Ireland v Australia, Saturday 26 November

[A mutterer]

speaking of which, any update from the camp re: cooper? that ankle looked pretty bad for an innocuous injury.

 

[amirite]

speaking of which, any update from the camp re: cooper? that ankle looked pretty bad for an innocuous injury.

Those minor ankle injuries can be persistent fuckers.

 

[Scoey]

Regarding Lance at 12, in 2011 the Reds used him there a little bit as well as fullback. He would defend in the line for Quade on D and revert back to position on attack.
I could be wrong but he always looked just a metre or two too slow for 12 or 15.
10 is definitely his best position. As a bench option covering 12 and 15 at a pinch but 10 is his spot.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Jono would be great as bench cover and one of his best attributes is his defence. No hiding out on the wing where he's concerned. His kicking game is very solid too.

 

[Joe Blow]

I think both Lance and Godwin are excellent bench cover, more so than Quade as they can play several positions and both offer excellent defense.
We need two 10s in the squad but probably only one specialist in the 23 with an "inside back" on the pine.

 

[Dave Beat]

Trying to get gauge on the next 2 games is hard.
Just checked out the 2016 6 Nations results, then looked at Scotland knocking over the Puma's, and Italy knocking over the Boks.
Where do we sit in all that - lets wait 2 weeks.

Mid year test v England - we have limited prep, and they are fully prepped, we got done 3 zip.
We then come 2nd in the Rugby Championships, and are now 3 zip on the EOY tour.

Our season will be defined in the next 2 games.

 

[KOB1987]

Ref: Jerome Garces (FFR) AR1: JP Doyle (RFU) AR2 : Craig M-Keys (RFU) TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)

 

[KOB1987]

The latest Wallabies video from Ireland seems to show QC (Quade Cooper) training without any noticeable sufferance.

 

[USARugger]

I think both Lance and Godwin are excellent bench cover, more so than Quade as they can play several positions and both offer excellent defense.
We need two 10s in the squad but probably only one specialist in the 23 with an "inside back" on the pine.

This is hugely risky if the 10 gets injured at any point early in the test.

 

[dru]

The latest Wallabies video from Ireland seems to show QC (Quade Cooper) training without any noticeable sufferance.

Are you sure? Maybe I missed the latest. He seemed to move freely enough but was never on video out of his trach suit and avtually training, more helping out. Maybe I was reading it wrong.

 

[KOB1987]

Are you sure? Maybe I missed the latest. He seemed to move freely enough but was never on video out of his trach suit and avtually training, more helping out. Maybe I was reading it wrong.

Or I could be reading it wrong. I just assumed the wearing of the tracksuit was his choice. The opening 'scene' shows him hitting Reece Hodge who is holding the bag and at exactly 1:00 he is taking the hit with the bag. I just thought he wasn't doing anything less than anyone else, but admittedly none of what we see is too high intensity.

 

[dru]

Seeing him moving is a damn good start!

 

[tragic]

Seeing him moving is a damn good start!

Yeah that ankle will be vital for the last 3-5mins of the next two tests

 

[kiap]

Jono would be great as bench cover and one of his best attributes is his defence. No hiding out on the wing where he's concerned. His kicking game is very solid too.

Not disagreeing that he's a decent defender, but I'd hide any and every play-making flyhalf on the wing in defence.

This includes Foley, Beale, Cooper and the future second-coming of Mark Ella.

It's about doing what needs to be done for the team to win, not some macho matador contest.

Of course, rugby punters still like the glorious idea of it but the coaches worth their salt moved on from it eons ago. You don't want to trample these blokes under the feet of the opposition bulls all game. Their worth is elsewhere.

 

[PeterK]

The big question in my mind is the extent to which Ireland have been drained, physically and emotionally, by the two games against the Darkness?


They are a very hard act to follow.

Ireland have only palyed 3 games this season. They played a B team against Canada.
So 2 hard games against NZ with a week in between.

Aust does this every year except no weeks break yet are fine in the 3rd game.

Aust have played 13 games so if anything would be more tired.

 

[fatprop]

Not disagreeing that he's a decent defender, but I'd hide any and every play-making flyhalf on the wing in defence.

This includes Foley, Beale, Cooper and the future second-coming of Mark Ella.

It's about doing what needs to be done for the team to win, not some macho matador contest.

Of course, rugby punters still like the glorious idea of it but the coaches worth their salt moved on from it eons ago. You don't want to trample these blokes under the feet of the opposition bulls all game. Their worth is elsewhere.

Any decent coach is going to run every big man they can over the top of your playmaker. (Andrew Johns would often be made to top the tackle count when playing well coached NRL sides)

It makes sense to preserve the energy of the playmaker for attack

 

[PeterK]

This is going to be such an interesting game. Ireland have it all over the Australian's in the forwards - the IRE front row is outstanding, Toner is playing at world class level at the moment, OBrien is a beast and Heaslip is maybe the best 8 in the world at the moment. The Aussies are lacking some punch, set-piece chops and balance. The backs possibly have Australia in front but it's tight. Were Sexton, Kearney, Zebo and Henshaw all 100% it'd be tighter again.
Very tough game. This is only broadcast on BeIN sports right?

NZ outscrummed Ireland and Aust at the minimum matched NZ in the scrums so I don't see that.

The backrow will be a great matchup with Pocock, Hooper and Timani. Pocock slightly better than S Obrien. Heaslip better than Timani. Hooper slightly better, so overall call that equal.

Irish locks have the edge in general play.

 

[PeterK]

Funny to see the kiwis supporting the Wallabies all of a sudden. That must be doing their heads in.

The Irish were ferocious in the rucks in both games, we'll really need to work hard there. Poey will be in harm's way trying to pilfer with those Irish bodies flying in. We'll also need to watch out for their mauls, from choke-tackles and the lineout. The ABs dodged that bullet to an extent with their own superior lineout, which we don't have.

The Irish strength is their backrow , and with Sexton out the tactics will be choke tackles, keeping the ball in hand and attack the breakdown.

Normally I don't want Pooper to play. However the right call is to select Pocock 6 Hooper 7 and Timani 8.

The battle will be won at the breakdown. The Irish do NOT have 4 lineout jumpers so playing Pooper is the correct thing to do.

Against England no.

 

[Braveheart81]

I note that when people are arguing against starting both Hooper and Pocock, no one is suggesting we start Mumm at 6 which would seem the most likely based on teams selected this year.

Fardy's form is improving but I would be quite surprised if Mumm misses the 23 entirely this weekend. Seems he is the reserve lineout caller after Simmons.

 

[PeterK]

As I wrote before I would select Pooper and Timani starting for this game.

McMahon is probably out injured.

I would drop Speight. If Speight was being kept for his frontline defense then Naivalu is a better proposition. He defended better against France and is a more dangerous attacker and far faster. This makes little grubbers and chips by Foley very dangerous. For high kicks Folau and DHP can contest those.

For a 6:2 bench then it would be both Fardy and Mumm on the bench.

I question the value of that.

If it is 6:2 then it would have to be Phipps and Godwin.

Godwin covers more positions and Foley if he is replaced is only for 5 mins anyway. QC (Quade Cooper) is only chosen for injury cover after all.

If it is a 5:3 bench then I would have Fardy rather than Mumm on the bench.
Ireland are hard at the breakdown and Fardy is of more value here.

The backs bench I would select for 5:3
Phipps, QC (Quade Cooper), Morahan

Morahan more versatile than Speight and better attacker and kicker.