England v Australia

[BabyBlueElephant]

Is the "Skelton's too unfit for 40 minutes of test footy" a myth or has someone with authority come out and said it?

If someone is picked on the bench and a player goes down with a hammy chasing the opening kick off, the replacement is going to have to play 79 minutes. If he can't do that then he shouldn't be in the 23. And it would be unlikely that an International coach would take such a significant risk unless there are other contingencies in the squad.

Logically it must surely be a given. The guy is 150 kilo's. The fatties up front often struggle past 60 mins and the average weight for one now is around 110 kilo's. Another 40 kilo's ontop of that is enormous.

In any international fixture I've seen him play in, by the end he looks absolutely shattered, like he's gone the distance with Ali or something. You raise an interesting point in terms of an injury.

 

[emuarse]

Which goes to my point. There are a myriad of possible penalties and free kicks at every scrum, but some are enforced fanatically, others not enforced at all and in many cases it's a 50/50 lottery decided at the whim of the referee.

In most of those early scrums in which we were penalised the English loose head was angling in at about 45 degress, which is what caused the scrum to twist, yet we were penalised for not pushing square. On some occasions his backside was almost pointing at the referee. Add to that, at the one on the English goal line the ball was fed at 45 degrees.

The English clearly knew how Garces was going to referee the scrum, à la Poite - the penalty always goes to the dominant scrum regardless of who infringed.

Not hard to guess who'll ref the England/Wallabies game in the RWC next year

 

[Viking]

Oh, I disagree, Moore,TPN or Charles will improve the scrummaging, two of the three will mean improvement for 80 minutes. Sio & Weekes off the bench would also improve the scrum.

Add a stronger Palu at the back and possibly a fit Horwill and there are improvements

If you read the rest of my post I said that wasn't already injured or ineligible.
We couldn't have brought anyone else in for this tour who would have made a significant difference.

Next year will be totally different with the return of TPN, Moore, Pocock, Sio, Fardy, Higgers & Palu.

Our locks are still an issue though. I don't see Horwill getting any better, Carter and Simmons need to lift a gear. I like the look of Jones but he needs to lift a gear too.

 

[Lorenzo]

The unpredictability of law enforcement has been an issue the entirety of the life of the pro game, and probably a long time before that.

And it goes to the heart of the issues with the ball-control offence. Even if you execute perfectly, you will lose the ball in your own half when you play with the ball in your own half. It might be at the ruck, in a maul, in a scrum or whatever, but the ref is going to do things you don't like and don't agree with.

For every point we've scored through possessions that started in our own 40, I suspect we have conceded at least 5 points after giving away possession in our own 40. Some of that will be the direct result of penalties we don't think should have been blown against us. So the front row can look confused, the commentators can moan, the captain can inquire but in the end, that's all for nothing, and now we're down 3 points (maybe 7).

 

[ACT Crusader]

If I were a Wallaby supporter I wouldn't be relying on TPN, Pocock or Palu. These guys just seem so injury prone.

Same way I'm not expected Dan Carter to go through uninjured next year. And I'm guessing Hansen and co aren't either given we had 4 x 10's on this tour....

Fardy has proved to be a major loss, despite some positive stuff from the youngster and Jones. Neither of them have Fardy's nous for the ball and aggression. Sio is unproven so he will be a 50/50 call I suspect come selection time for the RC, let alone a final WC squad. Higgers adds a good bench option for 6 or 8.

 

[Strewthcobber]

If I were a Wallaby supporter I wouldn't be relying on TPN, Pocock or Palu. These guys just seem so injury prone.

Same way I'm not expected Dan Carter to go through uninjured next year. And I'm guessing Hansen and co aren't either given we had 4 x 10's on this tour..

Fardy has proved to be a major loss, despite some positive stuff from the youngster and Jones. Neither of them have Fardy's nous for the ball and aggression. Sio is unproven so he will be a 50/50 call I suspect come selection time for the RC, let alone a final WC squad. Higgers adds a good bench option for 6 or 8.

I'd add Moore to that list. Very, very few people are back playing to the same standard 15 months after his injury.

Horwill has long term injury issues as well

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I'd add Moore to that list. Very, very few people are back playing to the same standard 15 months after his injury.

which only makes the cries for Poccok's immediate inclusion in the RWC squad all the more laughable

 

[Pfitzy]

Fucking hell Payten - why didn't you just ask me to write this instead of stealing my material?

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/w...d-cup-contenders/story-e6frf55l-1227140703938

 

[Strewthcobber]

which only makes the cries for Poccok's immediate inclusion in the RWC squad all the more laughable

He does have 3 months extra recovery up his sleeve compared to Moore but the number of guys who return to the top level after 2 knee recons in 2 years must be miniscule

Anyone think of a player that has managed it?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

He does have 3 months extra recovery up his sleeve compared to Moore but the number of guys who return to the top level after 2 knee recons in 2 years must be miniscule

Anyone think of a player that has managed it?

presumably he wasn't doing his squats/leg presses while protesting so that would have set him back

Pretty much finished Les Kiss, I think

 

[Dumbledore]

He does have 3 months extra recovery up his sleeve compared to Moore but the number of guys who return to the top level after 2 knee recons in 2 years must be miniscule

Anyone think of a player that has managed it?

Thomas Davis. Three in three years. That was NFL though, and the Americans are even less interested in testing for doping than we are.

 

[Dumbledore]

Has had shoulder surgery since the end of Super 14. If he returns in 15 with confidence to make his tackles, then he will come back into contention for the No 15 Wallaby spot later in the year for his kicking skills and outstanding pace.

In the games I saw Mogg was barely up to it in the NRC. You can't honestly think he's a chance to unseat Folau.

 

[kiap]

Is the "Skelton's too unfit for 40 minutes of test footy" a myth or has someone with authority come out and said it?

It's folklore. Skelton played 55-odd minutes on test debut so, in a literal sense, the statement is untrue.

However, that doesn't mean everything is neatly wrapped up and goes away. He was blowing harder than James Morrison's ear-shattering Double C. No other authority needed on that.

If someone is picked on the bench and a player goes down with a hammy chasing the opening kick off, the replacement is going to have to play 79 minutes. If he can't do that then he shouldn't be in the 23. And it would be unlikely that an International coach would take such a significant risk unless there are other contingencies in the squad.

Fat tourists with the right money have climbed Mt Everest. Fat rugby players play full test matches. There's no law against walking.

Skelton may not be in that category but he is never going to be an AFL-style 100 minute runner. He brings other attributes. A test player, yeah; a test starter, not yet. His lineout and scrummaging are also not at test level.

And coaches take risks all the time. Sometimes it works for them.

 

[maxdacat]

as an aside,the English halfback's scrum deliveries were as straight as a dog's hind leg.The hooker didn't need to strike


not that it mattered

interesting point....i did notice the ball sat bang in the middle after their feed for an abnormally long time....i even thought a tight head might be on the cards...silly me!

 

[maxdacat]

Fucking hell Payten - why didn't you just ask me to write this instead of stealing my material?

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/w...d-cup-contenders/story-e6frf55l-1227140703938

given where we are now a top 4 finish at the RWC would be doing well.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Keep reading in this thread that O'Connor will be in rwc side. Has the aru said it is willing to change contractual arrangements with players or is this just wishful thinking?

 

[Braveheart81]

Keep reading in this thread that O'Connor will be in rwc side. Has the aru said it is willing to change contractual arrangements with players or is this just wishful thinking?

He's playing for the Queensland Reds next year so no changes to policy are required for him to be in the RWC squad.

 

[ACT Crusader]

It's folklore. Skelton played 55 odd minutes on test debut so, in a literal sense, the statement is untrue.

However, that doesn't mean everthing is neatly wrapped up and goes away. He was blowing harder than James Morrison's ear-shattering Double C. No other authority needed on that.


Fat tourists with the right money have climbed Mt Everest. Fat rugby players play full test matches. There's no law against walking.

Skelton may not be in that category but he is never going to be an AFL-style 100 minute runner. He brings other attributes. A test player, yeah; a test starter, not yet. His lineout and scrummaging are also not at test level.

And coaches take risks at the time. Sometimes it works for them.

Coaches take risks no doubt but not unnecessary ones. If say in my scenario of a starting lock going down injured in the opening play that with McCalman in the side he would move to lock and the back up loose forward would come on and then Skelton would come on later.

 

[Braveheart81]

Coaches take risks no doubt but not unnecessary ones. If say in my scenario of a starting lock going down injured in the opening play that with McCalman in the side he would move to lock and the back up loose forward would come on and then Skelton would come on later.

Potentially Cheika planned to bring on Jones for McMahon earlier than bringing Skelton on.

With the injury he got a chance to see Jones at lock and keep the number of minutes planned for other reserves in place.

 

[chasmac]

Who's got a comment on how Jones handled the 2nd row.
I haven't seen the game due to CH10 being muppets.