Tah(d)s v Rebels
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<p>This was the worst game I've seen this weekend. Rebels didn't win because they were playing well, but because the Tahs couldn't pass or catch balls, their discipline again letting them down, huge lack of decisiveness ... Tahs players all looked at a loss. Lots of work to do, not the least for a mental skills coach because there was no self-confidence whatsoever. This game just highlighted even more how bad the Aussi conference is. The Brumbies will probably be the only one reaching the play-offs, and with a lower number of points than some of the NZ wildcards. Ridiculous that they will get a home play-off match!</p>
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Thank Christ we weren't playing the Chiefs.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="569616" data-time="1459671548">
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<p>Not one of Folau's better games either.</p>
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<p>Most likely his worst game ever.</p>
<p>Enjoyed some of the Rebels play in the first half. Second half was absolute dross though. Don't know what's wrong with the Waratahs, but they looked extremely awful with some of their basic skills</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="569622" data-time="1459672840">
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<p>Forgot to mention Guildford was terrible - very poor skills and really added nothing.</p>
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<p>The whole team was terrible. Yes, he dropped some balls, but often as a result of team mates throwing hospital passes. Folau was the weakest of the outside backs and his sinbinning didn't help either. The indecisiveness, especially of the forwards, was killing the game. Midfield wasn't working either. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="569626" data-time="1459673668">
<p>The whole team was terrible. Yes, he dropped some balls, but often as a result of team mates throwing hospital passes. Folau was the weakest of the outside backs and his sinbinning didn't help either. The indecisiveness, especially of the forwards, was killing the game. Midfield wasn't working either.</p>
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<br><p>Do you have a leitmotif, to build audience anticipation for your entrance upon a white horse?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="569629" data-time="1459673907">
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<p>Do you have a leitmotif, to build audience anticipation for you entrance upon a white horse?</p>
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<p>I would sound the trumpet to announce his entrance, but along with being a right un (a Magpies fan) he also appears to be a wrong un (a Crusaders fan), I just can't abide that.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="569626" data-time="1459673668"><p>The whole team was terrible. Yes, he dropped some balls, but often as a result of team mates throwing hospital passes. Folau was the weakest of the outside backs and his sinbinning didn't help either. The indecisiveness, especially of the forwards, was killing the game. Midfield wasn't working either.<br></p></blockquote>
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The difference is this was a rarity for Folau - Guildford constistently displays poor skills, when you combine that with his lack of footwork, and guile - there's not much left. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="569632" data-time="1459674473">
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<p>I would sound the trumpet to announce his entrance, but along with being a right un (a Magpies fan) he also <strong>appears to be</strong> a wrong un (a <strong>Crusaders fan</strong>), I just can't abide that.</p>
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<p>I guess that appearance comes from the fact that I don't buy the "Chiefs being the favourites" hype, and wrote that in a Crusaders thread? The fact is that I don't support any NZ team in particular, and sometimes voice another opinion in this (apparently) Blues and Chiefs supporters dominated forum. Not that I think there's anything wrong with being a Crusaders supporter, or Canes supporter, or (etc).</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="569625" data-time="1459673523"><p>
Good to see the succession plan after Dingo Dean's is paying off.</p></blockquote>
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You do have to wonder about the state of Australian rugby. <br><br>
What has Cheika's solutions been so far? Let overseas players play for the Wallabies? Surely that will only hurt Australian rugby in the long term.<br><br>
Giteau's selection achieved little but to accelerate Matt Toomua's departure. And Kepu may still be eligible for test selection but that doesn't help the Waratahs much. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="569634" data-time="1459674672">
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<p>The difference is this was a rarity for Folau - Guildford constistently displays poor skills, when you combine that with his lack of footwork, and guile - there's not much left.</p>
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<p>Even Zac thought he was worse than usual!</p>
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<p class="" style="font-size:26px;">Sorry to waratahs fans that was the worse performance of my career I can only keep trying but that was tough and hurts</p>
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<div><span style="font-size:13px;color:rgb(136,153,166);">12:59 AM - 3 Apr 2016</span></div>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://twitter.com/zacguildford11/status/716535626128953344?lang=en'>https://twitter.com/zacguildford11/status/716535626128953344?lang=en</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="569639" data-time="1459678435">
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<p>You do have to wonder about the state of Australian rugby.<br><br>
What has Cheika's solutions been so far? Let overseas players play for the Wallabies? Surely that will only hurt Australian rugby in the long term.<br><br>
Giteau's selection achieved little but to accelerate Matt Toomua's departure. And Kepu may still be eligible for test selection but that doesn't help the Waratahs much.</p>
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<p>Well Giteau's (and Mitchell's) selection helped us to make a World Cup Final. So I think it achieved quite a bit actually. And the new rules opened up selection for guys like Douglas and Mumm as well, who also played a big role in our RWC campaign.</p>
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<p>The 60 test rule just means we can still get some contribution from experienced guys that are likely heading overseas anyway.</p>
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<p>This year is a lean year in Super so far, but I still think the Wallabies can be very competitive when the time comes. History has told us the relationship between Super and Test form is fairly small.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="569699" data-time="1459726484">
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<p>So the Tahds are now the Blues of Australia. Well, you have my sympathy.</p>
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<p>Hey! We were the Blues of Australian rugby long before the Blues were the Blues of <em>New Zealand</em> rugby.</p>
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<p>Before it was hip!</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Frank" data-cid="569701" data-time="1459726679">
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<p>As much as Ferners are enjoying putting the the boot into the Tahs and Aussie rugby ( and I do too), it shows Cheika is a much better coach than Gibson.</p>
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<p>Well, I think there are a few factors in play.</p>
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<p>This is Gibson's first shot at the big time, and therefore he's less likely to be as confrontational as Cheika was. As with the Reds post-2011, the feeling in Tah land is that now we've done it once, let's not upset the apple cart in order to do it again.</p>
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<p>What is shows is that personnel is not enough, and that AAC and Kepu - though maybe moreso Douglas - were important. </p>
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<p>Blades' appointment was met with a few raised eyebrows, as was the acquisition of Ta'avao. Though in fairness the scrum was a lot better than it has been in past weeks. </p>
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<p>One problem is that we started the season picking a THP at LHP and that has now marked us for the rest of the season. The penalty from the last scrum of the game shows that more than anything. That was, at worst, a reset, because from where I was sitting, the Rebels THP played Paddy and the AR like a fiddle. </p>
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<p>The main issue is that we're playing the same plan we had two years ago when we won, and it isn't working, and hasn't worked, for over 12 months. The Rebels set up their first try with a nice load of Pick n Go before going wide, and getting a back on forward.</p>
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<p>The Tahs are still trying to hit 2nd Channel with a forward, and then running laterally in the backs, without understanding that people are wise to this, and know to cut down the space of guys like Skelton and Lousi and Palu, and just drift on Folau and Foley and Beale.</p>
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<p>Rebels did the basics well, and still could have lost that game despite all the Tahs' ineptitude. The didn't score on the second half, didn't have much territory, and didn't kick that well. But they tackle their arses off and waited for (inevitable) mistakes.</p>
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<p>Doesn't matter how you win, really, but neither side is going to ring up huge gates with those kinds of performances.</p>
