Australia v England @ Twickers 17 Nov 2012

[Hawko]

Oh and for those that haven't seen:

Bench: Slipper, Moore, Kepu, Samo, Gill, Sheehan, Harris, Mitchell

We now have three backs on the bench. The possible reason for this is that there are doubts over Ioane and Deans wants Mitchell in reserve. But another possible theory is that the eight man bench with only seven changes allowed last week meant that one bench player could not go on. As the props were being changed every five minutes to try to find someone who could hold it together, Deans may suddenly have felt that if one of the backs went down then we might have run out of allowed replacements and ended up one short (again). So he kept Phipps on in case he had to bring Sheehan on and send Phipps on to the wing in a reshuffle.

This might be a reason that Sheehan was kept on the bench even though Phipps had one of the most diabolical games imagineable. It is a theory that explains the inexplicable.

The three man backs bench would allow Deans to replace Phipps if he was having another disaster and still have some possible replacements for injuries to other backs. I haven't come up with a theory for why Sheehan isn't starting with Phipps on the bench this week, but I'll keep working on it. There must be a logical explanation.......

 

[Hawko]

Dennis has to be there if with Timani. I'd say if Douglas was fit Deans would've dropped Dennis for Gill.

I think you've nailed it. Maybe there is some logic to Deans' policy on selection. Me, I would have dropped Dennis for Samo and brought Dennis and Gill on when Samo and Palu ran out of puff. I think 60 minutes from those two might improve our physical presence at the beginning of the game when the English pack will be at their most robust.

 

[hammertimethere]

Deans obviously reads GAGR



Now all we have to do is post solutions to the following for him to see
- How to keep all our best players healthy through appropriate management
- where to play JOC (James O'Connor)
- How to stop Kurtley getting the gits and running across field when his pack is losing the physicals
- How to reverse the wallaby scrum decline
- How to teach clever selection and execution of 1st phase moves on the run
- How to teach Hooper to grow tall enough to play 6
- How to perform the necessary pagan rituals that keep our skipper's from getting season ending injuries
- How to keep his players onside
- How to speak in coherent and fluent english when making commentary on his team's performance
- How to beat the lions




Pfft, the average GAGR poster could sort that lot before his morning coffee and dump

 

[Bruce Ross]

The possible reason for this is that . . .

another possible theory is that the

Deans may suddenly have felt that if

This might be a reason that

The three man backs bench would allow Deans to

There must be a logical explanation...

Hawko, your spirit of Christian charity does you enormous credit, in particular your willingness to rationalise the decisions of someone who, for whatever reason or more probably none at all, has visited much misery on us. I admire your futile search for something "that explains the inexplicable."

But you undo it all with your absurd statement that "there must be a logical explanation." Good God, man, we are talking about Robbie Deans.
.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I'm shocked at that backline. It could even be halfway decent on the weekend with enough of the pill. I give Deans no credit though, he's been forced into most of those changes. And... yet another midfield pairing. How many is it now?

The pack worries me, but then it always does. Time to front up boys, because the Poms are going to get stuck in at the set piece and the breakdown. Expect all out war there.

 

[TSR]

All out war suggests both sides bringing the heavy artilery. I am a bit worried this might be a bit more like Germany invading Poland. We're Poland.

 

[Richo]

The persistence with Phipps is bewildering. It's like Deans believes the gambler's fallacy.

I thought Moore showed more than enough to start to. Otherwise it's not too bad, given that Poey is injured and Deans was never gonna put Gill and Hooper in the same backrow at Twickers.

 

[Bowside]

Dennis has to be there if with Timani. I'd say if Douglas was fit Deans would've dropped Dennis for Gill.

Yep that's what I thought he would have done. Physically I reckon Gill is more suited to 6 than hooper or pocock. He's even been know to jump in the line out from time to time.

 

[Bowside]

On the team selection. I like everything about the backline dingo's picked apart from phipps who I wouldn't have even taken on tour in the first place.

In the forwards I would have started Moore over TPN. Dave Dennis gets in by default considering the injuries and suspensions. Certainly would have been a stronger pack with Horwill, Douglas, Pocock, Palmer and Higgers.

Even though some key players are missing I reckon this team will do better than last weeks team.

 

[qwerty51]

I would say Moore isn't fit enough to start yet. I'm guessing he's already pencilled in to start against Italy.

 

[tranquility]

Lets all hope Taps plays out of his skin, and never plays anywhere else but 12.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Lets all hope Taps plays out of his skin, and never plays anywhere else but 12.

That's where nearly all of us want him to play and hopefully he takes his chance on the weekend. Lord knows we need some kind of spark in the 12 channel.

 

[Joe Blow]

If they are on the bench they should be fit enough to play. Moore has some playing time under his belt. I think Deans favours TPN at scrumtime.
There was always the option to start Samo at 6 and leave Dennis on the bench as a reserve 5/6. This could have given us a little more grunt in the first half. On the other hand Samo has the ability to make a difference when he is subbed on, which doesn't help much if we are 20 points behind and under the cosh.
Phipps..?? Who knows what's going on there.
Looking forward to seeing what Taps can do where most of us thought he should have been and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) back where he belongs.

 

[qwerty51]

He has 15 minutes under his belt.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

He has chosen a winning team.

 

[TSR]

Lets all hope Taps plays out of his skin, and never plays anywhere else but 12.

I bet I can name 1 person who isn't hoping that.

 

[USARugger]

I bet I can name 1 person who isn't hoping that.

And it seems he did not have his way!!

 

[Joe Blow]

He has 15 minutes under his belt.

right you are

 

[biggsy]

We are fucked, there are player in there that deserve there spot but a few that shouldn't be a wallabie...
Phipps is one.....
TPN is the other

 

[Lindommer]

Lets all hope Taps plays out of his skin, and never plays anywhere else but 12.

If this young fella doesn't realise the extent of the opportunity presenting itself on Saturday, and grab it with both hands, I for one will be very disappointed.

Don't let me down, Ben, please don't falter.