Bledisloe 1 - Wallabies vs All Blacks, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, 8:05pm

[Brumby Runner]

And I am just blown away by the backline combinations we've got. Genia has not played with Foley at all this year. Foley has not played with Giteau at all this year, Giteau has not played with Kuridrani at all this year. Kuridrani, nor for that matter any of the backs, has not played with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at all this year.

Wow! The ABs must be shaking in their boots.

 

[Groucho]

My criticism of the team, and it's not a criticism of the selection, but a comment about our cattle, is that's certainly the slowest Wallaby backline I've seen.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Believe it or not Fardy has been the contingency plan lock for the wallabies for about 3 years. I don't like it either and it's not pretty when it happens. But that's how it is. I can assure you it's a better option than having to put Sean McMahon there.

Just don't agree KOB. In each of the tests against the English there was a proper reserve lock on the bench, and I can't recall more than the odd game over many years when we haven't had a proper lock on the bench. Fardy is not a lock and it is simply asking for trouble if he is relied upon to fill that spot, at Super Rugby level as well as at test level.

 

[Scrubber2050]

What's your prediction for the game Scrubber?

Heart says one thing, the head another.

My areas of concern:

the lack of mobility up front Ie Sio instead of Slipper

the reserve prop being inexperienced at this level (Holmes should be the starter)

Moore's communication with the Referee

Referee making shit decisions and not YC'ing deliberate AB infringements inside the 22 on defence (which is what they have done for years when a try looks imminent)

Genia's lack of recent game time

Giteau running like a crab

that the AB's have worked on mitigating the impact of the Hooper/Pocock combination

that no Cooper on the bench means no "gamebreakingXfactorshit" if the game is winnable in the last 20 minutes

TK has not played well for quite a while

Simmo and Douglas making good metres in contact

Foley's kicking

Other than those minor concerns I remain positive in a Wallaby win (by 5)

You asked Torp !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[KOB1987]

The initial point was about mumm. What I was saying was that perhaps Cheika was trying to choose between Coleman and mumm and Skelton and when he saw that the ABs had gone for mobility and had kaino and squire as there backup lock options it made the decision for him. Fardy being the next choice after that if 2 go down.

 

[Braveheart81]

I shouldn't be surprised but the comments on the team announcement post on the front page of the site are like an open sewer.

I love how many people are outraged that McMahon wasn't picked yet half of those same people would have complained about him getting picked against England and us having too many backrowers.

 

[KOB1987]

^^^ you'd be disappointed otherwise!

 

[Braveheart81]

I reckon the only starting XV positions that haven't caused some outrage are:

Sio, Kepu, Simmons, Pocock, DHP and Folau.

 

[TOCC]

agreed, Ruan as reserve tight head seems a more obvious choice than a younger loose head in Alaatoa

I'd take a couple of others before I'd take Ruan Smith as starting THP

 

[TOCC]

I reckon the only starting XV positions that haven't caused some outrage are:

Sio, Kepu, Simmons, Pocock, DHP and Folau.

Don't count your chickens, school hasn't knocked off yet

 

[Pedrolicus]

I'd take a couple of others before I'd take Ruan Smith as starting THP

Alaatoa though?

 

[Braveheart81]

Just for the record, Sean McMahon has a broken nose and wasn't available for selection this week.

 

[Hawko]

At this point I'd like to see Quade released to play NRC.

At this point I'd like to see anyone not in the 23 next week playing NRC. Its only a 2 hour plane trip across the ditch. If anyone gets injured in the next few weeks in the main squad, they'll be replaced by someone who has not played a game in two months and will be very, very rusty.

There's some interesting selections in the team:

• Ala'alatoa comes onto the bench instead of Robertson. Ala'alatoa has been the back-up loose head prop at the Brumbies and I don't think he's packed at tight head in any game this year. I know his genetics are good and he's highly regarded, but this is a bit of a "hail-Mary" at scrum time. If he only plays ten minutes it should be OK but if Kepu is injured early it could get very nasty very quickly.
• McCalman is very interesting. He is good in the tight defensively but his attacking running never makes more than 5 metres and its usually about 1 metre. If the gameplan is for him to become a tackling and ruck machine to make up for the lack in our tight five (see Forcefan's stats) then it might work, particularly if he packs at 8 in the scrum. He's had plenty of experience with bad ball at the back. We lose some of Fardy's mobility, but we don't lack for mobility with the Pooper anyway.
• I think that Folau at 13, DHP at 15 and Mitchell at 11 would have been far less defensive. Mitchell, DHP and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) all have reasonable to good aerial and kicking skills and Folau was very good on attack at 13 in Super Rugby. Maybe Mitchell's groin is not quite right but Kuridrani must be on his last warning - good tackling and ruck stats for a 13 are just not enough.
• With Horne at 23, we have injury cover from 11 to 14, and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) can cover 15 and Gits 10. So, for me To'omua is surplus to requirements and I would have gone with a 6:2 split, an impact forward (Skelton or Timani) to come on for McCalman for the last 20 minutes with instructions to go bonkers and leave nothing behind.

So, maybe not the optimum team but reasonably close to it.

 

[Braveheart81]

At this point I'd like to see anyone not in the 23 next week playing NRC. Its only a 2 hour plane trip across the ditch. If anyone gets injured in the next few weeks in the main squad, they'll be replaced by someone who has not played a game in two months and will be very, very rusty.

They'll presumably take 25 to NZ next week (one spare forward and back) but everyone else should play NRC.

 

[fatprop]

You'd think a player who has been an integral part of line-outs his whole career would know a thing or two about calling a line-out.

Surely can't be a significant reason why Mumm was chosen. I think Cheika just likes Mumm, or maybe doesn't have confidence in Coleman.

Arnold is injured so he might have got the gig otherwise.

It might simply come down to Mumm being that old/level headed/forward leader

 

[RugbyReg]

It might simply come down to Mumm being that old/level headed/forward leader

Perhaps, but it's not as if he's in among a pack of rookies. Only Sio and Douglas from the starting pack have less caps than him. And only Fardy and Ala'alatoa on the bench.

 

[kiap]

Just voted "Walabies" on the poll, even though we're missing a l-eg.

Only a dozen others with me but, the way I see it, we're the early adopters. The happy few.

Come Monday this place will be full of bandwagoners and believers.

… or this post will be quietly forgotten

 

[fatprop]

Perhaps, but it's not as if he's in among a pack of rookies. Only Sio and Douglas from the starting pack have less caps than him. And only Fardy and Ala'alatoa on the bench.

I really am just trying understand the thinking.

He may not be inundated with Wobs caps, but he is known to be that "leader" type who captained his side in europe & the Tahs & his club.

Also when you hear his interviews he actually sounds like he knows what is going on.

Personally I would have gone for Coleman; and more potential threat off the bench. I don't see To'omua or Horne as game changers, they are about plugging gaps and solidity.

The only logic I see is they are there to close out a lead whereas I think we will be chasing a lead

 

[Scrubber2050]

I really am just trying understand the thinking.

He may not be inundated with Wobs caps, but he is known to be that "leader" type who captained his side in europe & the Tahs & his club.

Also when you hear his interviews he actually sounds like he knows what is going on.

Personally I would have gone for Coleman; and more potential threat off the bench. I don't see To'omua or Horne as game changers, they are about plugging gaps and solidity.

The only logic I see is they are there to close out a lead whereas I think we will be chasing a lead

AND that's why I advocated the selection of Cooper

 

[Slim 293]

A couple of interesting selections.........

I'm not sure I like Ala'alatoa becoming the next Ben Alexander..........

Fardy on the bench is a bit of a shock - McCalman provides good workrate, but isn't as effective around the ground or in the lineout, plus his form this year has been well below that from previous years.

I suppose he's getting the rocket up the ass treatment Simmons received during the English series.............

Otherwise as expected really.