Post Match thoughts...? Wales 18-21 Australia...! Well done both teams. A well earned win for the Aussies..!

First topic message reminder :

A Welsh World Cup campaign that held so much promise a week ago ended in disappointment as Australia won the third-place play-off.

A try and drop-goal from Berrick Barnes and eight points from the boot of James O'Connor left Wales with fourth place despite a try from Shane Williams in possibly his last Test appearance.

In an error-ridden contest short on quality and atmosphere, Wales failed to replicate their devastating attacking form of earlier in the tournament.

A succession of handling errors gifted the Wallabies the initiative, and Leigh Halfpenny's try in the 83rd minute came too late to deny Robbie Deans' men.

While the result gives Australia revenge for Wales' victory in the corresponding game in the inaugural World Cup 24 years ago, a serious knee injury to fly-half Quade Cooper left their celebrations muted.

Some good words from James Hook here:

"There is no reason why we cannot have a go in four years' time," Hook said.

"The semi-final loss is tough to take, but this team can go on and become a better team and get to these positions in future.

"It is important to keep our confidence up and express ourselves the way we have done throughout the tournament.

"If we can claim a Tri-Nations scalp in the southern hemisphere that will give us massive confidence going into the Six Nations later this season.

"It's been a good tournament for us - we would have taken this at the start - but we lost a semi-final and we want to go home with something."

luckless_pedestrian wrote:Morning folks. Does anyone have a link for the match? I'm at work and I just know the ITV website will be as slow as anything.

never ever seen an semi illegal streaming site being better than an official site like 'itv'- Infact i have never seen itv run choppy either! not sure why it would be this morning

Anyone else in need of a link?

Thanks for that mystiroakey - I think - but here's the link I'm using:

<PM Lucky for details>

luckless_pedestrian wrote:Thanks for that mystiroakey - I think - but here's the link I'm using:

<PM Lucky for details>

jeasus more spam than a 70's supermarket- but in fairness not a bad pic

Come on Wales

http://www.itv.com/rugbyworldcup/2011/matches/third-fourth-playoff-wales-v-australia/

use the ITV one

Watching it now Alyn, best of luck to your boys

Go Australia!

Evening line.... Sorry mate but i have to go for the Welsh, you understand

Actually the ITV website is cack this morning It crashes then i have to reset the page and have to watch 3 bloody advertisements each time!

Having the same probs Alyn

australia shoiwing there intent big time- kick to the corner.

its gonna be a tough day for you welshies

What a suprise, had to refresh the stream again

eirebilly wrote:Evening line.... Sorry mate but i have to go for the Welsh, you understand

I understand Billy.

That looke awefull for Shane Williams.

AlynDavies wrote:Actually the ITV website is cack this morning It crashes then i have to reset the page and have to watch 3 bloody advertisements each time!

is it that bad- im suprised-mines ok. they need to sort it out- unless its your work bandwith

It was coming but well worked by the Aussies

yes, already a few injuries.

Barnes put through a tiny gap from QC.

Mornin/evenin folks. Not a bad match so far, eh?

Barnes is on fire for the Aussies, clever grubber that

Gethins now a 7 as well awsome!

Well caught the AR!!

nice catch by the touch judge

OK, here comes the Wales try?

My stream returns and Wales have an attacking scrum on the Aussies 10 yard line. Come on Wales

what the heck is going on with this scrum- and wales dont kick it. go for the try .

There is nothing to lose. Why kick?

billy, this is working for me in de Dam:

Spoiler:

Should be points for Wales......

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:billy, this is working for me in de Dam:

Spoiler:

Good man, cheers

ooh.. Cooper down now.

Ouch, Cooper's ACL gone?

Poor quade. That looks like acl gone.

I've done that playing squash. Hurts like hell

Barnes to 10 and Fainga'a on

was it Coopers ankle? I've got Welsh commentary on the radio and it's going a bit quick for me to understand everything.

Much better scrum from Oz

Nasty injury

From an Ausssie perspective, it will be interesting to see how the Wallabies go with barnes at Out Half.

Absolutely absorbing match. I am enjoying every second of it

I think that what Cooper gives the Ozzy backline is bags of creativity & speed of delivery and hence gaps - not sure Barnes is quite at the same level, but he's none too shabby either?

Maest, I have know Mysti since back in the 606 days and he has hardly been a wum or a troll.

Wayne Barnes is officiating this match very well today

PJ is getting minced now - why the sudden change in tide?

Hey As,
Yeah, When Cooper is on form he is tough on defenses. But I wonder whether Cooper has been too inconsistent and the Wallabies might benefit from a more controlling out half.

I know it's early in the game but I feel that we seem to have lost a bit of the edge that we've had in previous games. Obviously our scrums don't look great with Adam gone, but we're a lot slower around the ruck area and we can't get the ball to the midlfield/wings. Some credit must go to Aus for that, but we look a bit pedestrian.

Big play from Ryan Jones. Great turnover.

Hook very lucky then what an idiot.

doctor_grey wrote:Hey As,
Yeah, When Cooper is on form he is tough on defenses. But I wonder whether Cooper has been too inconsistent and the Wallabies might benefit from a more controlling out half.

Good morning, the good doctor - yes, I know what you mean - I think it kind of depends what sort of team Oz are playing against, in the sense that if the oppo has the wherewithall to choke of supply and get on top of Genia&Cooper, then the controlled Barnes (or even Giteau?) is the better option, but if not, then I'd go with Cooper's ability to play the game at pace - higher risk, for sure