george Smith to face lions

by thebluesmancometh Sat 30 Mar 2013, 10:28 am

In an Oz shirt????!!!!

If you watch any super rugby and listen to the Oz comentatora he is the guy demolishing scrums, winning breakdown ball, scoring tries and kicking goals!!!

He has however been decent, but not that good at all. He has proved pretty lightweight today, and although won a pen and nicked a ball was immensely ineffectual in the tight or loose. Infact I'd go as far to say that when Brumbies had ball he looked like a 10 when hitting rucks and trying to secure ball.

As I'm travelling in 10 weeks to Oz I really hope the Oz management team fall for the false praise he's getting, and select him!!

Just as an example, 80th minute the Brumbies have won a match winning penalty 45 yards out at 20-20, the pen came from holding on, and the comentators claiming the scalp for Smith, cue shots of Smith walking around and talk of how good he is! The replay however showed he wasn't anywhere near the ruck, and it was infact the 9 who (illegally) won the pen.

I am not slating Smith, he's been ok, but to hear the Oz comentators and press talk about him being a better player now than Pocock couldve been v the lions vomit

by Taylorman Sat 30 Mar 2013, 10:39 am

Liam Gill is playing for the spot and is going really well for the Reds- my pick for Oz to play the Lions, and with Hooper and Smith, losing the slower Pocock wont be an issue with 3 very good 7's to pick from.

by thebluesmancometh Sat 30 Mar 2013, 10:44 am

Taylorman wrote:Liam Gill is playing for the spot and is going really well for the Reds- my pick for Oz to play the Lions, and with Hooper and Smith, losing the slower Pocock wont be an issue with 3 very good 7's to pick from.

I agree with everything ecept losing a 'slower' Pocock would hurt any team in world rugby. He is a captain, leader and a threat opposition temas look to nullify, that allows Oz space alone!!

by Taylorman Sat 30 Mar 2013, 10:53 am

The games moved on a bit since Pocock was the pilfering king. The Tipurics of the world, the ball carriers and support players are more valuable at 7. Pilferings become a skill many players are learning now and its not just limited to a 7 or Pocock. He wouldnt be first pick ahead of those 3.

by thebluesmancometh Sat 30 Mar 2013, 10:55 am

Taylorman wrote:The games moved on a bit since Pocock was the pilfering king. The Tipurics of the world, the ball carriers and support players are more valuable at 7. Pilferings become a skill many players are learning now and its not just limited to a 7 or Pocock. He wouldnt be first pick ahead of those 3.

How can you say he wouldn't be first pick over Gill, Hooper and Smith?? When he got injured the Oz comentators all but gave up the lions series!! He was captain, is immensely influencial, and is seen as a player you have to avoid with ball in hand, international teams do not adjust their gameplans based around 1 players abilities for no reason!!

by Taylorman Sat 30 Mar 2013, 11:07 am

He was caretaker captain, because Horwill was injured. Oz had about 5 captains last year as they fell over one by one, Sharp endng the year uninjured.

Its just that with Smith back and the form of Hooper and Gill, Pococks absence isnt the problem they first thought. Losing Horwill, JOC, Genia etc was.

Pococks dominance on the position has been regularly questioned lately:
http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/08/20/how-the-wallabies-can-be-better-without-pocock/

by JDCSR Sat 30 Mar 2013, 11:36 am

Ross Rennie is the don at 7. Better than Pocock, Warburton, Tipuric, Gill, Smith or any other pretender you can name. I've left McCaw out as he's a bit of a force.

by Guest Sat 30 Mar 2013, 11:47 am

JDCSR wrote:Ross Rennie is the don at 7. Better than Pocock, Warburton, Tipuric, Gill, Smith or any other pretender you can name. I've left McCaw out as he's a bit of a force.

Shame he's not consistent.

by Sgt_Pooly Sat 30 Mar 2013, 11:53 am

Have to agree on Smith, he's been nothing past ok despite the commentators constantly wetting themself.

Gill has been the form Aus 7 by some distance, Pocock will be missed though.

by Taylorman Sat 30 Mar 2013, 8:55 pm

Strange how Hoopers suddenly dropped off since starring on the AI tour. Would have thought with Pocock gone all his eggs would have been in one basket but he's let his form drop a fair bit this year...odd...

by **George Carlin** Sun 31 Mar 2013, 2:08 pm

Griff wrote:
JDCSR wrote:Ross Rennie is the don at 7. Better than Pocock, Warburton, Tipuric, Gill, Smith or any other pretender you can name. I've left McCaw out as he's a bit of a force.

Shame he's ~~not consistent~~ been out all season with a horrendous injury and has only started playing now.

Fixed that for you Griff - no charge. george Smith to face lions 3610695981

by Guest Sun 31 Mar 2013, 7:32 pm

I see what you've done there George!

What I meant was that, IMO, he's not awesome all of the time. From what i've seen he has had some really good games and some not so good games. For that reason he's no better or worse than some of the others on that list, and so isn't the 'don' at 7. Again, only 'IMO'.

by **LondonTiger** Sun 31 Mar 2013, 10:11 pm

Is picking a pilferer to counter a pilferer the right answer?

Watching Tom Youngs yesterday before he was punched out of the game, just re-inforced for me that there is more than one way to address the issue.

Any time the opposition players even thought about pilfering he hit their knees like an exocet - allowing Ayerza, Cole, Croft and Salvi to pilfer ball to their heart's content.

by GloriousEmpire Mon 01 Apr 2013, 12:28 am

You are missing the point old boy. Australia would be in trouble if Phil Kearns was in any way responsible for picking the side.

If he had his way Steve Finnane would be put in charge of discipline and the side would field 14 hookers.

by **George Carlin** Mon 01 Apr 2013, 7:43 am

Griff wrote:I see what you've done there George!

What I meant was that, IMO, he's not awesome all of the time. From what i've seen he has had some really good games and some not so good games. For that reason he's no better or worse than some of the others on that list, and so isn't the 'don' at 7. Again, only 'IMO'.

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