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Low blow aside, the Wallabies win rate v NZ with Beale in the side is 33.33% (using ESPN Scrum which gives half a win for a draw). I'll challenge you to find a current Wallaby that betters that, that's played more than say 5 games versus them.
The point of this is not to portray Beale as the saviour but to throw out your earlier claim that Beale coming off the bench will have a negative 10-14 point effect.
ACR doesn't like to be reminded of woman beaters.
Savea is trading on past glories already. I haven't seen a destructive run from him this year.
Yesh, White getting injured early is the worst-case scenario.
If Beale can really cause us to lose in that way, then he shouldn't be on the bench. Fortunately it's his character that's in dispute, not his capabilities as a substitute back. He's had one really poor performance in gold, and he slipped over once while taking a kick. He's not the walking disaster area of popular mythology.
Pooper Scooper
(Speight and Cooper combine for consolation try)
^^He's just a pantomime villain at this stage.
I really don't see the need for him here. It's going to be a tough war of attrition. Not really his thing.
I would have thought Drew Mitchell or Phipps would have been better.
No, Beale covers more positions than either Mitchell or Phipps. He is going to be a very important cog in the RWC campaign, a quality utility player that can provide real impact and opportunity in the last 20 minutes of games.
I know the haters are always going to be there for KB (Kurtley Beale) but he isnt going away anytime soon.
I just don't think he fits into the new Wallaby mould. His defense is crap and he is prone to hot headed plays that can backfire.
He had a couple of blinders last year against France in June.
What you are doing there is creating scenarios. You are also inferring that Beale will only get a run if someone gets injured or if we are getting flogged already. I'm pretty sure that cheika as a specific role for KB (Kurtley Beale) as a finisher that goes well beyond 'filling in' for someone. I know that doesn't fit into your best laid plans, but it's how it is I'm afraid.Rubbish. I said if both Giteau and Beale are needed before 60 mins, then the ABs to win by 8 - 12. If they aren't needed until the last few minutes if at all, then the Wallabies to win. My reasoning is really that if Giteau is playing 9 by then, either Nic White has had a shocker and the ABs are already well in front, or he has been injured, thereby leaving Beale as the only reserve back on the bench. If he then is needed to fill in for, say, Henry Speight at or before 60 minutes we will be in real trouble because I particularly can't see him stopping Julien Savea over a twenty minute period. But if he comes on in the last few minutes and White is still going strong, then The Wallabies are in with a very good chance of a win.
People should stop projecting their own biases onto others' posts.
Forgive the pun, but in all seriousness, is this type of appalling statement not a revelation of a nasty, dark side of the NZ character.
"Our national insecurities are only relieved if we beat people at rugby all the time, and, if we fear we may not, we'll revert to virtually anything, irrespective of the requirements of decency and fair conduct, to undermine someone else's chances of winning against us."
Very sad - almost pathetic - that McCaw of all people felt the need to stoop to such a self- and nationally degrading statement, to invoke the crowd to undermine a particular opposing rugby player in a manner that has nothing to do with the calibre of his play.
My main hope for tomorrow is that we are at least competitive and dont get smashed by 30 points or something. QC (Quade Cooper) is the one that worries me the most in this scenario, thrown into the pressure cooker that is the cauldron of Mt Eden, the potential for a panicky and nervous QC (Quade Cooper) could be a disaster for the Wobblies.
Obviously though Cheika reckons he is good for it, he seems intent on taking QC (Quade Cooper) to the RWC regardless of form or performance so I guess that may settle QC (Quade Cooper) a bit.
The other positive is that Cheika uses the bench in a positive way, so if QC (Quade Cooper) has a shocker I assume he will just sub him off and hopefully not too much damage done.
As I have said elsewhere, i do hope Quade can find some form and confidence, it would be great for him personally and for the Wobblies, and for the Australian rugby supporters as a whole.
My head tells me the AB's will take this game, probably by 8 points minimum, my heart is hoping this one goes against the odds and defies history and we get up in a close game!
Bring it on!!
I've just finished reading a good article about QC (Quade Cooper) in this morning's Aus. It's worth a read.Fixed