Gnostic's Wk 6 Wallabies

[Gnostic]

As usual can only be picked in the positions they played.

1. Kepu (Tahs)
2. S. Finger (Reds)
3. Fuse (Tahs)
4. Sharpe (Force)
5. Douglas (Tahs)
6. Mowen (Tahs)
7. Robinson (Reds)
8. Houston (Reds)
9. Genia (Reds)
10. JOC (James O'Connor) (Force)
12. Lilo (Brumbies)
13. Cummins (Force)
11. Ioane (Reds)
14. Davies (Reds)
15. Shepherd (Force)

16. Fitzpatrick (Tahs)
17. Slipper (Reds)
18. Wykes (Force)
19. McCalman
20. Phipps (Rebels)
21. Morty (Rebels)
22. Cooper (Reds)

Daley & Alexander are a long way from getting picked IMO because they failed at the set piece too regularly. Palmer for the opposite reason. Rodzilla on the basis of one game performed better and was a handful (in so many ways) for the defence.

Brumbies tight five is weak. Backrow is a back to the future episode with the Eddie Jones idea of playing Smith and Waugh in the backrow together. Didn't work then and won't now.

Interesting that if Burgess wasn't the best defensive half back in Oz he would be a distant third in the half back rankings.

Honourable mentions to Hodgeson, Brown, Fairbrother from the Force, Horwill and Higginbum from the Reds, and Kingi and Mafi of the Rebels. Not much to crow about from the Tahs or Brumbies apart from the few who got the nod.

 

[vidiot]

Its fresh, it's current and oozing credibility.

 

[Viking]

Burgess a distant 3rd? He adds so much passion, guts, and spark. Sure he's a bit rocky around the edges and not as consistent as the others but he does offer a spark that phibbs n genia just dont have. When he's on his game even with his wobberly pass he's probably the first choice. I would be very happy with either burgess, genia, or phipps in the wallabies 9.

Im very happy with the depth in the position now. Im thinking Genia or Phipps to start (most likely Genia he's got more experience) and then Burgess has got to be on the bench as he's such a great impact player. It would be a waste to put Genia start with Phipps on the bench.

 

[Reddy!]

I didn't watch the Force game, but surely Quade is worth a shout at flyhalf? Some of the stuff he does on a regular basis is pretty spectacular. J'OC being selected is more of a case of best man in a well beaten side?

 

[Bowside]

Sometimes I just think you're taking the piss mate. Slipper was the best prop in Australia this week. And Simmons and Horwill both played better than Wykes, and some would argue Douglas aswell.

 

[Jets]

I would love to see Rodzilla start at THP for the Rebels next weekend. He was great in the scrums against the 'canes and I think he would add a valuable option to the Wallabies come RWC. Also think he his great with ball in hand. Just need to start running onto the ball.

 

[Gnostic]

Judge them against the opposition they played and the strength of the defence.

The Force with an unheralded front row scrummed well against the Stormers, and Wykes carried very well in the tight and his defence was also very good. Horwill and Simmons did not play as well IMO.

As for JOC (James O'Connor) at 10, it a 50:50 call. Yes he was best in a beaten side, but he directed the play well and ran even better and he actually defended in the 10 Channel instead of being hidden away at 15 for large parts of the game. Cooper on the other hand is a better runner in broken play and his pass is simply the best in Oz especially the long ball. He just loses marks for being a defensive liability.

How many turnovers did Slipper achieve with his scrummaging. At best the Reds scrum was able to achieve marginal stability. Slipper was indeed the best Reds prop, by far and ranks above everyone else except those who achieved a dominant scrum.

 

[vidiot]

Judge them against the opposition they played and the strength of the defence......

How many turnovers did Slipper achieve with his scrummaging. At best the Reds scrum was able to achieve marginal stability. Slipper was indeed the best Reds prop, by far and ranks above everyone else except those who achieved a dominant scrum.

The Cheetah's scrum was no pushover, so I would rank that performance quite high. And Slipper won a couple of turnovers. At the breakdown.

 

[Bowside]

Judge them against the opposition they played and the strength of the defence.

The Force with an unheralded front row scrummed well against the Stormers, and Wykes carried very well in the tight and his defence was also very good. Horwill and Simmons did not play as well IMO.

As for JOC (James O'Connor) at 10, it a 50:50 call. Yes he was best in a beaten side, but he directed the play well and ran even better and he actually defended in the 10 Channel instead of being hidden away at 15 for large parts of the game. Cooper on the other hand is a better runner in broken play and his pass is simply the best in Oz especially the long ball. He just loses marks for being a defensive liability.

How many turnovers did Slipper achieve with his scrummaging. At best the Reds scrum was able to achieve marginal stability. Slipper was indeed the best Reds prop, by far and ranks above everyone else except those who achieved a dominant scrum.

I understand your point about strength of opposition, yet I would argue the reds took apart a team that took apart the tahs just over a week ago. Slipper was solid in the scrum, and had a phenomenal work rate around the paddock. At one point Horwill hit it up and drove the opposition back nearly 10 metres, only for the play to be called up, but it was still an awesome carry. Simmons is starting to show why deans thinks he's the heir apparent to sharpie, hes very athletic for a big bloke.

I actually agree with you on JOC (James O'Connor) at 10, but I think once the world cup rolls around he will be our starting 12 and goal kicker.

 

[GC]

The weak link in the Reds front row is Daley when he misses the bind. Slipper has performed almost flawlessly. To have Baxter in instead is a joke.

Some of the others - as above. Lealiifano was OK compared to the rest of the Brumbies, but Mortlock was dominant for the Rebs. Same for Saffey v. Mowen, Horwill v. Douglas - the list goes on.

I do agree with the Cooper call though - JOC (James O'Connor) has been superb.

 

[Gnostic]

I understand your point about strength of opposition, yet I would argue the reds took apart a team that took apart the tahs just over a week ago. Slipper was solid in the scrum, and had a phenomenal work rate around the paddock. At one point Horwill hit it up and drove the opposition back nearly 10 metres, only for the play to be called up, but it was still an awesome carry. Simmons is starting to show why deans thinks he's the heir apparent to sharpie, hes very athletic for a big bloke.

I actually agree with you on JOC (James O'Connor) at 10, but I think once the world cup rolls around he will be our starting 12 and goal kicker.

The Tahs didn't turn up at all last week, so you can't use them to judge the Cheetahs strength or lack of it. Yes indeed Slipper was strong in the Scrum and here we hit upon the key problem with our scrums, players are picked for what they do away from it and the scrum is a distant second thought. I could agree if the argument was Slipper scrummed as well as Fuse and played as well as he did away from it but IMO on balance I think Fuse was better all round.

As for Simmons etc. I have selected for balance and effectiveness at scrum and lineout in the second row. Hence a THL and LHL. There can be no doubt at all that Sharpe has continued he career best form this year and must be the first picked Lock on current form. That being the case who partners him is the question and it must be a genuine THL as I will not fall into the trap of playing Sharpe behind the TH. IMO Douglas was the best this week.

Re:- JOC (James O'Connor) yes if we were to really select a Wallabies 22 where players could be moved I would pick him at 12 and Cooper at 10. On the provision that Cooper has to face up to the defensive responsibilities of the position. He cannot be hidden at 15 in international level all the time.

 

[vidiot]

Yes indeed Slipper was strong in the Scrum

It kinds of sounds like we agree on the facts, then, but we reach different conclusions.

 

[Bullrush]

I think Phipps is the best half-back running around in an Aussie team by a country mile at the moment

 

[Richard D. James]

Douglas was quite poor I thought. Gave away some silly penalties as well.

Does Simmons deserves some extra credit for his lineout callinng? Seemed good in both attack and defense .

 

[WB3]

For my part, Beale and Saffy both deserve to be there, and that takes nothing from Shephard and Mowen, who both deserve spots in the 22.

 

[Richo]

I think Phipps is the best half-back running around in an Aussie team by a country mile at the moment

Genia had a blinder for the Reds. Also, Burgess was about the Tahs best, IMO. He has the odd brain explosion but his defense is phenomenal and he makes a lot of trouble with his runs.

 

[Dumbledore]

Would have thought Saffy was worth a shout?