EOYT 2014

[Quick Hands]

If you didn't know better,you could be forgiven for thinking that Cheika is deliberately not allowing that to happen.
There must be a reason why it is yet to happen,I just can't think of one.

Cheika was quoted in the paper during the week as extolling the virtues of Cooper and Beale coming off the bench in the context that the team was more that the 15, but all of the 23.

I suspect that this is his plan moving forward. He strikes me as a coach who picks and sticks once he finds a player who will do the job that he wants. IMO he has clearly formed the view that Phipps and Foley are the 9/10 to implement his game plan.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Chek certainly has been "loyal" to Foley. Foley still has left the door open for Quade.

We are up against England this week. I expect Chek to select Quade at 10.

 

[Train Without a Station]

If Australia lose to England this weekend and Foley starts it will be a wasted opportunity to test things out.

If that is how things pan out Cheika will have:

1. Lost 3 out of 4 tests
2. Not tested anything beyond basically the same team that was used throughout the domestic season
3. Have showed faith in a failing line up, despite the fact the tight 5, the Wallabies biggest historical weakness have performed reasonably well.

Come next season there's minimal opportunity for him to try anything as there are no lesser games and the coach goes into the World Cup knowing nothing new.

It seems Cheika is showing the very same conservative streak that many were critical of Link for, and I and many were critical of Deans for.

 

[Quick Hands]

I expect Chek to select Quade at 10.

We shall see won't we? I think it might require a change in philosophy and change in personality for Cheika.

 

[Quick Hands]

If Australia lose to England this weekend and Foley starts it will be a wasted opportunity to test things out.

If that is how things pan out Cheika will have:

1. Lost 3 out of 4 tests
2. Not tested anything beyond basically the same team that was used throughout the domestic season
3. Have showed faith in a failing line up, despite the fact the tight 5, the Wallabies biggest historical weakness have performed reasonably well.

Come next season there's minimal opportunity for him to try anything as there are no lesser games and the coach goes into the World Cup knowing nothing new.

It seems Cheika is showing the very same conservative streak that many were critical of Link for, and I and many were critical of Deans for.

If this was Cheika's 3rd year in the job, I'd agree with you, but it's his 5th week.

He's pretty much done what most coaches would do in the same postion in steadying the ship, introducing himself and his style to the players and observing and evaluating the players on the tour at training and in matches. The players in the match day squad have now had ample opportunity to impress or not - chopping and changing to test multiple players doesn't give any of them the chance to impress and IMO is actually counter-productive. T he guys who he has picked are getting their chance. Other players will get plenty chances in Super 2015 and TRC 2015.

In the circumstances of the coaching hand-over, I think he's done as good as anyone else in Australian rugby could. I disagree with him brining Beale over, but I suspect he has done so to make a statement to Pulver et al, just like the lines about I'm here to coach the rugby team it's other people's responsibility to make sure he pays the fine (like the CEO).

 

[vidiot]

They're making progress, I'd be surprised if he did too much that isn't forced by injury/fitness.

 

[RugbyReg]

There's really no point judging the tour now on what may or may not happen. At least give the players and coaches a chance to actually play the last game first.

 

[Brumby Runner]

There's really no point judging the tour now on what may or may not happen. At least give the players and coaches a chance to actually play the last game first.

Apart from some of the presently missing players coming back if they show form that warrants it, most of the team now seems to be pretty much decided. The area that I believe still needs to be trialled and assessed is the 9, 10, 12 combination. We all raved about Cooper/To'omua last year and we really need to see how they would go with Phipps' quick delivery. This is the last opportunity to test it out. There won't be much (if any) experimentation going into the RC next year. If Phipps/Cooper/To'omua don't get a run against England it will be a tremendous lost opportunity.

 

[fatprop]

Well after the first 15 mins tonight, could be on track for one of our worst tours ever. And worst seasons ever actually.

Fucking hell Phipps was back to 3 years ago. Couldn't hit a target with his pass all night. Should be dropped & Foley too. Just nowhere near as dangerous as Quade.

Jones out too. Hodgson to 6. Need someone out there that actually get a turnover.

Funny I thought he chucked 3 shit passes. And of those the one to Foley was timing and movement ie Foley wasn't where Phipps expected, another looked like both forwards thought the other was taking it



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