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Best World Wallaby team

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Bowside

Peter Johnson (47)
I'd have Digby and O'Connor starting on the wings. Giteau on the bench in place of Lilo maybe - but if Beale was fit and in form I would pick him over Giteau.

Palmer might get a run, Kimlin would be in the current team but I wouldn't pick him if everyone was fit.

I honestly think if Smith and Pocock were both fit and available at the moment, Smith would be playing 8. It's not a long term option, but until the next Toutai Kefu comes along (I live in hope), I think it would suffice.
 

Bowside

Peter Johnson (47)
By virtue of not being here to underperform and look bad? Be fucked they are the best 2 current locks.


They are in Career best form in foreign leagues. But, in a test rugby context I don't think they are going to perform any better(or worse) than Simmons, Timani, Horwill, Douglas et al.

Chisholm use to play one great game of rugby a year, and it was always the Reds-Brumbies game. If he was that fired up for every game he would probably be considered the cornerstone of our pack at the moment.
 

Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
For mine only forwards are really need especially given Speight comes onto one wing at the end of this year and he is a far more complete player than Digby and has the pace and power.

So it would be Kimlin, Smith and Palmer.

But I still agree with the eligibility rules and they should be adhered to in not only the word of the rule but the spirit. No play for the Super Club in that calendar year, no Wallabies selection.
 

Forcefield

Ken Catchpole (46)
Mate put down the rose coloured glasses. Last time the bloke was sighted, was getting driven back by Johnny Wilkinson at Twickenham in 2010. He had numerous chances and never cut it. No worse than the current crop, but no better either after close to 50 caps.

Super Rugby teams would be interested surely yes, but other than Timani, I doubt you would bring him in over any other player in the squad.


Big deal. James O'Connor had Victor Matfield going in reverse.

Don't get me wrong, I don't rate Chisholm that highly but Horwill and Timani have mostly been a fucking embarrassment. Simmons has been passable but is prone to brain farts. Douglas hasn't been given much of a shot for very good reason. I reckon Chisholm would at least be as good as Simmons and maybe a few years in the Northern Hemisphere will have hardened him up.
 

Zander

Ron Walden (29)
By virtue of not being here to underperform and look bad? Be fucked they are the best 2 current locks.

Unless you actually watch them play overseas you're talking out of your ass. Dean Mumm is outplaying all the current English locks except maybe Lawes. He's captaining Exeter, scoring tries and regularly making team of the week lists. Chisholm is also captaining Bayonne and doing a very good job. Even playing 6.
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
History is littered with average Australian players who have gone to Europe and done good. Salvi is a prime example. Apparently is great in the premiership yet quickly became third choice #7 at the Brumbies behind 2 rookies. Mumm (196cm & 109kg) and Chisholm (197cm & 112kg) have had 33 & 58 caps and are 29 & 32 years old. If they had the ability to perform at test level as well as deal with the demands of playing year round associated with test rugby we would have seen it.

It's a little harsh on the local Euro players who are playing year round and may be a bit flat at times to say they are inferior to these blokes who are mentally fresh playing 18 games a year, some soft, some hard games.

On the other hand James Horwill (200cm & 117kg) has clearly shown he is able to be a test performer. Currently he is not in form due to injury, but that form has occurred. If you want to bag him for his game on the weekend you clearly did not pay attention to him on the field. Needs to run with more venom yes, but got through a lot of work, provided a target at line out time and made 2 pilfers. Doing alright for a lock.

Rob Simmons (200cm & 115kg) at 24 years of age and with 33 caps is finally developing into a quality lock with the attributes to slot into 6 at times (obviously the top 2 nations right now) in the right game plan, however has strung together a good international season.

Kane Douglas (202cm & 123kg) at 24 and with 13 caps to his name has probably shown 2 really strong performances so far in gold. His debut against Argentina last year and his performance of the bench against England. With more consistency he will see more time on the park.

All of these 3 players are both taller and heavier than Mumm and Chisholm. In addition they have showed themselves to be more capable test performers at the current stage of their careers. Neither Mumm nor Chisholm had put in successive quality performances like Simmons has this season over their careers. In addition both Simmons and Douglas are around 4 years younger than Mumm was when he was last here, so I can only imagine that with 4 years continued development and improvement in only a few easy areas (e.g. Simmons and his brain farts), by the time they reach the ages of Mumm and Chisholm will surely be far superior locks.

Mumm and Chisholm might look good at club/provincial level, but at the end of the day they were never quite big enough to make it as test quality locks, nor athletic enough to make it as test quality 6's, really leaving them in international no mans land, repeatedly being shown up for each inadequacy throughout their careers.

We're not talking about players who looked the goods but never really got the chance. They got 33 and 58 caps a piece. If they had the ability, we would have seen it in that time...
 

en_force_er

Geoff Shaw (53)
Chisholm has been captaining a side in France but if you saw the side's form and Chisholm's form you wouldn't be impressed.

Mumm's side and Mumm's form on the other hand have been impressive (he's also captaining).

Chis was the better player (and bigger) when in Aus but on form Mumm gets the choccies. Though, maybe it's due to the anomaly of some players just playing better/worse in Europe.
 
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Train Without a Station

Guest
Chis was the better player (and bigger) when in Aus but on form Mumm gets the choccies. Though, maybe it's due to the anomaly of some players just playing better/worse in Europe.

I'd say the workload of their opposite players would be a significant factor.
 

rugbywatch

Larry Dwyer (12)
It'd be great to see a wallabies vs overseas wallabies game. Would never happen but would make for great viewing I belive
 
T

Train Without a Station

Guest
Not sure about that. He had a great game at 8 against the Lions and would surely be in the 23 based on this year (likely him or Fardy as a reserve lock/loosie) but he didn't spend enough time at 8 to make that statement.
 

Jagman

Trevor Allan (34)
So a strictly overseas Wallabies team would look like what?

Richard Aho
Anthony Hegarty
Dan Palmer
Mark Chisholm
Ben Hand
Dean Mumm
George Smith
Peter Kimlin
Josh Valentine
Berrick Barnes
Digby Ioane
Matt Giteau
Blair Connor
Drew Mitchell
JOC (James O'Connor)

Huia Edmonds
???
Salesi Ma'afu
???
The other Jenkins brother
???
Halangahu
Fainifo

That's a lot of ex brumbies!!
 

en_force_er

Geoff Shaw (53)
I hope Blair Connor comes home.

He's what? 25? And a solid Top 14 starter. It'd be a shame if he never took a crack at the big time.

He is cut from the same mould as Tom Kingston, who is a fine Super Rugby player (but maybe unlucky to not be in Chieks' plans).
 

Eyes and Ears

Bob Davidson (42)
So a strictly overseas Wallabies team would look like what?

Richard Aho
Anthony Hegarty
Dan Palmer
Mark Chisholm
Ben Hand
Dean Mumm
George Smith
Peter Kimlin
Josh Valentine
Berrick Barnes
Digby Ioane
Matt Giteau
Blair Connor
Drew Mitchell
JOC (James O'Connor)

Huia Edmonds
???
Salesi Ma'afu
???
The other Jenkins brother
???
Halangahu
Fainifo

That's a lot of ex brumbies!!
other otions - Richard Brown, John Ulugia, Damian Fitzpatrick, Alfi Mafi, Mark Gerrard.
 

BDA

Jim Lenehan (48)
Agree with Train Without a Station re players like Chrisholm and Mumm. Mumm was one of those players that generally stood out for the tahs, but was amazingly ineffective at test level. Not big enough to be a test lock, not dynamic enough to be a test backrower. The same with Chisholm, but to a lesser extent. They join a long list of players who look amazing at provincial level, but poor in the test arena. A distinguished group which includes the likes of Richard Brown, Dave Dennis and the Fainga'a twins...unfortunately we seem to breed a lot of those players in aus.

for what it's worth I'd probably choose Kimlin and Palmer in a WC squad if the tournament started tomorrow. But neither would make the starting 23. Also O'Connor if he wasn't such a fuckstick
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
Good to see no Brock James on this page (although his name came up earlier). A classic example of all that is wrong with the Top 14, when a player with his limitations is a starter for a top side for a long time.


I remember when French rugby was about flair ( err, and filth). Now it is about field goals.
 

Zander

Ron Walden (29)
Good to see no Brock James on this page (although his name came up earlier). A classic example of all that is wrong with the Top 14, when a player with his limitations is a starter for a top side for a long time.


I remember when French rugby was about flair ( err, and filth). Now it is about field goals.

You clearly don't watch Clermont much.
 

Brumbieman

Dick Tooth (41)
Smith would walk into the 7 jersey, Kimlin would walk into either of the 6, 8 or 4/5 jerseys, and Palmer should be a shoe in for tighthead.

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Palmer

4. Fardy
5. Horwill
6. Mowen
7. Smith
8. Kimlin

16. Slipper
17. Nau/Fainga'a
18. Alexander
19. Simmons
20. Hooper/Gill

Looks a hell of a lot better, and all of them are currently fit. Higgers obviously comes into the equation.


Other than that, we're not missing any backs.
 
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