Absolutley right, the small things are key, No doubt the PTB will increase in speed to. This area is where they get their roll on and have done for many a year. SOO also highlights this.

We must control the Ruck and our Kicking game needs to be top drawer.
Just booming it down the field with their back three is asking for trouble. Mix it up keep them guessing.

Trying to Steam roller the likes of Gallen and Hindmarsh wont happen wear their ball players out, make then work hard in defence.

If it gets nasty because they dont like it and their teddy gets thrown - so be it.

Funny, didn't notice them making stacks of easy yards up the middle against the Kiwis. Or for that matter against England first time around. Their successes came primarily on the fringes and by getting the ball away from the forwards and into the hands of their playmakers.

Personnally I would kick the ball dead in goal (depending on our field position) to try and nulify their kick returns. And as Gilder said earlier we need to vary our kicking game when we get close to their line. But the first priority must be completing our sets, turn overs we're the difference over the 80 minutes last time.

It's a tactic i would consider also tbh. We can then get our line set and not have to deal with the broken field running off Slater, Hayne and Inglis.

Whenever we get to the last play within their 40 metres either get the ball in the air and pressurise them like we did the Kiwi's last week and the Aussies in the 2nd half or get some little chips going over the top with Eastmond and Tomkins working with Briscoe around the middle.

If we can get someone to execute Slater, Hayne, Hodges, Inglis, Lockyer and Thurston we may MAY stand a chance.

If its damp, id be tempted to bang it on the floor once or twice and make them bend - worse than in the are to tall players, apart from Slater they are all tall. Make it difficult as possible.

IF we do put it in the Air we need to utlilise the height of Shenton and Ellis with cross field Bombs towards and in the ingoal - at worst its a key field position for us and applies pressure.