Australia A - Back on the Cards
- Thread starter Tomikin
- Start date
KOB1987
John Eales (66)
I would have said Foketi? Perhaps I’m biased though.
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Watched the game (hey it's rugby etc), I was quite impressed with Tongan team, they looked pretty ok didn't they?
Also wonder the wisdom of playing Ollie Sapsford for Aus team, he can't be eligible for Wallabies for 5 years can he (he still plays for HB so not sure residencey kicks in yet?), so perhaps for Aus rugby playingsomeone who can help Wallabies if really needed is better bet?
Also wonder the wisdom of playing Ollie Sapsford for Aus team, he can't be eligible for Wallabies for 5 years can he (he still plays for HB so not sure residencey kicks in yet?), so perhaps for Aus rugby playingsomeone who can help Wallabies if really needed is better bet?
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
Sapsford has Australian parentage and Aus A is a capture team so he absolutely is eligible and now (relatively) locked in. The only question was around potential 7s appearances for NZ previously but they must not have been considered full cap games given it was a warm up tournament.
eastman
John Solomon (38)
He’s also not very good.
Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
Given the injuries and number of players involved in other rep sides at the moment I'm not sure we missed anyone better for his centre wing coverage.
If they were fit I'm sure guys like Daugunu, Paisami and Tuipuloto would've been there ahead of him and Walton. Possibly a couple of the under 20s players too. Maybe Hamish Stewart can feel a bit hard done by, but he didn't exactly have an amazing season.
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Cheers mate, didn't realise that! Makes sense then . ope 7s wasn't a capture tournament, with all due respect I don't see him as a test prospect anyway. Though he has come on somewhat in last season or so.
He did nothing this year
The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
Tim Horan would have looked shit outside Donaldson too
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Interesting that Aus A is a capture team but AB XV isn't. I thought WR (World Rugby) had sorted that out after the Shingler (i think it was) debacle a few years back & wondering how AB XV can be exempt.
KOB1987
John Eales (66)
Not quite nothing, I know it’s not the rugby gospel but he was in the team of the week x 5 by my count, which would have him in the team of the year. Walton was the 12 for 2 games as well. He certainly wasn’t as good as last year, but probably more pertinently he and Perese didn‘t work as well together. As pointed out above it could have had a bit to do with the man inside him as well.
kiap
Steve Williams (59)
I think each World Rugby member union nominates their designated "second national team". At one time it was simple to just look up these designated teams in W.R.'s published reports - but I'm not sure how easy it is now.
The nominated team can change from time to time, as well. ARU/R.A. typically used Australia A - but for a brief period (maybe 10-15 years back?) it was the Australian Barbarians.
The NZRU team used to be the "Junior All Blacks" (no age limit) but I'm not sure that name is still current (?).
Point is that the union itself nominates (ahead of each season) which team will be the official "capture" second national side.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^ I thought WR (World Rugby) had made it a bit more cut & dried but maybe that was just a proposal that died somewhere along the way and/ or was found to be unworkable wrt UK's then-membership if the EU (which I do recall being cited as a possible issue at the time).
Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
There was a change that dropped the ability to make age grade sides your capture team (which a number of teams were doing, Wales, South Africa and Fiji I think chiefly but a few others as well), I don't think they went much further than that
Linerunner2023
Watty Friend (18)
Has anyone heard if there are any more games? Missed the boat not playing in Pac nations cup, or even scheduled against NZ 15 pre bled cup game
I presume the 30 players in the A squad will go back to club rugby? And maybe 5-10 from wallabies squad to get game time? Only 30 players in wallaby squad played in first two games
I presume the 30 players in the A squad will go back to club rugby? And maybe 5-10 from wallabies squad to get game time? Only 30 players in wallaby squad played in first two games
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
They are playing Portugal leading into the RWC.
Linerunner2023
Watty Friend (18)
When and where is this game? In the next couple of weeks or closer to RWC?
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
Yep Kiap, I think Fiji also used their (not sure if they still do) U20s as their capture team. Was after European teams got a big part of their team after an U20 comp in France or somewhere.
And now I just go back up anr read Highlanders post that is was changed by WR (World Rugby)!
WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
Closer to the RWC.
kiap
Steve Williams (59)
It was changed by World Rugby.
The thing was that ambitious young players from Fiji (or lots of countries really) would just turn down selection for the U20s if it had a negative effect on their chances of getting a well-paid contract in pro rugby.
So World Rugby just tidied up something that didn't really work anyway.
At least now Fiji (and others) have a bit more chance of fielding their best U20 team.