibly a wake-up call for the ABs that they can’t win every match in the last ten mins. Thought they didn’t play with the accuracy and the venom that they normally do, especially in the tackle and at the breakdown.

    1. Sean Fitz seems to agree with you, regds NZ @ least. Lost the br/down, lost the game.

      Well & as you also stated, the ‘D’ fell over (twice & too easily) & specifically this done for them.

      The ABs generally seemed rusty. Their passing was sloppy @ times & their choices of taking pens instead of scrums seemed conservative & flawed, esp when Oz, by their posts, were down to 7 early on. They also coughed up excessive turnovers. Needs working on.

      Carter missed a few kicks, incl conversions (although it was his pass to Ben Smith which put the latter thru to deftly set up M-Scudder). And Julian Savea held the ball under the wrong arm (inside) when trying to bust thru Hooper. Gave him NO option for the orthodox fend. Might or might not have worked, but his decision not to do so certainly ensured a butchered try op. Plus Aaron Smith’s hi tackle & missing the ball nr touch which ultimately resulted in an Oz try, were also amateur.

      These might like small things, but they add up in a tight game & are not good habits to get into.

      In the end, the ABs paid the price in a game whiere they were in touch or ahead for 3/4 of the time.

      Expect a telling off backlash nxt Sat?

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