EOYT 2014

[qwerty51]

How McMahon get in ahead of Gill and Schatz seriously.

 

[Ash]

3 locks and 5 backrowers. What a joke.

What happened to Palu?

Skelton? Jones too as a 5th lock.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Player, State, Age, Test Caps.
Props
Ben Alexander, ACT Brumbies, 29 years, 69 caps.
Tetera Faulkner, Western Force, 26 years, Uncapped.
Sekope Kepu, NSW Waratahs, 28 years, 48 caps.
James Slipper, Queensland Reds, 25 years, 59 caps.
Benn Robinson, NSW Waratahs, 30 years, 69 caps.

Hooker
Saia Fainga’a, Queensland Reds, 27 years, 32 caps.
James Hanson, Queensland Reds, 26 years, 5 caps.
Josh Mann-Rea, ACT Brumbies, 33 years, 2 caps.

Locks
Sam Carter, ACT Brumbies, 25 years, 8 caps.
Luke Jones, Melbourne Rebels, 23 years, 1 caps.
James Horwill, Queensland Reds, 29 years, 56 caps.
Will Skelton, NSW Waratahs, 22 years, 4 caps.
Rob Simmons, Queensland Reds, 25 years, 46 caps.

Loose Forwards
Scott Higginbotham, Melbourne Rebels, 28 years, 31 caps.
Matt Hodgson, Western Force, 33 years, 9 caps.
Michael Hooper (c), NSW Waratahs, 22 years, 38 caps.
Ben McCalman, Western Force, 26 years, 34 caps.
Sean McMahon, Melbourne Rebels, 20 years, Uncapped.

Halfbacks
Will Genia, Queensland Reds, 26 years, 55 caps.
Nick Phipps, NSW Waratahs, 25 years, 24 caps.
Nic White, ACT Brumbies, 23 years, 18 caps.

Flyhalf
Quade Cooper, Queensland Reds, 26 years, 50 caps.
Bernard Foley, NSW Waratahs, 25 years, 14 caps.

Centres
Kyle Godwin, Western Force, 22 years, Uncapped.
Adam Ashley-Cooper, NSW Waratahs, 30 years, 100 caps.
Rob Horne, NSW Waratahs, 25 years, 22 caps.
Tevita Kuridrani, ACT Brumbies, 23 years, 17 caps.
Christian Leali'ifano, ACT Brumbies, 27 years, 14 caps.
Matt To'omua, ACT Brumbies, 24 years, 19 caps.

Outside Backs
Israel Folau, NSW Waratahs, 25 years, 25 caps.
Tom English, Melbourne Rebels, 23 years, Uncapped.
Henry Speight, ACT Brumbies, 26 years, Uncapped.
Joe Tomane, ACT Brumbies, 23 years, 12 caps.

NSW Waratahs, 9
ACT Brumbies, 9
Queensland Reds, 7
Western Force, 4
Melbourne Rebels, 4

 

[qwerty51]

Luke Jones will not play any lock

 

[Highlander35]

How McMahon get in ahead of Gill and Schatz seriously.

Because Schatz is Schatz and Gill is injured.

 

[Braveheart81]

With such a short time to prepare for the tests, I'd be surprised if Cheika picks a team for the Baa Baas game that's much different to his expected first test team.

 

[fatprop]

Luke Jones will not play any lock

He can be backrower/lock cover from the bench as can McCalman

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

How McMahon get in ahead of Gill and Schatz seriously.

Makes a lot of sense to me, I can see why Cheik likes him as he's probably the closest player to hooper going around. Fast, agressive, skillful and a good link man.

He's a bit bigger than hooper so is a bit of a 'notta' but can cover all the positions in the back row, 6 and 7 in particular. He's killing it in the NRC too.

 

[Ash]

Not as a comment either way, but Schatz was killing it in the NRC too.

I'm stumped as to who replaces Fardy, he leaves a massive hole. He is a huge pest over the ball.

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

Not as a comment either way, but Schatz was killing it in the NRC too.

I'm stumped as to who replaces Fardy, he leaves a massive hole. He is a huge pest over the ball.

He was indeed, my only guess is it's because he's probably viewed as an 8 man only and now Benny Mac is back whereas McMahon can cover a few spots.

 

[RugbyReg]

I'd like to see Jones given a shot at 6 with Higgers (or McCalman) at 8.

Previously I'd suggest that Ben Mc would be 8 with Scotty on the side, but who knows what Cheika is thinking.

 

[Dumbledore]

Not as a comment either way, but Schatz was killing it in the NRC too.

I'm stumped as to who replaces Fardy, he leaves a massive hole. He is a huge pest over the ball.

Might well be Jones. Either that or Higgers at 6 with McCalman at 8.

Great to see McMahon in the squad. Plays a very similar game to Hooper with a slightly bigger body. He doesn't read the play as well as Hooper, and he's not as good on the deck, but he carries just as well and hits like a truck on defence. He's young, mega-talented, and in form. Why wouldn't you want to take him along?

 

[Troy]

Big year year for McMahon, AUS u20's; Rebels; NRC; 7's Commonwealth Games & now Wallabies.

 

[Pfitzy]

Same fucking team that took on the ABs, with the exception of:

Horwill for Carter
Higgers to blindside
BennyMac to 8

 

[Dumbledore]

I'd like to see Jones given a shot at 6 with Higgers (or McCalman) at 8.

Previously I'd suggest that Ben Mc would be 8 with Scotty on the side, but who knows what Cheika is thinking.

It'll be interesting to see what sort of role they want Jones to play. He played a slightly looser role at the Rebels this year which lead to him finally being noticed and then criticised for the very thing that got him spotted. I think he's much better suited to 6 than lock at Test level, but that comes with the concession that he's nowhere near as good over the ball as Fardy is. He needs to improve his hands a bit, as well as his body position in contact, but he's got the makings of a seriously good player.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Pretty stoked to see Jones and McMahon get a gig. I reckon there could be a chance that one of those blokes could play at blindside at some point on the tour, especially McMahon. He's been a beast this year.

 

[BDA]

Sounds like Cheika didn't actually pick the squad.

Good to see Fardy, Palu and TPN rested. We'll need those guys at peak fitness next year.

McMahon is a cool inclusion. Disappointing to see no Sio.

Not the strongest touring squad, will be difficult to beat England with this squad.

 

[qwerty51]

Sounds like Cheika didn't actually pick the squad.

Do tell? I missed the press conference.

 

[Braveheart81]

Do tell? I missed the press conference.

He said that he was only confirmed in the job this morning so he wanted to continue with the players who had been doing the job already.

No idea whether he had influence on any of the names in the squad. Possibly McMahon who was presumably added instead of Fardy.

 

[Viking]

yes his comments were something like "I have confidence that the coaches before me picked the right players".