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That is only because you are assigning the traditional roles to the numbers on their back. Apart from where they pack in scrums, and what it says on his back, Hooper is our 8. In the last test, I agree the backrow was unbalanced. But McMahon was the problem, not Hooper. Plus Fardy has played...

It is worth noting Hooper performs the role for Australia that Kieran Read performs for New Zealand. Most good judges feel he is going ok.

If Gill gets picked, he will fill Pococks role, not Hoopers. They are simply not playing the roles which people are equating to the number on their back. The selection of McMahon to replace Pocock was actually the move away from playing a fetcher, not the continued selection of Hooper. Cheika...

Why are people still leaving Hooper out of their teams? Not only is he not going to be dropped, but why would any Australian supporter want him to be? I believe he was awarded the Australians best player award for the second test and was close to our best in the first. The criticism of his work...

I don't mind seeing one or two changes for the test - but bringing in new guys from outside the main squad and chucking him into a baptism of fire without proper preparation is not the way to develop talent. People should also consider how McMahon is going. Looked great guns in super rugby -...

What are you talking about. I get to pack scrums then bludge on the wing. I think it's genius. I don't even have to push in the scrum.

I was having trouble working some of the players out from my seat - but was Toby Smith still there as well?

Fair statement Sully - and really that should always be the way it is in professional sport. I admit, I am split. I'm keen to see Houston do well, but I also like the idea of Browning being reward for his pretty sound form over the last month. It is nice we have this apparent problem though...

I think there has to be an asterisk next to the 12 position until such time as Lealiifano and Hunt (at least) are able to train. Until then it would seem likely probable that someone else is filling that jersey. I do find it a bit surprising that Folau is one of the ones doing the filling in.

You may be right Hawko, but the way I read it Cheika pushed particularly hard with Houston and has been chasing him for some time. Look - I'll be happy to be wrong. I don't see why he would get picked at present, but it just seems to me he is already in the plans somewhere.

Ah shit - he's played for Pioneers. I hate him already.

Why wouldn't we want our tight forwards offloading? So long as they are good at it and not just losing the ball in contact.

My thinking with Chieka chasing Houston is that he may be looking at changing what we get from the backrow. Introducing a bigger body that has a bigger physical presence. I'm not saying he should, who would get left out, or that he would be changing things for the England series - but every...

Yeah - but Cheika likes physicality, and not many guys do it better than TPN. Unfortunately, he is still sometimes the biggest casualty.

Out of interest is there some sort of World Rugby requirement that they trim the squad next week? When it is announced, will they actually send the surplus players home straight away? No doubt Cheika will have a pretty clear idea on the pecking order, but it seems to me there is not a lot of...

Horne had issues early in his career performing to his potential and avoiding injuries, but if all of our you guys 'with potential' developed as well as Horne over their career there would be a lot less angst on here.

Gibson must have a lot of faith in Horwitz - to take Rob Horne off when the game was still in the balance and let him close out the game. I know the commentators mentioned Horne looked tired, but it was still a big call for me (unless Horne was injured, which he wasn't to my knowledge). I'm not...

Yeah, support play was very good. In defence they always seemed to have good numbers where they needed to (except when Cruden caught them down the short side). The Chiefs off loading, instead of creating continuity, was often reduced to just handing the ball off to someone in a worse position -...

My contention with the statement that the Chiefs were so dominant (and it does appear I am alone in thinking that the weren't) is that there are two a sides to the game. The Chiefs dominated the possession stats for sure, but I didn't think that the Tahs defence ever looked like leaking points.

I think the signs have been there. It just seems to me it has taken a bit of time to adjust to Gibson's strategy. There weren't many scrums, but Paddy Ryan looked like he might be starting to resemble a LHP.