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Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has praised the performance of star Israel Folau despite his costly error that ended the match against Argentina on Saturday.
Folau, who started a test match on the wing for the first time in five years, proved incredibly effective all the way until the final siren.
Cheika used the 29-year-old in various positions across the backline throughout the night and kept him heavily involved to put the Pumas on their toes. Folau led his side with 13 runs and 127 run metres, good for an average just shy of 10 metres per carry.
“We had a strategy to move him around a fair bit like that, both in attack and defence, and I think it went quite well,” Cheika said.
“I thought he had a lot of touches and he played well with the touches that he had.”
Folau scored a stunning try in the 19th minute after weaving through four Pumas, but went from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde with the game on the line as he decided against passing to an unmarked Bernard Foley on the stroke of full time.
Folau made the decision to keep the ball himself and subsequently knocked on in the tackle of Tomas Lavanini, sealing the 23-19 win for the Pumas.
Cheika said he hadn’t spoken to Folau specifically about those final moments and was reluctant to put the blame on his star’s shoulders.
“I think that to put everything into the last play of the game is a bit naive for us,” he said.
“Yes, you could have maybe got the win but you shouldn’t be in that situation in the first place with the amount of opportunities we had beforehand and the amount of times we’ve let those opportunities go.
“It should have been well and truly finished before then.
“I still would have taken winning, mind you, don’t get me wrong.
“But if you’re fair dinkum you don’t want to be letting that cover up other issues.”
Australia will resume their Rugby Championship campaign in two weeks’ time when they meet South Africa in Port Elizabeth.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Instead of apologising, try to act like an adult, fcknut.
1 Go to commentsLooks like the Force twisted his leg…ahem arm
5 Go to commentsScotland should change their name to the Barbarians
2 Go to commentsThe game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
2 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
7 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
2 Go to commentsGreat comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
2 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
2 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
5 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
5 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
5 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
16 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
16 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
16 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
7 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
7 Go to comments