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Aussie Club Grades - Week 12
By Robert Seltzer
Two more Trans-Tasman matches, two more losses for the Australian teams. Will this hoodoo ever be broken? Here are how the teams fared this week:
Rebels – E
That is five losses on the spin for the Rebels.
It is a sorry state of affairs that sees them still in with a chance of the playoffs as no other Australian team can seem to put a run of form together.
It was always going to be a tough task with the defending champions in town but they held them to a three point lead at the break. You would have expected the Rebels to fly out the blocks after half-time but alas, it was another second half meltdown which saw the Crusaders secure their biggest ever win in Australia and leave the Rebels wondering where the next win is coming from.
Let's hope the injury sustained by Will Genia isn’t too bad.
Continue reading below...
Waratahs – E
There were some positive things to come out of this game.
1) They outscored a New Zealand team three tries to two; 2) Moving the game to Brookvale Oval really helped generate an atmosphere and 3) If the game had gone on five minutes more then they probably would have won. That being said, it didn't and they didn’t.
The Blues are not having the best of seasons themselves and managed to overcome the Waratahs despite the men from Sydney having over 70% territorial advantage, over 60% possession and the Blues at one point being down to 14 men.
Next up they travel to Christchurch to face the Crusaders, and you can’t see them picking up any points there.
The Reds and Brumbies did not play this week.
Their next games are against the Sunwolves and Rebels respectively. A bonus point win for either of the teams will put them right back in the hunt for the playoffs considering the Waratahs will not be fancied in Christchurch.
The 'Tahs are the only Australian team currently with a positive points difference. A lot of work still needs to be done.
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Latest Comments
Ireland have every right to back themselves for a win. But the key variable has little to do with recent record etc.
The reality is that Ireland are a settled team with tons of continuity, an established style, and a good depth chart, whereas NZ are fundamentally rebuilding. The questions are all about what Razor is doing and how far along he is in that program.
NZ are very close to really clicking. Against England all of the chatter is about how England could have closed out a win, but failed to do so. This has obscured the observation that NZ were by far the more creative and effective in attack, beyond the 3-1 try differential and disallowed tries. They gave away a lot of unnecessary penalties, and made many simple errors (including knock-ons and loose kicks). Those things are very fixable, and when they do so we are once again going to be staring at a formidable NZ team.
Last week we heard the England fans talking confidently about their chances against NZ, but England did not end up looking like the better team on the field or the scoreboard. The England defense was impressive enough, but still could not stop the tries.
Ireland certainly has a better chance, of course, but NZ is improving fast, and I would not be surprised at a convincing All Black win this week. It may turn on whether NZ can cut out the simple mistakes.
Go to commentsFair to say that NZ have come to respect Ireland, as have all teams. But it's a bit click-baitey to say that the game is the premier show-down for NZ.
SA has beaten NZ four times in a row, including in the RWC final.
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