Team for the Summer

[normanski]

Looks like our front five got mashed in the first scrum. Worrying.

[pompey-zebra]

Coughing up penalties now too. Early days but dont want the Aussies to build up a lead.

[pompey-zebra]

And with that Wales get a penalty!

[pompey-zebra]

God almighty that's frustrating! Lose a line out, cough up another penalty and now concede a try. This could get ugly if we dont get a bit of control soon.

[pompey-zebra]

That's better! Penalty try and an aussie in the bin! At least the ref's consistent.

[normanski]

Too many unforced errors and lack of discipline but we’re only down three points.

[JonnyScuba]

It's all a bit scrappy!

[JonnyScuba]

When did taking out a player in the air not be a yellow?

[normanski]

When did taking out a player in the air not be a yellow?

When you play to Australian Rules!

[pompey-zebra]

Agree with all the above, really. Very scrappy game, too many unforced errors, but same for both sides and only 3 points in it. Result could hinge on who cuts down the errors.

[Sandydragon]

Crap first half. Very much 9th vs 10th sides.

Australia lack cohesion. Unsurprising.

Wales lack a scrum, a fully reliable lineout and the ability to hang onto the ball.

[normanski]

Crap first half. Very much 9th vs 10th sides.

Australia lack cohesion. Unsurprising.

Wales lack a scrum, a fully reliable lineout and the ability to hang onto the ball.

Well, we’ve scored first to level at 13 all. We really need to up the tempo.

[pompey-zebra]

Better start from Wales to the second half, until the knock on from the restart.

[pompey-zebra]

Great defence from Wales, then a not straight throw!

[normanski]

Shite. A second try for Australia.

[pompey-zebra]

Double shite! Try for botham chalked off.

[normanski]

We’re being taken apart.

[normanski]

We’re being taken apart.

[pompey-zebra]

God, that's a sucker punch. Yawning gap in the defence.

[pompey-zebra]

Wales looking tired now.

[pompey-zebra]

Poor fare all in all. Some decent individual performances but too many mistakes ( from both sides to be fair), but australia just looked sharper in the last 20. Getting the try chalked off from botham was a shame, but you still don't feel Wales would have taken control after that.

Oh and Wainwright limping off at the end really capped it off. He was great today, and just hope he's fit for next week.

[Sandydragon]

We look clueless. No set piece that you can rely on. Defence broadly ok. Attack is just predictable or relies on individual brilliance. Ball handling skills are not international level across the board and we have it up too easily. Only attacking weapon was driving lineout, one
Tidy break from Wainwright aside.

Thankfully Australia were a long way off their best as well.

[Banquo]

Wainwright yet again carrying well.

[Sandydragon]

Wainwright yet again carrying well.

Our best player by a country mile

[Graigwen]

That was pretty much at the bottom of my range of expectations. At times we played like individuals, not a team. We could have done without unexpected lineout problems. We looked under-prepared.

Hopefully Griffin learned a lot, and he made a shed load of tackles. Ben Thomas I thought had a fair game and can clearly be considered sufficient as a back up fly half. Grady has a lot to learn in defence (not unexpected) and was not much of an attacking threat. Hathaway is not the new messiah, at least not yet.

.