2011 Spring Tour

[Bardon]

Should be a good game looking at the player scheduled to play. Also I'm sure the Aus team will be up for it even more now Henry is going to coach the Babas.

World Cup-winning New Zealand coach Graham Henry will lead the Barbarians against Australia at Twickenham in London on 26 November.

Henry coached the All Blacks to victory over France in the World Cup final.

All Blacks stars Sonny Bill Williams, Keven Mealamu, Jerome Kaino, Piri Weepu and Adam Thomson are scheduled to play.

England's Danny Cipriani, Wales' Leigh Halfpenny, Scotland's Jason White and South African duo Bryan Habana and Victor Matfield are also in the squad.

The Springbok pair last played for the Barbarians in the victory over New Zealand two years ago, when Habana scored a hat-trick of tries

 

[light]

BaaBaa's
1.
2. kevin mealamu
3.
4. victor matfield
5.
6. jerome kaino
7. adam thomson
8. jason white
9. piri weepu
10. danny cipriani
11. brian habana
12. sonny bill williams
13. stirling mortlock
14.
15. leigh halfpenny

 

[François]

JOC (James O'Connor) at twelve.. those of us who first saw him play in this position for the Force in his first two Super rugby season were saying just that all along. He plays his best rugby in this position. With McCabe and Cooper out, it's a no brainer that he has to slot there. Fingers crossed, Deans will finally go for it. But he could also just be his normal self and put Horne / Fainga'a at 12 / 13, and JOC (James O'Connor) at fullback. Very strong possibility too.

Yet JOC (James O'Connor) is regularly saying in interviews that his ambition to end up with the 12 jersey. He just repeated that last week. If it still doesn't convince Deans, then all he has left now is to stand up and directly demand it. Put pressure on Deans! as the last wonderboy remaining in the side, his negotiating power has increased dramatically. With Beale and Cooper out, he is effectively the N°1 star of the backline.

 

[Lee Grant]

Agree - let's give it a go. What have we got to lose, especially at a time when players have to be swapped around to cover for injuries anyway?

We lose more by being too careful.

 

[James Buchanan]

So BaaBaa's (italicised players I'd like to see)
1.( cian healy)
2. kevin mealamu
3. (eoin murray)
4. victor matfield
5. (paul o'connell/bakkies botha)
6. jerome kaino
7. adam thomson
8. jason white
9. piri weepu
10. danny cipriani
11. brian habana
12. sonny bill williams
13.( brian o'driscoll)
14. (george north)
15. leigh halfpenny

Who'd be the uncapped?

 

[Ruggo]

I would like to see JOC (James O'Connor) at 10 and blood Tapuai in the 12 jersey.

 

[Lee Grant]

I'd like to see that but I daresay that the Wobs will want to use as many players from the RWC squad as is possible because they have played more recently or at least have been in a stern training environment lately.

Maybe not though: I'm not convinced that I am right.

 

[Braveheart81]

Surely Barnes is going to be a walk up starter at 10 with Cooper out.

Whilst I can imagine them playing O'Connor at 12 and Horne at 13, I think based on prior selections, the most likely backline is going to feature Horne and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) or Horne and Fainga'a in the centres.

Is Beale definitely out of the Spring Tour. Given that he has about a month to recover, I imagine he is a fair chance of playing if it was only a moderate hamstring tear.

 

[Swat]

Yet JOC (James O'Connor) is regularly saying in interviews that his ambition to end up with the 12 jersey. He just repeated that last week. If it still doesn't convince Deans, then all he has left now is to stand up and directly demand it. Put pressure on Deans! as the last wonderboy remaining in the side, his negotiating power has increased dramatically. With Beale and Cooper out, he is effectively the N°1 star of the backline.

I agree that playing at JOC (James O'Connor) at 12 should be done, and really should have been done instead of the McCabe experiment when Berrick forgot his birthday, however demanding it surely won't help his brand. We don't want another Giteau refusing to play 9 situation.

 

[Lindommer]

Article in The Australian today confirms Rocky won't tour.

Here's the RWC squad, with the two replacements:

P: Alexander Kepu Ma'afu Slipper
H: Fainga'a Moore TPN
Super Rugby: Horwill Sharpe Simmons Vickerman
BR: Elsom Higginbotham Hodgson McCalman Palu Pocock Samo
1/2: Burgess Genia Phipps
5/8: Barnes Cooper
C: AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) Fainga'a Horne McCabe
B3: Beale Ioane Mitchell JOC (James O'Connor) Turner

There are seven injuries and one unavailability (Burgess) which leaves 24 from the RWC expedition, although there is some doubt about Kepu. It's been confirmed 26 players will tour, whom do we add? Is Ma'afu worthy of continued development? Will Phipps be the backup scrummie?

I'd suggest one second rower and a back who can play five-eighth. Another prop? Bugger it, take Palmer and let's do some serious work on our scrum. Oh, and play Alexander at LHP, Dingo.

 

[Crow]

Ma'afu's last game was quite decent and I'd consider him worth taking. I think Palmer's also worth taking, if only to see if someone can get him jogging around the field.
Another lock will be required. Dennis? He's been on tour before.
I'd like to see Beau go to Europe, but I'm not sure on the other BR members.
Surely we don't need to take 3 halfbacks again...
Barnes seems the shoe-in at 5/8, we need someone else. Stannard? I'm grasping at straws here. Maybe JOC (James O'Connor).

As for the remaining backs, we've got 3 for any position, I could say that it doesn't really matter who goes.
Rod Davies' manager would be all over Deans, I'm sure.

 

[Hawko]

Ma'afu's last game was quite decent and I'd consider him worth taking. I think Palmer's also worth taking, if only to see if someone can get him jogging around the field.
Another lock will be required. Dennis? He's been on tour before.
I'd like to see Beau go to Europe, but I'm not sure on the other BR members.
Surely we don't need to take 3 halfbacks again...
Barnes seems the shoe-in at 5/8, we need someone else. Stannard? I'm grasping at straws here. Maybe JOC (James O'Connor).

If we took Stannard he could also be the the reserve halfback.

 

[DPK]

Mortlock announced to play for the Barbarians.

 

[fatprop]

If we took Stannard he could also be the the reserve halfback.

Despite no S15, Nic White would be one for the future, he started in front of Stannard at Eastwood and will most likely be the starter for the Brumbies next year

 

[DPK]

If we took Stannard he could also be the the reserve halfback.

With Stanard in the lineup we could have two flyhalf/wingers in the side.

 

[Bowside]

We don't really need a third halfback and JOC (James O'Connor) can cover 10 if need be. If they are taking a utility you would go for guy that plays 10/15.

 

[Crow]

There's already a fair bit of utility available.
I'd take the option to develop a 'specialist' (to the extent that there are specialist backs in the game anymore).

 

[Braveheart81]

A Number10 with utility options? Maybe Bernard Foley will get picked for development reasons on the back of 15 minutes of Super Rugby.

 

[Bullrush]

OK....here's my first tentative step towards supporting the Wallabies....LOL

10. Barnes. (Is there really any other option?)
11. Ioane
12. JOC (James O'Connor)
13. Fainga'a/Horne (I haven't seen him enough - well, has anyone - but you guys all rate him so I'm prepared to go with him as well until I watch him enough to make up my own mind)
14. My bolter - Lealiifano

 

[Crow]

P: Alexander Kepu Ma'afu Slipper Palmer
H: Fainga'a Moore TPN
Super Rugby: Horwill Sharpe Simmons Dennis Timani
BR: Higginbotham Hodgson McCalman Pocock Samo Robinson
1/2: Genia Phipps
5/8: Barnes Stannard (Beale)
C: AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) Fainga'a Horne
B3: Ioane JOC (James O'Connor) Turner (Mitchell) Davies

If Mitchell and Beale can recover in time for the tour, I'd take them, if only to play in the later games. Beale has expressed interest in playing 10, and from memory part of the deal with going to the Rebels is to get that opportunity.
I'd probably also move JOC (James O'Connor) to 12, I don't care what Woody says This opens up a spot for Davies and Stannard probably deserves a chance for a 15 man cap.
Timani needs to be used, now he's been 'blooded'. I'd be rather annoyed if he was given the jersey to avoid being picked by Tonga, only to never be seen again.
I'd like to have a spot for Douglas, but there's a surplus of backrowers as is.