Australia v New Zealand - Sydney 16 Aug

[Tip]

Maybe we play McCabe at 10? He'll shore it up. But in all seriousness, of our realistic current options, given McKenzie seems set on To'omua at 12, who would be better?

What an idea!! McCabe(/Horne) takes the vacant 11 jersey and defends at 10 with Foley defending on the wing!

In all seriousness though, it's not a half-baked idea.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Scrubber clearly you ignored my last sentence which further explained my statement. But if you want to debate the technicalities of what is literally an incumbent then go for it.

TWAS - I already have !!!!!!! - am now over it!!!!!! Have a fantastic day

 

[Train Without a Station]

Tip I don't agree with that. I'd rather a weak defending 10 with a 12 outside of him and backrowers coming across to his inside shoulder to support him. The wing can be a lonely spot in defence at times and in test rugby a player can really get found out there.

If I was Link and I had major concerns of Foley's defence, I'd be telling Hooper, Fardy and Palu it's their job to be pushing over and cover him, that's what their big asses are there for and to save Foley's energy for setting up the tries because they sure as hell won't be.

It's not exactly a revelation for a 9 or 10 to be the weakest defenders in the team, they are generally the smallest players so of course they will struggle more so than others.

 

[Braveheart81]

Let me spell it out for you: Quade has 7 NRC games to regain fitness and form to push his case for the 3rd Bledisloe and EOYT.

Foley was very average in the Tests against France and missed ~15 tackles throughout the series. Therefore I am worried about our defense in the 10 channel against the Darkness. What numnut wouldn't be?

Firstly, enlighten me, what exactly don't you agree with here?

Secondly, Argue the point, not the man.

ESPNscrum has Foley missing 7 tackles in the series. He made 16.

In the 3rd Bledisloe last year Cooper is credited with making 8 tackles and missing 3.

I think you're hard pressed arguing that Foley will lose his spot to Cooper based on defence. Both are fallable.

Link really doesn't strike me as the sort of coach that is thinking that the two 10s he's selected for the upcoming series are only there through luck and a few good games from Cooper in the NRC will be all he needs to reclaim the 10 jersey.

If anything, Link will be thrilled how well the two 10s he's selected have performed in Super Rugby and will be hoping that carries on to the test arena.

 

[Blue]

All I can say is that stats or no stats the idea that Foley should be replaced is a bit nuts. He has been in incredible form. He was good against France. Most importantly, his combination with To'omua has been good and will most def grow.

In my view only injury or a terrible drop in form should see him being replaced.

The bloke has the goods. A year ago he didn't but boy is he case in point of someone who has worked on his game.

 

[Tip]

I take ESPNscrum statistics with a grain of salt. Foley missed 5 tackles in the first game alone. He definitely missed more than 2 for the remainder of the series. And that's not even counting the amount of metres Damien Chouly made piggybacking Foley 5 -7m.

Apologies for not clarifying. I wasn't arguing that Foley would lose his spot to Cooper based on defense. They were two separate points, one regarding the 3rd Bledisloe, and the other regarding Bledisloe I.
I should also add that I rate Foley very highly, so much so that I would put him at 23 instead of Beale IF Quade retakes the 10 jersey. His performance throughout the RC and EOYT off the bench last year was impeccable. Beale's too risky, and time and time again has proven that he's not willing to put the team first.

 

[Braveheart81]

I take ESPNscrum statistics with a grain of salt. Foley missed 5 tackles in the first game alone. He definitely missed more than 2 for the remainder of the series. And that's not even counting the amount of metres Damien Chouly made piggybacking Foley 5 -7m.

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.

 

[Pfitzy]

Pfitzy, why do reasonable arguments like mine always have to come down to petty provincial bias?

Perception is reality.

You try to carry on acting civilised and like you're being logical, and paying lip service to the "Foley has the opportunity to cement his spot" line, which again you've done quite well (Tip: take notes - see below)

But ultimately, you're pushing your own bloke's case. I'm not saying that isn't a noble cause, because backing your own mates is a good thing.

But I AM saying you're just straight out wrong.

Its kind of like when I say Simmons is fucking useless at hitting rucks, despite his other gifts, and all of QLD bars up and has a go at me.

Well, except I'm NOT wrong about that.

I take ESPNscrum statistics with a grain of salt because they don't support my argument

Fixed.

 

[Scoey]

Perception is reality.

You try to carry on acting civilised and like you're being logical, and paying lip service to the "Foley has the opportunity to cement his spot" line, which again you've done quite well (Tip: take notes - see below)

But ultimately, you're pushing your own bloke's case. I'm not saying that isn't a noble cause, because backing your own mates is a good thing.

But I AM saying you're just straight out wrong.

Its kind of like when I say Simmons is fucking useless at hitting rucks, despite his other gifts, and all of QLD bars up and has a go at me.

Well, except I'm NOT wrong about that.

But you're also pushing your blokes case. I don't think I need to draw a big red ring around your Tahs logo do I? Cooper aint gonna be playing in this game period so the whole discussion is moot in terms of this thread.
But..... There's been 4 posters mainly arguing this topic recently. 2 Reds fans for Quade and 2 Tahs fans for Foley. It's a bit galling that the Reds fans get fobbed as being provincially biased but the two Tahs fans are the self proclaimed truth speakers.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I'm not biased towards Queenslanders. I just biased to the ones that are the best in their position in the country and have shown good form recently at international level. I'll join in with you in slating the fuck out of Will Genia. Been completely unimpressed with both his form and attitude since last year. I in fact hope he doesn't get back in the squad until the EOYT at the earliest, and even then only if he performs well in the NRC.

But also, I was half-kidding with that remark.

 

[chasmac]

Mackenzie is pretty straight forward and doesn't seem to chop and change his selection ideas based on a whim.
Therefore the team will be mostly the incumbents and those needed for injury replacements.

Hooker, Lock, Half Back, Wing are the spots up for grabs.

I think we will see Hanson, Sam Carter, Phipps and Tomane.
Bench of;
Weeks, ?, Alexander
Horwill / Skelton
McCalman / Hodgson
White, Beale, McCabe

By Bled 3 I think Speight might be in at the expense of Kuridrani with McCabe dropping out.

All of the bench is pretty handy except the spare hooker.

Unlucky will be the backrower and the lock that misses the cut.
Higgers not in the frame

Ironically, I thought Skeltons 1st test was better than Carters first test. But I think Carter is needed for workrate and lineouts.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Four Waratahs, three Brumbies and one Red in our Super Rugby team of the season (FOX)

Slipper
Carter
Hooper
White
Foley
Kurtley
Speight
Folau

 

[boyo]

Selection for the Wallabies is about who's best for a particular position AT THAT TIME, not petty provincialism.

Some of you need to give yourselves an uppercut.

 

[Bowside]

The RC will separate the men from the boys when it comes to the 9-10-12 axis. Foley, Phipps, White, Tomua, Beale will all get their shot.

If we win the bled I think Link will stick with whoever he picked in those games through to the World Cup.

But for what its worth I put money on Genia and Cooper building form over the NRC and replacing the incumbents for the EOYT.

 

[KOB1987]

Mackenzie is pretty straight forward and doesn't seem to chop and change his selection ideas based on a whim.
Therefore the team will be mostly the incumbents and those needed for injury replacements.

I agree mostly but I don't think the suggestion that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a far superior option at 13 than Kuridrani currently is a whim.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Kuridrani provides something that Link wants and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesn't though. They are different types of players and I understand Link's logic. The best player isn't necessarily the best player for the team.

 

[Slim 293]

After all this time, Link is still likely just to go with the same team he took into the French series with only forced changes (hooker, wing)..........

There really is no need for unnecessary changes...........

 

[KOB1987]

Slim you have to change your footer now!

 

[cyclopath]

Slim you have to change your footer now!

Good luck with that!

 

[Scrubber2050]

Link will remain very loyal to those players who have performed well.
Obviously there will be some nudges around the edges, based on injury and form. The positions that may be:

2 TPN (if injured) then Charles or Chib
9 White or Phipps
10. Foley or QC (Quade Cooper)
11/14 Speight, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and a few others