KOB1987
John Eales (66)
Looks like we're on the money Seb:
While McCalman has been named at blindside flanker, Cheika said he would alternate with Pocock at No 8 at scrum time, depending on whether the Wallabies had the feed or not.
Bledisloe 1 - Wallabies vs All Blacks, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, 8:05pm
- Thread starter The torpedo
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Looks like we're on the money Seb:
While McCalman has been named at blindside flanker, Cheika said he would alternate with Pocock at No 8 at scrum time, depending on whether the Wallabies had the feed or not.
dru
David Wilson (68)
Yes that is a fair point. At the same time however the criticsms revolve around a couple of themes, that I think are germane.
1. LO jumping. Which leads to thoughts around tactics and the importance of kicking.
2. No experienced combinations in the backline.
3. Lack of speed in the backline.
4. Strange attitude to jersey numbers and balance in the loosies
5. No THP on the bench.
Thats a lot of discussion points for one team.
Now it may be that no-one with form has missed out. And it may be that the benefit of the training paddock might change thoughts on some of the Super Rugby form. Heck it may even be that they have it right and this is the best/right 23.
But I'm not sure that leaves me feeling comfortable. Hope that firstly the game plan works with our strengths and gaps, suffiecient to take on the most dominant team in rugby history. And secondly that the development is working.
T
TOCC
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Wallabies lineout will struggle, All Blacks have 4 genuine lineout jumpers, Wallabies only have 3, and even then McCalman doesn't get much practice, he rarely gets used as an option in the Force line-out which makes the selection of him over Fardy even surprising.
Sure they can and probably will just go for shorter lineouts, but that just shrinks the opportunity in the backline by adding more defenders. Expect McMahon to stand in the backline and take the ball off Giteau or Foley targeting the new centre pairing.
All Blacks will go for a rolling maul every time near the Wallabies line, they have the bigger bodies in the backrow to build the momentum.
Sure they can and probably will just go for shorter lineouts, but that just shrinks the opportunity in the backline by adding more defenders. Expect McMahon to stand in the backline and take the ball off Giteau or Foley targeting the new centre pairing.
All Blacks will go for a rolling maul every time near the Wallabies line, they have the bigger bodies in the backrow to build the momentum.
Gillys_ghost
Dave Cowper (27)
Not based on any 2016 form. Slipper has more metres for less runs, 1 more clean break, 1 more offload, more tackles and did it in 6 less games. I dont really care because Sios a great prop and having both is a blessing the wallabies wouldnt be used to.
KOB1987
John Eales (66)
I think what IS is getting at is that he hasn't been playing since the June tests and therefore has no recent form from which to make an assessment.
Someone else mentioned earlier that if he played for a different franchise he'd probably be a lot more recognised. That's about right I reckon. Much like Palu a lot of the work he does is in the tight and doesn't show up in stats and on the TV screen, but ask his team-mates how he goes....
I think we can mitigate the damage pretty well at lineout time.
I remember the run-in to the England series and everyone predicted our lineout would be annihilated. The Poms had 4 top jumpers and we had 2.
Ultimately our lineout survived OK. We didn't get super clean ball, but won 80-90% of our lineouts, and stole more of the Poms throws over the series than they did ours.
Don't get me wrong, it isn't a strength, but I think it's a weakness we can manage.
.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Wouldn't even call a weakness. Just not a strength. I think Simmons, Douglas, McCalman are good options. Then the off chance you can use Hooper/Poey to catch them off guard.
I feel a lot of posters lack confidence in McCalman I think he is a solid player, without being outstanding but has never been a liability in really any area of the game.
Plus his Wales test at the RWC was outstanding.
But the fact that Kuridrani and Fardy are Brumbies does seem to have something to do with you rating their 2016 form better than most people are.
There's a lot of commonality in comments suggesting Kerevi should have been picked at 13 instead of Kuridrani on form. Your alternative is that Kerevi should be picked at 12 which would keep Kuridrani in the team.
If Kuridrani's form doesn't improve I don't think anyone would be overly surprised if he lost his spot to Kerevi.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
whats Justin Marshall smoking?
"the lineout is one of the wallabies strenghs"
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=1169713
"the lineout is one of the wallabies strenghs"
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=1169713
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
What are the others ?
Your scrum, and being pests at the breakdown!
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
tragic
John Solomon (38)
Maybe he just watches their games closer as they're in his team and can see through some of the hyperbole
A bit like reds fans not buying into the Simmons is a powder puff in contact rhetoric
I personally think kerevi Is unlucky but I'm not too bothered by kuridrani keeping his spot as he is a quality player. The two ks are the midfield of the future if we can sort our holy grail of a playmaking 10 that can also kick.
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
I am more inclined to believe Kerevi is our answer at 12 for the EOYT and next year's tests. I would have no objection to a Kerevi Folau combination at 12/13 if TK doesn't measure up.
I think though that my impression of both Fardy's and Kuridrani's form is based on watching more of them during the Super Rugby season than those who just follow the leader in saying they are out of form.
I have said pretty much the same thing regarding Kuridrani and Kerevi. I don't think Kuridrani has been in bad form but Kerevi has been in outstanding form. I don't really see it as hyperbole. I think it is quite fair to say that Kuridrani is not playing close to his outstanding best.
I think Kerevi is a good option in the future for the Wallabies at 12 but I don't think it is likely to happen a lot at this stage. His playmaking ability is still well down on where it needs to be to do a good job of it at test level. The comparisons to Nonu are good but it gets forgotten that Nonu had a lot of test experience before he started being played at 12 for the All Blacks and even longer before he became outstanding at it.
The Wallabies need a 12 who can and does stand in as first receiver to increase the options available. Until Kerevi can do that regularly I don't think we'll see him at 12 for the Wallabies a whole lot. I think he will get more opportunities early in his test career at 13.
every year we keep the bledisloe, I find your guys increasing in Good blokeyness
Pedrolicus
Dick Tooth (41)
On Kuridrani he has played roughly every wallaby and brumby minute available in the last year. I think it's fair to give him a run since he's had a rare break from high level rugby. I also agree with the comments that it's not like he's had many bad performances just not many dominant ones either.
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