2012 Rugby Championship Game 2 New Zealand vs Australia - 25 August

[No4918]

El Capitan Sanchez

A fourth spot finish is probably not out of the question if Pocock is gone. Worst news the Wallabies could get.

 

[Waylon]

I can see a big hole right in the middle there for the All Blacks to run through...

Barnes can tackle just fine
Any backrow worth its salt can cover the ten channel
We need to score tries. We need to unlock the allblacks defence and McCabe, Fainga'a and Horne aren't going to do it.
One of the few times we've seen Cooper 10/Barnes 12, the wallabies put 50+ on the French in Paris
If you were talking about Ioane, he's one of the hardest hitters in the game and he gets the ball in his hands more at 13. I'd be happy with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13 and Ioane on the wing but I think Beale is a liability. He's never lived up to the hype in my opinion. I'm a bit of a fan of Luke Morahan from the Reds. Very competent, good defender and very elusive runner.

 

[Slim 293]

Taking our best winger and putting him into the centres?

Nah.........

Besides, his running style is better suited to the wing.

And Digby can tackle fine, but I'd be concerned about his defence........

Also, people like to abuse that French test as some sort of blueprint to success, despite the French putting up the white flag.......

We didn't use our 49 - 0 defeat of South Africa cloud our minds when it came to selections, otherwise Scott Fava would've been our no 8 going into the World Cup..........

 

[Dam0]

Not buying the 'AB players are just too much better, don't sweat it' argument sorry Damo.

The issues last night were mainly from core players playing terrible rugby. Beale last night made Guildford look good in last years Bled 2 and Beale is 10 x the player Guildford is. Our front five lacked pace. Our backrow looked lost.

The AB defense was superb, it just doesn't explain the sheer weight of basic errors, or the lack of cohesive punch from our forwards.

Fair enough. I guess the context of my comments came in the incessant screaming for Deans to be fired. Although I don't think all that much of Deans as a coach, I really wouldn't put much of the blame on him for last night. There aren't many Wallabies who outplayed their All Black opposites last night, and that is saying a lot considering most of the All Blacks had off-nights.

There will come a time, perhaps even in this World Cup cycle, where the Wallabies will be able to call on players more talented than ours. Just not now. That is the reason we win most of the games

 

[FilthRugby]

All Blacks are going to be bloody tough to beat in NZ. Who is the ref this time? Hopefully not that wanker Rolland again! His last game should have been after he ruined Wales hopes in the RWC.

 

[Braveheart81]

My team for game 2 would be:

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Sharpe
5. Timani
6. Higginbotham
7. Pocock (Hooper if he is injured)
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. Barnes
13. Horne
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Beale

16. TPN
17. Robinson
18. Simmons
19. Dennis
20. Hooper (Gill if Pocock is injured)
21. Phipps
22. Mitchell

Robinson has been in really poor form. Give Slipper a go.

Our lock situation is dire. Simmons offers less physicality than Timani so Timani should start. Eden Park is not the place to debut Douglas.

I thought TPN was reasonable and lineout went well. He didn't shine though so it is time to give Moore a crack.

Higginbotham clearly had a shocker but the bigger problem was that Dennis and Higginbotham provided no physicality or impact. Give Samo 25-30 minutes at the start of the game to try and get our forwards going forward and then when he is cooked, bring Dennis on and move Higgers to 8.

Barnes was one of our better players but it is time to get Cooper back into the fold. He provides the counterpunch to Barnes' stability and we desperately need another kicker in the midfield. It was a major weakness that if Barnes was under too much pressure and had to pass the next kicker was several passes away.

Horne was decent enough to retain his position. Fainga'a didn't shine, Tapuai doesn't have enough football in him and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) isn't playing well enough to demand a move to 13. I think at this stage I prefer Horne/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13/14 to AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Mitchell.

Beale had a shocker but he has to keep playing. On form he is one of our best players and it isn't like we have a star performer waiting in the wings. Sure Beale missed the tackle on the opening try but AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) made a horrible defensive read to leave Dagg unmarked. He had to trust his inside defender.

 

[Scotty]

BH,

We don't normally agree on selections, but I was just about to post my team and there it was already written down by your good self.

Deans needs to try things to affect a big turnaround and Samo and Cooper are the big two for me. Adding to that the higher work rates of slipper and Moore and we look to have a much more balanced side.

 

[Scotty]

I also have no doubt that adding cooper will also improve the performances of Ioane, Genia, Barnes and Beale. Probably even the other two.

It has to be done. It should already have been done.

 

[Richo]

I was going to post the same team, BH. I think Samo for 30 to start is way too outside the box for Deans, but it could work. And if it doesn't, its not like there was a good alternative.

I think that dropping Robinson is a necessity. Give him something to fight for and we just might see the old Fat Cat. Besides, some accountability would be good. I'd be for dropping Higgers and Beale, too, but there's no alternatives and we can't beat the ABs without Beale having a strong game.

 

[Bowside]

I think cooper has to come back into the team at 10 next week, and I would also be slotting taps in at 12. Barnes to ride the pine and inject himself late, either at 10, 12, or 15.

If shmoo is good to go I'd start him but if not Fainga'a or Horne will play out centre I guess.

Moore has to start, and I would swap higgers back to 6 with Dennis or Palu at 8.

Timani I thought went alright in the scrums, but he is pretty useless everwhere else. Simmons is not much better, but he can run the lineout which others dont seem to be able to do.

I honestly think AWH or Neville would be the best option for the TH lock position. Both are somewhat left field selections but it's not like what we currently have is working and therefore we might as well try one of the form players.

I would even consider giving Slipper a start as he's got a better work rate than the others but he can still hold his own in the scrums.

 

[Bowside]

And if Pocock is injured I would go with Gill over Hooper.

He gets stuck in more at the breakdown and is constantly plugging holes in our defensive line. I think he is the right sort of player to add some starch to the pack.

And he's certainly not afraid to go toe to toe with McCaw as he showed in the super rugby this year.

 

[Richo]

I really don't think Dingo will select anyone from outside the squad. Or that someone will make their run on debut at Eden Park. In short, I doubt we see Taps before the EOYT, unfortunately.

 

[Scott Allen]

My team for game 2 would be:

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Sharpe
5. Timani
6. Higginbotham
7. Pocock (Hooper if he is injured)
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. Barnes
13. Horne
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Beale

16. TPN
17. Robinson
18. Simmons
19. Dennis
20. Hooper (Gill if Pocock is injured)
21. Phipps
22. Mitchell

Robinson has been in really poor form. Give Slipper a go.

Our lock situation is dire. Simmons offers less physicality than Timani so Timani should start. Eden Park is not the place to debut Douglas.

I thought TPN was reasonable and lineout went well. He didn't shine though so it is time to give Moore a crack.

Higginbotham clearly had a shocker but the bigger problem was that Dennis and Higginbotham provided no physicality or impact. Give Samo 25-30 minutes at the start of the game to try and get our forwards going forward and then when he is cooked, bring Dennis on and move Higgers to 8.

Barnes was one of our better players but it is time to get Cooper back into the fold. He provides the counterpunch to Barnes' stability and we desperately need another kicker in the midfield. It was a major weakness that if Barnes was under too much pressure and had to pass the next kicker was several passes away.

Horne was decent enough to retain his position. Fainga'a didn't shine, Tapuai doesn't have enough football in him and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) isn't playing well enough to demand a move to 13. I think at this stage I prefer Horne/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13/14 to AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Mitchell.

Beale had a shocker but he has to keep playing. On form he is one of our best players and it isn't like we have a star performer waiting in the wings. Sure Beale missed the tackle on the opening try but AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) made a horrible defensive read to leave Dagg unmarked. He had to trust his inside defender.

BH

I'm with you on the starting XV with one comment and one change to your 22:

1. Samo has to be replaced no later than 55 mins;
2. If you want to go with a 5: 2 bench, Harris is more versaltile than Mitchell.

 

[Richo]

BH

I'm with you on the starting XV with one comment and one change to your 22:

1. Samo has to be replaced no later than 55 mins;
2. If you want to go with a 5: 2 bench, Harris is more versaltile than Mitchell.

I think he meant Samo should be replaced after 30 minutes.

 

[Hawko]

Team last night Team I'd pick this week
Robinson Slipper
TPN Moore
Kepu Kepu, for lack of another option
Timani Simmons
Sharpe Sharpe
Dennis Dennis
Pocock Pocock
Higginbotham Higginbotham

Genia Genia
Barnes Cooper
Ioane Ioane
Fainga'a Barnes
Horne Ashley-Cooper
Beale Beale

When JOC (James O'Connor) gets back I'd slot him into 14. Would have considered 12 if he'd been able to play there during the Welsh series, but I think Barnes is what Cooper needs him inside him (other than Ben Tapuai, who feeds off Cooper's ingenuity).

Pocock sees the surgeon Monday, so he won't be playing. He will be out so Hooper will have to play 7, with Gill on the bench.
I'd play Douglas because he works tighter even though his workrate needs to be better - the alternatives are all just as bad. I would tell him to play like a man demented and sub him with Simmons at 50 minutes. You'd think Neville might be a good call up. He, at least, has got a good engine - something our forwards do not seem to have. NZ have that in spades.
You'd add Mitchell for the wing.
I'd keep the 5:2 split and have Tapuai and Sheehan on the bench. Phipps getting on gives me nightmares and White is obviously too injured to play. The 5:2 split has to be because our forwards are so unfit that few of them are any good for more than 50 minutes. Robinson, TPN, Simmons or Neville, Samo and Gill for the bench.

Things would be different if Palu, Horwill, Palmer, JOC (James O'Connor), and maybe a couple of others were not injured. But they are injured so we just have to suck it up. But that NZ pack would be the same if everyone over the ditch was fit. How does NZ not get serious injuries like we do? Conditioning?

 

[Tordah]

How does NZ not get serious injuries like we do? Conditioning?

it's a mixture of your perception and a deeper talent pool. McCaw and Read were injured this season, Kaino is gone for the whole season, etc.etc.

 

[Joe Blow]

Pocock out. I guess this an opportunity for Hooper and Gill but we are way down on experience up front. Can Sharpe, Moore and Robinson lead the pack around?

It will be interesting if nothing else. I doubt we can win this test so we should be putting out a team in view of beating both SA and Argentina in a few weeks.
Hooper needs to get up to speed and the "new" backs combination(we hope) will need to make the most of their time together.
Palu also reported to be further away from returning than initially thought.

 

[Ruggo]

With Fatcat's form slump we are seeing a big hole at LHP. Slipper no doubt can do the job but has played TH all year which is hardly the ideal preperation. The non selection of Greg Holmes in the squad is nothing short of idiotic. He is the player The Wallabies are neding ATM.

Bad news about Pocock but we have two young replacements ready to step up. Genia will make a better captain anyways. We badly need a rock shifter and Douglas is the bloke for the job. Bye bye Tamani. Moore has a much bigger engine than TPN and gets the hard work done. Bye bye TPN.

 

[Scotty]

Agree with genia being the better captain. He basically is the captain anyway - does all the talking and most of the decision making.

 

[TOCC]

My team for game 2 would be:

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Sharpe
5. Timani
6. Higginbotham
7. Pocock (Hooper if he is injured)
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. Barnes
13. Horne
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Beale

16. TPN
17. Robinson
18. Simmons
19. Dennis
20. Hooper (Gill if Pocock is injured)
21. Phipps
22. Mitchell

Robinson has been in really poor form. Give Slipper a go.

Our lock situation is dire. Simmons offers less physicality than Timani so Timani should start. Eden Park is not the place to debut Douglas.

I thought TPN was reasonable and lineout went well. He didn't shine though so it is time to give Moore a crack.

Higginbotham clearly had a shocker but the bigger problem was that Dennis and Higginbotham provided no physicality or impact. Give Samo 25-30 minutes at the start of the game to try and get our forwards going forward and then when he is cooked, bring Dennis on and move Higgers to 8.

Barnes was one of our better players but it is time to get Cooper back into the fold. He provides the counterpunch to Barnes' stability and we desperately need another kicker in the midfield. It was a major weakness that if Barnes was under too much pressure and had to pass the next kicker was several passes away.

Horne was decent enough to retain his position. Fainga'a didn't shine, Tapuai doesn't have enough football in him and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) isn't playing well enough to demand a move to 13. I think at this stage I prefer Horne/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13/14 to AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Mitchell.

Beale had a shocker but he has to keep playing. On form he is one of our best players and it isn't like we have a star performer waiting in the wings. Sure Beale missed the tackle on the opening try but AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) made a horrible defensive read to leave Dagg unmarked. He had to trust his inside defender.

My only concern would be the fitness of Samo..

We need the attacking flair of Quade... Australia's 'vaunted' defence is nothing more then an enigma, the Wallabies couldn't stop the All Blacks scoring tries so its about time we brought in some players who might be able get Australia having a crack back..