Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
I think Tonga/Samoa/Fiji will beat a couple of the Home Nations then world rugby will extend the stand down period for players switching nations to 5 years not 3.
Australia A - Back on the Cards
- Thread starter Tomikin
- Start date
LeCheese
Jim Lenehan (48)
The Ghost of Raelene
Steve Williams (59)
You're probably right about the stand down but I think the dam is broken. Young players now are seeing the ability to make a living from your club and not need the national team money. Be a hero for your native country.
I genuinely think this is something the NRL has shown the Rugby guys with Taumalolo telling NZ he wanted to play for Tonga.
Their will always be a few that get 'poached' and the large number that are born and raised in countries like Australia but guys like Fekitoa who are Tongan without doubt will play for them from the get go.
LeCheese
Jim Lenehan (48)
Case in point: all three of Aus' tries went through the hands to the outside. Foley was involved in none of them.
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Rugby Survivor
Ward Prentice (10)
Gordon and Foley just not at the level required to be an international. Why Eddie signed Gordon again for two years, what a waste of money.
Wilkin tried hard but Hanigan made a big impact. Could hear him on the coverage with plenty of talk and encouragement. Wilson carried well but a poor decision to transfer the pass when we were on attack. Isaak Fines certainly upped the pace of the team in the 2nd half.
Walton played very well in the first half and executed what he needed to while on in the 2nd half. A couple of turn overs and good defence.
Wilkin tried hard but Hanigan made a big impact. Could hear him on the coverage with plenty of talk and encouragement. Wilson carried well but a poor decision to transfer the pass when we were on attack. Isaak Fines certainly upped the pace of the team in the 2nd half.
Walton played very well in the first half and executed what he needed to while on in the 2nd half. A couple of turn overs and good defence.
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
Wilson's line choice is impeccable. But he's good for one poor choice a game.
KiwiM
Nev Cottrell (35)
Not sure I agree with this. I can't see a player such as Fekitoa making a different decision under the new rules - you could argue the new rules means they are more likely to be able to represent Tonga (for example) later in their career so makes the decision easier. ABs or Wallabies vs Tonga Rugby and Kiwis vs Tonga Rugby League is not a like for like comparison.
Walton looks busy without doing anything.
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
I'm not too bummed about that. Like, Foley did not look like a 76 cap Wallaby and Campbell and Gordon didn't do themselves any favours. But a bunch of second stringers let in tries against the form European fullback in Piutau, the best Wallabies fullback of the past decade and a 24 cap All Black. This is probably the best Tonga side they've ever put out. Add in Adam Coleman and a couple others and they're getting even better.
Then when we clicked into gear in the 2nd half we won 21-3. Eh. Confirms we have like 40 good players in Aus. Not quite enough for two teams.
edit: just read the squad came together on Sunday afternoon too. So, 3 sessions?
Then when we clicked into gear in the 2nd half we won 21-3. Eh. Confirms we have like 40 good players in Aus. Not quite enough for two teams.
edit: just read the squad came together on Sunday afternoon too. So, 3 sessions?
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BobbyD
Allen Oxlade (6)
Didn't we supposedly play a Springbok XV / A side last Saturday in Pretoria ......
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Esp. when the loigies can switch allegiance multiple times (once per "World" Cup cycle) with no stand-down in between.
Linerunner2023
Bill Watson (15)
Tough game
That Tonga side is very good
Folau, piatau, fekitoa, v fifita with Coleman, timani, pulu, moala, laumape and kata to come into it it will give some top sides trouble
Massive pack and back line
Thoughts not Many will have pushed for a wallabies spot. Particularly when there is a 40 man squad already so this side with some injured is realistically a 3rd string Aus side with 40 off plus few others like rodda and Robertson not there
tupou looks fit just needs game time, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Wilken and Wilson the better forward, why Wilson was on the bench? Not many back did favours, they really needed a crash ball centre, gorden and foley not good, JOC (James O'Connor) had moments, Campbell was average! Toole really needs to learn how to tackle
I don’t see Many of these guys pushing the main squad as there is already 40 in there which will be reduced to 33 for RWC
this highlights
1. We need more Aus a games, why don’t we have pre bledislode cup game v nz 15?
2. join Pac nations with nz 15 playing the 4 Pac nations
3. Guys need game time, why we are not using club rugby is stupid? Pro trainers only helps so far - you need game time to get
4. An NRC would work perfectly - like NSW cup this won’t attract crowds but next level to keep players fit
only players to potentially make main squad
Tupou will
Maybe Fainga'a with no good 2s only, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Neville, Wilson - IFL looked the goods
That Tonga side is very good
Folau, piatau, fekitoa, v fifita with Coleman, timani, pulu, moala, laumape and kata to come into it it will give some top sides trouble
Massive pack and back line
Thoughts not Many will have pushed for a wallabies spot. Particularly when there is a 40 man squad already so this side with some injured is realistically a 3rd string Aus side with 40 off plus few others like rodda and Robertson not there
tupou looks fit just needs game time, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Wilken and Wilson the better forward, why Wilson was on the bench? Not many back did favours, they really needed a crash ball centre, gorden and foley not good, JOC (James O'Connor) had moments, Campbell was average! Toole really needs to learn how to tackle
I don’t see Many of these guys pushing the main squad as there is already 40 in there which will be reduced to 33 for RWC
this highlights
1. We need more Aus a games, why don’t we have pre bledislode cup game v nz 15?
2. join Pac nations with nz 15 playing the 4 Pac nations
3. Guys need game time, why we are not using club rugby is stupid? Pro trainers only helps so far - you need game time to get
4. An NRC would work perfectly - like NSW cup this won’t attract crowds but next level to keep players fit
only players to potentially make main squad
Tupou will
Maybe Fainga'a with no good 2s only, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Neville, Wilson - IFL looked the goods
WorkingClassRugger
David Codey (61)
On your highlights list.
1. Definitely. I'd like for our A program to have it's own fleshed out schedule that involved playing games not only against PI nations but some T2 European and Americas (South and North) on an annual basis.
2. That should be part of the above. Also agree that NZ should enter a squad. In fact, I'd like to see it expanded to include the USA, Canada and potentially even Chile. Two pools of 4 minimum three games. Could have a Cup final with the winner of each pool and rankings game for those 2-4 to provide 4 games.
3. Game time is essential but quality is important. Club Rugby really doesn't meet that requirement in my opinion.
4. NRC is the answer. But if that's not on the table then I like the idea of taking our 5 franchises and building something with the A squads of the Islands to create a Pacific Rugby Premiership/Championship. You'll essentially have the Drua, the Tongan squad that ran out today and a similar strength Samoa playing our franchises sans their Wallabies. That would provide them with some really quality games.
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rodha
Dave Cowper (27)
O'Connor is a much better 12 than Hodge who's been a journeyman at test level since forever, coaches continually get deceived into picking the guy because of his 'utility value' - yet he doesn't offer any point of difference as a player compared to others, his big boot and his perceived 'size' though deceptively as he's skinny @194cm & 94kg, so actually quite lightweight for a midfielder.
I've said it before but I think O'Connor has been chronically mismanaged by the Wallabies since he returned. Rennie put a great amount of trust & arguably wasted a huge amount of time into developing Paisami which was detrimental to the Wallabies 2020-2022 results because you had a small 91kg midfielder who was learning on the fly at test level and costing the team massively due to poor decision-making and defensive misreads galore. There were only a few rare instances where Paisami wasn't picked at all, when Kerevi & Foketi both became fit and available. That's a lot of test matches the Wallabies could've potentially won had Rennie opted for an O'Connor/Ikitau centre pairing rather than shoving his underdeveloped pet-project Paisami at 12.
I think if O'Connor had been selected by Rennie at 12 the Wallabies midfield would've looked a lot more assured during Kerevi's absence in 2020-22, with Rab's test experience preferred over Paisami's inexperience - should've been a no brainer really.
I've said it before but I think O'Connor has been chronically mismanaged by the Wallabies since he returned. Rennie put a great amount of trust & arguably wasted a huge amount of time into developing Paisami which was detrimental to the Wallabies 2020-2022 results because you had a small 91kg midfielder who was learning on the fly at test level and costing the team massively due to poor decision-making and defensive misreads galore. There were only a few rare instances where Paisami wasn't picked at all, when Kerevi & Foketi both became fit and available. That's a lot of test matches the Wallabies could've potentially won had Rennie opted for an O'Connor/Ikitau centre pairing rather than shoving his underdeveloped pet-project Paisami at 12.
I think if O'Connor had been selected by Rennie at 12 the Wallabies midfield would've looked a lot more assured during Kerevi's absence in 2020-22, with Rab's test experience preferred over Paisami's inexperience - should've been a no brainer really.
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liquor box
Peter Sullivan (51)
Match fixing?????
It was possibly the stupidest decision I have ever seen in rugby. 1 minute to go, you get 60 seconds to kick the penalty that will put you more than a converted try ahead and you don't take it. I am joking about the match fixing comment, but seriously, how can it be explained?
qwerty51
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Not sure what people expected, this was never going to be a 2022 performance, we were in an actual tournament and had matches scheduled v Japan afterwards too. This was a one-off match in a country with poor infrastructure, the first half showed how little prep they had. 2nd half showed the class.
Don't forget we lost our first match in 2022 too v Samoa.
Don't forget we lost our first match in 2022 too v Samoa.
Don’t let them off the hook that easily. That team v Samoa had I think 3 wallabies (Robertson, McReight and Hodge) in the starting side with Kaitu’u on the bench.
Todays team had 9 wallabies in the starting side, and not single digit caps either - Foley, JOC (James O'Connor), LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and Nella. Then another three on the bench. It was very bad. No comparison to the Samoa game.
They are playing in front of a home crowd in an exhibition match that means nothing. They wanted to entertain the crowd.
If you are also considering that the point of the match is to practice things, you get more practice from a lineout/maul than kicking the ball away.