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Hooper is only an injury and a poor selection decision from being in our most recent Wallabies squad. He's decided to go in another direction (not retire) but in the absence of a barnstorming emergence of a new contender at #7 in the next 4 rounds he should at least be a squaddie.

Correct. Have Hoops in the environment and available in a 'break glass' scenario. I'd include one (not both) of the #10s that SouthernX hates in that category as well, and any other positions where we lack international experience and depth.

McReight is a clear standout isn't he? Presumably M Hooper will suit up for the Marlins after the Olympics, before if he doesn't make it. I'd be including him in the 34 man squad once available if I was Joe Schmidt. I realise it's a lot different conditioning but nothing beats match fitness.

I personally would and did question Jorgensen's inclusion in the last Wallaby squad, and I would question it if he was selected again this year. EOYT maybe as a development player. Bell is a bit different, he's easily our best LHP, or at least our only one with world class potential. I...

He wouldn't be a bad shout TBH. Brumbies supporters don't even have him in the team though.

I wondered about those two as well, I'm sure if they are asked to play they will. I think the bench will nearly all be SS players ex Grant, and if Jorgensen is OK and maybe another centre it won't be too bad unless one of the starting front row needs to get replaced early. The silver lining...

I'm not quite sure it's that bad. The centres are the critical point, and I doubt all 3 of them are injured that badly that at least one of them can't play. We will roll out something like: 1. Thompson-Stringer 2. Fonokalafi 3. Johnson-Holmes 4. Sinclair 5. Amotesero 6. Swinton 7. Gamble 8...

which means play this game 6 times and once out of those 6 games the Brumbies will be 15+ ahead. 5 times out of 6 they won't be.

Yeah I just don't think the Brumbies are going that well that they are going to thump us. Will the Brumbies win? In all probability, yes. Will they flog us? No I don't think so. The guys have a bit of heart, they won't capitulate easily.

I didn't say we are getting over them, I have Brumbies by 16

It's not an anti-Brumbies stance at all, it's a stance about how they limped home against the Drua at home, 'power rankings' have a higher weighting on the more recent performances. It's only my opinion and I don't really care whether it turns out I'm wrong or right that I have the Reds rated...

KOB's power rankings: 1. Blues 2. Hurricanes 3. Chiefs 4. Reds 5. Brumbies (the above are the only deserved finalists IMO, at this stage) 6. Crusaders 7. Drua 8. Highlanders 9. Rebels 10. Tahs 11. Force 12. Moana Edit: its probably more relevant in the SRP24 thread but its a response to the...

Great to see the Damon name continuity in Boks colours.

We need to address the wider problem of rugby in Australia first. If there is enough appeal to play the code elsewhere then the Victorian talent will move elsewhere to achieve that. That said, I don't believe the professional pathways in Victoria will die along with the Rebels, should that...

It's his ankle and he's had surgery, so I fear it could be 'long'

I'm not sure if this is quite right - the 6 or so you speak of were involved in last week's Opens camp, and had a run in the trial games on the weekend as part of that, but I believe all bar 1 (or maybe 2) are returning to 16's now.

I think I just said that to see the reaction. I'm honestly not sure who or what our best option is.

I reckon until we work out who our best emerging 10 is, and that player then demands selection, we have to plonk Quade or Bernard there, with the young 'uns battling it out for the bench spot. It's test rugby not a development academy, none of the young fellas are better than either of those...

I had a horse racing last Sunday so I tuned in to 2KY to listen to the preview and caught the end of his segment. I had never heard him before, the other commentators wanted to discuss the highlights of the weekends games and he just kept coming back to the topic of how Gould was 100% right re...

Congrats Brumbies, great win. The Bledisloe will return to its rightful owners this year I feel.