Ireland v Australia

[Wilson]

Tomane was a little unlucky to be dropped though, he was one of our best last week, but we can't really carry a specialist wing on the bench.

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

Very happy Jones is getting a start, think he may have a point to prove after the French test. Though am a bit sad to see McMahon couldn't even make a 27 man bench, thought but I guess Schatz covers 8 better and deserves a chance after some good NRC games.

Expect/Hope that Benny A, Skelton and Beale don't make the cut and that will be a solid bench.

 

[hammertimethere]

Surely Faulkner, Skelton and Beale have to be the ones to drop off. Unless TGC is happy for Izzy to cover both wings (which he might be) and wants our set piece to go several steps south of shithouse late in the game. No Hodgson anywhere is rather concerning

 

[something]

i'm wishing chek would start quade; as previous posts have alluded, has has the highest ceiling and is probably the best 10 for the rwc. Bernard is the ice man, so cool under pressure - but he doesn't open up the game like QC (Quade Cooper) does.

 

[Wilson]

I understand the dump Alexander thoughts, but seriously Alexander would take Faulkner to the cleaners on both sides of the scrum any day of the week. Unless his still injured.. but then still I would back him over Faulkner..

At this point he's the only other option there at tight head, so we may as well have a look at him against Ireland's somewhat weaker scrum. Whoever the replacement tighthead is I hope they get a chance to pack down with someone other then Skelton behind them.

 

[chasmac]

Carter, Jones, To'omua and Speight in.
Plus bench for nearly everyone else.
Hodgo, Lilo, Tomane and McMahon out.
I would like to know if Lilo is injured.
Pretty good adjustments to last week's problems.
ie Jones and Carter to stiffen up the 2nd row and back row respectively whilst adding to the set piece.
To'omua to provide go forward and strong D
Speight to burn the paddies down the sideline

 

[BDA]

Good team.

I wonder if Cheika will go for a 6-2 bench?

Or maybe a 7-1 bench?

 

[Godfrey]

Yeah, that's my big problem with Foley. He just doesn't seem to set off the players around him and get the most out of them. I don't think he is by any means a bad player but the things Quade brings that he doesn't are things I personally prefer in a 5/8. Quade from the Dunedin test last year onwards is the 10 we need I reckon.

 

[qwerty51]

Come to me for all future team news..

11 man bench is ridiculous, I don't believe for one second Cheika doesn't know who he's going to pick, not sure what he's playing at. Maybe Beale is in the 23 and this is a way to reduce the attention on him until it's too late?

 

[Tomikin]

Come to me for all future team news..

11 man bench is ridiculous, I don't believe for one second Cheika doesn't know who he's going to pick, not sure what he's playing at. Reduce the attention of the Beale matter until too late?

Yeah it's a bit silly in my book, pick your team so they can fire up for the game.

 

[Dumbledore]

Am very, very, happy for Jones. Long overdue opportunity.

 

[Dumbledore]

And how did Schatz manage to make the Wallatahs bench?

 

[Wilson]

And how did Schatz manage to make the Wallatahs bench?

There are only 2 eights in the squad

 

[Marcelo]

Good team! Congrats Luke Jones & Henry Speight. Go lads!

 

[Tomikin]

Look Im happy, just for the Speight Train, the Bro with the fro

and we all should donate to this for him

 

[Hawko]

Dump Alexander, Skelton and Beale and that should be about right.

I think we might see the three dropouts being Alexander, Skelton and Horne. My reasoning is:

1. The Irish scrum is not as good as the English scrum so this is the best week to trial Faulkner at tight head.
2. Skelton is only there to cover for Horwill's knee injury. Hopefully he will be right to play 20 mins.
3. I suspect that Cooper will cover for Foley this week with To'omua playing 80.
4. Cheik is clearly worried about Folau's game fatigue. His reasonable options would be AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Beale to cover 15. My guess that with To'omua at 12 he would choose Beale as the second playmaker over AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s reliability, particularly if we were behind or just in front at 60 minutes.

I think Jones at 6 is a great selection. Here's his chance to grab with both hands and it will hugely improve the backrow balance. The naming of Schatz on the bench probably means Macca will get a rest at 60, which I would endorse. He's done a mountain of grunt work in the last few weeks and will be fresher for next week.

I still think next week is more important than this week in terms of laying down a marker for the World Cup pool, though Ireland may be the more complete team right now.

 

[Ash]

Thought McMahon may have made the bench ahead of Schatz, but there you go. Schatz was pretty poor for Super Rugby, but good for the NRC. Not sure that justifies his bench, but I can understand the call up as there's no-one else of experience - unless you take a punt on some other guys who also went well in the NRC.

This forum will become a ton of fun should Quade be overlooked for Kurtley

Yup, but understandbly so, as you'd wonder what Beale has done to justify a call up over Cooper in the last week. Going on last matches played off the bench, Cooper is now well ahead. Plenty of the forum think that Foley is a little lucky to be holding onto 10 ahead of Cooper right now. The only justification could be slightly more utility, offering a 15 replacement as well.

 

[Lee Grant]

Weight in the scrum isn't everything, but I reckon a 250kg+ weight advantage late in the game will really help our scrum out.

Very droll Braveheart.
.

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Like the back 5 .... now stay in the scrum and push lads . McCalman has stood up ... Carter has to repay the faith .... Simmons I think has been improving ....Jones deserves this chance , is stronger than you think ...Hooper - time to get a little tighter ... all solid guys , I hope they make it hard for Cheika to bench them ... that's what I want ! Every one of the starting XV needs to feel if they are replaced they can run off the field with pride in their individual & team effort , I think that mindset will go along way to converting effort into victory . The bench (which at this stage looks like it will be a cracker ) should consider themselves as the SAS ... take no prisoners . All in all an important and career defining day for many ... well do you want it ? I mean really want it?

 

[emuarse]

I'd like to see this being a game of two halves.
By that I mean to have (as we do), Messrs. Phipps & Foley for the first half, and Ginea with Cooper in the second half. Not just 20 minutes.
That way it will allow a better understanding of which pair of the four halves adds the most to the team.