Bledisloe #2 - AUS v NZL, Eden Park, Auckland, August 15th

[TahDan]

Very interesting looking side. I like the look of that back line I have to say - Cooper pairing with To'omua could work quite well given their contrasting styles. Also really happy to see Speight in there and Skelton starting.

That said, I'm a little worried about the lack of a reserve half back. I guess they figure Gits did a good job there for Phipps when he had his brain fart and went off, but I reckon you'd have been better off leaving Beale out and putting a specialist 9 on the bench.

 

[Braveheart81]

I reckon Douglas, Palu, Cooper and Speight are playing for a place in the RWC squad.

I'd say that the rest of the 23 are certainties for the RWC squad.

Very interesting team and certainly one planning for a huge forward battle.

The risk is clearly Nic White getting injured early in the match. If that happens we're completely fucked.

I don't know how Will Genia's recovery is going, but if White plays well here and Giteau gets through any minutes he needs to do at halfback, I can easily see Genia missing the RWC squad.

 

[cyclopath]

My main concern here is White having one of his bad games and there's no one on the bench to bring on.....

Giteau is not a halfback.

Yeah, it's a worry. His cameo last week was notable to me for his slow loopy passes and rapid cramping. Risky.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I reckon Douglas, Palu, Cooper and Speight are playing for a place in the RWC squad.

Strongly disagree on Cooper.

Cheika has used 36 players for the Rugby Championship. Some players have got 3 or 4 games. Some only 1. I'd say the 5 that don't make it will be out of the 7 that have only had 1 game. That puts the following at risk:

Horne
Tomane
Speight
Genia
Higginbotham
Palu
Douglas.

Many speculate Tomane and Higginbotham won't make the cut, so that means it's 3 of the remaining 5.

Having only played 2 games perhaps Mitchell, Foley, Simmons and McCalman could be at risk, but I'd bank on the first list of 7 being where the 5 come from.

EDIT - Just realized that Cheika hasn't used the 5th prop or 3rd Hooker so 7 will get cut. I guess somebody from that 2 game list will be likely too.

 

[qwerty51]

Cheika has used 36 players for the Rugby Championship..

That can't be right, I named my 31 and half those players made it.

 

[BDA]

I don't know how Will Genia's recovery is going, but if White plays well here and Giteau gets through any minutes he needs to do at halfback, I can easily see Genia missing the RWC squad.

Yep, I'd say unless White plays terribly or there's an injury, Genia's test career is over. Unfortunately for Genia his injury couldn't have come at a worse time. It's an easy decision for Cheika.

 

[Train Without a Station]

That can't be right, I named my 31 and half those players made it.

 

[Scoey]

Introspection is good and all guys, but it's a good fucking Wallabies side.

Instead of looking in at us and working out why it will go wrong, have a look forward and you'll see chinks in the NZ side as well. When was the last time anyone said that?

 

[Braveheart81]

Strongly disagree on Cooper.

Cheika has used 36 players for the Rugby Championship. Some players have got 3 or 4 games. Some only 1. I'd say the 5 that don't make it will be out of the 7 that have only had 1 game. That puts the following at risk:

Horne
Tomane
Speight
Genia
Higginbotham
Palu
Douglas.

Many speculate Tomane and Higginbotham won't make the cut, so that means it's 3 of the remaining 5.

Having only played 2 games perhaps Mitchell, Foley, Simmons and McCalman could be at risk, but I'd bank on the first list of 7 being where the 5 come from.

In terms of Cooper, I'm mainly going with Gagger's comments on the front page about it being a bit of a last chance saloon. I tend to think that unless QC (Quade Cooper) has an absolute shocker he'll certainly be in the RWC squad. The only alternative I can see to leave him out is to decide that To'omua is your 10 option and draft Leali'ifano into the squad as another 12 option. Realistically I see Cooper being in the RWC squad.

Higginbotham isn't in this squad. I think he needs at least one injury and probably two to have a chance. I really don't think he'll be in the RWC squad.

Are you sure your numbers are correct? If we've used 36 players in the Rugby Championship and that only includes 4 props and 2 hookers, that's already 2 extra players that need to come in for the RWC squad.

McMahon has been in every squad but not played. I think he's very likely to miss out.

Qwerty's latest list on Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC thread looks pretty accurate to me. I tend to think Speight, Cooper and Palu are extremely likely to be in the RWC squad unless they have a shocker and Douglas really needs to play well to have a chance of going.

 

[qwerty51]

Found your issue, you've gone 30 to 33 to 36!

 

[Train Without a Station]

Ahh indeed I have, when I've deleted the reserves who had already featured and been listed. So it's 32.

3 players to miss out then. 2 to make a place for Hanson and another prop, and the last one to miss the cut.

 

[Braveheart81]

Your list only has 32 players on it.

So from that I'd add a prop and Hanson and cut Tomane, Higginbotham and Genia.

There is still some potential that McMahon could make the RWC squad as the third player who can play 7 but I think Mumm has surpassed him as the reserve 6 behind Fardy and he'll miss out on that basis.

 

[Train Without a Station]

So like I said, anybody who played more than 1 game is almost a certainty to make it, 3 of the current used players will likely be the ones to miss out.

 

[JJJ]

Introspection is good and all guys, but it's a good fucking Wallabies side.

Instead of looking in at us and working out why it will go wrong, have a look forward and you'll see chinks in the NZ side as well. When was the last time anyone said that?

Yeah I reckon they'd be pretty nervous playing us at a neutral venue, like a RWC in England. At Eden Park less so. Although the build-up should fill the house. A revenge-match Bled decider with bonus Quade to boo at? Standing room only, surely.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^ When we win the Bled 2-0 this weekend, any revenge match Bled will be a dead rubber not a decider.

 

[ACT Crusader]

I am loving the fact that Shag spent a good deal of this week figuring out how the AB's were going to counter the Pooper...queue Cheika's masterstroke.

DON'T PLAY THE POOPER!!!

I heard Hansen hasn't slept a wink since Saturday night.

 

[RedsHappy]

^^ When we win the Bled 2-0 this weekend, any revenge match Bled will be a dead rubber not a decider.

This would be a smart year to win it, as we don't get 2 Aus Bled games until 2017.

 

[TahDan]

Not sure if others have mentioned it, but I also like the fact the team looks like a side that will necessarily play a very different style. That alone is a huge positive, as I reckon the ABs would have analysed the side that beat them to death and expected more of the same


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[emuarse]

Now that would be blowing air at the cats ass

I've never blown air at the cats ass. There are probably some kool cats who like that

 

[Hugh Jarse]

TGC - Winning Psychological Warfare since 2015.