Australia v NZ. Bledisloe Cup Series 2024. Sep 21, Sep 28

[Ignoto]

Glad to see Keila finally gets the spot over Slipper. More than happy to have James around the squad but he's like 4th or 5th choice now.

 

[rugbyAU]

Starting to get a solid look about the team. Think Pietsch offers more than an out of form Koro, while Flook gives the bench a bit more versatility. We seem to be heading in a positive direction with selections and hopefully that will reflect in results soon.

Agree, but I don't think Flook offers the required versatility for #23 given he can really only play OC to a test standard, when they're fit Daungunu and Petaia would fit that role better

 

[Dctarget]

First time this year the pack has stayed the same

 

[Slim 293]

A bit of analysis over at Rugbypass...

Wallabies currently too slow to make opposition pay

The Wallabies’ fight back in Bledisloe I was a valiant and exhilarating effort, but it was another case of too little too late.

www.rugbypass.com

TLDR version:

- Koroibete no good
- Wingers too slow, which is having an affect on our defensive patterns and attack
- We need Corey Toole

 

[Dismal Pillock]

All Blacks:

Sam Cane  
TJ Perenara 
Beauden Barrett
Anton Lienert-Brown[
 David Havili

 

[Tomikin]

He had a better game than some others where I think he's been very average in defence. He did a pretty decent job on Clark who barrels into whoever is there.

it's just a bit flat and one dimensional for me. We need to throw caution to the wind if we want to win I think when we don't match up player to player with our opposition.

6 miss tackles..

 

[Derpus]

A bit of analysis over at Rugbypass...

Wallabies currently too slow to make opposition pay

The Wallabies’ fight back in Bledisloe I was a valiant and exhilarating effort, but it was another case of too little too late.

www.rugbypass.com

TLDR version:

- Koroibete no good
- Wingers too slow, which is having an affect on our defensive patterns and attack
- We need Corey Toole

Yeah I don't really get how Pietsch has ended up ahead of Toole. I don't mind him - but Toole was far better than him over the last couple of Super Rugby seasons and is super way fast.

 

[Wilson]

Good team, and probably the right moves after last week. I still have doubts over Pietsch's finishing and would've preferred Toole to start, but we were going to take a proper look at him sooner or later and this is probably the game for it. Happy to see Gleeson go around again after he performed much better than I was expecting last weekend, though he was still pretty uneven (far from alone in that). It'll be interesting to see where Leota/Liam Wright figure into Schmidt's thinking on the EOYT.

Big game for Frost who has had a couple of poor weeks in a row. That said I think all our locks are probably going to be looking over their shoulders with Skelton/Arnold and possibly others likely call ups for the EOYT.

 

[Marce]

Is Corey Toole injured???

 

[Dctarget]

Last game Toole played was against the Blues where he had a bit of a 'mare. Wonder if that counts against him. Made 2 out of 8 tackles against an All Blacks back 3.

 

[Derpus]

Good team, and probably the right moves after last week. I still have doubts over Pietsch's finishing and would've preferred Toole to start, but we were going to take a proper look at him sooner or later and this is probably the game for it. Happy to see Gleeson go around again after he performed much better than I was expecting last weekend, though he was still pretty uneven (far from alone in that). It'll be interesting to see where Leota/Liam Wright figure into Schmidt's thinking on the EOYT.

Big game for Frost who has had a couple of poor weeks in a row. That said I think all our locks are probably going to be looking over their shoulders with Skelton/Arnold and possibly others likely call ups for the EOYT.

Frost has been pretty underwhelming. You occasionally see his athleticism but he gets folded so easily by other big bodies. If we were still in the Dean Mumm/Simmons era he'd be getting slaughtered.

 

[rugbyAU]

Big game for Frost who has had a couple of poor weeks in a row. That said I think all our locks are probably going to be looking over their shoulders with Skelton/Arnold and possibly others likely call ups for the EOYT.

This time hopefully Rory not Richie

Matt Phillip would be good

 

[Slim 293]

This time hopefully Rory not Richie

Matt Phillip would be good

I'm not expecting any of them...

The new policy is to select minimal o/s capped players, and it sounds like Schmidt is really only interested in Skelton at this stage.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

9. TJ Perenara 
10. Beauden Barrett

 

[BDA]

Good team, and probably the right moves after last week. I still have doubts over Pietsch's finishing and would've preferred Toole to start, but we were going to take a proper look at him sooner or later and this is probably the game for it. Happy to see Gleeson go around again after he performed much better than I was expecting last weekend, though he was still pretty uneven (far from alone in that). It'll be interesting to see where Leota/Liam Wright figure into Schmidt's thinking on the EOYT.

I might be getting a bit off topic from this weekend's game but it'll be quite fascinating to see what happens with Liam Wright once he's back in the squad. Schmidt appeared to have him as one of the main pillars of his starting 15 but with Wilson taking the captaincy, Wright might find himself out of the 23. Then again if Schmid plans to bring Skelton into the starting side, I could see Wright starting at 6 with Wilson on the bench.

 

[Rugby Head]

I might be getting a bit off topic from this weekend's game but it'll be quite fascinating to see what happens with Liam Wright once he's back in the squad. Schmidt appeared to have him as one of the main pillars of his starting 15 but with Wilson taking the captaincy, Wright might find himself out of the 23. Then again if Schmid plans to bring Skelton into the starting side, I could see Wright starting at 6 with Wilson on the bench.

Agreed, really finds himself in an interesting position after a poorly timed setback. Would love to see a combination of Williams starting with Skelton or LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) starting/ bench.

 

[Dctarget]

Nick Frost has at least 10cm on both Williams and Salakaia-Loto. Unfortunately can't teach that. Probably why he keeps getting picked.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Schmidt appeared to have him as one of the main pillars of his starting 15 but with Wilson taking the captaincy, Wright might find himself out of the 23.

I don't know if he was that locked in. Schmidt's comments weren't exactly overwhelming

That means the Wallabies will have a seventh captain lead them into battle in the space of just 10 Tests. The role could still be passed onto other players with Schmidt explaining that this isn’t necessarily a long-term decision.

“At the moment everything’s pretty short-term, including our preparation. We’ve had four trainings really,” Schmidt explained.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with Liam, but the same with all the others in the leadership group and the players in general. They’ve been a super group to work with.

Harry Wilson has been much more reliable at the front of the lineout than most would have expected. There's no doubt Wright is better there, but it isn't nearly as big a gap as it used to be

 

[Wilson]

This time hopefully Rory not Richie

Matt Phillip would be good

As far as locks go I think it will be just one called in, with that being Skelton unless there is some blocker, then Richie is probably next. I don't think we'll be looking at any players out of Japan though, so no Rory Arnold or Matt Phillip.

 

[LeCheese]

I don't know if he was that locked in. Schmidt's comments weren't exactly overwhelming



Harry Wilson has been much more reliable at the front of the lineout than most would have expected. There's no doubt Wright is better there, but it isn't nearly as big a gap as it used to be

It's surprised me, and it's still early days, but I think Wilson's actually doing as good a job of captaincy, if not better, than Wright - and I hold Wright in very, very high regard.

It's been great to see him make the step, both in his game and the shouldered responsibility