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Either way it was a mess. Cheika didn't handle his bench well last year.

Well Cheika did put Cooper on the wing last year so who knows what the hell he'll do this year.

Yeah he might be a bit underdone come the SA Test. But come RWC should be fine.

Cooper has got to start. The more game time before RWC the better. Better to risk starting him now then later.

Agreed. I read your first post as "10 minutes before a game". With To'omua the likely starter at 12, I think that relieves a little pressure for the bench cover. JOC (James O'Connor) probably the perfect fit.

But you'd expect out of Cooper, Foley, To'omua, Lilo and Gits that definitely 3 out of those 5 will be in the squad, most likely 4, and maybe even all of them. So why the need for another cover?

This. It would take injuries to Cooper, Foley, To'omua, Lilo, Gits before you'd even consider JOC (James O'Connor). And if that injury crisis happened you'd probably even think about putting in that Rebels bloke.

Mate, we are good for wingers: Horne in the form of his career. Tomane is playing really well this year - especially in defence and the high ball something which he was criticized with in the past. Mitchell - Apparently in very good form in France. His Grand Final performance was certainly...

Horne/Speight AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/JOC (James O'Connor)/Mitchell Tomane Cummins - at least 6 wingers in front of him. He's lucky Nayra isn't eligible cos that would be 7.

Yes but he has also built up a bad reputation as a poor scrummager which can certainly work against. Even if he does scrum okay, a reputation can kill us with those 50/50 calls.

Holmes > Alexander.

Wasn't that only one game? Wingers are always going to look average when the distributors play poorly and the forward pack is on the back-foot. Combined with what Braveheart said. I'd say Speight is fairly untested at international level. Also, Horne was below average last Test season too.

IMO Speight doesn't have a very big lowlights reel. Even his quiet games he's doing work in defence, hitting rucks, and even making turnovers. Horne certainly has a bigger low lights reel given a few blunders at Test level last season and his recent tip tackle. Having said that, Horne is still...

Agreed. But the level of separation between them is all pretty damn close. It would really just come down to current form at any given stage. Although Hooper, Pocock and Smith would surely be up there for consistency at international level.

Pushing for a turn-over on the edge of the field is certainly "smarter" then cynically lying on the wrong side of the ruck right in front of the sticks. There are no "smart" penalties but their are certainly penalties which are a lot worse then others.

I don't think it's that straight forward. To be fair Simmons DID do a lot of stupid penalties early on his Test career. These would leave you screaming WTF at the TV wondering what on earth he was thinking. Amateur, brain-fart penalties. Theirs no hiding he did this. BUT what I don't agree...

On their day they could all easily fit into the top 10. But gee their are some good seven's running around at the moment outside of Aus. Savea, Cane that SA bloke etc.

My bad. Apologies @Highlander35

Hardly obvious given many in this forum myself included would have Pocock over Hooper and arguments for McCalman over Palu are pretty solid given he is the incumbent, played well last test season, and is probably the super xv form 8. Plus Higgers has skills the other 2 don't have. I myself can't...

Your questioning the abilities of George Smith? Have you lost the plot mate! ;)