Bledisloe 2 - Wallabies vs All Blacks, Wellington, 27 August 2016

[Moono75]

Mojo considering the defensive lapses of DHP I absolutely doubt the AB's would want him dropped.

I like the DHP and personally would persist with him, but nothing he's done in gold warrants the team being shuffled around to suit him.

Are you forgetting his performances against England. One of the best for the Wallabies....and he played out of position.

I don't see the point in making excuses for the guys that have been in the Wallabies team forever and still keep putting in sub par performances. There needs to be accountability. Take the gold jumper off them for a few Tests and see if they rediscover what the honour of representing your country means. Too many guys play like its just a job to them.

Forgive the analogy but it's like the Wallabies have Alzheimers. From one Test to the next they forget the fundamentals......"oh that's right we need to be physical....I forgot'......"shit who thought the All Blacks would come out so physical and in our faces.....I'll remember that for next time"....it's been happening for 13 years FFS!

 

[Scrubber2050]

It is going to be interesting to review Chek's win/loss ratio (to Dingo and Links) at the end of the RC and the criticisms that flow.

The gloss appears to be fading somewhat.

Can he turn it around. Fuck I hope so

 

[Waterboyrugby]

AB's by 15-20

Final Score prediction 27-10

 

[Strewthcobber]

It is going to be interesting to review Chek's win/loss ratio (to Dingo and Links) at the end of the RC and the criticisms that flow.

The gloss appears to be fading somewhat.

Can he turn it around. Fuck I hope so

The team is probably going to be playing the Boks in Brisbane to tie the worst losing streak of the Pro era.

Can't have been too many harder draws, but still....

 

[KOB1987]

It's impossible to work out what is going through Cheika's head at any given time, but you'd think that in trying to solve his centres dilemma he'd have to be considering that one of theirs is suspect defensively (Fekitoa) and the other one is going to have zero test experience there. Who would you run at them?

Kerevi would be one and Folau would be the other one if was up to me.

 

[Bullrush]

In reference to idiot savant's insightful question on Sully’s article, I don't think wholesale changes will be good for a bunch of newbies, since it is likely to leave a bunch of mental scars if the newbies get well-beaten. Clearly change is needed, but it should be more gradual. However, if there is another flogging, then there should be wholesale changes. But knowing that the current team will lift this week (due to the loss, and since they were probably a bit flat, having not played for a month), I think I lean towards gradual change, but change nevertheless.

With everyone suggesting a team, I'd actually like to suggest a team for the final 30 minutes - a crucial part of the game, but also allows for change without wholesale change to start.

I think some players play best when coming off the bench, while some players don’t play well for 80 minutes. I would have the following players come off the bench for the final 30 minutes: Hooper for Pocock, Cooper for Foley, Mumm for Simmons, Phipps for Genia, possibly Reece Hodge for Samu Kerevi at 12, and Tatafu Polota-Nau for Moore.

Also for the final 30 minutes, I'd move Folau to 13 and bring Tevita Kuridrani off, or move Tevita Kuridrani to 12.

Tevita Kuridrani at 12 is Bob Dwyer's suggestion. It would be nice if Kuridrani could learn to offload, but even if he can't, he could play the traditional 'get the ball over the advantage line' and they could cut him out for backline moves, or do backline moves on 2nd phase after he has carried the ball over the advantage line. Kuridrani still has some value, but I think it’s in closer in than out wider.

I think Folau at 13 is his future position. He plays his Super Rugby there now. And he's happy there. With that, I'd move Haylett-Petty to 15, which is probably his future position.

So this is the team for the final 30 minutes with the players they would replace having played for the first 50 minutes.

1. James Slipper

2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (for Moore)

3. Sekope Kepu

4. Kane Douglas

5. Dean Mumm (for Rob Simmons)

6. Scott Fardy

7. Hooper (for Pocock)

8. Lopetti Timani

9. Phipps (for Genia)

10. Quade Cooper (for Foley)

11. Adam Ashley-Cooper

12. Samu Kerevi (no change or possibly Reece Hodge or Tevita Kuridrani)

13. Israel Folau (for Tevita Kuridrani)

14. Henry Speight (with Haylett-Petty to 15)


15. Dane Haylett-Petty (with Folau to 13)

Go take a look at the breakdown stats posted in last weeks game thread. I'm pretty sure that Pocock actually upped his game in the last 10 and was leading the pack in terms of breakdown work.

As long as he is fit, Pocock should never come off. McCaw rarely, if ever, came off in big games and Pocock is the best 7 in the world.

 

[Ballboy]

for what its worth my opinion is the Blacks are playing a different more advanced game than us , team selection wont help us against that . They keep the ball alive constantly probing and penetrating the defence by backing up all the time . Australia hit the line head for the ground and try to recycle ball as quickly as possible = old fashioned game , and easier to defend against .
in support of this I put up the running stats ( look them up ) and the score

 

[TGFan]

Cooper has played 12 before for Australia, 2009 northern tour. Good wins against England and Wales, draw against Ireland and that loss to Scotland. Maybe being one man out will help open up the outside backs. I wouldn't mind seeing it. And there may be less pressure on foley, who I had a soft spot for on the weekend, the bloke he trained inside all week was gone, then another and another, no matter how good you are that has got to be hard.

 

[KOB1987]

Cooper has played 12 before for Australia, 2009 northern tour. Good wins against England and Wales, draw against Ireland and that loss to Scotland. Maybe being one man out will help open up the outside backs. I wouldn't mind seeing it. And there may be less pressure on foley, who I had a soft soft for on the weekend, the bloke he trained inside all week was gone, then another and another, no matter how good you are that has got to be hard.

I think if you play both you switch them around. Cooper likes to be creative, Foley likes to run.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I think if you play both you switch them around. Cooper likes to be creative, Foley likes to run.

If you pick them both they cant both play right wing in defence.

Are you forgetting his performances against England. One of the best for the Wallabies..and he played out of position.

I agree.
At worst he's had one bad game there are blokes there who haven't played well for seasons

 

[fatprop]

I would prefer to see Foley at 12 and Cooper at 10 if this is happening

 

[Scrubber2050]

I would prefer to see Foley at 12 and Cooper at 10 if this is happening

Reckon that is exactly what will happen

 

[KOB1987]

Reckon that is exactly what will happen

What do we do in defence? You'd probably leave Quade there and either put Hooper at 12 or you just bring TK and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) in one, and put Foley out on the wing.

EDIT: blonde moment. Obviously at set piece we can only do the latter, could work.

 

[mark_s]

So we need to improve our lineout, our kicking / our exit strategies and our tight 5 involvement. We also need to pick players in position as our defence will be tested.

For me, Moore drops right out with Hanson coming in and TPN staying on the bench. Slipper to start over Sio. Maybe stay with Kepu, as I wouldn't want to throw Robertson or Ala'alatoa in so green (pity Holmes isn't in the squad.)

In the second row, its Douglas and Coleman with Simmons on the bench.

Fardy back to six, but keep the Pooper. MacMahon on the bench as cover.

Genia at 9, why not? I would bring in Quade, and tell him he is picked to kick us out of trouble, and we are in trouble every time we are in our own half.

Dunno about 12. Maybe we can ask the AB's to play 14 on 14. If not, then Kerevi or Kuridrani. Folau to 13.

Back 3, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), DHP and Mitchell. Between Quade, Drew and DHP we have 3 kicking options.

 

[Scrubber2050]

What do we do in defence? You'd probably leave Quade there and either put Hooper at 12 or you just bring TK and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) in one, and put Foley out on the wing.

EDIT: blonde moment. Obviously at set piece we can only do the latter, could work.

It's always a shame that a player cannot play the position both in attack and defence. It is a real weakness for a couple of our blokes

 

[Joe King]

This only applies to Hodge, Timani, Colman, and Allatoa and maybe Kerevi.

You could argue swapping anyone else won't have this effect as they are all experienced Test players.

Therefore I wouldn't exactly call "wholesale changes" to the following:

Moore for TPN - although a big call
Mumm for Simmons
Slipper for Sio
Fardy to McCalman
Cooper for Foley - although another big call
Mitchell for DHP or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

They are simply changes that straight swap an experienced test player with another one.

Fair enough. Perhaps 'wholesale changes' was not the appropriate phrase. I am happy with my 'big calls', however. But TNP for Moore, rather than the other way round.

 

[Joe King]

Go take a look at the breakdown stats posted in last weeks game thread. I'm pretty sure that Pocock actually upped his game in the last 10 and was leading the pack in terms of breakdown work.

As long as he is fit, Pocock should never come off. McCaw rarely, if ever, came off in big games and Pocock is the best 7 in the world.

Good call. I could live with keeping Pocock on all game.

 

[KOB1987]

It's always a shame that a player cannot play the position both in attack and defence. It is a real weakness for a couple of our blokes

I think moving forward we have to pick players based on the all round capabilities in their respective positions. It worked at the Waratahs for Cheika because he had players like Beale and Horne who were completely adaptable at that level, and he had to do something creative like that to get all his best players on the field. All of these blokes plus Foley and now the Pooper have been found out at test level trying this one on. I'd be surprised if Cheika and the rest of the coaching staff haven't noticed this.

I think it's what makes Samu Kerevi and Hodge so exciting, they potentially have all the attributes required to be a top level 12 in both attack and defence.

 

[fatprop]

Go take a look at the breakdown stats posted in last weeks game thread. I'm pretty sure that Pocock actually upped his game in the last 10 and was leading the pack in terms of breakdown work.

As long as he is fit, Pocock should never come off. McCaw rarely, if ever, came off in big games and Pocock is the best 7 in the world.

Yeah "if" Pocock is chosen at 7 and Hooper isn't starting, I don't think you need Hooper on the bench, you have to budget for Pocock to play the 80 and pick bench options to cover other spots

 

[Scrubber2050]

Yeah "if" Pocock is chosen at 7 and Hooper isn't starting, I don't think you need Hooper on the bench, you have to budget for Pocock to play the 80 and pick bench options to cover other spots

Against some opinion, Chek will pick Hooper at 7, his favourite all round player.