3rd place playoff

[Sandydragon]

Ball on for AWJ. Standing ovation.

[Sandydragon]

Five minutes of pick and go and Adams scores from 6 inches out.

[Sandydragon]

Carre always makes an extra foot in the tackle. This boy is going to be good.

[Sandydragon]

Parked on for Watkin who has done alright. Much better atbIC.

[Lizard]

That looked a little short of the line.

[Sandydragon]

Dan Biggar wins his second lineout of the match as we temporarily clear our lines.

[Sandydragon]

When the ABs throw a no look pass it goes to hand. When we try the same it just goes wrong.

[canta_brian]

Probably less about the pass than the support lines and the pressure from the defence.

[Sandydragon]

Probably less about the pass than the support lines and the pressure from the defence.

The support lines make a huge difference. You guys play as if the ball cwrtier can get through where we look to support the next ruck.

[Sandydragon]

Not even close.

[Numbers]

Carre always makes an extra foot in the tackle. This boy is going to be good.

The only area of weakness is his scrummaging, he struggled at club level with the Blues last season, his ball carrying and tackling are very good tho and we desperately need carriers.

[normanski]

Carre always makes an extra foot in the tackle. This boy is going to be good.

The only area of weakness is his scrummaging, he struggled at club level with the Blues last season, his ball carrying and tackling are very good tho and we desperately need carriers.

Give him time to learn the dark arts.

At least it was a performance from a much changed side.

Shaun Edwards said before the tournament a semi final at least. We achieved that but a disappointing last two games.

Still fourth in the world is something for Pivac and co to build on.

[Buggaluggs]

NZL_________________________WALES
42%_/_36%___Possession_1H/2H___58%_/_64%
39%_/_38%___Territory_1H/2H____61%_/_62%
16_________Clean_Breaks________6
34________Defenders_Beaten_____24
17__________Offload____________17
76_/_78_(97%)___Rucks_Won___134_/_139_(96%)
2_/_2_(100%)___Mauls_Won___2_/_2_(100%)
14________Turnovers_Conceded______8

Stats aren't too bad. The difference is that we simply can't convert possession/territory/clean breaks into tries. ABs can and do. Missed tackle stats for the last few games has been trending in the wrong direction too. Given our inability to light up the scoreboard we need tackle success at 90% + to win.

[Sandydragon]

Carre always makes an extra foot in the tackle. This boy is going to be good.

The only area of weakness is his scrummaging, he struggled at club level with the Blues last season, his ball carrying and tackling are very good tho and we desperately need carriers.

Yup, some work still to do, but for a young prop it’s positive. As an impact sub (at the moment) he offers some real go forward. I prefer him over Smith.

[Puja]

Carre always makes an extra foot in the tackle. This boy is going to be good.

The only area of weakness is his scrummaging, he struggled at club level with the Blues last season, his ball carrying and tackling are very good tho and we desperately need carriers.

He'll learn that at Saracens though. Good move for his development, IMO.

Puja

[Numbers]

Carre always makes an extra foot in the tackle. This boy is going to be good.

The only area of weakness is his scrummaging, he struggled at club level with the Blues last season, his ball carrying and tackling are very good tho and we desperately need carriers.

He'll learn that at Saracens though. Good move for his development, IMO.

Puja

How much game time do you think he'll get?

[Sandydragon]

The only area of weakness is his scrummaging, he struggled at club level with the Blues last season, his ball carrying and tackling are very good tho and we desperately need carriers.

He'll learn that at Saracens though. Good move for his development, IMO.

Puja

How much game time do you think he'll get?

Hopefully enough, but that has to be a concern.

As far as Wales are concerned, he is behind Wyn Jones and Rob Evans but he can push both of he keeps on being so good with ball in hand.

[Numbers]

He'll learn that at Saracens though. Good move for his development, IMO.

Puja

How much game time do you think he'll get?

Hopefully enough, but that has to be a concern.

As far as Wales are concerned, he is behind Wyn Jones and Rob Evans but he can push both of he keeps on being so good with ball in hand.

It's all very good being good ball in hand but if he gives away scrum penalties then field position is an issue as we saw in the SA game.

[Sandydragon]

How much game time do you think he'll get?

Hopefully enough, but that has to be a concern.

As far as Wales are concerned, he is behind Wyn Jones and Rob Evans but he can push both of he keeps on being so good with ball in hand.

It's all very good being good ball in hand but if he gives away scrum penalties then field position is an issue as we saw in the SA game.

He isn’t the only one to be doing that. He has time to develop though which is important.

[Puja]

The only area of weakness is his scrummaging, he struggled at club level with the Blues last season, his ball carrying and tackling are very good tho and we desperately need carriers.

He'll learn that at Saracens though. Good move for his development, IMO.

Puja

How much game time do you think he'll get?

Not a massive amount initially, but it'll force him to improve. There are a good 15-20 starts per season available with Mako needing rest and international weekends (although it depends if Wales need him), not to mention coming off the bench, but he'll have to work and improve to get them, which is a situation he wouldn't see in Wales.

Plus, it's not a bad idea for a young prop not to be overplayed early.

Puja

[Numbers]

He'll learn that at Saracens though. Good move for his development, IMO.

Puja

How much game time do you think he'll get?

Not a massive amount initially, but it'll force him to improve. There are a good 15-20 starts per season available with Mako needing rest and international weekends (although it depends if Wales need him), not to mention coming off the bench, but he'll have to work and improve to get them, which is a situation he wouldn't see in Wales.

Plus, it's not a bad idea for a young prop not to be overplayed early.

Puja

I think that's going to be the problem, he'll be on Wales duty during the International windows most probably and likely be bench cover (if involved in the 23) for us so not much game time there either, Mako does get injured a fair bit tho doesn't he so maybe that could aid his progression.

[Buggaluggs]

I suppose we should be grateful. many of us can remember the World Cups of 1991; 1995 and 1999. Disappointment at only coming fourth would have seemed delusional during those times.

[Sandydragon]

I suppose we should be grateful. many of us can remember the World Cups of 1991; 1995 and 1999. Disappointment at only coming fourth would have seemed delusional during those times.

Oh hell yes, and of course 2007.

There was a sense that today’s game was a bit pre Gatland. Brave but outclassed Wales. But there were a lot of new faces today and a few players running on empty tanks.

As an aside, I hope we have a review of our conditioning plans, we have seemed to be heavy legged for a while now.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I suppose we should be grateful. many of us can remember the World Cups of 1991; 1995 and 1999. Disappointment at only coming fourth would have seemed delusional during those times.

Oh hell yes, and of course 2007.

There was a sense that today’s game was a bit pre Gatland. Brave but outclassed Wales. But there were a lot of new faces today and a few players running on empty tanks.

As an aside, I hope we have a review of our conditioning plans, we have seemed to be heavy legged for a while now.

The scoreline was a very traditional pre-Gatland thrashing. It was not a good way to go out for the old coaching team.

Quite disappointing. I was wrong when I thought these thrashings were behind us.

Anyway, onwards and upwards. There are plenty of promising youngsters and mediumsters. I look forward to a successful 6N.

[Sourdust]

I suppose we should be grateful. many of us can remember the World Cups of 1991; 1995 and 1999. Disappointment at only coming fourth would have seemed delusional during those times.

Oh hell yes, and of course 2007.

There was a sense that today’s game was a bit pre Gatland. Brave but outclassed Wales. But there were a lot of new faces today and a few players running on empty tanks.

As an aside, I hope we have a review of our conditioning plans, we have seemed to be heavy legged for a while now.

The scoreline was a very traditional pre-Gatland thrashing. It was not a good way to go out for the old coaching team.

Quite disappointing. I was wrong when I thought these thrashings were behind us.

If that had been our fully-fit 1st XXIII I'd agree. But it was nowhere near that, so... meh. England just got 20-pointed with only one man missing, and they won't be worrying about the scoreline. I think losing by a big score only matters when you were hoping to lose by a small one, not when you were serious about winning.