I hate to break up the party

[qwerty51]

I wouldn't. We don't need to confuse the guy. Let him be. As I said we have Barns and Giteau as back up for Cooper.
Number 10 didn't work for him in the Tahs, why risk purple patch with a move of position.

Didn't work? He took them to the Grand Final and they were about to win it until he got injured.

 

[HG]

Didn't work? He took them to the Grand Final and they were about to win it until he got injured.

What are you talking about? The Super 14 Grandfinal did not feature the Tahs nor has it for the last few years.

 

[Groucho]

Fair enough Barb....but...:

- an average of 8 + PD over these 3 games permits say a win of 12 points (Wales?), one of 8 (England?) and one of 4 (France?). Not too tough a stretch there if we are able to repeat the capability shown in HKG, but against arguably 3 lesser teams. Just a bit better boot work over the posts, and we could have won in HKG by say 8 or 11, not 2. Aren't we all to a man saying that it's consistency that we must demand/aim for from this team as of now?

- I'm not in the cheerleaders group as you know, but I'm reasonably optimistic that the largely self-inflicted wounds of the type seen in Scotland and Ireland in 09 can be eliminated this year. France seem the biggest threat, but we've played them pretty well in recent years, home and away (although I notice that Gagger predicts a loss to them in the London papers).

- I guess I was kind of saying, to your point: let's make the Italy game our 'off day' by taking a bundle of calculated selection risks, but all so taken in a very good cause.

I think it is absolutely crucial that we rest most or all of the first team against Italy. We will lose if the same team is playing the fifth game in five weeks against France. The vs. Italy team should consist of the bench players plus the dirt trackers.

 

[RedsHappy]

I think it is absolutely crucial that we rest most or all of the first team against Italy. We will lose if the same team is playing the fifth game in five weeks against France. The vs. Italy team should consist of the bench players plus the dirt trackers.

Excellent point, and one I'd neglected. And Italy's the right game for it, as you say. Florence is a v pleasant place for the main XV to wander around in in their spare time ;-).

 

[Richo]

What are you talking about? The Super 14 Grandfinal did not feature the Tahs nor has it for the last few years.

2008 versus the Crusaders in Christchurch. Beale started at 10, played awesome and the Tahs led at half-time. As I recall, the Tahs were up when he went off injured.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Super_14_season#Grand_final

 

[Bullrush]

2008 versus the Crusaders in Christchurch. Beale started at 10, played awesome and the Tahs led at half-time. As I recall, the Tahs were up when he went off injured.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Super_14_season#Grand_final

I remember cheering for the Tah's in that game. Geez I hate Canterbury!!

 

[HG]

That is so long ago and he couldn't hold down a place at 10 since.

 

[Richo]

Hickey moved him from 10 to 12 (at the start of the 2009 season, from memory) then to the bench then, finally, to 15. You said the last few years -- 2008 is only 3 finals ago. Technically that qualifies.

But yeah, I don't want to see him moved from 15 either.

 

[Gnostic]

Excellent point, and one I'd neglected. And Italy's the right game for it, as you say. Florence is a v pleasant place for the main XV to wander around in in their spare time ;-).

Italy will try and bash the Walls into submission and if the front line pigs are rested I can see Ma'afu, Daley and Finger getting creamed in the front row.

 

[Joe Mac]

I really just want to see the WB's winning games and doing the simple things right. No more scrum embarrassment, no more ridiculous 2 from 6 kicking statistics etc.

Hopefully they can win all the NH games this year but if they get beaten by a team that was better on the day, that's fine. However, if they come up against a worse side, i.e Scotland last year and do everything in their power to lose the game then I will be pissed.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Pretty much my attitude too Joe. There is still plenty of improvement in the Wobs in the basic areas and if we execute them well, the attacking fire power we now possess will score us points. We still find ways to beat ourselves though and this is a key area I want to see the boys improve in. We really shouldn't have lost to England in June, given that we were close enough and didn't convert. That stuff just frustrates the hell out of me. I'm hoping that were we to find ourselves in a similar situation in the next few weeks, we'd have the nous to close it out.

 

[Hawko]

Italy will try and bash the Walls into submission and if the front line pigs are rested I can see Ma'afu, Daley and Finger getting creamed in the front row.

That would be no bad thing providing we still win the game.

Seriously, Groucho is 110% right, no player should play five internationals in 29 days. But that means we need to schedule the rotation well. Without outlining a complete plan I would see us playing our best team against France, mainly reserves against Italy and using the other games for some low level experimentation (eg. Barnes for Giteau against Wales, reverse against England, so we can compare the two under test match conditions, Hodgson at 7 this week with Pocock on the bench etc)

I agree that the Italy game should see most of the first team rested or on the bench. However I would play our best front row ie the two Bens and Moore. I would rotate the two Bens and Moore this week against Wales, with Slipper at 1 and Maafu at 3. Moore and Alexander would be on the bench.

 

[Travi34]

When will Gits get the ass? cant kick, cant score, cant create...

He hasn't played a good game in a long time, and a great one was even longer again!

Barnes showed in Shute, and then in the last 20min @HK that he is a more than capable 5/8th (1st or 2nd)... he almost hand JOC (James O'Connor) a gift try from a beautiful linebreak...barr JOC (James O'Connor) not being an experienced winger and not hanging on....

Deans has been developing players, not positions for a while now... JOC (James O'Connor) is the prime candidate... he deserves a starting XV jersey.... but whats his best number? 12? 11/14? 15? Force play him as a 2nd 5/8th, pinch hitting as a 1st 5/8th (injury may have caused this...) and he has done well there... but hasnt played a wallabies test starting at 10, or 12 ( to my knowledge)

I wouldn't like to see QC (Quade Cooper) - JOC (James O'Connor) combo though... their size, or lack of, and defence, or lack of, would open a lot of holes... though the thought of them attacking makes me salivate, esp if KB (Kurtley Beale) jumps in there somewhere...

My Backline
10 QC (Quade Cooper)
11 Mitchell
12 Barnes
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 Turner/Ioane
15 KB (Kurtley Beale)

Bench
JOC (James O'Connor)
Ioane/Turner

KB (Kurtley Beale) to kick, with Barnes/QC (Quade Cooper) also capable alternatives or JOC (James O'Connor) if on

Giteau needs to be put out of his misery... he cant continue to claim a gold jersey without any form...

 

[vert]

Given. Giteau has only got worse in the wallabies to the point where he is liability nearly. Saturday was a poor run, not just his kicking.

Barnes in until Horne comes back, then the selections get difficult

 

[Groucho]

Italy will try and bash the Walls into submission and if the front line pigs are rested I can see Ma'afu, Daley and Finger getting creamed in the front row.

I'd rather risk the second team losing to Italy, than face a certain loss against France.

There is no way the first team should face the strongest opponent, France, after having played four consecutive internationals.

We know from the Tr-Nations that performances start to tail off rapidly after just two consecutive internationals.

Not only that, but the injury risk is increased. No way should Alexander and Fatcat be playing five straight internationals, given their current recovery situation.

 

[Groucho]

That is so long ago and he couldn't hold down a place at 10 since.

It's only two years, and Beale's move to fullback (which has proved fortuitous) was the result of Waratah conservatism, not Beale's play. Hickey wanted the Tahs to play a rhythm game, and a Hangers / Barnes midfield was the way to provide it. Beale's creative play at 10 suits the Tahs the way a fish suits a bicycle.

 

[Groucho]

Think of it this way:

To avoid playing four in a row, Fatcat, Moore and Alexander either have to be rested against Italy, or England.

Who presents the greatest threat?