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

[Strewthcobber]

Baxter's career lined up almost perfectly with the "scrum hit"'s existence.

It would be interesting to see how he went under today's more genteel scrum engagement laws

 

[Braveheart81]

Baxter played when there was only one prop reserve so his ability to get through 80 minutes was pretty beneficial for his career.

This is also an era where we went through a lot of props and most of them didn't really stick around long at test level.

Baxter debuted in August 2003 and then started the RWC Final a few months later. Our bench prop in that RWC Final was Matt Dunning who only debuted at the RWC.

Funnily enough, @RugbyReg wrote a piece about our THPs from that era.

Wallaby Tight Head Prop of the Decade - Green & Gold Rugby

Ok, so where were we before we were so rudely interrupted? Ahh, that’s right. The Wallaby of the Decade. As we step slowly into the unknown, please spare a thought for our back friends. In fact, let me assist. Why don’t you lads stare lovingly into this mirror, as the rest of us real men

greenandgoldrugby.com

 

[Braveheart81]

The problem isn't that Slipper has never been an elite prop eg. Top 5 or someone you would think of in a All World XV. It's that he is still considered by some to be in the top 2 the Wallabies can select from. If I was a Wallaby fan, I would have hoped that someone else would have come along by now to put real heat on his inclusion.

I'm not saying Slipper has been a shit player from day dot. I'm saying he isn't in the tier of guys like Gregan, McCaw, O'Driscoll and Wyn Jones. All guys who also played a shit-load of Test. Because they were elite. Not because no-one else was good enough.

A couple of things that are worth mentioning with Slipper - he plays a position where for two thirds of his test career we are selecting four each and every test (and Slipper has played on both sides of the scrum which has increased his ability to be selected).

We also play more tests each year now than for a substantial amount of most of these guys careers (particularly Gregan) so we should get more and more players playing 120+ tests over time.

I also think there's been increasing pressure on Slipper's place in the team in the last few years but the fact that he's been available and others haven't has meant he's continued to be selected. Angus Bell has had two test seasons ruined with injury. Taniela Tupou probably one and a half. Ala'alatoa did his Achilles last year. Just this season he'd have probably missed selection in a test or two if Kailea hadn't had a concussion.

I think for most of those legendary players you cited, it was dubious whether they should hold their spot late in their careers. McCaw is probably the only one who didn't play too long but likewise he's one of the best of all time.

Alun Wyn Jones has taken the test caps record up to 171 so the highest number of test caps is getting to a figure that would have been completely impossible for someone playing in a previous era.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

If you see him now, you would never in a million years think he was a Test prop.

OMG he's so handsome!

Immediate Expulsion from Front Rowers Club.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Far too good looking to be a prop!

 

[Braveheart81]

I met him at the Wales test in Sydney a couple of months ago. He is pretty handsome.

 

[Drew]

If you see him now, you would never in a million years think he was a Test prop.

When him and Cam Shephard did Shute Shield on ABC a few years back you’d have thought the outside back was the THP and vice versa during their playing days

 

[Dismal Pillock]

McCaw

one of the best of all time.

 

[Sully]

Baxter was an average test prop by the end of his career. But in the early years he hinged more than a garden gate blowing in the wind.

 

[cyclopath]

My starting XV:

Awesome formatting...

 

[cyclopath]

Might as well burn this thread to the ground & start again...

It will self-immolate. It is inevitable.

 

[cyclopath]

You're shorter, and better dressed than you sound...

 

[dusk]

Saturday suggested team v New Zealand

1. Angus Bell
2. Matt Faesslar
3. Taniela Tupou
4. Nick Frost
5. Lukhan Salakai-Loto
6. Rob Valetini
7. Fraser McReight
8. Harry Wilson (c)
9. Nic White
10. Ben Donaldson
11. Corey Toole
12. Hamish Stewart
13. Len Ikitau
14. Tom Wright
15. Andrew Kellaway
16. Brandon Paenga-Amosa
17. James Slipper
18. Allan Ala‘alatoa
19. Jeremy Williams
20. Langi Gleeson
21. Jake Gordon
22. Noah Lolesio
23. Max Jorgensen

The Force combination of White, Donaldson and Stewart hasn’t started yet and I believe it should. Kellaway is too slow for wing and is better at the back. Toole is fast and needs a start. We need to score tries to beat the All Blacks and having Wright and Toole on the wings give the Wallabies a good chance of that.
Do realise that Joe will no doubt pick Noah again but don’t see the logic. He’s not the best 10 imho.

I actually can't believe you want the 9,10,12 from the worst super rugby australian team to start for the wallabies against the all-blacks. Give me a break. Most braindead thing ive seen on this forum in a while

 

[Wilson]

I actually can't believe you want the 9,10,12 from the worst super rugby australian team to start for the wallabies against the all-blacks. Give me a break. Most braindead thing ive seen on this forum in a while

??????

Did he edit the post or something? It definitely doesn't say Gordon, Edmed, Foketi...

 

[cyclopath]

??????

Did he edit the post or something? It definitely doesn't say Gordon, Edmed, Foketi...

I was gonna mention that but decided I couldn't be arsed.

 

[Crashy]

bahaha

 

[Bullrush]

??????

Did he edit the post or something? It definitely doesn't say Gordon, Edmed, Foketi...

Slightly off-topic but on the latest Aotearoa Rugby Pod, Bryn Hall talks quite highly of Edmed and makes an interesting comment about what Edmed seems to have had (or not had as the case may be) in terms of on-field communication this year in Super Rugby.

 

[stillmissit]

And then maybe we'll reminisce again about how great Chris Whitaker supposedly was...

Maybe you were in nappies when Chris Whittaker played? So you missed the game of tahs v brumbies where he handed Gregan his arse. He was far in front of Gregan for the last few years when Gregan slowed down and spent more time standing at the back of the breakdown than running around the pitch. A good player played at least 2 seasons too many.

 

[stillmissit]

Baxter played when there was only one prop reserve so his ability to get through 80 minutes was pretty beneficial for his career.

This is also an era where we went through a lot of props and most of them didn't really stick around long at test level.

Baxter debuted in August 2003 and then started the RWC Final a few months later. Our bench prop in that RWC Final was Matt Dunning who only debuted at the RWC.

Funnily enough, @RugbyReg wrote a piece about our THPs from that era.

Wallaby Tight Head Prop of the Decade - Green & Gold Rugby

Ok, so where were we before we were so rudely interrupted? Ahh, that’s right. The Wallaby of the Decade. As we step slowly into the unknown, please spare a thought for our back friends. In fact, let me assist. Why don’t you lads stare lovingly into this mirror, as the rest of us real men

greenandgoldrugby.com

Al Baxter was a protege of Eddie Jones where Jones decided that scrums only took up X% of a game and to just get them over. Then they went on the EOSTour and we were penalised off the park during one game due to our scrum collapsing, props dropping to knees and scrum shooting backwards, it was a big thing at the time.

 

[Marce]

Awesome formatting...

That's all RA got. I'd like to pick du Toit or Bundee Aki...