Aus vs NZ - 1st Test Sydney 17Aug2013

[No4918]

Savea and Nonu ..?.who we matching then with? perhaps JOC (James O'Connor) can sit on Lilos shoulders witha big overcoat on..that may fool them

JOC (James O'Connor) can handle B Smith.

Looking at that I think Mogg will get eaten by Savea if the way he treated Dagg is any indication. We need to unleash the Honey Badger or play Folau on that wing. Folau is defensively capable of shutting Savea down and would easily beat in the air and one on one. That said I would still prefer Folau at 15 to come into the line outwide.

My backline to combat them would be:

Genia
Cooper
JOC (James O'Connor)
Lilo
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Cummins
Folau

 

[scaraby]

JOC (James O'Connor) can handle B Smith.

Looking at that I think Mogg will get eaten by Savea if the way he treated Dagg is any indication. We need to unleash the Honey Badger or play Folau on that wing. Folau is defensively capable of shutting Savea down and would easily beat in the air and one on one. That said I would still prefer Folau at 15 to come into the line outwide.

My backline to combat them would be:

Genia
Cooper
JOC (James O'Connor)
Lilo
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Cummins
Folau

I have the same backline and I think that defence is the very reason you have Folau at 15....very few people get past him in the last line and the way he has been "Shepherding" and then dumping big guys over in touch could be momentum turning. No quick ball when you're upside down over the sponsor boards.
The Badger needs a run....heart of a lion,runs like a maniac and we need to give the ABs some in your face back. That backline is littered with playmakers lets balance it with the line runners. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Badger and Folau are good on the end of a deftly thrown short ball.

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

Only 1 of the back three is really a kicker and even then JOC (James O'Connor) is fairly average with the boot, I know Izzy can kick, he just has little experience at test level. I think Izzy needs to stay on the wing with Mogg at 15 and you have the ideal back line I reckon. Defensively it's a bit risky as Mogg isn't exactly a dominant tackler but you lose nothing in attack and that boot of his could make all the difference.

Even with Carter out, it's hard to look at the likely AB's starting team and say we have parity or even better picks in a few positions. 2 and 9 are the only ones that stand out to me, maybe parity in a few others and who knows how the scrum will go. If firing, their back row, centers and back 3 are a class above at their best. Who know though, they're an aging team who desperately need to blood some new talent before the next WC so we may see a few new faces.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think Izzy needs to stay on the wing with Mogg at 15 and you have the ideal back line I reckon. Defensively it's a bit risky as Mogg isn't exactly a dominant tackler but you lose nothing in attack and that boot of his could make all the difference.

It's a bit of a conundrum. Whilst you're correct that Mogg's boot could make all the difference, his inferior defence could also.

Mogg's propensity to kick out on the full seems to increase in big, high pressure games. I'm not sure his kicking is as big an asset when it is probably most needed.

Personally I'd go with the Cummins, Folau, JOC (James O'Connor) back three.

Folau's ability under the high ball is also important. The All Blacks have smashed us in that area on previous occasions.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

This would be my 23 to face the All Blicks

1. Sio
2. Moore
3. Slipper
4. MMM
5. Horwill
6. Mowan
7. Hooper
8. McCalman

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. JOC (James O'Connor)
12. Lilo
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Cummins
15. Izzy

16. Saia
17. Alexander
18. Kepu
19. Fardy
20. Gill
21. White
22. Mogg
23. Tevita/To'omua
I would have Tivita on the bench instead of a second 10 as I think with Lilo and JOC (James O'Connor) in the side we have 10 covered and Tevita I think could cause havoc at the death but I could just as easily have To'omua on the bench.

 

[mark_s]

Folau's ability under the high ball is also important. The All Blacks have smashed us in that area on previous occasions.

Good point, but those pesky all blacks always seem to be able to identify and capitalise on our weakenesses whereever we hide them.

Anyway, I think the choice of 10 and 15 are entirely dependent and I can't see why link wont go with Cooper at 10. That rules Mogg and Izzy out of 15, as even if Quade defends front line for part of the game, link will want flexibility for him to swap back in defence as the game progresses. Also, if Quade is going to be spending any serious time defending at 15, then 11 and 14 need to be good under the high ball which I think bring Mogg and Izzy into play (arguably AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) also).

Why won't link go with To'omua at 10? Firstly, there is the combination with Genia (and link himself for that matter). Secondly, if Coooper is to start at 10 anytime in this bledisloe series, the game in Sydney is the one. Thirdly (and often forgotten), he is actually a good player, with past international experience, is in decent form and has a bloody big point to proove.

 

[JSRF10]

You'd also want to factor in who New Zealand would least like to face, you can't just base selection off defensive reasons. I'd probably say the back 3 that would cause the Kiwis to worry is 15. Folau, 14.JOC (James O'Connor), 11. HB. Good mix of hard running, creativity, high ball solidity and strong defense, probably the best unit the Wallabies can pick.

As for 10 its hard to say who they'd least like to see there, whoever is picked I think New Zealand would feel confident that they can shut them down.

 

[Dean Hyde]

It's a bit of a conundrum. Whilst you're correct that Mogg's boot could make all the difference, his inferior defence could also.

Mogg's propensity to kick out on the full seems to increase in big, high pressure games. I'm not sure his kicking is as big an asset when it is probably most needed.

Personally I'd go with the Cummins, Folau, JOC (James O'Connor) back three.

Folau's ability under the high ball is also important. The All Blacks have smashed us in that area on previous occasions.

Agree with regards to Mogg's boot. Against both the Bulls and the Chiefs he had kicks that didn't go out on the full from penalties as well as kicks that did go out on the full from outside the 22. I would say he has more bad kicks then good kicks also his defense is non existent. With Cooper and Genia dropping back most of the time I think we could go with a Cummin, Folau, JOC (James O'Connor) back three.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think it will be a really poor selection if Link picks someone other than Folau or Mogg at fullback (particularly if it's AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)) given the form both of them showed in 2013 and the form AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has shown at 13.

Making substantial selection compromises just to pick a specific person somewhere else in the team seems like a poor plan to me and a bad policy going forward.

That has all the hallmarks of the selection decisions that Deans was most heavily criticised for.

 

[mudskipper]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) isnt fast enough to play fullback anymore... He's not the best kicker either... he is either 13, wing or bench...

 

[mudskipper]

honestly whats with the man love for Cummins? really!!!!
Wallabies need winners...

 

[mudskipper]

Back three Izzy, JOC (James O'Connor), Mogg.... Tomane bench

 

[Lee Grant]

Mogg on the right wing, he kicks better off his left foot. The ideal setup is a right foot kicker on the left wing and a left foot kicker on the right wing, that way they should be able to get some distance on kicks intended to go out.

Personally I'd have Mogg at 15 and JOC (James O'Connor) on a wing. And I don't get Simmons as a first choice lock. But, there again, who'd be a selector.

Good post, and some have argued that Simmons shouldn't even be in the matchday 23, but he has to be (though this is not to your point).

I postulated last year that our lineout sergeant, Nathan Sharpe, would be a huge loss for the Wobs in 2013 and since his retirement there has been no replacement, except for the recruitment of Mowen.

Simmons does the calls for the Reds, not Horwill. Douglas doesn't do them at the Tahs, Dennis does, and not well either. Pyle does them for the Rebels, but like Dennis, won't be playing. 3M doesn't do the calls for the Force.

So, by including Mowen you don't need Simmons on the field, but if Mowen is excluded by injury or selection or because he has gone to the bench, you need Simmons on.

This is only one of the matching things McKenzie has to think about in manning his matchday and training group, but we punters tend to think about the merits of individuals in isolation.

There is more to naming a 15, a 23 or even a 30 than meets the eye.
.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

honestly whats with the man love for Cummins? really!!!!
Wallabies need winners.

Back three Izzy, JOC (James O'Connor), Mogg.. Tomane bench

Nick Cummins 6 Tests 4 wins 1 Loss 1 Draw 2 Trys
Joe Tomane 3 Tests 1 Win 2 Losses 0 Trys

Cummins = Winner

 

[Lee Grant]

Savea and Nonu ..?.who we matching then with? perhaps JOC (James O'Connor) can sit on Lilos shoulders witha big overcoat on..that may fool them

I liked Jeremy Paul's method once when he tackled Jonah Lomu in Sydney.

He got close enough running at an angle and jumped on his back, which was illegal, but he got away with it and the big guy went down, as I recall.

But seriously, if the ball is kicked to Savea the chase has to be diligent because he is lethal in full stride - just ask Israel Dagg, of the Crusaders.
.

 

[Gurz]

Nick Cummins 6 Tests 4 wins 1 Loss 1 Draw 2 Trys
Joe Tomane 3 Tests 1 Win 2 Losses 0 Trys

Cummins = Winner

Wouldn't mind to see cummins on the wing - probably hasn't got explosive pace but plenty of power and good hair and mo...... just make sure plenty of spray on the hands as have seen a few good ball go to ground....

 

[I like to watch]

Spot on Lee.
Our kicking game has to be inch perfect.
Either the ball must be kicked dead,with no opportunity for a quick restart,or the chasers have to be on the ball.
Our guys are not No one is good enough to give the AB's any room to wind up and have a crack on counter.

 

[scaraby]

maybe "mirror mirror" style.(the movie)

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) isnt fast enough to play fullback anymore. He's not the best kicker either. he is either 13, wing or bench.

Not fast enough for fullback, but fast enough for the wing?

 

[mudskipper]

Not fast enough for fullback, but fast enough for the wing?

yep fullback covers more ground... and has to enter the line... wing is already there most of the time... and his kicking isnt very special...