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The last 10 -15 minutes of Bledisloe 2, and he looked comfortable in the position. Is that recent enough?

Right. I don't think we can say that Cheika was interested in giving Cooper a go last year. He pretty much continually overlooked him in favour of Brnard. But that is beside the point right now. Quade is not in the equation. Personally, I would have liked to see him play Beale at 10 at some...

Barbarian's statement was that Cheika was developing back up No 10s. Nothing at all in his post or mine about Quade, but I see your obsession with him has got the better of you again.

Surely, no pack can be said to be overly tall with Les Makin in it. :) I am not familiar with Luke Kimber. Any details? Otherwise, four viable lineout operators in Arnold, Swain, Enever and Hyne. Who calls? Enever?

That's really taking a long bow to suggest Cheika has been trying to develop back up No 10s. Hodge has been used only as a stop gap for injury, and I can't see that anyone, Cheika or otherwise has done anything that can be seen to be development of him in that role. He is the Mr Versatile, the...

Taking about half of the current Wallabies with them? Where would that allow the Wallabies to improve? RA and Cheika seem to say the right words but actions speak louder than words. Would anyone playing WRC really be picked for the Wallabies? And if WRC is a lower level competition how would...

If we reduce from 4 to 3, we will still have essentially the same 30 - 40 players vying for selection in the Wallabies. If anything, maybe fewer than we have now as some will undoubtedly elect to go overseas, while a larger number than otherwise of up and coming players will seek opportunities...

Still no Valetini? What's his status?

Yeah. Maybe all the fluoride has a sedative effect.

Good looking team, but on the small side in the centres. Hope to see Simone get a permanent spot there sooner rather than later. He was very impressive in Norths' loss to the Rats on the weekend. Played 12, but was first receiver and game manager for a lot of the game. Showed he has quite a bit...

So, another bench Waratah becomes an AB. What's in the water over the ditch?

Why, precisely, is To'omua unavailable? WR (World Rugby) regs require him to be released and available in the test window if selected. He and TPN only returned to the UK this weekend because there was no test match on. As far as I kn ow, he will be back and I fully expect both he and TPN will feature somewhere...

I will have to disagree UTG that the midfield wasn't (in your opinion) a cause of our losses. Because they are so ineffective in defense, the whole backline has to be shuffled around and the No 7 (on his back) has to cover their spots rather than play as a part of the pack. It is the shuffling...

Tom, do you really mean to say that you think Hooper has been playing the role of a No 7 for the Wallabies while Poey has been around> Of course hge isn't. Doesn't hit any rucks and makes few turnover attempts let alone actually making turnovers except when he comes in second on a tackle out...

Of course they would, because Pocock is a proper (and best) No 7 going round, while nobody can really say what role Hooper plays. He is not a No 7 nor a No 8, and seems his primary role is to cover the 10/12 channel in defense, which he does rather ineffectually given his propensity to charge...

Cheika has introduced quite a few new players over the years, but apart from some who really have proven to be not quite to standard, it is the three or four that he persists with despite every loss along the way that is our biggest problem. Foley/Beale are liabilities in defense, and seeing...

If we ever get a coach who has the balls to select Pocock at 7 and wanting a replacement 7 on the bench, then it won't be long before comparisons start to be drawn between Hooper, who does not play like a 7 at all, and the best of the rest, probably Hardwick in a year or two.

And the younger No 7s coming through, Hardwick? Wright?

So now we're getting all sorts of calls to play people out of their natural positions again. Beale to 15, Izzy to 13, Rodda to 6. It just goes from ridiculous to worse. DHP is a fullback and had one of the better games there in Bledisloe 2. Leave him there. Beale and Foley are weaknesses in...

Far too often in the case of the Wallabies FP.