Search results

I said it at the time and ill say it again. For all we know he could have made the comments behind closed doors and been told to fuck off. And the public statement was a final straw of sorts. I think the current Wallaby hierarchy wouldn't deal with the situation the same way it was dealt...

I disagree. I think he definity regrets the 'yellow' comment for sure. But some of the other stuff he said was valid, and I think he stands by it. Although he missed the lions series, the rest of this saga hasn't exactly played out badly for Cooper. He now finds himself where he wanted to...

Is Sautia ready to step up at 13? I wouldn't go resting players this week. Maybe Hooper and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) because they have had a lot of game time and we have pretty decent backups but I couldn't think of any other obvious choices. As long as Moore starts and Alexander isn't in the 23 I'll be happy.

Ben Alexander should have been dropped years ago. Was nice to see what the Wallabies could do without him taking the piss on the TH side.

Yep, wide and hard is the only way to go at Ireland. Only problem for us being that our forwards are so slow/ineffective, that when we do make metres wide they might not be there to secure ball.

They are in Career best form in foreign leagues. But, in a test rugby context I don't think they are going to perform any better(or worse) than Simmons, Timani, Horwill, Douglas et al. Chisholm use to play one great game of rugby a year, and it was always the Reds-Brumbies game. If he was that...

I'd have Digby and O'Connor starting on the wings. Giteau on the bench in place of Lilo maybe - but if Beale was fit and in form I would pick him over Giteau. Palmer might get a run, Kimlin would be in the current team but I wouldn't pick him if everyone was fit. I honestly think if Smith...

Another point I might add. I would like to see Ben McCalman get a solid 30 minutes in the second half. I was one of his biggest critics a season or two ago, his worst game in Gold probably being against Ireland at the WC when Deans picked him as an openside. Now I'm no sports psychologist...

They have a very good forward pack. But the hooker best turns to shit under pressure so the wallabies will/should target the line out. Their pack will make more metres than ours, but if Gill is playing I reckon the wallabies could be pretty effective turning over ball behind the gainline...

He doesn't but. Everyones talking about how shit Horwill is playing. He's been stripped of the captaincy, and every mistake he makes is replayed and focused on. We do expect more from Horwill. But beyond a couple of posters here no one really seems to care that a guy with every physical...

Ahhh the old Waratah flat-track bully victim complex comes out. Timani isn't playing any better than Horwill. And he's quitting Australian rugby at the end of the season as well. He scrums well, and is effective around the park for all of 20 minutes a test. Yet we are so short of good...

I said this in the match thread and I'll say it again here: Genia threw some absolutely sublime passes under pressure last night. We can talk about how shit his box kicks were till the cows come home; but on a few occasions he was able to get a pass away that no other Australian scrummy could...

I think you have to keep AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) around until Kuridrani's defence improves. What do we all think about Locks? Fardy back to 6? Simmons to lock, Timani/Horwil to the bench?

I'd start Robinson, Gill and maybe Tomane. Slipper at TH cause Alexander is beyond bad.

Hooper is a better running player at this stage, but Gill slows the opposition attack far more than Hooper does, which takes the pressure off the rest of the team and allows then to realign in defence. I'd start Gill next game and see if it has a tangible benefit over 60-80 minutes.

Genia's box kicks were terrible sure, but the bloke threw a few passes under pressure going backwards that were just sublime. I fear if we drop him White and Phipps will get far more exposed behind our current pack, and totally stop any hint of backline attack.

Is that the winger from norths who scored a shitload of tries this season?

I think on the whole the backs are fine. Add in Speight, Godwin, Beale, O'Connor to the current lot and we'll have a more than competitive backline. The pack is just horrible though. I think when Link gets back to Australia he needs to pull a few promising youngsters aside and say to them "put...

Back to long term combinations. Godwin and Kuridrani in the centres. Skelton and Pyle in the second row. Browning, Higgers and Pocock/Hooper/Gill. Calling them all now.

Phipps regularly plays that badly, and in situations with a lot less pressure on him. Genia is overworked, out of form and playing behind the worst tier 1 forward pack in international rugby. Leaving him at home for this tour was probably a better option. But dropping him at this stage...