Cameron Shepherd my bet for Drew Mitchell's vacant wing spot.

[disco]

I'm putting my money on Shepherd to step into the vacant left wing position I think his game & skill set best fit the Wallabies back 3 style of play along with JOC (James O'Connor) & Beale.

I think Ioane & AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) are better at 13 for the Wallabies as neither can spiral pass further than 10 metres & Ioane has no kicking game & isn't great under the high ball.

Just watched the Wallaby backline highlights package again & passing across the back 3 is brilliant it created so much space for the last man to have run it was a nightmare for the defending forwards.

Shepherd's kicking in general play hasn't been as good since breaking his leg but it's getting better every week & he is try scorer.

I'd be happy with either of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Ioane or Shepherd but I just feel that Shepherd's overall skill is best for current style of Rugby Deans has the Wallabies playing.

 

[WB3]

Disco, in my opinion (and I admit I am hardly the most reliable viewer of Reds or Force games, though I catch most of them), Ioane is far superior to Shepherd and Deans will probably take the good (hard, fast ball-running, yards after contact) with the bad (passing/kacking game) in his case. It's simply a matter of his positives outweighing Shepherd's at this point. Shepherd has the fundamentals to slot into the Wallaby game plan but I think Deans will go with form on this one.

 

[Skippy]

I disagree with WB3 but only because it's a world cup... otherwise yes I would agree. Deans would take the good from Ioane over the bad but not in a World Cup. Deans will want to limit mistakes as much as possible in the elimination stages of the WC and thus I see Shepherd coming into the wing perhaps. I beleive for all Australia's attacking brilliance, the WC semi and final wont be won on 'flashy' plays and extravagant exciting rugby. It will be possibly a dour forwards based contest with a lot of kicking for territory and lots of penalty shots at goal. Teams don't throw caution to the win in these games, they just try and minimise mistakes and control field position, get penalties and build a score. Australia needs a plan B for the finals (especially if it's wet) and Gerrard/Shephard probably suit a plan B style play best. Then agan however we haven't seen a plan b game plan for 3 seasons now with Deans and perhaps there is no, and wont be a plan B... he's got one hope and that is the exciting high risk rugby of Cooper and co and he's going to run with it... and you either win or dont.

 

[GC]

Ioane is the only tackle busting make-meters-no-matter-what back we have. If he's fit, he's guaranteed to start. Shepard would be some way down the list of wingers. He's too slow. Shepard or Gerard may be backup fullbacks at best.

 

[Burke's Boot]

Shep is a turnstile that is mentally weak. No thank you.

 

[Groucho]

I disagree with WB3 but only because it's a world cup... otherwise yes I would agree. Deans would take the good from Ioane over the bad but not in a World Cup. Deans will want to limit mistakes as much as possible in the elimination stages of the WC and thus I see Shepherd coming into the wing perhaps. I beleive for all Australia's attacking brilliance, the WC semi and final wont be won on 'flashy' plays and extravagant exciting rugby. It will be possibly a dour forwards based contest with a lot of kicking for territory and lots of penalty shots at goal. Teams don't throw caution to the win in these games, they just try and minimise mistakes and control field position, get penalties and build a score. Australia needs a plan B for the finals (especially if it's wet) and Gerrard/Shephard probably suit a plan B style play best. Then agan however we haven't seen a plan b game plan for 3 seasons now with Deans and perhaps there is no, and wont be a plan B... he's got one hope and that is the exciting high risk rugby of Cooper and co and he's going to run with it... and you either win or dont.

I don't think Deans plans to play the RWC like that at all, simply because we go from one of the strongest to one of the weakest teams when we play that style.

 

[Viking]

Ioane owns a wing spot now. He is the only hard running tackle breaker we have. And you have forgotten his combination with cooper and genia is also a big advantage, cooper n genia frequently look for Ioane making the hard inside run. No other winger or player in Oz has the devasting running ability of Ioane.

 

[TOCC]

Lets not get ahead of ourselves, Ioane also has his downsides,we all know his positives but some of the negatives are that his top line speed isn't great, his dodgy under the high ball and his defenence can sometimes slip up.

In saying that, whilst some players might be faster and better under the high ball, there impact isnt nearly as significant as Digby's.

 

[disco]

In saying that, whilst some players might be faster and better under the high ball, there impact isnt nearly as significant as Digby's

Agreed.

Digby would be in my 15 but I like him @ 13 for test match footy as I also like AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) @ 13. If I had to pick either AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) or Digby for the wing then I'd go with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as he can kick & is safe under the high ball.

 

[Richo]

Digby will go to the wing spot, for sure. If Mitchell wasn't injured I would've imagine Deans thinking that 13 was a contest between AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Digby, with the latter having the nod on current form. I don't think Digby is as complete a player as Mitchell but he is the only other Australian outside back who gives you certain metres and always busts a tackle or two.

But I don't think wing or 13 are the real back line concern for the Wallabies anyway. It's 12. If Barnes stays crocked and Giteau doesn't maintain his current form and attitude there is daylight after them.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

Digby will go to the wing spot, for sure. If Mitchell wasn't injured I would've imagine Deans thinking that 13 was a contest between AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Digby, with the latter having the nod on current form. I don't think Digby is as complete a player as Mitchell but he is the only other Australian outside back who gives you certain metres and always busts a tackle or two.

But I don't think wing or 13 are the real back line concern for the Wallabies anyway. It's 12. If Barnes stays crocked and Giteau doesn't maintain his current form and attitude there is daylight after them.

That's when it becomes Carter Time!

 

[dudebudstud]

I predict this to be the Wallaby backline based on incumbants from last year, and form this year:

9- Genia
10 - cooper
11- Iaone
12 - (not sure)
13 - AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 - O'Connor
15 - Beale

Barned may fill the 12 roll but we haven't seen much of him lately. I can also see O'Connor moving into 12 and Rod Davies at 14. Also while AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is having an average Super Rugby season, in the Tri-nations etc with the Wallabies he always broke the gain line when he carried the ball. He's just in a slump at the moment.

 

[ChargerWA]

Can you imagine it, a tight dirty fighting final against the AB's, Wallabies trailing by 3 at the 80 minute mark, camped on the AB's line and Tommy Carter coming screaming through to pick up a popped ball from Nathan Sharpe 2 metres from the line where he smashes through the tackles of SBW and Kieran Read to score the RWC winning try.

I reckon there would be 5 seconds of stunned silence, followed by a roar that could be heard across the dutch. It's nice to have dreams....... actually Tommy probably dreams that every night.

 

[jay-c]

ive always been a fan of cam shephard but i dunno if he has the pace anymore>
will he be able to keep up if beale or oconner makes a break?

 

[daz]

I predict this to be the Wallaby backline based on incumbants from last year, and form this year:

9- Genia
10 - cooper
11- Iaone
12 - Gits
13 - AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 - O'Connor
15 - Beale

Barned may fill the 12 roll but we haven't seen much of him lately.

I don't mind this backline at all. For mine, Barnes plays his best football when he is running on at the 50-60 minutes mark. I would start Gits at 12 and have Barnes warming the bench for either the 10 or 12 spot. His subbing impact is immense.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

Funny to read the update on the nostrodamus comp, 55% of us had barnes as wallaby 12. Wonder what that %age would be now?

 

[RugbyReg]

you suspect it would be more or less?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Had Berrick not had trouble with his noggin this year, I'd still be having him at 12. As it stands, I'm more concerned about his health than his prospects of playing test footy.

Diggers is a shoe-in for one wing spot I would have thought.

 

[farva]

If Mitchell is out, our strongest team is:

Genia
Cooper
Ioane
Giteau
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
JOC (James O'Connor)
Beale

JOC (James O'Connor) to 12, Gits to the bench if Mitchell is fit.

But I would like to see some or all of Shep, Cummins, Morohan and Turner given a run at some point in an international this year.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

you suspect it would be more or less?

Judging by suggested teams on this thread, fewer