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

[Slim 293]

The word to describe Kerevi is notaBrumby.

That is a serious problem for him, but I'm sure with a lot of hard work he could, maybe, one day progress from being notaBrumby............. but is he good enough?

#notaBrumby
#toomanyTahs
#justice4Quade

 

[barbarian]

Fardy is not out of form. His real problem is that he attracts a lot of penalties. He was probably the best of all the forwards going round in the tests against England, and was utterly stuffed at the end of the series given the huge amount of work he got through.
.

Can't agree with that at all. He was below his best. Got through work but the effectiveness just wasn't there for most of it.

I'm surprised he got dropped but his form was far from outstanding so I don't think he can have too many complaints.
.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

except that mccalman has no form

 

[Slim 293]

I'm pretty certain Fardy has played every minute of every game for both the Brumbies and Wobs this year?

He could do with a rest.

 

[galumay]

Its certainly an interesting 23, seeing as I wasnt there for all the training and camp sessions I dont have the same insights as the coaching and selection team so I can only speculate based on the very limited insight a couch coach has.

I was surprised by no QC (Quade Cooper), even though he wouldn't be in my team, all the hints seemed to be he would be in the mix.

I think Fardy might be out both on form and also his poor discipline.

Leaving Moore as captain is odd to me, he has consistently shown he is not suited to the job - but maybe he was sent on a crash course in basic interpersonal relationship skills?

I have expressed my opinion about the whole thing of bringing back players from europe, happy to be proven wrong on the weekend, but would rather see some succession planning and development of local players. Much prefer the AB's approach to this issue.

I think Robertson missing out was a bit odd, but we will see how that plays out, again, probably stuff they have worked out over the last few weeks in camp.

Given that the likely outcome is a loss for the Wobblies on Saturday night, then it gets interesting, does Cheika persist with the mix of returning old boys and incumbents, or will there be a change in focus to rebuilding for the future?

A particular point of interest for me will be to see if there is any obvious improvement in the kicking, that seems to me to be the low hanging fruit in lifting the performance of the team.

 

[RugbyReg]

I'm pretty certain Fardy has played every minute of every game for both the Brumbies and Wobs this year?

He could do with a rest.

Sitting on the bench is hardly a rest. He'd be training the same as the starting XV. Conceivably he could come on after 1 minute.

He is not being rested...

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I get some of the controversy over selections, but realistically who is stiff to miss out?

 

[KOB1987]

I get some of the controversy over selections, but realistically who is stiff to miss out?

That's what I reckon too, especially with regards to Mumm. The other options were Skelton - if he got picked there would have been even more outrage - and Coleman, who's played 30 minutes of a test match. OK sure, Colemans bigger and he's the future but is he going to win us a Bledisloe game by coming off the bench? I'm not particularly a Mumm fan but I can understand the selection, he's got experience, workload and he's great at the lineout. Fardy will probably come on for McCalman at about the same time, our lineout will arguably improve once the subs are made.

Kerevi seems to be the other one who was stiffed, and QC (Quade Cooper) to a lesser extent.

 

[tragic]

I get some of the controversy over selections, but realistically who is stiff to miss out?

I don't think there's any one player whose selection is controversial.
It's just the balance once again is off.
If you play the pooper you need a frontline jumper at 6. Yet we have McCalman. If McCalman has trained his way into the side he should be at 8 in which case pocock is our best 7 and hooper moves to the bench. Now if we get owned in the lineouts then we either bring on Fardy or Mumm early and lose a substitution, or we start kicking not for touch, which opens up the attack of the NZ back 3.

 

[Braveheart81]

I get some of the controversy over selections, but realistically who is stiff to miss out?

I tend to think Kerevi is the player in the best form who hasn't been picked. This also aligns with Kuridrani not setting the world on fire and surely at some risk of losing his spot.

I don't think anyone has been particularly hard done by in not getting picked. There is disagreement over pretty much every selection but multiple opinions on who should have been selected instead.

There are a lot of positions where fans are well and truly split on who they think should be picked.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

No Fardy? Wobs mongrel factor just halved IMO & with Moore the captain he can't afford to pick up the slack, rock-Peyper-scissors don't like dat shit.

So unit by unit I'd say it's:

Front rows: starters adv Wobs but only 'cos Coles isn't there, finishers about even.
Locks: adv AB, compounded if Wobs choose to or are forced to make a sub.
6-7-8: starters about even, adv AB when the subs come on.

Halves: adv AB from go to whoa.
Centres: adv Wobs esp. if Gits can go the distance.
Back 3: adv AB
Bench: adv AB

Scrum: adv Wobs but probably won't be that many & also rock-Peyper-scissors so anything's possible rulings-wise.

Lineout: adv AB by some margin.

Breakdown: about even.

Attack:

AB: Wobs have poor exit kicking & lineout so kick deep & to touch to expose lineout OR deep but not out to isolate Foley (must keep ball away from Folau, tho) OR go wide in <3 passes to outflank Wobs 11 & 14 who ain't too quick.....

Wobs: something something Folau something something Giteau & AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) something something Folau...... Just gotta work on the something something

Defence:

AB: Crotty's solid enough but Fekitoa is a worry esp if Folau gets it with some room to wind up, move or, worse, both. Also Naholo & Savea major both turn like the proverbial so IF Foley/ Gits/ whomever can get the ball in behind them........

Wobs: no Fardy so who's gonna do the shit work ~2m either side of contact when, oh let's say Retallick, Kaino or later on Savea minor come calling? McCalman? Don't think so. Big yards to be made in those parts........

Still reckon AB <12.

 

[FrankLind]

AB team is just slightly better, but home advantage is worth 10 points.
I think this game could either way.

 

[Sully]

I appreciate you Kiwis talking us up a bit but lets get real. This is the All Blacks to lose.

 

[upthereds#!]

I don't usually rate Fardy...but i DEFINITELY don't rate a Mumm/Fardy combo as our 'finishers'. No where near enough physical impact there for my liking

 

[Brumby Runner]

The word to describe Kerevi is notaBrumby.

Appreciate it if you might keep your preconceived notions to yourself. I have more than most acknowledged Kerevi's claim to a Wallaby spot and I am prepared to accept that his form has been better than Kuridrani's. What I said above is that Kuridrani isn't in poor form, merely not as good as he was the last couple of years, ie pre-injury.

Kerevi while playing 12 for the Wallabies was the pick of the Aus backs against the English. I believe strongly that he will be our best No 12 in time, and would be now if the coach had any new ideas about how to put a backline together.

The fact that he is not a Brumby has fuck all to do with my opinions.

 

[Joe Blow]

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

I'd guess that this is Cheikas thinking but I reckon we need to give Coleman as much time as possible during this RC. How long is Arnold out?
And on McMahon, he may be injured but I really do not like seeing him, Pocock and Hooper all in the same 23. McCalman can bring at least as much as McMahon.

 

[Joe Blow]

Sio is a good call as he carries the ball harder and further than Slipper. He is also very good defensively. I don't think this AB scrum will put nearly as much pressure on us as the Poms did. Douglas/Simmons will stiffen us up here initially as well.
Is it possible that Slipper will be used as the reserve TH? He has played there at this level before. I'm surprised that Robertson is not on the bench as he has as much test experience as AA but is an out and out TH.

 

[Forcefield]

Douglas/Simmons will stiffen us up

Speak for yourself.

 

[Joe Blow]

Speak for yourself.

I am optimistic on a couple of counts there. I'll let you know how it goes

 

[Rugrat]

Sad to see that we are taking on the Ab's with 7 forwards and an all rounder in Hooper playing too much time in the backs. Chiek talks a good game about finishers and then delivers no game breakers. Hooper and Quade off the bench for me.