2012 Rugby Championship Round 4 Game 2 Australia vs Argentina - 15 Sep

[Inside Shoulder]

He hasn't been the same since Stephanie Rice dumped him. Correlation doesn't mean causation but perhaps there is a link .

He probably assumed it couldn't happen and it came as a shock: maybe he needs another one - much like the one Deans would have given him if he had the balls.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Harris was average in 'passing' when playing 5/8 at Super Rugby level. He doesn't have the skillset to play fly-half for the Wallabies..

assuming that's right - neither does the incumbent so we would lose nothing

 

[boyo]

There seem to be several apologists for poor performance, poor ball-skills, etc.

The provincial parochialism really shits me. Selection should be about who is best for the job, not which provincial team they are in.

 

[Braveheart81]

There seem to be several apologists for poor performance, poor ball-skills, etc.

The provincial parochialism really shits me. Selection should be about who is best for the job, not which provincial team they are in.

I don't disagree, but I think it's kind of funny that you support Sydney Uni and the Waratahs.

 

[Lee Grant]

Ella promoted this bloke at schoolboy level. Don't think he ever would have gained the dizzy heights he has without the support of Ella and without his indigenousness (shit is that a word).

Beale promoted himself by his play. He was invited to Tahs practice sessions whilst still at school because they wanted a hook into him because he was so good. Whether he was managed by the Ella brothers or the Marx brothers, or the Blues brothers, wouldn't have counted for anything.

Did you ever see KB (Kurtley Beale) play for Joeys? He was hot property: the best schoolboy player I ever saw and I have seen a couple.
.

 

[barbarian]

Can't agree with the idea that Mike Harris should be Wallaby 10. At the moment the pecking order is

1. Cooper
2. Barnes
3. JOC (James O'Connor) (although it seems he is #1 in RD's eyes)
4. Lealiifano (his precise position is debateable as he is injured anyway)
5. Beale


6. Harris

The guy is a decent enough Super player, but has shown no evidence he is up to being a test 10.
.

 

[TOCC]

assuming that's right - neither does the incumbent so we would lose nothing

Except lose test matches....

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Except lose test matches..

That's coming - and when it does?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Can't agree with the idea that Mike Harris should be Wallaby 10. At the moment the pecking order is

1. Cooper
2. Barnes
3. JOC (James O'Connor) (although it seems he is #1 in RD's eyes)
4. Lealiifano (his precise position is debateable as he is injured anyway)
5. Beale


6. Harris

The guy is a decent enough Super player, but has shown no evidence he is up to being a test 10.
.

Hypothetically speaking, of course, does anyone else think Lealiifano earned a shot?

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Can't agree with the idea that Mike Harris should be Wallaby 10. At the moment the pecking order is
1. Cooper
2. Barnes
3. JOC (James O'Connor) (although it seems he is #1 in RD's eyes)
4. Lealiifano (his precise position is debateable as he is injured anyway)
5. Beale
6. Harris
The guy is a decent enough Super player, but has shown no evidence he is up to being a test 10.
.

Agreed. I don't get all the man love for Harris as a Wallaby. he's not there as either a 10 or a 12 for the wallabies, but good at either one for the reds.

 

[Braveheart81]

Hypothetically speaking, of course, does anyone else think Lealiifano earned a shot?

I think he certainly would have got the start against Wales if he'd kept his form up until then.

That was with Cooper only just returning from injury and JOC (James O'Connor) out injured.

I think he has to start again next season though. He won't be ahead of anyone in the pecking order until he plays good Super Rugby in 2013.

I put Tapuai in the same category. He will probably go on the Spring Tour and get possibly get a spot on the bench for a test or two, but he won't really have a chance to press for Wallaby selection until he plays well in 2013.

 

[TOCC]

It's one thing to believe Quade is not up to been the starting 5/8...

But sheesh at least take those red colored glasses off and realise that Harris is not a test level 5/8... He was even poor when starting at 5/8 for the Reds, his boot and lack of backup prevented him from been dropped..

He found his place as a hard running inside centre..

 

[fatprop]

Yeah Harris ain't a test 10

Cooper? he made mistakes but he also created two try scoring opportunities. He is the best we have, he is no where near perfect, but ... ... he is it

 

[Linebacker_41]

I have - Cooper is a one trick pony: someone told him we needed to beat the Argies out wide so bang - they're pretty much all cut outs.
Harris could be coached - Cooper already knows everything.
He has been worked out at this level: they know he can't run with any consequence and that he loves the long pass the rest is easy for the defensive team.

I think it is funny the perception of Quade. Quade has a few tricks but is usually limited by those around him.

Quade's best attribute is finding a way to get the ball to the person with the best chance to break the line. He has an uncanny ability to conjure a pass that achieves this.

I liken Quade to a quarterback, but like the NFL he needs his teammates to act as Wide Receivers and Running Backs. From there he usually chooses the right person to get the ball to. When the other players run their pattern they have to be ready for the pass in any manner of ways (flick pass - even unnecessary ones, long cut-outs, short pops or the cross field kick) and they have to be committed 100%.

The thing that frustrates me is the lack of straight running in the Australian game plan. That is until McCabe came into the attack this weekend.

The Reds last year (2011) had multiple running options and were best placed with Ant F. or Taps running the short straight hard line. This held the defenders as did McCabe but the lines others ran on Saturday night were poor and caused us to creep across field allowing the defense to read the play more easily.

Quade also needs linemen to protect him and go forward. On the weekend I saw a great improvement in that area from our forwards, that is despite the best efforts of the courageous Argies.


I would agree that he is not playing well, but I would also argue that those around him are not fully executing their job to give that excitement in attack that we are all craving for.


I hate to say it but Quade's attacking attributes are looking more and more like they are better suited to league than rugby.

 

[fatprop]

On the McCabe sin bin, gee those decisions are hard.

The ref call of "taking out the half", watching the video from McCabe's point of view, it was easy to construe the "half" as a blocker (bent over bridging) for Mccabe to counter ruck

 

[Rob]

Beale promoted himself by his play. He was invited to Tahs practice sessions whilst still at school because they wanted a hook into him because he was so good. Whether he was managed by the Ella brothers or the Marx brothers, or the Blues brothers, wouldn't have counted for anything.

Did you ever see KB (Kurtley Beale) play for Joeys? He was hot property: the best schoolboy player I ever saw and I have seen a couple.
.

I agree Lee. I saw him play for Joey's and he was unbelievable. I would be tempted to give him another go at 10 for the wallabies.

 

[Braveheart81]

I liken Quade to a quarterback, but like the NFL he needs his teammates to act as Wide Receivers and Running Backs. From there he usually chooses the right person to get the ball to. When the other players run their pattern they have to be ready for the pass in any manner of ways (flick pass - even unnecessary ones, long cut-outs, short pops or the cross field kick) and they have to be committed 100%.

So his stats for the weekend were two touchdowns, three interceptions, two fumbles one of which led to a safety and the other to a touchdown.

 

[H...]

I can't see the problem with giving Harris a crack. If he's as dreadful as made out in this thread it will be very clear after two tests and we can rule him out. TRC is a lost cause now anyway and we will likely have a new coach (I guess?) prior to EOTY.

Sometimes I wonder if some of you are concerned someone will replace your boyfriend and end up playing better, leaving him on the outer.

 

[Braveheart81]

I agree Lee. I saw him play for Joey's and he was unbelievable. I would be tempted to give him another go at 10 for the wallabies.

It's been posted many times, but it's relevant and worth watching for anyone who hasn't seen it.

 

[Scotty]

He probably assumed it couldn't happen and it came as a shock: maybe he needs another one - much like the one Deans would have given him if he had the balls.

If Deans wasn't trying to protect his balls so much we would have seen the form team selected for the 2nd Wales test, and we probably wouldn't be having as many issues now, since the form players would have had a few more games to gel as a team.