[Slava]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Sides:

New Zealand: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Dane Coles, 3-Owen Franks, 4-Brodie Retallick, 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Jerome Kaino, 7-Richie McCaw (captain), 8-Kieran Read; 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Dan Carter, 11-Julian Savea, 12-Ma'a Nonu, 13-Conrad Smith, 14-Nehe Milner-Skudder, 15-Ben Smith

Replacements: 16-Keven Mealamu, 17-Ben Franks, 18-Charlie Faumuina, 19-Victor Vito, 20-Sam Cane, 21-Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22-Beauden Barrett, 23-Sonny Bill Williams

Australia: 1-Scott Sio, 2-Stephen Moore (captain), 3-Sekope Kepu, 4-Kane Douglas, 5-Rob Simmons, 6-Scott Fardy, 7-Michael Hooper, 8-David Pocock; 9-Will Genia, 10-Bernard Foley, 11-Drew Mitchell, 12-Matt Giteau, 13-Tevita Kuridrani, 14-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 15-Israel Folau

Replacements: 16-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17-James Slipper, 18-Greg Holmes, 19-Dean Mumm, 20-Ben McCalman, 21-Nick Phipps, 22-Matt Toomua, 23-Kurtley Beale

Here is may take on the final:


Aussie Front Row = NZ Front Row: While Moore has been playing very well, Coles appears to be a freak, he has shown amazing turn of speed in the open. Moore is back to his no nonsense forward smash mouth rugby.

Aussie Second Row < NZ Second Row: Brodie Retallick is better than the other 3 combined. He is just too good, and possesses the skills of a midfielder

Aussie Back Row > NZ Back Row: If this was 2011 then it would be different. But the GOAT of 2011 is not the GOAT of 2015. He is still good, but not at the top of his game. I think that combined Fardy, Pocock & Hooper are greater than the combination of Kano, Reid & GOAT.

Aussie Half Backs < NZ Half Backs: Genia > Smith, but Foley < Carter. So close, the difference between Foley & Carter is greater than the difference between Genia & Smith

Aussie Midfield = NZ Midfield: This is a wash. Giteau offers another first receiver option. He is more inventive than Nonu with the ball in hand. Smith is my choice over Kuridrani. Smith is a mongrel and plays as such.

Aussie Wings < NZ Wings: I am torn. I think if Beale was starting on the wing he would be the better option. I am not a Mitchell fan, and I think Beale would have scored on the run that lead to the 3rd try for AAC. Miler-Skudder appears to be another freak in this game. He is an excitement machine.

Aussie Fullback > NZ Fullback: This is razor thin. I am a big Smith fan, have been since he broke in. I love his lines and smooth running. That being said Folau is so good. On paper he takes it, but I have concerns about his fitness

Aussie Bench < NZ Bench: The Aussies have some good on the bench Beale top of the list, but NZ has a deeper bench. It isn’t just SBW, but Barrett is scary. While is tactically a step back from Carter, his ability to take a gap and accelerate is scary.

There is an old rugby saying “Forwards win matches, backs decide by how much”. I think this will ring true. I just can’t see the Aussie backrow trio being stopped. I think the only defense to Pocock is to break his leg.

Aussies by 3

Nailed it.

Truthfully that wasn't close. It tightened up when the All Blacks were down a man, but really aside from that it was New Zealand doing what they wanted. I also think that Australia ought to have been carded a couple times. First on the late hit/shoulder charge on Dan Carter and second on the player who dove over the ruck and smacked the ball away. That was clearly an intentional knock on.

Leading up to this game it seemed like Hopper and Pocock were the main chance for the Wallabies. They were expected to create turnovers and really the breakdowns were all New Zealand. They were generating the turnovers far more frequently, and then their running was much more impressive.

I know that the Aussies pulled to within four at one point, but if Smith hadn't been sent off I think they were simply outclassed. Just solid dominance.