Search results

Anyone can develop it, but you also need to do it in actual games. And there are only 5 Aussie sides and therefore 5 first choice kickers at club level. And I'm presuming none of those players are in the squad.

If your 10 necessitates picking Ben Donaldson at 15, maybe you should have just picked a #10 that can kick? I'd rather have Quade+Kellaway than Gordon+Donaldson. Sorry Gordon, but a 10 that can't kick is like a prop that can't scrummage. It's too bad there isn't another kicker in the squad...

Hodge is at least capable of making some outstanding rugby plays. And can kick the ball a mile. And can play 5 positions. I can see how he's useful, if underwhelming.

They had better goal kickers, better rugby players and better players at both goal kicking and playing rugby. And playing both 10/15. But Jones went Donaldson.

In all seriousness, it seems like something changed with him about 3-4 years ago.

At 15 I'd rather have JOC (James O'Connor), Hodge, Kellaway, Quade, Lolesio, Wright, Foley, 1 armed Banks, Nic White, Beale, Folau, the skinny lad who returned from France (Mogg), maybe even Giteau or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Debreczini. Jones found Ben Donaldson somehow.

Jones has lost his mind.

That's the only possible logical interpretation. Assuming Jones is logical. And even if you wanted to get rid of bad apples and losers. Hodge, Sio, Holloway, M.Hooper, modern Quade/JOC (James O'Connor)/ & Kellaway/White...do they fit that bill? They have been absolute servants for Aussie rugby. I don't think...

If you wanted a backup kicker then why not select someone who is better at kicking? And has played 15? Let alone that they are in their 5th test match as the primary kicker AFTER BEING AN AVERAGE Super Rugby PLAYER. AND IT'S THE RWC.

Holloway fucked up less and was good around the pitch, certainly less impact than Hooper is capable of.

They do have Nic White and Holloway. You don't need to be Kaino or Dupont to be better than current versions of T.Hooper/Tate. And I quite like both players. I just don't think they should be starting or at minimum the starting 15 should not have quite so many inexperienced players. But hey...

I think all of these moves are madness for this RWC. That's the only way any of this makes any sense. Nic White isn't a top 3 scrum half in Australia? Donaldson over Kellaway? Even Vunivalu over Kellaway. Vunivalu had 55 minutes of quality test rugby. Kellaway has like 25 games. If any coach...

We'll see how it goes. The current approach is 0-5. There's a reason most teams don't start completely inexperienced players in the RWC. I think posters here are judging many of the young players through the lens of "for a young player" not "for a RWC starter." Which is only fair to those...

He is as a surefire starter currently and I believe he was even co-captain. So it is a rung higher than I think he should be. I'd have Nic White as the starter and Tate as the reserve 9. He obviously had played for the Wallabies before Jones, but his role wasn't nearly as prominent. I'd say...

That's basically my main critique of EJ (Eddie Jones). Seems like he said ah screw the 23 RWC I'll bleed all the young guys at once. I have no problem with T.Hooper, Tate, Vunivalu, Gordon, Donaldson, McReight getting opportunity, but it seems like overkill. And not a recipe for being successful this RWC.

Squidge seems good at deciphering attacking patterns. I find it impossible from watching TV in real time since the camera never gives you a full picture of the field. And I'm not rewinding and watching a game 5x. Less so in terms of individual players, defense, set piece, how a plan fits with...

Lolesio and McDermott were given ample opportunity and given specific things to improve. Lolesio had a poor Super Rugby season. McDermott I like a lot, but his passing is still poor. I do prefer him as a sub compared to Gordon. The idea that Rennie didn't offer opportunities is crazy.

No other team is doing this for this RWC, even Wales who also got rid of some senior citizens (those guys were 35, not 31). It doesn't make sense to me either to take this approach for a RWC. It is bound to fail. You have a lot of healthy, in their prime or close, world class players available...

Whatever the rationale, it is still wild to have so many inexperienced/young players in a RWC starting 15/23. Any normal team would plan years out to have players ready to go and experienced come the RWC, but Australia changed the coach and here we are.

IMO it is madness that your 9,10,12 pairing has a combined 30ish caps. And most of those are Tate. Who's going to organize the defense? Vunivalu? Nawaqanitawase? Kellaway at 15, where he doesn't have a ton of experience? Same for Petiaia. I'd be shocked if Foketi didn't look a little bit lost...