Mon 10 Aug 2015 | 02:07

Australia stun New Zealand to win the 2015 Rugby Championship in Sydney

25 Comments

• drg

  2:14 AM 15/08/2015

  Yikes, completely forgot about Billy V... he is brilliant actually now I recall!
  
  One player I love seeing for England is Jack Nowell, the guy is electric and he looks focussed, he doesn't seem to have that show boatyness that Ashton sadly brought to the scene (which subsequently made it twice as bad when his standard slipped). The other reason I like Nowell is his terrier style, he's not a big guy but he has great power to fight for the yards. But I agree Roko has got that extra bit of weight, slightly taller too, so he is a good option to have... evidently not though... still never know how it might play out, he could get called up through injuries or something....
  
  
• jimmy23

  5:55 PM 14/08/2015

  Yeah I never thought about his age. I guess that brings in the question of whether he would be willing to stay in Union till then as well, as there is the chance he could only have one more opportunity to represent England in a WC in either code. If he wants to do it in Union I think realistically he'd need to stay playing Union till then, as I don't think he can do a SBW and just drop in and out of each code because he feels like it. Could be wrong there though.
  
  Mike Brown, aka, Mr. Angry. As you say, damn good player but getting on a bit. Probably his last WC in my guessing unfortunately.
  
  I don't know what Roko has done to not get included. Bar an awesome try vs the ABs May has been pretty anonymous for England. Roko has been arguably the stand out winger of the premiership, unlucky enough to get injured on his first cap and hasn't had a sniff since. None of our current wingers can bring a bit of the 'bash' and we desperately need that.
  
  I think it's between Billy V or Morgan. Billy has established himself as a pretty good option for us but the few times Morgan has played for us he's been outstanding. Easter is a very experienced, skilled player but I just don't know if he quite has that physical presence an international 8 needs these days. Again, I could be wrong there as I honestly haven't seen him play that much international rugby in quite a while. Haskell I think is better as a 6.
• drg

  8:19 PM 13/08/2015

  Agree with you Re Burgess, there is something very likeable about the blokes work rate and willingness to improve/learn etc, but like yourself, I find there is almost a distinct nature of 'who you know' with his inclusion, as opposed to 'what you know'... I suppose those, he's 26, 4 years time he's 30, might not really have another RWC chance (I know 30 isn't too old these days, but it's getting close).
  
  Foden is/was brilliant when he burst onto the scene a couple years ago, it's a huge shame that he's not been able to join in lately. I'd stick Brown at 15 in my starting XV, not a fan of the bloke, but he's a damn good player...
  
  Going back to May, I'm still baffled at his inclusion.. Goode is a bit 'almost there', but May is just awful. I just don't see how they can justify his inclusion over others Rokoduguni as you say.
  
  Who do you reckon as 8 heading into the RWC? Is Easter an option? (Can't say I've entered the worldwideweb to answer that myself)... Morgan is a strange bloke I find.. reminds me of a typical club rugby 8/prop.... the kind of guy that will jump into the prop shirt when you have a versatile 8 come in, but he's more than capable to throw on the 8 top and smash it in... I don't know whether it's because he looks 'podgy' or what... Haskell is just a man mountain (keep that quiet, his ego might inflate him further).. The thing I like about Haskell is that I find he has quietened down a bit and lost some of that arrogant characteristics he had and is now focussing on playing rugby. I still can't pick out of them though...
• joeythelemur

  4:45 PM 13/08/2015

  Youtube tells me that the video is private? Anyone else having this issue?
• jimmy23

  3:47 PM 13/08/2015

  Then I apologise for making that assumption!
  
  I agree, I have a distinct feeling that a majority of the ones who do end up getting dropped will have featured in this game.
  
  Agreed about Goode and May. It's such a shame that Pennell wasn't in the Premiership and that Ben Foden wasn't fit enough. Far better options that Goode and WHY May was picked over Rokoduguni I'll never know.
  
  As with Burgess, I want him to have a good game as he seems like a nice guy and clearly a consummate professional. But I kinda hope he gets found out so someone who deserves the place gets it. And the management or whoever it is who's decided to fast track him into the squad regardless of how his first season went can realise how stupid they've been. His time will come, I think he has the ability, but it isn't now. Hopefully this doesn't result in a Matthew Tait situation.
  
  Hopefully Slade can show his worth, he's a real prospect that lad.
  
  When it comes to England and the forward I'm always pretty confident, would be great to see Corbs get back into it he's had such rotten luck with injury.
  I'm looking forward to the day Itoje get's involved. Him and Launchbury, that'll be one hell of a combination.
• drg

  12:55 PM 13/08/2015

  Yeh that's the one I was on about, I remember that second test being so closely fought and i remember thinking Ireland was the better team, but they needed to be a bit more clinical and that 'the next game' they'll win.... Boy was I wrong...
• upthejumper

  6:05 AM 13/08/2015

  Live in NZ and record it from Freeview :] That's what I did...
  The rights holders (Sky) jealously guard content like this so you're unlikely to see it on-line for long. Just keep searching You Tube for videos, such as: https://www.youtube.com/user/irishharmon/videos ;)
• kadova

  10:31 PM 12/08/2015

  I believe you both remember the 3 games in June tests between Ireland and NZ in NZ ? If yes, the second match was in Christchurch and Ireland only lost by 2 points. And at the third match, the ABs were so furious that they thrashed Ireland with a score like 60-nil ?
• drg

  5:27 PM 12/08/2015

  Wouldn't say I'm an England fan..... too much mixed blood in me for that, I can support 5 out of 6 teams in the 6N :D
  
  But, the squad for the weekend -
  
  All in all, I'm not keen, I'm hoping it's some sort of way that Lancaster is playing a lot of his seconds so they get experience and keeping his firsts wrapped up in cotton wool.
  
  I'm not sure on Alex Goode, I can't remember whether he is a waste of space or not :/ I know Jonny May is, so I'm shocked he was picked. Not a fan of Owen Farrell, personally I'd pick Ford over him (unless as above it's a tactic).
  
  I'm concerned about Burgess, he is a very keen player and really willing to learn, but sticking him in a very dynamic position like centre seems risky, especially as a starter, I'd have thought maybe a super sub to come on as a battering ram, but not a starter, I still think he does better in a seek and destroy role as a flanker, but then I don't think he's as good as the 'real' flankers... I'm glad he's not taken up the position of Englands talisman by the UK media, who seem hell bent on ruining every promising players future by building them up to be the saviours..
  
  Mako, no surprise there, second rows and back rows are all fairly obvious choices, fingers crossed for Ben Morgan, hope he's strong.
  
  The bench is exciting, I like the prospect of Cipriani showing us what he is capable of, I just hope for his sake Lancaster doesn't bring him on with 3 minutes to go or some BS like that, sort of wish he was starting. Be good if Corbisiero can get himself involved, brilliant player and a definite asset.
  
• upthejumper

  6:17 AM 12/08/2015

  White's and Kepu's tries were weak. AB didn't turn up and the Aussies put in a performance to match their potential at last.
  
  That said what you don't see from those highlights is Hooper & Pocock dominating the breakdown. That was the difference in this game, apart from weak defending.
• breakaway

  4:19 AM 12/08/2015

  I make no comment on English supporters, but I've been reading around and it seems to me that most of the reaction to this game has been fairly measured. The Aussies are rightly pleased but realistic about needing many more performances like this; while the NZers are disappointed but equally realistic and maybe even a little relieved that a loss at this stage of a WC year is a timely heads-up. I sometimes think that rugby supporters in the rest of the world often underestimate the strength of the Bledisloe rivalry. No matter what the state of the competition, or current form, most fans regard BC games to be 50/50 propositions when the teams run on. Nobody I know assumes a win and next week at Eden Park is no exception, despite history.
• 12:21 AM 12/08/2015

  I'll tell you what I cAnt wait to see, that's if gatland can think outside his wee lil box, is pocock/hooper vs warburton/tipuric. A flyer and an athletic menace vs their clones. That would be exciting to watch, rather than bosh and tackle rugby.
  
  These two will run circles around robson and co.
  
  I love the return of the athletic 7 capable of linking in the backs like back, kronfeld and jones.
  
  To me SOB, a great player, is not a 7. He takes on the guys on the inside and is an awesome ball carrier. That's a 6 for me.
  
  Give a dude who can tackle anybody on the field, no matter what there number. That's a 7.
• jimmy23

  3:26 PM 11/08/2015

  I'm banking chances of success largely on the fact that it's home advantage. That Hooper/Pocock combination does worry me as we don't really have a true turnover specialist. Just a few guys who are pretty good at it, like Billy V and Dan Cole.
  
  As a fellow England fan, what do you think of the squad named to face France this weekend?
• drg

  2:47 PM 11/08/2015

  Hahaha, it's a bit of a mixed bag in all departments:
  
  SA has done terribly of late and I have them pegged as pool winners (still think so, but you never know).
  
  Now not sure on Wales chances of escaping the pools... I also think it's highly likely England will take 2nd place in the pools, whereas before I was thinking there was maybe a 60-40 in Englands favour...
  
  Should be an exciting competition...
• drg

  2:36 PM 11/08/2015

  I only thought I remembered it because I was really under the impression that Ireland were going to beat NZ 'in the next game' so I was gob smacked when they were made to look like school boys... and by the hands of NZ and not their own mistakes!
  
  Totally agree with you regarding the young heads. It is a very difficult decision to make to replace McCaw, Carter et al. I also think Hansens dilemma is that NZ are on this number 1 pedestal (ignore latest result haha) and the last thing he wants to do is make a habit of losing purely because of experience. That is what has been the upset of so many teams in the past, they develop a brilliant set of 21 players and they play those and only those guys... then they all somewhat retire at the same point and the team falls apart - take England really... 2003 they won the RWC, those winners that didn't retire kept on playing because who wants to cut the world cup winners... and the team plummets as their standard falls and they retire, because the new boys never got a proper look in.
• eddie-g

  2:03 PM 11/08/2015

  You've got a better memory than me, but absolutely right, they played angry that game. I should have been clear that I definitely believe NZ are capable of flooring it for 80 minutes, just not often that they do.
  
  Separately, but relatedly, I think Hanson's conundrum at the moment is getting the right young blood into his matchday squads. He has some legendary experience - Woodcock, Mealamu, McCaw, Carter, Conrad, Nonu - but he wants a good quota of fresh talent on the field. Talent NZ has, but I think Hanson's still figuring out the best way to combine it with the experienced core.
• jimmy23

  2:00 PM 11/08/2015

  I'm still not sure how worried I should be come World Cup time when England play Australia...
  I guess I'll reserve judgement till next week after both England and Australia play.
• breakaway

  1:33 PM 11/08/2015

  A fit Pocock was always going to make a difference to this side, and while he's been away Hooper has honed his craft nicely. They were so predatory and effective that they would've outplayed two McCaws on the day, and McCaw had a pretty good game. Factor in the inexplicable sight of NZ tight forwards, early on, wandering around in midfield wondering what to do with this rugby ball someone has passed to them, and it didn't look good for the MIB from the get-go. From the moment they fumbled the first kick-off the ABs seemed to have trouble getting wholly focussed. They have a game like this every now and then, and they played a few minutes of very good rugby which is usually enough to get them home on the worst days, but not this time, Australia wanted it more.
• colombes

  10:14 AM 11/08/2015

  This Australian victory is a very good news for this world cup.
  
  Ps: Where is Genia?
• drg

  10:57 PM 10/08/2015

  I think I remember a game they played brilliantly the whole time (or I might think I think I remember.... :S )
  
  Against Ireland in the SH tours. I think it was something like NZ played awful the first test and Ireland played 'better' but stuffed up their opportunities and were not very clinical. This gave me the idea that Ireland would win the 2nd test because they'll tighten up their ship and off they go... instead I think they got destroyed by NZ who appeared to issue swift vengeance on Ireland for ever having any self belief.
  
  ..that is how it went down in my mind, not 100% sure if I'm accurate on that as it was 1-2 (or more?) years ago...
  
  But granted your point still stands and is very valid.
• 45678

  10:31 PM 10/08/2015

  The overall reaction to this game by both sets of supporters shows that the English lost their crown as the worst rugby supporters in world rugby a long time ago!
• eddie-g

  9:01 PM 10/08/2015

  The way you describe NZ, that pretty much describes most of their games. They play most of the game in 3rd gear, kick plenty, and keep their opponents at bay; they then find a few opportunities to step on the gas and make the decisive scores.
  
  Try to remember the last game NZ played lights-out for close to 80 minutes? I can't.
  
  From a SA perspective, the last several times, we've played the better rugby for the majority of the game, but have come up short because the ABs are so clinical taking their opportunities. This weekend they came up short, but the Aussies had a lot to do with that, their best game for quite some time.
• drg

  8:43 PM 10/08/2015

  Copy and paste my comment on the game:
  
  Bloody good game!
  
  Only thing I'd say though, which is a worry, is that it felt like Australia played their really good rugby the entire time and capitalised where they could. The All Blacks on the other hand looked like the were just ambling about then occasionally thought "we better do something here" and jumped on a few Aussie mistakes...
  
  So I don't know, seems like when the All Blacks played (or looked like they were paying attention), they played better than Australia, but Australia played the full game and deserved the win.
  
  Maybe that's an unfair analysis and perhaps it was just Hooper and Pocock that nullified the AB's and made them look uninterested.
• 8:25 PM 10/08/2015

  Don't expect quick updates from this site my friend but fantastic win.
  
  Most sites said Reid played well but he missed two try scoring tackles.
  
  
• 5:47 PM 10/08/2015

  Come on!!!!! (Arnold Swartzeneger style) Nothing to say about Pumas vs Springbocks???