Australia v New Zealand - Sydney 16 Aug

[Tip]

I recall Ewen Mckenzie before the 3rd test against France said something along the lines of "I prefer my impact players to start, where they can make the most impact on the game"

Add to the fact that Carter is a wee bit short on match fitness and I think we'll see Skelton huff and puff for the first 50 minutes followed by the Carter train. It's also safe to say that no matter what happens this Rugby Championship, each 2nd rower will get a chance to start along side Simmons.

It's a great conundrum to have though, plenty of depth in the lock compartments cannot be a bad thing.

 

[qwerty51]

If you watched his last 2 games Carter is not short of match fitness at all.

 

[Set piece magic]

Can't see us risking a lineout meltdown with Skelton tbh

 

[Scrubber2050]

Can't see any possibility of him starting

 

[Tip]

Can't see us risking a lineout meltdown with Skelton tbh

TBH, if we have Simmons, Fardy & Palu as our primary jumpers and our lineout goes into meltdown then I'd argue it's a meltdown we need to have.

 

[Slim 293]

If you watched his last 2 games Carter is not short of match fitness at all.

Indeed.........

Carter looked as good as ever in his first game back against the Force nearly a month ago..........

 

[qwerty51]

Yep and I thought he was their best against the Chiefs and Tahs. He's a certain starter.

 

[wamberal]

I recall Ewen Mckenzie before the 3rd test against France said something along the lines of "I prefer my impact players to start, where they can make the most impact on the game"

A good impact, or a bad impact? The impact that any given player has at Test level has to come in addition to his achievement of the bread-and-butter aspects of the position he players.

A hooker who is an impact player, but cannot throw into the lineout, or organise a scrum, for example, would not be in my team.

Ditto for Skelton, at the moment. He can and must learn to do the bread-and-butter stuff efficiently at Test level, against players who certainly can. His "impact" has to be the icing on the cake. Cannot make a particularly good cake out of just icing.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Not necessarily. His impact needs to be significant to make up for the lack of bread and butter too. How significant? Well that's a point for conjecture.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

In the meantime, Hansen will just have to cap someone else. Like Kane Hames.

Not sure if he qualifies for NZ Maori but if so I'm fairly sure they'd pack him off to Japan & Singapore, if not wouldn't be surprised to see him in the 26ish they send to Chicago, then possibly on to UK as an apprentice as they did with Ardie Savea last year. Can't see him featuring at RWC 2015 but by 2019 he might be in the frame.

 

[Pfitzy]

He played Maori last year I think. Rated

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

He played Maori last year I think. Rated

Thought he was 23ish, turns out he's 26 this month, but with only 1 season each of ITM & Super Rugby & NZM selection notwithstanding, you'd have to wonder if he's ready for Test footy, or even if he could be ready next year (bearing in mind we've only the 4N, EOYT & a June Test v Samoa before declaring our RWC squad).

 

[emuarse]

I compared like for like though. By your logic if it said Cooper only missed 3 tackles in one game he must have missed many more. Or is there some sort of anti Queensland bias amongst the stats preparers?

It's a ridiculous discussion at the moment though. We've got two 10s selected for the upcoming Rugby Championship series and both will get their opportunities before Quade comes back into consideration. That's the way it goes with injured players, particularly when the current players are performing well.

Please don't bring bigotry into the forum - it doesn't give credit to your debate

 

[emuarse]

Word. We've already got a prop that can service both sides effectively in Slipper.

However, I'm going to but my money behind our coach - a former international THP - knowing what he's doing.

I'm thinking that Links is seeing Sio as the long term prop at tight head, to eventually becoming the run on player by the RWC.
With the EOYT, plus the games against the Argies before hand, there is plenty of time to settle him in.

 

[emuarse]

Yep and I thought he was their best against the Chiefs and Tahs. He's a certain starter.

Who played the better between Carter and Ritalick at lock in the Brumbies/Chiefs semi-final?
Looking at the different facets of a locks skills e.g line out jumping, taking the ball up, scrummaging, defence etc.

 

[TahDan]

Be interesting to see the line-up link goes with.

I reckon Charles at hooker will be a pleasant surprise to be honest - will help our line-outs considerably and I think he's probably a little undersold as a scrummager.

However, I do think that at lock we may be a bit underdone - Carter is a work-horse but I also don't think he's quite as abrasive as Potgieter (shame he played those three tests with the Boks), and I don't know how I feel about Simmons and Horwill after this year (although to be fair in their last game against the Waratahs the Reds forwards performed admirably).

Backline will be interesting. I imagine that despite Beale's threats, Link will go with a back-line of:

9. White
10. Foley
11. Horne
12. To'omua
13. Kurindrani
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Folau

Beale has been incredible this year, but sadly his tackle stats are still not that great and that will be a concern for the Wallabies. That said, I think he's got a better passing and running game than To'omua, so it's a tricky one. Also, whilst To'omua is a great defender, I worry a little about his tendency to rush out of the line. He was caught out with that a few times this year and the result was that tries were conceded.

I think Phipps deserves 9 a lot more, but I reckon Link will go for White because of his kicking game.

Meanwhile AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) really should start at 13, as he's been far more dangerous than Kurindrani all year (and the stats show it), but ironically AACs versatility makes him easier to move.

Other than that, Horne has been great all year, but I am really looking forward to seeing Speight in the Green and Gold.

 

[KOB1987]

9. White
10. Foley
11. Horne
12. To'omua
13. Kurindrani AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) Beale
15. Folau

Beale has been incredible this year, but sadly his tackle stats are still not that great and that will be a concern for the Wallabies. That said, I think he's got a better passing and running game than To'omua, so it's a tricky one. Also, whilst To'omua is a great defender, I worry a little about his tendency to rush out of the line. He was caught out with that a few times this year and the result was that tries were conceded.

Meanwhile AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) really should start at 13, as he's been far more dangerous than Kurindrani all year (and the stats show it), but ironically AACs versatility makes him easier to move.

Other than that, Horne has been great all year, but I am really looking forward to seeing Speight in the Green and Gold.

Problem solved

 

[TahDan]

Beale would be more wasted on the wing than AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is... his value is as a distributor as much as anything.

 

[KOB1987]

at least he gets to play

 

[KOB1987]

I'm going to the training run at Bathurst this afternoon, maybe I'll get some clues as to the thinking