chisolm out> VAN THE MAN

[jay-c]

"Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is likely to be on the lookout for a new second-rower after Test lock Mark Chisholm sustained a knee injury in Randwick's 23-21 win against Eastwood in the first preliminary final at Woollahra Oval on Saturday"
i think van the man was a big part of the reds revival this year, i think the passion he plays with lifts the players around him... surely thats gotta count for something? isnt brad thorn 35? having a big heart gets vintage players through the games!
can anyone give me a knowledgeable opinion on his scrumaging?
anything other than a whitewash of the north will be unnacceptable as far as im concerned... lets "roll those ****s"

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

If Van is fit, I'd definitely be considering him.

 

[DPK]

If Van is fit, I'd definitely be considering him.

The Wallabies will always need good water runners... :fishing

 

[fatprop]

I would prefer to see Kane Douglas given a chance, someone young, direct and hard

 

[Lindommer]

If Deans doesn't take Kane Douglas he needs his head read. This bloke has the potential to be a Wallaby for the next decade, along with Horwill, Kimlin and Simmons. If Van was good enough he should've stayed in Oz and chanced his arm for national selection instead of traipsing around the world.

 

[WB3]

^ That.

Kane Douglas made a huge impression on me in the Super 14 this year. He has the potential to be a Wallaby mainstay, and blooding him on a European tour is probably a good option, rather than leaving it until the 3N next year if Van doesn't deliver.

 

[qwerty51]

Douglas please.

 

[Blue]

For all the bravado and swearing picking Van over Douglas wouldn't be forward thinking. Douglas has real potential and the EOYT is the perfect way to expose him to International rugby. He has the right physical attributes to be groomed into a really good 5.

 

[Lee Grant]

Yeah he's been a revelation this year and not least, I expect, to the Tahs coaches. You can't compare the young bloke to where he was before the 2009 season when he was struggling to get around the park in a trial match I saw in Newcastle.

Then this year we saw Jowitt injured in Rd.1 against the Reds and enter Douglas from the pro academy to get a run from the bench. Because Mumm, playing 6, was suspended for being stupid in the same match, Douglas started at lock with Caldwell in Rd.2 in the RSA.

Serendipity. We gradually noticed that Douglas was starting every week but thought that had more to do with Caldwell's earlier illness than anything else, but eventually we saw the quality and we started nominating him as one of the bolters for the EOYT.

The only blip on his CV this year is that Deans didn't use him much for the Oz Barbarians. We don't know why that was but it was likely because of something we can only guess at. Hopefully, if there was ever a reason he was used so sparingly by Deans, it is behind him; he certainly is on track from a rugby point of view.

Not to the point but it will be good if 19.y.o. Greg Peterson, almost 2 years younger, can get to the same level as Douglas is now when he is the same age. Having two top young TH locks a few years down the track will stand the Tahs in good stead.

 

[farva]

Outside of Nathan Sharpe, the locks are essentially babies. Mumm has been around the block granted, but Simmons is a baby.
And if Horwill gets a gig (will he be fit?) then we have 2 young locks. Van's experience might be invaluable in guiding these youngens along.

Having said that, Sharpe will be going, so Kane Douglas come on down.

 

[Ruggo]

It all depends on who the other lock is. If Sharpie tours, I would pair Douglas with him for sure. Sharpie is most likely to tour but if he is rested, Van would be the better option. Douglas needs to be paired with an experienced player. I would like to see Simmons get some serious starting game time to get some reward for the investment in him during the tri nations. Douglas is a player worth getting into the Wallaby camp for the experience at the very least.

 

[DPK]

Van is experienced at the Super 14, but he is as inexperienced as the other uncapped options (because he is one). Sure, the Super 14 experience and OS experience will help at the Test level, but there's no substitute for a lock with test experience like Sharpe or Horwill (or Chis) in Australia at the moment.

 

[fatprop]

Sharpe and Mumm will tour, Simmons & Douglas would be good options as back up

 

[Ruggo]

Mumm at lock again. Wow, I just can't wait for that again.

 

[Gnostic]

Mumm and Sharpe at Lock is a bit of an unsung success really with regard to set peice play. The Wallabies Lineout since the debacle last year when Sharpe was dropped in favour of Chisholm has been secure. This year the lineout has been good. Note also the total lack of success that any team has had with rolling mauls against the Wallabies this year. That lack of success is due in large part to Sharpe and Mumm infiltrating the opposition mauls and disrupting the ball or attacking the carrier so that it has to be cleared. The try from a driving maul was when Sharpe was wondering if he should think about changing his name to Cletus after his teeth got knocked out and he wasn't at the lineout.

Mumm has not had the impact required in any other area and has been caught out in general defence a few times, but I question again the wisdom in that case of going back to Chis.

I would be happy for Mumm and Sharpe to start but Simmons, Douglas, Van, Kimlin, must get significant time off the bench if that is the case. It all comes down to bench use and if Deans has learnt that lesson?

 

[TOCC]

maybe im wearing some red eyed glasses, but i really dont think that including Van is a bad idea, as it is the Wallaby pack is extremely young by international standards, you remove Sharpe and Elsom and the average age drops to the early 20's. Experience isnt purely about the number of international caps you have, its also about mental maturity and the ability to remain composed under pressure.

If they dont take Douglas they are left with a situation where if Van gets injured we will have Simmons and Mumm as the lock pairing, we have already seen this combination disintergrate under pressure at lineout time this year.

 

[Groucho]

maybe im wearing some red eyed glasses, but i really dont think that including Van is a bad idea, as it is the Wallaby pack is extremely young by international standards, you remove Sharpe and Elsom and the average age drops to the early 20's. Experience isnt purely about the number of international caps you have, its also about mental maturity and the ability to remain composed under pressure.

If they dont take Douglas they are left with a situation where if Van gets injured we will have Simmons and Mumm as the lock pairing, we have already seen this combination disintergrate under pressure at lineout time this year.

Van has a great line in rolling c*nts but if he was international standard he would have played Wallaby rugby a decade ago. He'd be good to have in the squad, but then we haven't got room for one of Simmons or Douglas.

 

[Gagger]

I'm with Groucho et al

It was the same the year before with Will Caldwell - he was a gutsy workhorse and core to the Tahs, but should he have been a Wallaby?

I think these blokes rightly get a big sentimental vote.

 

[TOCC]

Van has a great line in rolling c*nts but if he was international standard he would have played Wallaby rugby a decade ago. He'd be good to have in the squad, but then we haven't got room for one of Simmons or Douglas.

thats hardly supporting evidence, mark chisolm has been in the wallabies for years yet he is continually demonstratingplayers can be wallabies without been of international standard

 

[fatprop]

Disagree TOCC, Chisholm, since the chat with the Brumbies coaching staff, has been a very effective, direct and hard working lock.

The lock out of form at the moment is Mumm