Rugby Test Los Pumas v Wallabies (Arg v Aus) 21.11.20 Hunter Stadium, Newcastle

You'd have to be keen, but if you made it here...
Wallabies Attack 

Part 1 First Half = 3-3 20 mins 6-6 35 mins 9-6 Wallabies at the half time!

Positives:
1. Our scrum surprisingly dominant to this point
We could/should have yielded more points. 

Though Petaia put a foot on the dead ball line scoring from the grubber kick he did well to reach. 
What might have been with ball in hand at that point? The kick was a touch too strong...

The Wallabies line out  was mostly OK 

( I reckon we need to take half a step further from the opposition on our own throws). 

One thing we've fixed from earlier in the season is we go the right way in attack now, a few phases one way or one short side and then back the other way instead of one each side which builds no pressure (sorry to the uninitiated for the jargon). 

When the runner is tackled and the players are drawn into a pile (ruck) often if you go either left or right a few times you draw extra defenders and open up a little space, only switching to go back the other way, if you see space in front of you or easy metres! 

Going one left and then right and back left again doesn't build pressure. 

Our set up from most scrums, line outs or first phase ball from a ruck was well constructed with options available to the passers, see my photos for the three forwards and 5/8th positioning repeated at each of those happenings in the game... 

Early we also ran the blind side with fewer but not zero box kicks 

(those high kicks to gain ground and pressure the catcher which are low gain options in my view). 

Some good play ahead of half time saw the Wallabies trying their different angles and options. 

39th minute push and shove was good to see a bit of fire, poor old Sanchez hitting Tupou in the face... could have been ugly! 
 From the Penalty, line out and maul driven back, we se a rushed but enterprising back line move, unfortunately the ball goes forward to Korebete when he scores a hoped for try.

Korebete was too wide, great loop ball for Hodge at 5/8th to create the move at first...
That's 2 tries we needed!
Ruck balls on the Agentina line yield a penalty for hanging onto the ball and although the Pumas object they were not technical enough, three penalties, warning! 

Great example where old fashion boot rucking would soon sort the player on the ground...
9-6 Wallabies half time...

This is reasonable line out spacing but half a step further would help

See the three (in this case 4) players and the half has picked out one to pass to 

launching attack from the ruck

They reach the defence and this time the 5/8th looped being to receive a pass

He then can link with the backline to his left

See Petaia and Korebete waiting

Petaia runs to create space, busts a tackle and is hard on attack off the platform of that set up

Here again are the three forwards waiting for the ball with 5/8th behind 

ready to attack from what follows

This time the closer runner and loose forward takes it in more open space

The runner meets the defensive line or passes before it 

but the others of the three are available to follow 

and not leave them isolated in the tackle

Here is that line of players set up again

Number 10 is ready to trail behind for pass or to support after the tackle

Wilson in the red headgear can run onto the tackled players pass 

to continue the play, potentially running between two forwards 

in from of him in good attacking position

Terrific Wallabies Scrum as Tupou drives his weight through 

just turning the Pumas in and disrupting their ball

Tupou this time not getting it right

The three ran it right and he looks and still passes to his right

The ball hits number 2 in the head

What he should have done there was run straight into the defence

Those outside players were available to back up, drive through

And to go that right side again next phase

Here's one of the deliberate uses of the 'short' or blindside

Sometimes they ran the short side from a  ruck

This time the line out ball is caught

Hooper waits like halfback

Second rower Simmons in the black headgear runs around right

He was always intended to get the ball

He takes on the defence on that right side making good metres

Simmons runs into a little gap and makes more metres

Here was our next best try opportunity

Hodge the 5/8th or number 10 loops behind to receive the ball

Two passes further on and Korebete was standing too wide in that moment

A missed opportunity to score in what would be a 15 all draw!

Second Half coming soon!