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I do not share your optimism KOB.

Cheika on Offsiders this morning announced Horne in for Kerevi and Gordon in for Phipps. So heartening to see another Tah added to the squad ;). But just how does Horne's inclusion sit with the reasons for Fardy's omission? Not a lot of consistency on show there. Where's the opportunity for a...

Joe Powell MOTM in my book.

Exactly, BH. The problem is the quality of rugby being played by the Aus Super Rugby sides. TV coverage, whether Fox or FTA, won't improve that, but might reasonably be expected to contribute to the downwards spiral of attendances as the poor quality is more widely exposed.

The Wallabies have had problems in recent years with tests against supposed second tier sides. It won't look good at all if debatable team selections contribute to a loss against any of the sides we're playing this year. At face value, we need to be winning and winning well against all of these...

If I had anything to do with the Brumbies' attack plan, I'd have Tom Banks looking for Volavola at every opportunity, where-ever he might be standing/hiding.

Thanks KOB. Still waiting on scans for a definite prognosis.

Assistants will be crucial. From his time with the Vikings, it is clear that MacKellar has a propensity for hard, forwards dominated play. I hope there won't be any conflict between him and Dan Palmer in setting the direction of the forwards' game. Palmer has the pack working very strongly this...

I was also concerned that there wasn't a single defender in the blind side channel at the scrum. It was wide open for an attack. I know the winger was probably somewhere in the line to counter where his opposite was standing, but there does need to be some compensating positioning, perhaps by...

It does look to be a bit of a pattern, Utr. Might also apply to Hardwick, I suppose.

What's the news about Phipps? Is it his ankle? Will it be good for the test season?

Thought Sopoaga did enough off the bench last weekend to get the starting spot this week. Have I missed something?

Badge, you really do have a lot of confidence in the muppets who run FTA here. Just which organisation has shown any interest in broadcasting the rugby? If they thought it was commercially a goer, they would have been in boots and all.

Some other observations. Ulese was just about best on ground. Great player. Wright was very good at 7, made quite a few steals and defended strongly. McNanara just does not look like a rugby player, but was one of the best in the backline, made some good breaks. Swinton increased the...

BH I have to disagree quite vehemently. While his kicking (especially drop kicks) were atrocious, the rest of his game was also very poor. His passing game, that you have commented favourably on, was very slow, pop gun stuff. I would have hated to be Tuipoluto in that game getting the ball...

Replay of Aus v Wales on Fox Ch 501 at 11.30 today.

Hooper has been playing tighter and winning breakdown ball for the Tahs in recent weeks. I have no doubt he can perform that role, but is that how Cheika will use him? Anyway, there will be a few debutantes during this season of tests. Let's not write any of them off if they have a less than...

OK - last thoughts on the back row, at least until we see how they go in the tests. My opinion only, but yes, I think Hardwick not Dempsey is the replacement for Fardy. Dempsey is there because Cheika likes him and he was on last year's EOYT - ie, he is there in his own right as a continuing...

I would be very surprised if Folau didn't start at 15, regardless of comments on KnC last night. He is the best No 15 in the country and is in good form again since moving back there at the Tahs. Putting him on the wing would be as pointless as the experiment with him at 13. I know he started...

Nah - I reckon Hardwick is the replacement for McMahon. Plays all back row positions, is probably harder at the ball and in the tackle than Dempsey, and I think Cheika even nominated Hardwick as cover for No 7. Dempsey and Hanigan offer the same with both very good runners of the ball and good...