Argentina v Australia II @ 5.10am 14/08

[Dctarget]

Minimal changes, keep supersub Hodge on the bench, Lolesio to leapfrog him straight into the team as McReight did Samu.

Arnold to start, Philip to bench, Frost out.

1 Slipper (C)
2 Fainga'a
3 Ala'alatoa
4 Swain
5 Arnold
6 Holloway
7 McReight
8 Valetini
9 White
10 Lolesio
11 Koroibete
12 Paisami
13 Ikitau
14 Petaia
15 Wright

16 Lonergan
17 Gibbon
18 Tupou
19 Philip
20 Leota
21 Samu
22 Gordon
23 Hodge

 

[John S]

Yeah I think that team works, just need to look after Lolesio - the argies put a few runners down Cooper's channel last week

 

[Viking]

Lonergan's name on the team sheet really sticks out to me. He is going to get destroyed by the Boks.
Despite his off-field issues, I wouldn't mind Latu back into the fold. Another genuine turn-over threat at the breakdown is just what our pack needs too.

 

[Braveheart81]

I would have thought Porecki would be back potentially from the bench given how well Fainga'a played.

 

[Viking]

I would have thought Porecki would be back potentially from the bench given how well Fainga'a played.

I like Porecki from the bench too, having that certainty at line-out time at the back-end of games. I think FF (Folau Fainga'a) suffers at line-out time coming off the bench in those dying moments of the game. It seems to be the time he has had most of his throwing issues.

 

[Braveheart81]

Ordinarily I'd have said Porecki would slot straight in as the starter and maybe that will still happen. He had an excellent series against England.

Fainga'a is coming off close to his best test though.

 

[Slim 293]

I would have thought Porecki would be back potentially from the bench given how well Fainga'a played.

Porecki flew home with Hooper...

 

[Happy]

I thought Porecki had returned to Australia

 

[Dctarget]

There is also another angle we could go, which is: this is probably our least important match of the year. We've won away in Argentina, we've kept the Puma's Nuts or whatever the trophy is. So, fuck it, give some game time to fringe members.

Start Tate, Vunivalu & Wilson. Give Valetini, White & Koroibete a rest. They're known quantities and will always deliver. Take Folau off at half time and put on Longeran. No one will remember if we lose this in a year by RWC time.

After Hooper's surprise resting, got me nervous and thinking we need to protect some of our guys a la McCaw, Carter & Sexton.

 

[LeCheese]

Despite his off-field issues, I wouldn't mind Latu back into the fold. Another genuine turn-over threat at the breakdown is just what our pack needs too.

Latu has consistently proven he is a liability both on and off the field. We can absolutely manage without him

 

[Rugby Head]

There is also another angle we could go, which is: this is probably our least important match of the year. We've won away in Argentina, we've kept the Puma's Nuts or whatever the trophy is. So, fuck it, give some game time to fringe members.

Start Tate, Vunivalu & Wilson. Give Valetini, White & Koroibete a rest. They're known quantities and will always deliver. Take Folau off at half time and put on Longeran. No one will remember if we lose this in a year by RWC time.

Or we take another approach and put our best possible team on the park to give our side the best possible chance to win this test match.

 

[LeCheese]

There is also another angle we could go, which is: this is probably our least important match of the year. We've won away in Argentina, we've kept the Puma's Nuts or whatever the trophy is. So, fuck it, give some game time to fringe members.

Start Tate, Vunivalu & Wilson. Give Valetini, White & Koroibete a rest. They're known quantities and will always deliver. Take Folau off at half time and put on Longeran. No one will remember if we lose this in a year by RWC time.

After Hooper's surprise resting, got me nervous and thinking we need to protect some of our guys a la McCaw, Carter & Sexton.

Understand your point, but the flip side is that it’s important to build combos for possibly the most winnable Bledisloe and Rugby Championship in years. That sort of momentum isn’t bad heading into a World Cup either

 

[Viking]

Latu has consistently proven he is a liability both on and off the field. We can absolutely manage without him

Was pretty handy last RWC though, I know that's going back a bit far. But if Cooper can mature then surely Latu can too. He has proven runs on the board.

 

[Viking]

There is also another angle we could go, which is: this is probably our least important match of the year. We've won away in Argentina, we've kept the Puma's Nuts or whatever the trophy is. So, fuck it, give some game time to fringe members.

Start Tate, Vunivalu & Wilson. Give Valetini, White & Koroibete a rest. They're known quantities and will always deliver. Take Folau off at half time and put on Longeran. No one will remember if we lose this in a year by RWC time.

After Hooper's surprise resting, got me nervous and thinking we need to protect some of our guys a la McCaw, Carter & Sexton.

Nah we need to start winning. The best team starts. Maybe tinker with the bench a bit. We can't build confidence in a group without wins on the board and we simply don't have the luxury to start B teams given our current win percentage.

 

[Rugby Head]

Was pretty handy last RWC though, I know that's going back a bit far. But if Cooper can mature then surely Latu can too. He has proven runs on the board.

He definitely has the tools to do it, just need to fix his on/ off field discipline. He is a genuine threat over the ball and can provide some physically across the park.

 

[LeCheese]

Was pretty handy last RWC though, I know that's going back a bit far. But if Cooper can mature then surely Latu can too. He has proven runs on the board.

Seven yellow cards and two reds (and an 11wk suspension), with many of them recent, in only two seasons with Stade Francais. Let’s see what he can do with the Tahs, but I’m not holding my breath.

 

[Rugby Head]

With Quade gone, do we look to bring in another international? I don't even think any are significantly better than the guys in the current 23.

 

[PhilClinton]

Was pretty handy last RWC though, I know that's going back a bit far. But if Cooper can mature then surely Latu can too. He has proven runs on the board.

Cooper’s problems were no where near the level of Latu.

Aside from the laptop thing, Cooper was pretty much just a general fuckwit from memory. And didn’t really have an on field reputation as a penalty magnet, moreso he did dumb shit that made his own supporters cry.

Latu has some serious issues off-field and has been dished more cards in the last 2 years than Cooper has in his career.

 

[Viking]

Seven yellow cards and two reds (and an 11wk suspension), with many of them recent, in only two seasons with Stade Francais. Let’s see what he can do with the Tahs, but I’m not holding my breath.

Wow had no idea it was that bad. Surely that is some kind of record for number of cards.

 

[Braveheart81]

Can we shift the Tolu Latu talk back to potentially getting game time in Super Rugby next year in the Waratahs thread?