England v Australia, Saturday 3 December

[Lindommer]

The last test on our EoYT for 2016, and possibly the most difficult. We can only hope and pray our Argentinean friends belt two shades of tripe out of the Poms. THIS is the test when I feel Cheika's rotation policy against the French will come to bear fruit.

Is Genia available for this test? What do our backup five-eight stocks look like?

 

[Brumby Runner]

The reports to date Lindo are that Genia will not be available for England. Will be a big loss to the side. Just hope, after this morning's efforts, Frisby doesn't have to be relied upon.

Backup No 10s? Would be surprising if Quade is fully fit after seeing his ankle on Facebook, and again after this morning's efforts I would not like to have to rely on Godwin at 10. Lance is out, so looks like all of our eggs are on Foley.

 

[Tangawizi]

The reports to date Lindo are that Genia will not be available for England. Will be a big loss to the side. Just hope, after this morning's efforts, Frisby doesn't have to be relied upon.

Backup No 10s? Would be surprising if Quade is fully fit after seeing his ankle on Facebook, and again after this morning's efforts I would not like to have to rely on Godwin at 10. Lance is out, so looks like all of our eggs are on Foley.

If we beat Ireland, we should just pay his club off for however much they want. Winning the Grand Slam just slightly trumps a club game.

Stade Who?

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

 

[Mr Doug]

I am eagerly anticipating this one.
It has the potential to be the Wallabies "Test match of the year".

The multiple components (read 'contests') include the player match-ups, the goal kicking, the English fans v the Aussie fans, the English media v the Australian media, and last, but by no means least, it's Eddie Jones v Michael Cheika!

 

[PeterK]

As I predicted before the Ireland match Pooper would cost the wallabies and even more so doubling down on McMahon on the bench.
Also how many starts does Speight get before it is realised that he is not good enough.
Moore is too slow and shown up again.
Genia has not recovered his RC form but is out not being released.
Latu to 2 Moore to bench.
Pocock to 7 and made captain Hooper bench.
Timani to 8 Mumm out.
Phipps starts, Stirzaker bench
Naivalu to 11 Morahan bench speight out.
Folau to 12 and Hodge to 15.
Slipper out. T Smith to bench.
01 Sio
02 Latu
03 Kepu
04 Simmons (for calling lineout)
05 Arnold
06 Fardy
07 Pocock (c)
08 Timani
09 Phipps
10 Foley
11 Naivalu
12 Folau (he was attacking there anyway)
13 TK
14 DHP
15 Hodge
16 Moore
17 T Smith
18 Ala'alatoa
19 Douglas
20 Hooper
21 Strizaker
22 Cooper
23 Morahan

 

[Brumby Runner]

PK, I think you'll find Toby Smith is injured and has returned to Oz. Otherwise, I would like to see most of your suggestions implemented for next week.

 

[Pfitzy]

Can't put Folau at 12 with that passing game. Just. Can. Not.

 

[Lindommer]

Leave Hodge at 12, he's got a future in gold in that pozzy. If anything swap DHP and Izzy.

There's no substitute for a big bruiser at the back of a scrum, I felt Timani was progressing well on this tour and deserved to get on the paddock against the Paddies. Picking Lopeti also puts some balance back into the backrow.

Slipper seems not to've fully recovered from the recent panel-beating to his shoulder, and is getting shown up in tests. A shame. James really could've done with a rest followed by a proper pre-season. This is the game when Ledesma earns his money with his preparation of the two young props.

Mumm, what to do? Dean's always had the ability to have the occasional (regular?) brain fart, and they invariably cost us dearly when they occur. Both Fardy and Mumm probably won't be in gold come RWC2019 so steps should be taken to find a replacement soon. Right now I reckon Dean's a touch further down the road of sporting senility than Scott. If anything next week Fardy's hard work at the breakdown's needed more than Mumm's contributions at the lineout, Eddie prides himself in his players' skill "in the tackle". But, Scott, NO PENALTIES!

Surely Naivalu deserves to start in Speight's stead.

My team:

1. Sio
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Arnold
6. Fardy
7. Hooper/Pocock (don't care)
8. Timani
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Naivalu
12. Hodge
13. Kuridrani
14. DHP/Folau
15. Folau/DHP
16. Latu
17. Ala'alatoa/Robertson (I'll leave it up to Ledesma to decide who's playing better at LHP)
18. Robertson/Ala'alatoa
19. Douglas
20. Pocock/Hooper, whomever doesn't start
21. Frisby
22. Cooper
23. Morahan

BTW, are any of the Oz Barbarians still with the main Wallabies squad? Be good to have them there for opposed training sessions.

 

[TSR]

Unfortunately I don't think you can have Fardy without penalties - it is a by product of going hard at the ball the way he does. Same for Pocock. In saying that, Mumm is no clean skin. It is an issue for us at present.

I agree that Slipper is struggling, but I'm not sure the alternatives are better. I noted that in the Ireland match thread someone noted that they knew we'd give up a penalty on that last scrum and seemed to imply that's Slipper was the culprit. But we actually went forward on his side on that last scrum, it was the TH side that yielded.

Our scrum generally has regressed. Slipper is certainly having his problems, but he's not on his Pat Malone.

 

[Twoilms]

1. Sio
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Douglas
5. Arnold
6. Pocock
7. Hooper
8. Timani
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Naivalu
12. Hodge
13. Kuridrani
14. DHP
15. Folau

To hell with this rubbish about strengthening the lineout to the detriment of everything else. Mumm and Simmons are the softest forwards in world rugby. Have one on the bench if it becomes 100% necessary but that's it. Starting both was suicide. Mumm cops the drop for some ill discipline.

Speight was shite and Naivalu wasn't.. straight swap.Our work in tight was not good enough in the first 40 and Timani was the obvious answer to that. Dropping him from the bench was a poor decision. Reinstated.

16.Robertson
17.Latu
18.AAA
19.McMahon
20.Simmons
21.Cooper
22.Morahan
23. (whichever 9 is left)

For the future: Folau should be dropped for the next up and coming fullback (or DHP) at some point. He needs to be held accountable for the large number of poor decisions he's been making.

 

[KOB1987]

Eddie's back to his games. Reckons he wants a meeting with Peyper to bring up issues with the Wallabies scrum! With Peyper reffing he really doesn't need to bother.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...n-eye-on-wallabies-scrum-20161127-gsyfig.html

 

[TSR]

1. Sio
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Douglas
5. Arnold
6. Pocock
7. Hooper
8. Timani
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Naivalu
12. Hodge
13. Kuridrani
14. DHP
15. Folau

To hell with this rubbish about strengthening the lineout to the detriment of everything else. Mumm and Simmons are the softest forwards in world rugby. Have one on the bench if it becomes 100% necessary but that's it. Starting both was suicide. Mumm cops the drop for some ill discipline.

Speight was shite and Naivalu wasn't.. straight swap.Our work in tight was not good enough in the first 40 and Timani was the obvious answer to that. Dropping him from the bench was a poor decision. Reinstated.

16.Robertson
17.Latu
18.AAA
19.McMahon
20.Simmons
21.Cooper
22.Morahan
23. (whichever 9 is left)

For the future: Folau should be dropped for the next up and coming fullback (or DHP) at some point. He needs to be held accountable for the large number of poor decisions he's been making.

When England beat us 3 - 0 there was a chorus of boos around Cheika ignoring the importance of our lineout. To suggest the way forward is to weaken the lineout further on the basis that Timani & Douglas are going to smash England into submission seems fanciful to me.

We simply don't have a Brodie Retallack or Jerome Kaino to pick. If we did, they'd be getting picked. Cheika certainly isn't against picking big, hard running forwards (ironically Douglas was previously accused of getting preferential treatment).

I do understand your frustration, but to just surrender the lineout is nuts. And I think you'll be disappointed when the team is announced.

 

[Quick Hands]

Eddie's back to his games. Reckons he wants a meeting with Peyper to bring up issues with the Wallabies scrum! With Peyper reffing he really doesn't need to bother.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u.n-eye-on-wallabies-scrum-20161127-gsyfig.html

Eddie is the master at this sort of stuff and the press will lap it up, which in turn puts Cheika under pressure. If a meeting is organised, Cheika will be informed and have the right to attend. Hope he thinks very carefully what he will say in the meeting as Eddie will play him off a break otherwise.

 

[Gnostic]

Have Australia ever lost to one team four times in a year? I can't see them getting over this England side next week. The pack and set piece are unbalanced with the Pooper (which won't be broken up as it should be) and underperformers such as Moore and Simmons will be retained while there are not any real replacements at this stage for Fardy or Mumm so its a toss up who is a lesser liability.

 

[TSR]

Have Australia ever lost to one team four times in a year? I can't see them getting over this England side next week. The pack and set piece are unbalanced with the Pooper (which won't be broken up as it should be) and underperformers such as Moore and Simmons will be retained while there are not any real replacements at this stage for Fardy or Mumm so its a toss up who is a lesser liability.

Who would you pick in front of Simmons & why? None of the other contenders have outplayed him.

Bemoaning our lack of world XV quality is one thing - and I'd largely agree with you in that - but casting aside a player to replace him with a worse one, how does that help? Cheika did actually drop Simmons remember - but had to recall him when Coleman was injured.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I am more and more impressed with the straight running of Hodge at No 12. There is no need in the world to consider anyone else in that spot (until Kerevi returns, and then it might be horses for courses).

Simmons will start no matter what. He is needed to call our lineouts. No need to change Arnold as his partner with Douglas off the bench.

One way or another, we have either seen the last of the Pooper, or this week will be the last we see it for at least a year. I cannot fathom how the coaches have persisted with Pocock at 6 or 8 alongside Hooper at 7 when almost every one else seems to have recognised many tests ago that the combination is puuting too much pressure on both the lineout and the capability within the forward pack to take the ball over the game line.

I am starting to suspect there is some form of blindness afflicting our coaches when they don't see that Timani should be starting in the No 8 spot. Should never have lost his spot and is needed to be there v England.

The backline only needs a little tweaking - no major changes. Naivalu could well replace Speight on the wing. However, it is clear that Speight is doing things the way the coaches have set the game plan or they would have replaced him before this. A bench spot for Speight if Naivalu starts.

My squad would be:

Sio, Moore, Kepu, Arnold, Simmons, Fardy, Pocock, Timani, Phipps, Foley, Naivalu, Hodge, Kuridrani, DHP, Folau.

Reserves : Latu, Ala'alatoa, Robertson (though Cheika will have them the other way round), Douglas, Hooper, Stirzaker, Cooper, Speight.

Let's see if the Coaches can come up with a side as good as many of us are posting here.

 

[TOCC]

Set piece is a massive concern, scrum has struggled all year and will be heavily targeted by England, Sio is struggling and Kepu is nowhere near his form of 2015.. lineout continues to be an issue, when they win it's usually messy ball, going to 2 and opting for a maul because they can't win at the back of the lineout.

Naivalu deserves to start ahead of Speight, Morohan to the bench.
Bring back Timani, Pocock to 7, Hooper to bench
Drop Mumm for Fardy

 

[Kev]

The exact same side will run out against England. Who are we kidding

sigh

 

[Joe Blow]

I thought our scrum was excellent in the first half against Ireland, who have had a very good scrum for a while. There was one we got pushed off and penalized for when Mumm was in the bin but 2-3 others in the same period where we held solid and several where we put enormous pressure on them with our full quota.

 

[Joe Blow]

The obvious changes(to most of us) are Naivalu in for Henry Speight, Timani back at 8 with one of the Pooper on the bench and a possible switch for Folau and DHP.
I would also play Fardy at 6.

I wonder how Cheika sees it? If I have one criticism of his coaching it is that he is exceedingly stubborn in conceding errors in judgement.

This will be Pococks last game in gold for a year so I reckon he should start at 7 with Hooper coming off the bench.