France v Australia

[Lee Grant]

Put all this stuff in the Reds thread please guys or even in some kind of RWC thread - it's getting boring.

 

[Paradox]

Hunt, who was only intermittently a regular starter for the Maroons and Kangaroos, was better at league than Folau? Really? Some reinvention going on there.

Why are you on this forum when you bag it out quite often on another forum?

 

[Paradox]

We'll see changes for Ireland and probably a repeat of this team, if all goes well, against England. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) needs to deliver a dominant performance as he hasn't been much of a threat in Wallaby gold for quite some time.

 

[Paradox]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has played 100+ tests and folks are still debating if he's any good by suggesting that he should be dropped.

When he retires the myth of his poor play will be continued by the same people.

But I honestly think that this guy and that is better they might say - but they've been saying it for year after year and he still gets picked.

Maybe our coaches since he made his debut haven't been the smartest guys in the room but I will back their opinion as a group more than critics of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as a group.

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Yes and they all said he should be selected at 13. Despite his 100 tests he is not the best player in this position. This is the position he played in all year. He is not our best wing prospect either. Giteau played 92 tests and didn't even make a world cup squad so clearly there is not always a correlation between number of tests and being a guaranteed selection. None of this means AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) isn't a good player.

 

[BDA]

Just rewatching the Ireland/Bok game. Funny how the Wallabies are copping flack about their scrum but in the same breath the NH are talking up Ireland as a smoky for the world cup. The Irish scrum was pulverised.

No reason the wallabies scrum shouldn't have the upper hand next week

 

[KevinO]

Cheika will stick with Skelton's physicality somewhere in his 23 heading into RWC 2015, unless a new hard arsed on baller lock emerges.

Don't know why everyone thinks Cheika will stick with Skelton. He was lock number 3 for the Tahs most of the season.

 

[Quick Hands]

. New winger Teddy Thomas (what a name for a Frenchman) was also dynamic scoring a hat trick.

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It is an odd name for a Frenchman, although you don't pronounce the final 's' - which makes the surname sound French.

My information is that he is born and bred in France (born in Biarritz in 1993). Not sure where the Teddy bit came from

Which just goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover

 

[FilthRugby]

I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that the Wallabies scrum in bad. I'm trying to be as neutral as possible, but since 2005 after the Wallabies got absolutely pulverised by the Poms at Twickenham scrum wise, some referees have already made the conclusion that the Wallabies must be infringing at the set piece.

I have seen many times when penalties, in my opinion, have gone the wrong way. And it becomes frustrating. I know Cheika will really focus on the scrum and I personally hope the Wallabies dominant one of the European nations to prove a point, to get the negative perception out of some of the officials heads.

I'm not criticising referees, because I understand they have difficult job. But, as an example, you only have to look at 2006 when the Wallabies lost a Bledisloe Cup game, which they should have won, after Joubert consistently penalised Al Baxter, when one replay Tony Woodcock was the culprit. After the game Joubert had the decency to apologise to Baxter, which shows sincere sportsmanship.

If the Wallabies develop a strong set piece, with notoriety, before the World Cup, we will be a quiet surprise. And of course there is hope, you only have to look at Kepu's single handed performance of the weekend -whilst Skelton had a body position similar to a Titanic exhibition. If they can work on the small things, we will upset a few strong, forward orientated teams.

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has been a mainstay no doubt , has a go and seems to be a guy you want to have in the trenches with you on and off the field . And besides Australia loves Gordon Bray saying "Adam Ashley-Cooper" ... better than "the footballing artist formerly known as Adam Ashley-Cooper" . The number of tests is astounding but not undeserved whilst many around him fell away . I may be drawing a long bow but I think of arguably the most successful footballer in history Brad Thorn , unlikely though it may seem his silverware collection across the codes appears second to none despite him not being considered the best . I hope you get my drift , what a unit !

 

[Scotty]

One of our best players for sure and let's hope he stays healthy and in form.

Our locks have been poor and Carter has disappointed me after his fine debut.

Who would have thought not long ago that our starting props would be better than our starting locks?

And Simmo, who is retained, gave up another bonehead penalty last week - you could see it before the ref blew his whistle. It's just as well that he is the lineout sergeant otherwise he may have been dropped.

They have to get early up into the guts of a maul as it starts and paw their way through, not do the Australian crawl around the edges. If they circle they are virtually telling the referee that they want to be penalised, because they make it easy for him to spot them; yet they put a hurt look on their faces for the TV cameras when they are pinged.

Not that Horwill exudes massive confidence in that area - but Cheika knows he will be auditioning for the Top 14 coaches for future employment and will expect a fine performance.

If there's anything more than a left-footed kicker that Cheika will be looking for when Super Rugby starts next year, it will be fresh blood for the second row.
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Harsh on Simmons. Look at that maul again. He starts to come through the middle then the maul skews and the welsh player to his left peels off and comes to the back. It made it look like Simmons came around when in fact he started coming through.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Yes and they all said he should be selected at 13. Despite his 100 tests he is not the best player in this position. This is the position he played in all year. He is not our best wing prospect either. Giteau played 92 tests and didn't even make a world cup squad so clearly there is not always a correlation between number of tests and being a guaranteed selection. None of this means AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) isn't a good player.

I'm pretty sure Giteau was selected in the 2007 WC squad.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I'm pretty sure Giteau was selected in the 2007 WC squad.

And 03.

 

[Biffo]

KHunt ... I can't see him not in the XV, he is just too good.

i can not agree more.
boy can play --- and more

 

[Brumby Jack]

Anyway, lets focus on those who are actually playing in this game...

Here's the confirmed bench.

16. James Hanson
17. Benn Robinson
18. Ben Alexander
19. Will Skelton
20. Matt Hodgson
21. Will Genia
22. Quade Cooper
23. Rob Horne

 

[Joe Blow]

Would have been nice to see Luke Jones in the mix somewhere

 

[Groucho]

Why are you on this forum when you bag it out quite often on another forum?

Eh? Why do you follow me round like a swoony schoolgirl on both? I guess it's existentialism dude, like why do I have 1,491 likes when you have only 582.

But none of this has anything to do with the France game.

 

[No4918]

Anyway, lets focus on those who are actually playing in this game.

Here's the confirmed bench.

16. James Hanson
17. Benn Robinson
18. Ben Alexander
19. Will Skelton
20. Matt Hodgson
21. Will Genia
22. Quade Cooper
23. Rob Horne

I like the bench. For all the Jones calls he certainly didn't show he deserves the spot more than Hodson or Skelton in the back half of the year. Carter has generally been poor so dropping him might fire him back up.

 

[Joe Blow]

Could be more of a rest for Carter and a chance well earned by Kev.
The English will demand a bit more size. Hopefully Higgers back in the frame for the Irish.
Jones has earned his next shot. I guess he will just have to be patient.
Cheika should be applauded for no knee jerk reaction and McMahon will most likely pay him back in full this week.

 

[Sully]

Bit light on Queenslanders!

 

[Train Without a Station]

I like the bench. For all the Jones calls he certainly didn't show he deserves the spot more than Hodson or Skelton in the back half of the year. Carter has generally been poor so dropping him might fire him back up.

I don't agree that Skelton finished strongly and Jones didn't. They both seemed to tail off equally. Difference was one only had to work for 20 minutes to produce a few highlight reel displays.

Jones was in considerably better form in the NRC. Had a few handling issues at times, but so did Skelton.